Icebreaker (part 2)

Posted on Thu Aug 25th, 2016 @ 11:04am by Commodore Samantha York & Commander Alexandra Vance

1,072 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Shadow Dance
Location: CO's Ready Room
Timeline: Immediately after "Getting Answers"

[CONTINUED\

[OLD]

"Speaking of which." Vance replied dismissing whatever emotions she had at the moment. "We have determined how Sergeant Beckinsale got off the ship. A medical shuttle had arrived on the Calypso two weeks prior dropping supplies. It seems the Sergeant was able to acquire a stealth suit from the Intelligence stores and use it to board the shuttle without anyone including the crew being aware. My father is currently tracking the whereabouts of said shuttle."

[NEW]

After this assignment, Sam was definitely stopping at a starbase and dropping off Mr. Vance. If he was lucky, he wouldn't be under arrest at the time. She wasn't going to comment on why the whole lot of them seemed to think her ship was their playground to come and go as they pleased. She nodded. "I'll let Captain Bourne know that she's AWOL. He can file the appropriate paperwork. I'll also let Lieutenant Batiste know that he needs to lock up his department from anyone not assigned to it." That would be another item Sam needed to put in Amarylis' file. "Is there anything else I need to know?"

Alexandra sighed. Truth be told there were a dozen things Sam needed to know but she wasn't sure she was ready to share them. Even after all the years that had gone by, that day was still painted vividly in her mind.

"Okay. So, what are your plans now?" Sam asked

Alexandra shrugged. "I honestly don't know. I suppose setting the record straight with Starfleet with regards to my status would be prudent. After that....perhaps I will return to Starfleet Intelligence." She sighed again. "I never really belonged here."

"Yes, setting the record straight would be a good idea," Sam replied wryly. "I would also suggest contacting Admiral Hunter and letting him know what's going on. See what he recommends."

"I'm certain the Admiral is already aware of my presence, my father has probably made certain of that. They have been friends a very long time. I have also pondered simply disappearing once again, move to a quiet planet to live out what remains of my existence." Alexandra replied flatly showing signs she was resigned, but not willingly.

"Running away won't solve anything," Sam replied quietly. "You need to face this and overcome it. If you try to hide, it won't go away. It may leave you alone, but as you've seen, it will only turn to someone else."

Vance's breathing increased as she began to show signs of obvious distress. Her eyes began to water as she did her best to keep her emotions in check. "I....I wish I could run, I wish I could forget. Every night, it's like a bad recording. The same scenes over and over."

"Talk to Arnon. Let him help you. If you can't talk to him, find someone in Intel you can trust," Sam said. "Talking to someone you trust will be invaluable. Damon has kept me sane through a lot of situations. I promise you it works."

Alexandra snickered for a moment smiling at York. "The people I trust in Intel are not easily found." Her smile faded quickly. "I'm sure they have skeletons to work out as well. While I am certain Lieutenant Barak is an excellent councilor I am not entirely comfortable sharing such sensitive information with him. Telling you was overstepping the bounds of my oath, but I can trust you....it's a realization I wish I had come to long ago." Her voice trailed off, her head bowing to the floor.

"So do I," Sam replied. "Is there something I can do to help you?"

Alexandra's breathing continued to be labored as she wrapped her hands around herself rubbing her back. "I'll never forget it....those days."

"Alexandra," Sam said, her tone authoritative. "You won't forget it, but you need to learn to deal with the memories. You can't let yourself get lost in them. I agree that Arnon may not be the best person for you. I think Teenah would be a better choice. I think she'd understand what you've been through far better than you realize."

"There are no counselors Samantha, none that I trust." She sighed. "The memories, they are a part of me whether I like it or not. That voice, it's a sound you can never forget. It's echoes through your ears like a ringing taunting your ear drums beckoning you to lose yourself." She looked up to Sam regaining her composure. "I will not stop until I am certain what happened that day will never happen again."

She paused as she looked to the floor shaking her head. "An ambush..."

Sam recognized that Alexandra wasn't going to listen to what she was saying. She was too wrapped up in her need to go after Morat herself. Teenah, with her unique background, would have understood, but Sam wasn't going to press the issue. "Just don't go out on your own," she said.

"On my own?" Alexandra looked up confusedly. "You said it yourself, we are a little past that."

"Yes, but you seem to be going back to what happened, and your need to stop Morat," Sam said.

Alexandra sighed. "I think we all know that this has evolved beyond any personal vendettas I may have. If you knew Morat the way I do, if you knew what she has done you too would share my urgency. This task however, is no longer one I can take on my own."

"Good." Sam had been concerned with the way Alexandra was withdrawing into her memories that she might. "Have you told your father?"

"Have I told him what?" She asked.

"How you feel, what you're planning," Sam said.

Alexandra scoffed looking away from Sam dismissively. She stared out the nearest window to the stars seemingly looking beyond the glass for light years lost in the vast emptiness that was space. "My father is too wrapped up in his own pet projects for such discussions. For him, it's always the mission. He has turned Morat into his own personal crusade for some reason even though he wasn't the one that was whipped and rotted in that cell." Vance's words became sharper as she spoke of the whipping and confinement.

"He just wants to clear his conscience at the expense of his better judgment."

(To be continued...)

Commander Alexandra Vance
Former Executive Officer

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

 

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