JP - Crewmen James Walsh & Senior Chief Yoshi Tenzin - Objects At Rest - Part 3
blacknight3022
It was the middle of the nightshift, and Senior Chief Tenzin should’ve been asleep. Instead, he was wrestling with an uncooperative navigational array on one of the Indefatigable’s shuttles well past the end of his shift. Minor faults had developed on most of their complement of smallcraft, as all their shuttles had hundreds of fresh hours on them. They’d transferred crewmen and material to and from the crippled USS Thor almost non-stop since arriving to assist. With the ships well on their way back to Federation territory, they finally had a chance to get caught up on repairs. As the computer cycled through a diagnostic, Tenzin leaned back and thought about it - the images of the Thor, gutted and bent, would stay with him a long time. Tenzin was about to turn his attention back to the diagnostic when nearby, a large metal tool struck the deck with a resounding clank, ringing the deckplate like a gong.
Tenzin: R’wak, is that you? You’re not supposed to be on duty for another three hours.
The pain made James blink and see stars. How could he be so stupid. The tool box had been sitting atop a small crate and when he bumped it James had instinctively reached out to grab the dislodged tool with his new cybernetic hand. Catching the falling device went about as well as one could expect from something that had been recently drilled into his flesh.
James held his breath through the pain and tried to remain perfectly silent as someone called out. He drew the tiny type I phaser he had managed to acquire on his trek down to the shuttlebay and held the weapon in his good hand.
The lack of response made the situation odder still, and Tenzin's curiosity was piqued. He’d made it two steps back towards the shuttles hatch when a wild eyed, one handed crewman he’d never seen before stumbled onto the ramp, holding a phaser in one shaky hand.
Walsh: Stop right there!
Tenzin’s hands moved slowly towards his comm badge.
Tenzin: Son, why don’t you just let me call someone to…
James looked wildly about the shuttlebay. This chief was the only one in sight. There were no witnesses. He could end it now and just get away. He could get to Liz. A small voice from the back of his mind however questioned it all. Could he really shoot a fellow starfleet member? With as much resolve as he could muster, James raised the phaser and pointed it square at the man’s chest.
Walsh: Don’t even think about it. Get your hands away from that badge. I’ll shoot! I swear, I’ll do it.
Tenzin’s eyebrows knitted together. The young man looked frantic and desperate, which was a worrisome combination. He also looked...terribly scared.
Tenzin: What’s this all about, son? I know the food around here isn’t Galaxy class, but the mochi ice cream the replicator spits out is pretty decent. Let me get you a bowl.
Walsh: STOP. I already told you. I’ll shoot! Don’t do anything.
Tenzin: Well then, I guess I’m your hostage, Crewman. Now what’s the plan? I don’t think the Captain’s gonna pay much to get me back.
Everything had gotten so complicated so fast. Why couldn’t things have just gone to plan? Why couldn’t he have just snuck into the shuttle and gotten away to see Liz? Why did everything have to be so hard? Life was unrelenting. The uncertainty of it all nearly overcame him in that moment and it took all of the willpower James could muster to stand his ground.
Walsh: I’m.. I’m taking this shuttle, and you’re not going to do anything to stop me.
Tenzin: One minor problem - this shuttle isn’t going anywhere. Half the navigation array is on a table behind you. I think the Crick is flight ready, but she’s down the other end of the bay. I’ll show you.
Without waiting for a reply, Senior Chief Tenzin wiped his hands on a work rag and began walking out of the cabin, past the stupefied man holding the phaser and towards the other end of the bay. Past the entirely operational shuttles Salk, Lister, Curie and McCoy. Behind him, his ‘captor’ was sounding winded.
James didn’t know what to do. He already knew deep down he couldn’t shoot the man. He loved Liz, and he’d die for her, but he couldn’t bring himself to attack someone for her. Not like this. He wouldn’t shoot an innocent man in the back. Tentatively, he lowered the phaser and followed.
He was tired just from the walk to the shuttlebay, and as the adrenaline in his body slowly bled off, the exertion from the little adventure began to get to him. The words of Doctor Peretti resounded in his head. The two walked past shuttle after shuttle.
Walsh: (Breathlessly) Chief… I’m sorry. I don’t want to do this, but I have to get off of this ship. Liz. I have to get to Liz.
Tenzin: Sounds pretty serious, son...I’m sure your girl would appreciate you stealing a shuttle, assaulting a fellow officer….going AWOL….ending your career....bet she’ll just love all of that. Very romantic.
They were nearly at the other end of the bay, but James just couldn’t keep it up. He had hit the limits of his frail body, both physically and emotionally. With the sudden-ness of a candle flickering out, he dropped the phaser and slumped to his knees against a cargo container.
Walsh: My wife, Liz. We were on the Thor together. She was right in front of me when we got hit. I… I thought she died that day. I swear. She just disappeared in the hull breach. I don’t know what happened...
Tenzin: What did happen, son?
Walsh: (verge of tears) Somehow she made it. She’s alive. They just told me earlier this week, but she’s not doing well. She’s on DS9 and she's dying. I’m losing her all over again and there’s nothing I can do about it.
Tenzin: I’m very sorry to hear that, young man. Doesn’t quite explain all of...this, though.
Walsh: You don’t understand Chief! The shuttles are faster than the Indefatigable while she’s towing the Thor. I can get back to Liz again before she dies this time. (sobbing) I… I can actually say goodbye!
Tenzin turned and leaned against the shuttle, crossing his arms over his chest. His would be assailant had stumbled to the ground several meters back and was leaning heavily against a cargo container, wheezing and winded. The phaser was on the deck, forgotten entirely. Tenzin thought of his own family - his wife and children, safe back on Archer IV. When he spoke again, his voice was nothing but sympathetic.
Tenzin: Son, I’ve never met your wife but I suspect she’d take issue with you killing yourself and ending your career just to hover over her bed till the Security team dragged you to a cell. In fact, that biomonitor on your skull is blinking pretty fast, I suspect they’d be strapping you to a biobed right next to her.
Tenzin heard the shuttlebay doors open and a commotion of footsteps and voices, urgently calling out for a Crewman James Walsh. Senior Chief Tenzin crossed to the winded, distraught crewman and crouched down next to him, putting one hand on his shoulder while the other slowly grabbed and pocketed the phaser.
Tenzin: James….you’ve suffered, and your wife has suffered...hell, your entire crew has suffered. If you keep behaving like this, you’ll just be adding to their suffering - and I don’t think that’s really what you want. Is it, son?
James looked into the man’s eyes. The tears of frustration were threatening to return, but he was just so tired. He was ready for the ordeal to end.
Walsh: (with a sigh of resignation). . . No. No it’s not.
The voices were getting closer. They had seconds at most.
Tenzin: I didn’t think so. When they get here, you let me do the talking, alright?
Walsh: Might as well Chief. There’s not much I can say for myself now. It’s over.
A frantic looking Doctor whose hair suggested she had been deep asleep very recently rounded the cargo container, medical tricorder in hand.
Peretti: Crewman Walsh! Half the ship is up looking for you and your biomonitor data makes it look like you were trying to run a marathon. What the hell do you think you’re doing down here?!
Tenzin winked to the wheezing crewman and turned, his most sheepish grin firmly fixed in place.
Tenzin: Uh, actually that’s my fault, Doc, real sorry. Young man here was just on his way to bed when I asked him to lend me a hand. Seems like I might’ve worked him a bit too hard, though. Come on, Crewman, on your feet, back to bed - guess I’ll have to fix that navigational array myself.
The Doctor gave Tenzin a long, questioning stare, which shifted to the young man on the ground and back to him without diminishing in intensity. Thirty years of experience getting chewed out by everything from Admirals to Ensigns had prepared him for this moment, and his smile never waivered.
Peretti: Chief, you can’t just enlist my patients whenever you want - this man is in an incredibly fragile state!
Tenzin: Yep, sorry Doc, I should’ve known better…::Tenzin’s eyes locked with James:: Won’t happen again. Sorry about that son - we’ll have to get that bowl of ice cream some other time.
James didn’t know what to say. His tired eyes looked back and forth between the doctor and the man holding him up. He had expected to get read his rights and taken to the brig, but now he didn’t know what would happen. After a long pause, James finally mustered a stiff response.
Walsh: Uh, sounds good. Thanks Chief.
Peretti: Come on, James. Lets get you back to your quarters. As for you, Senior Chief - you better pray this little outing hasn’t damaged his new implant or you’ll be hearing from the Captain about this!
Tenzin: Of course ma’am, terribly sorry to cause a fuss ma’am.
As the young man was led away and the shuttlebay doors closed, Tenzin let out a long breath and fished the errant phaser out of his pocket, disabling it and putting the safety back on. He’d get it back to the small arms locker before anybody missed it and, on his way, he could swing by the ships lounge. He was definitely in the mood for ice cream.
[TBC]
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Lieutenant Antonia Peretti, MD
Chief Medical Officer, USS Indefatigable
&
Senior Chief Yoshi Tenzin
Deck Chief, USS Indefatigable
V239509GT0
Crewman James Walsh
USS Thor - NCC 82607
E239702WG0
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