Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Unforeseen Developments - Starting Over

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Unforeseen Developments - Starting Over

Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Unforeseen Developments - Starting Over
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Janusz smiled and said “Of course. You took a solid step in asking for assistance. Next we just have to find you some help a little bit closer. But for now… just be, Sharah. Don’t think… just feel. It will be okay. I will talk to you in a few days. Good luck.” and smiled again before the call ended.

Korczak, Counselor

The screen went blank and then the Star Fleet symbol flashed on as a screen saver. Sharah started at it a long time before reaching out to log in. It wasn’t as simple as saying ‘I am off for two days.’ She was the CMO and acting Chief of Staff for Sacred Heart. Two positions that she felt hugely inadequate for. She had to make sure that the duty stations would be covered and someone who had been cleared through CCDA security could take her place. Maybe she could get away with going in for a few hours. Surely if she pulled the notice now, no one would notice.

Don’t be a difficult patient, Sharah. The best thing a doctor could so was set an example. So, despite what she wanted, Sharah made sure the shifts were covered and then logged off, hitting the button to turn the screen black. Yavia wasn’t happy when Sharah commed her to say she wouldn’t meet up with her. Sharah ended the call too quickly for Yavia to argue.

She started at the blank screen for awhile. She wanted sleep. Korczak anted her to just feel, Sharah wanted to be numb. She wasn’t but she couldn’t bring herself to scream and cry and break down like he suggested. She was simply too tired. If she sat in the chair long enough maybe she would sleep. She didn’t. She was supposed to feel her feelings, but what was hers? What was just Sharah? That was always the question. She found her pencils and paper, at first she sat on the couch, reaching for the blanket Markus had always left there because she got cold. It hurt, and she didn’t want to deal with the hurt. She ended up on the floor, papers and sketches strewn about.

It was hours before anything happened. She was hungry, that was good she guessed. She ordered a grilled cheese, her favorite. Out of habit or self torture or something, she called out “Hey, Markus? You” but she didn’t finish. It had been a running joke that they would find the perfect grilled cheese recipe. There was no answer, and there would not be. He left, she was alone, stuck on a planet with millions of strangers, alone in the masses.

She sat on the floor, knees drawn up leaned against a bulkhead, and cried. Wracking sobs that shook her petite frame and stole her breath. She cried for hours. The anguish noticed by the other empaths, drawing Ilena to check on her with no reply. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. When her body was finally to spend to cry more the only thing she had for her efforts was a headache, on top of the normal one. She didn’t feel better at all and she was still exhausted.

By the end of the second day, she didn’t care what Korczak said, she couldn’t stay in that room with empty memories any more. She felt trapped and like she might do something stupid. She didn’t want to hurt herself, just the memories that lived in the room. They were intangible though. She donned a long heavy sweater with a hood, hugged it around herself and ventured out. There was a cart, a block from her building, past security. She could get hot chocolate there before returning.

Fayth

There was a line, of course. There always was. The cart had some of the best fresh-brewed drinks in the city; and it was one of the local secrets that the residents of the city tried to keep from the tourists and transient workers.

A familair voice came from somewhere up in front of her said “Good afternoon, Doctor. Would you care to join me?” The voice was familiar, but the face was obscured by a pair of dark sunglasses and a large brimmed hat. The hair, though… long, straight, and jet-black gave it away.

Governor Hyrushi.

Why had she left her room? It wasn’t that Sharah was hoping to not be noticed, but she had hoped to run her errand with no fuss. Being asked to join the governor counted as fuss. She really wasn’t in the best place to play nice with others either. She wanted less to do with others now than 2 days ago. It also wasn’t like she had taken the time to make herself presentable. The most she could manage at the moment was to keep her own thoughts and emotions locked up very tight. Odd how that worked. She could stop from projecting or being read but couldn’t stop the input. “Good afternoon. Uh…oh, no thank you. I’m fine waiting.” There was a line after all and that would be rude.

The Governor looked at the three people who separated them in line and said “Would you mind if my colleague joined me?” and the three shrugged and nodded. Hyrushi beckoned her forward to his place in the line.

Hyrushi, Gov.

Well now she didn’t have a choice did she? The man had asked them, and who was going to say no to him? So now she would look surely and rude not to accept. The governor got whatever he wanted. She smiled and murmured a quiet thank you from her hood to the three people in line. She made her way to stand next to him, “Thank you.”

Fayth, SFCMO

Hyrushi remained quiet as they waited, looking ahead until they reached the cart. The batista smiled and said “Afternoon, sir! Good to see you. The usual?” and Hyrushi inclined his head slightly and said “Please and thank you. Also, whatever my colleague would like. Oh, and the three people behind us? Please allow me to pay for them.” Hyrushi looked at Fayth and said “Whatever you would like.” It was at that moment that something occurred… or perhaps was just realized. There was no empathic input from the Governor. None. Empathicalky, he may have simply been a part of the scenery. Those around her, of course she could sense… whether she wanted to or not. But the governor was a flat gray wall.

Hyrushi, Governor

The barista looked at her expectantly and then smiled as he recognized her under the hood. “Dr. Fayth! Hot chocolate?”

Sharah was slightly surprised by the lack of empathic input. People considered blocking their thoughts from telepaths, but very rarely, unless trained, considered or learned how to block their emotions. Mostly she was grateful for the small respite and too tired to consider it further for the moment. She did not want to be privy to the thoughts and emotions of the colony’s governor. Her pondering was interupted by Erzil’s question. “Yes, thank you, Erzil.” The Trill man was always at the stand most days and friendly no matter how long the line. Sharah tried to remember names. Let them know they were seen and appreciated in the crowds and chaos of the day.

The man smiled as he began making their orders and Sharah slipped her payment in as a tip. Erzil worked hard and deserved it. “How is Cmdr Woods? I haven’t seen him in awhile. I hope he’s feeling alright.”

The question was like a sucker punch to the gut. Her arms tightened around herself slightly, and she held onto her reaction to keep it from leaking out. “He’s fine. He was transferred.”

There was an ever-so-slight pressure on her lower back- more like a stabilizing presence- as the Governor put his hand on her ever so slightly and helped her maintain her physical balance.

Erzil shook his head, “You fleeters sure don’t like to stay in one place. I hope you do though.” He set two cups on the ledge. “Here you go. Have a good day Governor, Doctor,” and he turned away to the next three people in line.

Hyrushi inclined his head slightly and said simply “Erzil.” and he began moving away.

Sharah took her cup and stepped away from the cart. She popped the lid off and let the steam and aroma waft out before taking a careful sip. She eyed her unexpected companion, wondering what prompted the invitation. Governor Hyrushi didn’t strike her as someone who did anything without careful consideration. “Thank you for the drink.” She thought telling him he didn’t have to do that was inconsiderate. Plus he k ew he didn’t have to.

Fayth, SFCMO

“You are most welcome. Would you care to walk with me? Or may I walk with you back to your building?” Hyrushi asked. “I am not trying to intrude but, if I may speak frankly, you do not seem your normal self Doctor. If you would like to talk, I have some time.”

Hyrushi, Gov.