SIM:Nicholotti Intervention

((Captain's Office, The Hub, Starbase 118))

::Whispers. It seemed that in the neoteric quiescence, the susurrations rapidly conquered her innermost cogitation. No sooner had the doors to her office closed, than the thoughts of just how deserted she felt took over. Feeling very much like collapsing under the suffocation of isolation, the raven haired woman stood fast in the middle of her office and fought the very emotions that threatened to tear her asunder.::

::Shallow breath after shallow breath came fast as she battled the most fiercely viscous opponent she had met yet - the desolation that this very office brought to her. Without the very bonds that connected her with those around her, not only had she been catapulted to a position where she was responsible for each of their lives, but she had come to the stark realization that she did not know any of them. And now, when the circumstance became that of a tsunami, rushing through the land and wiping out anything that dared to stand before it, she faced it alone.::

::Some would say that it was command that brought to her the depth of this particular darkness, but she never believed that. All around her she was descrying the tightly knit and ever growing bonds of those who lived out their lives in the shadow of her command, content to allow her orders to become their next steps in a life that may end far sooner than it should, yet she stood there without the recourse that everyone else seemed to have.::

::No, Kali stood completely alone in the center of her office without so much as a hand to hold her up anymore. In her mind, so much rushed back to her and though she resisted the assault, the aches deep within her chest returned. Deep inside the confines of her rational mind, Kali, the doctor, was making a valiant attempt to coerce her into calming down. Her rapid breathing was causing the pains that now radiated throughout her chest, but the emotional aspect of the woman who was standing there was too busy fighting with her rational side to notice. Visions of phantoms that simply didn't belong there had become anachronisms that were tearing her apart in that moment; showing her images of times long past and long recovered from.::

::But the glinting of the blade remained. Rivers of viscous liquid hastened by, ever threatening to drag her under. It was a nightmare she had avoided for some time, yet it remained locked up in her memories. In so many ways, so many times, she had wanted to return to that time and place; to run and hide from the horrific visage of hate and darkness incarnate. Demon's nipped at her heels as she ran through the dreamscape, reliving moments that had been buried long ago. So very long ago..::

::It got harder and harder to breathe; her artificial heart beat faster to keep up with the lack of oxygen entering the frail shell that was the Captain of this station and the one soul responsible for all of the lives that were contained within.::

::The com chirped. ::

Cody: =^= LtCmdr Cody to Commander Nicholotti. =^=

::The voice filtered into the reticence, echoing against the walls back to her ears and suddenly she was gasping for air. Seconds passed by as her consciousness languidly returned, the whispers receding into the solitude of darkened corners. Unable to speak for a full minute or more, her hand found her chest eventually, and between fighting the pain that made itself known in the passing of the most dire thoughts, she managed to answer the call.::

Nicholotti: =^= Y..yes? =^=

::Her vocalization was anything but what she meant to be in the sight of those souls she held in her care. Meek and barely a whisper itself, she struggled against the tides of the blood red reminiscence to regain her own stability.::

Cody: =^= Sorry to bother you, Commander. Silveira came up to the kitchens... or maybe I might have "borrowed" him. But, I suddenly realized I told him dress whites without really knowing what the dress code for tonight was going to be. =^=

::Vaguely following his words, she found her way to the closest solid object in the area; her desk. With hands that shook uncontrollably, Kali concentrated on deeper breaths. Somehow, the voice on the other end of the comm. line had dug out the rational segment of her mind that had been fighting all along.::

Nicholotti: =^= Yes. That's good. That's right. =^=

::Stability began to creep its way back into her voice, though she stumbled over the words themselves. He didn't seem to notice, or mind; which she wasn't sure.::

Cody: ::mutters something incomprehensible :: =^= Um... so what happens if one of your officers isn't in such a great position to get his hands on his dress whites? There's no way I'm going to escape the kitchen... and if you don't mind a little honestly, my dress whites are probably with the rest of my belongings from my former ship, which means they probably got shipped to our friends in the Tower or are in some storage facility marked "Evidence".

::It still took a while for her mind to engage, but slowly things came together. These were such strange words from an officer she knew so little about, but from what she recalled was in his file, it was no surprise. But how to respond..? The task took her mind far from the moment of extreme weakness she had been drowning in only moments before.::

Nicholotti: =^= I suppose you could replicate some generic ones. Or find something of a decent substitute. =^=

::There was a momentary silence. ::

Cody: =^= I suppose I *could*... although it may or may not compliment the rest of the crew if everyone's showing up in their dress whites. =^=

::The pain in her chest faded as if part of only a bad dream as a slight smile drifted across her face.::

Nicholotti =^= You will make sure not to hide out in the kitchen the entire time, yes? =^=

Cody: =^= I had a suspicion that might come up. Once the main course is out, I should be able to join everyone. =^=

::And for the first time since Jaxx had left the room, leaving her to the darkness that still haunted her from time to time, Kali felt in control. Lachrymal retrospective behind, her eyes once again turned to what was coming rather than the path she had already traversed.::

Nicholotti: =^= Good. I expect to see you there. =^=

::Thinking that was the end, Kali closed her eyes, peering into the darkness that had filled her soul for those few moments. She was blessed in a way; her ability to keep those moments of weakness behind closed doors and far from the eyes of those she served made it easier to be the commanding officer that they all deserved. It also made that time, the in-between, far more intense than she would have cared for, but if that was the trade off, then she would gladly accept her fate.::

Cody: :: after a moment :: =^= When you have a moment after our festivities, Commander, I would like to sit down with you. =^=

::The sound of his statement caused her eyes to fly open. He was still there with her, despite his being across the station. Recovering from her momentary reverie, she wondered what it was that had been the catalyst to bring this up in the here and now.::

Nicholotti: =^= Something on your mind? =^=

::What a statement to have come from the woman who was only moments before nearly on her knees under the weight of the past, present, and future. Having stepped away from her own needs, though, into a mindset where she had to take care of a member of her crew, the Captain felt a sort of underlying strength surface, causing ripples on the pool of her consciousness to spread out from the center in an ever growing circle.::

Cody: =^= Nothing universe-shaking. We haven't actually sat down and met, really.=^=

::That was the point in which her eyes narrowed though she was quite certain he couldn't pick the gesture up over the technological devices they were using to speak with one another. It was as if he had caught a glimpse into her mind only moments before, but her rationality, having reassert itself in the wake of a momentary panic, told her there was no possible way that could be. Coincidence? Perhaps, or maybe the universe was fixing the wrongs it had committed against her when it had stolen all those who had mattered. Was this that same inauspicious universe throwing out some sort of lifeline? Almost overly cautiously, she spoke.::

Nicholotti: =^= Fair enough. My office? =^=

::It seemed like the most logical location for such a meeting, but he offered an alternative that would, perhaps, be away from the murmurs in the room where she now stood.::

Cody: =^= Office or otherwise doesn't really matter, I guess. If you like cave-diving or rock-climbing, I've got a few programs of various worlds I've been to. You can come join me in the kitchen before the festivities begin, if you like. =^=

::The universe really did work in mysterious ways. Her hands now steady and her breathing calm, Kali smiled something akin to her normal smile.::

Nicholotti: =^= I just might do that. =^=

::Admitting to herself that the person on the other end of the comm. line did intrigue her, she figured that it would be poor form to turn the universe away when it had extended a hand.::

Nicholotti: =^= Thank you. =^=

::Before he could answer, she disconnected the line and plunged herself back into the silence. But this time, before the thoughts and memories could haunt her, she moved towards the door with a new purpose and focus; Jaxx was here now, and while she wouldn't be able to keep him there, now might be all she had. War was coming on the coattails of contemporary strife. If she had to face it and lead her crew into the teeth of the devil, at least she would have had the chance to say goodbye. And that was far from what many living beings got.::

TBC


--
Commander Kalianna Nicholotti
Commanding Officer
Starbase 118 / USS Victory

&

LtCmdr. David Cody
Chief of Operations
UFOP: Starbase118

Return to Kalianna Nicholotti.