750: Up and At 'Em: Two

by -=/\=- Zanh Liis
90115.16

...continued from part one...

-=Sickbay, USS Serendipity=-


"Captain, you'd best have your pain medication before you try to," Dalton scurried after her, holding a hypo in the air.

"No thanks." She waved him off with her good arm. "I want to be clear-eyed, and minded, when I talk to Lassiter."

"She'll be highly impressed by your dedication and fortitude. Right up until the very moment you pass out cold from the pain."

"I'll be all right." Liis insisted, as Salvek helped her lower herself into the chair at McKay's desk. "I'm a punk. I can take it."

McKay could only mutter to himself as he made his way out and the door closed behind him.

Salvek initiated the link, and a moment later Gem Lassiter sized Zanh Liis up with a good once-over.

[It's good to see that your head is still attached to your body, Captain Zanh.]

"Good to see you too, Admiral." Liis responded slowly. "So, I'm off my medication and not much in the mood for small talk. I understand there's a boom swinging over me. Please, by all means. Lower it."

[I'm currently en route to your location aboard the Gauntlet." Lassiter informed. "I'm bringing a team of engineers to help your people with repairs in progress as the Sera limps back to port." Lassiter announced. "My ship will rendezvous with yours in six hours and forty-two minutes.]

Liis blinked repeatedly while trying to hide the fact that she hated this idea with every fiber of her being. "I'll meet with you the moment you arrive."

[Very good. And congratulations, Zanh Liis. You and your Serendipity have officially now earned the dubious distinction of the captain and ship with the most time spent in dry-dock for repairs in the first year of service in the history of Starfleet. Not to mention the number of shuttle craft and other auxiliary craft you're collectively responsible for the destruction of.]

"My ship and crew have another honor to their credit that you're overlooking." Liis grinned with deep satisfaction, ignoring the Admiral's jab. "We finished off Taris when no one else in the history of Starfleet could."

Lassiter didn't respond outwardly, other than just a very slight flinch. She ignored Liis' remark and continued along the tracks of her own train of thought.

[I want your crew to be ready to move the Vanguard, we'll take it back to Earth with us aboard the Gauntlet. I also need to speak with Captain Lindsay as soon as possible. In person.]

"I'll be happy to give him the message."

[As Commander Salvek has no doubt already informed you,] Lassiter nodded now to the Vulcan who was visible on screen, standing just over Zanh's shoulder, [there is going to be a formal hearing concerning his actions aboard the Romulan ship. I want you to consider him relieved of duty until after that inquiry takes place.]

"You can't be serious!" Liis moved to try to rise, but Salvek gently placed a hand on her arm, encouraging her to keep her seat. He did not want her causing herself further physical pain on his account. "It was my decision to,"

[Your objection is noted and you may make your argument to the Board of Inquiry at the appropriate time." Lassiter, who was apparently in a very foul mood today, answered bluntly. "Save your breath, Zanh Liis. I will not hear your excuses, or your justifications, now.]

Liis fist clenched beneath the desk. She ground her teeth together and answered very slowly.

"All right."

[I expect your report to be ready by the time I reach the Serendipity. Can you manage that?]

"It'll be done."

[Good. I'll see you soon. Oh, and one other thing.]

Zanh cringed. The 'other thing' was usually the worst thing, though she couldn't imagine this chat having gone any worse than it already had.

[I'll be bringing a Counselor aboard with me to immediately access the mental health of the entire crew. The entire crew. No one will escape this time. That includes the elusive Mister Blane.] Lassiter warned.

Now, Zanh bolted up out of her chair, under her own power. She threw her shoulders back and smacked her fist against the wall beside her in frustration.

"Absolutely not. I will not have some new counselor with no understanding of The Alchemy Project coming in here and going after my people. Not after all they've been through. I will not allow it."

[You have no choice.]

Liis laughed once as if to say 'oh yeah?'.

"Don't I?" She was prepared to quote chapter and line of the loophole in the Medical Code she'd committed to memory, demanding that the crew be given the chance to choose to speak with their primarily assigned mental health professional aboard ship before anyone else could assess them, as long as they were not guilty of having committed an act of violence, which obviously, none of them had in this case.

"I won't let anyone assess this crew but Vol Tryst." Knowing he was on Earth and on leave, Liis figured that this would at least buy the crew some time to gather their thoughts and emotions before having to try to sort them out in therapy.

"Vol Tryst," Lassiter declared, her hand poised to close the link, "is the Counselor that I am bringing. Conserve your strength for my arrival, Zanh Liis. You're going to need it. Lassiter OUT."

Liis felt her knees start to buckle and Salvek swooped in, gently steadying her. "Well." She smiled at him sadly. "That was fun." She patted him on the arm as her smile slipped away. "It's going to be alright, Salvek. I promise you. C'mon. Let's go."

He helped her back to the other room, and she began to gather her things from the bedside table, searching for her uniform.

"Where the hell do you think you're goin'?" McKay was instantly at her side, pointing to the bed. "You're not,"

"Dalton, give it up. Note your objection, put the monitor on me, and let's get this over with." Liis reached to the table seeking her badge, but realized that it had been destroyed, along with her compass and Taris' ship.

*The compass is gone...* She marveled at the very idea she would never have to look upon it again.

"Salvek, may I?"

He nodded. She tapped the badge on his chest.

"Zanh to O'Sullivan."

[O'Sullivan here...is ever'a'thin' all right, Captain?] Keiran asked, sounding every bit as worried as he was.

The 'captain' told her that he was in the company of other members of crew.

"That it is," she smiled affectionately. Just the sound of his voice was enough to entirely alter her mood. "Report to Sickbay, please."

[For the purpose of...]

"Taking your wife home."

[On my way. O'Sullivan out.] The expression of joy and relief on his face carried over into his words, and Liis considered how lucky she was, every time she got to hear that voice or see that smile.

"Okay, boys," she turned back to McKay and Salvek. "Somebody better figure out how to get me out and back into this sling so I can change clothes, because I am not February Grace. I cannot be seen walking the halls of my ship in pajamas."

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-=/\=- Zanh Liis
Commanding Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012