A Fistful Of Doctor

Posted on Oct 18, 2014 @ 7:51pm by Captain Kassandra Thytos & Lieutenant Eve Dalziel
Edited on on Oct 18, 2014 @ 7:51pm

Mission: Birth Of An Empire

“A Fistful of Doctor”

(Continued from “Conversations in Dark Places”)

=/\=

Location: USS PHOENIX

SD: [2.14]1014.2330

Scene: Corridors

The ship was too quiet for Kassandra’s taste. Silent, understaffed, it felt like a wounded leviathan staggering through space on life support rather than a top of the line starship. To remedy that, she had her three Marines running behind her at the ass end of dawn, singing cadences at the top of their lungs.

Kassandra led the call as she and the Marines tromped noisily down the halls. She’d made a decision that she and the Marines would run every single inch of corridor that day, familiarizing themselves with the layout. As they rounded a corner, she saw Captain Kane coming down the corridor towards them. He looked lost in thought, as had many they’d passed that day, and more than a little… Sad? Preoccupied?

Kassandra changed her cadence to something silly.

“They say that on the PHOENIX, the replicators are mighty fine! Coffee looks like muddy water, but tastes like cheap-ass wine! Oh, I wanna go, but they won’t let me go, please I wanna go home!” Kassandra started off. Massimo caught on quickly and began a second verse.

“They say that on the PHOENIX the crew is mighty fine, that’s why they only gave us one, for every 99!” He glanced sideways at Pia while he sang the refrain. She sighed and let loose.

“They say that on the PHOENIX the Marines are mighty fine, but when there is no action, they bitch and moan and whine!" Pia intoned, flatly, completely deadpan as usual.

They neared Kane and Kassandra took up the cadence again.

˝They say that on the PHOENIX, the Captain's mighty fine! Even though we act like brats he keeps us all in line!" Kassandra hollered as she ran past him.

She wasn't sure if it was a sensor net malfunction, but she could have sworn that for a full millisecond, the corner of Kane's lip twitched up a half centimeter into the ghost of a smile.

* * *=/\=* * *

Scene: The as of now unnamed lounge

Cade didn't have much of an idea where he was going, or what he wss doing, he just knew he couldn't sit in sickbay with Phia's inert body anymore, and that oddly, he felt the need to be around other people. Aerdan had no time for him, Thomas and Sylvia were in a world with room enough for only two, and Phia- well, at any rate he'd found himself going to the ships lounge in the hopes that someone else in the same boat would be there.

As he entered, he saw the form of a small redheaded woman perched on the back of the row of couches by the viewport. She was dressed in a tank top and cargo pants that showed off her well muscled arms and torso. No uniform. No sign of what deparment she belonged to or rank she held.

She didn't seem to have heard him enter, so he went to the bar, trying to make noise to attract her attention.

"If you're looking for booze, you're shit outta luck. Didn't get stocked before we left. Cryin' shame." The woman's voice was husky, authoritative, and tinged with the pleasing hint of a colony world accent. She apparently was not as oblivious to his presence as he had thought. "Lucky for you I never go anywhere without a little something. Cures what ails you, whether it be low spirits or infected wounds. Catch.˝

She flung a small flask towards him over her shoulder. He caught it frowning.

"Thanks. My name is Cade Foster, friends call me Cade." He proffered when the woman lapsed back into silence. He was standing next to her now, and she finally turned to face him.

˝Kassandra Thytos, Doctor Foster." She had a stubborn face, chin firmly set, and a pair of deep blue eyes that would have been striking if not for their glassy vacancy.

"You're blind." he began.

"I'm blind? Oh my GOD why did no one tell me before now?" Kassandra's face contorted in exaggerated mock horror. "Oh thank heavens you were here to tell me, Doctor Obvious! Where'd you get your diploma, bottom of a fuckin' crackerjack box?"

It was delivered with the same sort of scathing sarcasm that was Phia's speciality. Cade was slightly comforted, the exchange was familiar, the comfort food of conversation.

"That's Doctor of Supreme Genius to you." Cade sniped back. " And at least I have one. I'm betting from your accent that you're a colony girl? Desperately worked her ass off to get off her little backwater planet, got into Starfleet, you’re probably what, Security? A Morale and Welfare 'sports scientist'?"

The woman pulled out a package of cigarettes from her pocket and lit one.

"That's bad for you, you know." Cade studied her. She paused, holding the smoke in her mouth for a moment, and then with obvious intent blew the smoke into his face.

"Lucky for me I've got a supreme genius to fix me up." She smirked. "And you're actually wrong on everything except for me bein' a colony girl, Doctor Supreme Smugness. Lemme do you now: Spoiled core worlder, only child, well off parents, best education, but never learned manners. Nobody likes you."

"Oh really. I'm wrong? That seldom happens. What, pray tell me are you then, Kassandra, my shapely but musclebound friend?" Cade ignored her analysis, which was a little bit closer to the truth than he cared to acknowledge.

"I'm not your friend; I am, however, a Marine." Kassandra exhaled again, stretching languidly in a manner that reminded Cade of a cat.

"A Marine!" Cade crowed with laughter and snagged the cigarette from her hand and took a drag. She glowered at him. "Aren't you a bit short to be a Marine? What do you do, bite people's kneecaps?"

"I'm a Captain. The MCO, in fact. I am very, very good at what I do." Kassandra said, her eyes flashing angrily. Again, she reminded him of Phia. Not as pretty, but there was a certain appeal to her physicality and the gusto with which she enjoyed her vices suggested similar enthusiasm in bed.

"How'd a little girl like you decide to be a big bad Marine? Daddy issues? Your old man wanted a boy, got you instead, so you keep trying to compensate by being as butch as possible?" The subtle twitch in her eyelid told him he was right. He kept pushing. Maybe he could get a hate screw out of her, which would be a bright side to a horrible day, he thought optimistically.

"I'm going to break your nose if you don't shut up right now." Kassandra said almost sweetly.

"Sure you will, don't pretend you don't love it. Women like you secretly like an asshole, you like a man who won't let you use him like a doormat. I bet you're all hot and bothered as we speak." He gave her his best devil-may-care grin. "It's probably why you're being such a bitch. But if you still want to deny it, why don’t you come back to my quarters and prove me wrong-"

Her body uncoiled suddenly like a snake, and an instant later he heard a wet crunch, and felt his body slamming to the floor. Kassandra was straddling his chest, one hand on his throat, and one bloodied fist cocked to deliver a second blow.

"You broke my nose!" Cade spluttered as the pain caught up with him. She shifted slightly, her creepy doll eyes spearing him with a glance that clearly communicated ‘no shit Sherlock’.

"I did warn you." Kassandra said mildly. The Marine's voice couldn't have been less remorseful if she’d just been caught giving donation to orphaned children. "Now, are you gonna keep crossin' the line and bein’ overly familiar, or do I gotta break your jaw to get you to be quiet?"

“Well, I got some ideas of things you could let me do to keep my mouth occupied, Ginger-snatch.” Cade knew that this was probably something he’d regret, but he couldn’t stop running his mouth. He wondered if it was because she reminded him of Phia, and he was feeling guilty about having not been there to protect her and wanted absolution or punishment of some sort. Kassandra’s lips curled into a snarl, and he reconsidered her similarity to Phia. Phia’s brand of nasty came from dispassionate coldness, Kassandra’s clearly came from a well of burning anger that would likely consume her whole someday.

“I would rather die.” She snapped “In fact, if you can still use your fingers after I break each one of them, I’m ordering a DNR if you’re the only doctor available to treat me!”

"That's enough, Major." Kane's voice rang out through the lounge. "What the hell is going on here?"

Kassandra’s expression changed rapidly, and with a surprisingly quick move hopped to her feet, clicking her heels in a salute.

Kane and Aerdan Jos rounded the table. As Kane saw Cade he made a noise of understanding.

"Nothing, sir. How long have you been there?" Now Kassandra looked guilty.

“Long enough to understand exactly why you’re threatening to break his fingers.” Kane sighed, and massaged his forehead, the picture of the ever suffering only-adult-in-the-room. Cade steeled himself for another ass-chewing from the Captain.

“It is a common reaction to Cade, in my experience.” Aerdan Jos said softly, his antennae waving with something close to amusement. He stepped over to Cade and helped the doctor to his feet and sat him down.

“She BROKE MY NOSE.” Cade complained.

“I can see that.” Aerdan probed the break carefully. “It’s a very clean break. It just needs to be reset, you’ll be just as ugly as you were before.”

“I do good work. Now you can stop whining.” Kassandra said, contempt dripping from her voice. She stepped over and grabbed his nose with her fingers. He felt a searing pain, and a grating noise as she popped it back into place with all the delicacy of an elephant. “Once the swelling goes down you won’t even be able to tell.”

“Thank you Major.” Aerdan seemed… amused, perhaps? “Your ability to fix what you’ve broken is admirable, but perhaps next time you will leave it to someone who will handle it with more tenderness?”

“Yes Sir.” Kassandra said grudgingly.

“Unfortunately for you both, you two have just won the unenviable prize of being turned into a demonstration to the crew that we will continue to follow Starfleet Regulations, and behave as upstanding examples of Starfleet officers despite our current status.” Kane said gruffly. “Doctor Foster, you will accompany Lt. Commander Jos to the Sickbay, take care of your nose, and then you will report to counseling for a mandatory Sensitivity Training session. Major Thytos, you will be lucky psyche eval number one. Mr. Jos, will you take care of Doctor Foster? Major Thytos, remain behind, I would like to talk to you before you report to Ms. Eve Dalziel.”

Cade gave a half assed salute. As he went past the pint-sized Marine, he thought he heard her say under her breath, in a mocking tone ‘physician heal thyself’.

Kane waited until Cade and Aerdan had left before turning to Kassandra. She looked uncomfortable and guilty.

“Doctor Foster has a... unique personality.” Kane sat down at the counter, and regarded the Marine. Her dead eyes widened fractionally as though it was the last thing she expected to hear him say, and indeed, it probably was. “And I did hear a large portion of what he said to you, and I fully understand why you lost your temper with him. HOWEVER. I cannot allow the crew to behave like lawless hooligans, especially as we head into the Triangle. Our strength is in our cohesiveness.”

“I completely understand. Sir.” She frowned at him, as though she wanted to say something more. But she didn’t. Instead she slumped. “I’m sorry sir, it has been a very… Stressful few days. I didn’t handle it as well as I could have.”

“So have we all. Stay clear of Doctor Foster and try to use your words with your fellow crew instead of your fists, Major.”

* * *=/\=* * *

Scene: Counsellor’s Office

“Feed access request, authorization Dalziel one two seven foxtrot tango.”

The computer complied with a series of happy chirping noises, but the file had stopped updating at about the same time as the crew of the PHOENIX were disowned.

The ‘feed’, or Federation Entente Database, was a blotter of sorts that could be used to keep Intel field officers in the loop on covert information based on their clearance level.

But that lifeline, along with her credentials and her good name, was gone.

Eve thought of her meeting with Secretary Martine. Her assignment, even though it was not planned, was making more and more sense with each passing minute. Her Intel training was still useful, but it was lacking a bit in light of the information blackout and the defrocking at the hands of Admiral Edgerton.

The knowledge of their unique condition as outcasts on a severely under-manned vessel was starting to trickle through the ranks. Some seemed to adapt seamlessly to their fate, while others took it with more difficulty. Eve frowned as she thought of the additional distress this would cause to a group of people who had been wronged on so many levels.

It was impossible to guess whether Martine suspected some type of retaliation. But Eve was convinced the older woman probably had. The shrewd politician had simply not laid all her cards out on the table, due to time constraints or a lack of necessity.

“Would a doomed crew go willingly into the unknown?” she asked herself. But it was moot. They already had.

The door opened and the handsome aCns walked in, trailed reluctantly by a pissed-off looking woman. “Your first appointment,” Lieutenant JG Owen Arion said with a perfect grin. “Marine Captain Kassandra Thy-toes,” he said incorrectly.

“It’s ‘thigh-toss’,” the red headed woman snapped as politely as she could, which wasn’t very at all, and she sat across from the Counsellor, ‘staring’ at the dark-haired woman like she were ants at a picnic…. completely unwelcome.

“So soon?” she questioned, accepting the PADD. She ran her gaze down the document until she got the bones of the situation. Minor assault on the CMO. Counselling ordered by Captain Kane. Eve raised an eyebrow. She wondered if the stocky woman would be up to sparring at some point. “So, making new friends, I see.”

The redhead wanted to say something remorseful, something she tried to imagine the pallid woman would want to hear. But her irritation got the better of her. It wouldn’t be the first time. “Pardon my French, but he’s a total ass. You would’a punched him too.”

“I can see where he might rub some people the wrong way,” Eve countered diplomatically.

Kass let out a noise somewhere between a grunt and a laugh. “And I was just returnin’ the fave… my fist was rubbin’ his face, is all.”

“Is that how you spread your special brand of welcoming committee?”

“You should ask Doc McCreepy the same question. Though he made it abundantly clear they type of spreading he’d rather I be doing.” Kass indelicately gestured to her bottom half, folded her arms, and allowed herself to lean back in the seat.

Eve steepled her fingers as her hands rested on the desk. “How many personnel do we have on the ship?”

Kass’ face changed slightly. She wasn’t expecting a question about anything but her attack on the prickish Cade Foster. “Uh.. ‘bout a hundred, I guess.”

“And what is a full crew complement?”

*Where the hell was she goin’ with this?* “Over a thousand, I think.”

Lieutenant Dalziel raised her hand as if she was proving a point. “Okay, we’re understaffed.”

“If you’re going to ask me how many miles of corridors the ship has, I don’t frickin’ know, Miss-”

“Eve is fine, Major.” Eve said, using the traditional mode of addressing a Marine Captain while on a Starfleet vessel.

“Kass is fine, if we’re bein’ all familiar,” she grumbled back, her sensor nets blinking. “I’m assumin’ you have a point? You don’t get paid by the hour, right?”

“You wouldn’t think of crushing a phaser under your boot, would you?”

“Hell naw,” Kass intoned. Truth was, she thought about bunking in the ship’s armory, snuggling up to one of those 3E Phaser rifles.

“And why would you not do that?”

“Duh, I’m a Marine. This isn’t a game, lady. It’s the first thing we learn in basic: A weapon’s a resource. This is my phaser. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My phaser’s my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life. My phaser, without me, is useless. Without my phaser, I am useless. I must fire my phaser true. I must shoot straighter than my enemy who is tryin’ ta kill me. I must shoot him before he shoots me. I will…” Kass was in the middle of reciting the Rifleman’s Creed when she looked up and inspected the interested and slightly amused face of the ship’s Counsellor. “Sorry, I got caught up,” she said sheepishly.

“It’s fine. How many Doctors do we have aboard ship?”

“Two, maybe three,” Kass thought aloud. “But if we’re counting Doctors that aren’t horrible human beings that I wouldn’t let touch me if my head’d been cut off, then one less than that.”

“So I bet we have a lot more phasers per crew member than we do physicians.”

A soft realization broke on Kass’ face, her chin sticking out a little defiantly. “Yeah.”

“So Kass, you can see that our Doctors are a valuable resource that shouldn’t be squandered or otherwise destroyed. Even the ones who are slightly sexist, curmudgeonly, irreverent, and highly skilled pains in the ass.”

“But then again, doctors heal. Phasers don’t. PLUS I didn’t punch him that hard. Barely a love tap. But point taken. You’ve met him, then?” Kass asked slyly.

Eve smiled. “Just try to save your violence for the holodeck… or the gymnasium… or better yet, the Neo-Essentialists.”

Kass fidgeted at the last comment, but Eve didn’t seem to notice. She stood up to her full height, at least a head taller than Kass if not a head and a half, and offered her hand, shaking it firmly. “You spar?”

Kass looked upward. “Does a bear shit in the woods? You askin’?”

“My Intel half is.”

“Here I was expectin’ some mush about you’d rather build people up than tear ‘em down.”

“I only want to build up the good people. The bad people can kiss my ass.”

=/\=

A Joint Post by

Alix Fowler

The Voice of

Captain Kassandra Thytos

Marine/refugee/double agent

USS PHOENIX

And

Susan Ledbetter

Lieutenant Eve Dalziel

Counsellor

USS PHOENIX