“Dogma: Laying Karma to Rest”

[Kansas_Jones 0]

11.03.07

ISS Agincourt ICC-81762

“Dogma: Laying Karma to Rest”

 

Lieutenant Commander JoNs bolted down the corridor, not running flat out, but making good time on all four paws. Personal guard Keltex hurried to keep up with his charge, his footsteps echoing in the tight space. The feline knew she should just leave well enough alone, and for the sake of sanity just walk away. But, she could not merely ignore the situation, because it was a matter of security. Taking the last turn a bit too close for comfort, JoNs finally cleared the corridors and entered into the open space of the cargo deck.

 

Seeing a large golden felinoid skidding this way and that on the smooth surface of the decking would have been comical, that is if the circumstances were not so serious. Harper was regarding the crewman strung up in front of her with a cold eye when JoNs made her dramatic entrance. The icy gaze turned on the security chief. "Commander, a little more decorum."

 

The commander stopped, but ended up whooshing a few paces beyond Charlotte as she spoke, claws screeching on the smooth decking as she stopped her momentum. "Sponsor, I can not help it if the cleaning crew does their job well." The feline stood upright, her keen gaze taking the entire scene in with a tactical prowess born of practice. "So...what's all this then?"

 

"This one," Harper replied, turning back to the crewman, "is responsible for the... alterations... to the holodeck which nearly killed one of my Marines."

 

JoNs cleared her throat. "Yes sir, I understand that. But, this does fall under the disciplinary right of Security...."

 

"I'm overriding you," she said. "Captain's privilege."

 

Uncomfortable memories began to lurk under the surface, but the Caitian viciously pushed them down and re-focused on the matter at hand. "Sponsor, all I ask is that you reconsider this. It IS a bit of a.... harsh method to use."

 

She ran the whip through her hand, her face thoughtful. "Harsh, yes," she agreed, "but blood should be paid for with blood, don't you think?"

 

"I agree with all my being Sponsor," with an effort, the feline security chief did not look at the weapon that Harper held, "but surely an Agonizer or the Booth would be a viable option as well. I just feel as if this is going a bit… overboard, as they say, Sir."

 

Harper sighed. "I don't precisely enjoy this, Commander," she admitted, "but it's more merciful than killing him." She flicked her wrist idly, making the whip crack in the air.

 

That did it. All the emotions, all her inner thoughts regarding her own punishment those months ago came forward, triggered by the crack of the whip, and pushed outward. The feline officer couldn’t stop or control them, and her foremost feelings were of fear and pain. Kansas involuntarily backed up one step, her eyes becoming unfocused. "Oh gods ..." The feline spoke the plea in the same panicked tone of voice that she had used during her own punishment, "... please don't ... don't."

 

Master Chief Keltex immediately noticed the change of countenance in his feline employer, but made no move to go to her, for this had been coming for a long time. He had spoken to her human lover Lieutenant Zimm, and the Klingon guard knew that the Caitian had been plagued by nightmares for a few months now. It was best to let it play out.

 

Harper froze, her expression shifting from annoyance to concern. She stepped towards the Caitian quickly.

 

The security chief snapped back into reality quickly, her gaze going panicked for a second before she realized again where she was. Her features went from fear to a grim facade. "Excuse me, Colonel, my apologies. Deal with him as you see fit, I will not trespass any longer." She turned around to leave the area with a whirl of her tail, her body language stiff.

 

Thrusting the whip into the hands of her own bodyguard, Harper went after JoNs. "Commander -- Kansas. Let's step aside a moment ..."

 

JoNs stopped. Her stance was wire tight, and could not quite mask a slight twitch in one paw. She merely nodded curtly, but without looking at Harper, and walked to where the senior officer had indicated. Harper guided her to a remote corner of the bay, well out of earshot. "Kansas?" She laid a cautious hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "Are you all right?"

 

The feline merely looked down at a point on the decking and offered a low growl in response.

 

Okay, definitely not all right. She put a little bite into her tone. "Answer me, Commander."

 

The command laced tone of the dark haired human marine galvanized the feline officer enough for her to clamp down on the more feral of her emotions. Even so, the green eyes that latched onto Harper were hard, intense, and not amused. "I protest the intended flogging of our saboteur. That is all." Her tone came out hoarse.

 

Charlotte made a dismissive gesture. "Forget him," she ordered. "I asked about you. That was a panic attack, if I'm any judge."

 

Kansas considered her mentor for a long moment, weighing her options and such. "I will not go to the medical vampires, there is no negotiation on this matter Sponsor ..."

 

"I wouldn't send you to them!" She chuckled slightly, glad to see the younger woman could joke. "But I can't have my chief of security zoning out at every loud noise, either." She considered the Caitian thoughtfully.

 

JoNs tore her gaze from Harper, instead fixating on an orange cargo container that had been set nearby. Ah, hell. "....I've been having some ... issues ... for the past three months regarding the whipping six months ago. I've done some reading, and it seems as if I am suffering from post traumatic stress or some dipsh-- condition like that."

 

One dark brow climbed towards her hairline. "From one punishment?"

 

Some latent anger pulsed through the myriad of emotions that the feline was experiencing, coming through loud and clear. She whirled on her mentor with a displeased snarl. "Well, forgive me if I am a bit touchy regarding the whole subject! It wasn't your back this time." Her neck ruff and tail puffed out as well.

 

"No, it wasn't," Harper agreed. "However, I don't see that it was any worse than a session in the Booth."

 

"....you didn't have to beat me. Why? It was degrading to a senior officer - it went all over the ship like wildfire. So what the frag if I chose to subject one of my juniors to the same? That was my call. As I asked before - why were you so hell bent on doing the same to me when I used those unsanctioned transfer channels? You were the first commanding officer to aim such a decisive strike at me ..."

 

Folding her arms, she considered what reply to give. Her first instinct was to shut down the conversation right there, but she really didn't need a traumatized cat on board. Finally she unbent enough to say, "Perhaps because I saw a certain amount of potential in you."

 

"So you beat the snot out of me? How the Hell does that equal an interest in....." Suddenly, Kansas cocked her head to one side, as a mental thought interrupted her tirade. She went silent.

 

Harper watched the dawning light on the Caitian's face, a tiny smile curving her lips. "Well," she said, "I couldn't very well have my protege running around subverting my authority."

 

"....I came down hard on Lieutenant Mical for similar reasons, and I saw the potential in her as well. The situations parallel each other. We must maintain our power and respective authorities ..."

 

"Correct." The colonel nodded. "And we haven't had further incidents, have we?"

 

"No." A wry smile, though slight, appeared on the Caits muzzle. "Other then myself going mildly batty with latent fear and anger over my disciplining it would seem.” Her expression darkened again. "I am more embarrassed - and angry - then anything about the leaking of the incident. I believe medical to be responsible party, Sponsor."

 

Harper nodded. "Quite possibly," she agreed. "I'll... speak to them, if you wish. But JoNs -- you took it well."

 

The feline raised her chin, not in a haughty manner, but in a proud manner. "I got myself into the situation, yes, and I accepted that it was my own fault. But, I refused to show weakness...especially in front of the marines." A genuine undertone of mischievousness peppered the statement of bravado.

 

"Of course," the colonel agreed dryly. "We can't have a Goldshirt looking weak in front of Marines. The fabric of the universe would collapse."

 

"Swine would take to the skies. The seas would turn red....."

 

"You're feeling better."

 

"Know what would make me feel even better ma’am?"

 

"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this..." She sighed.

 

The Caitian rolled her neck, and then her predatory gaze fixed on the distant engineering officer that had been accused of the sabotage, still strung to the piping supports of the cargo bay. "Medusa, I'd be very happy to help you take out the trash." Splayed claws punctuated the statement.

 

Taken aback, Harper was momentarily speechless. Then she smiled. "Be my guest," she invited, waving the Caitian towards him.

 

"Two swipes across his back, and the clawing will make the flogging all that more unbearable." Her gaze switched back to Harper. "We must be thorough, and have nothing and no one disturbing the Agincourt power base. Saboteurs are such a cowardly lot. Is this not correct Sponsor?"

 

"Oh, absolutely."