Marine Meltdown (part 2)

Posted on Sun Jun 30th, 2013 @ 8:38am by Commodore Samantha York & 1st Lieutenant Kara Melo & Captain Cameron Bourne & Private 1st Class Trent Kushner
Edited on on Sun Jun 30th, 2013 @ 8:52am

959 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: What Dreams May Come?
Location: Deck 14

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

"I don't know if we can afford to wait. If we do wait something could snap and we could end up with a full on brawl and half the crew locked down" Cam said, trying to think of something they could do to stop or at least slow these events.

[NEW]

"Well, we either start drilling them every shift so they're too tired to brawl or we disband group activities altogether until this is over. Both have advantages and disadvantages."

A chime sounded at the door to the Lieutenant's office.

Kara turned, "Come in," she said for Cam. Then she turned to him, mortified. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm more affected by the lack of sleep than I thought."

"Enter!" Cam boomed, sounding frustrated. He wasn't frustrated at Kara speaking for him, but at the whole situation itself.

Trent entered the room tentatively and took a quick glance around before standing at attention. "Sorry to bother you, Lieutenant. I was told the Sergeant was in here. I hope you don't mind me speaking to her but I felt like it was urgent." He turned to face Kara. "Sergeant Melo, I need to be dismissed from parade today on account of potentially becoming a hazard to the other marines."

"What's going on?" Kara asked. "Why do you think you're a hazard?"

"Oh, I think I'm going insane." He said, remarkably nonchalantly.

"Why would you think that, Private?" she asked. "Are you having nightmares?"

"Yip. Pretty crazy ones too." His body sagged for a moment before he realized the company he was in and straightened up again. "Besides the... nature... of the dreams, there is a re-occuring creepy voice that is a common thread. Now either i'm so sleep deprived that I'm imagining it or, worse, I'm developing a dual personality." He pointed at his head. "Yeah, this isn't big enough for the both of us."

"At ease, Private. What creepy voice? What is the voice saying?" Kara looked at Cam, wondering if this was something the Commodore needed to hear.

"Oh, things an assho.." He stopped when he realized how inappropriate that term would be. His head twisted to the side in thought. "What's the substitute word for that anyways? He is evil."

Kara took a moment to listen to his surface thoughts and then tapped her combadge. "Melo to York."

Sam was in her quarters, reading a book because she couldn't sleep. "York here."

"Ma'am, this is Staff Sergeant Kara Melo. I'm in Lieutenant Bourne's office with Private Kushner. He says he's hearing voices, ma'am, and they're not part of a nightmare."

Sam sat up and set her book down. "I'll be right there."

Five minutes later she rang the door chime.

"Enter" Cam called, from his position standing at the window looking out over the parade grounds. He wasn't happy with what he was hearing. The fact that the Private's story mirrored his own experiences over the past few days wasn't a good thing, but he could deal with that, the fact that Kara felt that she could call the CO from his office while he was sitting right there didn't sit well with him. To him. He felt she was stepping out of bounds. He'd have to talk to her about it later.

Sam walked in and looked at the three Marines. "So, what's this about hearing voices?" she asked Trent.

"Oh, inside my head, Ma'am. Evil voice. Not such a great thing. I hear there is medication for that, though. Right?" Trent looked hopeful.

"There are several medical treatments for what you've describe" Cam said, still looking out the window, "this voice, what's it saying?"

"Anything and everything evil-ish, Sir. Mostly violent. Certainly twisted."

"Medical treatments don't always work when the voices are coming from an external force," Sam said quietly.

She looked at Cam. "I think we need to set up rooms with telepathic buffers. I'd like one here somewhere. It'll help with situations like this. It might even help with the nightmares."

Cam nodded, "that's curtainly doable, but what makes you think telepathy is responsible?"

"I'm a telepath, Lieutenant," Sam said. "I've heard the thoughts of whatever creature is on the ship. I don't know if it's just telepathic, but I feel it every time I'm near the creature. This isn't a solution, but it's a temporary fix. At least until we know what we're facing and why it's here."

"But neither the Private nor myself are telepathic, yet we've both heard the voice" Cam said, trying to figure this whole situation out. After a moment, he turned to Trent, "Private, I want you to set up a neural suppression field in the parade grounds and gather every Marine there. Tell them to bring a sleeping bag only. Understood?"

Trent had a look of confusion on his face. "I can gather the Marine's, no problem. But I'm not exactly qualified to set up a neural suppression field. Unless of course it's a couple of pipe cleaners duct tapped together...that I can do."

"You gather the Marines, I'll get Engineering to set up the inhibitor field," Sam said to Cam and the others. "I'm not sure why you're hearing voices, but I promise to look into it."

"That would be great. I don't know how long I'll be able to keep the Marines in line if these nightmares continue"

"I understand. If it's any consolation, the rest of the ship won't be far behind," Sam said wryly. "Keep me informed of your progress." With a polite nod, Sam headed to engineering to have a talk with Jourdan.

OFF

Staff Sergeant Kara Melo
Alpha Platoon Leader

2nd Lieutenant Cameron Bourne
Marine CO

Private First Class Trent Kushner
Marine

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

 

RSS Feed