The Garden Or the Snake

Posted on Fri May 31st, 2019 @ 1:25am by Commodore Jane Saulitis

Mission: The Fool's Odyssey
Location: Captain's Ready Room
Timeline: MD 04 11:00 Hours
1129 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Jane stood up, tugged down her uniform and then sat down again. If she had thought about it, she might have realized that she'd been pacing the room and getting up and down from her chair for the last hour before calling for Yeoman Stef to come to her ready room. It was still early enough that she hoped she would not disturb his son and she knew that a young woman who was not his wife had accompanied him onto the ship. Perhaps she could watch the child for a few minutes while they talked. She stood up again when the chime sounded outside her door. "Come In."

A frazzled Vulcan stood in the doorway once it opened. He looked tired, as if didn't have any sleep at all. "You wanted to see me ma'am?" he asked as he stepped inside.

"I did I . . . " Jane looked over at him. "Are you alright Mr. Stef?" The reason for the visit temporarily lost on her as she looked at the state of her crewman.

"Just exhausted. I am having trouble adjusting." He shook his head. "I will be fine, eventually. We are trying to fit in again, from my perspective I have not been on a ship in five years. I have gotten used to being outside."

"Very well," Jane said, not convinced. "Please sit. I just wanted to ask you a few questions about your time on the planet and what observations you might have made." She waited for him to make himself comfortable. "Would you like something to eat or drink first? Perhaps that would help you sleep?"

"Perhaps. Tea and some sandwiches perhaps. What would you like to know?" He sat down, but didn't really relax.

Jane went to the replicator, getting the items she'd asked for and setting them down in front of him. "I'm worried about the away team and as there isn't anything I can physically do for them, I wanted to mentally prepare myself for what they might be facing. When the planet began to phase, did you notice anything atmospheric?"

Thinking for a moment, Stef finally shook his head and reached for the tea. "No ma'am, my first indication something was wrong was when my communicator stopped working. I did not know we had phased at all, not until your away team arrived. I believed you had left me behind."

Jane nodded. "So the others are only likely aware of the event because they cannot contact the ship. After you realized something was wrong, in those years, did you do any scientific research of the phenomenon. I know not all tools were available to you. Did you notice any different stars? Did the locals notice anything different. Any observations you made would no doubt be helpful."

"They can be aware because they know it might occur due to my own report and your own observations from this vessel," Stef answered, feeling a little frustrated because she seemed to assume he knew about the phasing when it had happened to him. "Ma'am... I did not know we had phased. How was I supposed to know? I believed you had abandoned me, had left me behind. I waited for weeks, trying to contact the ship until my devices lost power. Then, I chose to move on, and settle. I became a productive member of the community, I became one of them. I married, I had children, and I lost my wife in childbirth. A few months after her birth, I lost my daughter too. Alecx is all I have left from my time there, and my friendship with Razmi."

Jane was taken aback that nothing had been noticed, but she understood that he'd had different things on his mind. "I'm sorry Stef." She replied. Obviously the subject was difficult for him to talk about at the best of times. "You can go. Get some rest."

"What am I to do now captain... I spent five years learning and working. Do I just pick up my life again? What does Starfleet expect of me?"

"You've been through an event that changed you. You could continue your life here or you could choose to leave us and start a new life elsewhere. Starfleet understands your unique situation, they aren't putting any expectations on you. They are waiting patiently for you to make a choice."

"I do not want to leave this ship," Stef stated firmly, "but I am not certain what I am supposed to do here now. I did study with a veternarian, but I am not certain whether Starfleet accepts those qualifications. What would you suggest I do here?"

"Well that's one choice made. I would communicate with starfleet about those qualifications and see what testing procedures they would like you to go through. Would you like me to do that for you? Otherwise you could return to your Yeoman duties if you wished, or train and apply for a different position."

Stef nodded. "What I would like is for ship's veternarian to be available to me, aside from my duties as yeoman. If possible of course.. Since I was already a fair way with my studies before this happened, I believe I may already qualify."

"I will leave her a message. But until then you're of course allowed to resume your duties. What about your son? Will your new friend watch him for you? Do you wish to have him begin schooling?"

"He is two, he should begin schooling," Stef mused, "I do not believe I can ask this of Razmi, she should think about her own future here. But yes I believe for now I will resume my regular duties. I also need some time to readjust here, and get re-acquainted with Beata. Is that acceptable?"

"Of course." Jane leaned forward. "Take all the time you need." She thought about reaching out to him but the truth was Jane had never been very comfortable with physical contact except with Hak, when she was around him affection just came naturally to her.

Nor was he the huggy type, so it was all good. Stef nodded, getting back to his feet. "Thank you ma'am. If there are any administrative duties you need tending to just let me know, I will resume my duties in a day or two."

"I think we can survive until then. It's good to have you back Stef." Jane said as she stood up to escort him to the door.

"Thank you. Though I will miss my life down there, I was never meant to stay there. This is my home captain, eventually it will feel like home again." He cast her a small smile. "Good day ma'am."

---

Crewman Stef
returned Yeoman
pnpc Lhaes

Captain Jane Saulitis
Commanding Officer