A Reckoning

Posted on Tue May 5th, 2015 @ 4:00am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum & Ensign Moriloth

Mission: Debts to be settled......
Location: Moriloth's Quarters

[ON]

Chief Security Officer Lieutenant Bertrand approached the door slowly. Two of his men were standing out the front. Not exactly on Guard, and not exactly staking out the room; somewhere in between. They were a bit too obvious about it for his liking. They nodded at him as he arrived at the door.

"She in there?" he asked.

"Aye, sir. We only just got back from sick bay. She's a bit of an ambler." One of them said with a smirk.

"This ambler, incapacitated five men including dockworkers and security guards." Bertrand remind them.

He pushed the chime to announce his presence and waited for Moriloth to answer.

"Come in!" As the door slid open, they could hear voices. Well, to be more accurate, they heard one voice. "I've got it, I've got it! Stop pestering me!"

The visitor saw Moriloth carefully holding a long pair of tongs. At the end was a small planter pot. The... botanical specimen contained therein snapped thorny tendrils at her, just out of reach. Biting her lower lip in concentration, she set it over on a small corner table at the back of her cabin. The specimen remained motionless as long as she remained more than a few feet away from it. Giggling, she teased it by making pokes of her hand towards it.

As though reminded by someone, Moriloth turned to her visitor, "Oh, yes! Hello." She pointed to the specimen and shook her head slightly, "Don't get too close. It wants to plant spores under your skin."

Bertrand twitched involuntarily. For a moment he was again feeling the Borg tubes enter his arm and the feeling of cold steel nanite pouring into his blood...

He shook himself mentally back to the present.

"Ensign Moriloth, I am Lieutenant Cuprum, Chief of Security for the Victory," he began. "I understand there was an incident today between yourself and some security personnel at the station. Would you please tell me what you remember of the event?"

The lieutenant was probably in for one of his bigger surprises of the day... or year. As his telepathic sensitivity tuned into Moriloth's thoughts, her cabin filled up with imaginary people.

Her Klingon proudly pounded his fist, ~ToH! Those Tallarites had it coming! Now you can claim your glory! You defeated your enemy!~

Her Vulcan quietly counterpointed, ~Even though you acted in self defence, violence is disruptive to social cohesion. It should have been avoided, if possible.~

Her Andorian squinted, ~Look at him! He is a predator looking for an excuse to arrest you!~

Her Betazoid pleaded, ~Oh, not at all! His is a difficult job. He's trying to help!~

Her green Orion slave girl smiled, shaking her head, ~He is wayyy too uptight. Don't waste your opportunity, here, to capture his friendship.~

Her friend Borla, one of her people, put his arm around her shoulder, ~Don't worry, you'll be fine. Just answer honestly.~

Amidst all the dialog which flashed through her mind, Moriloth replied to Bertrand, "Sir, I was accosted by Tallarites. Something I said or didn't say provoked them, and they pushed me down. I defended myself with a dizzy device. Security showed up and was about to shoot me, so I dizzied them, too. USS Victory's transporter beam caught me away."

Bertrand relaxed. He had been worried that the woman was unstable and dangerous. Multiple Personality Disorder, however was a manageable condition and this was not his first encounter.

"I see," he answered. "I am pleased that you all felt you could rely on us for protection."

Moriloth's people hadn't much experience with strong telepaths, until now. A new phenomenon emerged on this day. For the first time, her imaginary friends interacted with other minds.

Her Klingon boldly stepped forward. He was enthusiastically optimistic about cooperation, ~You will return all of Moriloth's weapons to her!~

"Agreed," Bertrand responded.

Her Vulcan stepped up, ~I am sure that she can be content with your good protection aboard this vessel.~

Her female Andorian chided, ~Don't you have better things to be doing besides annoying your own crew!~

Her Orion didn't say anything. She simply slinked up to him with a smile and sent chills down his spine with light finger caresses.

Borla folded his arms, ~Well this is new!~

Moriloth stood there, eyes glazed over and staring off into space.

Bertrand made sure he addresses Morolith. She was still the controller but disassociating could make future interactions hard.

"Morolith, here is what I can do. I can log your complaint with the Station. I am pretty sure I can argue extenuating circumstances, but it may require some recompense from you."

He turned to address the Vulcan, "I would like you to help her draft a letter of apology, stating she regrets her actions."

~That might prove difficult. She doesn't yet perceive guilt in this situation, but I shall endeavor.~

He turned to the Andorian, "I will attach a letter of defense stating the duress a single person in a hostile environment can take, and that she will receive a note of caution."

The little blue female squinted at him.

He turned to address the Klingon, "I will return all of her personal weapons provided you give me your word of honour they will not be used on the crew without permission of a superior officer."

At that, he received a sneer of annoyance. ~Bah! You have no sense of sport!~

He turned back to Moriloth, "I want you to understand that your actions were precipitous and unacceptable. Everyone is allowed one punch, driven from fear and desperation. You have had that. Any more and you are at best a bully, and at worst a criminal. Do we understand each other?"

The small woman's eyes turned aside in thought for a moment, then back again. She gave an honest shake of the head. Her voice was weak, "I don't bully. I defend, Sir."

"Then, perhaps, when we are underway, we can all catch up again in better circumstances."

And so began a beautiful new telepathic friendship between Lt. Bertrand Cuprum, Ens. Moriloth, and her imaginary friends. One and all were proud new members of the crew of USS Victory.

[OFF]

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Lt. Bertrand Cuprum
Ens. Moriloth

USS Victory
Pegasus Fleet