LtJG Jovenan – Paranoid rambling
Jovenan
((Primary Sickbay, Deck 7, USS Artemis))
Upon hearing about the message, the Captain had given clear instructions: Commander Dakora and the security were to observe the alternate universe visitors and the engineering team kept working on their ship, while Jovenan would join Adea in trying to complete the partial message to find out what their counterparts were up to.
There was one problem. Jovenan couldn’t find Commander Adea.
Jovenan: Oh, we must have gone to look for the another at the same time. I’ll go after him, when did he leave his office?
The much taller medical officer blinked. Jovenan wondered if there was something wrong in the way she had asked that.
Sadar: Oh, uhh, sorry. What I meant is, he hasn’t been in Sickbay today.
Jovenan raised her eyebrows a little. Sure, it made sense that the Commander might not be in his office at all times and that it might had been silly for her to presume she could find him there whenever she needed him. Still, it surprised her that he had not reported for work the entire day. Had something happened to him?
Jovenan: Really? I thought this was his shift.
Sadar: It, uhh… Was supposed to be, yes. Since the appearance of the CIC Desdemona, Commander Adea has been… Uhh, pulled away(?) from Sickbay on a more frequent basis.
Huh. The arrival of the Desdemona had interrupted their work, after all, Jovenan herself had spent days trying to study the prismagons and find a way to send the counterpart crew back to where they belonged to. As such, it wouldn’t be so surprising that Doctor Adea would have to dedicate some of his work time to… something else. Jovenan hadn’t attended all meetings – as only a deputy department head, she wasn’t invited in all of them, either – but she didn’t remember the Commander receiving orders that would pull him away from the Sickbay for days. It didn’t make much sense either, since the alternate crew had come here, on the Artemis, for medical treatment. What was he doing all day, then? PADDwork?
Jovenan: He hasn’t been working here for a few days?
Doctor Sadar became visibly more uncomfortable discussing the matter. Jovenan felt bad and considered apologising to her, finding Doctor Morgan, the ACMO, and asking him the same questions. Or maybe she’d just ignore the anxious Ensign, walk out and call Adea directly. It likely wasn’t as big a mystery Jovenan’s tired brain was turning it to be.
Sadar: W-We, I, that is… Well, he does use his office sometimes, but usually just to access the consoles?
Jovenan: Okay then. Did he leave you any instructions?
Sadar: ::shakes her head:: I haven’t received any specific orders, no. I’ve just, uhh, filled in for the shifts where he said he had other business to attend to… ::thinking:: Which has been… All of them. B-But, I'm sure the apperance of the Desdemona kept all of you very.. Busy? ::concerned:: Lieutenant? Are you okay, Sir?
Doctor Sadar hadn’t imagined things noticing Jovenan had something in her mind. Jovenan’s confusion and concern was obvious even without empathetic capabilities as she frowned and moved eyes side to side. There was something odd about the situation. No, this was definitely a mystery.
Ever since Doctor Adea had impaled Lt Silveira with a sword and tried to kill Jovenan as well, she had had nightmares of something similar happening again. Back then, his natural brainwaves had been disrupted by the influence of Da’allium and the Da’al mental abilities, turning him and the other telepaths into murderous zombies. That experience had taught Jovenan to be wary of her colleagues’ behaviour. Besides, reading about the history of Starfleet, she had learnt that if a senior officer behaved in an unusual manner without a reason, things were likely seriously wrong.
And leaving the Sickbay for days, without orders or organizing replacements, without explanation or, as it seemed, any reason whatsoever, was not what Doctor Adea was like.
Jovenan: ::shakes head: Yes, uh… Computer, locate Doctor Adea.
Computer: Commander Adea in on Deck 8, Security Centre.
Sadar: Response?
Security Centre? If it weren’t for the explicit order from the Captain for her to meet him, it would have made some sense. The Doctor was more than just a skilled physician but also a great leader, whose efforts in coordinating the security measures might be needed considering the security crisis they were about to encounter, thanks in part to her scheming counterpart. Maybe she was wrong after all…
Her counterpart…
Counterpart…
Jovenan: ::sighs:: Doctor, this may sound strange, but when you’ve seen Doctor Adea the last few days, has he behaved otherwise oddly? Has he been, uh, avoiding you or other staff, or doing things different from usual?
Sadar: Response
Jovenan: Sorry, I, uh… Computer… Has Doctor Adea been on board the Artemis the entirety of the last few hours?
Computer: Negative.
Jovenan eyes widened. She wished she had been wrong; she still could be. It would be a lot easier to explain that she was sleep deprived resulting in her trauma of the sword incident surfacing causing her to be paranoid. There was a lot she needed to talk with Hiro after this. But all the signs were pointing at one thing.
She gently grasped Doctor Sadar by hand and pulled her away from the main room of the Sickbay and to a quiet alcove.
Sadar: Response
Jovenan: A while ago, Commander Dakora and the other intel crew discovered a message I helped decode. We believe the alternate crew might be planning to attack the Artemis.
Sadar: Response
Jovenan: Doctor Adea hasn’t had reason to visit the other ship right now. I need you to think very carefully, is there a way we could…
Jovenan’s sentence was cut short, when the lights in the room unexpectedly dimmed as the emergency batteries took over from the main power source.
Sadar: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant JG Jovenan
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11