The Return to Familiarity

Posted on Tue Oct 20th, 2015 @ 9:53am by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & Lieutenant Anandra Delair

1,414 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 89 - Futility's Return
Location: Starbase 400
Timeline: MD3, 0800hrs

ON:

The last several weeks had passed quickly as the counselor neared the end of her career-related LOA; and though she loved the work and the research that she was conducting, she had begun to experience an intense homesickness for SB400 and everything and everyone she had left behind there.

She could hardly contain her excitement during the remaining leg of the flight itinerary that would take her to the base, and it wasn't until she'd settled into her office for her first return shift of duty that Anandra felt a wave of comfortable calm wash over her. Finally she was where she was meant to be, finally she was home.

It only seemed fitting, then, that her first session was with their very own FADM Mike Bremer. Pulling up his file on her console, she began reading for any updates entered by the counseling staff in her absence as she waited the remaining moments before his scheduled time.

Mike was still in Tactical Operations watching real time telemetry from the Avenger and other ships attacking the Borg Transwarp Hub in the Bra'val Badlands. He's been there all night. The Borg had tough defenses including a Tactical Cube but the Starfleet task force was making progress. Still, Mike was concerned for his Son, friends, and everyone aboard those ships.

He took another sip of his raktijno and stood to get another cup when a message beeped on the console he was standing beside. To his surprise it was from Counselor Delair. Mike knew she would be returning to the station, but he didn’t know she would be back on duty so soon. He then wondered if the convocation was a simple chat regarding her return to duty, or if she had been asked to speak to him by Fleet Admiral Sevlek.

Mike acknowledged message, then looked back at the screen. He didn’t want to leave before he could be sure the Borg threat was taken care of, and that his Son was safe. Mike didn’t have long to wait, after few moments the sensor data showed that the Hub was indeed destroyed in a massive explosion which caused a tear in subspace. Data also showed the damaged Borg Tactical Cube adrift and being pulled into the tear while the Starfleet ships withdrew from the area.

It would be a while before Mike knew the condition of the ships and their crews, so he figured he’d stop by the Counselor’s Office on his way to his quarters. On the way he started to get another cold sweat and he right hand trembled. He closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, and the sensations went away.

A moment later, he tapped the chime on the door to Delair’s office.

At the sound of the chime, Anandra locked the screen on her console, something she habitually did anytime there was an interruption; a consideration for the privacy of her patient's files.

"Come in!" she called, looking to the door to greet whomever entered.

Mike quietly stepped into the Office and looked around for a moment. “Welcome home Councilor. You asked to see me?”

"Admiral!" she quickly got to her feet, standing on due occasion. "Thank you..it's great to see you." she smiled, gesturing to the seat by her desk.

Mike took a seat, "It's good to have you back. What can I do for you?"

"I was simply beginning my rounds. I hope to touch base with all of my clients in the coming week or so; see how things went for them while I was away, get myself caught up with their cases and back into the routine around here." she said, her gaze drifting over their surroundings, fondly looking at the office she'd missed so much. Then she took a seat across from him and folded her hands in her lap. She took just a moment to sense him, noting a bit of tension.

"Well." she took a deep breath. "Enough about that. How are things for you?"

Mike took a deep breath. "I'm good." He lied, then continued, "I'm sure you've seen some of the reports we've filled, we've been as busy as usual." He flashed a smiled, but it quickly faded. "Right now, with the Borg back, tensions are high."

"Mm." the counselor frowned slightly, her brow furrowing at Bremer's lie, as well as the mention of the Borg. She had seen a few of the reports, and would go through the whole of them in the following days. Needless to say, they were a matter of great concern. "I can sense a particular tension in you, Admiral. It's different, more personal than the tension many others are feeling at the moment. All matters of duty aside, are you experiencing any personal struggles with the current circumstances?"

Mike smirked, "I am feeling extra tension right now, yes." He paused a moment, then added, "I'm not sure if it's just the extra tension or something else, but I've also been fighting a sense of anxiety since returning from the mission against the Borg Unimatrix. It's a feeling I've never had before, ever, and it didn't start until we were back on the Station." He felt his hand tense up and shake for a moment, but it only lasted a second or two.

The counselor nodded. "Was there anything about that mission that caused you particular trauma or stress?"

Mike paused, "No, nothing. I was aboard the Pegasus the whole mission." He thought about things for a minute. "Nothing out of the ordinary combat wise." A thought crossed his mind but he didn't mention it.

"That sense of anxiety you mentioned, you said it's a feeling you've never had before - how would you describe that feeling, how is it different from any you've experienced before?"

"Well, ah... nervous, worry but not about anything particular. Not fear. Almost a paralyzing feeling. A cold sensation with sweats." Mike replied.

"Have you noticed anything that seems to trigger it?"

Mike paused a moment, and decided he'd tell the Counselor what he was thinking. "Korok...General Korok. He was a friend of my fathers when I was growing up. He was assimilated by the Borg and by chance he was apart of the Unimatrix Zero group that USS Voyager liberated. He repaid them by assisting Voyager in recovering Janeway and others aboard the Borg Tactical Cube they had infiltrated. When we arrived at the last location of the USS Houston his Sphere was engaged against the Sphere that destroyed the Houston." Mike started to feel his hand tremble and the sweat start. "He and his liberated Borg fought beside us to destroy the Borg ships and their base. When he came aboard the Pegasus to plan for the attack on the base it...it reminded me of my own assimilation eleven years ago." Mike paused for a few moments. "I was lucky, doctors were able to almost fully de-assimilate me, except for a few spinal supports and nanoprobs in my own blood stream as well in the systems of the Pegasus." Mike paused again, the sweat stopped and he hand relaxed. "I haven't thought about that, how I helped the Borg nearly assimilate the entire population of the Zerian Homeworld and destroy twenty-five Federation Starships." He let out a deep breath.

Mike also knew that the knowledge had been forcibly taken from him by the Borg was later used by them to launch their attack of the Federation a year later, a work that had cost billions of lives. Deep down, Mike blamed himself for those events and loss of life but with the Borg ‘gone’ he’d suppressed those memories and emotions. Seeing the Borg, seeing Korok, brought everything back.

Mike’s commbadge beeped, “Ops to Admiral Bremer. Sure the Avenger is returning along with tugs towing the damaged USS Odin.”

Mike stood, ‘saved by the bell’ he thought to himself, but he was also grateful the Counselor had contacted him and got him to open up some. He felt better somewhat, partly because he’d gotten everything off of his chest, and partly because he’d admitted to himself that seeing his father’s old friend assimilated brought back his own emotions about his own assimilation years ago.

Mike stood and headed for the door, then stopped and looked back. “Thank you Counselor.” Mike sincerely. “Welcome home.” Mike flashed a smile, then headed for Ops.




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