Mutiny In Drydock
Posted on May 31, 2020 @ 7:43pm by Lieutenant Eve Dalziel & Lieutenant Tulla Keiku
Edited on on May 31, 2020 @ 7:43pm
Mission: Dog Days Of Summer
“Mutiny In Drydock”
(Continued from “How Ben Discovered The Multiverse”)
=/\=
Location: USS PHOENIX
Scene: Sickbay
Time Index: The day before the events of “How Ben Discovered The Multiverse”
It had been a long day, but a good number of crew had been weighed, measured, and by Kahless the Glorious, had been found wanting; at least by Tulla’s standards. “How did you all ever survive?” Tulla muttered as she tapped out her reports.
“Somehow we muddled through,” Dr. Bartlett replied. “You can take a break at some point. Not every report needs to be that detailed.”
Tulla ignored him. “If they’re not detailed, then how will we know--”
Dr. Sidney Bartlett sighed and said, “I’ve been reading your reports. They’re detailed.” Looking over he said, “Besides you need to complete your own assigned requirements.”
Tulla did not like the way that this sounded. “You want me to do what now?”
Dr. Bartlett only looked like a congenial older Human male, Tulla decided. Secretly he must have been a Tal Shiar agent; he was that devious. “You need to go to a Counseling session,” the CMO said again.
“No,” Tulla replied. “There we’re done.”
The older doctor continued on. “They have many options.” When his Klingon/Betazoid colleague glared he continued on, “I know Captain Smooshy is out--”
“What gave it away,” the woman dryly said.
“--but they have many other people, including Eve who you gave an exam today and Owen who I saw,” Bartlett continued on.
Tulla glared and folded her arms, hoping to stare down the other doctor. This was ridiculous, she was here for two days and expected to go for a Counseling Session. “There is no reason for me to,” she said.
“There is,” Bartlett. Waving his hands around to the piles of bent, broken, or truly decimated equipment he said, “This is not normal, Dr. Keiku.”
“Normal has a significantly wide range depending upon any number of factors,” Tulla parried back.
Dr. Bartlett nodded at that and leaned in. “Agreed, and you know that as any other diagnostician would. So do Eve, Owen and Xander. I want to ensure just we checked out the ship personnel and ensured they were at their best physically, we are at our best mentally.” At Tulla’s growl, the CMO said, “It’s a professional courtesy.”
Tulla threw up her hands. “People care too much about what other people think.”
Bartlett, sensing a win was close, just nodded. “Agreed.” Leaning back in his chair he said, “Close out your cases and think about it.”
Tulla stomped over to the terminal and began updating her notes, referrals, and follow up reminders when she made note of who was still to come on. Most of it made sense: people who had been on duty; people who were on LOA; people who were Androids (ok there was only 1 in that category)...
“Wait...who do we care about?” When Bartlett stared at her Tulla looked at him and waved her arms in the air. “Who is it that we’re trying to show that we’re….you know...that we care….allegedly?”
The CMO closed his eyes briefly before opening them up. “Well aside from the crew--”
“They don’t care.”
“I’m pretty sure Captain Kane and Commander Crichton care.”
Tulla rolled around her mouth as if she ate something sour before saying. “You mean the two who couldn’t be bothered to show up for mandatory well visits?”
Dr. Bartlett gave a look. “Captain Kane was here.”
Tulla paused for a moment as she thought through the day. “Human male, about my age. Inspected the room.”
Dr. Bartlett did not mention that Captain Kane was actually here to check up on her. Instead he nodded. “Yes, that’s Captain Kane.”
“He didn’t say for his physical,” the Klingon/Betazoid woman pointed out.
The CMO said waving to the console. “Captain Kane had a physical 9 months ago.”
Tulla folded her arms and glared at the other doctor. “He’s the *Captain*. He should have made an example of himself to receive his physical.”
“He’s fine,” Sidney Bartlett said.
“How do you know that?” Tulla asked. “He hasn’t been here for 9 months!” With that Tulla stomped towards the door in frustration.
On her way out, Bartlett called out, “Find Eve!”
Tulla stopped at the doors. “Why?”
The CMO rubbed his brow. “Commiseration?” When the Klingon woman glared at him he admitted, “If Kane needs another physical, and Jake hasn’t come in yet, then they most definitely don’t show up for their psych evals.”
“Conspiracy with another department. We shall collaborate and strike on Command together. That is a good reason,” Tulla agreed before she left the Sickbay.
Bartlett groaned as he looked at the pile of broken equipment. “Oh what did I unleash?”
=/\=
Scene: The Vulgar Tribble
“Hmmm,” Eve murmured as she took a sip of a fresh Warp Core. She’d barely moved since her arrival. Iphie, being a master at her craft, had efficiently supplanted each empty glass with a new one, and kept the Counselor supplied with plenty of tapas and various small plates to keep her at the perfect state of buzzed contentment. “Thank you.”
“It was nothing, really,” Iphie said with a wink. The Bynares shook their heads ‘no’ in unison from one of the prep stations. They knew better.
“I’d almost say you were trying to get me drunk,” Eve said with a wider-than-usual smile.
Iphie returned the grin. “Given your constitution, I don’t know if that’s possible. But everyone’s gotta have a dream.”
Dalziel lifted her glass. “To dreams.”
Iphie picked up a tall fluted glass behind the counter filled with a thick yellow liquid and clinked the martini glass, then taking a gulp for good measure.
“Ooh, that looks good, what is it?”
“The ultra exotic banana-pineapple smoothie,” Iphie said with a laugh.
Tulla marched into the The Vulgar Tribble and stopped just past the doorway. She knew most of the crew here since she just had seen them for their physicals. First she saw people, then their ailments, before finally associating a name with them. So it took a moment before finally coalesce that the half-drunk woman at the bar was Eve Dalziel.
With determination in her step she marched over to the Counselor and said, “I was told to find you.”
Iphie, sensing she was about to be left out of something, came over and smiled, “And not me? I’m hurt. Miffed. Wait, no, I’m distraught.”
Calvin and Hobbes gave a Bynare-sigh and face-palmed each other.
The doctor looked over at the half-Bolian woman with wildly dyed hair. “You didn’t come in for a physical.”
Iphie grinned at that. “I heard about that.” She wiped down the bar and said, “I didn’t come in because I am Iphie, impervious to all commands.”
Eve rolled her eyes towards Tulla. “Iphie Bonviva is our chef and bartender; technically she’s not crew.”
The azure bartender/chef playfully whacked Eve with a dishrag. “I said that!”
Tulla looked at the bartender/chef. “What is an Iphie?”
“Finally! Someone who understands,” the bartender/chef said. Resting a hip against the bar she said, “Personally I’ve always thought that I am a mystery, wrapped in an enigma--”
Eve snorted at that. “No, try again.” When Iphie gave her a look she said, “I’m off-duty. I can say what I want.” Staring into the bottom of the glass she asked, “Was there a truth serum in there?”
Iphie frowned, “Clearly not.” Snatching back the glass she said, “I’ll get ya another, Woo-Woo. Whaddya want, newbie?”
“Bloodwine, warm,” Tulla decided as she found a barstool. If she was going to be off-duty, then she was going to be off-duty. Sitting next to her colleague, she realized that Eve was staring at her with unconcealed curiosity. Finally she sighed and admitted as she waited for her bloodwine, “Doctor Bartlett’s words were ‘find Eve’, and that is what I am doing.” Pausing she said, “Well you’ve been found.”
“And you always do what your Chief of Staff tells you to do?” Eve replied with more skepticism than perhaps was needed to get her point across.
Tulla frowned at that as Iphie slid over the bloodwine and the frosty concoction for Eve. “I will do what is required once I understand the reason for the command,” she explained. Gulping the bloodwine she explained, “It has been 9 months since the Captain’s physical, and for some reason he thought that was sufficient to ignore an order from Dr. Bartlett. Commander Crichton still has not come in and he is overdue for a physical. Dr. Bartlett’s reasoning was that if our Command team is deficient on physicals then it stood to reason they could be deficient on their Counseling sessions too.” Looking at Iphie, Tulla said, “The bloodwine is acceptable.”
“Well be still my beating heart,” Iphie replied, rolling her gray eyes.
“Jake- Commander Crichton, I mean, has been to my office recently,” Eve answered, trying not to slur her words.
“What about Captain Kane?” Tulla asked, noticing the omission as she nursed her beverage.
“Cap’n Homie?” Iphie asked incredulously. “I’ve seen the way he orders a sandwich. Not much creativity. Not the type to bare his soul.”
Eve giggled unprofessionally at the mention of one of the primary nicknames that Iphie had bestowed upon him. “Not every CO wants to be an open book,” she explained, trying to regain her composure. “While it’s my job to help, it’s also my job to know when someone needs their space.”
“We got all tha space ya need out tha airlock,” a familiar voice joked. “Breathin’s kinda hard, though.”
Eve turned around on her stool to see Kass. Jasmine was a few steps behind, having come from a different direction into the restaurant, looking a little puzzled at what was going on at the bar. The Counselor raised her glass. Her inhibitions were at a minimum. “Hey! It’s Ladies’ night!”
Lieutenant Yu noticed Eve’s inebriated state. “I’m guessing we’re late?”
“Nope. You’re right on time,” Iphie announced, placing two drinks in front of the newest arrivals.
Jasmine stared at her drink. It was a tall glass with ice and a clear liquid that was in layers going from brown on the bottom, to orange, and deep red at the top, almost like a sunset. A spring of mint decorated the top. “What is it?”
“For you, Avenging Veggie, I have Iced tea with passionfruit and pomegranate essence,” Iphie said with pride. “It’s so delicious you won’t even notice it’s alcohol-free.”
Kass held up the shot glass she had received with a bit of scrutiny. “Ya better not be puttin’ anything past me but tha real thing,” as she smelled and tasted the amber liquid.
“Single malt, aged 10 years, smooth with a grassy finish. I know my audience.”
Kass nodded at the assessment. “An’ it’s good, too.”
Eve perked up, looking directly at Iphie. “You’re wise beyond your years. That’s it.” The chef-de-cuisine beamed at the compliment.
“What’s it?” Jasmine asked, nibbling on a roasted vegetable potsticker.
“Know your audience.” Eve swiveled towards Doctor Keiku. “In this case, I would say ‘know your Captain’.”
“I doubt that it has slipped your mind that I am new here.”
“Exactly. I’m guessing your previous CO was approachable?”
“They would have gladly submitted to their readiness physical. They had an open door policy.”
Kass snorted. “Doors usually were made ta shut in mah face.”
"It was never an imposition to speak with them,” Tulla added after a drink of bloodwine.
Jasmine paused. She was very familiar with different leadership styles due to her experience, but it had been a while since her assignment to the PHOENIX. "Wait... there's a Captain who doesn't make glaring faces while ordering you?"
“I don’t think Goldeneye is *trying* to make faces,” Iphie replied as Eve laughed.
Kass looked at Tulla doubtfully. "Yer Captain says ‘please’... an’ ya respect 'em in the mornin'?
“Respect and Honor are not just words. They are actions. The action of following through on an order from an ancillary department, for instance,” Tulla added pointedly.
Eve finished her drink and motioned to Iphie for another. “A man can be honorable and be private. I’ve witnessed Captain Kane making difficult choices, many times. Did he ever ask me what I thought before making those decisions? Sometimes. But I know he is thinking of the consequences regardless. ”
Tulla thought of Devak and began to better understand. “I’ve known a few thinkers in my life.”
Eve smiled. “Did that help?”
Keiku considered this. “I believe that it did. I will reconsider my idea of organizing a collaborative strike against the Command staff.”
“That’s good. Glad to be of service.” Eve reached out to grab a spinach and feta mini quiche. “Wait... what?”
Iphie’s turned quickly at the words ‘collaborative strike’, her braids swaying down her back. “*Now* you tell me. I could have taken bets on the success of a mutiny.”
“Dang it,” Kass said through a mouthful of meatball sub slider. “I woulda been innerested in them odds.”
“You and me both,” Iphie said as she brought it in for a fistbump with Major Thytos.
“Am I the only one besides Counselor Dalziel who is relieved?” Jasmine interjected.
“Wanting to hold people accountable is not insubordination,” Tulla said, realizing her choice of words might not have been the best. This is why she preferred breaking things to talking.
Kassandra looked at the Klingon/Betazoid hybrid. “Yeah, Ah get it. You ain’t tryin’ ta start a fight, yer just holdin’ people ta their duties loudly an’ forcefully.”
=/\=
NM: Su here. A bit of humor before Ben goes awol. I’m starting to understand why Kane keeps things so close to the vest.
A Joint Post By
Sarah Albertini-Bond
Dr. Tulla Keiku, LT
USS PHOENIX
and
Ambassador Xana Bonviva
USS ANUBIS
And
Susan Ledbetter
Lieutenant Eve Dalziel
Cns
USS PHOENIX
