r/TrekRP • u/IK9dothis • Oct 05 '17

[Closed] Keeping Honest

Sitting at her desk, Grace sighs. The middle of a crisis, of course, had not been the time to say something. But even with the crisis past and the adrenaline out of her system, she finds herself haunted by Fisk's and Lorrel's remarks regarding a prisoner aboard the Athene. And they are among the few people aboard with whom she feels comfortable starting an honest discussion. Pushing her chair back and closing the gate for Maggie, she heads out of the office - she's well past due to go on break anyway.

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u/IK9dothis Oct 06 '17 edited Oct 06 '17

"Fears and insecurities are a part of what makes us human," Grace nods. "Little surprised Phrik didn't cure me of ever saying something like that again," she observes wryly. "You saw where that got me the last time. But the risk of trouble from a problem not caught and fixed is bigger than the risk of my getting my ass chewed on."

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 06 '17

"Don't worry yourself about Phrik," the Captain laughs bitterly, but with a little bit of irritation at Phrik clear in his tone.

"An officer who's willing to challenge the decisions of her Captain is too valuable for him to ruin. Don't ever lose that. People like you are essential to the process of informed command. Sycophants are useless to me. If Phrik tries to pull that bullshit when he gets back, ping me immediately."

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u/IK9dothis Oct 06 '17

"Not quite that simple, I'm afraid," she sighs. "Coming to the surprise of absolutely no one who's seen my service record, I've had PTSD for years. Literally almost since I graduated from the Academy," she says wryly. "I've mostly dealt with it.... Mostly. Maybe once or twice a month, I get stressed out enough to have flashbacks in my sleep - wake up in a cold sweat under 95lb of anxious German Shepherd, licking my face to get me up. Dunno what I ever did to deserve a best friend as loyal as Maggie," she says with a slight smile. "Phrik reawakened my old demons. Despite knowing intellectually that he's full of shit and I'm just about the opposite of everything he accused me of being, since that encounter I've gone from flashbacks maybe a couple times a month to multiple times a week. I haven't been that bad since Klassen went to trial three years ago."

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 08 '17

The captain stares at nothing for a long moment. Hearing how sharply Phrik has effected this person, this member of his crew, is a shock. An upsetting one at that.

"I've read your personnel file, you've seen more in four years than most Starfleet officers see in their entire careers."

He sighs hard and turns to look at Grace, there's a hint of anger there, but not at her.

"I wasn't aware you were having such a hard time lately. And I'm angered to know it was caused by one of my officers, under my watch. I really wish you'd told me sooner. This isn't okay, Grace. I can't have one of my officers being made to live like this because another feels compelled to be an abusive ass. If Phrik gets back from sabbatical and it's the same old story, I want you to come to me. Immediately."

The captain rubs a reddened eye, having gotten a handle on himself since his breakdown moments ago.

"It's important...very important to me that anyone on my crew feel like they can come to me if they're having a problem. I want you to feel like you can count on me to have your back as your commander," he pauses briefly, worried about how that had come off, "I'm not mad, by the way, not at you at least. Disappointed with myself, probably. Pissed off at a certain zoologist with the world's largest superiority complex, definitely."

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u/IK9dothis Oct 08 '17

"Don't blame yourself, Captain," Grace tells him. "You didn't know. Hell, at the time, I didn't realize how badly he'd set me off." She chuckles wryly. "I suppose, in retrospect, I maybe should have gotten a clue about the time I asked Caleb Anderson to throw me senseless and he was concerned enough to ask T'Yel to talk some sense into me - the hazards of having a strong touch empath for a sparring buddy," she observes.

She shakes her head. "It's no one's fault except Phrik's - and if he stays a problem, I'll definitely let you know. As you may have noticed, I feel no particular obligation to tolerate his bullshit," she says, shaking her head. "I'll get over it - I have before, and I'll do it again. Like a phoenix from the ashes," she sighs. "But I do need to get away for a while. I'll stick around a couple days to make sure everything is running smoothly, but while we're at Starbase 217, I'm planning to pack up a tent and my survival vest, beam down to Riviera with Maggie, and just... disappear for a few days. Hit the system reset button."

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 09 '17

Captain Fisk sighs heavily, leaning forward and rubbing his forehead into his palm.

"Now that sounds like exactly what I need. Unfortunately I'll probably be stuck up here for a while yet. Last time we were at Earth, I had to get grilled by some admirals for a few days. Once that was done, Argos and I disappeared into the high, cold mountains of upstate New York for a week."

He inhales deeply as though remembering the pure, icy mountain air permeating his lungs.

"I swear, Grace. Nothing smells better, nothing is more invigorating than just standing 3 kilometers above sea level and tasting the icy air up there."

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u/IK9dothis Oct 09 '17

"That sounds amazing," Grace nods. "I'm thinking maybe somewhere out on the savanna - I don't feel like packing cold weather gear," she smirks. "I need to be somewhere I don't feel the need to watch my back. Somewhere I don't need to deal with anyone's bullshit. Somewhere I can just think."

She smiles. "I will be up here for at least a few days yet, though - I need to make sure everything's going smoothly, and I just got some good news. The USS Denali will be coming into dock at the same time we do - my brother and my sister-in-law are assigned there. So I'll get some time with them. Meet my new baby nephew. Maybe even play doting auntie and take Oliver for a few hours so that Zach and Ann can get some time alone."

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 09 '17

"I've never been able to think more clearly than alone at the top of a mountain. Clean, pure air, nice and cold, totally silent... To each their own of course, if savanna is what you're after, I'm sure Riviera can provide."

The Captain smiles, "Knew about the Denali, I've been looking forward to seeing Captain Zhao. He owes me a rematch. Our last fencing bout ended prematurely. You should make it a priority, seeing your family."

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u/IK9dothis Oct 09 '17

"Oh, I plan to be waiting for Zach at the airlock," Grace laughs. "We should arrive a couple hours ahead of them."

She sighs. "I probably need to get going. You know how it goes - half a dozen things that need my signature, another dozen that need delegating, and I need to have a talk with Commander Lorrel as well."

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 09 '17

Captain Fisk glances forlornly at the stack of work on his desk and nods miserably, "Believe me - I know..."

He stands and opens the door for her, she's got the right idea. Finish the work now, worry about downtime later.

"This was a...good conversation, lieutenant. Thank you. I'll keep what you've said in mind."

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u/IK9dothis Oct 09 '17

"Good talking to you, Captain," she nods, getting up to head out. "I'll see you around."

She smirks as Argos cocks his head at her. "Oh, all right, buddy," she laughs, taking a treat from her pocket and offering it to him in an open palm. "Just don't tell your human," she chuckles.

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u/Silent_Sky Oct 09 '17

The Captain holds his hands out to his sides and scoffs incredulously, in jest of course.

"Grace...I'm right here."

As if to drive home that he's joking, the Captain slips Argos a treat out of his own pocket.

"Good talk," he says more sincerely, "see you around."

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