Counsel Your Way Out
Posted on Thu Mar 21st, 2024 @ 1:21am by Lieutenant Commander Rowena McGowen & Lieutenant Vura
Edited on on Tue Apr 9th, 2024 @ 10:45pm
2,177 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: Chief Counselor's Office - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD004 1300 hrs
Rowena stood in front of the door to the office of the counselor with a padd in her hand. She looked at it and couldn't remember for the life of her how she got that. Apparently, they were her medical results from the time she was down at the planet. She couldn't even remember if she visited the doctor or even talked to her. She remembered going to sickbay but the doctor was away. What was strange though was that she hadn't asked the computer where the doctor was at the time or even thought about calling her on the communicator. Or did she?
She pressed the chime. She was considering whether her amnesia was medical or psychiatric. Maybe the counselor could help her with that.
Vura had not been expecting a visitor. She was correlating her notes before handing them to Nina. Perhaps Nina was being polite by ringing the bell, but she did not think that was the case. Nina would likely just walk in, wouldn't she? Looking up from her desk she called to the chime ringer pleasantly, "Come in."
The door opened and Rowena walked in with her hands behind her back. "I hope I am not interrupting anything important." She moved her arms to the front revealing the padd. "Do you have a moment? I am experiencing some problems with nightmares and amnesia, but the doctor didn't find any problems. So maybe you can help me?" She then realized the words that came out of her mouth. She did not know where they came from, but she decided to just go along with it.
The Counselor was simultaneously relieved to hear that Rowena had seen Hermia and disappointed that Hermia had found nothing. There should have bene something found with nightmares and amnesia, but perhaps not. She was the chief counselor, so she would happily help Rowena sort it out. She just hoped that this was not such a huge issue that it would affect Rowena's job performance.
"Of course," the counselor informed Rowena. "Please come.... Sit where you're comfortable and tell me what is going on...."
Rowena dropped on the nearest couch and put the padd on the table. "So, I think I been to the doctor, 'cause those are my results. But I don't remember ever being there. Or at least, it's all a haze, like what happened on the planet. According to the notes I have asked the doctor to make a scan of my brain, but it says she couldn't find anything. I have been having interrupted sleeps. I have nightmares, and I seem to have gaps in my memories."
Vura took the PADD as she sat down near Rowena in one of her mahogany chairs. "How long has your sleep been interrupted?" the counselor asked concerned. "Is it interrupted by the nightmares and you wake up or are they part of your continued sleep? Also, how long have noticed gaps in your memories?"
Rowena leaned back with a sigh. "To be honest, I haven't had a good night sleep since I left my previous assignment. I have had sleep medication on and off, but ever since I got here, they don't seem to work anymore for me. The memory gaps also started when I got on board. Though, I don't seem to remember how I got off the Malificus. I don't even remember how I got to the Pioneer."
How could nothing show on a medical scan with this being true? The Counselor took a look at the PADD to verify the information that Rowena was giving. While searching the PADD, she continued to inquire of Rowena. "When did the sleeping aids stop working? Have you asked for stronger prescriptions?" Vura tsked at herself, realizing she was off topic. "Tell me about some of the gaps in your memory. Let's start with this one about seeing the doctor. How long ago did you go to see her?" Vura waited for an answer while looking at the PADD.
"I know it was recently," Rowena went in thought for a moment. "It could have been today or yesterday, I am not exactly sure about the time. I do remember asking to check for abnormalities because of my gaps in memory. And I remember there was a nurse. He called the doctor, but she wasn't there. It is all so hazy."
"Try to remember the best you can. Who was the nurse that you remember? What do you remember immediately before seeing the doctor?"
Rowena closed her eyes as she tried to dig deep in her mind. "I remember his collar rank. It was...Petty officer second class, must've been Mister Ze. I think he is not so long on the Pioneer. The first thing I remember before I saw the doctor. I remember walking into sickbay. I called out to her." Rowena held out her hand. "A medical tricorder dropped on the floor."
"Do you mind if I take a look at that?" Vura asked as she stretched out her hand, waiting for the PADD to be given to her.
Rowena opened her eyes. "Sorry, look at what?"
Vura became more concerned with Rowena than before. Rowena had already stretched her hand out with the medical tricorder, but she had not given it to Vura. "You were giving me the medical tricorder, Rowena. Do you not remember that?"
Rowena shrugged and said, "Are you alright, Counselor? I don't have a medical tricorder, what are you talking about. You asked me what i remembered from that day in sickbay. I remembered the name of the nurse. I called the doctor. And I also remembered a medical tricorder falling on the floor, I don't have one on me. I can't give you one if I don't have one."
"I meant the PADD," Vura responded correcting herself. "That sometimes happens with individuals. You're focused on one thing, in this case, myself with the medical tricorder, and replace it with the other, in this case the PADD." She shook her head at herself. "Sorry about that. So, can I see the PADD?"
"Oh..." Rowena got back to her senses and handed the PADD to Vura. "Of course," she added. "But there is not much information in there. She did find a slight abnormality, but it was nothing she was concerned about. She did note something about giving me something to sleep better with." She sighed. "I have been on so many sleep medications, they stopped working for me."
Vura did not like this. She inspected the PADD for anything unusual or not matching what Rowena said. "Well, one way to try and trigger memories is going back to the scene. Sometimes that brings back things that you forgot because your other senses are required for the memory. Would you mind going back to medical with me?"
"Not at all," Rowena got up. "Do you want to lead the way?"
"Of course," Vura replied nonchalantly. She did not question why Rowena said that she should lead. It was odd, but not so odd to require serious inquiry. "Let's go," Vura told Rowena. "No better time than the present." The counselor led the way out of her office, the doors swishing open.
Rowena followed Vura. She walked next to the counselor for the moment. "Lieutenant, could you tell something about yourself?" She put her hands behind her back as she walked. She just tried to not have an awkward silence.
The Counselor wondered why, at this moment, that Rowena wanted to know something about her. They had a couple sessions already and she could have asked it at any other time. However, if it helped Rowena with her nerves, she was not about to deny her small talk. "What is it that you would like to know, Rowena?"
Rowena shrugged smiling, "Oh you know, your hobbies, family, where you're from, the usual." She turned away. "I don't have many friends. Most of my friends were on the Malificus, and...they're all gone." She said the last part softly.
Nothing made Vura more uncomfortable than talking about her home and her past. However, this was mostly surface level information, so there was only a small hesitation before she answered. "Well, like most Deltans, I'm from Delta IV. Unlike most Deltans, I left home. I suspect my brother and parents understand. As to my hobbies, well, I suppose that drawing and acting are some of the things I like best. How about you?" Why is this walk talking so long? Medical is not that far away. And why these personal questions now? It is almost as if everything is being done backwards with Rowena.
"Oh me?" Rowena shrugged. "I am an only child. My parents left me with my grandmother to pursue a career in Starfleet. They disappeared one day and no one wanted to tell me what happened to them, not even my grandmother. But I doubt she even knew." Rowena rubbed her neck a little before she continued, "It's how I got in to intel. I wanted to know more. Learned what happened to my parents." She sighed. "Do these hallways seem longer than usual?"
Vura was not about to tell Rowena that she was wondering why this walk was taking more time than it should. Was there a reason that the Counselor was being slower than normal? Certainly, it could not be some phenomenon, could it? "Psychologically there is a great deal of freedom in being an only child but growing up without your parents could be traumatic. When was the last time that you had contact with them?"
Rowena sighed. "You don't understand, counselor. My parents didn't just disappear, they're dead. You see they were getting too close to something they shouldn't have. My grandmother blamed Starfleet for their deaths." She stopped in her tracks and turned to Vura. "I've spent most of my career trying to find my parents, their bodies were never found. And my parents were the sole reason why I became an intelligence officer. And you know where my research led me? To the Paranormal unit. The USS Malificus was part of it. And it was named appropriately. They were after the Demon with that same name. A constant reminder why they were out there. Then one day they found a stranded freighter ship. They reached their goal. They found him. They found Maleficus. They sent a team to the freighter: the first officer, the science chief, and the chief engineer. I still hear their screams on the comms, as I could not get the transporters work. When I finally did, what I transported back on the bridge, is the fuel of nightmares. Their bodies were mangled and twisted into one and another. Their faces, the horror they displayed...And Malificus?"
She looked intently at Vura, a grin spreading on her face. Her eyes turned dark and then her voice changed as she said, "I got on board this ship with my name through the transporter system and possessed the second officer and chief intelligence officer. I made their department heads disappear. I also affected the Captain. I haunted him with nightmares. And took his memories, his short-term memories, so he wouldn't remember anything that just happened. It affected him mentally. And do you know what happened to their Chief Counselor?"
A dark laugh rose as Rowena slowly faded her voice echoing, "Are you sure this is still the Pioneer? Don't worry you are not alone, your friends will join you soon. And yes, I made the doctor disappear here too. As for the Maleficus crew. They're gone, assign yourself to their faith...." Her voice died as she completely disappeared.
"Rowena!" Vura cried out, realizing what had just happened. How could she have been so stupid? Medical was just a hop, skip, and a jump from counseling. It should not have taken even a few seconds. The question about her hobbies was a distraction. She must have needed to buy time to do whatever she did to put her here, wherever here was. "Why are you doing this, Rowena, or is it Maleficus? What is it that you want?"
Vura scowled at herself. Somehow, objectively, that even looked pretty on the Deltan; however, she should have known better. She was the Chief Counselor. No use crying over spilt milk, Vura. You need to find everyone. Now, at least you know that the XO was not being a jerk because he was being a jerk. He was not himself. But more importantly, what is this being's goals? There has to be a reason that this was being done. Beings do not operate without motive. Think, Vura! Think!
No answers immediately coming to her, she called out, "Rowena! Hermia! Anybody?"
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Rowena McGowen
Chief Intelligence Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Vura
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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