An Angry Mountain

[DrDMatthews 0]

Presented by Commander Aidan Ridire and Dr. Debbie Matthews

 

     Debbie stepped into the turbolift and ordered it to the bridge. She paced back and forth in the small car, willing the lift to move a little faster. The CMO tried to focus only on the information she needed to deliver to the Captain. There was no need to jump to conclusions, especially when there was little or no evidence to support them.

 

      The turbolift slowed and the doors finally swished open. Debbie forced herself to walk out of the lift rather than run. She took two steps onto the bridge and stopped dead in her tracks.

 

      "What is he doing here?" she mused.

 

      Debbie found herself staring at the back of Aidan Ridire, the Reaent's XO. She was absolutely certain the Captain had put Ridire in charge of the shuttle mission. She was present when Michaels gave the order. So why was Ridire on the bridge? Had the shuttle returned already? Maybe the Captain decided his First Officer should remain aboard the Reaent.

 

      The CMO quietly approached one of the bridge officers. She smiled warmly and then asked in a low voice, "How are things going with the shuttle's mission?"

      The young woman returned the smile, a faint hint of concern in her dark eyes. "So far, so good, Doctor. But they have a long way to go before we can call this mission a success."

      "I thought Commander Ridire was going along. I guess the Captain needed him here."

      The ensign glanced at the XO and then shook her head slightly. "I don't know why he didn't go with them. Nobody up here heard the Captain recall him. We were all a little surprised when he showed up on the bridge."

       "That's okay."  Debbie said reassuringly. "I'm sure they'll do just fine without him."

 

      She turned and studied the tense figure standing beside the Captain, his jaw rigid and his hands clinched tightly into fists. The CMO didn't know Aidan Ridire all that well. But a trianed observer could see that he was working overtime to control the anger he had momentairly displayed earlier in the Captain's Ready Room.

 

      The Captain suddenly stood and turned around to ask someone a question. He caught sight of Debbie and raised a brow. "Doctor, don't tell me you have more good news for us."

 

      Debbie smiled weakly and stepped toward her commanding officers. "I'm afraid so," she replied. "I'm not sure how or even if this has anything to do with the Cairo, but Dr. Smith did a search on recent cases of Quillick Syndrome."

      "And?"

      The CMO frowned. "There were three reported cases of Quillicks prior to Lt. Facon coming down with the disease. The most recent of those was four months ago....right here on New Rigel."

      "On New Rigel?"

      "That's correct, Sir. A 27 year old Bajoran female....former Starfleet. She was an engineer and communications specialist...one of the founding members of the colony. She worked in their control center."

      "What happened to her?"

      "She died two days after she was admitted to their clinic. The colony's chief surgeon requested a shipment of the vaccine. Her log states it was supposed to be sent on the next supply run to this area."

      Debbie paused and looked from Michaels to Ridire then back to the Captain. "I don't know if they ever received it."

      "They didn't if it was on the Cairo," huffed Michaels.

      "What about Lt. Facon?" inquired Ridire.

      Debbie shook her head. "He's still in guarded condition. They haven't told him about the Cairo yet. That might not happen until next week."

      "And the Williamsburg Center?"

      "It may take a few days before we hear anything from them."

 

      "Thanks for the information, Doctor," said Michaels as he walked toward the Ready Room. "Be sure to keep me informed."

      "Yes, Sir," replied Debbie, now focusing on Ridire. She took a deep breath and stepped closer to the XO.

      "Commander," she said quietly. "You remind me of an angry mountain."    

      Ridire was taken by surprise. "What?"

      "A volcano to be exact," continued Debbie not knowing what to expect from her commanding officer. She had to believe Aidan Ridire knew he was dangerously close to losing control. That had to be the reason he chose not to accompany the shuttle crew on their current assignment.  "And we both know what happens when a volcano erupts. There's a lot of collateral damage."

     

      The XO simply stared at her. He knew exactly what she was talking about. For a moment, she thought he might speak but he quickly changed his mind.

      Debbie smiled slightly. "I can't let that happen, Commander. There's already been too much damage...too many losses.  I'm not going to stand by and watch you crash and burn."

      Ridire was clearly uncomfortable with the conversation but made no effort to retreat. Debbie took that as a positive sign.

      "What do you want from me, Doctor," he asked, a tinge of annoyance in his voice.

      "A couple of hours of your time....in my office. And a willingness on your part to talk about whatever it is you've bottled up inside."

      There was nothing more she could say so Debbie waited none too patiently for the Commander to respond.

 

      "Being impossibly nosy must be something they teach in Starfleet Medical," Aidan thinks to himself, remembering all the times that Commander Franklin, the CMO of the USS Venture -- Aidan's prior assignment -- had prodded him or someone else into being more open about things.  Franklin was almost better at being the Venture's Counselor then the Venture's actual assigned Counselor was.

      Aidan sighs inwardly and switches his attention to the Captain as he says "With permission, I'm going to get some down time.  I'll be in one of the holodecks in case anything needs my attention."

      Aidan steps around Doctor Matthews as he heads for the aft turbolift.  He hopes she understands the invitation, that if she wants to have a talk about his emotional well-being, the location was going to be on his terms, not in some doctor's office where he'd feel like he was sitting before an Admiral's mast.  The turbolift doors slip close before the turbolift takes him to Deck 7, the deck his quarters and the nearest holodeck are on.

 

      A few minutes later finds him walking out of a small copse of trees into a cleared field.  On the opposite side is the holodeck recreation of some ancient ruined castle.  Inbetween is a sunken area with a circular target standing upright at one end.  As Aidan reaches the sunken area he finds a quiver of arrows resting against a stand.  Quietly he retrieves the bow slung over his shoulder.  As he nocks an arrow he forces himself to focus on the target at the other end instead of what's going on beyond the Holodeck doors.  As he concentrates on his aim, his breathing slows and for the first time in several hours he feels himself relax.  With a whisper of movement, the bow-string that had been drawn back to his ear is released and a heartsbeat later the arrow slices through the air to strike dead of center on the target.