Lt Jovenan – The Offworlder Mercy
Jovenan
((Rakantha Central Hospital, Bajor))
Fools.
That’s what the Captain had called them. And for her own part, Jovenan couldn’t disagree.
The medication she had been given had certainly helped her calm down, to be more aloof, smile at each nurse or doctor she had encountered, rejoice that they had all survived ― yet the Captain’s gaze, as piercing as the shrapnel had been, brought Jovenan back to the reality. The reality, that she had ruined the lives and careers of one or more of her subordinates.
Jovenan: Captain, I was leading an exercise for Ensigns Savel, Chevalier and Gnai as well as Crewman Renirs. Gnai and Renirs discovered a transporter-proven cave, which they entered with my permission and where Renirs stepped on a weight triggered explosive. Due to Renirs’ injuries, I ordered Savel and Chevalier to proceed with immediate rescue attempts, during with Chevalier also stepped on a mine and suffered severe injuries.
Gnai: The cave was investigated relating to the... tricorder... training... mission...
Trying to remain still, Jovenan stood in front of the Captain, trying to somehow shield the Ensigns from the Captain’s wrath. Every moment of it, she wanted to break her stiff posture and fall to the ground and somehow banish the scene from her presence. But she had an obligation, she had a duty to stand there and receive whatever the Captain deemed she deserved.
MacKenzie: Where is Renirs?
Jovenan: Crewman Renirs is in another ward, and she was making a full recovery as I last saw her. Ensigns Gnai and Savel survived without injuries. The cave is being investigated by the Bajoran authorities.
The Captain nodded in acknowledgment of the report. Jovenan had left out the report of her own wounds; she saw no purpose in trying to seek the Captain’s pity to her or to put herself on a pedestal, when it had been the Ensigns who had saved the team and had paid the harshest of prices. Besides, she stood there in a hospital gown, the surgical bandage in her shoulder very visible. The Captain would ask if she’d care to know, and no such question was being posed.
The Captain moved her finger, inviting Jovenan to confusedly turn her head. Behind her, she saw the same image of Chevalier as before, lying on the hospital bed pale and enervated, much like the dead corpse Jovenan had once witnessed. However, there was a difference: Chevalier was awake and moving!
Gnai: Are you okay, Chevalier?
Jovenan was visibly astonished, joyous and concerned of him as she turned her entire body towards the bed and stepped closer. She placed her hand by the railing of the bed, near his hand but not touching.
Jovenan: Jaseb, Jaseb, can you hear us? How do you feel?
Chevalier: Response
She smiled, as much as she could under the circumstances, even let out an involuntary whimper out of relieve and joy. That moment, for the first time in hours, she could shed away the memory of blood, of darts piercing through his body, of shredded flesh and bone. As much destruction as she had seen today, she was genuinely happy to hear his voice.
MacKenzie: Lieutenant, a word?
Jovenan turned quickly her head away from Chevalier and towards the Captain, staring right into her eyes. She looked quickly at Chevelier and Gnai, before turning away and following her commanding officer to a corner of the room. The brief moment of joy had vanished, and she once more adopted the serious demeanour as she stood before the Captain, ready to receive her reprimand, her punishment.
MacKenzie: You’ll be responsible for overseeing his recovery and that of Crewman Renirs. You’ll also be responsible for collecting the information from the Bajorans about whatever they uncover in that cave.
Jovenan wanted to shout. She wanted to cry out and explain that she had done everything right; she had researched the area, she had verified that the local authorities had declared it safe, she had filed in detailed plans, she had scanned the location before starting the exercise, she had done her best to mitigate the damage at the risk of her own life. She had done everything according to the rules, the regulations, the laws.
And yet, she knew such a protest was futile. Two people under her charge had been injured, and there was no excuse that could absolve her of that responsibility. She knew that, and she was aware that the Captain thought so too, even if their reasoning was different. The Edo morality, her moral compass, which had pried itself stuck to her brain, ticked in her scull so loudly she could have been deafened by it; she had caused danger and injury to befall unto her subordinates, and there was no difference between her negligence and hurting them with her own hands.
And the worst part…
The worst part was that she knew that the Captain wouldn’t set her free of her responsibilities and proceed with her quick and painless execution. No, the Captain was not an Edo mediator. She’d force Jovenan to live with her quilt and make her suffer from her choices now and in the future.
That was the mercy of an offworlder.
Jovenan: Aye, Captain.
Despite her internal turmoil, Jovenan tried to keep her response collected and her voice unwavering. Everything here would have been alien to her once, but she knew which service she had signed up to – the one, where a Vulcan was the yardstick of a strong and stable officer.
MacKenzie: Consider yourself lucky none of them died.
…
When Jovenan had been a wee ensign, she had been scared of all the senior officers. Over her time in the service, she had learnt to know some of them, not to be afraid of them and even befriend them. Had it been Vitor, Talos, or maybe even Genkos who stood before her right now, she wouldn’t have shied away from breaking in front of them, to cry and bawl of what she had seen and what had happened to them, to lean in to them for support.
But the Captain was not one of those people.
So, when the first tear rolled down her cheek, she felt shame of appearing weak before the Captain. She could only pretend that there hadn’t been a crack in her shell and fight the urge to wipe her eyes.
Jovenan: ::wavering:: Aye, Captain.
MacKenzie: Response
Jovenan’s shoulder ached. Maybe the pain medication was wearing out, or maybe she had made yet another error in ignoring the nurse’s order to rest for now. At the corners of her eyes, she could see doctors and nurses giving her occasional looks. She couldn’t tell if they judged her or felt pity for her; she ignored them.
Jovenan: C-captain, if I may use this occasion to commend on the b-bravery of Ensigns Savel, Gnai and Chevalier. Their actions and d-dedication prevented any further injury.
She wanted to add, “they deserve sympathy”, but she didn’t want to dictate to the Captain how she should treat those under her command. No matter how she tried to remain composed and formal, her weak and wavering voice let out what she felt at the moment. It would have been self-delusion to think the Captain didn’t notice it and use it to determine the true nature of the woman she had installed as her Chief Science Officer.
An error, that Jovenan was sure the Captain regretted.
MacKenzie: Response
Jovenan: ::lowers head, defeated:: Aye, Captain.
Her gaze lowered to the floor, she walked from the corner and rejoined Gnai and Chevalier by the latter’s bed. Placing her hands by the railing, she studied his body and the bandage-covered wounds silently for a moment before meeting his eyes.
Jovenan: J… Ensign Chevalier. How much do you remember of what happened?
MacKenzie/Chevalier/Gnai: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant Jovenan
Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11