Ensign Trovek: A Good Death - Kapteeni

[TLea]

@Arys Powerful.  Deep topic here.  Well crafted.

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((Ihalainen Medical Facility, Helsinki, Finland, Earth))


It was somewhere on the afternoon of the fourth day after Arys had arrived on Earth. Tuomas hadn't really spent much time with her, and to his relief, it seemed like the Cardassian kept her entertained enough not to expect anything from her father.

If Tuomas had hoped that she would accept his description of her grandfather’s condition, he was, unfortunately, mistaken.

Tuomas was found seated at his desk, his head buried in his hands, while his panicked eyes glanced through the cracks of his ever burrowing fingers. No matter how many times he wished his eyelids glued shut, they landed upon the unread communications report with abandon. He could not drown out the guilt this time. It was still daytime. However, the liquor cabinet in the corner taunted the man at his every waking moment, pleading to give purchase to its muted cries for utilization. However, neither the liquor became the focus of his desires, nor did the communications report he has left unread for so long. It came in without mercy, and the roaring sounds overwhelmed his senses. It was all over.

He heard a commotion outside his office, Arys snapping at the secretary before the door to his office swung open and Arys entered, medical file in her arms. At this moment, she reminded him of her mother.

Tuomas stiffly lifted his gaze to meet headfirst Arys's prepared assault upon the last vestiges of his mind. As the clasped hands left the battered man's face, it gave way to a grizzled sight. Some of the imprints still were visible upon the molded skin, and soon his mental anguish found a new target.

Her. She got in the way as she always did.

Tuomas: I do not have the time for this, Arys. Say what it is you want to say and get out.

Trovek: ::hissing:: I don’t give a damn whether you have time or not.

She pushed the door shut before she turned around and looked at her father. Oh Prophets, she was so angry. Years ago, when she had been a child, she had been prone to outbursts - just like most children. This was basically the same. But the fact that it was a lot more justified made it so much worse.

Tuomas: Arys, we can discuss this another time. We --

Trovek: Again, I do not CARE. Now you will explain to me what the hell is going on!

Tuomas's eyes widened with fury and looked once more to his hands, both hands balled up into a clenched fist. He lifted them briefly into the air. With all the power he managed in his frail state, he unleashed all force in a downward motion on the desk. Two of his comically placed mug structures collapsed from the sheer force, where the earless mugs rolled toward the end of the desk. Some fell, some shattered. The room was briefly filled with the sound of mugs shattering and rolling to whichever corner of the room they could creep. Tuomas roared his statement in defiance.

Tuomas: You dare question me in my office? Do you have an idea what I have to go through daily while you blunder about with god knows what?! You get the hell out of my office this instant before I have to remove you from these premises, permanently!

Trovek: Try me. :: pausing to take a deep breath:: Have me removed, and I will hand these files over to whoever can do the most damage, and I won’t even hesitate.

She snarled, making sure to position herself in front of the door to make sure he couldn’t escape.
If Tuomas could fume, he certainly was overheating now. His entire frame was shaking, reeling in agony and disbelief. His finger rested on a button placed on the side of his desk. His vision traded glances between the button and Arys, but he could not bear to look her in the face.

Tuomas: You would go as far as to do that? To me? Are you looking for a one-way ticket to get disowned - not to mention your own reputation dragged through the mud? I am a diplomat's son and I will drag you down the pits of hell with me. Unlike you, I already have my future secured, no matter what happens to me anymore.

Arys couldn’t believe what she was hearing, her father had never been like that. Or had he? Had she just not noticed, too occupied with hating her mother instead?

Trovek: Why is he in stasis? You know that he wouldn’t have wanted that!

Tuomas: You are just like your mother. It’s always you, you, and you. Do you not get tired of just thinking about yourself? Is there room in your head for anybody else? Say, a father who has toiled day and night to ensure you could get into the academy? Don’t even think for a minute it was on your good report you got in. Don’t even think for a second that -any- success you so far have garnered, was not a sleight of hand from dear old dad. A lot of favors have gotten you a lot of places, and you would want that to go up in smoke?

Tears filled her eyes. That wasn’t true, was it? She continued in a softer tone of voice.

Trovek: Dad, this isn’t about me! It’s about grandfather and that you know full well that he would never agree to be kept in a stasis field like this - What do you hope to achieve? He has been sick for years, he’s done. There is nothing left that can be done for him, any treatment will only prolong his suffering. Dad, he’s dying. He should be home like he SAID he wanted to die, not be locked up in a single room!

Tuomas:I am a practitioner, Arys. I can save him. I just need to empirically go through as many statistical possibilities before I give up. The answer just requires time. Trial and error. Error until I succeed.

Just that it wasn’t that. Arys had read the file. There was no trial and error.

Trovek: That’s not true, and you know it. I read the damn file. How old is he, a hundred and fourteen? Dad! How old do you think he will become? What is your expectation here?

Tuomas: That he delivers me the time he OWES me. The time I never was given. No, Dad was always too busy with his next trip, and all I got to do is walk in his bloody shadow. And guess - haha - what happened when he finally retired? He saw in YOU what he never saw in ME.

Trovek: Yes, I know. But that isn’t an excuse, and you know it. You are hurting him, he is your FATHER, he’s your FAMILY.

Tuomas: How can I hurt someone who is as good as dead?! Fine then. Kill him yourself. I cannot even decide on this matter anyway. You were offshore, so the decision fell to the closest relative!

Tuomas froze up, aghast of the construction of wordsmithing that left his lips. He appeared speechless, near catatonic. His finger still was hovering over the security button, but at some stage he simply rested his hand on his lap and leaned back on his chair as far as he could.

Arys frowned, vaguely remembering that she had discussed something similar with her grandfather before. That she would hold power of attorney if Leevi ever was unable to make his own decisions. He and Tuomas had never gotten along, and her father was right to demand time - but not like this.

Trovek: I… :: closing her eyes::  … you know that this isn’t right. He wouldn’t have wanted this, you know that. How would you feel if I disregarded your wishes in this regard?

Tuomas's eyes appeared mistier than usual. It seemed to appear to him that Arys's choice of words resonated within him. A few stifled sobs emanated from him, before he wearily asked his VA the following:

Tuomas:  If you do this… if you try anything. You are no longer part of this family.

Trovek: I-... :: shaking her head again:: Nevermind.

And with these words, she turned and moved towards the door and left.

Tuomas slouched his posture in his chair and turned it to face the virtual wall behind him.  He tapped a button, and photos of his childhood appeared in a large scale before him. His finger weakly rising to select an album, labeled "Kapteeni". A picture became available of what clearly looked like a much younger version of Arys' father and grandfather, both suited up in an old-time navy captain's signature uniform. Various pictures of grandfather's favorite boating trips on the thousands of rivers and lakes that Finland knew appeared. After a while, he returned to his own head space. To times that were not as they were now. He hummed a sailor's tune, by the old Finnish Turku maritime institute. For all those lost at sea.

___________
Ensign Trovek Arys
Counselor
USS Juneau
J239809TA4