Deal with the Devil

Posted on Thu Nov 21st, 2019 @ 3:57pm by Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,850 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: Promenade, SB400
Timeline: MD02 1145 hours

ON:

Escorted through the restaurant towards the table reserved for lunch, Elise Corrigan offered her thanks to the hostess as she took the offered seat. Her eyes swept the room with only casual interest. She had not arrived early to admire the view. It was her custom to be the first to arrive for a meeting, giving her the opportunity to observe. To understand who she was dealing with.

While the request to meet for lunch - rather than dinner - had meant rearranging her appointments, she had managed to arrive early.

Exactly on schedule, she saw the doctor arrive. Her grey eyes watched him move through the room with an easy, confident stride while his face was entirely neutral. A smile played on her lips. Clearly he was giving nothing away.

“Doctor Hades,” she said as she stood, gesturing for him to take the seat opposite. Only when he sat did she follow suit. “I hope Italian food is to you liking?”

Hades supressed a smile. He allowed her to take the dominant role. It would hurt noting until he was ready to close the trap. "Italian food is fine." In actuality he'd scoped out the restaurant an hour ago, sat across the promenade and watched her enter. He'd studied her file, as much as he could get, he'd read her work and he'd thought long and hard about how to close that trap.

“My grandmother was Italian, very much loved to cook,” she commented after they had ordered drinks, “I never have the time to truly enjoy cooking. Even now, I can’t quite bring myself to retire.”

"Oh? Why is that?"

“My work. I moved into research a long time ago and when you make one advance, there is another. With every technological advance, new possibilities. And it keeps the mind active. I don’t picture myself taking up knitting! Or looking after my great-grandchildren!"

"Hmmm. Funny I don't see you doing any of that either." He sipped his water. "So. Everything I have read about you tells me that you are a filterless woman who loves directness." He paused, "True?"

She smiled, “quite. I’ve found it helps get things done.”

"Excellent. Before we start then. Tell me what you think of Carolyn and why you think it."

“I see you like directness yourself,” Elise replied as she took a sip from her wine. “To be frank, my granddaughter is lost. Self destructive, stubborn. Lost. I have always though her full of potential. Brilliant. And she still is, or I doubt you would have her on your staff. But the woman you know is not the same Carolyn I watched growing up.”

So far he couldn't argue. "Why do you feel that she is lost an self destructive?"

“No matter how much she has perfected her mask, there is no real life in her. In my opinion, she never came back to us. Oh, she is perhaps even more stubborn. She defied her doctors at every turn. But she was using pain relief and sedatives far too much. Never speaking to anyone, breaking off her engagement without a word to anyone and disappeared for weeks.

I was waiting for a knock at the door. Then, out of the blue she showed up to see her mother and announce she was going back to Starfleet. I was not fooled. And I still wait for that call. Or that knock on the door.”

"Well your assessment is skewed. Carolyn is doing fine. Trust me, I know. To be honest with you I truly believe that this is a control issue. You have a vision for her and if she doesn't fit it then she's off. That engagement bit seems to be a soar spot." He studied the woman over his drink. "Alright. Let me be honest with you. Carolyn has come a long way with me and she's improving daily and I have a feeling like you might put a wrench in that. I have an idea."

While he spoke there was a distinct hardening in her eyes. “I think I am a better judge of my own flesh and blood. But I am curious. What idea would that be?” she asked.

"You've admitted to being a...what did you call it evil witch? Nobody likes dealing with those so I assume that Carolyn won't either." He pushed a PADD to her. "I have spoken with Starfleet. They like your idea. I've read it. It's okay. Has some merit. They have given me full authority to approve or deny your plan for any reason. Also I can pull the plug any time I want. I have found some flaws in your research, easily fixable. We can focus on the fixes but I do require a commitment from you...a good faith gesture." He smiled.

Arching an eyebrow, Elise smiled. “My research never struggles to find a home, Doctor Hades. But I will bite, for now. What good faith gesture do you seek?”

"Ohh I've called in favours this particular research project might have lots of issues finding a home." He smiled and pushed a second PADD to her. "I've taken the liberty of drafting a few phrases that you should use around Carolyn." He paused, "Stuff like, I'm proud of you, I can see you are doing well here, I won't interfere, I just want what is best for you."

He outright grinned now, "I stopped short of 'I love you' as we don't want her sending you for a psych review and I have a feeling that phrase would be a one way ticket and I would have to support it and then there would be paperwork," he rolled his wrist to say on and on. "Now, then. You get your project approved and lots of help with it, I get you staying off of Carolyn's back, no criticizing, no bullying, you let me worry about her well being, trust me to have it all in hand. Take a hands off approach to Carolyn and absolutely NO meddling." He shrugged, "Sound like a plan?"

“It is ridiculous,” she scoffed. “Exactly why should I trust someone who has known her all of five minutes? You call it meddling. I consider it my duty. Especially when my son abandoned his in a fit of misguided anger. I take care of my family. I do what is necessary, when it is necessary. If that makes me the villain of the piece, it is not the first time and so be it.”

Leaning forward, Elise studied him, “but you... I do not understand. Carolyn is a member of your staff. All of this goes beyond the limits of a superior officer. I want to understand why before I agree to anything.”

Hades sighed. He studied the woman. "Very well then. If you must." He stood and offered her his arm. "A field trip?"

Eyes narrowing, she stood, taking the offered arm. “Very well. Lead on, Doctor Hades.”

It didn't take that long to get to the holodeck, one of the ones still functioning. He allowed her to enter first and then called up a program. The scene shifted to a lovely beach. It was full of tourists and the lavender sea lapped at the blue sand. He smiled. "A beautiful place...no?"

“Quite,” she said drily, taking in the sight. “And this is..?”

"It is Betazed. The Caspolian sea. A little known location. I used to spend vacations here when the Academy was out."

“Delightful I’m sure. The point, Doctor?”

He sighed. "Computer start program."

The scene shifted again. This time three people appeared. Two, obviously Vulcan women, and Hades. The woman on the right could have been Carolyn accept for her high eyebrows and Vulcan ears. She sat on the sand watching the tide come in.

“Most remarkable,” Elise murmured, watching the young woman. “Who is that woman?”

"That..." He cleared his throat to move past the lump that had formed there. "That was my sister. A woman who shared more with Carolyn then her looks. They have the same spirit, the same stubborn streak that could outlast a Klingon, the same defiance, the same dependencies, the same air of being lost. The very same melancholy."

The woman turned and smiled as the holographic image of Hades walked up and sat down next to her. She laid her head on her brother's shoulder looking out at the sunset. Hades called for the program to halt.

Elise did not miss the use of the past tense. “You have made an association in your mind between your sister and my granddaughter,” she concluded, “yet the simple fact is she is my granddaughter. Beyond whatever similarities you see, she is not your sister.”

"No. She is not my sister. I was too late to save her but Carolyn...she is responding. The sedative that you spoke of. She no longer takes it. She is speaking with a counselor, she is eating on time, I have been able to take her risk taking down to a manageable level and she is improving everyday. Her sense of humor her way. She is beginning to shine and while I know you love her but you can't destroy the progress she's made. I cannot and will not allow that."

“To be blunt, I have heard similar assurances before,” Elise replied. “Eventually she will fall back into her old habits. I do not blame her. Of course not. I am sure she appreciates your concern for her well being as much as she appreciates mine, or her father’s?”

"Actually I have told her of your arrival here and I could see her slipping back into her mind. Do not ruin this. To be blunt you have failed over the years and I have not the only thing that threatens her is you and your interference. So The choice, madam, is yours. Interfere and I will ensure this project and all your Starfleet related ones are stalled indefinitely and you are forced into retirement or allow me to help her while you work to help Starfleet. Before you try to give me a lecture about the needs of the many being higher then the needs of the one we Vulcans invented that and it's a whole lot of bull poop. In this case Carolyn takes first place she is worth it!" He glared at the woman. "Think it over madam until tomorrow evening. I know you are busy. And while you reflect on that keep one thing in mind. You might be the witch but, I Hades, am King of Tartarus and you are endangering the safety of a woman I consider my adopted sister." He turned and left the woman to think on things.

Watching him go the woman scowled. How insufferable! Standing on the sand she sighed, her options now rather limited. How clever he thought himself! She turned and walked towards the door, a slow smile forming on her lips. Oh, but she did enjoy a challenge.

OFF:

RSS Feed