"The Natural Order of Things"
(Previous Post: Mark's 'Hunting...')
====================================
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Black Hole Lounge
After the Nausican and Hirogen ensigns left, Susan
eyed Lea as she picked over the remains of her dinner.
"I guess you're right" the Counselor said with a sigh,
"we should have eaten dinner first besides filling up
on desserts."
"An energy booster" the ANUBIS' CMO said, "good for
the nerves."
"Well... with all that has happened in the past month
we don't need anymore jumbled nerves." Susan said as
she set her plate aside.
"Agreed," Lea replied, "I could sleep for a month" her
actions matching her friends.
"With David in Sickbay, I doubt it" Susan said
teasingly.
Lea smirked. "OK... out with it. Just what did you mean
by that comment?"
"Lea" Susan said, "its as plain as the nose on your
face. True enough, I know about your dedication to
your craft and your patients... but I believe *you've*
become a little selective when it comes to our CEO."
Lea shrugged, "*Someone* had to stand up for him
Susan. Just about everyone was looking to throw the
book at him..." and she sighed, "even me there for a
while."
Susan's brows shot up her forehead, "Wow." was all the
Counselor could say, "may I ask why?"
Lea sat back in her chair. "Out of professionalism
David needed to be held accountable for his actions"
the CMO said remembering the conversation she had with
the robotics engineer, "and I believe that facing that
him facing the court martial was one step."
"What changed your mind?" Susan asked.
"His eyes" Lea replied.
"Odd" Susan said, "they were always changing
color... that... scary red ring around..."
"No" Lea countered, "not then. It was the look he gave
me when we saw in the the brig here on the base. I
have to admit... David's eyes are one of his best
features..." the CMO replied with a giggle then sighed
again, "but it was the look. I knew it right then and
there I'd do whatever it took to vindicate him."
"Even if it meant facing a court martial yourself?"
Susan asked.
"I don't think it would've gone *that* far" Lea
replied when her commbadge bleeped.
=/\= Sickbay to Doctor Summers. =/\=
Lea tapped her badge, "Go ahead" she said to the EMH.
=/\= Our patient is wide awake and is demanding to
leave. =/\=
"Under no circumstance is he to leave!" Lea snapped
heading toward the door as Susan followed, "I'm on my
way."
====================================
Lea and Susan entered the medical ward of Sickbay to
see David sitting up being lectured from the EMH.
"...and furthermore Lieutenant Dawson, I do not
appreciate you saying you'll erase my programming if I
don't let you go."
"It was a joke Doctor" David replied dryly as the CMO
and Counselor approached.
"Going somewhere Lieutenant?" Lea asked scanning the
CEO with a tricorder.
"No" David countered, "I only wanted to stretch my
legs and back."
"Right" Susan added with a wink to Lea.
"I saw that" David replied as Lea scanned his bald
head. She giggled.
"What's so funny?" David asked.
"First time I ever seen stubble on your head David.
Your grooming habits need some improvement."
"Tell you what" David replied, "switch places with me
for a few days and see if you say the same thing."
Lea and Susan exchanged glances. "David" Susan said,
"when you were in the brig before you were found in
the airlock, what was the last thing you remember?"
David shook his head as if he was shaking the cobwebs
out. "Enaii..." he said firmly, "she was standing
over me. And I thought I saw her glaring at me when I
was in the airlock."
Lea gave Susan a 'I told you so' glance meaning she
wasn't the only one who thought they saw the late ILO.
"What else?" Susan asked.
"Waking up here. I remember..." his voice trailing
off.
"What?" both Lea and Susan asked in unison.
"The EMH declaring me dead" which he glanced to both
Lea and Susan, then back to Lea, "did I actually die?"
Lea nodded. "Yes David. But thanks to good luck, fate,
or Enaii's ghost... you're here."
David looked at Susan. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Susan took David's hand. "David, you were dead. By all
rights, means... whatever you want to say you died."
"There was no respiratory, heart, or higher brain
functions for 6 minutes."
"8 minutes 25 seconds to be exact" the EMH added
handing Lea a PADD. David looked down.
"So it was true" he mumbled.
"What was?" Susan asked.
David shook his head. "Nothing... but I have a feeling
that you and I will be getting back to that."
Susan nodded agreeance. "My door is open whenever you
need me David, day or night."
David smiled slightly, not really looking forward to
the counseling sessions again, but this time he felt
that it was actually needed.
"David" Lea said touching him on the shoulder, "what
are you going to do about your eye?"
"Huh?" David replied as Lea handed him a mirror. David
looked at his reflection and his left eye was normal.
The golden hazel hue was as bright as the light in
Sickbay was... but his right eye bore that of what he
saw in his nightmares... and what the crew had seen in
the CEO whenever he was under Ricard's influence.
"We can simply blot it away..." Lea said as David
shook his head.
"No... I want it just the way it is." the CEO replied.
"But why David?" Susan asked, "for those of us who had
seen you when your eyes were like this meant that..."
"It means..." David said as he stood and stretched.
The cartilage in his back snapped and popped and the
CEO smiled, "...heavenly. But as I was saying its a
part of me Susan. I'd like to keep it like this for
the time being."
"David" Lea said, "that's not gonna bode well with
Sabrina, or Serenna, or *anyone* for that matter when
its time for you to go back to work..." her voice
trailing off thinking back to Serenna's earlier visit.
"It's my decision." David said.
"Honestly not a smart one" Susan added, "in a nutshell
David you're asking for more trouble."
David pointed to the tattoo on his right shoulder and
arm, "Like that? Does that mean I'm asking for trouble?"
"A tattoo and your dead brother's influence on you are
two different matters David" Susan countered, "that
tattoo was of choice. Richard's influence was
not... well... I'm hoping it wasn't."
"Like both Counselor... they are a part of me. Hell"
David said sitting down, "in a week I might get tired
of looking at it... but for now..." and he sighed,
"it'll be a good focal point for when I do return to
work."
"What good is it going to do you David?" Lea asked.
"A reminder... of what I am... what I was... and what I
could have been... *and* what we are."
"We being Richard?" Susan asked.
David nodded. "Yes. I didn't know much about my
brother and I feel it to be a honor to him... his memory
at least that I keep it" he said reaching for the
chain around his neck, "just as this is a reminder of
Jordan" the CEO said thinking about his deceased brothers.
"Well... I may not agree with it, but we'll deal with
it" Lea said as she hugged the CEO. David exchanged
glances with Susan who in turned joined in on the
hugging.
"Its good to have you back David" Susan said.
"I agree" Lea replied, "I don't think I could deal
with another CEO who knows how I like my tricorders
calibrated without telling him."
David chuckled, "Good to know that I'm still needed
around here."
"More than you'd ever know" Lea said.
====================================
as
Lieutenant David Dawson
"A Starfleet officer... that's all I am and that's all I'll ever be." 2005 post #473
Stardate: 60327.2000
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Stardate: 60327.2015
Julian Knight (d_dawson_1@yahoo.com)
Chief Engineer
USS ANUBIS NCC 18501
- Avery Brooks as Captain Benjamin Sisko,
Commanding Officer of the Federation Spacestation Deep Space 9
