A time for talk

Posted on 21 Jun 2022 @ 5:56pm by Lieutenant Lamia ‘Mia’ Kildare & Captain Jasmine Somers FCapt

2,744 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 04 Captive State Part 1 (Incidental)
Location: Various
Timeline: current

[ON]

Having spoken with Jane regarding Captain Somers, Lamia had decided to speak to her straight away. Given everything she’d been through Lamia had no doubt she was going to need a lot of time, and counselling to get past it.

Jasmine was in her quarters, she was hanging onto an old-style post with a drip bag hanging from it, as her throat was still healing she was on fluids to help bring her strength up, she was getting some exercise, while the doctor could heal bones and limbs, she still had to exercise so her muscles did not atrophy. She had just gotten herself a mug of warm tea when the door buzzer sounded, with the room smelling like one of those old fashioned hospitals "enter" she said and in walked the ship's Counsellor "here we go!" she said as she put her mug down and managed to sit on the sofa in her room.

"Please come in Lamia, feel free to replicate yourself a drink, apologies for not being able to stand too long," she said grabbing the oxygen mask on her hoverchair that was next to her as she began to cough, when the spat was over she looked at the Counsellor "so annoying waiting for lungs to repair properly," she said.

Lamia offered a polite smile as she entered, she was surprised to see just how much Jasmine had changed not that she let her surprise show. “Are you up to my being here? Given what you’ve been through I thought it best to talk to you sooner rather than later.”

"Now is a good a time as ever Lieutenant," she said in a hoarse voice "I am also aware that Commander Cahill will never sign off on my return to active duty so soon, so I have a feeling before you guys go out on your next mission I will be transferred to Starbase 51 Medical for the duration of the next mission and right after the mission briefing, I will have to notify my crew officially, but I know I have months of Counselling sessions and Medical checkups, so starting now is best do not expect an easy patient Lamia," the Fleet Captain said with a wan smile.

Lamia offered an understanding nod. “I’m not expecting any miracles Captain, I’m simply here to listen and to help. I didn’t have an experience on the same scale you have, but my captivity and the loss of my daughter was an experience I’ll never forget. I understand how hard it is to talk about, so how’s about we start at the beginning and see how we do?”

Looking slightly confused "which beginning? You have to be more precise" Jasmine said taking a drink of tea and savouring the flavour while she waited for Lamia's response.

Lamia offered an understanding smile. “Let me rephrase that, tell me what happened when they kidnapped you. It doesn’t have to be in great detail, just what you can manage.”

She thought a moment "Well at the time I was still TFCO and I was on my way back from seeing off the Leto as her Captain was once my XO, then midway *cough* *wheeze* through my return journey I was jumped by an unknown ship. What I remember is my Runabout was quickly disabled and I was abducted while talking to my cousin on subspace. The next thing I knew I was then strapped into spread-eagled right way up and my uniform were in shreds, then the beatings started" she paused as the memory came flooding back to her.

Lamia nodded as she listened. “I’m sorry, I can only imagine what they put you through. Do you remember why they were beating you? what they wanted to know?”

*shakes her head* "No, they hardly asked me any questions, and the ones they did ask were about the planet that was cleared for a BDZ operation, could not tell them what I did not know, but they did not want to know" Jasmine said as her voice began filling with emotion as the memories returned to that time and she grabbed for the oxygen.

“It’s okay, I know this is hard for you.” Lamia offered an understanding smile. “I spoke with Lieutenant Sinclair regarding your condition, she told me about the state you were in when they found you.”

Jasmine blushed "not one of my better moments, naked as the day I was born, I know that I was a dirty scraggy mess which was due to my incarceration, which took a weird turn, one day the torture stopped, the Apostate allowed me to wear something, then allowed me to eat, when I gave him an answer he did not like I was returned to my cell and stripped and the beatings started up again," Jasmine said with emotion as she started to remember her ordeal.

Lamia nodded offering a comforting smile. “It sounds like breaking you was more the focus. A willing slave is easier to work with.” She paused. “It says a lot for your strength of character that you didn’t crumble under that pressure.”

"I had my mind fixed on my family, well during the times I was awake anyway, but over time it came down to my Somers stubbornness which saw me through," she said with a smile then got a far away look "I felt it when they cracked my ribs and shortly before my rescue punctured my kidney" she looked up at Lamia not really focusing "I felt every breaking of my bones and the savage beatings, very few questions, just beatings" she trailed off as she took a sip of her drink and fell quiet looking down at the floor.

Lamia nodded, she reached out her hand gently placing it on top of Jasmine’s. “No matter what you’ve got your friends, and family here on board ship. We will help you through this Captain.” She withdrew her hand sitting back in her seat. “You know that Starfleet is going to put you through extensive counselling before they allow you your command back.”

Without looking up "I know the Starbase doctors will be doing all that, the longest treatment will be Counselling, I am not stupid I saw how Alex was all those years ago, a young teenager off her first Spec Ops mission and having seen her friend get cut down before her eyes due to bad intelligence, do not know much more than that as the full events are classified beyond my clearance level" She said.

Lamia nodded. “I know you’re not stupid Captain, I wasn’t saying you are. Just trust in those assigned to help you. I can only imagine how you must be feeling deep down inside, I was so afraid and angry when I came back that I took out my frustrations in a mock-up on the holodeck. Hell, I still do!” She offered an understanding smile.

Looking at the Counsellor with a pained expression "I do not want to relive what I went through Lamia, getting beaten into one breath of my life and having massive injuries heaped upon the body, is nothing like losing a child, while that is terrible and painful, it is easier to get over and cope with than what I went through" the Captain said with a touch of unintended annoyance.

Lamia nodded. “I know I’m sorry, I was just...” She paused. “Just know that you’re not alone in your pain, there are others who’ve been through experiences. We’ll all be here for you when you return from Starfleet Medical.”

*giving a wan smile* "thank you Lamia and sorry if I sounded a bit annoyed, I can only hope my recovery is a little smoother than the Colonels was way back when, still while I know it was a wrong thing to do I am glad I killed the Apostate, after what he had done to my he did not deserve to live, but he was entitled to a trial, another sorrow that will be for the rest of my life" she said.

Lamia nodded. “As much as I could agree with you, I’m glad that you’ve come to realise that the Apostate deserved a trial. It’s a step on a ladder that I’m sure you’ll climb in time.” She offered a warm smile.

Then with a slight nod, she spoke plainly "he would have been found guilty, but it would be unknown if she boarded a prison transport to earth, I was not the only one who wanted to kill him, as for the Nauscaan Henchmen of his, well let's just say every single one of them dies when the team blew that ship up, and I am not sorry to hear they died if I had been able I would have killed as many as I could" she said in an eerie tone then with an intensity in her eyes she looked at Lamia "have you any idea how degraded I feel having been stripped naked, beaten and tortured and had mind games played on me! I was naked, even though I have a fit and tight body it could still be broken and was, at least you had a chance to remain covered during your captivity, I did not have that luxury, may the Apostate and the Nausicaans rot in their version of hell for all eternity" there was a hint of menace in her tone, it was not directed at Lamia it was directed at her now dead captors.

“I understand how degraded you must have felt Captain, the clothes I was given during captivity were see-through, to allow buyers a chance to see the merchandise they were bidding for. When Commander Dodd and I...when we...conceived our daughter we were on show for the guards to watch.” She paused. “Granted it was nothing like what you went through, but I understand the humiliation you feel. I can’t even start to imagine the hell of the beatings they put you through, but I’m here to help you no matter what! Even if it’s just to be a shoulder to cry on.”

She nodded then spoke plainly "If I had the strength and could get away with it I would do the same to every Nausicaan I could lay my hands on and would take great joy in it too, but as I cannot do either of those things, I am stuck with my utter hatred of the Nausicaan species. Is that logical, maybe not are there a lot of Nausicaans different, I have no doubt, but the anger is still there" the Captain said with some anger and strength, before devolving into a coughing fit, she managed to grab the mask and inhale some oxygen.

“Take it easy Captain” Lamia offered a smile. “After what they did to you, I’m not surprised by your anger, but don’t let that anger consume you. Yes, you could exterminate every last Nausicaan, but would it make you feel any better? Who would you blame next? Starfleet for not getting to you sooner? Hatred is a powerful emotion Captain, don’t underestimate it.”

"I do not hate or blame Starfleet Lamia, but is it wrong to say it would make me feel better in regards to the Nausicaans? Most likely, but above everything, there would be kids and I could never kill kids or those who are innocent, conflicting emotions do not agree with the Somers blood Lamia, our Celtic blood runs hot, but our unrelenting Pragmatism and innate knack of seeing all sides kind of sucks" Jasmine said with some newfound strength, but sits back "does that not sound as strange to you as it does to me?" She asked by ending with a question.

Lamia smiled warmly. “Actually, it sounds encouraging. You’re looking at the whole argument from a point of view not many would. In the long run, it may serve you well, especially during this all-important recovery phase.”

*sighs* "Yeah, I know but the hate and anger are still there, I think when I am able is create a holoprogram where I can unleash my emotions in a safe environment, but first I have to be able to walk or stand for more than five minutes until then I am going to have to deal with getting stronger," Jasmine said then an alert came up on her Padd "dammit, got a physio appointment now, they want to check the strength of my limbs, which means sitting down and the physio puppeteering my limbs, too soon to see if I can walk any distance, the replicator to this seat was exhausting itself I am in no condition to do any longer standing or walking," Jasmine said as she clumsily got back into her hoverchair and looks up again, "I think this session is complete Lamia, I think our next one will be after the Tomcat returns from whatever next mission she has, but send all copies over to the Starbase Counselling department will you?" She asked.

Lamia nodded. “Of course, I will Captain. I know these physio sessions must be difficult, but they’ll have you back to full strength in time. Just stick with it.” She smiled warmly. “The crew care about you Jasmine, use that strength to fight your way back to fitness. I have every faith in you.”

*smiling* "Thank you, Lamia, oh how are you and Chris coping with the rank disparity? She also noticed something on her ring finger and she lit up "he proposed to you!?" She asked with as much joy as she could muster.

*grinning* “He most certainly did!” Lamia looked at her ring as she held up her hand. “He’s made me the happiest woman in this entire universe! Ohh while we’re talking about it, I’d like to ask about moving into joint quarters?”

*surprised look* "Really, he also mentioned moving in together?" She asked, "may I see the ring?" another question came rapidly this was happy news indeed already she was trying to think which larger quarters on what deck were available.

*nodding* “Of course!” Lamia held up her hand for Jasmine to see her engagement ring. “Chris took me out for a romantic night of dinner and dancing. He kept me waiting right until the end before he proposed, but it was worth it!!”

Gently holding Lamia's hand to have a closer look "wow, for a jarhead the man has taste" she said releasing the woman's hand as she looked at the Counsellor with joy "So Maverick did an old-fashioned romantic night, good on him, you know if it was not for our disparity in positions I would have snapped him up when he first came aboard, that smile can melt a woman heart, I am not immune to it, but please don't tell him that" she said then checked her clock. "Okay, I have to go see the Physio, perhaps we can do another session at a later date?" She asked.

Lamia nodded. “Of course Captain” She smiled warmly. “I take it that my request for quarters is approved?” She gave Jasmine a hopeful look.

Looking at Lamia "Yes it is, but allow some time so the quarters can be arranged okay, but you can begin to pack your non-essential stuff up, same for Chris, Colonel Somers will come by in a free moment to assign you both a shared quarters billet" the Captain said

Lamia smiled warmly. “Thank you Captain, I hope all goes well for you.” With that she headed on her way.

Giving Lamia a final friendly nod and she had never seen anyone so happy as Lamia was, the Captain was happy for the pair, but she wondered if Chris had not bit off more than he could chew with this one, she was sure he could and she was a sucker for seeing people happy. With Lamia finally gone Jasmine gathered a Padd and placed it on her hoverchair left for her Physio session.

[OFF]

 

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