[G] Lt. Alora DeVeau - "From Darkness Into Light" (Egan Manno, Skyfire)

[Amanda Nordstrom]

OOC Thanks for putting that all together so it flows. :)



(( DeVeau’s Quarters ))


:: In a way, the darkness was welcome after everything. With all the
noise and craziness, the constant presence of someone, a hostile someone
at that, the darkness and quiet were therapeutic. Couple that with the
fact that she was out and out exhausted, Alora was grateful for the
serenity her quarters afforded. The couch was familiar, welcoming. As
she settled into its embrace, the tightness in her chest slowly eased,
and one by one, her muscles began to relax. Although it had been some
time ago, Alora tried to employ what few meditation techniques Saveron
had taught her. She wished he was there, wished she could go to his
quarters, vent to him, let it out. Although he’d never expressed any
sort of emotional response to anything she’d said or done, somehow,
Alora had felt safe with him. He was gone, though, and she was alone.


Alone. For hours, Alora had been captive by a being who had used her,
forced her to do things that she had never even imagined doing, not even
in anger. Even though it hadn’t been her hands that had surrounded their
necks, constricted their airways, cut off their blood supply, somehow
she could still feel it. She could feel the swell of their throats, the
tightness, the pulse that throbbed angrily, then desperately until it
slowly faded and then finally fell silent.


Suddenly, the darkness and silence didn’t seem so welcome as it had
before, for among them she couldn’t help but bring to mind the faces of
each victim, the sound of each muffled cry. Her heart twisted and the
torrent that had threatened her when she had woken to the face of her
captain could no longer be contained. Tears stung at her eyes and great,
wracking sobs threw her body into convulsions. Although the couch
welcomed her further as she pressed her face into its pillows, it could
not offer support or comfort, but remained a soft, silent witness to her
pain.::


Egan Manno: Alora? Are you here?


::That voice. She’d woken up to its gentle tones once already and there
she was, slowly drifting away from sleep to that same voice once more.
How had she gotten inside? Because she was captain, of course. Doors
wouldn’t be able to stop her if she felt like she needed to get
somewhere. As her hand reached to wipe tears from her cheeks, Alora
pushed herself up with the other. The saltwater hadn’t fully dried - she
hadn’t been asleep all that long then. Her mouth opened to speak, when
the door split to allow someone else in - that time, Doctor Skyfire. Of
course he’d be able to enter as well - especially if there was an
emergency. Did she count as an emergency?::


Skyfire: Captain. Lieutenant.


DeVeau: Here.


::She finally spoke, her voice cracking in protest to the violent
bawling it had been subjected to just moments prior.::


DeVeau: Is something wrong?

Egan Manno?


Skyfire: Oh, just makin’ the rounds. Checking on the crew and all that jazz.


::Right. Checking on the crew. Checking on her. In a way, she’d been the
cause for all the destruction and chaos. Indirectly, she’d been the
reason for the deaths and injuries that had occurred. Tears threatened
again, but with the presence of others, she was able to fight them back
more easily.


RESPONSE?

DeVeau: Oh...right. Computer, lights, morning program.


::That meant they would flick on, but dim, then slowly grow brighter
which would allow the eyes a gentler adjustment period.::

RESPONSE?


::She managed a smile, though it was a ghost of what she might normally
have offered.::


DeVeau: I’m okay. Really.


::Not.::


RESPONSE?


**************


Lt. Alora DeVeau

Chief of Science

USS Garuda