Interesting Conversation

Posted on Thu Jun 13th, 2019 @ 6:36pm by Lieutenant JG Ilan Rol & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,954 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 98 - A Raid on Peace
Location: Starbase 400 Sickbay
Timeline: MD 03 0930 hours

ON:

Rol paced inside his quarters. He wondered if he should see Corrigan. She was in Sickbay while the computer dutifully advised him that Hades was in his quarters. He sighed. It was now or never.

Nursing a freshly replicated cup of hot chocolate, Doctor Corrigan frowned as she reorganised the duty list yet again. They had brought as much of the medical staff as possible while yet it still left the challenge of ensuring a suitable balance of knowledge, experience and actual people.

Finalising the draft and distributing the new assignments, she looked up as she heard someone approach the office. Setting aside her cup she stood up, surprised to see Lieutenant Rol standing there. "Lieutenant, please come in," she said, climbing to her feet, "is everything alright?"

Rol entered not sure if he should approach her. "Yes. There are a few...things I wished to speak with you about." He decided to go for broke. He sat down in the chair resisting the urge to rub his nose. "Tell me...do you like a good mystery?"

"You get bonus points for most unexpected question of the day," Corrigan assured him as she leaned back against the desk, mostly to hide the clutter of PADDs. "And in answer to said question, yes. I do. Would you like something to drink before you tell me what's troubling you?"

"Sure. A Bajoran tea would be nice." He sighed gathering his thoughts.

Crossing to the replicator, she ordered his drink and returned with it a few seconds later, Setting it down, she took her own seat. She had not had many dealings with the Bajoran counsellor, in part because she avoided the department as much as possible. "I'm all ears," she prompted him.

"I wanted to ask you about doctor Hades. Have you noticed him acting...out of the ordinary as of late?" The best way to start was to start big.

Had she been drinking, she was sure she would have spat it out. "Dr Hades?" she repeated, taking a sip of her hot chocolate to giver herself a few seconds to consider her answer. "What do you consider, out of the ordinary when it comes to Dr Hades? He is rather complicated."

Rol smiled, "So I've heard. But...he's being more secretive then usual and...I saw him having coffee, before we left the station, with Damon Tog of Ferenginar....at 2300 hours. On the promenade." He sighed, "I mean I know he recently went through a....hormone imbalance but...this is ridiculous."

Carolyn frowned, unsure how much the Bajoran lieutenant did actually know. "I am not familiar with Damon Tog?" she prompted. "But I don't see why being on the promenade at that time would be a concern? We keep unusual hours depending on what is happening in medical."

He sighed, "Perhaps...but I have a feeling like...he's hiding something."

“Doesn’t everybody?” She pointed out before quickly adding, “have you tried to just ask him about it?”

Rol looked appalled "And have him airlock me?"

“I’m sure he wouldn’t do that,” she lied. “What makes you think he would tell me? I can tell you exactly what he will say. He will just say ‘it’s complicated’ and move on to something else. And I still don’t know why him meeting a Ferengi is worrying you so much? Is there more I should know?”

"That Ferengi is not the most honourable one." Rol said. He had to smile. "Actually I briefly toyed with getting the doctor a gift, a t-shirt, it would say just that 'it's complicated.' Then I realized he controls the hypos." Rol laughed seeming to ease the tension.

“It would be worth it,” she grinned. “So, you want me to ask why you saw him with a Ferengi on the promenade?”

He sighed, "Couldn't sleep. Things on my mind. I think better when I walk and when its quiet."

Carolyn frowned, "so insomnia explains why you were there. Lieutenant you do realise he could just put me out of the airlock instead, right? And I do not think I would blame him. And maybe there is a perfectly innocent and reasonable explanation."

He sighed, "Perhaps." Rol sounded slightly defeated. He'd just have to solve this mystery himself. "Alright then." He stood. "I guess I'll get back to visiting the patients."

"Wait," Carolyn said, resigning herself to her fate as she said, "I'll ask him, okay? Just don't expect miracles. He doesn't tell me much of anything."

He sighed, "Yes." He sat down. "That much I know. He's...left counseling. He's asked not be counseled by Ariana anymore. He's switched to Doctor Sage...the civilian counselor."

"He has mentioned her before," Carolyn said slowly, surprised by the revelation. "There is no reason why he couldn't see a civilian. Although it is unusual. Perhaps he feels more comfortable? Personally I just avoid you all. No offence. And if he feels he needs to talk, at least he is talking to someone. I don't know much about his past but I do know the stress he must be under just running the department.

I'm still amazed he didn't throw Nurse Lynn out an airlock. I'd say he's making progress," she added, trying to lighten the mood. There was no denying the lieutenant was worried.

"Yes well he still might." He smiled. "Lynn has been a thorn in his...oh did you hear the latest rumour she's spreading about the good doctor?"

“Dear lord, what now?” Carolyn asked, genuinely dreading the answer.

"Apparently the doc and you are married." He laughed. "That woman! She is nuts!"

Thankful she hadn’t been taking a drink when he said it, Carolyn laughed as she shook her head, “ha! Yeah, prize catch right here. She is desperate to win that bet. I can assure you lieutenant that I am 100 percent not married to anyone.”

He studied her. His face growing serious. "You do not believe you are a prize catch?"

In a heartbeat her entire demeanour changed. Instantly weary, cautious. “I believe we were talking about Hades,” she reminded him. “Not me.”

He smiled, "You deflect as well as he does." He studied her. "I'm truly interested why do you believe you are not a good catch?"

“Lieutenant, in the past few days, I’ve overdosed on a sedative, gotten assigned to this mission, had to make calls that will probably give me even more sleepless nights, watched my commanding officer get stabbed in the back and then literally killed him to make sure he didn’t bleed to death. What difference does being a good catch or not make?” she asked, sounding annoyed. "And do not tell Hades that last part. I'm hoping he doesn't read his full treatment record or I will be going out an airlock."

Rol studied her. He threw his head back and laughed. "Well since we're both airlock bound you can humour a vented man. Why are you not a catch." He was a persistent fellow.

“Would you drop this if I remind you I also have access to the hypos?” She asked.

"Nope. I'd just pick it up when I woke up."

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m seeing the attractiveness of airlocks...” she muttered, “believe me, Lieutenant, it is easier just to drop it. I’m not interested in another person trying to figure out what goes on in my head.”

"I see." He tilted his head. "You said earlier that you were glad Hades was talking to someone when I pointed out he was seeing Splendora Sage... why is it good for him and not for you?"

She actually counted to ten in her head, trying not to throw something at him. “If Hades wants to speak to someone then great,” she said slowly, sounding exasperated. “I on the other hand do not. Been there, tried that. Didn’t work. The end. Did Hades send you?”

He laughed, "No he did not. I'm a counselor... with special powers."

“Invisibility?” She asked hopefully.

He laughed, "No. Persistence and the ability to order you to speak with someone." He sighed, "But I don't want to do that. I'm hoping that you will trust me enough to open up."

She didn’t think it was nice to say that she didn’t know him enough to trust him. Or that she didn’t even discuss things with her family, “Sorry to disappoint. And I already have Hades on my back about sedatives so please, one at a time.”

He sighed, "Very well. When was the last date of your on duty psych evaluation." If she would play hardball so would he.

"Keeping that one in your pocket for a rainy day?" she challenged, arching an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. Refusing to give him any ammunition. Technically, she had months yet. Yet ultimately it was a guide. And she knew her file was perhaps larger than most.

"Do I honestly have something written across my head that says 'please fix me'?" she asked him. She didn't wait for an answer. "My psych evaluation is not due for another two months. It was a requirement before I was cleared to return to active duty and leave Vulcan. It was reviewed eight weeks later aboard the Rhode Island, just to be sure I wasn't hiding any tendencies to put someone out an airlock."

"Hmmm...Vulcan you say?" He didn't remember reading that in her file.

"Did I say Vulcan? I meant Earth..." she frowned, momentarily forgetting she was angry with him before her gaze fixed on him again, "regardless, point still stands, no evaluation."

He shrugged. "Perhaps." He smiled, "Vulcan...that wasn't in your records that makes them incomplete. To quote Hades, Fascinating."

“Some of my doctors were Vulcan and I’ve been annoying a few today, I misspoke,” she told him, sounding a little distracted. Then her eyes narrowed, “back it up a second. Not in my file? Why would you even know that? Was all the concern for Hades just a way to try and get me to talk to you?”

"Not exactly. That was real. I wasn't going to speak with you until your next review but the opportunity presented itself. This is a stressful situation and I thought you might want to talk."

"I think you should go now," she said quietly, her anger at his decision to try and manipulate the situation - rather than just ask the question - very evident in her voice. "I have work to do."

"Yes I do as well. But in a way I am doing my work, making sure that the mental wellbeing of all aboard is good." He studied her and then stood. "So I take you are good? Nothing you wish to discuss? Nothing that weighs heavy on you?"

“Should there be?” She asked innocently. He was being deliberately infuriating, she was sure of it. And he had read her file - for what? Light reading?

"Oh I don't know perhaps something about you almost dying?"

“Yes, well, I didn’t,” she pointed out needlessly, “last I checked, I’m very much alive and well. Is that all?”

"How about your reliance on sedatives?" He asked.

“You have been doing your homework,” she sighed. “And they are prescribed and used as little as possible. Nothing to discuss.”

"Hmm, I see. Well I'll leave for now then, but...I will return."

“Looking forward to it,” she called after him as he headed out of sickbay, a passing nurse flashing her a dubious look and obviously wondering if she was going mad.

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