Ensign Jania Nis - Conspiracy Theory #9
Jania Nis
(Gymnasium, Deck 5, Octavia E Butler)
Nilsen: Hold it up
The first time Jania realized she was not alone in the gymnasium was when she heard Lhandon shouting. She was, after all, nine meters up above them, nearing the highest point in the gym’s rock-climbing wall. It was a small wall compared to climbs she’d done on Trill, but better than nothing.
When she looked down, she saw Lhandon and Morro with two others she hadn’t seen as much. A Lieutenant Maxwell and another man she didn’t recognize.
Lhandon was wearing boxing gloves. Even from where she was, she could see his loose-fitting gym vest with his arms and visible tattoos of some sorts of geometric forms, and the lines of other tattoos that were not visible. He was not unattractive, and the mysterious tattoos gave him an unexpected appeal. She suddenly remembered touching his ankle to heal it. He had been so aggressive, then, and he looked aggressive now.
It was an awkward scene to hover over, so Jania looked away and continued her ascent.
Maxwell: Response
O’Reilly: Hey brother (beat) L-T, mind if I join you guys?
Nilsen: How the hell could he? ::punches bag:: I stood by him all this time. He’s just gone and thrown it all away!
Caras: Do… do you need me to ,uh, alternate holding the bag?
Maxwell: Response
Nilsen: Toxin has! Everything we had built in ops. ::Punches bag:: Everything we had together ::punches again:: He’s just thrown it away ::Punches repeatedly::
Maxwell: Response
O’Reilly: I think I saw him in the hall just now.
Caras: What does he think you did?
Nilsen: How dare I have thoughts of my own? ::punches bag:: How dare I use my initiative? ::punches bag again::
Maxwell: Response
Nilsen: And you know the worst part? ::punches bag:: Doing this right now ::punches bag:: to get it out of myself ::punches again:: I’m proving his damn point.
O’Reilly: Are you Lhando? Don’t you think he’s being a little stubborn from what I’ve heard?
oO Stubborn? Oo
Toxin really seemed to be acting erratically. But she didn’t know him. She didn’t know any of them, really. All she knew was the way she’d seen Ensign Guthrah react to the hallucinations--with a complete detachment from reality. And Toxin had been so evasive after he’d collapsed. Evasive ... and stubborn--hadn’t he told her point blank he’d still be drinking alcohol on the Dyson ring, although she’d warned him against it?
Caras: If not getting angry when you’re disrespected is wrong, then who really wants to be right?
Maxwell: Response
O’Reilly: What happened between you two?
Nilsen: I…I don’t even know. I just pulled me into the office and laid into me. I…I…
She tried not to listen, knowing it was wrong. But it was also interesting.
oO At least tell them you’re up here. Oo
oO Oh yeah? What do I do, shout down, “Hey everyone! Having a nice training session?” Oo
Caras: It’s hard to believe that he’d throw it all away. Did he dismiss you? Are you no longer Assistant Chief of ops?
Maxwell: Response
He paused to answer Morro’s question
Nilsen: No…I’ve still got the post…but I’m on gamma shift now…In other words…:hitting the bag again:: out ::hit:: of ::hit:: the ::hit:: way ::hit::
Teddy picked up some dumbells and started doing curls.
O’Reilly: You don’t have to share but…this seems so big. Never seen you like this.
Never seen him like this. Okay, there was something up. They were all affected by the entity on OVIV. She wasn’t just making it up.
Caras: Why does that seem worse than just flat out sending you to another duty post.
Nilsen: Because it is. This is how you manage someone out ::hits bag:: you reduce their work ::hits bag:: pull them away from anything they’re working on ::hits bag::
Maxwell/Any: Response
O’Reilly: What do you think caused it?
Caras: I couldn’t believe what he said about you on the last mission. I don’t think I would say that even if it were true for anyone.
Nilsen: The thing about me just being a circumstance of convivence??? ::hits bag:: Yeah I remember that ::hits bag:: and I was so willing to forget about it; you know…because of the visions and all the stuff ::hits:: but I know what exactly what started this. He wasn’t happy that my team got to negotiate with the UDP. ::hits bag:: Something I’m proud off ::hits bag:: First time ever I do something right ::hits bag:: I use my position for good and he don’t like it ::hits bag::
The punching bag was struck for the umpteenth time. Each hit that didn't have Lhandon saying something about the situation that had happened with himself and Lt Arlill only about an hour ago was punctuated with a curse or a yell of some kind.
O’Reilly/Nilsen/Maxwell/Any: Response
Caras: Maybe his new lover is jealous of you and wants you gone.
No! Lover?! That couldn’t be right. This was a medical issue, right?
oO Say something. Let them know you’re here. But don’t be weird about it. Oo
She turned to say something … and her foot slipped, and she lost her hold. In a matter of moments, she was rappelling down the side of the climbing wall. She landed, but they seemed too distracted by their conversation to notice. Lhandon had his back to her and hadn't acknowledged her. Still, she was now standing a few meters away.
Lhandon paused for a moment to catch his breath, he breathed in and out a few times and then looked up at Morro and his face said:
Nilsen: What?
Caras: I heard him say something about Henry under his breath during the last mission. It sounded… Intimate.
Nilsen: The guy down in waste processing? Dyed hair? The guy we both met here?
O’Reilly/Maxwell: Response
Nis: Uh … hi everyone! :: gulping:: Yeah, we didn’t hear any of that. Not sure what y’all are talking about at all. :: Scratching her neck :: Okay, well we’re done on the wall for the day. Have a nice train-- ::bites her tongue to avoid saying “have a nice training session” :: Yup.
This had to be the most embarrassing situation she’d gotten herself into in months. There was no reason she should be here. She should leave.
Nilsen: Where’d you come from? ::beat:: No…no…stick around doc. ::To Caras:: What you mean lover? Like he’s saying something to Arlill? ::Beat:: Nah…he would have…Arlill would have told me he’s dating? Right?
Jania knew she had to present her personal theory, although it lacked a bit on the evidence side. She bit her lip.
Nis: Dating, or, you know, maybe hallucinating a little.
Nilsen/O’Reilly/Maxwell/Caras: Response
Nis: He’s been acting a bit strange since the Dow incident. He visited medical for a follow-up after the Dow incident, and he wasn’t weird but . . . something was off. We don’t know. We’re missing some piece of the puzzle, that’s all we know.
Nilsen: We’re meant to be bros right? Me and Arlill. ::Beat:: How could I have missed that? No wonder he was slipping away all the time
Then the anger bubbled to the surface again.
Nilsen: But if this Henry is twisting things? ::: Sizing up the bag:: I’m going to rip his throat out.
Again, Lhandon struck the bag with full force. The intensity of his anger skyrocketed once more. Jania’s mouth dropped. Hadn’t he listened? She’d just said it wasn’t this Henry guy! It was some kind of post-traumatic hallucination, or maybe even the entity from OVIV still with them somehow.
Nilsen: Oh I bet I know what he said. I get too emotional ::beat:: and I need a break ::hits bag:: Well I’m sorry for caring about what happens in my OC and not sitting in my ivory tower ::hits bag:: I’m sorry that when I saw the worst moment of life on the Dow, I wasn’t as cold as a Vulcan.::hits bag:: I'm sorry your new boyfriend is manipulating you
Jania stared at Nilsen with her mouth wide, shaking her head slightly.
O’Reilly/Maxwell/Caras: Response
And then, Lhandon goes to do something stupid,.
Nilsen: I’m going to ::yells:: =/\= Computer locate Henr...
Yet, he is interrupted before he could do so.
Nis: Wait! If that is his boyfriend, we don’t know, that seems, like, really invasive. Just saying.
O’Reilly/Maxwell/Caras: Response
Nis: Maybe you’re right. But maybe one of us should do it. For example, we could call him into medical. Dr. Toz asked us to go through most of the crew anyway to make sure there weren’t lingering effects from the Dow. And it’s obvious that there are some, cause like we said, Lt. Toxin is probably hallucinating, so, you know, we should probably take a look at him anyway. But that way you’re not confronting him, we are. And it won’t even seem like a confrontation, it’ll just be natural doctor-speak.
O’Reilly/Maxwell/Caras/Nilsen: Response
Tags/TBC
Ensign Jania Nis
Medical Officer
USS Octavia E. Butler NCC-82850
O240108JN2