Six & The Officer
Posted on Sat Jul 4th, 2015 @ 2:14pm by Ensign Six of Ten & Lieutenant Tess Rutheridge
Mission:
Further Challenges
Location: Galileo Science Center
* Galileo Science Center *
Six had been translating the Iconian slab throughout the morning now and a slight languor tugged at her as her hunger grew and the day turned on midday. She thought of the barbecue from Bubba’s and her mind lingered on the side dishes that had accompanied it. So intent was her daydreaming that she didn’t hear Rutheridge coming up from behind.
“Hello Six. How’re you?” he greeted her with a smile.
She jumped slightly as his voice pulled her from the daydream. “Good morning,Lt. Rutheridge.”
“A word with you, if you please?” He said gesturing to Leroy’s office.
“Or course.”
Six sensed concern in Tess as well as the shift from pleasantries to a more serious mindset. Had she done something wrong? She ran over the morning in her mind and came up with nothing. Perplexed, she followed Lt. Rutheridge to the commander’s office and, once the doors closed behind them, Tess motioned her to have a seat. He moved behind Leroy’s desk but did not seat himself, resorting instead to a nervous pace, hands clasped behind his back as she watched him move back and forth. His agitation now had her worried.
“The first thing I want to say, Six, is that you’re making great progress in your assigned tasks and that I’m sure you are a great addition to Galileo’s staff. Well… I bet even Commander Leroy would be satisfied with your results…” he ended with an uncertain smile, uneasiness evident in his behaviour.
“Thank you sir,” she answered. The compliment pleased her as well as easing her mind a little. But if it wasn’t her work that concerned him, then what could it be?
“I saw you yesterday at the Lake...” he told her, letting the sentence linger as if everything should be made instantly clear by that statement.
The lake? Why would that be a problem, she wondered. She hadn’t been in uniform but then, she was off duty so that wasn’t an issue. He had waved as he passed and Six hadn’t given it a second thought. She smiled at Tess.
“Yes, it’s a lovely place to unwind and get away from the labs and offices,” she answered. “You should have stayed for a little while.”
“Oh you seemed to have a great day, of that I was sure, you were glowing.” He nodded “Still… You’re new here and, due to your background, perhaps we should have taken care of you more closely. It is probably our fault…”
Now Six was completely confused. “Taken care of me? I’m not following you sir. I am not aware of any danger in the Arboretum. Is there something I should know?”
Frowning Tess moved closer to the desk and turned the terminal to face Six. On the screen Suresh’s face was clearly visible in two pictures to the front and to the side and,in a side portion of the monitor, a list of all crimes attributed to him scrolled down slowly.
“I’m not judging Six, probably he deceived you, but the man you’re spending your free time with is a criminal. He is the leader of a syndicate indeed. One who’s holding sway on the decks below the Equator.”
“He didn’t do those things,” she informed Tess, her tone firm. “He’s not that other one either.” She paused, his words confusing to her. Surely Tess would be aware of this Suresh’s arrival? “You worked on the rescue of the Admiral, the XO and Lt. Darwin from that alternate universe, didn’t you?”
“We all did, especially Commander Leroy. Then what? And what do you mean by ‘he’s not the other one’?”
“The reports from that incident show that a woman and a child traveled here from that universe. There was also a stowaway on the Hammond when it returned, and this Suresh is him. Surely science knew about that?” she asked.
“Not that I know. This information should be verified and for everyone on the base he is just that: Suresh the criminal. But this is not the point…” Tess replied to her shaking his head “The point is you and what you want to do.” Again he strode back and forth considering… “Commander Leroy is abroad at the moment but I can tell you he would not be pleased to know of such a thing.” Tess stopped turning to face her, a dour look on his face.
“You may speak with Lt. Kendrick in Security if you want to check.” Six frowned a moment. “But you are right, the point is what I want to do. Commander Leroy, however….” she stopped, pondering the idea of Leroy’s reaction.
“Your affair is safe with me as long as I’m the only one to know, but juicy gossips tend to spread like fire in a hayfield on this base and people tend to have a weird imagination over things. Let them put together the words ‘Borg’ and ‘Syndicate Boss’... The outcome could be explosive. If this thing comes to common knowledge I will not be able to cover you. Still you might have to make a decision…”
He paused to let his words sink in with her hoping she would catch his meaning.
“A decision?” Anger rose within Six in an instant. “I wasn’t aware that Starfleet had the authority to decide who I associate with, sir. I realize that I am something of an unusual case, and Starfleet is still a little wary about me but I didn’t think that would extend to my personal life as well. If it’s not affecting my performance, why does it matter?” She stopped and took a deep breath, forcing herself to settle down. It wasn’t Tess’s fault after all.
“The uniform you’re wearing. Do you really know its meaning?” He stated then, sternly. “For I know many things of Commander Leroy and, albeit he’s somewhat changed from his trip to Ialnalyn region, there is one thing about him I’m still fairly sure of. You don’t mess with the uniform. It’s Starfleet. It’s woven in ideals… Damn... I think the man was born with that uniform, grafted to his skin the very first day of his life.” Tess said granting himself the privilege of an irreverent smile.
“That man and that uniform…” He said nodding in turn from the monitor to Six, “do not get along well. Leroy’s not going to skip on a thing like that. He comes to know, you’ll be sorry.”
Six was having a hard time digesting what she was hearing, and her displeasure showed on her face. “Is the fear that some classified piece of information might be passed along to a civilian? If so, then half the fleet would be under scrutiny as well for being involved with civilians. Or is it based purely on who he looks like?”
“Those are only practical fears and they could have a reason to be. But there’s something more for how trivial it may seem the ‘high standards’ required from each officer are at stake here.”
Tess seated then looking her for an instant “A Starfleet officer cannot associate with a criminal and that is the thing that everyone will see…”
“But he isn’t,” she insisted. “He went with the XO and CSEC to track down the criminal Suresh when he escaped from Elba II. Even Lt. Darwin trusts him.” She paused as she faced Tess. “The Fleet took a big chance on me, despite the fact that I was a Borg. In my case, I really was what everyone feared and yet, here I am. For Suresh, he is not what he looks like. Shouldn’t he have the same chance? Shouldn’t it be easier than it was with me?”
“I have no knowledge of what you’re saying about him. In any case what the common people know is that he’s gone on a sentence for life in a maximum security prison… Do you really think this thing cannot damage you and your career and perhaps… Your dream?”
“Do you not think that who he really is won’t become known? If he is seen associating with other officers, won’t that help? Especially if it’s Security and the XO?” Six decided not to mention that Riley had been to dinner with them too. No need adding complications to this situation. Then something Tess had said came back to her. “What did you mean, you won’t be able to cover me if it becomes known? Are you saying you won’t tell Commander Leroy?”
“Unless what you’re saying now turns out to be true, no I’m not going to tell him. That does not mean that I’ll not be verifying all the information. If you’re not right about him this thing could cost you dearly as I’ve already said.”
“Check with Bryce and Darwin. They’ll give you what you need to know.” Six’s voice was quiet now. “I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, really. If he were this other person, then you would be right to be worried but he is not. We should discuss this once you’ve finished verifying what I said.” She rested her hand on the desk and rose. “If I may go?” When Tess nodded, Six turned and left the office. Since it was time for her to go to lunch, she continued straight on from the office and out through the main doors.
Tess watched her go. The doors closed behind her and he felt bad, bitterness sweeping over him. In one way he understood her. The young age, the thirst for experience, the desire to belong to someone in a full way... Really not like being the infinitesimal part of the Borg collective as she had to endure. Still… On the other side there was Starfleet and its commitment.
Damn he thought. There were so many good guys around that would have given an arm for a girl like her...
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Ensign Six of Ten
Not Liking Life Under The Microscope
Tess Rutheridge
Concerned For The Young’Un
(as played by Patrick Leroy)
