Outcome
Posted on 02 Mar 2025 @ 9:51pm by Captain Bane Plase
760 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission: Shoreleave and Reassignment
ON:
Bane collapsed into the chair.
"How did it go?"
Without opening his eyes, the Captain responded. "Felt like I have been dragged through the wringer, I do declare." Bane's eyes popped open, but did not look at his companion. His eyes were pointed upwards, toward the ceiling. "What do you think the etymology of that phrase is, do you think?"
"Hm. I do not know. But I could find out."
Plase shook his head, the back of his head on the lip of the back of the chair he was sitting in, the base of his skull, just above his neck touching the chair. "Nah, it isn't important."
"Do you wish to talk about your ordeal?"
Plase snorted. "You aren't going to let this go, are you," he said, a hint of humor in his voice.
"No. I admit I am curious. I do suppose I have been hanging around beings controlled by emotions entirely too long. It is one thing to be curious intellectually and academically. It is quite another to be curious of gossip and events in others lives."
The Bajoran officer scootched up in his chair, sitting in it properly for the first time since he had arrived at the personal quarters of Rear Admiral Savok. "Perhaps. In a nutshell, I have been cleared of all charges."
Savok raised his right eyebrow. "That is good news, and quick, too."
"Yeah, it was fast. But we had testimony from those that were there, the sensor readings and logs from the Cygnus, and the testimony and character references from those on the Goddard. It was an open and shut case. Outside of relieving one of my officers from the ship, there was little else that could be done, and I had already done that before they could, so it all worked out."
"So why do you feel like you have been 'put through the wringer,' as you put it.
"Oh, come on, Savok. You have been a commanding officer before. And you are an Admiral now. You know how tough it is to have to answer for every decision you made in a crisis, and being asked what could have gone different if another decision had been made, or one extra step could have been made to prevent an action."
The Admiral shifted on the couch. "I never found it difficult to explain my decision-making processes, nor the actions that I took. They were logical and correct each time. The facts speak for themselves."
Plase nodded. "You got that right." He thought about it for a moment before continuing. "It is because of the rehashing of it all. Having to relive it. The emotional rollercoaster. The PTSD is real. I guess that is one of the things that are beneficial about purging emotion in your species, huh."
Savok retorted. "We do not purge, merely suppress. I daresay we Vulcans experience emotion with greater acuity than Bajorans do. Not to trivialize what Bajorans experience, of course, just pointing out the truth of the matter."
"Yes, yes. We have had this conversation many times, my friend," Bane said, waving his hand in front of him, dismissing the thread of conversation. "I was stating that it was the emotion that I had to deal with. A lot of things went wrong, and I had to think about each moment, in detail, and explain in from a hundred different perspectives and rebutt any thoughts on what if I had done this, or we had done that."
"But in the end, you prevailed, and are back to active duty. That is what matters. So what are your orders now?"
"It is what matters. I thought I may lose the center-seat, or the Cygnus. Current orders are to enjoy some time off for the whole crew, less those that are in rotation to assist with the repairs and refurbishments. So, I will be exploring this wonderful facility of yours."
"Not going to Elysia? I understand that is where most of your crew is going to enjoy some time off."
Plase shook his head. "Nah. Let the crew relax. If they see their Captain, they wont want to relax as much and will be on pins and needles. I will stay out of their hair."
"Very well. There is plenty for you to do and see and explore here. I myself am still doing so. Perhaps I could entice you to accompany me from time to time?"
Plase smiled again. "That would be lovely."
OFF
Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding
OOC: I'm baaaackkkk!
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