Blindsided

Posted on Wed May 25th, 2011 @ 9:03pm by

Mission: Shore Leave 2; Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Deck Seven; Medical
Timeline: After "To Be Remembered"

Ensign Marcus Schenk made his way down to Medical after spending too much time and money on Starbase 900, and he was worse than when he first left. Now, he sported a black eye, and his hair was in disarray and he needed someone, anyone to talk to. He figured that he would go talk to the ship's counselor, a Lieutenant JG Caesonia Kirsgaard.

Going into Medical, he looked around until he found the Counselor's office, then tapped the chime to alert someone of his presence before he walked in. He looked like shit and felt like it too, and hoped that someone was home who could help him.

"Hello? Is anyone around?" He called out as he waited for anyone to make their appearance.

"Just a minute." Crewman Kaci Baxter called out in return. She set a stack PADDs on Lieutenant (JG) Kirsgaard's desk to be looked through later, then made her way back into the man area where she spent most of her time. Since the fight with the Romulans, the Counseling office had developed a rotating door. People were constantly coming in and out hoping that the Arizona's only counselor would be able to help them get through the traumatic experience.

Making her way out of the office and toward the man, she offered him a polite smile. "Hi. Can I help you with something?" Of course, based on his appearance, she knew why he was here, but it was customary to ask such a question.

"I need to talk to someone." The Ensign grunted as he sat down in a seat. He looked...haggard. "Is Lieutenant (jg) Kirsgaard available, or just someone I can talk to?"

"Lieutenant (JG) Kirsgaard is currently on the Starbase for a little downtime. I'm expecting her to be back soon, though. I could schedule an appointment if you'd like." Kaci responded. "I'm the only one here right now, and I don't have the credentials to offer anyone any kind of counseling to anyone on board the ship."

"Please? I don't need any medications or anything. I just need to talk. I've recently lost a friend that I went to the Academy with, and I only have one person on board that I can even call a friend." Marc looked at the young woman and felt a pang deep inside of him. He shook his head and held a hand to his blackened eye. "Maybe this was a bad idea."

"One moment." The Crewman said before she walked out of the room. She wasn't gone long before she came back with a cold compress. Removing his hand from his eye, she tilted his head back and placed it against his eye, then returned his hand to the area to hold the compress in place. She took a step back and settled down on a chair, watching the man before her. He looked rough. Worse, in fact, and she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. She leaned forward and peered at his collar to get his rank, only to discover he was in civilian clothing. "Okay... this will have to be strictly off the record due to my lack of authority, but I've always got an open ear for my fellow crew."

"Thank you," he said as he held the compress to his eye. "I'm Marc. Ensign Marcus Schenk." He swallowed and blew a long sigh out. "I don't even know where to start. I guess when we first got attacked by the Romulans; I was on clean-up detail and found my friend. Her name was Ensign Paula Tadasco and I went to the Academy with her. That was the first time I ever saw a dead person that I had known." He swallowed again and blinked back tears.

Kaci shifted around a little bit, though the current path of conversation didn't make her uncomfortable, she wanted to be sure she took in everything that was being said just is case she was questioned about it later. "Well, Ensign Schenk, everyone handles the death of people differently. Regardless of if they know the person or not. Some people seem to be indifferent about it, while others are rocked to their very core." She stated, hoping that she was on the right track. This was the first time she was ever put in a situation like this. "As for it being your first time seeing one, and it being someone you knew personally, that makes it twice as hard. Was it your friend's time to go? There's no way of knowing that for sure, and I really wish I could supply you with an answer, but it's one that no one on board this ship will ever know the answer to. I hope you can find comfort in knowing that Ensign Tadasco died a hero. As did everyone who lost their lives during the attack."

Marc took the compress from his sore eye and looked at her, listening to her words. "I understand that, and I'm dealing with it the best I can. I've been having nightmares about it, too. That's the part that makes it hard to deal with. I didn't even know that Paula was on the Arizona until I found her. I know that death is a part of life and being on a deep space tactical vessel involves meeting and dealing with death any time a situation arises."

"I went out to the Starbase with Commodore Cowell and we got drunk and fought some Klingons. I talked to my former Assistant Chief about it, and I just tried to have a....liaison...with someone on the Starbase who proved that no one can be trusted. It was my fault, so I didn't bother to report it. I just need an out."

"Ensign Schenk, I'm not sure I can offer any advice on an 'out' for you aside from hitting the gym and taking your pent up anger, aggression, rage, whatever you wish to call it, out on the equipment. Many people have found some kind of activity that help them cope with the life of a Starfleet officer. You just have to find your niche."

Marc gave a choked laugh. "All my training with Bruce Lee hasn't helped me and I hit the gym on a regular basis." He placed the cold compress to his eye and looked down for a long minute before looking back at her. "I guess that I haven't found what I'm looking for. I know what I'd like, though, but likes and needs are two different things. Such is life in Starfleet, huh?"

Kaci tilted her head to one side. "If you know what you would like, then why not go out and get it?"

"I have a feeling that wouldn't go over too well." Marc replied as he looked at her.

"Why? It can't be that bad, can it?" She asked.

"Okay. I'd like a girlfriend, which on a starship like the Arizona is next to impossible. Unless you're single?" He gave her a half hopeful smile, but more to take the sting out of the expected response.

At this very moment, the Crewman sitting across from him definitely felt as though she should not be the one handling this. Someone more qualified needed to come in and bail her out at this very moment, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. "I... uh..." Suddenly feel like I'm back in high school, she thought. "I'm single, but given that you're here to talk to someone, makes this just a little awkward. Perhaps you should get back to me when I'm not on the clock."

"I'm sorry...that was awkward." Marc apologized, but he did notice that she didn't say no to him and what he was asking. "It did help talking to you, and I do mean that. I hope you don't think I'm a nut or someone who is just looking to test out a sob story on every pretty face." He stood and offered her the cold compress. "I should be going...er, I didn't get your name." At the moment, he didn't expect her to tell him, but he at least wanted to know who he had talked to.

"Baxter... Crewman Kaci Baxter." She responded, holding her hands out. "Keep it on your eye. Hopefully, it will keep the swelling at bay. And, I'm glad talking helped a bit." Getting to her own feet, she took in his appearance again. "You mentioned not reporting something. Based on your current appearance, I think you should. If you don't want to, then you can tell me, and I will."

He took the compress, his hand lingering on hers for a minute before bringing it back to his eye. "Thank you, Kaci. Well..." He swallowed, debating reporting it and making himself look bad in front of the Commodore versus looking bad in front of her. "I fell sucker to my inner beast, met a woman who didn't ask for names...and got jumped. They ran before I could capture any of them. It's rather embarrassing, which is why I don't want to report it."

"You may not want to report it, but it's the right thing to do. What if they do it to someone else? Maybe even kill someone?" Kaci retorted. "I'm going to be reporting to the Commodore personally if you don't, so... descriptions would be nice to have."

Reluctantly, Marc gave her the description of the woman who had set him up and her accomplice. "I'm sure that the Commodore is going to tear me a new one over this. I was in Security before he moved me to Intel and that wasn't a very intelligent thing to do. I wasn't thinking, but you are right. I couldn't live with myself if someone else did get hurt or killed by them. Would you accompany me when I tell him since you're the only other person who knows?"

"You aren't the first man to fall prey to the wiles of a beautiful woman, and I'm definitely sure you won't be the last." She responded. "So, your previous or current position has nothing to do with it. If it will make you feel better to have me there with you, then I'll be there. Let me know ahead of time, so I can clear it with Boss Lady."

"How does tomorrow at eighteen hundred hours ship time sound?" He looked at her through his good eye. Talk about beautiful women; he wondered if he was going to fall prey to her and if he even wanted to resist. Clearing his throat, he stood up again. "Thank you again, Kaci. For everything. Umm...what time do you get off shift?"

"That sounds fine. I'll meet you at the turbolift on this deck. I'll go up with you." The Crewman said. "As for when I get off. I've got more than half a shift to go, but we'll be seeing each other again soon." She offered the Ensign a smile, then got back to work.

"Okay...thank you again. I'll meet you at seventeen forty five hours." Smiling despite the pain in his face, he headed out of the office.