The Torment Of Her Heart And Soul

Posted on Mar 22, 2017 @ 10:07pm by Ensign Lynette Ryan
Edited on on Mar 23, 2017 @ 10:22pm

Mission: In Place of God

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“THE TORMENT OF HER HEART AND SOUL"

(Continued from Marko's “På väg"

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Location: USS Phoenix

Stardate: 2.17.2303.0015

Scene: Lynette's Dreamscape

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(NRPG: Set before the events of Lynette's interactions with Cantor Von)


“No! I won't let you.” Lynette shouted tears running down her face as she stood her hands shaking and trembling heavily as she gripped the phaser tightly in both hands. Trying to keep it as steady as she could and trained upon one of the faces that would forever haunt her dreams. Before her stood Richard Edgerton exactly how he was in the computer core of the Point Bonita facility before its destruction. His presence radiating overwhelming arrogance and self-superiority.


“As long as I'm alive you will not harm even a single molecule of his being.” Fierce anger and hostility were clearly vocalised as she continued to try and hold the Phaser steady. Both anger and fear had taken hold inside her head and it was like a battle was raging to which emotion was to be dominant one in this situation. The traumatised young woman so much wanted to press the trigger and drop Edgerton where he stood, snuff out his monstrous existence and stop any further pain he could cause and what he had done specifically to hurt her. Knowing all of that though she still couldn't press the trigger.


“Well if you insist.” Edgerton responded in a smug tone and in a blink of an eye he swung his body around towards Lynette and in an instant an orange beam pierced through the air and struck the young woman square in the chest. The strong impact of the phaser energy forced Lynette backwards onto the ground. She desperately struggled to regain her breath as the the impact of her back onto the ground forced the air instantly out of her lungs. Darkness now enclosed around her and the monstrous form of Richard Edgerton has vanished.


“Nette, why did you do that?” The voice spoke from the blackness and tears began to well in Lynette's eyes again in hearing the sweet tones.


“I did it for you, Sam.” She cried out but for a minute all she received was pure silence.


“What a waste!” Sam's voice boomed with an evil laughter.


“Sam!?” The tears continued and was startled at the sudden change to his voice and the cruelty it now seemed to express.


“Do you think your death is going to save me!?” His response was deadly sharp and Lynette felt like that vocal blade was beginning to slice into her heart.


“Well you are wrong because I am already dead.” Lynette gasped as Sam's face appeared inches before hers from the darkness. Decaying flesh hung from portions of his pale white face, his eyes slightly sunken in.


“No......No....please don't.” Lynette tried to squirm away from the face that longingly wanted to caress and kiss again but his face now instilled fear and terror into her. As much as she tried to move away she couldn't as if a dark force was pinning her into place.


“And you are to blame. You killed me Nette.” An equally pale and decaying hand reached from the dark and began to stroke her face and Lynette winced in discomfort her sobs now growing into cries.


“No....It was Edgerton....that...that monster who killed you.” The heart-broken young woman screamed out through the tears, her eyes now firmly shut as she did not want to look upon the cruel deathly face of the being that was not the Sam as she remembered and still loved.


“Wrong again.” The voice replied in the same cruel and vehement tone.


“If you hadn't let your curiosity get the better of you that day and gone digging into places you shouldn't have they wouldn't have found out about me. We could still be leading a long and happy life together to this day.”


“To think that you would have done such a selfish thing that to jeopardise us. I thought that I loved you. What an idiot I was to fall for such a selfish immature girl.”


“Sam...please stop this.” Lynette felt the warm tears slide down her cheeks as his cruel hurtful words cut deeper and deeper into her beating heart.


“Why should I!? You are the one who did this to me. This is the reward for your curiosity.” His hand continued to softly stroke her right cheek wiping away her tears before his fingers then moved slowly across her soft lips. The living corpse of Samuel Henderson flashed a creepy smile displaying black and rotten teeth.


“And you also deserve a bonus.” Lynette felt the strokes and touches of Sam's undead hand move away which then compelled her to open her eyes. What she saw as they opened again made her cry out louder.


“No! Sam! No!” Even through her blurred vision, obscured by the salty waves of her tears, she was able to see Sam standing over her. A Phaser in hand aimed directly at her temple but what was even worse was the evil, malicious grin set upon his face. Her pleading did not sway his intended action as her vision was then engulfed in a brilliant white flash.


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Scene: Lynette's bedroom

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Lynette bolted upright her scream echoing throughout her bedroom. It took a few seconds for her to realise her surroundings before the screams stopped.


“Not again.” She buried her head in her hands wiping off the hot beads of sweat that had formed on her brow. It was a similar dream every night as she fell asleep, as if her mind, her soul was trying to convey a message to her...no it was not as calm and serene as that...more like torment her with it. Torture her every night in her sleep with images of Sam's death..but each time giving it a slight twist and surprising her but the end result, how it made her feel, was always the same.


She knew she couldn't keep going like this as she had not had a decent sleep since the night before the Day of Hell back on Point Bonita, where everything changed. The members of the infiltration team that day, now her colleagues in the present, had witnessed Sam's murder but they did not know the full ramifications of what that act had done to her psyche, heart and soul. Lynette had beared her tortured soul to the only person she felt like she could trust and the one person who had already witnessed those ramifications in person. Sofia Anderson, her room-mate.


Lynette had hoped that by expressing how she felt and some of the impact that Sam's death had had on her that it would calm even a small piece of her tormented soul. It unfortunately did not.


The young Australian woman cracked a smile and felt comfort as with a small meow she was joined by Mackie who proceeded to rub against her. His purring was quite loud and she always thought of it similar to that of a mechanical engine.


“Thanks Mackie. You always know what to do to help.” Still smiling she took her furry companion into her arms for a cuddle feeling comforted and safe with her best friend in her arms, protected from harm. Her eyes then casually glanced across the display screen of her computer terminal on her dresser and then alarm set in.


“Oh Shit!” Lynette cried out in panic as she noticed the time. It was already the start of her shift and she should be already seated at the mornings briefing. She must have overslept... another effect from her tormented dreams. Dropping Mackie back onto the bed she flung open the covers and rushed over to the wardrobe. There was no time for a sonic shower at this point and she would have to fix her dishevelled bed hair while en-route to Engineering. Flinging her uniform onto the bed she proceeded to get changed.


*He is going to kill me*


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Scene: Engineering Briefing Room

Time Index: Fifteen minutes later

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Around the large table of the briefing room sat members of the day shift of the Engineering department, PADD's and mugs of coffee (Or other caffeinated drinks) before them ready to start the day. The Chief Engineer stood at the head of the table reading out the duty assignments of the day from his PADD.


“And finally Asta you will be working with me to try and improve the efficiency output of the transwarp drive.” Malin-Argo wrapped up presenting the duty roster for the day and quickly looked across all the faces of his staff that made up his department, trying to determine from their faces their level of dedication and attitude towards their assignments and the days work.


“As always I expect the very best from each and every one of you....” The Chief Engineer stopped mid-sentence from his speech as the doors to the briefing room parted. He watched carefully Ensign Ryan rushed in trying to catch her breath. She had a look to her as if she had just run a full circuit of an athletics track and he was not pleased at her presentation. Her hair was unkempt, her uniform not fully done up and sweat dripped from her brow.


“Ahhhh...Ensign Ryan. So good of you to finally to join us all.” Malin-Argo spoke across the briefing table in a condescending tone as Lynette took the empty seat beside Chaucer.


“I'm sorry sir....I” Lynette tried to explain neatening her uniform and hair as much and as quickly as she could.


“I do not want to hear of any excuses, Ensign. But you are at least in time for your assignment.” Malin-Argo stated. Lynette watched as a smile formed on her bosses face which was surprising as she had never seen the Grazzerite smile before or if he had even had the ability to do so. The smile though when it formed was creepy and Lynette knew there and then that she wasn't going to like what he was about to say next.


“The plasma injectors on each nacelle need a re-alignment.”


*Oh Crap* Lynette thought as upon the mention of her assignment for the day. Her punishment. Realigning the injectors was one of the must mundane and boring tasks she could think of and it was something she could do with both of her eyes closed and a hand behind her back. Unfortunately though he wasn't finished.


“And as an extra reward for being late, I want you to do a visual inspection of the Jefferies tubes on your way to each Nacelle. No turbolifts.” The smile was fully formed on the Grazzerite's face as he finished explaining the details of her assignment and now she realised that the creepy smile was one of delight. *The bastard was enjoying every moment of this*


“Now I want all of your reports by the end of your shifts. Dismissed” Malin-Argo once again watched the faces of his staff as they arose from their seats and began to exit the briefing room. Feeling satisfied in giving direction to his subordinates, his staff. He watched as the late unkempt Ensign moved towards the exit.


“Ensign Ryan, wait a moment.” Lynette stopped letting out a sigh before she turned back to her Commanding Officer. She slowly approached him expecting the lecture to follow from his lips.


“You are very much aware that I run a dedicated and efficient department and that is why I cannot tolerate any of my staff to be late for their shift.”


“I'm sorry sir. I haven't been sleeping well. I have been suffering from constant nightmares that keep me...” Lynette let out another sigh. She had hoped not to have to start explaining herself again especially to the last person she wanted to know.


“Well nightmares are certainly not my department Ensign and I do not care as to their nature. I only care that they are impacting on the working efficiency of my department.” The smile had now vanished from the the Grazzerite's face as he expressed his unsympathetic concerns.


“To be blunt, Ensign. With your prior aptitude I expected a lot more results from you of which I have not been seeing.” Lynette didn't know if it was the fatigue or the pure condescension of her boss but she was starting get furious at him and his uncaring attitude.


“I am not heartless which is why I have given you more opportunity to try and correct me.”


“With *all* due respect...sir. You do not understand what I have been going through...things back on Earth that I haven't had time to deal with and then being trapped in the holodeck....” Her voice began to display that building fury, but she tried to keep the full intensity of it in check.


“Ensign! Everyone has had to deal with things after what happened on Earth. Most more than you. So find a way to deal with it!” There was no way that Malin-Argo was going to have this young upstart speak to him in this manner as he raised his voice above hers, frustration clearly showing.


“You have no idea about me and what I have had to deal with, so do not assume that it is easy as *dealing with it* to fix what has happened to me.” Lynette had now reached the point of no return as the volume of Lynette's voice increased and the full force of her vocal fury was being delivered like a photon torpedo speeding towards its target.


“Ensign! That is enough! Plasma injectors NOW!” The Chief Engineer responded in kind retaliating with what seemed like a voice filled with a volley of quantum torpedoes. Knowing that her metaphorical shields would be breached and that opponent wasn't going to back down. She retreated....for now.


“YES....SIR!.” Lynette responded with a gruff mocking tone turning in place and heading for the exit with heavy footsteps.


“Remember no turbolifts. I will be keeping a close eye on you.” The Grazzerite gave the final word. Lynette did not look back and still angry she uncontrollably swept a stack of Engineering PADD's that sat on the table onto the floor. They scattered with a loud crash as the doors parted and closed leaving the Phoenix's Chief Engineer alone with his disapproving thoughts.


“Malin-Argo to Crichton.”


[[Crichton here]]


“Commander, If you have a minute I need to report about an... incident involving one of my staff.”


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Scene: Main Engineering

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With a heavy stride, Lynette crossed main engineering to the rack of toolkits on the far wall. Asta Elgin watched with concern from her station by the warp core as she passed.


“Hey Lynette....are you okay?” There was sympathy in her voice as Asta approached her clearly angry and distressed colleague.


“Our boss is a complete and utter dick.” Lynette snapped as she roughly pulled the toolkit from its housing.


“Not so loud.... you know that guy has better hearing than a Vulcan.”


“Asta, I don't care. He pushed me too far.” Lynette was still furious at the treatment she had been given by her immediate CO. Wasn't it a rule that all CO's had to show at least a bit of empathy for their staff and care for them. This guy had not a shred of empathy for anyone but himself, all he cared about was efficiency and his reputation....might as well have a Borg Drone in charge.


“Where are you going?” Asta asked as she watched as Lynette released the hatch to the Jefferies Tube.


“My job for the day. Plasma injectors...no turbolifts...remember.”


“Hey....if you need to talk or just unwind I'll be at the Vulgar Tribble after my shift.” Asta wasn't sure if Lynette had heard or just ignored her as she disappeared into the Jefferies tube.


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Phillip Wright

Writing for

A very pissed off Lynette Ryan