Not Quite Herself

Posted on Tue Sep 4th, 2012 @ 1:58pm by Commander Alexandra Vance & Commodore Samantha York
Edited on on Wed Sep 5th, 2012 @ 10:56am

844 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: The Enemy Within: Lying in Wait
Location: Ready Room

Vance signalled her intent to enter the ready room upon her arrival.

"Come in," Sam said. She was curled up on the couch, reading over the history of Tiberius V. "Commander, have a seat."

She set the PADD down and went to the replicator, replicating a cup of Earl Gray for the Commander and a cup of carrot tea for herself.

She set them both on the coffee table and sat back on the couch. "Tell me what you found."

Vance took a seat on the chair indicated by the Captain. "The vessel was heavily damaged and running on emergency power upon our arrival. Initial scans did not reveal any life signs or anomalies. I sent the junior officers to the main treatment area while I went to the Office of the Chief of Medicine. During my search I located the Chief of Medicine but she was already deceased. The logs on her computer were irrelevant."

Sam set down her cup of tea. "No life signs? Were the crew all dead?" Sam asked. When she saw the ship mostly intact she had hoped the crew was alive -- or mostly alive.

"Only the Chief of Medicine was in sickbay and she was deceased. The vessel was heavily damaged, the vessel was functioning on emergency power." Vance replied.

Another comment Vance made jumped out at Sam. "What do you mean, the logs were irrelevant? What did they say about the cause of the failure?" There had to be more information they could sift through to find answers.

"Her logs were irrelevant. They contained no information on the crash of the vessel."

"Wouldn't that be Commander Bowen's call?" Alexandra was acting decidedly odd. Irrelevant? That was the second time she'd chosen that particular word. She watched her new XO carefully. "Why do you consider them irrelevant?"

"The Chief of Medicine did not have any life signs, a doctor was not needed to confirm this state. The logs did not contain any information as to the cause of the vessel's crash." Vance said.

"They could help pinpoint the systemic failure," Sam said, pushing a little. "You were ordered to stay in groups. Why did you send the others off and go into the CMO's office alone?"

"Sickbay did provide adequate access to review the system logs regarding systematic failure. This information would have to be retrieved from a different area." Vance replied.

She paused for a moment as her mind began to process a thought. This meeting needed to cease quickly.

"The junior officers are inexperienced. The wisest course of action was to keep them together to decrease the chance of fatalities in the event of danger. In the past I have successfully completed away mission where the resources were inadequate for such notions. In addition I work more efficiently alone."

"You were told to stay together. NOT to go off alone." The more Vance talked, the more convinced Sam was that there was something decidedly wrong with the woman. Her logic was flawed. Her language oddly stilted. Her whole demeanor cold and distant -- even for Alexandra.

"The wisest course of action would have been to stay together. At least split off into pairs. Go to sickbay and report directly to Doctor Bowen. I'd like the doctor to do a full scan and find out if anything's wrong." Sam was getting nowhere with the woman and needed to talk to the rest of Vance's team. She also wanted to talk to Damon. Everything about Vance set Sam on edge and she wasn't sure why.

"Captain I assure you whatever ailed me on the vessel has since taken it's course. It is illogical for you to assume I require a medical scan when you could not have learned my normal behavior patterns in less than twenty four hours. Such an order would be an inefficient use of time and personnel. All I require is rest."

"Then I must conclude that you are incompetent. You were told to stay together and keep an open comm channel. You did neither. So, you are either ill or incapable of following orders." Sam was tired of Vance's logic. "And, as this is my ship, it's up to me to determine the best use of time and personnel."

"You are correct Captain, I will comply."

I will comply? Could Vance be... Sam looked at her sharply. No. She bore no physical signs, and the Borg were notorious for making everyone they came across a drone or a corpse. It had to be paranoia on her part. "Good. I will talk to you after I see the doctor's report. You're dismissed."

Vance simply got up from her chair and left the room saying nothing.

Sam waited for a full minute after Alexandra left to tap her commbadge. "York to Bowen. Commander Vance is coming to see you. Please to a thorough exam. Check everything. Something's wrong and I want to know what it is. York out."

OFF

Commander Samantha York
Commanding Officer

Commander Alexandra Vance
Executive Officer

 

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