LtJG Jovenan – Out of the closet
Jovenan
((Section 12, Deck 3, USS Artemis))
She hoped she was doing the right thing.
The doors opened. Before exiting the turbolift and resuming their journey to Commander Adea’s quarters, Jovenan turned to Doctor Sadar once again. She had apologised for touching the Doctor’s hand earlier – her Edo upbringing really made it difficult to remain faithful to her personal rule of not touching the offworlders without their permission – but she felt like she had more to apologise for.
Jovenan: And I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable in other ways as well. I’m… I’m not good at this. This whole leading thing. But, uh, let’s focus on saving Doctor Adea for now, okay?
The Doctor smiled a little. It wasn’t a sardonic smile but, while maybe not confident smile either, it was a friendly smile, an empathetic smile.
Sadar: Yes Sir. ::looks around:: Uhhh… Commander Adea’s quarters are… Compartment Zero-Six, right?
Jovenan had never visited his quarters before and had had little reason to memorize it either. When Doctor Adea had been the XO, she had obviously memorised the location on Deck 2, but after he had been transferred back to CMO, she hadn’t paid much attention to his new dwelling. But it was in this sector, she remembered that much, so it wouldn’t be far.
Jovenan: Umm, sounds right.
They hastily walked along the corridor to the door of the compartment Doctor Sadar had named. Reaching it, the door displayed a sign identifying it as Doctor Adea’s room. Jovenan wasn’t sure what they would find in there. If they were right and he was kept here, they had no way of knowing in what state he was in. Chained and gagged, probable, but it was also possible they would find him… what used to be him…
Sadar: Umm… I, uhh… Permission to proceed, Sir?
Jovenan hesitated. If they were right, they might save him or find his remains. But if they weren’t, they would be guilty of trespassing. Trespassing was a crime, and the penalty of all crimes was death. She shouldn’t have the door opened. But on the other hand, if Doctor Adea was indeed behind these doors, they would have the means and reasonable believe they could save his life. They had the duty to rescue, and failing to do so was a crime, and the penalty of all crimes was death.
Even if Starfleet didn’t practice capital punishment anymore and they wouldn’t actually be executed, Jovenan couldn’t live with knowledge that she and Doctor Sadar were criminals. She looked at the Doctor; no, Jovenan alone was the criminal. She would give the order to open the door and Doctor Sadar was merely following reasonable orders. Sure, the Edo law didn’t allow exception for such circumstance, but maybe her counterpart was right after all. She was a bad Edo.
Jovenan: Make it so.
The Doctor nodded.
Sadar: Computer, enable emergency medical access to Commander Genkos Adea’s quarters, Override Code Sadar-Theta-Sigma-Three-One.
The doors unlocked. Doctor Sadar gave her a concerned look, but Jovenan knew that she had, as humans said, crossed the Rubicon.
Jovenan: Let’s, uh, try to find something with a tricorder before walking much more inside.
Taking just a few steps into Doctor Adea’s private room, Jovenan looked around. Considering their expectations, the room looked calm. There were no obvious signs of struggle nor a dead body. If it hadn’t been her close colleague, Jovenan might have been disappointed not finding anything indicating his captivity or death yet. For all it looked, she had been wrong. She regretted ever coming here.
Sadar: Lieutenant, over here!
The Doctor’s shout awakened Jovenan from her penitent thoughts. She turned her head towards the direction pointed to her by the Doctor. Walking closer to the closet, Jovenan could swear she heard a quiet whine.
Jovenan: Doctor Adea? Are you there? Do we, uh, have permission to come to your quarters?
There was no answer, but the tricorder reading was clear: there was something with lifesigns within the garderobe. It could be Doctor Adea, in which case he was alive, as dead bodies don’t show heartbeat on tricorder. Jovenan took a hold of the handles and prepared to open the doors.
oO It better not be his canine. Oo
She opened the wardrobe doors and looked to the bottom of it. There lied, tied and gagged but alive, Doctor Adea. Shocked by seeing her dear colleague pale and likely starved by days of imprisonment, Jovenan quickly kneeled onto the floor by his side and rushed to remove his gag. He quickly gasped air in, almost as he had held his breath the entire time.
Adea: Thank the four. Toto - he’s in the bathroom, can one of you let him out please?
Jovenan was worried of his condition and pleased to have found him alive, but the fact that his primary concern was his canine amused her a bit.
Jovenan: ::to Sadar:: You take care of him, I’ll go release Toto. ::to Adea:: Aye, sir. Good to see you again, sir.
Sadar: Response
Jovenan rose from the floor and stepped back, allowing Doctor Sadar to get closer to her patient. She left the two officers for a while, walking to the bathroom. She felt much lighter now, relieved that they had saved Doctor Adea, that he wasn’t dead, and that they hadn’t trespassed to his home.
Adea: Don’t untie my wrists too quickly - it can cause damage… ::he paused:: Sorry, you probably knew that already Gila. What’s going on, where is everyone, what’s happening? Can I have a glass of water please?
Jovenan walked to the bathroom door, hearing silent but now clear whining behind it. She opened the door, and a small creature rushed out, yapped a few times to her before dashing to his master. Smiling at the pet’s joy of seeing Doctor Adea again, Jovenan now headed to the replicator.
Jovenan: I’m sorry to tell this, sir, but we’re currently under attack by the alternate universe crew. We don’t actually know all the details yet, as we came here as soon as we realised you might have been replaced by your counterpart. ::to the replicator:: A glass of water, chill.
Sadar/Adea: Response
Jovenan joined Doctor Sadar in helping Doctor Adea come out of the closet. As soon as the Doctor had his hand freed, Jovenan offered the glass to him.
Jovenan: The Intel department intercepted a message, apparently by my counterpart since it was written in our language. We couldn’t decode it entirely, but it said that somebody’s going to do something to the Artemis, and just a moment later a group of the Desdemona crew beamed over, including my and your counterparts, and…
Her brief recount of the events was cut short when the comm system chirped.
MacKenzie: =/\= This is Captain MacKenzie. The alternate MacKenzie is somewhere on Deck 15. She is armed and considered dangerous, and should be apprehended at all costs. There are other members of the Desdemona crew on board – they should be located and detained immediately. =/\=
Jovenan frowned hearing the announcement. The thought that the Captain might be replaced, like Doctor Adea had been, had crossed her mind; she didn’t know which one this was.
Adea/Sadar: Response
Jovenan: Are you sure you’re in condition to resume your duties, sir? You must have been in the closet for a long time.
Adea/Sadar: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant JG Jovenan
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11