A wolf in sheep’s clothing Part 9

Posted on Mon May 20th, 2024 @ 2:00pm by Commodore Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Wyatt Steele & Lieutenant Evelyn Steele

Mission: The missions never over.
Location: USS Thall Sickbay
Timeline: 24 hours later

Sickbay was quiet as Eve started to stir, her hand gently gripping the hand that was holding hers. Opening her eyes she offered a weary smile as she looked towards Wyatt. “Hey....”

Wyatt's eyes were on Eve's as she slowly stirred and came awake. "Hey yourself." He said softly. His eyes reflected the concern his voice held. "You scared the life out of me. How are you feelings sweetie?"

"Like...my head was...torn inside out." Eve frowned. "I can't sense you! Why can't I sense you!?"

A young female medic appeared at Eve's bedside. "It's most likely a side effect of the trauma you endured. There's no permanent damage, so your empathic abilities should return." She smiled before tapping her comm badge. "Sickbay to Captain Kerr, Lieutenant Steele is awake Sir."

Eve looked towards Wyatt, her greatest fear was to lose her abilities she was lost without them. She clung tightly onto Wyatt's hand.

"Hey, it's alright sweetie, I'm not going anywhere. Relax, you heard the nurse a side effect, you'll be sensing me in no time and be sick to death over it:" He teased, Now just lay still" Wyatt looked at the nurse. "How long will Eve have to stay here before she can go to ours quarters and recover there?"

“I’d like to run a few tests, just to make sure everything is as it should be then Eve will be free to go.” The young woman smiled warmly. “When that happens it’ll be on a strictly rest only basis, no further interrogations for a while.”

Wyatt nodded and squeezed Eve's hand softly. "I'll make sure she rests." He promised the nurse. "You have my word on it."

Eve sighed. “It’s not like I’ll be any use without my senses anyway, I don’t know how to function without them.”

A frown appeared on Wyatt's face. "Eve, that isn't true. It isn't true at all. You are of plenty of use as an officer and even more as the woman I love. Don't be down on yourself. You 'll have your abilities back soon. You just need to rest and recover." Wyatt stressed with a smile.

Eve gave her husband a teary eyed look. She quickly wiped it away as Sickbay door swished open...

Wyatt smiled back at her and leaned across and gave her a soft kiss. "Everything is going to be alright Eve. We're together on this."

Finchley walked into Sickbay and saw Eve talking to Wyatt, "Good, you're awake" he said to her.

Eve nodded. “Yes Sir” she wiped away a stray tear as she kept a firm hold on Wyatt’s hand as she spoke. “I’m not going to be much use to you right now, my senses are blank, I can’t sense anything.”

“Oh, I don’t require your sense’s Lieutenant” Finchley replied, “just your recall, as in, what you saw…or imagined whilst in T’kLar’s mind.”

Eve frowned. “Apart from a whole elaborate network of ways trying to keep me from the truth” she paused. “I saw...a man, he looked Human not Klingon...I told you...at least I think I did.” She frowned trying to recall. “He said he wasn’t T’kLar, that they made him into T’kLar.”

“Yes, you did say that” Finchley said thoughtfully, “which suggests to me…though I’m not a psychologist…that something of Captain Barrat remains, they didn’t fully convert him into T’kLar. Now if even a small part of Barrat is still in there somewhere fighting, there’s hope that he can be brought back.”

Eve nodded albeit gingerly, her counselling instincts kicking in. “Even if he could be helped, the psychological trauma and damage will take a long time to heal.”

"That's the 'after', we need to concentrate on the 'now'" Finchley replied, "but we...well, actually you...are the only one who can communicate with him. A way has to be found to bring Barrat out of the shadows of T’kLar’s mind and back into the light, so his own persona can take over again."

Eve looked at Finchley. “Right now I can’t communicate with him, at least not telepathically.” She paused. “I can’t even read him right now, what good am I if I can’t even tell if I’m getting anywhere!?” Her frustrations at not having her senses were starting to show.

"You know, as a child, I lived and breathed a game called cricket" Finchley said, "I was fortunate that my father, your grandad, had a holodeck programme, and I'd spend hours on end playing it, became quite proficient at it. Then one day, he told me that there was an opportunity for me to go to an actual 'live' trial. I was so excited, so I practiced even harder on the holodeck. The day of the trial came, and we arrived and got set up, then it was my turn to go out and bat. Out I went, a little nervous but I was confident I'd do ok. The first couple of balls were testing, but I thought I had the measure of the bowler and I began to get a little cock sure of myself, taunting him. An over later, he began his run, and I was sure he was going to bowl a yorker...that's a full toss down the wicket, so I anticipated this and began moving down the wicket in an attempt to hit the ball before it hit the ground. What I didn't know was the bowler was going to pitch a 'bouncer'...that's where they bowl the ball short and it then jumps up from the ground. To late, I realised what he was doing, but I'd already committed to playing the shot I 'thought' he was going to bowl. The ball hit the ground short, bounced up very fast and hit me on the head. What I'd also forgotten about was my protective helmet, I'd gone out to the crease in just my felt beret. The result was the ball hit me on the head, knocking me clean out. I was rushed inside, taken to the nearest hospital, but they said the resulting knock had swollen my brain and that they couldn't operate because it was to dangerous. Anyway, it took a while,but I got better, the swelling reduced and I was fine, or so I thought. My father believed that if he got me back to practicing my cricket on the holodeck, I'd soon be my old self. However, when we went there, he handed me the bat, but I had no idea what to do with it, I couldn't remember what to do. Then my father said to me to take my time, get a feel for the bat, then allow my natural instincts to take over."

"Eve, you are stronger than this, you are a fighter. You are more than just this. Your senses are important yes, but not essential to doing your job. You still know what to look for, how to read people. When their hiding something. Don't sell yourself short. Keep fighting, never give up and never surrender. I'm here with you every step of the way, my support is constant. Captain is right in saying to not force anything, let it come, which means you need to be patient. Trust yourself."

"The best person who knows you, is you" Finchley said, "I have no doubt that right now you're feeling scared, but, that can be turned into a positive. Fear of the unknown often means we then rely more on what we know, and you know you can do wonderful things if you set yourself to it so trust your instincts and trust the people you know who want the best for you."

Eve looked between Finchley and Wyatt, the two men in her life. “I guess...” she nodded. “I’ve just got to try and find my way without them for now.” She gave Finchley a good long look. “You’re telling me inspirational stories now, that’s something my mother used to do to make me feel better. Maybe I’m starting to see more of the real Finchley, the one that my mum used to talk about.”

"Your mother didn't like me Eve, and I get why, but for what it's worth, I've always thought she was a very genteel and wise woman" Finchley replied, "as for the real Finchley...well, he got buried a long long time ago, I doubt I'd recognise him now. But enough about me, you're the patient, you're the priority."

Eve was surprised to hear Finchley say that, he’d seemed so hard hearted before but maybe she was starting to see another side to him. She nodded. “I’ll help, when medical clears me to do so.”

Wyatt squeezed her hand. "That's my girl."


The sickbay doors opened again and Kilbane walked in.

Wyatt looked up as the sickbay doors hissed open and Kilbane came into the room. He looked downcast and Wyatt wondered if anyone else could see it. He had dumped Jara in the brig and then came to sickbay to be with Eve. He had kept his word. He hadn't told the captain about Karadis.

He coughed a little to clear his throat, "Uh, Sir, can I speak with you in...ehm, in private please."

Finchley thought it was odd to see Kilbane so downcast and sound so quiet, "It's ok, just tell me what's on your mind Commander."

"Sorry Captain, I think it's best if we do speak in private...please Sir."

Eve looked towards Kilbane she was wondering what it was that seemed so important.

Wyatt knew and he didn't want to be in the room when Kilbane told the captain about Karadis.

Eve looked at Wyatt, her counselling instincts picking up from Kilbane’s body language that something wasn’t right. “What’s going on? What’s happened?”

"Easy Eve. We brought Jara back. She's in the brig." Wyatt said not adding the other tragic news about Commander Karadis.. Commander Kilbane said he would tell Captain Kerr.

Eve frowned something wasn’t right, but without her senses she wasn’t sure if her instincts were correct. “No, there’s something else isn’t there?” She gave Wyatt a look. “Am I right, or not?”

Wyatt grimaced under Eve's look and questioning. "Eve....." He started but stopped.

Eve nodded, Wyatt’s body language and response had more or less confirmed that something was very wrong. “It’s okay, I understand.”

Wyatt gave a grateful nod to Eve. "Thanks." he said simply.

"Very well, if we must speak in private" Finchley replied to Kilbane.

Kevin led Finchley down to the far end of sickbay, then turned to face his friend, "Sir, Karadis is gone."

Finchley was a little stunned, "I didn't receive any kind of transfer order, how could she be gone, I would have been informed."

"No Sir, I didn't mean Karadis has been transferred...she's actually gone, she was killed at the mine" Kilbane said with trepidation.

Finchley couldn't quite take it in, "No, you must be mistaken Commander, this is Karadis we're talking about."

"Yes, I know Sir, but I can assure you, Karadis is dead" Kilbane said, "Lieutenant Steele and I were there when it happened."

"How?" Finchley asked, still unable to take the news in.

"She was coming back to meet myself and Lieutenant Steele from having secured the Klingon barracks" Kilbane began, "We had isolated Jara, and were about to bring her in when they exchanged words. Jara pulled out a disruptor and shot Karadis at point blank range, she didn't stand a chance."

"No, Karadis would have known to take care with a situation like that, we've been in it a hundred times before" Finchley replied.

"Sir, we're all tired, we've been on point for two years solid, no let up, perhaps she wasn't thinking Jara was a threat anymore as she'd been captured" Kilbane answered.

"You were the Senior Officer, you should have suspected something like this...surely!" Finchley replied, rising anger within him now beginning to show.

"A lapse in judgement on my part" Kilbane replied.

"YOU THINK!!!" Finchley shouted, " KARADIS IS DEAD BECAUSE OF THAT LAPSE YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Finchley shouted, punching Kilbane in the mouth. As Kilbane fell, Finchley was on top of him in an instant, "WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL HER CORPSE THAT, MAYBE SHE'LL ACCEPT YOUR EXCUSE!"

Kilbane didn't try to fight back, he knew his Captain would be beside himself with anger, he had to accept it.

"YOU, AND HIM...." Finchley said, pointing at Wyatt, "WILL PAY FOR THIS...YOU BETTER FUCKING BELIEVE THAT!!!"

"WHERE'S JARA?" he demanded.

"Down in the cells Captain" Kilbane replied.

"I'm going down there, don't follow me, you got that, if you do, I'll kill you and that's no idle threat, I will fucking kill you" Finchley ended, kicking Kilbane several times whilst he lay on the floor, "This isn't over you cunt, I'm going to see to it that you and Steele fucking pay for your incompetence in this!"

Kilbane didn't dare reply, he just lay on the ground.

Finchley turned and stormed out of sickbay.

Eve moved to sit up as Finchley stormed out of Sickbay. “Karadis...is dead!?” She looked at Wyatt in disbelief as the female medic rushed over to check on Kilbane. “I won’t allow anything to happen to you!” She lay back as the exertion made her head spin.

Wyatt nodded. he was in shock at Captain Kerr's actions. He could understand being upset. The captain and Karadis were obviously close but to physically attack another senior officer was unheard of. "Yes Eve. She is dead, Jara shot her. I thought Commander Kilbane checked her weapons. There was no pulse or none that could be felt." He said softly but his shock over the captain's actions turned to concern for Eve as she lay back in the bed. "Eve! Eve, you just rest. You're my concern. so just rest."

Eve nodded. For now there was little she could do to help anyone, but once she was fit enough she would most certainly be talking to her uncle.

"Good. Now you relax and concentrate on getting better." Wyatt replied with a weak smile.

Kilbane looked at the nurse as she helped him up, "Thank you but I'll be fine, the Captain was just letting his emotions out."

He gave her a smile and walked towards Eve and Wyatt. As he reached them he said "Listen, the Captains going to be upset and cranky for a little while. My suggestion for you both is that as much as you can, stay out of his way. I'll talk him down, but you have to understand that he and Karadis were close, I mean very close. This is going to hit him hard, and if I'm perfectly honest...I don't know if he'll come out the other side. Karadis and I were the last of the original SFI crew whom the Captain chose to be in Purple Squad, he's either witnessed or heard about the deaths of us one by one...and he shoulders those deaths like a personal burden. What you saw there was his raw emotions, and I can fully understand them, I shoulder the blame for not checking Jara was clear of weapons, in effect, I'm to blame for Kardis dying, and he knew that. There will be no charges filed about this, nothing will be logged, no statements given, it never happened."

With that, he nodded his goodbyes to them and walked out of sickbay.

Eve watched Kilbane go. “I can’t leave it be Wyatt, he’s not just my uncle and CO, it’s my job as Counsellor to help him get through this. Even if I can’t sense what he’s feeling.

Wyatt nodded. "Eve, he's going to kill someone or get himself killed. He wasn't just venting of raw emotions. It was the beginning of an avalanche. He's your uncle but I'm concerned about him. I know it's your job to help but wait until you've recovered before you go tackling him."

Eve nodded. “I will I promise. I just hope he doesn’t do anything rash in the meantime."