Decisions Decisions

[Vilanne 0]

The silence continued to be deafening and there was something evil growing. Who was this Inspector General Morris anyway? Vilanne didn't know everyone from Starfleet, in fact, she could hardly remember her professors and such, but she'd heard about the big-wigs here and there. She went to her quarters for a well-deserved break during this time of reflection so graciously granted by the Inspector Morris. She plopped down on her cot, thinking of a million reasons she needed to get off the ship and out of harms way. She also considered the source. the IG wasn't on her Christmas Card list, in fact, who was he to be giving ship-wides? That was the Captain's place. Where was Sovak in all of this? It was a candid conversation that she=2 0was able to have with Dr Silviu. ~He's pretty nice~, she thought, even discussed a very delicate topic with me. ~I think Chief Mele made a good call having him assigned.~ She chuckled to herself remembering the way he handled Lt Doug T when he returned after blowing every doctor's order given him to take it easy. Vilanne knew before he hit the door when originally discharged, that he'd break all of Silvui's orders. She thought about her parents back on earth – probably in their fifties by this time. She hadn't talked with them for quite some time. ~I wonder what they are doing? Planting some lilies in the garden? Visiting the woods? Building yet another addition to the cabin?~ Vilanne knew she was far behind in her correspondence with them. She sent a short note to them just after she received her orders to board the USS Manticore but hadn9 9t sent anything since. She considered her childhood friends… but her forehead squinched up because her brain was working overtime, yet she still couldn't remember any of their names. She shrugged it off to stress. She thought about her last love…. Her mind drifted off to a beach, with sand, palm trees, cabana boys serving a plethora of regional food and tropical drinks faithfully upon the consumption of another, but who was with her? She tried to imagine who was in the chair next to her, but couldn't see him. ~Do I really want to leave this ship? Where am I really running to?~ What was wrong with her memory? Vilanne was totally consumed trying to remember parts of her more distant past and forgot about the time and the real reason she came to her quarters to pack and get off the ship to safety or make a definitave decision to stay.

 

Twenty-Three Hundred came… Dr Chalice was snuggled up with her pillow. The cabana boy bent forward, showing the drink array on his tray. "Pina Colada, ma'am?" Her hand reached forward taking the drink, the other hand reached out with a keycard, flashing it to the cabana boy. A glint on the keycard caught the light just right and made the logo visible. It was like a hospital symbol that felt familiar. While looking down into the drink; the fluid was being drained around the ice. She glanced up to watch the cabana loincloth mosey away from her when it was suddenly covered in hospital whites. Vilanne tossed and turned during her nap. She was dragging herself to the door. Her legs felt heavy, and her face was on fire. She couldn't use her hands or arms very well, but was able to lean against the wall and furniture of the tiny room. She was staring at the floor while she maneuvered when a pair of white hospital shoes stepped by. She tried to speak, but no words came out. Her throat was also on fire. Almost at the doorway, she reached for the handle of the door to steady herself and her hand slipped off of it… Her body naturally went to turn in her sleep. Vilanne thought she was falling, which woke her up immediately. In her panic, she sat up trying to regain her composure while breathing off the cold sweat. She remembered what day it was, sought the time, recalled what her purpose was for being there and knew she had missed the window she thought she was going to climb out of. The decision was made.