"A House Divided"
(Previous Post: The Bosslady's 'Prelude')
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 2, Dawson's Quarters
Stardate: 60326.1500
Time Index: Prior to Maya's arrival before security detail took David off the ANUBIS
As the SCARAB class vessel docked, David was standing quietly looking into the NEW ALEXANDRIA complex. The ANUBIS docked in her berthing position next to the USS SCARAB, Admiral Koneki's ship. The CEO heard the engines power down, heard the umbiblcal thrum against the hull. He sighed and paced. How long he thought before he heard the chime? Not long at all.
"Come" the CEO said as the doors opened. Ensign Rostov entered first with phaser drawn and then Sabrina. David looked at his CO as she produced a PADD.
"Lieutenant David Dawson as of stardate 60326 and under the Starfleet Code of Military Justice I hearby place you under arrest." she said plain and simple.
"My charges?" David replied.
"Insubordination, actions unbefitting a Starfleet officer, theft of Starfleet property, destruction of Starfleet property, and murder."
David eyed Sabrina as she returned his glare.
"We don't have all day Lieutenant" she said nodding to Nico.
"Sir... if you please" the Nausician security chief said producing magna cuffs.
David extended his hands as Nico placed the bands around his wrists. David headed for the door and paused. He shook his head and exited.
When the security detail reached the umbiblical they were met Lt. Lieutenant Commander NabuS, the bases security chief.
"Captain, Ensign" he said looking at the Nausician.
"Commander" Sabrina replied.
"Under orders I am to take custody of the prisoner."
Sabrina looked at Nico and nodded. David stepped onto the base as 2 marines stood before him.
"Good to see you again Lieutenant. I wished it was under better terms."
David nodded as they escorted him away. As they made their way to the lift, several members of the ANUBIS eyed the CEO. Some made snide comments as they passed.
"...finally getting what he deserves"
"...can't believe he killed Commander Enaii" and that comment made David frown. Here were the same people who praised him if their replicators were on the fritz or their showers didn't work right. Now they were sizing him up as a murderer... a thief... just a plain miscreant. He sighed as the lift doors closed.
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Setting: NEW ALEXANDRIA, Section G, Level 1 Containment Area Alpha, Cooridor
Stardate: 60326.1545
"Now... before we get in here, what were you two thinking?" Lieutenant Commander Serenna asked the CMO and Counselor.
"We wanted to see David, but Captain Rikar had him removed so quickly we didn't have a chance to."
"And sneaking into a highly secured area with clearences that would have gotten you no where?" the ExO asked.
"Serenna, we had to try" Susan said, "we wanted to show David that we're behind him."
Just then a tall officer appeared. "Lieutenant Commander Serenna?" he asked.
"You are?" the Romulan/Terran hybrid replied.
"I'm Lieutenant Commander Abigail Ryan, JAG corps. I've been sent to assist you in your defense of Lieutenant Dawson."
"News sure travels fast" Susan said whispering into Lea's ear.
"I was certain that I'd be representing David alone."
"Not taking anything away from you Commander, but the JAG corps is here to make sure you remain on the right track and that Lieutenant Dawson is represented correctly and his rights aren't denied."
"Fair enough. Let's go see him." Serenna said and as they headed in that direction, Ryan stopped.
"Sorry Ensigns... but I can't..."
"They're with me Commander" Serenna replied as she pressed on and entered through a door.
Once inside they saw David pacing slowly back and forth. Lea sighed inwardly because he was still wearing the inhibitor. At least she knew they would be able to control his temper.
"David... how are you?" Lea said as she approached.
"I've been locked away in my quarters for over 12 hours only to be locked away here. My spirits are not very high now."
"Right now... let's concentrate on your statement" Commander Ryan said.
"Who's she?" David asked looking at Serenna.
"Commander Ryan, JAG corps. She'll be assisting me in your defense... *if* you want her here."
"It isn't a need or want Commander" Ryan replied, "my orders are to be here and here is where I am."
Serenna looked at David, who shrugged.
"What other choice do we have?" the CEO replied.
"Now... I was informed by Commodore Simmons that you never got a chance to make a statement" Ryan said as she produced a tricorder and placed it on the desk, "now's your chance."
David looked at Serenna who nodded. "Start at the beginning David and leave *nothing* out."
David described in detail what happened. Zulot's bargaining chip of Lea's life for his return to SURIAL III. Him accompaying Sabrina to the main shuttlebay. Her reluctance to let him go do something to save Lea.
"And that's all I remember. After that, I remember being escorted to my quarters after Lea and I returned to the ship."
"You don't remember hijacking the SPHNIX?" Serenna asked, "or almost sucking everyone into space when you overrode the security protocols to open the bay doors?"
David shook his head. "I don't. The one thing I do remember..." and he pasued as his eyes darted back and forth in his head. Lea opened her tricorder to check his brainwave pattern and it was normal... so it was David.
"What is it?" Serenna asked.
"I remember... getting angry." the CEO replied.
"What made you angry?" Commander Ryan asked.
David huffed, "Like I said Commander, Sabrina's reluctance to do anything. Zulot had captured Lea... and I didn't want that to happen again."
"Again?" the JAG officer said, "what do you mean again?"
Serrena glanced at Lea, then to Ryan, "On a previous mission, Doctor Summers was kidnapped and held against her will by Zulot. That mission is classified and that's all we can discuss now."
"Who is this... Zulot character?" Ryan asked.
"A zealist... who was a conspiritor in the capture of the crew of USS MERCURY and her destruction."
Lea's tricorder bleeped and she looked at it. David's brainwaves started fluxuating but remained normal.
"Zulot was also responsible for the death of 1st Lieutenant Jordan Dawson, the MERCURY's MCO."
Ryan's brows knitted together, then she nodded.
"Lieutenant Dawson's brother."
"Correct" Serenna replied, "we believe that this was the catalyst of David's erratic behavior."
David started laughing. Lea, Susan, Serenna, and Commander Ryan all looked at him.
"David... what's so funny?" Susan asked as Lea gasped.
"Oh... *if* you only knew Counselor. My brother's death wasn't the catalyst that brought me into being."
"What the hell is he talking about?" Ryan asked as Lea showed Serenna the tricorder.
"The 'uphill' battle in our case Commander... David's displaced twin brother Richard."
"OK... this isn't making any sense." the JAG officer said.
"Oh but it does Commander" David replied, "maybe not to you... but it does to *me*"
It was Lea's turn.
"We discovered by looking through David's medical files that when he was a teenager, David had a altercation in which he killed his twin brother because he tried to kill their brother Jordan..."
"Altercation?!" David snapped, "a phaser blast at point blank range is *not* a altercation 'Doc'!"
Lea ignored the barb, "Upon Richard's death, a part of his soul was transfered to David. Its called SDS, or Soul Displacement Syndrome."
"And that is?" Ryan asked.
"From what we ascertained, a being who has a twin can sometimes place their essense into the living twin. Studies haven't said much as to the behavior or the live twin."
"And why not?"
"David and Richard are the only two cases known to Starfleet Medical. Much wasn't done because his mother never finished her research on it and Commander Sarah Wellington who is the MERCURYs first officer served as David's mother's assistant. She implemented a trangressional emotion chip in David's brain to aid in his temper breakdowns..."
"Wait..." she said as she made a few notes, "His breakdowns?"
Serenna pulled a chip from her sleeve and inserted it into the desktop monitor. "David's medical file. After his parents death, David was sent to Starfleet medical for obseravtion. The doctors thought he was suffering from stress traumatic syndrome due to his parents death. No one thought to look into the SDS because it wasn't an exact science."
"So basically, we have to convince the panel that Lieutenant Dawson wasn't responsible for his actions."
"Not basically. Definately" Serenna replied, "this is a case I don't plan to loose."
"Not making this personal are we Commander?" Ryan asked.
"Far from it" Serenna replied, "I've served with David longer than anyone else on the crew. We were classmates at the Academy and I know David to be a proficcient officer. True, he has suffered from some loss of temper in the past but we now know the reason..." she paused looking at David and she approached the hatchway that seperated them, "and the reason is you Richard. Once we get rid of you and your hold on David, all will be normal."
David laughed, "Oh Commander Serenna. How I *love* a challenge. You want to save David? You want to clear his name? There's only one way David is getting cleared."
"And that is?" Serenna asked.
"When he joins *me*" he said through clenched teeth.
Serenna nodded the officers to the door and after they stepped out she went into command mode.
"That wasn't supposed to happen. What went wrong?"
Lea tapped commands into the tricorder. "I can't explain it. I'll have to figure a way to increase the power of the inhibitor, but I don't want to do it much higher than it is without risk to David's brain."
"Find us a way Doctor. Counselor, you assist."
Susan nodded.
"This SDS" Ryan said, "I'd like read up on it."
"You can speak to Lieutenant Commander Maya, our science chief. She was researching SDS before we docked but she's in debriefing now with Commodore Simmons."
"He was your former CO wasn't he?" Ryan asked.
"Yes" all three replied.
"We'll need to get a statement from him as well. I took the liberty of reading David's personal file and the admiral commendated David twice for exemplary service. That'll look good before the board. The best wishes of a former CO."
"Our biggest threat" Serenna said, "is our current CO. She's blamed David for Enaii's death and knowing the captain as well as I do, she'll stop at nothing to show the board that David isn't the exemplary officer he once was."
Ryan nodded. "We have less than 10 hours before the inquiry starts. So we need to act fast."
"Doctor, Counselor... off you go" Serenna said, "we'll met again in the BLACK HOLE lounge in 2 hours."
Lea and Susan nodded as Serenna and Commander Ryan left.
"So... what are you thinking? I can see the wheels spinning in your head" Susan told her friend.
"That this is only the beginning of the hardest mission to date. I just have a bad feeling."
"As to?" Susan asked.
"In order to win, someone is going to loose greatly. And I have a feeling that David is going to be the loser." she sighed as she walked off.
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Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
"A Starfleet officer... that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #417
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
