The Confession...

Posted on 01 Dec 2015 @ 8:24pm by Commander Norvi Stace & Lieutenant Tuula Voutilainen M.D.
Edited on on 05 Dec 2015 @ 5:28am

2,128 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 09 - Empires
Location: USS Galileo - Stace's Office
Timeline: MD04; 2324 Hours

ON:

Stace had initially decided to use a place other than her own office to interview Tuula. Somewhere perhaps a little more comfortable and less stark. But for some reason she felt more at home in her office, and had more control over its security lockdowns. She paused as the door chime sounded about the room and then with a soft, welcoming smile bade the doctor entry. As Tuula made her way across the room, Stace took in a breath to steel herself against the situation and pursed her lips uncomfortably.

"I'm sure that by now you're aware that Lieutenant Jynn has confessed to breaking his oath of celibacy and that you have been implicated in this breach as the non-Deltan this occurred with. Captain Holliday has asked me to conduct an investigation into what happened in order to report back to Command when we're back in comms with them. I believe through my preliminary research I have a fuller picture of what transpired but I have now arrived to you. And I need you to assist me in completing the picture. How are you, Tuula?"

Tuula cringed as soon as Stace had mentioned Jynn. She knew that with her secret out to most of the medical staff, people would be asking around soon. "I'd feel better if people weren't discussing what happens in the privacy of my bedroom," she blurted out quickly, her defenses going up immediately.

Stace's face remained stoic, the only movement it made was a subtle yet foreboding squint; a flicker of her own defense rippling through her features. She steeled her breath against the erupting anger she suddenly felt and then, interlacing her fingers on the desk in front of her, replied, "And I'd prefer the privacy of your bedroom to remain outside of Starfleet protocols but if you are to conduct yourself with a Deltan whilst during service on this vessel then it has, much to my own distaste, become a matter of my business."

She took in a breath and then added, merely for good measure, "I'll allow for your little defensive insubordination due to the nature of this transgression but be mindful who you are addressing again in future otherwise I will, unfortunately, have to refer this case directly to a court martial and then your privacy will become a matter of public record NOT a concerned commanding officer attempting to negotiate this delicate situation with your own best interests at heart. Am I clear, Lieutenant?

"I don't want to be asking these questions any more than you want to answer them. But an officer's career now hangs in the balance, and these preliminary interviews will go a long way to decide what eventually is to become of both of you. I am not your enemy in this, nor am I here for my own amusement."

"Wait, what is to become of both of us?" Tuula was surprised and shocked at the comment. Was she under investigation? Could they take away that which was most valuable to her, her medical career?

And the voices. The voices in her head; they took on a panicked tone, telling her not to cooperate with this investigation, this witch hunt. That love conquers all, and that what is natural should not be prosecuted. And that Norvi was a spicy gal, no doubt experienced in the bedroom--

Tuula placed a hand on her head, trying to block out the voices. "Fine," she said, in a tone which was decidedly unenthusiastic. "What do you want to know?"

Stace had gone into the investigation with the intent to shield and help Tuula from the fallout of such an experience, but now, her lack of respect and care of duty stuck her to the quick and angered the Trill a little.

"This seems to have already taken a sour turn, Lieutenant," Stace replied as she leant back in her chair a little. "I'm asking these questions so that an unknown investigative officer off-ship doesn't have to. But before we continue," she then added, a lace of irk now running through her, "are you aware of the severity of what Lieutenant Jynn has done? Because judging by your curt and now unimpressed reply, let me enlighten you: He could be expelled from service, leaving out the court martial for breaking such an affected oath. And you! If you weren't swayed to breach this sanction with him by his pheromones (which would add a layer of accusation to the lieutenant should that be the case) then you assisted him willingly to break a professional and personal guarantee he swore to when entering the Fleet.

"Now you tell me what kind of Medical officer would do such a thing, because if you did breach it with him willingly, it is certainly not the kind of officer I want on my ship. So let's start over without the attitude. I need to know what and how it happened. From the beginning and in full."

"No, you can't... this can't be happening... Starfleet Medical is my life..." stammered Tuula, clutching her throbbing head.

Don't say anything, shouted the voice in her head. He loved you, and you would betray him? You'll ruin his life, his career.

"It all started in the mess hall--"

I thought you said this was supposed to be a private affair? Between the two of you? Tell her to go to hell.

"He had this knife--"

They'll take him away from you. Take me away from you. And you wouldn't want that...

"He was playing a game..."

I thought we had something special, Tuula? And you would betray that trust? You would have him kicked out of Starfleet. It's all your fault, you rat, you traitor, you slut, you--

"Shut up..." whispered Tuula. "Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!" She looked up nervously at Stace, desperately struggling against the voices in her head. They had been a distraction for the past few days, encouraging her to act on the strange urges she had been having ever since that one night with Jynn. But now, they had taken on an even more malicious tone, trying to manipulate her. "I... I'm sorry. I need a glass of water. Or a shot of improvoline. Or something."

Stace widened her eyes in a shock reaction, and then narrowed them carefully onto the doctor. She leant forward and placed her hand out on the desk to stay the woman. "What's wrong, Tuula? You don't seem yourself at all." Stace was now truly concerned for the woman. "Who are you trying to quiet?"

Clutching her head tightly, Tuula tried to concentrate and block them out. Don't tell her, said the voice. First you blame Jynn then you blame me? You're just a--

"Urrrrrgh!" Tuula let out a sound that was halfway between a growl and a scream and then looked back up at Stace. "The past few days, it's like I've been hearing voices. And having strange urges..."

Stace's face dropped into an expression of understanding and annoyed consideration. Not at Tuula (or her behaviour) but at Jynn and this emotional, unstable reaction to something that was forbidden for this very same reason. "I want you to report to sickbay immediately. Until you're given a clean bill of health by the Doctor, and you're no longer experiencing the voices and mood swings, you're off-duty. Has Commander Warraquim performed a full blood work screening on you? It sounds as though the pheromones are still in your system."

"Off duty?" Tuula gasped. "No, please... I need to be able to concentrate on my work. I don't want to be alone with my mind..."

Work? Ha. You might be able to block me out, but I'll still be here, in the back of your mind, pulling your strings...

"I'lll... I'll talk to Allyndra," said Tuula, clenching her fists to focus on the here and now and not the jumble of thoughts floating around her head. "Just... please, what is going to happen to Jynn?"

"I can't, in good conscience, allow you on duty - with patients - in your unstable condition, Tuula. And you know that. In fact," Stace continued, knitting her brow in concern, "I would hope to think that you'd put the crew of this ship before your own needs when it comes to this. I can't allow you back into sickbay unless under the full care of the commander." She stopped and then decided to answer her other question as a way of putting an end to any objection on the doctor's part.

"With regards to the lieutenant, I honestly can't say. Nor should I. It'll be the decision from a higher authority than mine or the captain's. There's no reason to speculate either way at this juncture."

"Please," said Tuula, tears coming to her eyes. "I know it was against the rules. But Jynn is a good person. I saw through his eyes; I saw how painful it is to be a Deltan in Starfleet. I felt his deepest fears, and floated on the sea of this thoughts and emotions. I know you're going to say that he manipulated me, that he took advantage of me, but in those special moments, I got a deeper glimpse into his mind than any Starfleet interrogator could." She took a deep breath. "I know he broke an oath, but please, don't kick him out of Starfleet. It's all he has, and it would be devastating for him. There has to be a way, some way, to help us both."

"It's beyond my control, Lieutenant," Stace replied with a wince of sympathy. "Remorse or none, he broke the cardinal rule his race swears upon when taking up service in the Fleet and that has to be addressed." She paused, shifted in her seat a little, and then cocked her head to the side. "You have to choose your path in life, Tuula. And Jynn did. It's unfortunate that he's struggled with the one he set upon when he joined the Academy, but he knew the restraints put on him when signing up. Painful to be here or not, he had a choice. He didn't approach any of his superior officers about his struggles. He just quenched his thirst. And that is a problem for not only him, but the ship and the crew around him. There's no going back from this. For either of you. And that's the unfortunate consequence of his actions."

Tuula wiped a tear away and gripped the wheels of her chair. "I... I need to go see Allyndra..." she said, knowing that she needed more than just a physical. She needed a friend.

"I'll contact the doctor and inform her to expect you," Stace remarked, clearly in a different frame of thinking than Tuula. "You are not to be discharged from sickbay until both I and the doctor give you a clean bill of health with regards to these voices. I'm sticking by my decision to pull you from active duty until that time."

Tuula nodded and turned towards the door. You cold-hearted b--

"Oh, one more thing, commander," she said, looking over her shoulder. "I don't know what came over us, but I'll cooperate with whatever investigations result from this and answer any questions you have."

"It'll be for you own benefit, Tuula," Stace replied with a slow, sympathetic nod of the head. "But please neither of you think that this is a witch-hunt. It's a serious transgression that has to be ridden out until the end of the process. As I said when you first came in here, I shall try to protect you as much as I can, but there will come a point where both myself and the captain will be superseded by a higher authority. And the groundwork we do now will facilitate the direction they take." She paused as she allowed her words to settle in between them both. "What we're doing here isn't compiling a prosecution against you. It's trying to smooth the road to the inevitable for you both. Do you understand that?"

"Yeah, it's just..." Tuula paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "This isn't the most comfortable thing to talk about. Especially for me; people have certain stereotypes when it comes to people with my 'condition' and the bedroom."

"I understand that. But it's unfortunately one of those processes we all have to ride out when something hasn't gone to plan."

"Okay." Tuula took a deep breath. "I think I can handle this..."

OFF

Commander Norvi Stace
First Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Tuula Voutilainen
Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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