Doesn't Mean It Isn't Real
Posted on Sun 10th Oct, 2021 @ 1:08am by Lieutenant Damion Ildaran
797 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
A Good Day to Hunt
Location: Dr. Addams' Office, Main Infirmary
Timeline: MD-3, 0810 hours
"Tell Dr. Addams that Lt. Ildaran is here to see her, please," Damion said to the crewman at the front desk in the main infirmary's lobby. "I'm expected."
Damion realized that didn't mean much; an unexpected emergency could throw a wrench into Addams' day and interrupt any number of scheduled appointments--but he'd said he would come by after seeing Six safely off the tram, so here he was.
"Um," the Corpsman answered, looking at the Lieutenant and then at the Doctor standing behind Ildaran. "Sir?" He couldn't help wondering if his leg was being tugged upon.
"What?" Damion asked. It wasn't that difficult a request. He followed the corpsman's gaze as it went past him and turned around. There she was, standing right behind him. "Dr. Addams--You're as quiet as a cat. Do you have a few minutes now, or are you busy?"
"That is not an exclusive or," the Doctor said with an enigmatic smile. "I am busy and I have a few minutes to speak with you now. There is time enough to rest when we're dead." She turned down the corridor, away from her office. "Do you mind if we walk while we talk?"
"Not at all," Damion said. "Thank you, Ma'am."
Addams led the way, glancing over her shoulder. "Is this a social call?"
Damion quirked an eyebrow at her. "I observed the woman who is watching Experiment Number Six on the tram, and I'm here to talk about that with you, if you wish."
Addams nodded, accepting a PADD from a passing rating. "I presume from your casual demeanor that my child is unharmed?"
"Yes," Damion said. "Six got off at her usual stop and went on to school with several other girls headed there too. Six plays things close to her chest, and she's very adult for her age. My impression is that the woman on the tram was impressed with her. She treated Six with respect, didn't humor her. When she disagreed with something Six said, she didn't condescend or patronize Six, just stated that she disagreed. I don't believe the situation was what I feared, at all, for which I'm glad. But what it was--" Damion shook his head. "I don't know. Or I might say that I can infer what it was, but the why of it is not clear to me."
"They spoke?" Addams asked, her attention drawn from the PADD. "That's an escalation." She shook her head. "But you were about to speculate?"
"Yes, that is an escalation," Damion agreed in a wry tone. "I was not happy to see it. The topic of their conversation, however, was not the usual predator-prey type of introduction. Six handled herself very well--gave a false name and kept herself alert to trouble. But the woman, who goes by the name Aradia, let on that she already knew who Six was and who her family were." He watched Dr. Addams' expression. "Is the name at all familiar to you? She claimed to be a colleague of yours--of a sort."
Addams nodded. "She named herself when she confronted me. And she's taken the name from a legendary witch. As for colleagues? No. Not hardly."
"She confronted you?" Damion stared. "That's brisk and bold of her. Why is she trying to study your family?"
He realized that was being too intrusive and held up a hand. "No need to answer that if it's none of my business," Damion said, "but it seems clear that observation is her main goal. If you'd rather I let the matter drop, I will. Or if you would like me to look into her further, I'll do that."
Addams sighed. "Honestly, Damion, I suspect you would not believe most of what you'd find if you looked into her -- or my family -- or what she wants from us. It is not nicely numbered, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed; all of which are things most Starfleet officers prefer. Indeed, some people, both within and without my family have been known to go mad with what they found while looking into those shadows." Addams returned her attention to the report on the PADD she'd been handed, and thumb-printed it before dropping it on the counter at the next nurse's station.
"I've not been driven mad by--other matters--yet," Damion pointed out. "I've no right or desire to dig into your family's private affairs. Miss Aradia intrigues me, but as long as she is no danger to you, your family, or Experiment Number Six, I'll back off and let her be. If you ever want me to involve myself, you have only to ask."
RSS Feed