More Memories

Posted on Wed Feb 24th, 2010 @ 9:54am by Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti & Commander Earlond

Mission: Episode 1.1 - "Now Boarding"
Location: Commander's Office
Timeline: MD03 2000

Freshly changed and watered off, Hannah found her way to the Commander's office with ease. She didn't know the ship well but the office wasn't difficult to find and, although she told herself she wasn't going to worry about it, she made a point of not being late, just as he had instructed. She wasn't particularly afraid of the man she just . . . what? Wanted to impress him? She physically shook her head at herself as she pressed the call button. Why was examining other peoples' emotions and reactions so much easier than examining her own?

She pushed that from her mind as the call to enter came through to her and she stepped into the office. The commander looked thoroughly uncomfortable where he sat behind the desk and the counselor couldn't help but laugh out loud at the sight. "We could sit on the floor if you're going to be too comfortable back there," she suggested, only half joking as she approached the desk.

Earlond suddenly stood. "Computer, lights," he said. Immediately, the lights went out even as the door sealed shut behind Hannah. Earlond's silhouette moved through the darkness, activating something on his desk. "How did you come to join this crew?" he asked.

Hannah felt herself gaping a little in surprise. Her eyes were adjusting slowly to the sudden darkness and she could only just see where the Commander was standing. "I was bored in my former posting and requested a transfer," she explained after only a moment's hesitation. She wondered if she should stop telling the commander every single thing he asked, but reasoned that he could probably get it out of her anyways and in a far less pleasant manner. Not that standing in his darkened office was particularly pleasant.

"What was your previous ship like?" Earlond asked.

As Hannah started to answer, though, she noticed a sound beginning to fill the darkness. It started softly at first, but soon she realized what it was. There was a single burst of noise, a choking scream that was almost immediately cut off and then a sound that Hannah knew all too well, a woman whimpering as she was held mentally immobilized and the almost soundless parting of skin beneath Hannah's knife. No, that was wrong, beneath Elle's knife. However many times she corrected herself she would always think about it as her own. She wasn't certain if she could hear the knife's work or if it was just the memory of it, rising fresh in her mind that was making her choke. Her stomach turned over and she felt sick.

"Where did you get that?" Her voice was trembling almost as much as her hands were and for a moment the counselor wondered if her own legs were going to be able to support her.

"Your previous ship," Earlond persisted. "What was it like?"

Hannah blinked in the darkness. There was an eerie light reflecting from the screen around the room, although she couldn't see it. Now she understood, he wanted her to block this out. Part of her was furious at him, but she tried to ignore that along with the noises coming from his desk. She focused on his question as the whimpering and inaudible mumbling of her sister continued. "It was the de Gaulle, named for General de Gaulle on Earth." Focus on nothing, nothing. She told herself and closed her eyes to help herself focus on the darkness. "Excelsior class, registration number . . ." she trailed off as the distinct noise of a suddenly sliced artery cut through her concentration. Nothing, she told herself and focused on her breathing, ragged as it was, telling her to calm her lungs, make them even. Her breathing steadied. "She was an old ship, but she had been upgraded a dozen or so times and could hold her own. We were mostly sent on scientific missions in which we probably wouldn't see combat."

"Describe your quarters on that ship," Earlond said, not moving, his face shrouded in darkness.

The noises continued, but the counselor was finding them easier to ignore as she steadied her breath and continued to remind herself: nothing. "They weren't as big as these ones, but comfortable. Scruffy's aquarium was next to the desk which was next to the door and he kept trying to escape." She dwelt on this pleasant memory for a moment as her thoughts calmed. "There were pictures on the desk, my parents, friends from Earth. I had a statue from Romulus that I thought was funny, it was next to the entrance to the WC and there was a print of a Betazoid mountain range on one wall." Her heart was still pounding but she forced herself to remember and describe. "The bedspread was standard Starfleet . . . but I kept an orchid next to the bed. It died before I came to the Tethys. I've never been very good with plants."

The noises from the desk stopped and after a few moments Hannah opened her eyes, watching the Commander in the silence, but continuing to focus on the darkness and the steadying beat of her heart. Although her mind was strangely calm, her hands were still shaking with adrenaline and she stepped towards Earlond, automatically seeking the comfort of physical proximity. She hesitated and her voice was unsteady when she asked "Where did you get that?"

"It's not important," Earlond replied. "Tell me what state you feel your mind is in." He watched her closely, noting her trembling hands. It wasn't pleasant, but when she could block her memories it would be a lot less painful.

The counselor frowned. "Calm, actually. It took a few minutes, but I managed to ignore the memories." She laughed. "I guess that's why I'm a bit shaky."

"If your outward appearance is 'shaky', others will take notice," Earlond said. "And once they have noticed your moment of weakness, their attention, whether with good intentions or bad ones, will only prolong the experience."

"So, I haven't perfected it yet," Andeti said, trying to keep the frustration out of her voice. "If you don't mind I'd like to try again."

"No," Earlond said. "You are already prepared for what I have, and that removes the surprise necessary for the exercise. We will have to continue later, when I have had time to gather more materials."

She raised an eyebrow. "Gather more materials?"

"Instructors require materials," Earlond said. "I will let you know when I am ready. Until then, make sure you maintain a good sleep cycle."

"Alright." Hannah acknowledged, considering whether or not to push him on the matter. She was burning to know why he had this recording of her sister, but he was also not exactly the safest person to pressure about anything. "Alright. Would you mind . . . letting me out then?" She motioned towards the still sealed door in the darkness.

The new memory hit her like a sack of bricks and she blinked into the light of another world. For a moment she was overwhelmed with a sense of vertigo as she tried to hold onto reality and focus on the darkness and the quiet of the real universe but it slipped away almost at once.

Hannah couldn't eat and found herself chewing on her finger nail. The lighting in her office was fairly low and she turned as she reached the wall to pace back towards the viewport. She tripped over the skirt, knee-length as it was and stumbled, bracing herself against her own desk and cursing loudly in Betazoid. For her wedding day this was certainly not progressing as planned. The door opened and Andeti turned again, hoping it was finally the man she was waiting for and let out a sigh when she saw that it was.

"Earlond."

"Hannah," Earlond replied, gazing at her with a smile. "You look as beautiful as ever."

"Yeah." She went up to him and kissed him automatically. It was only after she stepped back that she noticed his dress-uniform and it looked good. Really good. Somehow that didn't help matters and with her throat tense she took a breath. "I know we're . . . uh just about to do this thing, but you should know before that," Oh gods, she was rambling. "Dr. Winchester told me last night . . . I'm pregnant." She took another breath, realising she had said it all very quickly.

"Pregnant?" Earlond repeated, at a loss for words.

Andeti's mind had started going blank immediately after the words had been spoken and she was overwhelmingly aware that this was just not right. She was not pregnant. She was not getting married. She made the effort to close her eyes and focus on something other than this strange family that she didn't actually have. It didn't take nearly as long to come back to reality this time, but when she opened her eyes the room was still dark.

"Counselor?" Earlond asked. He had come around his desk and was watching her carefully. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she said at once, wondering whether or not she should mention the memory. She had little desire to annoy him with this constant reminder of her failure, not to mention her own feelings for him. It was certainly starting to annoy her. He was also her teacher in this area and deserved the truth. "It was another memory."

"Anything you'd care to share?" Earlond asked, his face unreadable.

"Well, unless you'd like to hear about how you take the news of fatherhood, I'd say not." She laughed, but there was very little humour in it.

"Compile a detailed report of each of the memories you have had," Earlond said suddenly, walking back around his desk and tapping a key. The door unsealed and hissed open. "Make them as specific as possible. This includes any more memories you encounter. I want you to send each to me when you are finished."

Andeti wasn't sure what she had expected him to say to that but asking for more information about the alternate universe wasn't it. "Alright," she agreed. As awkward as that was going to be it was certainly better than orally recounting them to him. "When would you like to do this again, sir?"

"Give me three days," Earlond said after a moment. "Then we can decide where to go from there."

"Alright," the counselor repeated. "Thank you, sir." She turned and exited the office, wondering not for the first time why she would be interested in an emotional mystery like Earlond. In either universe.

[OFF]

by

Commander Earlond
Executive Office
USS Pandora

and

Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti
Chief Counselor
USS Pandora