An Unorthodox Checkup

Posted on Fri Aug 31st, 2018 @ 4:40pm by Lieutenant JG Siobahn Fallon & Ensign Andrew Gervais

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Lounge

Entering the lounge, Siobahn ordered herself a drink from the bar before scanning the room for any sign of familiar faces, her gaze finally settling in Ensign Gervais. Though they had only met the once, being the time he decided it was a great idea to put his hand through a console, she made the decision to at least say hello and check to make sure his hand was okay.

Crossing the lounge, she dropped into the seat across from him and crossed her legs, placing her drink down on the table. "Well hey there good lookin'," she said with a smile. "How's the hand feeling now?"

Andrew looked up at her, giving a faint grin back. About as much as he could seem to muster these days... "Better than the last time I saw you, that's for sure." he said with a chuckle. "I think I can almost finally fully move it again. I've been staying away from consoles though."

"Well, that is a very valid lifestyle choice," Siobahn replied with a warm smile, watching him closely for a few moments "But somethin' tells me that consoles are the least of your problems right now. Wanna talk about it?"

Gervais let out a heavy sigh... The hand certainly was not the least of his problems. Or the console. He took another sip... "Just... everything." he added. "The explosion, the Cardassians having a spy here..."

"Well, I wasn't hear for any of that, I came along after, so if you were ever gonna find someone impartial to vent to, I'm your girl," Siobahn said with a smile, wrapping one hand around her glass and watching him carefully.

"You're lucky." he said. "I just.... I miss someone that got caught up in all that. And who was killed for nothing."

"Someone that meant more to you than just being a co-worker," Siobahn replied softly. "You're angry because of his death... not just because of him, but also in some ways at him..." She picked up her glass, taking a sip and watching him carefully, gauging his reaction to her statement.

Gervais let out a half-grin. "You sure you're not Betazoid?" he asked, taking a drink. "He did mean more to me than just someone I served with. You're right. Him and I basically had a thing going back to the Academy." he said, continuing. "We knew each other for a long time, and we joined up both to be pilots. Given we were involved, it wasn't hard to request transfer to the same ship."

"And now you're here and he isn't... and everything is a constant reminder..." Siobahn set her glass back down on the table between them. "I guess the big question becomes, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know." Gervais said, taking another sip. "The one person that could really tell me isn't here. Because he decided to be the damn hero and stop a mad man who ended up getting slapped on the wrist for what he did."

"How did he decide to be a hero?" Siobahn asked innocently. "i know very little about the whole thing, what did he do?"

"When the former Marine XO, that Klingon attempted to attack the former Chief Engineer, he jumped in front of her. So I was told anyway." Gervais said. "It's something he would do... And I know it's wrong of me to say but I wish he hadn't. Just once I wish he'd have run."

"If wishes were horses..." Siobahn murmured quietly. "His death, no matter how pointless it may feel, was honourable, and no matter what, he will be remembered for that. Be proud of that. It doesn't make it easier, but nothin' will, not even time. Lots of people will tell you that time heals, but personally I think that's a load of codswallop. The only thing time does is make you a better liar."

"You're noticing that too eh?" Gervais said with a small smirk. "I'm tired of being told how great it was for him to have tried. I mean, of course it was... But it doesn't make anything now better."

"Never usually does help those that get left behind. We're the ones that are supposed to make sense of stupid, pointless crap that happens." Siobahn shrugged slightly as she stared at her drink before looking back across at him. "Don't listen to anyone tell you that it was for a reason or it was all part of a plan... don't let anyone tell you that you should be moving on, set your own time table on moving forward, just don't let it turn you into a bitter angry man because that will just end up hurting you more."

"I don't know how I'm supposed to help that." Andrew replied. "For almost the entire time we were at the Academy, it was him and I... I feel like half my motivation died in that stupid tube with him."

"It's normal to feel like that, honestly." Siobahn replied gently, pausing to look down at her glass, turning it between her hands. "I lost both my parents and my brother within two months and to be honest, when Starfleet told me my brother was gone, I felt like I had died then and there too. I lived in the moment, I kept goin' over and over it in my head like it was stuck on repeat. The sounds, the voices, the smells..." she shuddered involuntarily and looked back across at him, making an attempt to smile. "It gets easier, I promise. It never gets better, but it gets easier."

"I hope." Gervais replied. "I can't stand feeling like this."

Siobahn smiled warmly and reached out, patting the back of his hand. "Come see me in sick bay tomorrow, I've got somethin' that can help. I can also recommend a couple of good holodeck programs that will just help you to rechannel your thought processes." Finishing the last of her drink, Siobahn pushed the glass away. "I'll leave you to your evenin', just remember, my door is always open, 'kay?" Without waiting for a reply, she slipped out of her seat and headed for the door.

=/\= END =/\=

Ensign Andrew Gervais
Commodore's Adjutant
USS Wellington

Ensign Siobahn Fallon
Medical Officer
USS Wellington