Awakening

Posted on Tue Aug 11th, 2020 @ 7:20pm by Captain Sebastian Deauvuex (*) & Chief Helmsman Eden Bowers & Commander Sura Locke & Lieutenant Junior Grade David Jameson & Lieutenant Commander Carter Morrison

Mission: Ishimura
Location: USS Ishimura - Briefing Room
Timeline: 2396
1212 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

"Good Morning, Doctor." Commander Locke couldn't help but give an amused smile as Carter arrived in the briefing room. "Burning the candle at both ends again?"

Carter half-growled a little as he plodded into the room and took up his usual seat at the conference table. Their scheduled morning briefing was supposed to have started already, but they were the first two there; no sign of the other senior staff.

"When you get to my age, Miss Locke, you'll understand why getting up to pee in the small hours is so important," he replied, stretching himself out a little in the seat. "Although I nearly had to prescribe myself a sedative. Strange dreams."

"Perhaps it's not just you," Sura replied. "I haven't seen anyone else yet. The Captain is hardly ever late, and Lieutenant Jameson doesn't seem the sort to sleep in." She glanced over at the doctor. "I hope you didn't all pick up some sleepy virus down there on that planet."

Carter grumbled to himself a bit, chewing over a response, but the door opened before he could say anything.

David came through the door, coffee and a PaDD is hand. "I have some ideas about that light. Has anyone else..." His voice trailed off as he looked at the Doctor, and he halted, almost stumbling, and then broke into a bright smile.

Carter felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him. The room was spinning. Something about that voice. That sound. "Elena...?" he mumbled, slowly rising to his feet and staring across the room.

David gasped, staring at Carter. "Tony..."

Eden glanced up when they abruptly stopped talking. "Are you alright? What's going on?" She glanced back and forth

Cassie wandered in looking confused which for a Vulcan was not a good expression to have on ones face at all. She stopped in the doorway and just raised an eyebrow. "Err?" She questioned confused by the scene that greeted her.

Ducking his head, David hurried, a bit awkwardly - his hips seemed to want to sway - to a seat. "Nothing. Just... tired."

"Sure." Cassie said glancing at the other women in the room confused. It was not like her to miss something but this whole exchange since she walked in left her flummoxed and needing some assistance to understand the social exchanged that had occurred.

Carter's head was spinning. Elena looked different today. Wait...Elena? Who was that? Honestly Tony, how old are you that you forgot your... Carter shook his head again, glancing uncomfortably around the room and trying not to be noticed.

Keeping his head down, David kept darting furtive glances toward Carter. Elena, Tony... why? who..? Surely you can't have forgotten the man you love... David blinked. Hard. And pinched the bridge of his nose. Where had that come from? Even if he were attracted to men, Carter was definitely not his type.

"Where is the Captain?" Cassie finally asked after the room had descended into silence for too long. It was not like him to be late or not be there before they had even arrived.

Sura's eyes flicked very sharply towards Eden but she didn't linger there. Best not air any dirty laundry in public. "I don't know. He isn't usually late."

"Computer locate Captain Sebastian Deauvuex." Cassie requested.

"Captain Sebastian Deauvuex is not onboard." The computer responded making Cassie looked up at Sura with a raised eyebrow.

"Strange. He wasn't scheduled to leave." Sura glanced over a Carter. "Did his medical report from the away mission come back okay?"

Carter blinked. His eyes had been lingering on Elena...David...whoever it was sat across the table. For whatever reason he felt...something. "Sorry, what was the question?"

Sura sighed, almost a little more loudly than normal. "The Captain. Was he displaying any unusual behaviour or symptoms? I'm not even sure why I'm asking you, honestly I'm wondering whether you've lost yourself too."

Carter made a little grumble and shook his head. "Readings were...readings were normal," he mumbled.

"Uh," Eden replied. She didn't want to give away their relationship, especially because Sebastian seemed uncomfortable with other people knowing. "He was acting a little odd when I last saw him. He seemed to suffer a little bit of memory loss. I thought at first he was just tired. He asked me about what happened down on the planet and then . . . well I thought I was going to see him later that evening to um .. . work on a project. He never came. I figured he'd just gotten wrapped up in something."

"It might be an after effect?" David suggested. "I was doing some research and that light could have been a record, direct memories from the inhabitants..." he glanced at Carter We had this conversation before I think... David shook his head. No. No they hadn't. He was sure. "The Captain took the brunt of it, and if it doesn't interface correctly with human minds, that..." his eyes strayed to Carter again, "...might explain a lot."

Cassie sighed and pulled up the log of peoples movements on and off the ship. It did not take her long to see when the man left the ship. "He took a shuttle to the planet at zero four hundred. Why would he go back after what had happened?" She claimed concerned as to why the man had gone alone and why someone had allowed him to leave the ship alone.

Eden opened her mouth in shock. "That does not sound like him at all. He's very responsible."

Cassie looked at Eden and could not help but nod at her estimate of the situation. The Captain was responsible by the definition of being the Captain so this was very much out of character.

"Maybe he was..." David glanced at Carter again. "...confused, disoriented... and felt he could only find answers there."

"He never would have left without informing someone, I'm sure of it," Eden replied. "Something must be really wrong with him." She said that in a more squeaky voice. Her hands twisted together a little bit.

"I agree. This is not the Captains approach to anything at all." Cassie murmured. She was sure of that. The man was far too straight-laced and responsible to just go off and do want he wanted. "What do we do Ma'am?" She asked looking at Sura for answers.

"We're taking a team down to the planet to find him. You're with me," she motioned at Cassie. "And perhaps a security detail. Doctor Morrison, are you up to taking a trip to the surface again?"

"Happy to oblige," Carter nodded. He stuck a furtive glance at David...Elena...whoever it was. "Perhaps we should all return there, if there's something wrong?"

As if I'll ever let you got off on your own again, Tony... David tore his eyes away from Carter, and focused on the XO. "Yes. If this is an effect of ancient technology, I may be able to work out what it is."

Eden it her lip. For some reason she didn't like this idea but she wanted Sebastian back, her Sebastian. She didn't speak up to argue about it. Instead, she let out a breath. "I'm flying you there."