Ensign Jocelyn Marshall - Solidarity
Jo Marshall
(( Operations Division, Starfleet Headquarters, Earth ))
:: Steaming mug in hand, Jo retrieved the Captain’s maroon jacket from the well trimmed rhamnus shrub outside of the Admiralty building. The gold things that had been a part of the flinging were pips, now sitting in the underlying dirt. She picked them up and slipped them into her pocket. Avoiding having to put the mug down, she tossed the jacket over her shoulder and followed the path that she had briefly seen the Captain walk down. If she found her? Bonus. If she didn’t? At least she could get some sunshine.
:: Which, upon reflection, wasn’t entirely a good thing considering she had just walked out of an Operations Administration session, ordered by the Admiral no less, to clue up the missing reports from the Gorkon. A jacket could be replicated. Her admin would be waiting for her back at the office. She rolled her eyes at her impulsivity but reasoned that she needed to find the Captain. She had displayed behaviour the young Ensign wasn’t accustomed to. They could add another hour on to her required administration. It wouldn’t kill her.
:: However, it didn’t take long before she saw the unmistakable senior Officer, face pressed tightly into her hands, sat on a bench alone despite the myriad of curious beings wandering about around them.
:: Jo approached cautiously, just in case the Captain decided to set her on fire or strangle her with the arms of her discarded jacket. It was only when she got closer she saw her shoulders wavering and noticed the sound of crying. This woman, who had led them through hell, was now sobbing on a bench, in bright sunshine, at the side of the flower lined pathway.
:: Within a moment, thoughts bubbled up inside her head. She should leave her alone, it might have been the only time to cry she’d had since coming back. She should put down the jacket on the bench and turn back for the admin building, before the Andorian decided to rat her out, then had a strange mental image of the Admiral stalking out to drag her back in by the collar.
:: As she stood beside the bench, an inquisitive Commander walked by earning a less than reassuring smile from a less than reassuring young woman. It only highlighted to the Ops Officer how unusual this scene was in the hallowed sanctuary of Starfleet Command.
:: Jo placed the mug of coffee down on the bench, then folded up the jacket and set it neatly beside the steaming drink. Sliding her hand into her pocket, she retrieved the pips and lay them down on top of the maroon uniform. It looked like the essentials of a Starfleet Officer, rolled into one secure package. Briefly considering sitting down and speaking to the Captain, she decided against it.
:: Instead, Jo momentarily touched the Captain’s shoulder, an indication of solidarity in trying times and a gesture she hoped would convey the meaning. Then, she turned and headed back for the administration building, fighting against the urge to try to help in a situation she knew very little about. The weight of command was a heavy one; this much she understood.
:: The last thing the Captain needed was an Ensign attempting to make her feel better.::
Ensign Jocelyn Marshall
Operations Officer
USS Gorkon
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