Bad News

Posted on Sat Oct 23, 2021 @ 1:06am by Commander Amia Telamon M.D. & Lieutenant Commander River Morgan

1,086 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Si vis pacem, para bellum
Location: Trillius Prime/Floating Spa on Pangaea
Timeline: MD 4 20:00hrs

Amia was sleeping and had been finding this much easier on Trillius Prime than she had on DS5. She awoke to the sound of her comm badge chirping and automatically primed and programmed to respond by the years of her service since graduation from the Academy.

However, as she reached automatically to answer it, she silently asked herself why she hadn't just ignored it as she wasn't due back on the Station for another week now and as she was on leave she shouldn't be being contacted. It must be an error.

As the sleep cleared though, she thought a bit more clearly and her mind decided it would have to be urgent for someone to call during those exact circumstances so she went ahead to tap the offending badge and answer the call anyway. Liana had been woken by the voice/chirp and was needing to be picked up and rocked softly back to sleep so Amia's voice was soft as she responded to the call and juggled her angry daughter with her arms, picking her up out of her cot and joggling from one leg to the other to provide the rocking movement as she spoke.

=^= Amia Telamon =^= she responded, a little curtly but not intentionally so, just being frugal with the amount of words so as to hopefully get the little one back to sleep at the same time.

=^= Amia. It's River =^= came the reply over the Comm.

=^= What's wrong? =^= Amia was immediately alerted by the strange tone and uncharacteristic breathlessness in River's voice.

=^= The Station. We've been invaded. =^= River replied, cutting straight to the chase.

=^= Invaded??? =^= Amia almost shouted back in shock, making Liana wail with renewed force and responsive alarm.

=^= I'm sorry not to be able to break this news with more explanations but I don't know how much time I will have on this channel before I'm cut off. =^= River went on urgently.

Liana, sensing her mothers rising tension wailed even more loudly and in the end Amia just put her back in her safe cot, activated the EMH holographic nanny with her free hand and left the two of them together so she could retreat to a quiet part of her "in-laws" home to take whatever length of call River could manage to get through.

=^= Are you hurt? =^= Amia asked.

=^= No, I was off duty last night, staying at a floating spa on Pangea. I'm fine but I can't get back on board. The Cardassians have taken control of the whole shooting match and they're ejecting Starfleet personnel; not taking any back that were already off site. I doubt if you or I will be able to get back into Sickbay for months.... or ..... The Prophets know when?? =^= River said, filled partially with sadness but mostly with anger.

=^= ******* =^= Amia was not one to swear but when she did, she did it in BaKu - the tongue of her childhood and teenage years.

=^= I will leave at once. =^= Amia concluded as her head spun with all the possibilities that this news opened up. =^= I'll leave Liana here with her grandparents as it sounds like things might get a bit rough and I don't want to be worrying about whether or not she's going to be safe. =^=

=^= That makes sense. =^= River agreed with her boss. =^= But I don't like the idea of you coming back and putting yourself at risk until this is all sorted out, to be honest, I just wanted you to know whilst I could get a message out so that you'd stay away or at least not be taken by surprise coming back unawares. =^=

=^= Thank you for your concern, my friend, but I can't just sit here and leave you all out there at the mercy of those 'Son-Says' - I couldn't live with myself for being cowardly and hiding here until it's all over. DS5 is my home and you're all my family as well as my colleagues. If there's any way I can be of help even if it's just in a weak but annoying 'resistance' role, then it's the least I can do. =^= Amia explained, throwing a few items into a holdall as she was talking.

=^= well, I understand how you feel and I'll do whatever I can to help you out, naturally. I don't know what resistance we're going to be able to set up but I'll keep my ear to the ground and be waiting for you when you get here. Safe journey and please.... Amia.... be careful.=^= River pleaded, anxious as to whether this was a good idea but genuine when she said she understood why the CMO was doing this. She would have to do it herself if she were in her Boss' shoes.

=^= I'll try to find a way to contact you when I get there. I have to find a lift across first. And thank you for letting me know and for your support. If I don't make it, you're in charge - obviously - as much as any of us Feds could be in the circumstances - and by the way, I want you to know you've been a great colleague and an even greater support, River - Thank you again. Hopefully speak soon. =^= Amia replied and closed the channel before River was obliged to return the goodbye message. The Commander was being completely honest with her appreciation of her ACMO and second, but she didn't want to leave that out there, seeming like a request for a response of a like kind. She wasn't fishing for return compliments, she was just saying it like it was, and that was enough.

As the channel closed, River was left with an unspoken response, on the tip of her tongue but somehow, part of her knew Amia well enough to know it wasn't necessary nor appropriate in this particular exchange. Amia had clearly wanted to speak her mind but wasn't looking for anything in return. River knew the CMO well enough to be satisfied with that side of her.

Closing off her own comm badge with a light tap, River went back to fulfill her promise to "keep her ear to the ground" and began seeking out any likely contacts to assist in this.

TBC.....

A JP between:

Cmdr Amia Telamon
CMO - DS5 - on Trillius Prime

and

Lt Cmdr River Morgan
ACMO - DS5 - on Floating Spa around Pangaea

 

RSS Feed