A Chance Meeting

Posted on Saturday March 19th, 2022 @ 3:36am by Lieutenant Commander Calvin Hirsch

2,029 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 2: Our Foremost Virtues
Location: Various

Neteri was deep in her thoughts. Being a flight instructor had its perks and right now she had some down time. She had started out for the lounge but turned around and headed back to the flight deck and her office. She figured a good WWll book on fighter tactics would be the better of the two options. In turning around, she did not see Lt. Hirsch coming and ran headlong into him.

"Oofftttt! What in the name......oh snap Lt. Hirsch! I did not see you. Are you alright?" she asked.

Brown long hair, angelic proportioned facial features. Hirsch's eyes casually scanned the Lt. Commander's face and memorized. Every encounter with the Poseidon crew, Cal had made it a point to memorize. "Are you alright Commander?" Cal had paused. An emotionless face with a straight-lined mouth. He always makes it a point to be into someone’s business. It is what Security does. Casually striking up community-themed conversations to be in the know, security-wise through the decks.

"Where are you headed in such a hurry?" The Chief furrowed his brow up, questioning. "Let me walk with you, Commander. Let's go where was it you were headed?"

"I was headed back to my flight deck office to do some reading on WWII fighter tactic's and evasion flying. You never know what might happen and, well you never know when," Neteri said, beginning to walk nack to her office. oOHandsome man, bright smile, tall and muscularOo thought Neteri. oO He sounds like the caring type and concerned over his fellow shipmates. Feels like a good friend to be with. We shall see, yes, we shall see...Oo Neteri finished thinking as they walked.

Lt. Hirsch walked along with the Commander to her destination. Hirsch didn’t say anything as they made the short walk to the outer bay doors and offices. The Officer was smaller, much faster. However, this meant nothing; he could sense the Fighter Squadron CO knew her thing.

“I have been on the Poseidon for a while; I had never met you Neteri. Why?” Hirsch had extended his hand to Shannon, gesturing for her to enter her department first. Calvin was interested in the flight deck, not having been down in the area for now. It would be good to familiarize and note the ongoing per assigned duties, watching for any inconsistencies. Hirsch allowed himself full access to the crew shifts and scheduled secure information.

Sitting down on her small couch, if you could call it that, Neteri told Hirsch the reason why he had never met her. "For one thing, I really have no need to be on the bridge. A CAG is supposed to keep her pilots in good shape. Being prepared to fly at a moments notice. To keep them current with Starfleet's upgrades and technical specifications of their fighters. Keeping their fighters in tip top shape. All that is time consuming and doesn't really allow me to be idol and on the bridge. I suppose the only time I would be called to the bridge is if Ky'La is sick or unavailable to fly the ship when it is her shift," Neteri explained.

Hirsch openly thought out loud. "Now I come to think of it. I have seen you before, Commander." Cal remembered Shannon once in Poseidon's gym. "I have seen you in the Gym. You were working out on the lats and bench press..." Cal added. "Then you headed to the treadmill for a good while. It was the second in the second row." Hirsch lent a brow at the shorter, yet intriguing Group Commander. "I maintain a photographical memory." He tapped the side of his noggin. "You have a nice place to work, lots of space... Pretty engines to look at."

"Photographic memory? That is funny cause I have virtual recall memory. I can virtually recall events complete with all the empathic sensations. Sometimes I hate it cause it brings me flashbacks. Some good others not so good," Neteri said looking out the window to a red roped off section where "Flirt" was parked. "Shadow Hunter" was parked right next to it like it was protecting the memory of the missing fighter. Shaking off the feeling's that were trying to surface, she decided to pull a book from the shelf. "Well, this is the book I mentioned to you. It is on WWII fighter tactics and strategy. Here take a look, it is somewhat antique but sometimes the older it is the better you can fool another fighter into making a mistake," Neteri said, giving Hirsch the nook to look at.

Calvin opened the antique book with care and spread the index, scanning the WWII fighters and dog fights calculated vectoring and attitudinal miles. “This is unique. I understand the theory behind antiquated sourcing for fighter tactics. “It would make sense; most of these rare volumes have never met a computer.” Hirsch then closed the book and inspected the spine lining, appreciating the old crafts work.

“Impressive, Commander.” Hirsch gazed toward the fighter. A space was roped off beside it. “One space is empty, Commander. Why is that?” At least, Hirsch had no clue what the area had meant to Neteri. “Commander, that would be quite a burden. How do you manage your position with such flashbacks? Have you had a recent event, a flashback that is where you experience… emotions?” Calvin was curious.

Answering Hirsch quickly, "That was where "Flirt"....." suddenly realizing what she had answered to Hirsch. "His fighter was parked there next to "Shadow Hunter" was parked. I made it a standing order that, that spot was always taken by Paven's fighter," Neteri said, fighting the old haunting of that day began to emerge maki g her eyes water. It quite a burden when you don't need flashbacks to haunt you. I have learned that sometimes you can't push the worst ones aside because you had feelings for that person so I have had to learn how to deal with rhem step by step. Easy? No way.......it nearly kills me when I see Paven's fighter blow up infront of my eyes and my mind being flooded with his emotions of surprise, terror, disbelief, longing, shock, and literally saying goodbye!" she said as tears flowed. As she told Hirsch of that day, her virtual minds eye gave her the horrible picture that unfolded. Huddling on her couch, sobbing, she remembered how she felt twords Paven and that made it worse for her, crying harder to the point of hysterical sobs.

Calvin raised a brow. It was not every day that an Officer broke into full fledged tears, on a Sofa in her own Department. The first time she had met him as well. Calvin awkwardly, painstakingly swallowed. "Neteri." He leaned in as she sobbed, the memories, the emotions all hammering her. Hirsch seen how the sudden mention was surface pain, a wound unclosed for the Lt. Commander.

"Neteri," Hirsch calmly and yet in a controlled tone. "Do you wish me to seek assistance for you, someone to talk to?" Calvin felt the first salvo of warning signs blast off as bright as a flare. However, no. He was going to see about helping her here and now. He frowned at Neteri, her emotions of pain and anguish from this former fighter pilot nicnamed "Flirt". He would have to look up the File on Paven's closed file.

"Neteri." Hirsch breathed outward, his stoic solid face "May I lend a hug? Would this be acceptable?" Hirsch knew it sounded corny, inside his head he needed to do this as Security Officer, to set an example. He felt incredible emotion from Neteri come forward, Hirsch accepted that as he allowed his warm energy to give comfort, support.

Somehow the comforting sound of his voice, the outward emotion of concern and wanting to give comfort, she allowed him to hug her. It was something she needed right now and not later. Through the tears as they slowed, "All I saw was "Flirt" blow up with Paven in the cockpit trying furiously trying to shut down "Flirts"engines," Neteri whispered. "Flirt was his fighter's name. Shadow Hunter is my fighters name. As pilots we name our fighters just like our call signs. Mine is 'Ikran'. But it was horrible. I've seen explosions and lost pilots but not like this. I was beginning to fall for him and I think that is what hurts the most. I never got the chance to tell him!" she said, wiping the tears away. Neteri was beginning to pull herself together even though Hirsch was still hugging her. It felt comforting to be in his arms. Strong as they were but yet very gentle.

Hirsch sensed that Neteri was relaxing. He smiled. “There. See. Having someone to talk to about these horrible things.” Calvin was concerned. It posed a situation for flight safety if Neteri could not fly during a mission, incurring a paralyzing flashback suddenly. This, Hirsch kept to himself, though, for the time being. He would note this in his records of the day.

“Commander. Call me Calvin.” He replied, Hirsch’s face looking forward, benign, unrelenting with a fresh coating of understanding to Neteri. “Listen. If you ever need anyone at all to talk to. At any time, Chief is here.” He raised a brow and then smiled with a wink. “You ok now?”

"Yeah I will be. I gotta go see the counselor for her guidance again. It's been a while since the last flashback. What I don't need is this affecting my position as CAG. I need to fly and I have too many pilots that depend on me let alone the ship and her crew. So maybe we can get together for lunch or dinner or maybe drinks when off shift," Neteri said looking at Calvin.

At this moment, Calvin didn't want to set anything into stone with the Officer. Cal had made his best effort not to get involved with the crew, especially a crew member who was undergoing emotional turmoil inside! Under the own ethics of his Security Department, he should be a walking drone.

"A coffee would be nice." Hirsch lent a brow upward, his face still not showing his actual thought, emotional analyzing of Neteri. She deserved to be taken care of. Hirsch would make it an effort to help Neteri seek Counselling.

Nobody should have to endure the traumatizing memories of a past colleague, let alone feel their last moments hear them. See them die in real-time, a true horror Neteri was dealing with, and she had been left through the cracks.

"I don't drink myself, however like cold iced coffee," Hirsch replied, again with his golden retriever-like-focused nature.

"Well after I see the counselor again, we can meet for that iced coffee and talk some more. I like iced spring tea myself and it would be nice to have someone to talk with. I haven't made too many friends except my pilots and a few of the crew as you can see I am choosy with whom I call my friend. Calvin I consider you a friend and I hope you will call me friend as well," Neteri said looking at the man admiringly but not showing it.

Calvin was happy to hear that Neteri had intentions to meet with her Counsellor. Perhaps having that coffee with her would be good. “Sure. I will wait, and let you take the lead Commander. When you’re comfortable with the counselor.”

He stood up, turning, and pausing. “Now. You are sure. Everything you’re feeling right now. You will be, ok?” Hirsch placed his large hands at each side of his waist, assessing still. He held a firm, nonplussed gaze unrelenting until Neteri satisfied his anxieties for this sweet kind Officer.

"Yes I will make the appointment with her and then once that is done we can have that coffee, and tea beverages," Neteri said, also getting getting up. She smiled warmly at him as they both left parting their separate ways.

----
Lt. Cmdr. Neteri "Ikran" Shannon
CAG
USS Poseidon

&

Lt. Calvin Hirsch
Security Chief
USS Poseidon

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