Homecoming

Posted on Sat Nov 28th, 2020 @ 1:00pm by Lieutenant Aemilia "Millie" Stepanova & Captain Henry Crow

Mission: To The Rescue
Location: Sickbay

Cold Earth.

Warm Breath.

Hot Blood.

A half-strangled scream escaped Millie's lips as her eyes flew open.

Henry let her get it out. "Welcome home," he said quietly.

She sucked in air, as if relieving a huge pressure on her chest. Millie closed her eyes, taking a second shaky breath. "Henry..."

"They tell me that you've handled the radiation therapy very well. I think with all you've been through you've earned a lot of respect on this ship."

Millie took a couple of slow, measured breaths, attempting to slow her pounding heart. "How is Trish?"

He paused, judging his words. "Contemplative, tired, happy to be back."

A fragment of a laugh escaped her lips. "You have to restrain her to get that leg healed?" She finally opened her eyes, turning her head slightly toward Henry, almost relieved to see a human face.

"She was sedated for that one." He walked over to the bed. "Ms. Moro nearly needed sedated herself to be convinced to leave the chair over there. I finally told her I'd keep watch."

Millie was quiet for a moment. "How long have you been sitting there?"

"Not quite two hours."

Millie's cheeks gave an embarrassed flush. "You don't have to be here, Captain. I'm fine."

"I don't have anywhere else to be. We're on route back to Earth and frankly my wife is still not thrilled that I allowed Chance to go on the rescue mission. I'm safer in here."

"I wouldn't be so sure. Your wife knows how to use everything in this room." The Counselor managed a weary smile. "You might be safer in the armory."

Henry retook his seat. "So I understand you were the protector down there. Someone trained you well."

She gave as much of a nod as she could give in the restraining field. "It appears that the fears that prompted Trish and Lt. Edruj to train me were incredibly justified."

"As your Captain I am very proud of your actions in saving a crew member against all odds. On a personal level I am indebted to you for saving the life of my daughter in law."

"I'm going to remind you of that debt the next time you refuse to come to my office." Millie slowly closed her eyes and sighed.

"Rest now. You earned it."

"I don't want to sleep." The words came out almost like a whimper, and Millie's eyes opened again.

"I don't think you're in any shape for a session."

Millie opened her mouth as if to say something, but her lips trembled and she swallowed hard. Her eyes blinked, and a tear trickled down the side of her cheek.

"But you will be. Just follow doctors orders and you'll be back to normal in no time. "

"How--" Millie's lip trembled again. "How long were we gone?"

"Almost two months give or take."

"Only two months?" Her words came out more like a whisper.

"Seemed like two years I'd imagine. When your world is turned upside down the first thing to go is usually our internal clocks. There's no shift change when it's all about survival."

"We g--" Her voice caught in her throat. "G-gave up."

"No," he said quietly but sternly. "You adapted and survived."

Millie's eyes closed, and another couple of tears ran down her cheeks. "I gave up, Henry..."

He stood from his chair. "Losing hope isn't a sin. Refusing to pick it back up when you find it again is. It's important to always remember that."

"But I-I--" Millie's tears flowed more steadily. "I k-k-kil--" Her breath caught, and she couldn't get out the words.

He sighed at her distress, bringing the chair over and sitting at her bedside. "You did what you had to do. Would it have been better to be the one who isn't here?"

Millie fought to get her breathing under control. "I s-s-see it in m-my dreams. I c-can't tell what is my blood and what is theirs."

"I think we need to get you set up with a virtual counselor of your own. Someone who is trained to get you through the psychological aspects of what happened."

A laugh broke through Millie's tears. "Maybe you should take your own advice once in a while."

He grinned. "The irony is not lost but you need someone to talk to who has been throu....," he stopped. "Or you could talk to your travelling partner. If anyone knows how to deal with it its her."

"No." Millie was soft, but determined. "She's not in any psychological state to unpack my nightmares. There's a lot of--" she paused. "I saw some concerning regression. Her health comes first."

"Alright. One last thing. I was preparing a next of kin report and yours is blank. Do we need to update it?"

Millie closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't have anyone, Captain. Trish is the closest I have to family."

As if he needed more evidence to show his traditional side he removed a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed her cheeks. "And we are the same to her. That's not a bad thing."

Millie gave a soft flinch at the unexpected touch, but quickly relaxed. "Captain? Will you...tell me all that I've missed?"

He nodded and began explaining the medical mission, what they found, and all the pertinent and unnecessary details. Using the same voice he used when he'd read his kids a bedtime story he knew what the result would be.

Captain Henry Crow
Commanding Officer, USS Mercutio



Lieutenant JG Aemilia "Millie" Stepanova
Chief Counselor, USS Mercutio