Speaking with Sis

Posted on Thu Jul 29th, 2021 @ 4:39am by Captain Karyn Somers

Mission: The Riixian Insurection
Location: MXO Office Leto/CRR USS Tomcat
Timeline: Current

[ON]

After the Awards ceremony Karyn returned to her MXO Officer and opened up a secure line to the USS Tomcat, she typed in a direct code to her Sister on the Tomcat, the connection went to the Captain's ready room. Karyn got herself a drink while she was waiting for her Sister to answer the hail, quicker than she expected the communication's bleeped indicating a connection, next she heard a voice.

=/\=Hello, is that you Karyn? =/\= Alexandria said over the communications channel.

=/\= Hold on Sis, be there now =/\= Karyn said from the kitchen area, having done what she had to Karyn returned back to the communications terminal and with a smile sat down in front of it putting down the plate of food she got and her drink and then looked at the screen with a smile. She was still in her uniform and her new rank was still showing.

=/\= To what do I owe this honour, Sis? =/\= Alex asked as she looked at her Sister, there was something different about her, then it hit her, she wore silver, not bronze, Alex began to smile.

=/\= I see from your face Alex that you have guessed what I called about! =/\= Karyn said taking a bite of her food and a sip of her drink as she saw her Sister give one of her few genuine smiles.

=/\= What else is different about you Karyn, do tell? =/\= Alex asked.

=/\=Where to begin, I suppose it all started not long after I had arrived on the Leto, a newly minted officer and given a SAR task straight away, to cut that long story short we rescued the prisoners and trashed the base they were being held at and we made it back home in time for tea *she paused* after that I found out that we had us a new MCO, he was okay but had a bad habit one that I thought was never done these days, but hey that's life. At the ceremony the Captain held, it was a promotion ceremony and I and my squad I took with me were called up onto the stage, as was the rescuers we got back. I got a promotion to First Lieutenant, the DSM and Bronze Star, I was reeling as I did not expect another promotion so soon after my field commission on Starbase 51, and two medals, I mean I got some as NCO, but the first two as an Officer =/\= Karyn said and her sister was really smiling now.

=/\= Feels good don't it to get recognition? =/\= Alex said.

=/\= I was wondering what it felt like but a double pleasure on the promotion, so what is with you Alex, I see you are in the CRR have you finished Phase 2 yet and are you back at the Starbase? =/\= Karyn asked.

Alex sighed heavily =/\= we are almost at the Starbase and I found out that our Chief Counsellor is stepping down from her post, so which means I now have to speak to her Deputy and give her the position, after what we have been through with Phase two I will not be surprised that most of the crew will need mental help =/\=

Karyn nodded in understanding but was surprised by Iria resigning, she did not know the woman personally, but she had heard what she had done for S'arila when they somehow stepped through the looking glass and into S'rila's reality, but the mission notes she had read on Phase 2 she assumed that mental help would be needed, for decades Starfleet personnel had never had to wipe an entire planets entire biosphere out to contain a serious threat to civilization even those who had no direct contact would feel the effects, now she looked closely at her sister =/\= you look, troubled sis, what is the matter? =/\= Karyn asked.

=/\= While all the crew have minor emotional issues of having to ruin the biosphere of a planet and wipe out infected colonists, I have to contend with having been the one who pulled the trigger so to speak, I wanted to spare our stand in tactical officer the burden of the BDZ order, now I have to put on a brave front for the crew, but it is cutting me up inside for the part I played I am sure that the crew see me as an unfeeling Marine, even if they accept that I did my duty, this is the longest I have ever commanded a ship and I tell you sis it is not easy =/\= Alex said almost breaking down there and there.

Karyn studied her sister and really felt for Alex, yes her sister could appear as tough as she actually was, but she also had a gooey centre and had created a hard shell around it, but it would seem that a crack had appeared in that armour and she was glad that the Tomcat was almost home =/\= tell me, sis, are you going to seek council too? =/\= Karyn asked and noted that the look on Alex's face said that she had never considered going. =/\= Alex you have to talk to someone about it, you cannot bottle things up like you did that time in between assignments on earth where you did a vanishing act and almost ended up dead in a back alley in old New York in the wake of your Friends funeral, you are not that young anymore =/\= Karyn said.

Through all the talking when her Sister mentioned seeking help and the like she had to agree with her, but she was not one for seeking mental help, she thought it silly, then as her sister continued on she realised that Karyn was correct and when she referred to Annie and that time in 2374 where she went "out" and was hard to locate she was still reeling from the loss of her friend, she did not get out of that one without having to have major surgery to fix broken bones and damaged internals, she only remembered wanting to die until she saw and talked to Annie when she opened up one blood-encrusted eye as the other was swollen shut she saw S'arila there picking her limp body up and speaking to someone and in the background unseen by anyone else was Annie giving her a sad smile before vanishing.

*sighs heavily* =/\= I know Karyn, I know but you know me and shrinks and how opposed I am to them? =/\=Alex said in resignation.

Then with a light sarcastic response =/\= Do I ever! You threw the last one you saw through an open window =/\= Karyn said with grim humour.

=/\= There were emergency repulsor safety barriers there =/\= Alex said defensively.

=/\= I will assume you knew that when you kicked the Counsellor out of the window =/\= Karyn reposited back at her sister and had the guilty satisfaction of seeing Alex blush in embarrassment, she could not help herself smile at the reaction but quickly hid it and put on a straight face while her sister collected herself.

=/\= So sis, how have you been since you got posted to the Leto, is Captain Sterling treating you right?" Alex asked having quickly recovered her composure as she looked at her sister.

=/\= As well as any ship Captain, can, she has duties to perform and a First Lieutenant is not high on the priority, I have been told that I will likely be leading future SAR teams so there is that, we have a new MCO and he actually smokes, I suppose even in the 24th Century some people have vices, but from the minimal contact I have had so far with him he seems to be a good guy despite his vices =/\= Karyn said.

Alex nodded in understanding =/\= That is something you will find, as SNCO you did not have the challenges you will have as an officer and no doubt you will make mistakes along the way. So is there anyone new in your life? =/\= Alex said ending with a question.

Karyn looked at her Sister =/\= There is someone, getting mixed signals from her, but we have had a meal together and she can cook, so well it rivals mums cooking, ironically the person is related to the First Officer on the Leto and a person who I rescued so there is that. So where is the Tomcat now? =/\= Karyn asked as she ended with a question.

=/\= We have just finished doing promotion awards and we are currently close to docking with the Starbase, I have given the crew two hours to congratulate those who got promoted, Lieutenant Dodd was totally surprised by his promotion, he is now the new First Officer, Lieutenant Taggert the new CEO, so there were some surprises. Oh, Lieutenant Walon has resigned as Chief Counsellor and Lieutenant Arderne has taken her place. I will be asking one of our new officers if she wants the CIO post, so a lot of things happening on the Tomcat, but otherwise all is normal =/\= Alex said and looked off to the screen "thank you Lucy" she said and looked back to the screen =/\= Well it seems that time has come, it has been nice chatting Sis, and I will speak to you again =/\= Alex added.

=/\= Understood, fly safe and true sis, Somers out =/\= Karyn said as her sister gave her a big smile before the screen went dark, Karyn sighed and returned to what she had to do.

[OFF]

1st Lt Karyn Somers
Marine XO

&

Lt Col Alexandria Somers
Acting CO
USS Tomcat