Hints at the past lost

Posted on 29 Jun 2010 @ 3:14pm by Colonel Stadi Andrus & Commodore Da`nal of the House of Varal

2,051 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: M5: Transitions
Location: Sick bay
Timeline: En route to SB 515

Melanie walked into sickbay she was told that the sickbay was her home and that before the attack with the Romulans she had spent most of her time there. Melanie twisted the mysterious bracelet that laid on her wrist, she still had no idea who had given her the bracelet or why…or if she had bought the bracelet herself. There were a lot of blocks of her memory that she couldn’t remember and the doctors on the SB47 told her that she may never get those memories back. She sighed as she sat down at her desk.

Caecus walked through the doors of his Sickbay, he was humming some jaunty tune that he had learned centuries ago and couldn't rightly remember where he had picked it exactly. Such things didn't bother him though it was all about the journey and the new things you learned. He was wearing a pair of crisp new jeans, a pair skater style shoes, and a black button up shirt with the top few buttons undone to reveal a white t-shirt underneath not what one would expect of a retired Starfleet Admiral or the Department Head of a Starship.

He walked by the ACMO's office and spotted his assistant playing with her bracelet that he recognized as being of Romulan make and staring off into space "Penny for your thoughts Lieutenant?"

"I'm just trying to remember where I got this bracelet..." She relied quietly looking up at the Doctor. He was also familiar to her but she couldn't place him either. "I'm sorry...but you are familiar to me..." She said, forgetting about the bracelet.

He stood at the door and nodded in agreement with her statement if knowing each other "Aye that we do my fine lady, we have met on several occasions though I do believe our first meeting was when I stopped a romulan from attacking you Lieutenant, Doctor Caecus Romehl retired Starfleet Admiral...just a civilian now."

"Well I've seen my fair share of jewelry the crafters of the galaxy churn out," He took a couple of steps into the room and indicated with his hand towards her bracelet "May I?"

"When? Recently? Or?..." Melanie's loss of memory didn't take away the rape that she endured at the hands of a Romulan man when she was 16. She would not give Caecus until he answered the question.

"It would have been about twelve years ago...I came upon a drunken Romulan in the midst of raping a young girl, I intervened before he could finish...if you need to make sure of the truth I'm sure we can find a Betazoid of a Vulcan to confirm my memories." Caecus said sitting down in a chair in front of the woman's desk.

Melanie nodded, "I can read your own mind Caecus...I am betazoid, but I do not do it without permission."

"You have my permission Lieutenant." He said with a friendly smile, as he relaxed in his chair and he stared at her "Begin when ever you want."

Melanie slowly entered his mind and soon found the memory...She saw herself being attacked through his eyes, she heard her screams, Melanie was about to pull out of his mind when she saw him pulling the Romulan off of her and picking her up, taking her to sickbay and then taking care of her. Slowly leaving his mind leaving comfort as she went, even if she didn't feel comforted herself, she knew that it what she always did. "Thank you sir....for saving me." She replied quietly not completely trusting her voice. Melanie handed him the bracelet that had been around her wrist since she woke up at SB 47.

"Your welcome Lieutenant, but it's either doctor or Caecus...or Cae if your into brevity I'm retired now," He said looking at her with a smile, then at the bracelet she had just handed him. He examined it closely as he looked at the detailed filigree work and leaned forward to show her something "This here it shows the family, though I can't make out all of the details...it appears to be an engagement ring of sorts...if that helps any."

"I'm engaged?...to who?" Melanie's voice raised. She didn't remember having a fiance of any sort...and why wasn't he here aboard the Freedom?

"There is a little damage to the piece itself that obscures the name," he said sympathetically and gently placed a reassuring hand on hers "Though I am sure there are ways we can find out."

Melanie shook her head. "No...I have been back for a few weeks...and he hasn't come to me, nor has he contacted me...No...I do not think I want to know him now."

"How can I help you then, I need everyone in my department working at one-hundred percent...I'm your doctor from this point on." He said sitting back in his chair as he steepled his fingers together and watched her with a caring smile on his face.

"I will go to the Captain...he told me we were friends and when I was ready I could ask him questions. Apparently I told him things about myself that no one else knew. Perhaps he knows who gave me this..." She replied taking the bracelet back and putting it back on her wrist. "I suppose I should be prepared if he decides to find me again shouldn't I?" She said almost to herself. "I'm fine...I am just trying to readjust to my life without all my memories."

"If you don't mind I would like to run a few scans, get a look at the way your brain is functioning now and see if I can find an old scan to compare it to," He swallowed as he listened to her speaking of a lost love finding her and his hand unconsciously drifting up to the locket he kept under his shirt "I think you should be open to the possibility...though I do not think it would be healthy to hinge your future on something that may never happen."

His voice sounded old, older than his face looked, and bitter with pain "I apologize Lieutenant..or would you prefer I call you something else?"

"Melanie is fine..." She reached in her desk and found a PADD with her name on it. "Here...this might give you some insight..." Melanie said handing him the PADD.

He took the PaDD and smiled "I'm sure it will Melanie...so how is our Sickbay, fully stocked, anything I should know about before a medical emergency?"

"I don't know...I don't remember anything about the time I spent here when I was the Chief..."

"I'm sorry...I suppose it might be a surprise that I was your instructor at the Academy...you actually were one of my best students too." He said with a playful smirk on his face "Caused me more than a few headaches...I could tell you about that if you'd like."

"More than one headache? I thought I was a good student..." She did remember that part of her past but she wanted to see what Caecus had to say about her as a student.

"You were my best student Melanie, your bed side manner was the kindest I have ever seen, while your technical proficiency was no par with very few others in your class...though your headstrong streak was what caused me more than a few of the headache...especially when we began discussing ethics and the oath we take as doctors." He said with the smirk still playing on his lips "I still remember when you called me...oh what was it...a Ferengi with an over inflated sense of my own self importance...I believe that was it and that is why I passed you."

Melanie laughed, "Yes...I remember that, but why would you pass me if I called you a 'Ferengy with an over inflated sense of your own self importance?"

"Because that showed me you would stand up for what you believed, for your patients." Caecus said, his face beaming pride as he spoke to her of her decision "I just wish the Academy Commandant had been there...would have made his ears bleed...stodgy old brass polisher."

"That was my grandfather, Cae." She smiled, a lot of people said that about her grandfather but she didn't mind...neither did he, when he was alive.

"I'm sorry to hear of his passing, he was a good man and a good friend...I still think the cadets that graduated under his command are the best to come out of Academy in decades....and I've seen my fair share of classes." The El-Aurian replied sagely.

Melanie nodded. "Cae...what is that locket? I saw it when you asked me to learn that you where the one that saved me. I'm sorry if I am delving into something that I shouldn't..."

His hand covered where his locket sat on his chest and his face settled into a sad expression that spoke of emotions weathered by centuries of contemplation "It...has the only pictureof my wife and daughter...I have nothing else besides my memories," he stopped talking as he leaned his head down and took a deep breath as if to calm himself. After a few moments he looked back at Melanie, though it the light glistened off of wet lines where tears had run down his cheeks "It's the only thing pure I have of them."

Melanie reached out and took his hand in hers and wrapped his mind with comfort. "I am sorry Cae...I didn't mean to cause you pain. Forgive me."

He mentally pushed back against the comfort she was trying to give him "No...you..." he stopped talking as his voice cracked and he held a hand over his mouth as fresh tears ran down his face. His mental and emotional health when it came to his family, was one of ragged wounds that still bled, though there were lies that seemed to make him think that everything was better...especially a bead of the purest joy possible that seemed to be an anchor for most of the mental defenses he had built up.

Melanie pulled away her mental comfort. "It was part of the Nexus episode..." She replied quietly.

"What are you talking about?" He asked defensively looking at her warily.

"What happened with your family...I'm sorry I said anything..." Melanie pulled her hand away and looked at them folded in front of her.

"No...they were killed by the Borg long before...I met them again in the Nexus."

"I apologize, I misread the memory."

He let an uncomfortable silence hang in the air between them, not sure what to say if he should say anything.

Melanie looked back down at her bracelet remembering her love, she gasped. "It was from Talar...a Vulcan...where is he?" She asked and then stood up. "Caecus, I'm sorry...I have to go talk to the Captain...I need to find out about Talar..." How she didn't remember Talar before she wasn't sure, he had been on the island in New Zealand with her and they had fought. She had told the doctor on the starbase that she remembered New Zealand...she shook her head. "I'll talk to you after ok?" Melanie asked, briefly stopping at the entrance to her office.

"Vulcan?" Caecus asked, arching an eyebrow "That bracelet is Romulan....intriguing."

Melanie stopped dead in her tracks. "Yes, Talar is Vulcan." She didn't like lying but in this matter it was a matter of life and death. In reality he was a Romulan defector and she had performed the cosmetic surgery on him to make him look Vulcan. "I want to know why he isn't here...or hasn't contacted me." I'll be back shortly...I promise." She said turning to look at him and smiled. "Cheer up friend." Melanie reached out and squeezed his hand before leaving to find the Captain.

He grunted as he stood up and looked out into his medical bay "Go...speak with the captain, I have a Sickbay to put in order."

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Lt. Melanie Hemmingway
MO

Dr. Caecus Romehl, Adm Retired
CMO

 

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