SD 2419.09.17 "Out of Time"

Posted on 17 Sep 2019 @ 6:01pm by Lieutenant Quinle Rahl

1,249 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Tyr's Hand
Location: Ten Forward

Junior Lieutenant Quinle Rahl stood in Ten Forward looking out at Earth 2037 with an enigmatic look upon her face. Since she awoke to find Counselor Wallace-Shaw missing, and things on the ship not working, she had not stopped moving until this moment. Unable to locate her superior she took command of the counseling staff, helping to calm their panic and worry, reminding them of their duty first, then assuring them that they had all trained for eventualities like this. In situations of high stress her symbiont was invaluable, the ages of knowledge offered her a calm that others looked to for direction.”A calm in any storm,” her old commander used to say teasingly calling her the ship’s eye from an old Earth saying.

The door to counseling had been left open and she had those few on staff working in shifts for anyone that needed to talk, the others she had moving in shifts through the areas where the off-duty crew tended to gather, or trying to keep track of those with attachments to the ones that were missing to assist them in dealing with the fear they may be facing. Quinle had ensured all her people were resting and talking with her, or one another and she had begun to gather small groups to support one another in places that were not being used for getting the ship back in working order.

Whenever she was outside her quarters she held a PaDD in her left hand, it held a checklist of people she felt needed individual follow up, and another of the missing on the front screen, a reminder of her duty to all those she determined as her priority when she was not with another crew member. Normally she would be willing to allow people to come to her as needed, but she knew in a time like this people would be more likely to not deal with their personal feelings or bury themselves within their work so she had been trying to study what files she could to help her recognize people by face, another gift of her symbiont, being much better at memorizing faces over Quinle, who was better at memorizing facts. Being new on the ship had her at a disadvantage in knowing the personnel and was working hard to overcome that with extra study.

Having come to the lounge to just be seen, and trying to find a few people she had yet to connect with, the view had called to her as it seemed to everytime she entered the room. “If gives out an odd feeling knowing what we know, doesn’t it?” A woman spoke at her side.

Turning her head slightly, the symbiont providing the name she sought, one that was at the top of her list to find. “It does, and yet it seems to draw me in each time I see it.” Not allowing the woman to know she recognized her, she just let the conversation flow naturally.

“Me too, I think I stare at it whenever I am not in med bay.” The short redheaded woman said, “You are Counselor Rahl, right?”

“I am, and you are Nurse Ainile?” Quinle responded with a tip of her head, her long braid shifting to sway across her uniform, the black locks plaited as thick as her wrist even near the stretchable tie that wrapped at its end.

The nurse offered a short harsh laugh, “It figures you would already know most of us, smart.” Crossing her arms across her stomach, “Can we sit?”

“Of course.” She gestured toward an empty table away from others that were occupied with people chatting, but keeping a view of the window. The human took a seat that afforded the view, then Quinle sat to her side as to not block it, her legs crossed at the ankles as she placed her hands on the table.

Keeping her arms crossed Nurse Ainile began to speak softly. “My husband is one of the missing.” Cutting right to the point, “We talked about taking a break and not going out this time, but this was such a routine mission. What was one more trip before we started a family, right? I talked him into this, now here we are, him missing and us out of time.”

The last words were so appropriate in more than one way that Quinle inwardly marked them for later use. “There is no reason to believe we will not recover those missing.” Measured words in a measured tone, a cadence to them that flowed and attempted to soothe in her calm manner.

“And plenty of reasons to think we will. I know, everyone keeps saying that, yet deep inside I do not believe he will return, just a feeling of something missing inside.” The response was shaky, Ainile just barely holding onto her emotions, her hand reached for Quinle’s initiating contact. Her file had said she was an exuberant open young woman with a zest for life and exploration, the latter being one Quinle shared.

Turning her hand to hold the paler skinned woman’s own giving it a gentle squeeze. “Everyone is doing their best, and Starfleet trains us how to handle all types of situations,” her head swung to the window for a moment, then back, “even the unexpected. Yet, if you are feeling an emptiness within it will not be filled with words, or even work.” She knew the nurse had been volunteering to work extra hours, the exhaustion showed in deep shadows under her eyes. “You need rest, your job is too important to us all to have you impaired.”

Green eyes looked to the Counselor, who returned the look easily, bothered not by the flare of anger that sprang to life there. “The command staff is working longer than I am.”

“They have been advised to find rest as well.” A simple statement, one that held truth to it, as she had been sending reminders to those she saw overworking, but she had yet to push her way into the bridge to begin to impose her way upon them, choosing to work with the crew as she had been until she was called for. “What we each do should not be compared to one another…”

Cutting Rahl off harshly, “I feel useless if I am not working. I have to be sure I am there in case…” She sobbed and then collapsed forward slightly, her nails biting into the Trill’s hand as she began to cry in earnest.

Bringing her other hand to cover Ainile’s, rubbing her fingers along the back of it gently, “You will not miss his return. I assure you that the instant any news comes in, I will get it to you no matter where you are.” A small assurance, but it was all any could offer and it was clear that Ainile was not capable of handling more right now as she cried and nodded her head. Sitting quietly and allowing the nurse to cry all she needed, once she gathered herself again Quinle walked with her to her quarters, ordering her an herbal tea for relaxation, the Junior Lieutenant stayed with the woman until she was asleep. As she left all she could hope was that it would be good news she would be sharing soon, with any that were fearing the loss of those they care about, be they lover, friend, or crew mate.

 

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