Ship's Business

[DrDMatthews 0]

Written and directed by Aidan Ridire and Debbie Matthews.....      

 

      Aidan enters Sickbay quietly, ignoring the glances thrown his way by some of the others present.  Spotting Dr. Matthews he steps over to her as he tries to phrase what he's going to say in his mind.  He finds her conversing with Ensign Gerb so he waits for a break in the conversation.  When that break arrives he taps her gently on the elbow and says quietly "Doctor, when you are done here I have a matter I wish to discuss with you.  A matter of some importance...regarding ship's business."  He glances into her eyes then nods towards the door to her office as he adds "Privately."

 

      Without another word he steps past her and enters her office.  While waiting for her to finish with the Ensign he examines some of the personal knickknacks arrayed in the office.

 

      Debbie could have spent another hour chatting with Ensign Gerb. Among other injuries, the young officer had sustained a fairly serious concussion.  He was now conscious for the first time since surgery but seemed disoriented and confused. These were classic indicators of amnesia.  Such symptoms weren't entirely unexpected considering the nature of Gerb's injuries.  Debbie reasoned they could be temporary but she wanted to monitor the Ensign very closely for the next few hours.  She also wanted to know why Commander Ridire was in her office waiting to speak to her "privately."

 

      The CMO glanced around and spotted Brian Smith nearby. He had just released Kroells from Sickbay and was finishing up the paperwork.  Waving him over, she quickly updated him on Gerb's condition and asked him to keep an eye on the Ensign until Debbie was able to return.  She didn't have to explain where she was going. Everyone in Sickbay was well aware the XO was in Debbie's office.

 

      Brian quietly wished her good luck as she walked across the room toward her office.  She smiled appreciatively, all the while wondering exactly what "ship's business" Ridire needed to discuss with her.  She entered the office and instinctively closed the door behind her.

 

      Ridire turned to face her, his expression unreadable.  Debbie found herself feeling a bit uneasy.  She wasn't sure she was going to like this conversation.

 

      Drawing a deep breath, Debbie smiled.  "Commander, you wanted to talk to me?"

 

      Aidan gently sets the knickknack he had been examining down back where it was before saying "I think you may want to sit for this."

 

      He waits until she sits before continuing.  "As you may or may not know we've found where the colonists have disappeared to..well at least some of them.  We're preparing a rescue attempt which will involve beaming the colonists up to the ship, at least for a short while.  As we're talking about somewhere between five hundred to one thousand individuals it's going to get a bit cramped, even for an Ambassador class ship such as this.  Besides having to tend to any medical situations that may arise, I have to ask that your medical teams, and whoever else that can be pulled from other areas, move..."  He hesitates slightly, just long enough to dampen down the underlying anger he's dealing with, before finishing "..the bodies of the Cairo dead to holodeck 1 for storage."  He watches her, waiting to see the expected storm to materialize in her eyes.

 

      It was a good thing Ridire suggested she sit down. If Debbie had been standing, she might have kicked something....or someone.  As it was, every foul word she'd ever heard flashed through her mind.  Fortunately, none of them made it to her lips.  She waited a full minute before daring to speak.

     

      "You're going to bring another five hundred people onto this ship?"

      The Commander nodded. "Five hundred to a thousand.  We're still trying to finalize an accurate count."

      Another pause.  "I see. And you need to put them in the cargo bay."

      It was a rhetorical question but Ridire answered anyway. "Yes.  Well, except for we'll be putting them where ever we can.  If that means we have to start doubling or even tripling up on quarters then so be it."

      "Are any of them in need of medical attention?"

      "We won't know that until they come aboard."

      Debbie looked at her commanding officer and tried to smile. "I don't suppose there is any alternative?"

      The Commander shook his head.  "No, not really."

 

      Debbie assumed as much.  And she knew it would be a waste of time and energy debating the wisdom of this plan.  "When do you want to bring them aboard?"

      "How long will it take you to move the..."

      She didn't wait for him to finish the sentence.  "It will take at least an hour to transfer the stasis units. I'd like to do it as discreetly as possible.  Perhaps security could clear a few corridors for us."

      Ridire nodded. "That could be arranged."

      "We'll set up a triage station in the cargo bay," said Debbie as she pushed her chair away from the desk.  "Hopefully, there won't be too many colonists in need of medical attention.  If there are, I don't know where we'll put them."

      "Doctor, I'm sure you will manage."

      Debbie came around the desk and stood in front of Ridire.  "Yes, we probably will. How well we'll manage is another matter."  She hesitated a second before continuing. "And speaking of managing, how are you doing?"

 

      He inhales a breath and forces it out before answering "I will manage.  I'm handling it better then I was that's for sure.  However...I don't know if her spirit will rest easier when we bring the Cairo's killer to justice but for sure I'll rest better."  He sighs and shakes his head causing his tied back red hair to slap gently against his shoulders.  His accent bleeds through a bit more as he says "As much as I don't really like it right now, Doctor, I am well aware of the fact that risk is part of a career in Starfleet.  It doesn't mean I have to just accept it.  I have explored dead places back home, I've stepped foot on dead worlds and I've trodden on more dead ships then I care to count.  I've had a lifetime's worth of death and I'm not even in my forties yet.  I can assure you the thing that will burn me the most is if her...their killers get away with this."  He shrugs and then adds "I appreciate the concern, Doc, but I'll be fine, one way or another.  I would tell you that there is someone who will be taking Fiona's death worse then me once he finds out but as you don't know him there isn't really any point."  

 

      Debbie leaned against the desk and studied the XO closely.  He was still hurt and angry but she believed him when he said he was managing.  What more could she expect.  It had only been a few days since the explosion that took the lives of seventy-five percent of the Cairo's crew, including someone very dear to Ridire.  It would take more than a week for those wounds to heal.

 

      As Debbie listened to her commanding officer's lilting Irish brogue, she was forced to admit he wasn't the only one who was hurt and angry.  The Cairo disaster had become an intensely personal tragedy to many of the Reaent's crew and Debbie was somewhere near the top of the list.  Not an hour passed that she didn't wonder what happened and who was responsible.  She knew in her heart the mystery man in the morgue was the perpetrator.  She was thoroughly frustrated at not being able to identify him.  Worse yet, she knew he probably didn't act alone.  And of course, the biggest question of all....why?   Why did he destroy the Cairo, himself and one hundred sixteen souls? What did he...they... have to gain by such an act?  The more she thought about it, the darker her mood became.

 

      Debbie shook her head slightly as if that would clear her thoughts.  This was supposed to be about Ridire, not about her.  She concentrated on his words while shoving her own anger back into its little cubbyhole.  She really wanted to hear about the someone who would be even more upset about Fiona Nashawryn's death than Ridire.  Unfortunately, the XO didn't seem overly eager to continue the conversation.  Debbie decided not to push her luck.

 

      "I'm glad you're doing better, Commander," she said turning to pick up the duty roster off her desk.  "I can't help wondering about the other person you referred to. Perhaps you'll tell about him one day."

      "And perhaps you will tell me what you were just thinking."

      "I'm thinking about the rather unpleasant task I've just been handed," replied Debbie in a carefully controlled voice.

      "You may be thinking about that now. You weren't a moment ago."

      The CMO turned to face him and smiled slightly. "Okay, you caught me. I was a little distracted. I apologize."

      "Distracted by what?"

       For a second or two, Debbie thought Ridire would stare a hole through her.  "I would like to continue this conversation," she said softly.  "But right now, I have to move over a hundred bodies and prepare for a multitude of possible casualties."

 

      For a few seconds Aidan considers whether to let his curiosity have some leash.  Finally he nods and says "As you wish.  I'll instruct security to clear the corridors between where you have the..bodies now and holodeck one.  I'll also have them lock down one of the turbolifts for your people's use and assist you with the actual transfer.  They'll post a guard to make sure no unauthorized personnel go into the holodeck after the transfer is complete."

 

      Aidan turns and steps towards the door.  As it slides open he looks over his shoulder and says wth sad regret "My apologies for all the trouble, Doctor."  Before she can reply, Aidan steps through the door and it closes shut behind him.