Coping

Posted on Tue May 10th, 2011 @ 3:16pm by Lieutenant Xylia Lischka

Mission: Shore Leave 2; Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Security
Timeline: After " Despair and Other Emotions "

Marc finished making minor repairs to the last console in the Security office with the help of some Engineering Assistants - or rather he had helped them. Having collected all the scattered PADD's, he made an attempt to figure out what PADD belonged to who for the next twenty minutes. The ones he couldn't figure out, either Lieutenant JG Lischka or Major DeVries would know. At the thought of Lieutenant JG Lischka, his mind once more conjured up pictures of her on the bio-bed and he shook his head to clear the image. The next image of her was when she had showed up at the funeral of their fellow crew mates; she looked like she was shell shocked. Sitting down at his desk after aligning it to the way it was before, he logged in to his console and began checking all the latest reports for his section.

Xylia moved into the Security office with a few men behind her. She was starting to feel the eternal effects of the damage she took once again, but she was doing her level best to ignore the annoying soreness that nagged at her just below her ribs. Making her way over to her desk, she turned her chair upright and looked toward the men. "Okay... I'm sure I don't have to tell you what needs to be done based on the shape this place is in. Get to it, and if you run into any issues, let me know."

After they cleared out, she took a seat behind her desk and started sorting through some of the mess that rested on top of it. Her appearance still wasn't up to par with the way it normally was, and it was fairly obvious she had been crying at some point, but she didn't seem to care too much about that. The only objective she had at the moment was to make sure Security was in working order before they got to their new home.

Marc looked up as his Assistant Boss came into the office and a barrage of questions came to his mind, but he asked none of them. Instead, he came to his feet. "I took the liberty of assisting Engineering in repairing all the consoles, Lieutenant. I also organized the PADD's as good as I could. Some of them, I didn't have the authorization to view what was on them. Is there anything else you need me to do?"

"Not unless you want to aid the others with their tasks. As for the PADDs, stack them at the edge of my desk, and I'll get around to sorting through them." came her response. She looked up at the Ensign as she leaned back in her chair. "I've been meaning to thank you. Word is that you and the Commodore saved my life. I appreciate it."

"Thank you, but it was more the Commodore. I handed him things that he told me he wanted. You don't have to thank me. I'll be more than happy to help aid the others, Lieutenant JG Lischka." He paused, uncertain about the look of her. Her eyes were red, her face was still pale and she looked dead on her feet. "In fact, Lieutenant JG, as your medical assistant, I hereby request that you take some time off for yourself. I'll need authorization for some of the tasks, but I'll leave them for you."

Xylia shook her head and reached for the PADDs to organize. "I'm fine. Besides, how would it look if I laid around when there's so much work to be done?"

"Lieutenant JG Lischka, please." He came to his feet and went over to stand in front of her. "I'll tell the Major if you don't." He used his last threat against her. "If you want, I'll give you a foot massage while you organize those." He grinned, switching tactics from threats to bribes. "I'm only an Ensign... just give the order."

"Good luck with telling the Major. She's actually in worse shape than I'm in, and she's up and running." Xylia stated matter-of-factly. "And I'll have to pass on the foot massage, too. I'd much rather stay busy. Less likely to think that way."

Marc finally nodded. "Well, if you don't need me for anything else, I'm going to head back to Medical. I need to make an appointment."

"Very well, Ensign Schenk." She said. "I'm sure I'll see you around at some point."

"Are you sure you're feeling okay? I can get a hypospray of Masiform-D.. or maybe make an appointment with the Counselor like I'm about to. Or you could talk to me and I can talk to you." His hands fiddled with a PADD, turning it over and over.

Looking up from what she was doing, Lieutenant Junior Grade Lischka turned her attention back to the man standing in front of her desk. "The only way I would talk to a counselor, is if I were ordered to by the Commodore himself, and while I don't see that happening, I feel I must decline the offer. However... if you wish to talk, feel free to pull up a chair and pour your heart out. I've been told I'm a good listener."

The Ensign grabbed the chair from his desk and sat down near her. "I just wanted to say that I understand now why you said what you said that day when I found Ensign Tadesco." He licked his lips. "It's hard losing someone that you know. I had a friend killed by the Borg, but I never saw his...." He sighed. "I've been having nightmares, too. Does that happen to you?"

"I've had my share of nightmares in the past, and I'm sure if I ever go to sleep, I'll be plagued by them." Xylia said, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "While what I said to you when you found the body of your friend holds some sort of truth to it, I was out of line. For that, I'm sorry. And it doesn't ever happen often, so take it while you can."

"Accepted. Have you ever lost anyone that you knew?" He asked, checking his PADD as it chirped to announce that another task had been completed. Tapping a few buttons on it, he turned his attention back to her.

"Yes. Quite a few people, actually. How about you?" She intentionally countered his question with a question, not quite ready to answer anything that would cause her to have a mental breakdown.

"My cousin, and now Ensign Tadesco. I knew her at the Academy." He got up from his chair and pushed it back to his desk, then turned to face her again. "Maybe you, I, and a few others can get together to hold a private memorial some time for those we lost."

"I do believe that might be a good idea. See what you can arrange and get back to me." She stated. "I'm going to get some work done."

"Same here. Talk to you later, Lieutenant JG Lischka. Time for me to go play nurse again or wherever I'm needed." With that, he headed out of the office.