Not again...

Posted on 14 Sep 2016 @ 4:30am by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Commander Jayla Kij & Lieutenant Commander Adam Casey

2,177 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Click Three Times
Location: Casey's Quarters
Timeline: MD 6 || 1600 hours

Adam growled in anger as he threw the remains of the table to the side, having kicked it by accident. He made his way back to the bedroom, his room, where both Amy and Maria were laying down, their eyes closed. They were only sleeping, thankfully, but Adam now held his medkit, and knelt down by the bed.

"It'll be okay, girls." He whispered, as he placed a moist flannel on Amy's head, and then placing another on Maria's head. He opened the medkit, and looked at the tricorder. He only had basic medical training, but he wouldn't leave them alone. With transporters down, he wouldn't be able to manage getting both to sickbay at the same time.

Harvey had gone looking for Commander Casey after he didn't show up to the staff meeting. The ship was in a wild state of affairs. He wasn't worried about the damage as he knew the ship could be repaired. The dead he saw still laying in the corridors, however, sickened him. Even as the Black Hawk saw limited power be restored, the crew was still fragmented and unable to tend to their basic needs, even protecting the dead from early decay.

Of course, there wasn't anything anyone could do about those who had turned to ash. When the time came, Harvey would have to replicate some urns and begin to collect what remained of the crewmembers.

He couldn't think about that now. He had to make sure the last link in the chain of command had survived the ordeal. Adam hadn't responded to Harvey's calls, not that Harvey expected to get him. Communications were still out in sections of the ship. He had a feeling living quarters were among them.

Harvey arrived on Deck Four and quickly found the door to Adam's cabin open, just like several of the others nearby. Probably officers forcing themselves inside to check on a few things or grab sundries. "Adam?" he called out. If no one responded, he'd likely go to the science labs next.

Adam heard his name called out, and a part of him wanted to ignore the call. But it was Harvey, and he knew the man. He'd worry if Adam didn't respond, and given what had happened, he couldn't do that to his friend. But he wasn't in the mood for company. "Not now." He called back, as he gently stroked Maria's cheek, smiling sadly at her.

Not now? his mind asked Harvey. It was too late though, Harvey was already inside. He spotted Adam through the open doorway and saw his kids on the bed. From what Harvey could tell, the children had had a rough time. Letting himself in, Harvey withdrew the medical tricorder that was still in his pocket and began to take a look at their vitals. "Hey, Adam," he said softly, glancing up at his friend.

"They...they did exactly what I told them to do in an emergency." Adam said, as he held Amy's hand, rubbing it gently with his thumb. "They took cover, but it wasn't enough. They...tell me they're going to be okay." Adam said weakly.

"They're going to be fine," Harvey assured immediately even though he hadn't completed the scan. If anything, it was because he was determined to not have any more issues aboard the ship. "Nothing's broken," he told Adam as he nodded at Amy, still scanning Maria. His scan was still incomplete.

"That's twice since coming aboard their lives have been put in danger. This is...the Consortium. Once again, innocent lives get caught in the crossfire because they want power, and my girls pay the price?" He demanded. "I swear to god, they will pay for this. Harvey, just...promise me everything will be okay." He said, almost pleading.

"The worst is over," Harvey replied, frowning at the tricorder. "Fractured radius," he told Adam. Harvey personally preferred breaks as they were easy to set. Fractures however were a bit difficult. "We need to get her to sickbay."

Adam nodded, and looked at the girls. "I'll take Maria, you take Amy." He said. He went to pick up Maria, and then looked at Harvey. "How bad were we hit? I was in the science lab when everything went dark. My first priority was to find my kids."

"No warp drive," Harvey said, carefully picking up Amy. "No main power, computer, shields, weapons. We're just barely treading water. But, the threat's gone. The Valdore's destroyed."

Adam nodded, and picked up Maria in his arms. "Good. Any sign of the Consortium?" Adam asked, part of him hoping there was, if only to wrap his hands around someone's neck and throttle them. But not until the girls were safe. Nothing came before them; not even revenge.

Harvey recognized the Adam that was talking. The Adam who would take everything into his own hands until he found a resolution that suited him. Without acknowledging the captives in the brig, he answered, "The nebula is Consortium-free now."

Adam nodded. He hid his disappointment, but felt glad that there wasn't a threat. "Good." He said, leading the way out of his quarters. "I have to say, if this is how bad things are here, how bad is it elsewhere? How many of our ships are facing this? There has to be someone who is noticing these things, and knowing that they are wrong. We need to try and find members of the consortium who don't realize who they're serving, and let them know what their masters are really doing."

"As far as I know, these were the only Consortium ships looking for a superweapon. After this, all that's left is an all out assault." Harvey sighed. "I just hope we don't miss that party."

"Somehow, I don't think we will be. We're not that lucky." Adam said darkly, as they walked out of the quarters and into the corridor. "But the fact that they are using a superweapon shows that there is nothing they won't do. And we need to make sure we are there for that battle. We've lost people, but we need to stand together, to make sure others don't fall into the Consortium's trap."

Harvey nodded his agreement. "This way," Harvey said, pointing down a junction to their right. "There was a plasma fire ahead, and those sections are sealed off."

Adam nodded, heading down the way Harvey had told him. "I don't think even the Lagos was damaged this badly." Adam said, ducking to avoid a piece of damaged bulkhead.

"The Captain would never allow it," Harvey said with a smile, thinking of the old ship. "Remember when we had to spend two days in Zero-G because an EM surge shorted out all of the gravity in the saucer?"

Adam's face paled as he remembered that day. "Please, don't remind me. By the end of it, most of us were ready to hurl, myself included." He said. "Still, sometimes it was funny. Remember the time someone made a prank and the replicator's dispensed nothing but Strawberry Ice Cream?"

The Captain chuckled. "Everyone's breakfasts were a bit surgery that day. But that's nothing compared to when my Denobulan assistant insisted on experimenting with Chief Engineer Grav. How long was it before the Tellarite figured out he was sticking Bavarian fruit flies into his dinner?"

"I think it was about a week. I honestly don't think my ears have been the same since catching part of his tirade." Adam replied, smiling briefly before smiling. "Think the Lagos is okay?"

"I'm sure it is," Harvey replied. He hadn't kept track of the ship since he left, or any of his previous assignments, primarily because he never really cared. "All I know it's not out here in the Gamma Quadrant."

Adam nodded, a little relieved. "Good. I'd hate to go up against that ship, although we do know her inside and out." Adam said, looking down at Maria. "This is where I miss Jessica most; she would have kept me far more sane, and I wouldn't feel like such a failure."

"They're safe, Adam," Harvey reassured, turning another corner to arrive in the medical section. "And you're no failure. You fared much better than I would have."

"I think you're selling yourself short. I just...I've had to face off against Jessica's sister Maria, who wanted custody of the kids, and when I won that one, I just...it did make me question a lot. Hell, I still question whether she'd be proud of me. I know she'd love the girls, and I wouldn't feel so...alone." Adam said, as they neared sickbay. "But I'm just glad to have spent as much time with her as I did."

Harvey wasn't sure how to respond to that. He himself had been so closed off to relationships since Alison was killed, and only recently started to consider it again. Harvey still hadn't told anyone about him and Joey, and that would have to come at a better time. "Maybe one day," he told Adam as they entered sickbay.

"When the time is right." Adam said, as he saw a nurse. "My daughter Maria, she has a fractured radius, and both have a possible concussion." He said.

"Set her up here," said Nurse Lane, indicating the nearest bio bed. "I'll get Doctor Road."

She hurried off and seconds later, a frazzled looking Jayla rounded the corner. "Hello, Mr. Casey," she said, taking out her tricorder almost absently and beginning to scan Maria. "And Captain. Fractured radius, possible concussions?"

"I didn't see any signs of concussions," Harvey reported, setting the girl he carried on the bed. "Possible trauma to the head. They took cover before the ship shook and we lost power."

"Smart girls," said Jayla, impressed. She studied the read-out on her tricorder. "Yeah, minor head trauma," she said, turning to Amy and confirming the same. "There's some extensive bruising, but nothing serious. I'll take care of the fracture first, then get rid of the bruises." She asked Nurse Lane for a hypospray with enough pain killers for both girls- she imagined they probably had headaches- as well as an Osteo-regenerator.

Harvey looked up to Adam and offered a small smile. "Hear that?" he asked all three. "Nothing serious. You're all going to be okay."

"I know. I just...I taught them well, but they aren't...I remember why I didn't want a Starfleet Career and children...but I know I can't protect them from everything, because life...this is life. This is what life is. I can't keep protecting them from everything, but I am proud...of them. They followed procedure, which is what I taught them. But if I get my hands on the Consortium, there will be hell to pay." He promised.

"I'll hold their arms, you punch them," Jayla replied passively as she carefully set the osteo-regenerator to fixing Maria's wrist. She was a doctor, but she was also a bit fiercely protective of children and her friends. And, to someone as friendly as Jayla, everyone on the ship was considered her friend.

She took up the hypo spray and pressed it to each girl's neck in turn. "While that's working, I can take care of the bruises," she said, taking a dermal regenerator and starting with Amy first as her bruise was worse. "They won't be able to run around and play for the rest of the day- what's left of it- but they should be fine. Keep them doing quiet activities like coloring or reading. You know, the sort of things I'm supposed to be doing," she added with a sheepish grin at nurse Lane, who only sighed unhappily.

"Desperate times, Doctor," Harvey reminded Jayla. "There will be time to relax soon enough." Looking back to Adam, he reassured, "This will all be over soon enough. And we can assess things then. For now, we are safe, and that is what matters."

Adam nodded. "I'll keep an eye on them, make sure they're okay." He said. "Thank you Doctor. At least they're okay, that's the main thing. I'm really grateful to you Jayla, and you Harvey."

"Anytime, Adam," Harvey replied, clapping his hand on the man's shoulder. "They're in good hands now. As soon as you can though, I'm going to need a status update from science. There's a lot of missing people right now, and we need to know where we stand."

Adam nodded. "I'll...I'll get one to you as soon as possible." He said. "Doctor, can you keep an eye on them for an hour so I can check on my department?"

"Absolutely," said Jayla as she continued to work on the bruises. "When they wake up, I'll give them some games to play and books to read. They're in good hands."

Adam nodded. "Thanks Doc. Captain, I'll have a report for you within the hour." He promised, before heading over to the girls. He kissed them gently on the forehead, before heading out of Sickbay, knowing he had work to do.

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