The Manticore is a Dark Wizard

[Erich Jaenke 0]

The Manticore is a Dark Wizard

- Tesskeberich

 

Erich had been true to his promise to try to keep them separated for a bit so Keb could have some mental space to herself. She’d gotten some rest--though she didn’t feel much better for it--and finally come on for a different shift. Things had gotten worse around the ship, and she managed to get to a shelter just as life support was starting to shut down everywhere else. Her frustration soared. She searched for work to distract her from thinking too much about Erich and her own failings. The Manticore offered no lasting diversion.

 

“What in the holy rings now!” Erich exclaimed from across the shelter. His engineering PADD chirped another ship failure. He looked up at Dr. Abbingdon for some helpful reassurance.

 

“Erich,” the doctor replied, her hand resting softly on his shoulder, “stressing over it will not help the situation. Take a deep breath, calm down, and do the best you can. That’s all anyone asks of you; that’s all you should demand of yourself.”

 

“We are going to run out of shelters at this rate. I’m wondering if we need to evacuate nonessential personnel to the nearest place off-ship. Poor Manticore.”

 

“Erich,” Tess repeated, hoping her touch would be as calming as it usually was with humans. Apparently it wasn’t.

 

“Doctor...” He tried to focus on her as he did Keb. “I am sorry,” he said, breathing heavily. “So many things to do and not able to do them. The crew is upset and understandably so. Plus I have not been able to take any kind of suppresant, but no coffee” he added waiting for her disapproval. “How are the people doing here?”

 

“They are fine, Erich,” Tess replied, “and they will be fine. Keep that as a focus and take one thing at a time; eventually everything will fall into place.”

 

In the darkness, an officer was passing, holding an engineering toolkit that rattled as she walked through the maze of crowded bodies. He grabbed her arm, thinking she was one of his engineers. “Hey, I need--,” he stopped mid sentence. “Keb?” Erich let go as if he’d touched a hot plasma rod.

 

“Erich?” Keb asked, looking at his shadowy figure. His touch had affected her--for a moment the frustration had vanished and she’d stopped trying to remember what seventeen was in Klingon.

 

“I did not see it was you. The entire ship is stressed. I could not sense you over the noise.” The room had been quiet for some time, well before he entered. “I tried to keep away,” he offered.

 

“I know--you put me on a different shift,” Keb said. She took a half step closer, though her stance was awkward. She’d missed being with him, even if she was feeling uncomfortable about what he knew, what he could do.

 

“Have you met Dr. Abbingdon?” Erich asked Keb, not aware if they had. Of course, the moment he asked, he could feel her emotional response to the doctor’s presence. They had met, and Keb had regular appointments as part of her treatment plan. It was a mix of feelings; Keb liked Dr. Abbingdon but hated having to see her.

 

“Of course,” Keb said aloud, nodding to the doctor’s shadowy form. “Tess.”

 

“Hello, Keb.” Coming from the semi-dark, the doctor’s voice seemed strangely disembodied.

 

Erich was getting peculiar thoughts from both of them. Keb’s were stronger unless it involved coffee. “Doctor, I have a question regarding my enhanced ability when this is all over. It’s about Keb.” He felt a sudden emotion. “And should perhaps not be asked.” He saw how Keb stiffened when he said it was about her, and had to stop himself from reaching out to her.

 

But she reacted to his sudden shift of tone, too. “Y-you can ask Tess whatever you want to,” she said. “You don’t have to stop just because…” She trailed off, not sure how to finish that sentence. Because it was weird? Because he could tell Tess everything she was thinking?

 

It killed Erich to have this second voice in his head, a ghost Keb floating somewhere around her. He glanced at Keb with a slight nod. It would be so much easier if she could read his mind. Moving her shift was the right thing to do, but he had hated doing it. Damned this weather problem and damned this broken ship. He’d take a shuttle now with Keb and head, well, anywhere to be with her. But duty called and all that Starfleet junk. He looked at Tess.

 

Keb caught the look and understood some of his conflict, even in the darkness. “I’m gonna find out if I can get to Stellar Cartography without suffocating,” she offered. Erich could read that she was giving him and Tess space to talk about her--as uncomfortable as it was for her. “I’ll see you later, Tess.” He suddenly reached out and took her hand for just a moment--he needed that physical connection with her--and she paused and gave him a weak, shy smile. She wanted to be with him, too...and that would have to be enough for the moment. He let go and she made her way to the door.