The Storm before the Calm

Posted on Friday August 14th, 2020 @ 11:36pm by Lieutenant Damian Kane & Master Chief Petty Officer Charles Payne & Enlisted Cadet Sarah O'Toole & Captain Franklin Johnson & Commander Kanaka Shakura & Lieutenant Commander Paul Sharpe & Lieutenant Commander T'Pri & Lieutenant Commander Freya Mannerheim & Lieutenant Shalmira Heddan & Commodore Gregory Paladin & Lieutenant J'Loni Mo'Bri Daughter House L'Keth & Lieutenant Oscar Vladinchi & Lieutenant Lazarus Kord & Ensign Samantha Evans, Trainee & Lieutenant JG Sydney Allen & Lieutenant JG T'se & Staff Warrant Officer Kendall Williams & Petty Officer 1st Class Jaxson Morris & Miranda Von Furst
Edited on on Saturday August 15th, 2020 @ 12:37am

4,194 words; about a 21 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 1: Spectrophobia
Location: Deck 6- Ship's Chapel
Timeline: Docked at Starbase 47

"It has been said, 'time heals all wounds.' I do not agree. The wounds remain. In time, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."
-Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy-

ON:

There was an ambiance in the Chapel. The soft lighting with the candles lit. Master Chief Payne was playing his guitar softly as gentle background music. He started playing before anyone arrived. The acoustics in the Chapel itself was pretty awesome. But the computer managed to make his sound resonate with a little more gust. And to think, at one time they needed microphones to do that.

Sarah was at her podium. waiting to greet guests. She knew that IF she had any questions about who was who she could ask any of the ushers. They were all there. Just waiting. All the ushers were cadet volunteers. Everyone was in there dress uniforms, waiting for the people to arrive.

Franklin was the first to arrive. The invitations had been sent and he'd be damned if he didn't attend the very ceremony memorializing the fallen. He gave a nod towards the Podium, and behind him arrived the Commodore. They both exchanged brief greetings before parting on opposite sides of the Chapel.

The 2 men were greeted by the girl at the podium. She called for ushers who showed them where there seats were.

T'Pri came in to pay her respects and she brought some memorial incense for the occasion. she walked up and greeted those who were there.

"Is it appropriate to light a candle for the fallen?" T'Pri asked the trio. She wasn't sure what the exact custom was but she certainly meant well.

"Absolutely." Said Sarah O'Toole at the main podium. "Let me call an usher to escort you to your seat, and I'll get you an incense burner if you wish."

"Thank you that would be most kind." T'Pri replied.

Neteri entered the chapel quietly, hoping to release her grief in a proper way by this service. The battle had brought up the pain and remembrance of Paven and it added to the grief of those lost recently. The sessions with Kanaka had worked wonders in helping her control her emotions and hurt. Yet, this was going to prove trying even for her. She sat quietly alone and reflected on past events.

Freya entered the chapel, and took a look around. Instead of wearing uniform, she had followed the tradition of her own people, wearing a plain, black dress, with her combadge and rank insignia pinned to the chest. She nodded a greeting to those already present, and proceeded to a corner in the back of the room, preferring to remain standing for the ceremony.

Lazarus and Oscar followed close behind. Ever since the battle the two had become something of friends. Recently they had been sharing their stories of their private happenings; how they came to be here, where they had come from, and the past that had formed them. It had only been brief instances of discussions, nothing noteworthy, but the small and short words had been enough for the two to become professionally closer as crewmates.

The Gorn gave a nod to the ushers as did Oscar, the two typically reserved gentlemen guiding themselves to their seats after a short greeting. This service would do well for them as well, help them cope and accept emotions typically held back for months or even years.

Sarah O'Toole stood there at the podium right in front of the Chapel ready to receive the very next person. It was her job to make sure people get to their assigned seats. She saw the next person approach. "Hello" She said. "And you would be?"

The Assistant Chaplain could be forgiven for not having recognised Kanaka. Instead of wearing her dress uniform, she had opted to wear a traditional Betazoid mourning dress, the first time anyone on board would've seen her in a dress of any kind. It was long and modest dress primarily black in colour, with a small hint of blue around the collar; a choice Kana had made to reflect her department. A veil hung over her face. This mourning dress was extremely plain considering Betazoid standards, but the Chief Counsellor had made that conscious choice as she had this dress specifically tailored to be worn on Starfleet missions, and didn't wish to draw too much attention with it. She was grateful she didn't have to wear it often, but she feared this wouldn't be the first time on the Poseidon.

Pulling back her veil and revealing her clean, natural face, she gave Sarah and reserved smile. "Kanaka Shakura, Executive Officer and Chief Counsellor." She introduced herself to the young woman to save her the embarrassment of having to admit she didn't know. Once that was clear, Kana restored her veil and followed the usher who took her to her seat beside the Captain and the Commodore.

Cadet Stainer, the XO's Aide, was not far behind. She was mostly focused on fulfilling her role and so remained in standard uniform, but she walked softly and kept her head down in respect for the dead as she entered the chapel and took her designated place.

The Brinsley Family was next to enter, and settled themselves quietly at the back. Nealey and Madison looked like they had barely slept, and the children looked very bewildered by what was going on, while at the same time probably still shaken by what had happened. They were far too young to have witnessed what they had.

Lieutenant Canaan Serine - the outgoing Chief Science Officer - came next with his arm around Samantha Evans, the one surviving Science Trainee that had started under his charge. He whispered small comforts to her as she cried softly, still reeling from the loss of her friends Charlie and Dok. They would both sit together throughout the ceremony, Canaan's attention mostly focused on Samantha and occasional glances towards Gregory, with whom he hadn't spoken in a while due to everything that had happened.

Gregory would match those glances, if only briefly. Canaan and he had agreed that this transition for both of them would go smoothly if things were kept more professional between them. The Commodore was happy for the Lieutenant Commander and no doubt vice versa, but the longing was there. After a while, Gregory decided to concentrate forward, giving a final acknowledging smile to Canaan for the duration of the ceremony.

Franklin, for his part, took note of the glances. He didn't ask questions though, intelligent enough to guess at the extent that they meant. He kept his attention forward and his mind out of their business.

Shalmira sat silently at the rear of the Chapel, feeling slightly uncomfortable as a newcomer. Her thoughts were clear though she couldn't help still feeling like an outsider. She'd hardly had time to get to know some of those lost, taken far too soon from their prospective futures. Their dreams shattered and lives cut, abrubtly, all to short. Shalmira would have to speak to Lt Serine before he left about writing letters and sending communications to the families of the fallen. She remained alone with her thoughts, examining her feelings, as the proceedings continued.

J'Loni walked in soberly as she had lost several engineers. Writing their families had hurt deeply and did not help her mood. Taking a seat alone she sat in silence reflecting the lives and memories of those that had passed.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Damian Kane approached the podium beside the alter in the Chapel. He was dressed in his orange habit. And carried a staff. he made a motion to Chief Payne who was was playing his acoustic guitar. as background music. Chief Payne stopped playing, and put his guitar down. Payne stood by his seat. Damian then addressed the congregation. He paused, and looked at everyone before he said a word.

"Honored guests, welcome. Welcome to this memorial of the fallen. It is a time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. They were valued colleagues and friends. And they will be missed. Lets join together in a celebration of their lives. Lets not allow ourselves to be hurt by their loss. Lets be grateful that these people touched and enriched our lives. Let us not make their memory a thing to be mourned. Lets remember them with all the joy they brought to us. Remember, there are our Comrades, or Family. We are One." Damian said. Then, he silently bowed his head for a brief second. Then raised his head and continued.

"The Universe speaks in many languages, but only one voice. The language is not Vulcan, or Human, or Klingon, or Andorian, or Ferengi. It speaks in the language of Hope. It speaks in the language of Trust. It speaks in the language of Strength and the language of Compassion. It is the language of the Heart. and the language of the Soul. But always it is the same voice. Its the voice of our ancestors speaking through us. And the voice of our inheritors waiting to be born. It is the small still voice that says.....We are one. No matter the Blood, no matter the Skin, no matter the World, no matter the Star! We are One. No matter the Pain.....No matter the Darkness....No matter the Loss....No matter the Fear. We are One. Here, gathered together in common cause. We agree to recognize this singular truth. and this singular rule. That we must be kind to one another. Because each voice enriches us, and ennobles us. And each voice lost, diminishes us. We are the voice of the Universe. The Soul of creation. The fire that will light the way to a better future. We are one. We are ONE. WE ARE ONE!"

Damian then bowed his head again. And then looked back to the Congregation. "Now, May I ask you all to please stand as we bow our heads in a moment of silence for the fallen. As we do this, the ship's bell will ring once for every person that fell." Once everyone was standing, the ship's bell started to ring. Ding Ding.....Ding Ding......Ding Ding....was all that could be heard. For a whole minute, everybody was silent. In the front row were those wounded at the battle. They were truly the honored ones here. After the bells stopped, there was about 10 seconds left of silence. Then, Damien spoke again.

"May whatever you hold sacred comfort you. And may the great bird of the galaxy protect all of us." Damian looked around and met the eyes of everyone. My name is Damian Kane. I'm the Ship's Chaplain, in case you haven't guessed. And at this time, I believe Commodore Gregory Paladin wanted to address you all and say a word or 2. So, help me welcome him." Damian said.


=====[ Gregory Speaks ]=====

The Commodore approached the podium and nodded thankfully to the Chaplain, extending a hand and shaking, whispering thanks that went unheard over the speakers now broadcasting the ceremony. In fact, if one had paid attention during Damian's speech, they could hear the echo of it through the ship. This was done mainly for those who couldn't attend today, and an image of the events in the chapel was freely broadcast to terminals and quarters for others in different locations or on duty elsewhere. It was truly intended to be something to unite the crew.

The Commodore stepped behind the podium, nodding to those attending and those attending virtually. His words were soft as he began to speak.

"My fellow crew of the USS Poseidon and to all affected by the loss of our beloved crew during the Battle of the Bright Nebula," Gregory started, taking a moment to look down in reflection before gazing back and continuing. "It was never intended by Starfleet Command nor Starfleet Academy for the Poseidon to engage in direct combat. This ship was intended and planned from the start to be a safe haven from the horrors of the void, to provide experience for those wonderful cadets who choose our hallowed halls, and to provide itself as a mobile classroom to continue their training in the Academy. Yet, a few days ago, we experienced that very conflict, we endured that hell."

His eyes trained on all present, one by one, before he continued again.

"It is the immeasurable weight of the loss of life that weighs on my shoulders today that obligates me to stand here, before you, to address you. I, as your Commodore, as the leader of this new and inventive initiative to train our future cadets into the brightest and most educated crew, failed you. I take that responsibility upon myself and I invite all of you to place that rightful blame on me. I do not stand here to ask for your forgiveness, however. I stand here to ask for your continued resolve in this endeavour, to hold true to the ideals and to not let those who lost their lives have their lives wasted.

They died unfairly, they died suddenly, they died expecting me to never lead them into harm. That is something I will take to my grave. But I cannot promise you that the future holds no further deaths, nor can I promise you no further harm. I can, instead, promise you we will strive to honour those lost and their memory and to ensure the next generation of cadets gets the chance that was so wrongfully stolen from them."

A moment of reflection as he eyed the crowd, then a nod of his head as he uttered, "Thank you for your time and attention," before nodding to Damian and slipping off the podium back to his seat.

Damian went back to the podium. "Thank you Commodore." He said. "I do believe now that Captain Franklin Johnson now would like to say a few words." He said beckoning the ship's master to address his people.

=====[ Franklin Speaks ]=====

Franklin remained seated for a split second, the somberness of the occasion awash over him like a tidal wave. As soon as the Chaplain called his name and Gregory passed him on the way back to his seat, he snapped back to reality and stood rigidly as he made his way up to the podium. Kana could sense the deep sadness in his heart, though it would have been obvious to anyone there who was looking closely enough.

Thanking Damian in a hushed tone as he arrived at the podium and took his place, the Captain took his time taking in the scene in front of him, the very last of the Commodore's words still echoing throughout the ship as he observed the faces looking upon him right then and there. The pain, the grief, the shock; all of it resonated with him. All of it fell upon his shoulders with a terrible force that made him feel like he could break at any moment. So much doubt still circled in his mind, so much self-loathing. And yet, as he gazed upon the coffins of his former crewmen, a spark seemed to light up inside of him. Fighting bravely against the darkness in his mind.

Clearing his throat, he finally began to speak. "I would like to start by thanking both our noble Chaplain and the wise Commodore for their inspiring words. I echo their sentiments completely, and only wish I could have said them first, for they are words fitting of this ship, her crew and those that we bid farewell to this day."

He paused for a brief moment, before continuing. "The life of a member of Starfleet - from the greenest of Cadets to the most senior of Command - is one fraught with danger. Taxed with the possibility that, in pursuit of our noble mission, our lives are only seconds away from being taken from us. Our every day plays witness to these challenges, to this reality that plays out across the universe, and at times it can be incredibly disheartening to witness. It is a powerful reminder that sometimes even the strongest of us are nought but at the mercy of powers and forces far beyond our comprehension, and who act without a care for our own actions. Moments like this can tear us apart, most of all because once what's done is done, we struggle to accept that there's little that we can do now."

His tone was initially very somber, intent on serving as a release for both his and the crews collective grief. He knew there was no point in pretending that he did not feel pain and anger over this tragedy, as did his crew, and the frustration at the fact that they were powerless to help it now. Reconciliation with that was the first step in moving towards acceptance, and away from grief. A small tear rolled down Franklin's cheek, though he kept his composure as he started to shift his tone into a louder and more defiant one.

"But hear me, my crew, when I tell you that these sacrifices are never in vain. That our efforts, however powerless they may feel at times, are never wasted. What we all seek to achieve - both for the Federation and the galaxy at large - is greater than any one of us can achieve alone, and we have always taken on this great enterprise in the knowledge that it would not be easy. Many throughout the history of the galaxy's civilizations have died in this pursuit; the pursuit for peace, the pursuit for knowledge, the pursuit for progress. We do this knowingly, and willingly, because if nobody did then we would surely be lost in the darkness. We would never have wandered out of the cave and gazed up at the sky and wondered what it was like, and how great things could be."

Kana could feel the steady but swelling sense of warmth and pride that was building up both in the room and across the ship as Franklin spoke, his words becoming more defiant and triumphant by each sentence. This was the Captain that he would be, and his Executive Officer felt genuinely proud of him in this moment. Despite his worst doubts and fears, when it really mattered, he was able to overcome.

"Those we mourn today laid down their lives so that those who follow tomorrow can go further than they did. That those who follow can face those same forces that took them from us and say, 'Yeah, and what?'. This - my crew - is why we serve upon the Poseidon and why we serve Starfleet; to stand defiant against these forces and as a testament to the sacrifices of those who came before us, to show that we will not surrender the tremendous ground we've gained because of all that we've lost. We've grown so much more because of them, and it would be an insult to their memory if we gave up now. As dark as things may seem now, do not give up on today, because tomorrow is full of the brighter hopes that these brave souls were looking for. So let us continue or noble pursuit of those things, both to honour those we've lost, and in service of all those who will come after. Thank you."

Franklin finally managed to relax as he brought his speech to a close. For a few moments there was silence, before it was immediately broken by a round of applause. The Captain's eyes glowed as he looked to the source of the clapping to see Kana standing there, and while her face was covered by her veil, he could feel the warmth in her expression. Very quickly the Commodore joined her, as did the likes of Canaan, Oscar, Lazarus, the Brinsley Family and so on. Soon, almost all the Chapel were on their feet in applause. An applause which, as the echoes of his words drew to a close elsewhere, could also be felt throughout the ship.

Franklin was overwhelmed, but just about managed to keep his composure to give a humble bow of thanks to those assembled, before standing back to let the Chaplain take back the podium.

Damian went back to the podium. "Thank you Captain. We don't have time for the entire crew to talk. But, IF any of the ship's senior staff wish to say something, I now would call you to say a few words."

=====[ T'Pri Speaks ]=====

T'Pri stood up and and went to the podium.

"We grieve for our honored dead. Vulcan's have many beliefs about the great mystery of the beyond. All our shipmates did there jobs and some died while others lived. All acted with great honor and if deeds do count or mean anything at all then our honored dead's deeds have indeed echoed into eternity. We now have a responsibility to carry on in their honor. To make their sacrifice have even greater meaning." T'Pri stated.

A single tear dropped from her eyes. She bowed her head then said, "Thank you." She then returned to her seat.

As they passed on the way to the podium Damian stopped and gave T-Pri a Vulcan salute. "LIVE long and prosper." He said to her.

"Peace and long life", T'Pri responded returning the Vulcan salute

Damian returned to the podium. "Is there anyone else who would like a moment to say a few words?" He asked.

=====[ Neteri Speaks ]=====

Neteri got up and walked slowly to the podium. As Damian moved away, she cleared her throat. Looking out at her fellow crew members and the families, she took a deep breath. "I am not one for giving speeches, but I feel this is one time I should. Let me start by conveying my deepest sympathies to the families and friends that lost loved ones. I know what it is to lose someone and it is painful to say the least. Here on the Poseidon, we are not only crew mates but we are family, and such a family cares for each other. It doesn't matter what type of disaster or emergency happens on the ship we all pull together to work it out and give strength to each other. This is what family does, we help each other and that is exactly what we did. A person can't blame themselves for the loss of life on a ship. When we signed on we all knew what we were in for and each and everyone of us do our jobs to the last breath. Even though this is a teaching ship, we are a starship of the UFP, and when we get sent into a situation, no one can see the out come of that situation until it is resolved. If the end results, result in the loss of life, we have to honor them in that they gave their, lives for a greater good. I honor those we lost and pray their families and friends remember them as heros," Neteri finished, lowered her head and stepped from the podium. She said what was in her heart and a single tear fell as she sat down. She was thinking of Pavan and the 4 pilots she had lost in the fight.

Damian touched her shoulder as she finished speaking. allowing her to step away. "That was beautiful." He said. "Is there anyone else?" He asked.

After a brief silence, nobody seemed like they wanted to say anything more. It felt like all had been said for the brave crew who made the ultimate sacrifice. Then Damian spoke again. "Before we conclude this celebration of life for the fallen, I would like us to offer 1 more minute for everyone who lost their lives......including those who fought against us. I know, I know, they attacked us. But, we ARE Starfleet Officers. And those who fought against us today, might very well be our friends and allies tomorrow. And ANY life lost through violent action is a tragedy. We honor our fallen. But lets mourn all of the fallen. Join me in showing the Universe that though we are hurting, we do have it in us to forgive." And with that he bowed his head for 60 seconds.

After that, Damian raised his head. "The great Mahatma Gandhi once said, 'The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.' You are the strongest people I know. May the Great Bird of the Galaxy Hold you, and protect you all. Not just for now. Hebrews 13:8 - Yesterday, Today, and Forever. Now, Lets get back to living. I want us all to live well. Don't be afraid to ask people....How are you living? Thank you all for coming." He said leaving the podium to go to the front and ask everyone that as they left. How are YOU living?

OFF:

The Entire Crew of the USS Poseidon
We Are One.
So Say We ALL.

RSS Feed