Not between friends

Posted on Sat Jan 6th, 2024 @ 10:01am by Ensign Annika Wiseman

1,668 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Campor III - Resupply
Location: Annika's Quarters
Timeline: ---

On:

Annika had started packing, she launched a ball of clothing into her bag, she let out a giggle as it hit dead center in the bag. She laid her uniform on her desk, she wasn't sure if she was going too need that again, She stood there in her gym clothes she'd already had what could be considered a heated conversation with Strock who'd made numerous points about both her leaving and not leaving and the weight of the those decisions, she countered with wanting to do good without the restrictions of her job. She'd on many levels had enough, the violence, mayhem and chaos.

As she finished packing her bag she turned to the uniform, the door chime ringing out interrupted her. "Doors unlocked."

Lissa walked in to Annika's quarters and saw a half-packed bag and a uniform laid out on Annika's desk. "You going somewhere?"

Annika turned around "Home, I resigned."

"I heard about what you told Elliot. I came to check on you. See if there was anything I could do," Lissa shrugged meekly at her friend.

"No not really, I'm waiting on my transport orders and it's so long starfleet!" Annika said flopping down on the couch.

"I thought he was holding off on putting your papers through. Hoping you'd change your mind?" Lissa asked casually.

Annika leaned forward, "I'm done, my friends getting shot up, I can't cope anymore, I don't want to be here."

Lissa's eyes widened at Annika's response. She hadn't even thought of the fact that Annika had only been an officer a few months. "I'm sorry. I should have asked how you were doing sooner. It's really not always like this. Violent I mean." Lissa smiled sheepishly. "Not the best way to start your Starfleet career."

“It’s not worth it either, we’re not going to accomplish anything here, the fighting won’t end it’ll just go somewhere else, all we’ve done so far is put a bandage on a dam that’s about to burst.” Annika said as she looked around.

"Okay, you are probably right, but that doesn't mean you can't still do a lot of good in Starfleet," Lissa said in a soothing voice. "Let us just get away from this gods forsaken place and back to work that actually is our business before you make a final decision."

Annika put her bare feet on the floor, "And do what?" she paused feeling angry "No one's doing anything about the guy who attacked the Lieutenant, he's still free and I can't move five feet without everyone urinating themselves, if anyone wants too make a difference we need to bring that guy in," pausing to pick up her drink "otherwise we've failed, and I can't live with that." she said toasting the air and then slamming the drink back.

"I'm sure they are trying to find the guy. I had a couple of marines in sickbay the other day, it sounds like the entire planet is on lock down right now with extra security details everywhere," Lissa said. "And I'm sorry about what happened on the holodeck the other day. He was trying to make a joke and he feels really bad."

"They know exactly where he is, I could grab a phaser rifle right now, beam down and drag him in, there's a compound of former starfleet types he's been seen there." Annika said spinning the top off of the bottle of whiskey "But instead we're chasing weapons smugglers who more than likely are these ex-starfleet types and nothing is gonna...." Annika slumped down starting to cry "...nothing...."

Lissa gently sat down next to Annika and put her arm around her. "Hey, it's going to be okay. Just let it out. I'm sorry I didn't notice you were struggling. I should have been here for you sooner."

Through the sobs Annika finally spoke "I hate this..." more sobs "There has to be a way."

"A way to what?" Lissa asked. "Catch the guy who did this? They are working on it."

"They aren't." Annika said "We got told to shut down the investigation."

"Maybe someone else is taking it over but they can't say?" Lissa offered. "I could see why they may think it's better to have another intel department looking into it since Elliot was the one attacked.

"I need this, I want to be the one who brings this scumbag in not someone else." Annika said drunkenly followed by "I'm never this emotional, what the hell is wrong with me?"

"It's a lot, it would be weird to not be emotional," Lissa responded. "More reason to sit on this decision for a while. I know I don't want you to go anywhere. It would be a big loss for Starfleet to lose you."

Annika who was clearly drunk sat there tears running, "I just want to do the right thing."

Lissa rubbed Annika's back. "You will. Don't feel like you have to make any decisions about what that is today. Take some pressure off yourself."

Annika just sat there sobbing and shaking, "I don't know what to do anymore."

"It's okay, Anni. You can take your time. Talk it out you know."

"I don't feel so good." Annika said as she scrambled to the bathroom.

"Oh geez," Lissa said as she stood up and walked slowly behind her. "I can grab a kit and get you something for that," she offered."

Between the noises of her vomiting and crying more she finally collapsed on the floor holding herself up against the toilet seat "Oh gawd...I feel awful."

Lissa wasn't sure if she should stay, or go and come back. She kneeled on the floor next to Annika. "I can go get my med kit and come back. I can take care of this hangover. And if you want give you something to help you get some rest?"

Annika coughed, spitting "I need something."

"Okay, I'll be right back." Lissa wet a small towel and filled a glass with water and set it beside her before she left. Her quarters weren't far, and she had a few things that could help in her med kit.

Annika sat on the floor sweating, rocking slightly, her body ached from the sudden release of all of the overwhelming emotions she felt the clothing starting to stick to her body as she tried to prop herself against the wall she tried to wipe her face off she felt her body start to feel heavy as she sat there.

A little less than ten minutes later Lissa had jogged her way back and opened the door. She ducked her head inside Annika's quarters, medical kit in tow. "Okay, you want me to scan you to see if anything else is going on or just give you the hangover cure?" Lissa asked softly as she stepped inside.

Annika mumbled "yeah...okay."

Lissa opened the kit and grabbed a hypospray hitting Annika with a dose of electrolytes and an analgesic for the pain. "That should help. Give it a few minutes. Do you want to try to go lay down?"

Annika tried to stand, sweat rolling down her forehead and face making her shirt sticking to her chest, "I clearly can't drink, keep it together or do anything right."

"Oh, who says what's 'right' anyway," Lissa said as she helped Annika to her bed. She fished a clean sleep shirt out of Annika's bag and handed it to her. "Do you want some juice or some water?"

"Water..." Annika stumbled the words out taking the shirt then peeling off the soaked shirt.

Lissa went to replicator and ordered a glass of cool water and a separate glass of crushed ice and brought them to Annika. "Anything else? I can still give you something to help you get some rest if you want."

Annika struggled to pull the top over, "Why are you doing this?" she paused adjusting herself "You don't have to be here."

Lissa looked taken aback for a moment. "You're one of my best friends... I thought," she responded. Suddenly Lissa felt uncertain of herself. She normally didn't cloud her relationship with self-doubt, but she also generally avoided defining them out loud and after everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks Lissa wasn't feeling herself either.

Wrapping her arms around Lissa "Then I'm a lousy friend... I should have talked with you before being so stupid."

"Don't be so hard around yourself. We all have to live and learn," Lissa said sitting on the edge of the bed. "And you haven't done anything permanent. You can sleep this off," she said waving her hand playfully over Annika. "And Elliot's not turning in your resignation without talking to you again. I think everyone's first traumatic mission can have a similar effect. It's why we watch out for each other."

"I know this will sound weird could you stay for a bit?" Annika was starting to feel woozy "I don't think I can be alone."

"Sure," Lissa said softly. "I'll stay as long as you like. Let me know if you need anything."

Annika rolled onto the bed, "Why do I feel so weird, it's like I'm a teenager again."

"I don't know. I mean, looks like you had quite a bit to drink. I gave you stuff for the headache and nausea, but we'd have to go to Sickbay to do a full detox," Lissa responded.

Annika was too fuzzy figure things out, the emotional overload left her worn out. "I'm sorry...." she mumbled as she drifted off.

Lissa made sure Annika was asleep and borrowed her LCARS terminal to finish up some reports for a while to make sure she didn't wake up and need anything. After Lissa had finished a couple of reports without seeing Annika stir, she decided to pack up and leave Annika's quarters. She called out for the lights to go off as she left the rooms.

END

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