Patching Holes and Discovering the Digger...

Posted on Wed Feb 9th, 2022 @ 11:30am by Captain Ivan Petrov & Commander Cyrus Cain & Lieutenant Commander Andrei Petrov & Ensign Mika Petrova & Lieutenant Johnathan Anderson III & Callie Marshall & Lieutenant JG Melissa Jones & Lieutenant JG Karen Lamont & Lieutenant JG Kassandra Selin

Mission: S1 Episode 1: Caretaker, Part I
Location: ISS Vengeance, Sickbay
Timeline: MD32 1535 hrs
1393 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

~ON~

The dermal regeneration had been easy enough. It posed little difficulty in the 24th century. Even the organs were not so difficulty. Nerve tissue, however, nerve tissue they had still not quite mastered. Dr. Lamont was personally in the operating room with Cadet Petrova, frantically working to save Anderson. Even if he survived, he might never walk again.

Kassandra stood silent outside the medical doors letting the medical staff work. She had washed her hands and now stood silent waiting for people to start asking questions for which she was not sure she wanted to give answers.

“Are you alright?” Callie stood alongside Kassandra, she’d been to her quarters just long enough to dispose of her old jacket, which was covered in Johnathan’s blood, and grab a new one. “Is there any news on how Johnathan is?”

"I am fine." Kass said. "Callie, Johnathan said something I need to tell the Captain... can you find him please?"

“I can do better than that.” Callie reached her hand to her comm badge. =/\= Vali to Captain Petrov, I need to see you in Sickbay as soon as possible Sir. =/\=

“How’s that?” Callie looked towards where the medical staff were busy with Johnathan. “This is my fault. None of this would have happened if he hadn’t stood up for me!” Under the surface her emotions were at rapidly reaching boiling point. “This has to be Andrei’s doing!”

"While that hypotheses is probably correct, lets see what happens." Kass muttered.

Callie frowned. “Kass? What is that supposed to mean?” She gave Kassandra a worried look. “You’re holding something back, what is it you’re not telling me?”

"Callie, a senior officer has been stabbed. I need to tell the Captain first." Kass said softly.

“I...” Callie paused and took a deep breath. “I understand. I’m sorry! I’m just worried about Johnathan.”

Kassandra nodded and kept her face calm. Emotions were for privacy.

The Captain exited the turbo lift on deck 5 and rounded the corner to find a mess of his officers standing outside of sickbay. With a look of sudden concern, he paused and spoke.

“What’s going on here?”

Callie took a deep breath as she looked in Petrov’s direction. “Sir, it would appear Lieutenant Anderson has been attacked. Ensign Selin was stemming the bleeding from his wounds when I got there.” She looked towards Kass.

Kass saluted "Captain." She said professionally. "Sir, if I could speak with you in private?"

Melissa entered the room and approached. She examined the situation and knew immediately what it was. "Morrison?"

Kass sighed. Someone was going to blame someone else for this and she needed to make sure the captain knew what she knew.

Ivan watched the gathering of flustered officers and struggled, placing a hand on Kass’s arm and guiding her around the corner.

“What the hell is happening?” He asked her, once they were out of earshot.

Kassandra Selin took a breath. "Sir, Lieutenant Anderson stumbled out of the turbolift and he was bleeding from wounds in the back. I caught him as he fell to the floor. He said .. Sir he said the name Marshall. But sir, knowing the background of Anderson, and Marshall, I highly doubt we can place blame on Lieutenant Marshall. For all we know sir, he could have been trying to get me to warn Marshall." She paused "There are many different inferences we could assume from Anderson saying such things as he was falling unconscious." The Ensign had other information but was not sure she should share it.

Petrov looked at the young woman, her face familiar to him from the years their families had known each other. He frowned, the lines of his face cascading sharply down into his large salt and pepper beard.

“That makes sense. I will have to allow for both possibilities.” He said, his mind racing. “Is there anyone else that you know of who had some reason to do this to Johnathan?”

Kassandra really didn't want to say what she was about to say but she did. "I can think of several people Sir. Lieutenant Vali, and Johnathan have a personal relationship, and she has a relationship with Marshall and had one with... Lieutenant Petrov." here she paused and took a breath. "Lieutenant Anderson and Lieutenant Petrov, I am told by Lieutenant Vali, a disagreement and I am not excusing either one, Anderson punched Petrov in the face for his comments about Lieutenant Vali. Andrei was not happy about being punched according to Lieutenant Vali sir, That said I didn't think retribution would be this or this quick. And Lieutenant Morrison was very upset around Lieutenant Anderson's actions in the briefing with yourself and Commander Cain. And about being put in the Agoniser booth for an hour." She didn't state that Morrison had taken some of those frustrations out on her.

“Andrei?” He asked, the look of a concerned father crossing his face for an instant before he forced it back into a professional mold. He cleared his throat and gave a nod of understanding. “I see. Well, we will get to the bottom of this. Thank you for your leadership on this, Lieutenant. Callie seems as if she’s about to burst. We should get back to the group.”

"Ah its Ensign Sir" Kass replied with a small smile.

“Oh, right. Silly me.” He said with a smile. He turned them and lead her back to the group, a grave look on his face. “I know this is a trying time, everyone, but right now, all we can do is let the doctors work.”

Callie offered a nod. “I’m sorry Captain, this is my fault.” Her eyes remained set on where Johnathan was being treated, before she turned to look at Petrov. “I’ve been letting myself loose since I came onboard between Andrei, Johnathan and Troy. Andrei insulted me and Johnathan defended my honour, and now he’s here.”

Karen stepped out of the surgical bay, sliding her gloves off. She looked slightly surprised to see Petrov there. "Captain," she said, and then looked at the gathered group. "Lieutenant Anderson is expected to make a full recovery. He should be able to return to duty in two weeks time. For tonight, he needs his rest. If there's someone who wants to sit quietly with him, that's ok, but he's not fit to be answering questions until tomorrow morning."

Callie looked towards Kassandra, “You should stay, he needs you.” She offered a smile. “But before you do...” She looked towards Karen and Ivan before heading inside to see Johnathan. As she walked over to his bedside she cautiously leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “Get well soon Johnathan. I’ll be back to check on you.” With that she headed back out so Kass could go in.

Kass had merely nodded when Callie said she could wait. It was probably best on all counts. She would make sure no one tried to finish the job.

Ivan walked into the sickbay and stood beside the main bio bed, looking down at his young Officer. He gave a sad expression and then leaned down toward the officer’s ear.

“Hey, Johnathan. We’ll keep your seat warm for you on the Bridge.” He said, and then he stood up straight again and turned to the crowd. “I’m going to have a security officer present at his bedside until he is up, just to make sure whoever started this….”, with that, he paused, looking each of them in the eye, “doesn’t get a chance to finish it. Let’s clear out, people, and get back to work. Give them space to move in here.”

Callie nodded. “Aye Sir!”

Kass nodded as well but she stepped aside and hovered near the bed.

[Corridor outside sickbay]

Igarashi had heard of the incident and had stepped out of her office to discover people in the corridor. She had cleared the corridor of people, allowing the medical staff to get their jobs done. She knew the Captain was in there, so she waited patiently for him to exit.

She was curious however to see if the Captain would order some discipline over the incident, although literal back stabbing was not uncommon on a Terran warship.