Crunch Time
Posted on 03/16/2022 @ 1:10am by Captain Thorrin & Lieutenant Commander Aerin Olovaris
Edited on on 03/16/2022 @ 1:11am
1,591 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Mission 22: The Other Side of the Mirror
Location: CMO's Office, Sickbay - Deck 4 - DTI Herodotus
Timeline: MD002 1530 hrs
The timing of this little get together had not been the best. They had recently shifted into the Mirror Universe and Aerin had found herself feeling worse than usual.
Shifting through time was manageable. They had done it plenty of times and even though that fuzzy feeling was always there it became part of you, a quiet scream locked up in the back of your mind that you only heard when all was quiet.
Aerin knew Thorrin had been feeling it too. He tried to hide in on the bridge but when you are of the same people, you just know. She had gave him a gentle signal/medical order to come down and see her in her office. She had been developing a medicine of sorts that would help with their 'transitions' through time. To help a smoother run and less fuzzy finish if you will.
It was time to see if it worked when moving across universes.
When the ship was in the between as he called it, the place between time and universes, that was the time that Thorrin felt the worst and hated the most. When in normal space you could be attacked but you had your wits to help you evade and escape if need be. When between time there was nothing, Thorrin, his ship, and his crew were at the mercy of time itself.
The console on the arm of his chair beeped and he saw a message from Aerin, and new that the younger El Aurian had to be feeling the weight of time as well. He exhaled sharply through his nose. T'Penga informed Thorrin that there was at least another four hours before they emerged back into normal space. So, Thorrin turned the bridge over to Harrington and headed to Sick Bay.
"Aerin you okay this time?" He asked as he stepped into Sick Bay. Thorrin was thankful that thus far the department was empty save for Aerin, that is to say there were no patients, yet... But if anyone knew how that could change it was Thorrin.
"A little shaky if I am honest sir." Aerin replied holding her hand level and watching it shake just for effect. "Sorry for calling you down. I know you like your privacy and I was actually the one checking in on you." She laughed softly. "Not meant to be you checking on me."
"You know these jumps... I can never get completely used to them. Its this in between part that gets me. You know, when you go to command school they tell you that you can never truly be lost in the galaxy, and yet here we are..." Thorrin spoke breathily and sighed when he had finished. For the time being he seemed like a man who had the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders. "Aside from a headache, and some strained and blurred vision I am ok. Thanks Doc..."
Aerin nodded. "I call the in between bit The Expanse because I feel it always takes so long." She said before hesitating. "I know you like to put on a brave front Captain. I see it often enough in you when we do this, but you do need moments where you can let your guard down, or you'll break. Another reason why I called you down here... your headaches can make you snappy." She said with a pleasant tone, she wanted him to know she was looking out for him.
If she only knew what actually made him snappy. Since Thorrin arrived at Poseidon he had only told two people about his passion, and that was because he felt it necessary. For the time being he thought it best to let the Doctor believe it was the headaches. "The Expanse... I like that perhaps that is something we can start using. It is bad enough feeling the changes in one timeline, but in the expanse you can feel the changes to all timelines."
She could tell he was keeping stuff from her. "You know you're lucky our pheromone doesn't work with people of our own species." she held up her hands in defeat however. "But I know you keep secrets for a reason, and you know I don't pry unless I see the Thorrin vein beginning to show." she teased. "Though you'd think after jumping so much we'd get used to it, but I still feel terrible when we jump timelines."
"I agree that you would think we would get used to it. However, I also feel that our unique view of time and the timeline is why El Aurians get recruited for this duty more than anyone else. I mean when we get back if there is a change for the determent we will know immediately. While others may not know at all..." Thorrin paused and smiled. "I will say this, I rather enjoy our conversations. It is nice not having someone completely spill their guts to me."
"Yes I suppose. Aren't we special that we are used and abused by Starfleet as their time police?" she asked rhetorically with a hint of a joke. Truth be told that is what it felt like sometimes, and all she did was stitch them back up and throw them back into the winds of time.
"Oh I always enjoy it when we spend time together. Much like what you say that it's nice to a more 'reserved' conversation. Then again, you could just inhibit your pheromone..." Aerin shrugged. "But I know you like to be on top."
She was borderline insubordination but Thorrin did not mind much. In fact in private he encouraged his officers to speak freely. "The Captain has to keep some secrets..." He said with a smirk before adding. "...Being the time police can be a damned pain in the ass but it has its perks. I find it not only nice but rather freeing to know that everything that is, is because of you. I mean you preserve time and the universe that has to amount for something. Although no one will know about it right now, there will come a time when everyone will know. Just something that makes me feel good about that."
"I know, got to keep up that air of mystery and intrigue." Aerin nodded. She knew there were things that were so far above her grade she couldn't see them, and she was fine with that. Nothing got in her way for caring for people. Firefights, explosions, different timelines, a different universe would be no different.
"What we do is worth a little discomfort, I know that. I just wish sometimes there was a magic little pill, or spray, that would counteract the itch I get at the back of my head." Aerin shrugged in defeat. "And you know I don't care for glory. I wouldn't be a doctor if I wanted accolades for every patient I helped." she nodded, more to herself than anything. "Praise goes to you Captain. You steer the ship that makes the waves."
"A Captain is only as good as their crew. I wouldn't mind something to take the edge off. It is worse this time not sure why, but something doesn't feel right. It is so bad that my wine cannot even distract me from the physical pain." Thorrin was not here for the spotlight. Minimally he was there to guard the Federation etc... But mostly he was there to see Janeway get her comeuppance. Without thought Thorrin rubbed his temples as he spoke.
"I have been working on a form of chroniton mixture... I've not tested it yet. I have this fear that if I test it on one of us then we lose our ability together." Aerin said as she ran her fingers through her dark black hair. "I did not know you self medicated with wine... I might need to try that."
"I have a store of some of the finest aged Calvados, and Amontillado. I am a connoisseur of sorts. We will share some before this mission is through that is for sure. As to the medication perhaps we give it a shot on a less critical mission. That is unless you feel that it is ready." Thorrin was interested in the medication. However, now that the Doctor had mentioned it he was afraid of being incapacitated during this critical mission. Thorrin also knew that he could not afford to have his Doctor out of commission either.
"Well I will hold you to that promise Captain. Just as long as I am off the next day." Aerin joked but was in truth very serious about the day off.
"Yes, maybe a less critical mission with a little baby dose of it to test the waters. It has been a while since I have created something, experimented, but I am hopeful this will make some different to not only us but others like us."
"Well then that leaves the Calvados. Care to join me Doc?" Thorrin replied with a smile.
After you sir. After you." Aerin waved towards to door of the medical bay.
Thorrin led the way from Sick Bay to the room off his quarters he called his solar. He knew there would be a silver tray, with two pewter goblets and a bottle of three hundred year old calvados. That and the good conversation they would have was better than any medication Aerin could cook up.
Lt. Commander Aerin Olovaris
Chief Medical Officer
DTI Herodotus
Captain Thorrin
Commanding Officer
DTI Herodotus
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