From: Christine FontaineDate: Thu, 27 Feb 1997 22:05:19 -0500 Subject: USS CHESAPEAKE: Almost aboard...
SD 90227.2204 MD 01.1030 Scene: SB DELTA Dr. Catherine Ledoux left Admiral Jokinen's office in a daze, nearly losing the grip she had on the PADD that contained her jacket and transfer orders. Taking in a deep breath in an effort to centre herself, the vet felt numb, as if this was all a dream, and none of it was really happening. Any minute now she'd wake up to find herself wrapped lovingly in Rich's arms and feel the warm comfort of his solid presence next to her. Closing her eyes, Catherine slowly exhaled, and it seemed as if she could feel Rich's warm, soft lips pressing against hers. The fantasy was seductive, and Catherine found herself pulled deeper into the enticing reverie. A loud curse startled the vet, causing her to spook like a high-strung Thoroughbred filly. Dropping the PADD that she had been holding, the sound of it impacting the floor struck Catherine like a physical blow. Suddenly, reality returned full force and she closed her eyes once again, this time in an effort to block the tears that were threatening. As Catherine bent down to retrieve the fallen PADD, her sapphire eyes caught a glimpse of the orders inscribed upon the PADD. Those words only served to punctuate the harsh reality of her current situation. Rich was gone. They were no longer aboard the REGENT. She was alone. She was alone... This time, Catherine couldn't hold back the tears, and a few salty droplets escaped from the corners of her eyes, whose telltale tracks she quickly wiped away. Would the tears ever stop? she wondered. Would the pain ever end? Absently, the fingers of Catherine's free hand strayed to her uniform collar. Next to the two familiar solid pips was nestled a third pip, this one hollow, its contours feeling unfamiliar beneath the vet's fingertips. Lieutenant Commander. Catherine shook her head, loose curls cascading down her back, hardly believing that it was possible. Imagine, people addressing *her* as Commander? The very thought was almost laughable. But the pip's very real presence on her collar confirmed that she had not been dreaming, her promotion was real. Catherine's new rank brought her no joy, however. Somehow, the vet thought that she should be happy, she should be pleased, but taking any pride or satisfaction in the promotion was far beyond her at the moment. If she had remained aboard the REGENT, she would have likely remained a Lieutenant for the rest of her career, and she would have been perfectly content with that. Catherine, unlike many Starfleet officers, had no ambitions for command. All that she had wanted out of life, she had had: the love of the most incredibly amazing man in the entire universe. Yes, she still had his love, and he was more than worth the pain of separation, but still it hurt, it hurt so much. Catherine pressed her lips firmly together, struggling to keep a tight rein on her emotions. In a sudden revelation Catherine realized that she now bore the same rank as Rich, Lieutenant Commander. Blinking back tears, the vet fondly remembered how Rich had loved teasing her about the fact that he out-ranked her. While *she* might be older, *he* was her superior officer. When he had started teasing her like that, an infectious grin dancing about his lips, Catherine had usually resorted to tickling as her only retort. Fighting to keep the tears at bay, Catherine forcefully tried to push the memories to the back of her mind, locking them away, where they could not disturb her fragile equilibirum. Everything seemed to remind her of Rich, and every thought of Rich brought an aching loneliness that threatened to set Catherine crying again. Perhaps she could put on a mask, assume a role, and pretend that she was just some character in one of the theatrical productions she had taken part in. Someone bubbly and cheery, like the ditzy Nellie Forbush, from the musical _South Pacific_. One small problem though: Catherine didn't feel bubbly or cheery enough to pull it off. The mere thought of one of Nellie's songs, "Cockeyed Optimist" was enough to cause the vet to cringe. No, she couldn't go around pretending that everything was all right when it felt as if her world was coming apart at the seams. Sighing, Catherine knew that she was over-reacting, yet again. Emotional control was one of those things she was perpetually "working on" it seemed. Counselling appointments, which had been regular at Starfleet Academy, had become close to non-existant aboard the REGENT, mainly because Catherine had felt very uncomfortable around the REGENT's half-Betazoid counsellor. Catherine preferred keeping her thoughts to herself, thank you very much, and she didn't like the thought of someone rummaging around in her mind. Rich had become her confidant aboard the REGENT, someone in whom she could confide, and share all of her innermost thoughts, hopes and dreams. Trembling slightly, Catherine's throat became tight. Rich. Again. It seemed that no matter what, her thoughts always returned to Rich. Such thoughts were only natural though, weren't they? After all, they were in love, and not a single moment passed in which they weren't in each others heart and in each others soul. One's thoughts were naturally gravitate towards one's true love, would they not? Another tear escaped Catherine's tenuous control, and this one she did not bother to wipe away. Arriving at the transient quarters she had secured for herself, Catherine keyed open the door, which slid open with a low hiss. Carefully stepping forward, the vet expected to be assaulted by her two energetic felines, and was rather disappointed when they didn't put in their expected appearance. Sighing, Catherine realized that they were probably asleep, curled up together in a corner somewhere. Almost flinging the PADD she was still holding down on the room's desk, the vet flung herself onto the bed as her dam of self-control finally crumbled. Allowing her emotions free rein, Catherine wept until she could cry no more. Respectfully submitted, Chris Fontaine Lieutenant Commander Catherine Ledoux, DVM Chief Medical Officer USS CHESAPEAKE << NRPG >> Hello all! Nothing but gratuitous character development.Yes, Catherine does have a tendency to be over-emotional (as you'll see in her bio ) but, as someone with experience in a long-distance relationship, I know how painful the separation can be. So, I don't think what she's experiencing is exaggerated, for someone who is as sensitive and as emotional as Catherine is. There are also some other factors at work - some character development stuff that's been in the works for a while, so you'll just hvae to wait to find out what happens. I will get Catherine actually aboard the ship in my next post - I promise! TTYL! Chris - who will get Catherine to sickbay - eventually...
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