"Duty Calls"
(Previous was: "Late Night Drills")
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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Umbilical
After her 'counselling session' with Lea, Susan decided that it was time to do something she'd been putting off. Return to her quarters on the ANUBIS.
So she wasn't mad about her quarters on the HATHOR. They were too small and too bare. But compared to her quarters on the ANUBIS they were heaven. Why? Well for one, simple reason.
Lindsey.
How did Susan manage to get herself into these things? The woman who had started out as a patient had moved into Susan's life and effectively taken it over. As she boarded the ANUBIS, Susan wondered if this was what it was like having a mother. Someone who showed up whenever she felt like it and thought it was her duty to cook meals. The vague memories Susan had of her own mother had not included such things. She made a mental note to ask Lea next time she saw her.
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Susan found Lindsey right where she had expected her – sitting on the sofa and sipping a cup of tea while reading something on a PADD. The PADD part Susan may have found interesting, had she not been psyching herself up for –
"Susan!" Lindsey leapt to her feet "I 'eard the HATHOR was in."
The short woman bustled over to the replicator and promptly produced a hot cup of tea, which she thrust into Susan's hands.
"Av a seat! I want to know all about your mission…"
"Well it wasn't really a mission…" Susan stammered
Lindsey's amazing green eyes looked up at the cns, two huge curious orbs, dying for information – exciting or not. Susan sighed and thought back to the story she had seen portrayed in the crystal, "Well…". She stopped, trying to find the words. Then decided that she couldn't. There were no words to adequately portray the memory. She had tried in her report… but she was certain she had failed. On top of that, there was a nagging sensation inside her that kept her from spilling her guts. Eventually she just ended lamely, "there's nothing to tell. The HATHOR works…"
It occurred to her to tell Lindsey about the brilliant portrayal of a Breen invasion Prav had staged as a training exercise – making the rest of the crew feel like the victims of a rather cruel April Fool's joke. But that too was something Susan was uncertain about sharing. After all, wouldn't it make the other members of her crew look bad?
"That's good." Lindsey's eyes sparkled, "So what's next? For the ANUBIS?"
Being a civilian, Lindsey obviously wasn't in the loop. This was something that Susan could fill her in on. In fact, it was the reason she had come to her quarters. And the main reason she'd been dreading her quarters.
Putting down the cup of tea, Susan stood up and paced away from the sofa. True, Lindsey had taken over Susan's life (not to mention her quarters), but she had also recently lost a husband, and Susan was not quite certain that Lindsey's rapid attachment to her was not some form of denial. If this was the case, Susan going off on a potentially life-threatening mission was not exactly what Lindsey should hear. Losing Susan, after losing her husband, would have a severe psychological impact on the woman.
"Well…" the cns began, "We are going on another mission tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning?" Lindsey seemed a bit disappointed.
Susan nodded. Then decided there was no easy way to break the news. "To SURIAL III"
The reaction was instantaneous. Somehow Susan had expected Lindsey to ask, "where?" or "is that a planet?". But she had forgotten about Lindsey's photographic memory. The woman paled and her face fell.
"Why?" she asked, in a voice completely unlike the bustling British woman Susan knew.
Susan sat down beside her again, "Because we think there may be a chance of rescuing the ILO."
Lindsey looked confused, "I thought Enaii was dead?"
Susan shrugged, "So did I. But stranger things have happened."
"Indeed they have." Lindsey got a far away look in her eyes and Susan was sure the woman was wishing there was some way of bringing her husband back to life. Then, as if lashed by an invisible whip telling her to behave herself, Lindsey snapped into the motherly role she'd taken on before.
"Well that does sound exciting. I'm sure you'll want me out of your quarters?"
Susan's heart went out to the woman and she shook her head. "There's no need. I'm assigned… I'm assigned to the HATHOR. We'll be accompanying the ANUBIS. You can stay here."
Lindsey contemplated Susan, "You mean they're splittin the crew?"
"I doubt it will be permanent. They just think two ships will be useful in this mission."
"Cardassians"
"Yes."
There was nothing left to say. Lindsey solved this problem by picking up Susan's cup of tea and handing it to her. "Drink up dear"
Susan had no option but to obey.
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Later, when she had finished her tea and Lindsey had gone back to her reading, Susan went to her computer to check for messages. She was half expecting to find another one from her father. After not getting a reply to the previous one, Susan had expected him to panic. She knew her father… or at least she thought she did. There was nothing there. The abandoned and hurt feelings were soon replaced with worry.
"Lindsey, I don't suppose you took any messages for me?"
The woman looked up from her novel. "No dear, I'm sorry. Were you expecting a call?"
Susan looked solemnly at the blank screen in front of her, "No. I suppose not."
Suddenly the console beeped, making them both jump. To Susan's regret though, it was not the face of her father that filled the screen, but the face of a rather worried looking Liz.
"I'm sorry… I know it's late." She began, "but Lea's sleeping and I was wondering if you could help me… I mean, you know your way around sickbay don't you?"
Susan couldn't help but smile, thinking of how a few short minutes ago she had been dubbed CMO, "I sure do. I'll be there right away."
--------------- 2006 post #014
Stardate: 60339.2000
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Mei Quarters
Stardate: 60339.2010
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Mei Quarters
Stardate: 60339.2130
Tallulah Habib {thabib@eject.co.za}
Ensign Susan Mei
Head Counselor
USS ANUBIS
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"Life is mostly froth and bubble,
Two things stand like stone,
Kindness in another's trouble,
Courage in your own." - Adam Lindsay Gordon
