Lieutenant John Kendrick - Voices

[TLea]

Good character torture here.  Wow.  Well done! @John Kendrick

Quote

((Bridge, Deck 1, USS Juneau))

It was the morning after the Award Ceremony.

 

John arrived at his station and relieved the crewman who had been on duty during night shift. As he entered his access code, he looked down at his uniform and smiled as he saw the two golden pips on his uniform. It was hard to believe that only 12 months ago, he was still a cadet at Starfleet Academy. So much had changed since he graduated and was assigned to Juneau. Although he didn’t consider himself to be an exceptional officer, he knew he had worked hard over these past 8 months. Sure there had been ups and downs, but his dedication to his job as Security Officer had never been questioned. And yes: he was proud of himself. Not only because he had received a promotion, but more importantly, he realized how much he’d grown both as a person and a Starfleet officer.

 

As he called up the ship’s status reports, his eye caught a message received late last night from the authorities aboard Lightside Station. Apparently one of the station’s residents had been found dead in his quarters under suspicious circumstances. As he continued reading the report, his eyes widened and his face turned pale. Suddenly the world around him started spinning and he had to keep both hands firmly on his station to keep himself from falling. To make matters even worse, he felt his stomach turning and had to make a run for the Head while covering his mouth – afraid he’d throw up on the Bridge’s carpet.

 

((Head, Bridge, Deck 1, USS Juneau))

Only moments later he found himself throwing up in the Head. As he grabbed for a towel to wipe off his mouth, fragments of the report flashed before his eyes.

 

“Man found dead in crate.”

 

“Martuf.”

 

“Possible suicide.”

 

“Looking for witnesses.”

 

He leaned with his back against the wall as he let himself slide down to the floor. His head rested in the palms of his hands.

 

Kendrick: ::baffled:: No, no, no, no!!

 

How could this have happened? They had closed the crate but made sure Martuf would be able to open it from the inside once he woke up. Perhaps he had died of an overdose? Maybe Moa had put too much tranquilizer in the hypospray? Or he could have panicked once he woke up and died of a heart attack?

 

Whatever the cause of Martuf’s death was: John realized it was his fault. He was the one who suggested they’d kidnap Martuf to extract information from him. He was the one who came up with the idea to put him inside a crate. It was a perfect plan and it was executed perfectly.

 

He slammed the back of his head against the wall until it hurt.

 

Kendrick: ::shouting:: Dammit!!!

 

Only moments ago he’d been on cloud nine and now it felt like the world started crashing down on him. He already saw himself being sent off straight to a penal colony. His career at Starfleet finished.

 

He had to tell the Captain.

 

And that’s when he heard that little voice deep inside of him.

 

No, you can’t tell her. You can’t tell anyone.

 

Tears started to run down his face.

 

But I killed a man.

 

You don’t know that. Maybe he was killed by the same people that ordered the Balerians to steal The Wanderer’s shipment of honey. The man probably had more enemies than one.

 

Still, I have to contact the authorities on Lightside Station. Tell them what happened.

 

And risk your career, everything you’ve worked so hard for, all for a dead criminal no one will miss?

 

He looked down again at the two shiny pips on his uniform as he wiped his tears dry with the sleeve of his uniform.  

 

I need time.

 

Yes. Yes. You need time to process what happened. Evaluate your actions. Weigh your options. You don’t want to find yourself walking into a dead end street.

 

Yes. The man is dead. Nothing I do will change that.

 

Exactly. You just have to make sure you can make it through our next mission. Maybe things will be clearer to you afterwards.

 

He slowly rose to his feet and walked over to the washbasin. As he threw some water in his face, he looked up in the mirror.

 

Kendrick: ::frail:: I can do this.

 

He lifted his head and tried to stand tall in an attempt to convince himself he could do what only seconds ago seemed impossible.

 

Kendrick: ::confident:: You can do this.

 

As he threw away the towel in the bin, he exited the Head.

 

 

END

 

===

Lieutenant John Kendrick

Security

USS Juneau, NX-99801

J239801JK3

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by TLea

[Alcyone Brennan]

I loved this so so much!!!