You're Up Late

[Annabelle O'Halloran 0]

This log takes place before last week's sim and after the log called 'Pulling a Doubleshift'.

 

Caroline sat at a table in the corner of the mess hall with a mug of coffee and a bowl of potato soup, once again perusing a short stack of PADDs, though this time they were not the personnel files with which she had been wont to be found often over the days since she had been temporarily assigned to the Reaent. These PADDs contained data from the library computer on post-traumatic stress disorder treatments, and she was looking them over with a somewhat distracted expression.

 

She was concerned about Kat Swan. The Chief of Security was currently still resting in sickbay and Caroline wasn't yet sure whether to be optimistic about her progress. The drug treatment, combined with a healthy dose of sleep, seemed to have done a great deal to stem the tide of the raging paranoia that had incapacitated Swan earlier, but recovery was far from over. There was a lot to think about in terms of what the next step should be -- and a lot of potential second-guessing to do about how she had handled this chaotic case up to this point, which she would have to avoid. Hence the PADDs to keep her mind focused, though she was starting to find her attention wandering. It was getting late.

 

Having turned the lab and relay sensor babysitting over to Lt. Sitak, the Gamma shift supervisor, Anna left, following pretty closely on Tobias' heels. She'd felt really tired before, to the point that her eyelids hadn't wanted to stay up, but now, unfortunately, it felt like she had her second wind. She really would have liked to visit Sickbay to see how Jon was doing, but it was too late. No doubt he was asleep, and she didn't want to bother him. Maybe a cup of hot chocolate would help her get to sleep and she could visit him in the morning before she went back on duty.

 

Anna entered the mess hall, and headed straight for the replicator. She ordered the mug of hot chocolate and bypassed marshmallows in favor of whipped cream. Actually, extra, extra, whip cream. Her mug was just a bit precarious as she lifted it up, and she was careful how she held it as she turned and glanced around the room. She spotted Caroline almost immediately and in spite of the stack of pads at the woman's elbow, Anna felt no compunction about going over to chat her up.

 

"Caroline, how wonderful that you're here right now!" Anna exclaimed, although she pitched her voice low enough not to bother any of the other occupants scattered around the different tables. She pulled out a seat with one hand and sat down, taking a very careful sip of the hot drink, before looking up to meet Caroline's gaze. "You're up late tonight?"

 

Caroline looked up as someone called her name in a low voice and smiled as she saw the Reaent's young chief of science maneuvering a mug piled high with cream across the mess. "Hello, Anna," she said, pushing aside a PADD or two to make room for the other woman to set her mug down safely. "Yes...just getting some research done." She looked down at the article which she had been reading and then tapped it off, letting it fall to the table next to her soup bowl. At this point she wasn't really absorbing any more of the information; it only remained to see how much of it would in fact be applicable to Kat's condition. She shook herself slightly and looked up, meeting Anna's eyes and engaging herself in the conversation at hand. "I could say the same of you, you know."

 

"Oh, we had a project that kept us late in the lab, and unfortunately, I'm now feeling wide awake. I was ready to fall asleep earlier. I'm hoping this will help." Anna lifted her mug and carefully sipped so as not to upend the whip cream, her goal being for the whip cream to melt before she ran out of chocolate. Anna looked from the padd to Caroline's face; the other woman looked more than ready for bed. "Research, hmm? The crew is making you work overtime, I see."

 

"This crew is behaving as is absolutely natural," Caroline replied, raising her eyebrows and smiling. "But I'm sure you can appreciate that it's always a comfort to know you are well-prepared when things have the potential to be...complex." She eyed Anna's methodical approach to her drink with some amusement as she sipped at her own coffee. "What sort of project has you working so far off your shift?" she asked curiously, changing the subject; much as she might have liked to talk about her own work stressors, it wouldn't have said much for her respect for the tacit contract of doctor-patient confidentiality. "You mentioned you were heading to the bridge to drop probes?"

 

Nodding agreeably, Anna murmured, "I can think of nothing more comforting. Unfortunately, Reaent has yet to encounter anything I was able to foresee." She grinned at Caroline, her eyes glinting with laughter, "I must be really shortsighted. A little second sight is supposed to run in the women of my family but I think it skipped a generation in my case." Shrugging, she smiled, adding, "The relay sensors were dropped earlier today--Tobias Jaren and I worked late on the telemetry and diagnostics."

 

Caroline laughed at Anna's comment, setting her mug down on the table and lacing her hands back behind her head as she leaned back in her chair. "Well, at least you can look at it as not being deprived of a sense of spontaneity and surprise," she said dryly. "And from what I understand this mission is supposed to be relatively quiet -- though I suppose you'd know more about that than I would; I don't exactly have the ear of the powers-that-be." She nodded as Anna described the mechanics of the science officers' work. "Anything exciting to be found?"

 

"Relatively quiet, eh? If relative to the last one, then that just means that no one will die and then come back," Anna teased, as she took another sip from her mug. The whip cream settled a half inch lower and was no longer in danger of sliding onto the table as she set her own mug down. "So far, all we're doing is communicating back and forth through the relays and running diagnostics to make sure the sensors are working and able to report back."

 

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean -- though you're right; I suppose the bar is set pretty low at this particular point in the game. And that sounds...well, it sounds complex to me, but then again, I'm a doctor, not a comm officer." Her eyes narrowed at the corners with amusement. It was clear from Anna's tone that this was not exactly considered the height of excitement in scientific circles.

 

"It's pretty basic stuff actually but also pretty important. We need the information from the sensor relays to get a good picture of activity in the area. Trade routes are going to be expanded based on our report and lives will hang in the balance." Anna grinned at Caroline, adding, "Not to mention economic stability and prosperity."

 

"Well, I can't ask for more important work than that," Caroline replied, returning the grin. She really liked this young woman's sense of humor and determinedly relaxed air; she had no doubt it had been instrumental in helping her through the chaos and trauma of the time-shifting event and would probably serve her well for a long time in her chosen career path. "You and Mr. Tobias seemed to be engaged in a spirited conversation when I arrived...settling into your role in the department alright, I take it?"

 

"Important work, indeed, Dr. Curtis," Anna said solemnly, although her amusement clearly showed through. "I grew up in a community that prizes economic independence and stability just below loyalty, though occasionally, I actually think it's sometimes a toss up." Picking up her mug, she carefully spun the contents so that the almost melted whip cream mixed in with her remaining warm chocolate. Satisfied that things were progressing nicely in the mug, she looked back to Caroline, her expression thoughtful. "I can't recall what we were talking about when you happened by but as for settling into my role, I don't know, Caroline; I'm taking it day by day. It's not what I expected to have happen."

 

Caroline nodded with an understanding smile. "Well, it's the sort of thing where day by day is the best way to take it...getting comfortable one step at a time. However, I have to say you have struck me as a very capable person -- as a matter of fact, you have handled some of the craziness of the past few weeks with an equanimity some of your older colleagues would envy. I'm very certain you'll manage to find your comfort zone and do very well for yourself."

 

"And now it's me wishing that you've the gift of prophecy," Anna replied with a smile. Taking a sip from her mug, she savored the prefect melding of melted whip cream and cooled chocolate, while thinking about Caroline's obvious reference to the anomaly and subsequent crew reaction. "For my own part, while the experience was terrifying and emotionally devastating, while it was happening, I still think back on that perfect moment of clarity when I realized that the people we thought dead with the loss of the ship or murdered by the Romulans, were in fact still alive and I can't help but again feel sheer, unadulterated joy. I've never felt that before and for obvious reasons, I would rather never do so again, but such profound relief and happiness mitigates a few bad dreams."

 

Meeting Caroline's gaze, she smiled a little ruefully, adding, "I know my viewpoint isn't the one commonly held by the 'survivors', but my field of study is quantum biology and I view the experience in those terms. If that event is examined using quantum theory to study the structure, energy transfer and chemical reactions of the biologic molecules involved, i.e., a sort of microcellular time stamp and decay rate, then I think a case can be made that-" Anna broke off, a slow grin spreading across her face. "I ambushed you there, didn't I? I'm sorry, Caroline."

 

Caroline had actually been listening to this, and absorbing what aspects she could, with great interest; when Anna stopped and abruptly apologized, the counselor shook her head with an expression of amusement. "No need to be sorry; it sounds like a very complex viewpoint and I would be glad to hear all about it, though I guarantee you that I would perhaps only understand every third word of the more scientific aspects. What is important, though, is that you found a way to deal with the events that is, in your own mind, a sound one -- and it seems you have done that and I for one am very impressed."

 

"I like to think it's sound in and of itself," Anna chuckled, "not just in my own mind. However, it's late and I will spare you a lecture on chronobiology." Looking regretfully into her now empty mug, she set it aside and looked back to Caroline, suddenly curious as to how the counselor was finding life on the Reaent. Caroline was an excellent listener, certainly a necessary part of her job, however, it made it very easy to hijack the conversation. "How are you settling in?" Anna asked, thinking that Caroline had been thrown right into the fray when she'd first come aboard.

 

"Some other time, then," Caroline said agreeably, finishing off her own coffee and setting the mug down. Anna's next conversational leap turned the conversation back to her, and Caroline chuckled. "I've been finding my stay on the Reaent very comfortable indeed; it's the first posting I've had in a long time that was shipboard but I've felt very welcome. Unfortunately, with the temporary nature of this assignment, I can only really 'settle in' so far...but I've enjoyed it very much here, certainly."

 

"That's right...you were sent on an emergency basis at Debbie's request." Anna watched Caroline's expression, and detected no obvious regret at the thought of future reassignment, but her professment of enjoyment seemed very sincere. "I know I've enjoyed having you here, Caroline, and I'll miss you once you've gone." She suddenly felt tired, the day catching up to her with a rush, and she realized, that she would miss Caroline--very much. She considered her to be a friend. She smiled a little teasingly, adding, "I guess you're one of those who prefers station life, eh?"

 

"Well, I've always requested it...it's nice to have a certain stable framework in which to work," Caroline said with a shrug. She could see some disappointment in Anna's eyes and it gratified her that she had made such an impression, though she was looking forward to going "home," so to speak, once Fleet Medical decided her work here was finished. "I'll miss you too," she answered the younger woman, returning her smile -- and she meant it. "I intend to keep in touch, assuming you don't mind the occasional letter."

 

"Of course I don't mind," Anna declared. "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have." A yawn taking her unawares, had her raising her hand to only just manage to cover it. "Excuse me. Looks like the hot chocolate has served its purpose." Suddenly feeling very sleepy, Anna got to her feet, and stretched luxuriously. "If I stay here much longer, I'll end up staying the rest of the night. I'm saying good night, Caroline."

 

"Good night, Anna," Caroline replied, settling back in her chair and glancing at the pile of PADDs again as the young lieutenant moved away. There was still some work she probably needed to do, but Anna's exhaustion was a little contagious. "Alright, enough for one day," she murmured, scooping the neat pile off the table and pushing herself to her feet. "We'll finish this tomorrow."