LT Aine Sherlock and Shevon Sherlock - This Isn't Over, Part 3

[Aine Sherlock]

((Apartment 302, Kowloon Block Apartments, Hong Kong Subdistrict, StarBase 118))

Aine hadn't talked about the Resolution to anyone outside of the crew that was there or counselors. It wasn't a particularly hot topic for her. There were so many memories, bad ones at that, wrapped up with. Death, loss, and a little ribbon that was a terrible reminder of a mistake made.

A. Sherlock: I can't tell you much about the mission as it's classified. But I can tell you that I was shot. I technically died. But I was revived. And during our escape, as I was standing there bleeding and in pain, I watched from a shuttle as it was destroyed. There were one hundred and fifty people assigned to it. Half a dozen of us weren't on it. At the time, I didn't know if anyone had made it off.

Shevon stared almost blankly at Aine. Here she thought that the young woman, her younger sister, had never experienced serious hardship. She felt for her, but she still wasn't sure if she could trust her. Some part of her didn't want to trust her.

A. Sherlock: I later found out that four... ::remembering the classified nature of one of the deaths:: thirteen of our crew lost their lives.

S. Sherlock: Why weren't you on the ship?

A. Sherlock: I can't tell you that.

S. Sherlock: If you had been, would it still have been destroyed?

A. Sherlock: I ask myself that every day. Would things have happened differently on that ship? Or what if I hadn't been shot, would we have gotten back to it sooner and been able to stop it? These are things I replay and relive every damn day.

S. Sherlock: What did you do about it? How did you move on?

A. Sherlock: I don't think I ever have.

That was the truth. Starfleet had done their best to help them. And some of them did move on. She never did. It was an oddity within herself that Aine struggled with. Her first mission after being posted to the Resolution had taken a turn. The away team she was on ended up in a firefight. Life or death depended on quick reactions without thinking. It seemed to be something she had no problem with. She'd been in many fights as a teenager, but nothing so serious as that one. She took twelve lives that day, and not once since has she ever questioned it. Not once has she ever dwelled on it. Not once did it ever invade her dreams. Death, she thought, wasn't something that affected her. But she was wrong. When it came to the deaths of those she knew or those she was sworn to protect, it overwhelmed her in a way she could never have imagined.

A. Sherlock: They, Starfleet, brought in a team of counselors to help us. All it seemed they ever did was ask how I was feeling. Give us exercises and ::beat:: methods they thought would help us mentally. Really, all I wanted was someone to tell me I was going to be alright. Not breathing exercises or recreational activities or ::beat:: Risian distractions.

Shevon was beginning to see what Aine was getting at. That she didn't want her going down the same path. But she wasn't even sure if that's what she wanted or needed. But at this point, she didn't have anything else...maybe that was the point. She also didn't trust anyone. How could she start over among people she didn't even know? Was it worth the risk?

S. Sherlock: Maybe ::beat:: I'll take you up on the offer. But, what if it doesn't work out? The job.

A. Sherlock: Well, you're still free to stay here. I'm not going to turn my back on you. We'll just find you something you can do.

S. Sherlock: Ok. But, I don't have any money. What I did have saved was all on the Delight in gold pressed latinum.

A. Sherlock: You don't need to pay for anything right now. I'll take care of it. The rent on the apartment is covered. And, if you need anything, I'll grant access to my credits. Furniture, food, anything. And, as you saw, you have access to the apartment, you're free to come and go as you please.

Shevon's eyes diverted again as she took another sip of her coffee.

S. Sherlock: Thank you. No one's ever helped me before other than my father...my captain.

A. Sherlock: I'm glad to help. And, I hope that I can help you see things differently. I know you don't think highly of Starfleet, but we are here to help people. We're not always perfect, sometimes, far from it. But we try.

The pair sat in silence for a moment, sipping their drinks before conversation turned to sharing of their lives. Things they'd done, places they'd gone. There were few smiles, just polite exchanges of histories. Neither was quite ready for niceties just yet. Neither was ready to openly acknowledge their paternal connection. Time was what they would need, and time was what they now had.

End (for now)

Shevon Sherlock
Recently Unemployed

and

Lieutenant Aine Sherlock

Tactical Officer

StarBase 118 Ops

R239712AS0