Lt. JG Natasha Cole - Was Getting Stabbed Worth It?

[Natasha Schell]

((Sickbay - Deck 7 - USS Artemis-A))

 

Natasha noticed him tapping the back of his tricorder. She didn’t know the Doctor well enough to know if it was a casual trait, nervous tick or just his way of making the gremlins in the tricorder work faster.

 

Morgan: So what happened back there? In the Boraxian apartment building after you went into the hallway?

 

She tilted her head slightly, surprised because she was honest in her official report, but maybe Doctor Morgan hadn’t gotten to it yet.

 

Cole: As I put in my report. I went into the hallway to sweep for others needing medical assistance. I retraced our steps to where our first patients had come from and discovered, ::shifting her vision to recall:: a Boraxian woman nearly startled me, she was covered in wounds similar to the two we already knew about.

 

Morgan: Right. I get that part.

 

Cole: After a brief assessment, she informed me ‘He’s chasing us’ as six additional victims came through the door. Ranging from mild to severe wounds, in that commotion one shouted he was coming. Which is when I called you, informing you of the inbound wounded.

 

Doctor Morgan closed his eyes and nodded.

 

Morgan: I know all that. I'm talking about after that.

 

Cole: Looking down the stairs the attacker made themselves known, and I was faced with a decision. Retreat and either he makes it to you, Lieutenant Bergmen and the wounded or stay and delay attempting to stop him. ::beat:: If faced with the decision again, the only thing I’d have done differently would be to call it in and possibly get reinforcements.

  

Morgan: I'm going to give you a piece of unsolicited advice, as someone who knows the captain better than pretty much anyone aboard: it's a fine line between heroism and recklessness, and it's important to know on which side of the line you fall.

 

Knows the captain better than anyone aboard… Oh. Oh. Well, that’s… blunt for a medical exam. She blinked once, keeping her expression neutral while her mind sprinted ahead. Wait. No, he means professionally … right? Probably.

 

As he continued speaking, the penny dropped. Right. Advice, not gossip, Natasha. He’s trying to warn you.

 

Cole: ::nodding:: I understand …

 

Doctor Morgan smirked and raised his index finger.

 

Morgan: But it's also important not to try to anticipate what the captain might think of any given decision you make - oftentimes, you'll lose.

 

Cole: I would never try and guess what Captain McKenzie thinks. That’s a facet of command that’s

 

He offered a smirk, a slight shrug, and cheekily flicked his tricorder shut.

 

Morgan: So I guess the only question is: was getting stabbed worth it?

 

Was it worth it? She thought to herself. She took stock of what she knew, Doctor Morgan was there to ask his question, Ollie was doing whatever he was preoccupied with, and the Boraxians survived. To think out there somewhere there’s a universe she wasn’t there so Was it worth it?...

 

Cole: ::looking directly at Morgan:: Yes

 

Morgan: Response

 

Cole: Once upon a time, I think I danced a little too close to that line. Before I… figured myself out. Back then, it was easy to confuse running toward danger with running from something. I thought if I kept proving myself, people would stop questioning who I was.”

 

She glanced down, flexing her hand unconsciously before continuing.

Cole: Now, I know better. I know who I am … I just needed the rest of the world to let me be her. So no, I’m not planning to cross that line again. But if it means saving someone else from it, I won’t hesitate to stand on it.

 

Morgan: Response

 

Cole: ::looking past the Doctor inquisitively:: Doctor are you aware there is a rock attached to the ceiling of your office?

 

Morgan: Response

 

Tags/TBC

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Lt. JG Natasha Cole
Security Officer
USS Artemis-A
Writer ID A240205NC4