Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief of Psychiatry) in The Art of Psycho-therapy…Sickbay after meeting with Rogan....When the past doesn’t match the present… or the future

Posted by Captain Kelly Bordeaux (Commanding Officer) in The Art of Psycho-therapy…Sickbay after meeting with Rogan....When the past doesn’t match the present… or the future

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Peter Sigmundsson (Chief Intelligence Officer) in The Art of Psycho-therapy…Sickbay after meeting with Rogan....When the past doesn’t match the present… or the future
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
SNIP
“Lucky you.” He said to the young ‘doctor’, well she was young to him. He never removed his eyes from the lady. “Place this piece of garbage under arrest, well start with what I know is true, making a false report to a superior officer, medical malpractice -intentionally prescribing the wrong medication, things that are likely, conspiracy, harassment I’m sure there are plenty more.” He smiled.

Celia desperately tried to talk but the man’s iron grip on her did not let up. Her feet kicked out limply but not because of the shortage of air. It was as if two man were holding down her legs and not just the man with a knee on her chest.

“She’s also section 31. So don’t be surprised if you get a call from some higher up. To forget all that happened here. Don’t put her in the same section with the other prisoners.”

Rinker

“Don’t touch her,” Jessa screamed out. Releasing the woman she locked eyes with the mountain of a man that was now in the room. Jessa lunged at Peterson pulling out of Ian’s grip and moving to stand between him and the two adults brawling on the floor. “Turn around and get the triff out or I will make you get out.” Her hand clenched into a fist at her side and every muscle tightened ready to fight back if she had to. There was enough space between her and Peterson that if the man tried to grab her, Jessa would see it coming but she was close enough that she could fight back if needed.

Peter didn’t react beyond a raising of his eyebrows, it wasn’t often that a child had the courage to step up to him and so he was genuinely surprised at the action. He noticed Commander Bordeaux preparing to chastise her so he took the extra time to properly survey the room and the situation.

“Jessa,” Ian snapped closing the space behind her forcing Jessa to pivot so she now had all three people directly in her line of vision. “Go to your room. Now,” he barked out in full command mode. Ian had no idea who was who anymore nor their intentions past Rinker’s. He needed to get the kid out of the mix before she made the bad choice of provoking this new player in the nightmare of the past four days.

“No,” she said putting up both her hands as if gesturing to keep everyone back.

“I’m sorry did you just say no to me,” Ian looked at Jessa as if she had just grown a second head.

“Yes,” she answered Ian before looking at Heathcliff. There were too many things to try and manage. It was starting to press her to the breaking point. Celia could not leave the room and Jessa had to find a way to make Ian and Heathcliff see this. “Rinker…make him go away. Now,” she yelled at the counselor. “You make people talk. I won’t let her hurt you so get off her okay,” her voice was a little calmer and gentler as if trying to talk Rinker down. “However you said this is like your office so he,” she screamed pointing at Peterson, “is not allowed in here. Tell him to go. Tell him,” she yelled squinting her eyes as if the light was too bright in the room or she was getting a headache. Jessa did not want to slam everyone against the walls to make them listen but she would if it was needed.

Jessa Novar

The man in yellow was huge as most of the security officers here on the were. The fact he seemed to be not complying with her order but thinking about a course of action made Jessa tense. She had taken on the security chief but that was a doomed proposition from the start without using her divination. Taking on this man with Ian and Rinker in the room was going to be impossible. The Elders would force the man to his knees for not instantly obeying them but Jessa had to get the man to capitulate with less aggressive action.

“Drak it Rinker tell him to go. You said this is like your office. You don’t have groups in your office so make him go,” she glanced back and forth to all three men as if they were menacingly approaching her instead of just standing their ground. Back in the Union, no one in the general population would dare refuse her command however it was becoming exceedingly clear no one on the ship seemed to care about her authority.

“Our conversation is like my office. And even if this was my office.” He nodded towards Celia, “she is a criminal. I suspect she is trying to harm you and she already lied to me. In the Federation an officer lying to another on duty is a conduct crime and is subject to summary discipline.”

“And you said here people are innocent until proven guilty and everything we say in your office is only for us. That no one can use it so why isn’t that the same for her now if I say we are talking like we do in your office?” Jessa was pulling at straws to try and force the situation in her favor. She understood the need control on the ships and within ranks. It was the same in the Union but she could play dumb if it helped the cause.

“Because I am the only one that cares about you for something other than a purpose,” Celia choked out the words between coughs. Rinker’s grip was iron clad and it was not needed to be faked how hard it was to talk or the slight red of her face as she fought against his grip. Instinctively Jessa moved a hand towards Rinker directly while still holding up one facing Peter as she saw Rinker was not going to back down and the woman struggling. It was not hard to see Jessa was had a soft side that needed to help those she perceived as weaker. It was something Celia could use to her advantage.

“Let her up before you make me do something I don’t want to.” Jessa’s tone was not authoritative or demanding but more pleading for Rinker to comply or give guidance.

“You know that, you wouldn’t be allowed to hurt me, even if it were in my office.”

He was right. Of all the people here in this room only two meant something to her and above all Jessa did have a profound sense of loyalty. Snapping her hand off him, she turned them both back to Peter unsure how he was going to react and what she would need to do to safely contain him. “And I would not hurt you,” Jessa sounded almost hurt as if Rinker still didn’t believe that.

Letting out a groan, she rolled her eyes in a very child-like manner realizing Ian and Rinker were going to be of no help in this situation.
“Man in yellow,” Jessa snapped not knowing his name. She tried to keep a steady and firm tone but it was not often she had ever had to force her point and authority. “Get the trif out of here. Your presence is not needed here. I will mediate the conflict. You are dismissed.”

“Hey, hey hey whooooooa there Curious George,” Ian shot out sarcastically but in a firm tone, “you want to be an idiot fine. Let’s see how that turns out for you but watch your mouth.” He knew she would not get the pop culture reference of the man in the yellow hat leading around a curious monkey from the children’s book series but the reference was appropriate. Right now she was slowly settling into seeing who was in command and wasn’t. Rinker was right, Jessa could be broken from her indoctrination given time. Sliding her into obeying them instead of the Elders was like a chess game with a novice opponent. It did no good to beat them in three turns. They had to learn while they were being beaten at the game. The time would come for it to be instant checkmate; however, Peter was capable of taking Jessa on and out if needed so Ian did not intervene. She needed to see more adults in power positions besides just himself and Rinker. If the call was wrong, Rinker would be there to casually steer it in the right direction.

As if in an afterthought, she added, “If you would please go?” Jessa’s rhetoric and speech showed a glimpse at how she envisioned herself one day. The social nicety at the end; however, showed she had not still crossed the threshold of seeing herself as an equal to those older than her regardless of the power and status she thought she possessed.

The child is emotionally distraught over removing the (Possible) section 31 operative, she’s too recent an addition to be a member, she fears losing her, possibly due to some sort of threat, blackmail or similar. Rinker has a relationship with the child, seems to trust him, can’t break trust. Establish my own credentials, strengthen his or ignore completely? Peter thought as Jesse ranted, as she order his own removal he made his choice, he took a knee.

Her eyes widened and the fact the man wasn’t forcing his obvious advantage on Jessa confused her. “Get up,” she yelled no longer caring about Ian or Rinker as she watched his massive frame suddenly cut by half. While years of training negated this, Peter could kill you seven ways from Sunday with one hand behind his back, when one was on a knee it made them appear more helpless and submissive. For Jessa, this act of capitulation increased her frustration instead of easing it. It meant if she reacted it would be offensively instead of defensively. “Drak it, drak it, drak it,” she cursed furiously losing her calmness. “What is wrong with you people? Why can’t anyone do as they are told? Get up or you will make me do something I don’t want to. Get off your knee and follow my orders or fight me.”

“He has no intention of fighting you Jessa. He here to enforce rules which are based on justice and laws. Not to attack young ladies.” Which was an ironic statement given the position Rinker was currently in. Having just finished attacking a young lady.

“Then make him go. Red overrides Blue but Blue overrides Yellow. You said that. You said if you had to you could control Mardusk. He is yellow,” she nodded towards Peter’s shirt. “So either you or Ian make him go.” It was clear Jessa was trying to pidgeon hole the people into the room into some hierarchy she could understand. She now had a basic understanding of rank but not how rank worked within departments. Her wording showed her immaturity and her ability to observe and deduce conclusions. In a negotiation, one did not give power to the people you were negotiating with but it did not take a degree in psychology to see Jessa understood who was really in charge here even if her actions spoke otherwise.

Even on one knee he was still taller than the child but he was closer to her height this way, children never did like it when you talked down to them “He won’t be able to order me out, young miss. But perhaps you could convince me to leave. Why is it so important that this woman stays in here?” He didn’t speak as one might to a child but kept the same tone he did when addressing another officer. He took a moment to look at Rinker and then the Operative in his grasp, he then stroked his chin and used the action to cover putting a single finger across his lips whilst staring directly at the young Doctor.

CIO

She didn’t like the way he still seemed to hold the authority even though he was on bent knee and using questions instead of demanding responses. It made her feel on edge, off-balance, and strangely compelled to answer. Squinting her eyes hard, Jessa held the position for a second as she shook her head slightly to push away the ache behind her eyes before dropping her hands and touching her nose feeling the sensation of a bloody nose coming on.

Celia let out a groan feeling now only Rinker’s hands and knee holding her down. The man had a grip like iron but the morality not to kill her in cold blood. She let her gaze drift to Jessa, locking on it hard. Decker had no interest in provoking the psychiatrist but she did the child. She would only get one chance at this so the message had to be clear. Now that she could move her hands without some invisible resistance, she pressed hard into the medial nerve of Rinker’s wrist allowing her to produce a single message. “He came for the Elders. He is now coming for you.” The message was a lie of course but Jessa had no proof it wasn’t. She clearly had never met the new officer but Celia knew the man by reputation. Sigmundsson was a brilliant agent. Hell, even she didn’t know if the man was part of Perkin’s plan or not. The evening though was full of tidbits for Jessa to over-analyze and incorrectly process. All Decker needed was time for her superiors to intervene.

Rinker pivoted his arm releasing his grasp and dropped his forearm into Celia’s throat. It was with significant force. It certainly was enough to damage her larynx perhaps enough to crush it but that wasn’t his intention. He was going to put her into a choking fit for a long time. If he did indeed fracture her wind pipe they were in the right place to fix it. She wouldn’t die unless he wanted her to.

I am far smarter than you because I don’t care about her, Celia thought. It would be a gamble but she was anteing up that Rinker would not let Jessa see him actually choke her unconscious and if he did it might be advantageous. It would take weeks if ever to fix that image he had carefully created in their sessions as the calm and patient man.

Peter lowered his hand and slowly turned his gaze towards the young spy, it seemed she either lacked all tradecraft or was in a full panic, both would be useful. That one comment also confirmed his theories regarding the situation and why the head of psychiatry had been choking her out, the man was by reputation a calm and collected individual for the most part.

The news seemed to hit Jessa like a backhand. Emotions of fear and confusion washed over her face. “Did you? Are you?” Her question was rhetorical and open to everyone in the room not just the man in front of her. Jessa took a step back and paced slightly feeling panic starting to swell. If they had removed the Elders that meant she was alone and without any way to escape this ship and the Federation. Her mind began to spiral. Maybe she needed to force them finally to take her to the Brig. She could do it. It was just a matter of how without people getting hurt.

Jessa Novar

Peter put a thick arm over his knee, his expression hadn’t changed before the accusation “The Elders are of some interest, yes but I have no authority over them, you are of no particular interest to Starfleet Intelligence and even if you were I wouldn’t be able to bypass either Commander Rinker or Commander Bordeaux,”

Jessa looked at Ian and Rinker as Peter spoke. There was something about his tone. It was not syrupy sweet like some adults used when trying to convince a child to see their point. It was calm but firm imparting facts mixed with some opinion. He did not deny that some other division of this Starfleet was interested in the Elders but backed up Rinker and Ian’s statements about Jessa being inconsequential compared to them. He also stated that the only way to get to her was through Rinker and Bordeaux. This fact seemed true as both men seemed to be dominating presences in her life. His sentence calmed her enough that Jessa stopped passing and looked at the man as he spoke.

” I wouldn’t even try to speak with you without either present and any who do only do so because they know that they don’t have a leg to stand on” He paused “I don’t know how well you know Human Idioms”

“I…I don’t know that one but I think I understand it. You mean they are hiding doing it because it is was okay Rinker or Ian would bring them in as they did with some of the other crew.” The panic was starting to ebb away enough, Jessa was able to react using some logic and not purely on her emotions. She wiped the drop of blood from her nose caused by the divination from her nose on the back of her pants. Hopefully, no one would have noticed it happened as soon as she dropped her raised hand. It was stupid to try and help Rinker but she was scared Celia might have hurt him. It was worth the risk.

“Or making you their unknowing hostage,” Celia coughed out a devils advocacy in a cracked whisper. In a way, it was good seeing this. Given the right person and wording, Jessa would believe whatever they spoonfed her. She was impressionable like most children and desperate for someone to tell her what she wanted to hear. Jessa had been vocal about the nagging suspicion the crew of the Atlantis was using her but the more time the girl spent with Rinker, the less she mentioned it.

He turned his gaze once more towards Celia “Lie to the child once more and won’t like the result” He didn’t give a specific threat, the imagination was always worse than whatever he could say.

She opened her mouth to speak but closed it debating her next move. How powerful would the statement be to have these men drag her physically out of sickbay? The image might burn in the child’s brain of it happening to her one day. Between the three men in the room, Celia did not have a chance of running out but she could put up a spectacular struggle. Tensing her muscles, Celia began to scan the room marking the positions and time of reaction for those involved when she decided to run.

He then turned back to Jessa “Now my previous question stands, why is it so important that she stays? Convince me and I’ll convince them” He pointed to the other officers.

CIO

Rinker shook his head in distinct negative fashion. Celia was too dangerous in both deed and word.

“How can you convince them,” she looked at Peter scrutinizing not his size but his neck and chest. “I thought…you said,” she looked at Rinker with a scowl and then back to Peter, “the circles show who is in charge. You all have the same circles,” she touched her neck. Jessa had been highly observant but the colors had to mean more than just duty on the ship if this man could order Rinker or Ian to do anything.

Jessa closed her eyes and hummed a few bars of the song her mother taught her to calm herself down. She needed to do something but the what was still in the air. On some level, Jessa was scared of Ian and Heathcliff. They did not seem to care about her rank and position in the Union which made them unpredictable. Maybe this man would see her importance. Opening her eyes, she took a step forward and extended her hand. “I’m Jessa,” she said before a look of shock spread across her face. “I mean Patron Novar. I am Patron Jessa Novar of the Galactic Union,” she corrected herself far more forcibly than needed. All the men in the room would have the experience to see for the briefest moment, that Jessa had forgotten the thing that had always defined her. It was clear she was angry but with herself more than anyone in the room. The slip more than anything freaked Jessa out enough to cause her desperation to protect Celia surface. The more she was with Ian and Rinker, the more she was slowly absorbing their rhetoric. Squaring her shoulders, Jessa tried to appear haughty and regal like the Elders did to gain respect.

Peter inclined his head and took the extended hand, a brief human handshake matching the firmness of her grip. He hadn’t missed the slight wiping of blood earlier but didn’t mention it, he’d converse with either of the two officers about it later.

Jessa did not like the feeling of the emotions coursing through her as she took his hand. Everything in her gut was telling her to trust him but these people were slippery and it was not like there were just two sides: the Union against the Federation. Jessa both for and against the Elders and factions of the Union. It was clear as day that the Federation had two sides but what side and what crew on the Atlantis was on perplexed her. Jessa was definitely against the Federation but was she against everyone in the Federation? Rinker and Ian, Evrilla and Lauren....hell even the big green alien Mardusk was only trying to look out for their own so was it fair to blindly just accept the Union was good and the Federation was bad? Now there was a new player who Jessa had to fit into a category and it was setting her on edge.

“I don’t need to convince you to let the doctor stay. She did nothing wrong. She is nice to me. When I am lonely at night she talks to me but she is not sneaking in. She works here and when I have nightmares she…comes in …when Ian is not in the room but she works here so it is not like she is sneaking in.” The more she talked the more the knot in her stomach grew. Her confession would not answer questions but raise more. Celia had told her that Ian could never see them together but Jessa had to hug the truth to sell the lie.

“When,” Ian snapped looking at Celia with a murderous expression. “I have been here every night.” Ian only stepped out of the sick bay long enough to shower or attend meetings. That had to be the only time Celia had access to Jessa but the larger question was what lies had she been feeding into Jessa’s head.

“I…I don’t know,” Jessa instantly dropped the haughty persona she wore like a disguise when introducing herself to Peter. “She…she is just..nice to me.” Every word spilling from Jessa’s lips was that of a child trying to dig themselves out of a lie. The rate of her speech increased, her shoulders slumped slightly, and she was avoiding contact with everyone. “She,” Jessa’s mind went blank trying to come up with anything that would be seen as affection but there wasn’t a single provable instance. Celia had done a wonderful job of being present but not seen until Jessa just splashed her with an X marks the spot icon.

Moving forward she took Peter’s hand with a look of pleading desperation. “She is not bad I proha,” Jessa stopped before saying promise. Celia was not someone Jessa could trust but only someone she needed to complete the mission. Suddenly Jessa remembered something Aimee Rían had said and maybe Rinker or Ian had mentioned. Looking up at Peter she announced as confidently as she could. “Dr Decker applied for assylum which I granted. She is a citizen of the Galactic Union. That is why you can’t remove her.”

Jessa Novar

Petr raised an eyebrow then after a moment he smiled slightly and inclined his head again, a way of saying good move. The child’s hand could barely cover a part of his own. “Ms. Novar, perhaps I should tell you who I am, or more precisely what I am. I am an Intelligence officer, used to work Security but I’ve always dabbled in intelligence. What this means is that I am somewhat of an expert in lying and knowing when someone is lying” He kept his tone even and light “So how about you try this again but with all of the truth and I’ll promise the same, no lies or half-truths. That woman is trying to threaten and scare you isn’t she?” He asked directly

“I put a pin in it,” Jessa stated firmly looking to Rinker almost for help. No one but him would understand that was her secret code for not wanting to talk about something that was hitting too close to home. It was her way of not lying in sessions but spoke volumes to people with Peter, Ian, and Rinker’s background. “New question.”

“Now another part of my skillset is detective work, let’s put together this puzzle. She’s been meeting with you in secret, whispering about how you can’t trust those two or anyone except her and her friends” He didn’t know if Celia was working alone or with others but he doubted the former. S31 always worked in cells or so he’d been told over twenty years ago and he was certain not much had changed in that time. He was also watching the girl’s face carefully for any reaction “Now she’s what we call an operative but not one that’s in charge. Not very good under pressure or she wouldn’t be lying on the floor there” He shot Celia a warning look to reminder her not to speak

Peter then turned his gaze back to Jessa, softening his expression “Now you say that she asked for asylum, that implies that you believe that she’s someone on the side of the Union, which in turn implies that she’s made promises, or that someone she’s working for has made promises… what do you think, warm or cold?” He asked.

CIO

Rinker

Jessa was easy to read either by her nature or inexperience. Peter did not need a verbal response to see everything was on the mark as Jessa glanced at Celia everytime he asked a question. “She said she can help me get home,” Jessa admitted looking down instead of anyone in the room. Ian and Rinker promised the same thing but it was clear Jessa was willing to do whatever was needed to make this happen faster and on her timetable. “You all promised us safe passage and now we are trapped.”

Celia had to press her point to stop the kid from talking. Jerking her hands down , she made it appear as if she activated a device although there was nothing there. The gesture was only a rouse for one person in the room. “Containment lost” Celia said pushing up hard on Rinker. The comment was vague enough for everyone to question it“Say another word and you rot here”.

His grip was already iron clad and black dots were edging her vision but she had to sell it. Thrashing her feet, Celia did not have to fake trying to get up. She was trained but she was in a difficult physical position to get leverage. She bucked her hips trying to get up. The plan however was not to fight the men in the room, but let Jessa watch they take her down and end the fantasy that these people were sweet, soft, and gentle.

“Stop,” Jessa took her eyes off of Peter and lunged forward towards Rinker in some blind attempt to help one of them.

Jessa Novar.

Peter sighed and then moved. In only a few quick strides he’d overtaken Jessa and knelt in front of Celia.

Height and bulk typically were only beneficial in physical combat. It tended to slow things like agility and speed, yet Peter’s motion was fluid and blindingly fast. His height meant one stride for him was equal to almost two of Jessa’s allowing him to reach Rinker and Celia before Jessa could even get close enough to make any difference. Jessa skidded to a stop after one step watching in horror as Rinker moved the woman from flat on her back to a standing position. It was clear, Celia was on the verge of blacking out or being strangled.

“Bad bluff, worse move.” He put a large hand across the back of the woman’s neck and looked at Rinker “Please release her” His words were not an offer but a directive.

Jessa skidded to a stop after one step watching in horror as Rinker moved the woman from flat on her back to a standing position. It was clear that Celia was on the verge of blacking out or being strangled. Suddenly Jessa had a profound and new level of respect for Heathcliff Rinker the seemingly weak and combat ineffectual psychiatrist.

“Rinker,” Jessa yelled. “Stop, please. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt because of me.” Her concern was more for the man than the woman he had in her grasp. He was better than this. His reaction seemed to be motivated by worrying about Jessa’s safety more than anything else. She needed to convince him she could take care of things on her own.

Celia had stopped thrashing in the unwavering and relentless grip. It was past the time of fighting back and the time for fighting to keep the blackness from engulfing her. They had gravely underestimated the crew of this ship.

Rinker pursed his lips at Sigmundsson, “Every word she says is like poison, she’s killing her by just sharing the same air.” It was an issue he could solve in just a few more moments. “She’ll just go to sleep in a few more moments.” It wouldn’t be fatal. Fortunately for Celia even in this short period of time he had calmed far too much to kill a harmless opponent. Not that she was truly harmless. How much he was releasing her was up to debate.

Raising her hands, Jessa threw the security team and medical staff against the walls hard enough to knock them out. There were too many people to manage on her own. The action caused the three men closest to her to react. Only Peter had the possibility of being armed so that was her first target after eliminating O’Neill and his security team. Jessa flicked her left wrist sending Peter hurdling across the space and into the wall where he was pinned as if held there by invisible magnets. Using her palm she held him there like an invisible vice. With her right wrist, she pushed Ian and Rinker to the opposite wall holding her palm up to keep them there as Celia crumpled to the floor. Moving slowly and purposefully, Jessa kneeled down next to Celia who hacked and coughed trying to regulate her breathing now that she was no longer in a sleeper hold. ‘Call Aimee Rian. Tell her we go now.’ Walking up to Ian and Rinker who were trapped like flies on flypaper against the wall, Jessa stood there listening to the alternating pleas for her to think about what she was doing and the barrage of consequences that would happen to her the second they got off this wall. The more they spoke, the more flustered and angry Jessa was becoming at everyone in the room and the situation. Now that she had started this event, she had to finish it but how? She did not know how to make them sleep as Zala Tsu did. She could not rip their tongues out like Da Mu would to silence their blasphemous mouths. She could not make them suffer by snapping bones so they laid there, writhing in pain watching her leave the room. Ian and Rinker began to belt out commands the longer they were held in place demanding she look at what she did in the room and pleas to let them help the people she had just knocked on conscious. A thin trickle of blood seeped from Jessa’s nose the longer she held them in place. She could feel the wetness but was unable to wipe it with her hands occupied. As the seconds ticked by it was very apparent to Jessa that if she did this there was no way to leave this room without someone getting hurt.

Shaking her head, Jessa pushed the fantasy of using her divination to end the standoff occurring in the room. One blink and she was out of her head and back to reality. The only outcome would have to be making these people listen to her.

“Both of you stop this,” Jessa yelled trying to make the two men focus on her and not Celia. “Let her go.” The intent of the command was for the men to follow her direction. The result was Peter turning all his attention on Jessa. The man emitted power and authority like an aura yet without having to say a word or overtly threaten someone.

He turned to Jessa “Now we have established a pattern of behavior, every time you come close to a decision or a thought that doesn’t benefit this woman or her allies she threatens you or tries to scare you.”

Jessa held her breath not saying a word or taking her eyes off Peter. It was rare anything held her attention like this without her interrupting or acting.

He applied some pressure with his hands, to him it was only a slight squeeze but to Celia, it would feel like someone trying to crush her spine “She isn’t scary” the large man said calmly “Rinker isn’t scary, not really, and you Miss Jessa are not scary, in the Union you might have some authority and your position may have mattered but right here right now you are just scared and feel as if you are alone but you are not alone”

Ian moved behind Jessa while all her attention was focused on the two other men in the room. He had restrained her before and had no problem doing it again.

“I…I am not scared,” Jessa countered immediately raising her chin some. The action was just a facade. She was trying her best to look and act as powerful and in control as the rest of the adults in the room. She felt uneasy being the focus on all three men in the room. She needed an ally.

“Rinker tell him I am not scared of anything! Without hope and heroes, life is spent in malaise. To defeat malaise identify the keys to life. Life is sacrifice so offer it. Life is trust so give it wisely. Life is a struggle so conquer it. Be the force of change in the galaxy no matter the cost,” Jessa began to delve into the rhetoric she had learned all her life trying to find stable ground in the words.

Peter looked intensely at the girl “Now decide, do you still want to side with someone who has spent time giving vague promises of aid, threatened you, and done their best to scare you into submission?” He only stopped squeezing the woman’s neck for a moment so that she wouldn’t lose consciousness but kept his iron grip “Will you grant this woman power over you?” He asked.

CIO
rinker

His intense stare caused her to immediately back down. Peter was unpredictable and a new player but everything in Jessa told her Sigmundsson did not talk to hear himself speak nor would issue empty threats.

“And just give you power over me,” Jessa countered taking a step back instead of forward. The action allowed her to bump into Ian who was now directly behind her. The contact did not amplify her emotions but settled them some. In a strange way, she knew Ian would not let Peter hurt her. It also fueled her resolve to control the situation. “That is exactly what I would be doing if let you take her. Giving you the power and putting my faith and trust in one stranger for another.”

“Why should I believe you over her? Why should I believe any of you,” she gestured around. “Are you going to risk everything to get me back home? To my people? Everyone has an agenda. At least I know what to expect with her,” she pointed at Celia. “Why should I trust you?” Jessa struggled not to let her emotions overtake her. She had to be strong and independent. Anything less and these people would not see her as an equal.

Jessa

“Because we didn’t threaten you. We didn’t offer you favorable treatment for gifts. We might not be raining tribute on you, but we aren’t lying either.”

His comment made Jessa’s forehead screw up in annoyance. “I never once asked for tribute. That is Rogan and Zala Tsu’s thing but you haven’t helped me either,” Jessa felt her emotions moving from anger to guilt. She felt guilty over how they arrived, the captain being attacked, failing the Union’s mission, and being responsible for an ever-growing number of people. The woman on the medical bed, the safety of the crew on the Atlantis once the Elder’s were free, and now Celia.

“No, unless you call giving you food, saving your life, and giving you a safe place to stay while we figure all this out not helping you,” Ian snapped. Eventually, the kid gloves needed to come off with Jessa and have a good old-fashioned come to Jesus moment as his grandfather said.

“Yes but she promised to help me get free and go home,” Jessa blurted out before realizing she had told the men in the room exactly what they had known but were just looking for confirmation.

” You might not know the saying, but I’m sure you have something similar. A snake speaks with forked tongue.” He looked at Celia.. “Everything she says to you either is a lie or has a secret second purpose. Every action you ever took with her you were probably figuring out what she really meant, what you really had to do, what you were actually going to get. There was no such question with us. You may have not liked what we said or what we promised. But you knew what was happening was what was going to happen,” He eyed her, “The only one plotting in our conversations were you.”

Rinker.

Jessa felt small and vulnerable right now. She had just given up her secondary plan for escape on a silver platter. Everything Rinker said was true. Celia’s people wanted something. It was the reason she had not been more eager or supportive with them. Jessa felt her shoulders sag as she spoke. “We say lies are like Chrisven mice. They are always around even if you can’t see them and harder to get rid of than a Plackvik vine when they take root.” She swallowed and took a deep breath trying to calm the wave of selfish sadness crushing her small amount of hope in Celia. Jessa fidgeted with the sleeves of her shirt not wanting to meet the gave of Ian or Rinker.

“The problem is I don’t know what is going to happen to me,” Jessa wiped her nose with her sleeve. “Right now I have a place to live and food but I am not stupid. That is going to change and you all don’t know how to get me home. You don’t have the technology and I don’t believe you are going to use your light slide to send us back to our ship…so what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, or a month from now. One day you,” she pointed at Peter, “or you,” she looked at Rinker, “are going to come in here and say it is time to go, and then what? At least they promised a future plan even if it was a lie.”

Ian glanced at Jessa and then Rinker. She was not wrong. At some point in the future she would be moved but where was the question. She was too young to live on her own and that was out of the question if the paternity mystery was solved. The more Ian learned about where she was from the less apt he was to send her back. His mind ran through a litany of responses to her question but none of them was anything but vague.

“What’s going to happen to her,” Jessa asked looking at Celia, “and me now?” Her stomach knotted and Jessa felt sick. Wiping her nose again the tiny trickle of blood was visibly gone, but she could feel the side effects of the divination still in her nose.

Jessa Novar

Peter suppressed a frown at the appearance of the blood, if this kept happening he would have to speak with the other two officers after putting the child to sleep. The only reason he hadn’t done so already was that it might ruin their plans “What happens to her depends entirely on the plans her friends have made but most likely I’ll speak with her for a few hours, throw her in a hole until we get somewhere she can be released, then she’ll disappear, be granted a new name and identity and go do the same elsewhere” He was certain to not lie as he had promised “Worst case scenario she’ll get berated by her superiors” He hesitated.

Jessa was young and naive but quickly losing her innocence between Halston, Mischwald, and this mission. She did not need elaboration of more facts. Everything Sigmundsson said was plausible to her. Enemies had to be dealt with and the deep dark hole which the Federation placed them was at least life. In the Galactic Union, one paid for treachery and treason with their lives. There was no second chance like Peter was alluding to.

“What happens to you depends in large part on you and the Elders. For now, I’d like to take this young woman out of here and you can continue this conversation with these two fine gentlemen.” Peter flashed a gentle smile at Jessa then looked first at Ian and then Rinker, his face returning to stone “You two know her better than I but I don’t think she needs any further admonishment for today”

CIO

“That would be my preference.” Rinker agreed. He had asked to get rid of her minutes ago, but everyone was moving slow.

“Or,” Jessa instantly added her own option. “You could stay here and talk to them.” The last thing she wanted to do was be alone with anyone in sickbay. She needed time to think and both Ian and Rinker seemed to know exactly how to pepper her with questions so that she was not able to preplan any answers.

“Or you can take your little butt back to your room and wait for me there,” Ian stated firmly but in a slightly upbeat tone. There had been enough drama during the last hour. Jessa had seemed to self calm and it would exacerbate things if she saw Celia being hauled out over Peter’s shoulder or slip completely into unconsciousness.

Jessa took two steps towards her room before turning back around. “I’m sorry,” she let the apology float in the room for whoever wanted to accept it. The silence made her feel uncomfortable. She was smart enough to know that men in the room wanted her gone but not for the reasons why.

“I don’t think this was your fault.” Rinker offered. He wasn’t sure, but that’s why he said thing.

“It’s okay. Go,” Ian said in a soothing tone. The second Jessa slipped from the main area and into her room his demeanor changed as he approached Celia. The idea that someone like Celia had had access to Jessa suddenly had Ian on edge. The woman appeared to be a perfectly fine doctor. She had transferred in about 6 weeks ago and fit in as if she had belonged here yet she clearly did not.

“I am going to take you apart piece by piece until you give me answers,” Ian growled. The only reason he had retained any part of composure was because of Jessa. Now that she was gone, he could focus his anger where it needed to be.

Peter looked at Bordeaux with an unphased expression, he had wasted enough time convincing the child and that was only because he didn’t like the dogma she’d been raised in, he had little patience for both Ian and Rinker losing their heads. Just as he prepared to speak he was stopped by the appearance of a new doctor.

“No,” Dr. Lauren Shan appeared out of seemingly nowhere. “Peter has Celia. You need to go deal with Jessa. Rinker…back me up,” she looked to the psychiatrist for help.

Staring at Lauren and then Rinker, Ian rubbed his jaw. “We are not done. Not by a long shot,” he leveled a finger at Celia before taking a step back.

Ian and Jessa Bordeaux

“No, I don’t think I will.” He was on the fence with that. “Sure Ian’s best with Jessa and Sigmundsson would be best with Celia. But motivation sometimes is better that perfect fit and Ian is very motivated. But I’m okay with any plan that gets her,” he gestured at Celia “in the brig.”

“Seriously,” Lauren looked at Rinker feeling her temper skyrocket. “Your therapy plan involves adding attempted murder to the list of things you talk about with Jessa. Hey honey your mom is gone and your dad is in jail for trying to kill the woman that screwed you over but dont worry we are looking for some rando aunt or uncle you might have lying about because you leave him,” she pointed at Ian, “alone with her and the results won’t be pretty.”

“No this is my security plan, my therapy plan will be talking about afterwards.” He said honestly. “And I think its very unlikely that Ian will injure Celia.”

“Oh come on,” Ian shot Lauren a dirty look. “I am not going to hit her. I am not one of them but I can dope her up with enough psychotropic drugs to have her sing like a canary.” While he didn’t have access to them, Ian knew quite a few that did and would use every card in his deck to get them and take Celia down.

Celia watched the conversation spark the intended reaction. While the point was to cajole and if needed threaten Jessa into compliance, the three adults currently were doing a better job of seeding distrust. From the corner of her eye, she could see Jessa’s shadow spilling out of the door of the room. While the child was acting as if she was not interested in the outcome of the situation, the shadow indicated she was hanging on every word of the conversation.

Jessa moved as close to the entrance of her room as she dared. All the adults were on edge and ready to snap. Moving her head out from the door, Jessa watched as Ian and now Lauren seemed to be going at it head to head. It was as if Zala Tsu was nearby influencing everyone’s mood. A knot formed in her stomach as Jessa began to wonder how much of what Celia said and Peter claimed was the truth. If they had released any one of the Elders and did not know the power they possessed, the crew could be in serious trouble. Moving out of the room, Jessa looked at the empty rooms around her. Rinker said there had been a problem when they talked to Rogan. What if Rogan wasn’t the only one they talked to.

“Jessa!” Rinker snapped.

Her head whipped around and she licked her lips hoping it was an invitation to come back and help settle the commotion. It was clear the only adults noticing her right now were Rinker and Celia.

“Move along.”

Immediately complying, she stepped into her room as O’Neill and Reed took their spots back up at the door. As if to make sure she complied with Rinker’s order, O’Neill brought up the isolation field cutting off her room from visual or audio occurring in the main sick bay.

“Sorry Sir,” O’Neill nodded to Rinker. With everything settling down, the four-man team in the sick bay had been dropped to two. O’Neill and Reed had moved between the chaos and the Captain’s recovery room. Now the two men watched the rest of scene play out.

OOC: Just as an aside, I asked for Celia to be moved and Jessa was told to leave a couple of times. If we aren’t going to move them we’ll have to b ack track huge sections of this conversation.

OOC: Your right. I blended the conversations I hope they all make sense as controlled chaos ~ Kate

Lauren let out a deep aggravated sigh hearing Ian plan to dose the woman up with Psychedelics.

“Yes because drugging people for compliance is such a tried and true method,” Lauren crossed her arms over her chest. In truth, she had zero issues with using pharmacology to make a point. She also had zero issues with taking Celia under the bleachers as the slang term went. Everyone’s emotions were red lining and they all needed a step back. “So what are you going to do,” she looked at Rinker. “Paperwork, interrogation, or child placating?”

Peter gave the Psychologist a flat look “With all due respect Commander but neither of you will be useful dealing with this one “He gave the ‘doctor’ a shake, hand still firmly gripped around the back of her head “We’ve spent enough time on emotional outbursts.” He said in a calm but firm tone.

Peter then stood up with a firm grip on Celia’s neck, hoisting her up with him “Well gentlemen, it’s been a pleasure” He said in a rather formal tone “Ms. Celia, we have somewhere to be” He said with a slight smile as he pushed the woman ahead of him.

CIO

Rinker

CIO
Lauren Shan

“Fair enough.” He wanted her gone and finally she was.

Rinker

Ian watched her walk out and felt his temper redlining. There were too many fires to put out and they kept growing. Running a hand through his hair he roughed it up letting the ends stick out everywhere. It was not far from his normal look but a common gesture when he was mad or irritated. “Okay time to get on the same page and figure this out.” Tapping his comm badge he cleared his throat. =/\=All senior staff report to the conference room at the top of the hour.=/\=

“Okay so we got twenty minutes to deal with the Jessa situation,” Ian looked at Rinker. “Lemme ask you something…Celia never touched her right because I didn’t and I know you didn’t so why the bloody nose?”

Ian Bordeaux