I had to escape

Posted on Fri Jan 21st, 2022 @ 2:26am by Commander Liala Ziyal & Captain David Hawkins & Lieutenant Commander Timia Svidi & Lieutenant JG Evalyn Toral & Petty Officer 1st Class Tia Smithy(Kosugi)

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Briefing Room
1809 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Tia was nervous as a meeting had been made for her to see the command staff. She looked anxiously towards Evalyn. Then she looked towards Timia, even though she knew her also as Doctor Svidi. Timia seemed just more sticking in her thoughts. Her hands gripped the cloth of her slacks as she looked at the others.

"I um have to apologize for, erm. Stowing away on your ship." Tia began.

Liala smiled softly at the woman in front of them all. Sometimes it helped to show positivity and acceptance at times like these. "Do not apologise Miss Smithy. Sometimes our bodies and minds go into a sort of survival hide mode. You are brave to have done so, and noone was hurt in your actions." She said, the counsellor in her shining through.

Timia looked the girl over, "You could have just asked for help when I met you." she stated firmly. "Why hide away, unless you have a reason to hide?"

For once, David agreed with the doctor. But that was because of his past life of being a marine and the first thing that comes to mind was the fact that he was seeing a threat. With the whole Trinity threat out there and that she was on the last ship they had been on, she could easily have been a possible ally to them. But he was going to give her the chance to talk and prove her side of things.

Tia looked at Ziala her hands seeming to relax somewhat, then she looked at Tima "I had a reason to hide, I didn't know what you would do. Also when we met on that bridge I was being watched, I couldn't ask for help. They were watching. The ones who claimed to be who they were, Federation Officers. Plus I had been told that, I would be sent out the airlock and that a transporter had been locked onto my commbadge. " she gave a shudder. "I thought they were joking but, they had given an example of what they could and would do." she shuddered, rubbing both of her arms feeling goosebumps rising.

Tia looked down for the moment as tears welled up in her eyes, her lower lip trembling. "My friend, I am afraid, maybe dead by now. The one who helped me escape." She willed her tears to retreat and looked back up. "I was afraid of what would happen if it has been found out I stowed away on this ship. Well now I am here, having been caught."

"We can find out if your friend's status. But tell me, what was your true intentions of stowing away on one Starfleet Vessel as a Starfleet member yourself? You should have known that the computer sensors were going to pick up on your bio scans and comm badge," David remarked asking being straight and to the point.

"That maybe the case, Sir but the bio scans are scrubbed at least on U.S.S. T'sul. and I scrubbed mine here. And my comm badge is on the other ship as well." Tia replied, straightening up in her seat. "Made a plan of escape once your crew had gone about their business. Desperate measures I know but, I had to leave and I saw no other way. And my true intention? Was to not get killed, and I was afraid that maybe there would have been another swapping out of a crew man like what happened. Whom could I trust, sure I could have gotten hold of the doctor but maybe someone could have infiltrated here. I saw several crewmen who didn't act like they used to. There was something off on them." She stopped to take a breath. "Then... the explosion in Engineering. I was almost in there, Captain."

The captain took a long sigh as he respected her thought process on this and the fact that she was being respectful and honest. That were things that went far for him. The simple fact that what she had endured was similar to what he and his crew had gone through years ago. He wished nobody to have had to have gone through that in the first place, let alone yet again. Deep down he felt as though he had failed. If he had hunted them down like the ravaged dogs that they were, she wouldn't have had to do this whatsoever, let alone had to seen the cruelty of such a sick minded cult.

"I am sorry, crewman. I truly am. What did you see happen?" David asked as he softened his words and body language a bit.

Her hands went to where she grasped the bottom of her tunic, twisting and turning the cloth as she related the next part. Her heart beating rapidly, breathing somewhat rapid as well she was looking at the command staff the Captain specifically but not seeing him in truth. "I .... I saw... I saw them draining the blood of my friends, my crew members... They didn't see me I was in the tubes..." She gritted her teeth, her eyes wide, unseeing now as that memory panned through her mind.

"Fitz, Mara... Hendricks. Why... why did they do that? We had plans to have a poker night... Sanford was to be bringing his famous cookies.." she choked out. "I couldn't turn my eyes away.. "tears now streaming down her cheeks. "They were so... calm about what they were doing.... One took a sip just to taste the quality of the blood, they talked as if were a fine wine. The purity of it.." she raised her hands towards her mouth as if to stop herself from screaming. "A noise had stopped what they were doing for the moment, it brought me to my senses and I got away from there. I crawled away like a skulking rat.... I couldn't do anything...I felt helpless..."

She broke down and sobbed, covering her face. Her whole body shuddering with the sobs.

Placing a hand onto Tia’s shoulder, Evalyn looked to David, “I haven’t contacted her ‘former’ Command yet and right now I’m not sure we should. All it would do I cause more trouble then it’s worth”

"It doesn't follow proper procedures, but in this case, it may be best for the moment," Captain Hawkins remarked as looked over the young petty officer. He took a deep breath and looked over at his senior officers. "Ladies, what do you think about all this?"

"I think we need to give Tia some time to settle her nerves." Liala said looking at the woman before her. The shell of a woman who had seen her closest friends die in a most horrible fashion. "The safer you feel here will be a step in the right road to some form of recovery and I think we should leave any more questions to a later time." she added shifting uncomfortably in her chair. "You are safe, Tia. I won't let anything happen to you."

"She also could use some sedative's." Timia said. "I recommend setting her up in quarters, and providing her a door guard. I'll stop by and personally give you an exam and something to help you calm down." she said with a little more kindness. Examining the drained bodies was bad enough, seeing it happen... she couldn't imagine how it would effect her.

Tia's sobs soon quieted down and she was feeling so spent, she lowered her hands and looked towards Timia, then towards the others. "I am.. I will accept what you have determined for me." giving a shuddering sigh. Then she looked towards Evalyn. "Thank you." then turned back to the staff, her eyes reddened from her crying. "And thank you, Commander Svidi, Commander Ziyal and Captain Hawkins. I am glad you are not going to send me out of the airlock." and she wasn't making a joke when she said that.

"If I may, the Petty Officer is free to stay with me in my quarters until we can get this issue squared away" Evalyn offered, figuring it was an easier option then trying to find a room with someone else or throwing her into one of the guest rooms.

"No, crewman. Typically we stab our unwanted people out of an airlock. So you are safe for now. Just stay away from the marine section," Hawkins returned a joke in kind before he looked at the security officer. "Thank you for your offer but no. Until things calm down, she is to be in her own secured quarters. We aren't killing for space on this ship either. I have no doubt at some point we will have some more questions for you. But for now, Commander Ziyal, Lieutenant Toral, get her set up and secured for now. Doctor, let me know what your scans find on your next visit."

Tia gave a nod towards the Captain, a wary smile became evident, the engineer relaxing just slightly She felt she could trust Captain Hawkins somewhat and the rest of the Command Staff. Still though there was the wariness in her eyes, either way, her days of running was at an end. Mostly though she wanted to get back to work to do something.

"I do apologize for the difficulties I've caused you though." Tia quietly remarked. "And I am willing to go with what you have decided, Captain."

"You do not have to apologise Tia." Liala spoke with understanding. "What you went through has affected how you see others and the world we live in, I do not blame you for your actions as sometimes the mind finds a way to cope as best it can. I think for now what Captain Hawkins has said is the right thing for us all at the moment, and I will come by and check on you when is convenient if that is alright?" she asked.

"I am agreeable to that happening, Commander Ziyal." Tia replied. Right now she hoped she could get some sleep, if her mind or dreams would let her. She was feeling a bit haggard and weary at this time.

"Great." Liala said softly. "I think it is best that we adjourn for now. Let Tia get some rest and we'll revisit this a bit later." she looked over at the Captain who nodded back at her. "Then we are dismissed. Everyone knows what to do. Any questions then I am happy to answer." Liala said rising from her chair.

She noticed as the room began to thin out Tia walked a little slower than the rest but then again the exhaustion she'd be feeling both mentally and physically would put a strain on most. Liala would need to let her rest, then she could help her on the road to recovery.