Jober & Sudge

Posted on Fri Sep 5, 2014 @ 9:37pm by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson

1,612 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: All this has happened before...
Location: Crew Lounge

"Ensign Palmer to Commander Hunter," a voice said over the comm.

Hunter was on the bridge, lounging in the command seat when the call came through. "Hunter here Ensign. What can I do for you?"

"Sir, could you come to the crew lounge on deck eleven?" he said.

"The crew lounge? May I ask why?"

"Well...it's Doctor Anderson, Sir," he said hesitantly. "She's inside and appears intoxicated. I tried to speak to her, but she threw me out of the lounge."

Alec was taken back by this bit of news. "You mean she yelled and threatened you?"

"No, Sir, I mean she physically lifted me up and threw me out of the lounge," he said.

Alec was already moving toward the lift. "I'll be right there."

"Thank you, Sir. Palmer out."

Moments later Hunter was at the lounge. He located Palmer and moved to him, "What have we got?"

"She's still inside,' he said, nursing his shoulder and wincing slightly. "I think she's....singing, Sir."

Hunter nodded. "Alright keep everyone away, and I mean everyone. I'm going in to talk to her, see what's going on here."

"Aye, Sir," he said, then muttered, "I'll be one of your pallbearers," as he walked down the corridor a bit.

Nodding, Hunter entered the lounge. He looked about cautiously; he had no desire to be caught off guard by a drunk CMO.

"They're sailing on England, oh what a shame," sang Nicole's voice from a couch on the far side of the lounge. "Someone is after our island again! We'll let them have it--oh yes we will! But maybe they won't want it when they get the bill--"

"Doctor? Doctor Anderson? It's Hunter. Let's talk."

"Commander," Nicole said, swinging her feet over the edge of the couch and standing up, albeit unsteadily. She clutched a tall glass in her hand and leaned on the arm of the couch, giving him a smile. "Come in! And know me better, man," she said dramatically, her English lilt slightly thicker as she slurred.

"Can I get you one of these miracle beverages?" she said, holding up her glass. "It's an Earth drink. They call it a 'milk shake.' This one has chocolate in it. Capital substance, chocolate." She smiled and sank back onto the couch. "Can practically make you forget your troubles."

He stared at her a bemused smile coming to his face. "You got drunk off a chocolate milkshake? Fix me a vanilla one." Has he walked closer to her. What brought all this on and why did you throw Ensign Palmer out of here?"

"Replicator's over there," she said, gesturing to the wall as a cloud passed over her face. "And I tossed out that little wanker because he was attempting to tell me that I needed to go to Sickbay. Of all the people who would know when to go to Sickbay, I think I would be the one to know who knows, you know?" She hiccuped and took another swallow.

"I thought you said you were going to get me one." Alec replied as he walked to the replicator and ordered one vanilla shake. He nodded in agreement at her statement. "Of course I know. Why wouldn't I know? I'm the Executive Officer, it's my job to know. You know?"

Nicole's head swiveled around and she glared at him through narrowed, bleary eyes. "What do you want, Commander?"

Hunter removed his shake and faced the CMO. He took a big swallow of the shake. "Yum. You're right this is good. What do I want?" He repeated her question. "Why nothing Doctor. Nothing more than to talk. Surely you'll grant me that."

Nicole gave a 'hmph' and turned back to staring at the stars. "You sound like a Counselor I know," she said. "She's big on the whole 'I'm just here to talk' thing as well. But if I wanted to talk, I would be in a more public place. I don't want to talk, I want to lie here, drink myself numb and watch the Galaxy go by."

Alec couldn't help but grin at her statement. "But Doctor you're in a lounge, that's pretty public. Granted it's empty right now but still......" he let his voice drop off before continuing. "If you want to drink yourself numb, be my guest. You'll end up a patient in your own Sickbay. I would like to know the reason for your desire to do so. Surely you have one."

"Have you ever killed anyone?" she said after a long silence.

"Of course I have Doctor. On Chin'Noga IV. I killed insurgents there, protecting the away team. It's not something I talk about."

She waived a hand. "I don't mean shooting someone from a distance with a phaser. Any idiot can do that. I mean, up close. Close enough to smell their scent, see into their eyes, feel the heat of their body slipping away...watch their soul leave their eyes...have you ever done that?"

"Doctor, I just told you I have killed before," he replied, a little annoyed she had pooh-poohed his statement. "It's not something one gets over quickly or easily."

"I know," she said heavily. "And every time I tell myself 'this is the last time. I will never kill again' and every time, I'm wrong." She took a long drink of her milkshake. "I killed one of the Raeru. Slaughtered him. Devoured him without a second thought. I think I was even gleeful about it. Finally got to let go of everything." She coughed slightly and took another drink. "And I can blame it on that damn device and I can say I wasn't in my right mind, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm a danger."

He listened silently as she told her story. Only after she had finished did he speak."I think your being unrealistic making that kind of promise to yourself. It might be better to say, 'Today, I won't kill.' and take it one day at a time. You're no more a danger than any of us Doctor. Don't put yourself up on a pedestal."

Nicole threw her glass aside, hearing it shatter against the transparent aluminium as she advanced on Hunter. "Really?" she shouted. "No more a danger? I'm not on a pedestal you idiot! I am in a pit of hell and hunger and you have NO idea how dangerous I am!" She slammed him against the wall and growled, her eyes turning red and a snarl erupting from her as she bit into his neck, swallowing greedily.

She couldn't hear his screams, but she could hear him shouting "Doctor!" over and over. She didn't stop; she couldn't stop. He just kept shouting "doctor" over and over as they sank to the floor--

"Doctor!" the voice said over the comm system for the umpteenth time. "Doctor Anderson can you hear me? It's Rhodes. I can't get the door open!"

Nicole's head throbbed as she picked it up from the deck in her lab. She pulled herself up to a sitting position and looked at herself in the reflection of a counter. She had bags under her eyes and her skin was pale and sickly, even for her. She automatically reached for her flask, patting her breast half-frantically before remembering she'd left it in her bag Sickbay. She looked at her reflection again, seeing a pair of tear-filled blood-red eyes staring back.

She groaned and tried to stand, failed and crawled to the door of her lab, hitting the comm button. "That's cause it's sealed, idiot," she sighed. "What's our status?"

"I think it's over. I've been passing crewmen who are all coming to their senses," he said.

She nodded and sighed with relief. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to be much good, even if she could get out of her lab. She'd gone too long without her medicine, and when her lab's door sensor scanned her eyes, it would deny her exit. "Tell the Captain and get security to her position," she said. Her breathing was becoming labored and her vision was blurring. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she'd last had a drink of her elixir, but she knew it was too long.

"Doctor, you forgot your bag. I brought it with me. If you open the door, I can--"

"You what??" she half shouted, then coughed. "Put your combadge on it and beam it in here! Quick!"

A few agonizing seconds later her bag appeared in the center of her lab. She pulled herself over to it and reached in, pulling out her flask, uncapping it and taking several long swigs. She coughed and let out a long sigh, her head swimming a bit as she felt her body strengthen. She put her flask back in her uniform top and pulled herself up to a sitting position against her counter.

"Doctor?" Rhodes said from the intercom.

"I'm all right," she said, her voice already steadier. "Return to Sickbay, see to the wounded. I'll be there shortly."

"Aye, Sir," Rhodes said, and the comm went silent.

Nicole drummed her fingers on the floor for a few minutes, letting her strength return. When she looked at the polished surface of her counter again, icy-blue eyes were looking back at her. She sighed and stood up, activating the door sensors and leaving her lab at last. She didn't feel any effects of the beam anymore and she headed for Sickbay.

A brief memory of what had happened flickered in her mind, but she shoved it down. There would be time to cry later. For now, she had patients.

 

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