"Flashback Trouble"

Posted on Wed Mar 18th, 2020 @ 6:44pm by Lieutenant Commander Savin

Mission: Character Development
Location: Counselor's Office
735 words - 1.5 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Yadira was bothered about something she saw earlier that gave her a bad flashback. She was walking through the corridor on C deck and bumped into a pair of engineers from her department working on the docking latches of an escape pod. Suddenly she saw the escape pods being launched from the USS Denver just before she was destroyed. Seeing herself in that moment, ushering the entire command staff from the bridge, unnerved her immensely. Turning around Yadira headed for the Counselor's office in hurry.

Arriving shortly, Yadira hit the door chime and waited as patiently as she could.

Patience wasn't needed as the door slid aside almost as if on cue. The sole occupant of the office looked up at the flash of a strobe, its bright light instantly drawing his attention. He stood as a young woman walked in, instantly hit by a sense of unease. "Ma'am?" he queried, the individual an unknown to him. "I am Savin, how may I help?" Within his office, he did prefer not to use rank, so he didn't use his to introduce himself.

Yadira was a little shook by his quickness and the fact she had forgotten that he was unable to hear. "Oh....um....You can call me Yadira. I just had a flashback of a previous mission and I thought they had gone away!", she said a little un-nerved. "I was walking through the corridor on deck C and there were two of my engineers working on an escape pod and before I knew it I saw myself on the bridge of the Denver ushering the command staff into their escape pods just before the ship blew up", she said anxiously.

Not expecting the flow of words so quickly after introductions, Savin was briefly taken aback. "Please," he invited, gesturing towards one of the comfortable chairs. "Relax, and tell me, slowly, what happened. Do please speak as clearly as possible." He paused, taking a seat across from the indicated chair. "What happened on the Denver?"

Taking a deep breath she began, "Well...the Denver was sent on a mission and there was a fierce battle. The ship was heavily damaged and the crew were ordered to abandon ship. As the escape pods were jetisoned, several fighters broke off and went after the pods and murdered officers and their families. As the battle continued the command staff were injured by debris and two were dead. I had healed the minor injuries when the USS Aston arrived and aided in the rescue of the remaining pods that were already in space. I guess one of the attacking ships got a quantum torpedoe off and it nailed the Denver but good throwing everyone like rag dolls across the bridge. More injuries were sustained and by God's graces nobody else died. I was severely injured but I managed to get the rest of the command staff into their pods and jettisoned before I collapsed into mine and left the ship. As I laid in the Aston's sickbay, the CMO was kind enough to allow me the courtesy of seeing them towing the Denver back to SB to be decommissioned and scrapped", Yadira said with tears in her eyes. She was visibly anxious and worried. "I thought we had finally got a handle on this but seeing them working on the escape pods brought it out of the closet", she added.

"Sometimes, certain events can trigger old memories," Savin answered knowingly. "What would you like to do most, help with the escape pods and see the occupants to safety, or remain away from them? What would be your first instinct to do when you see them?"

Closing her eyes, breathing again as before, but this time opening her eyes before continuing. "Help the occupants into their pods. The first instinct is to help and see to their needs while getting them off the ship. Being as how I was on the bridge it was the correct command decision and that is what we are trained to do. React automatically without thinking of our own safety. Crew and ship first!", Yadira said.

"But your own safety does come first," Savin clarified, "if you do not make sure you are safe first, I would like you to think on this and we will discuss your thoughts a next session."


(adapted and truncated due to lack of response

Lieutenant Savin
CCO