[ROUND 5] JP Cmdr. Jaxx & Lt. Cmdr Townson - Voice from another pl

[Alleran Tan]

((After the wedding of Lt. Commanders Ehlanii and Brice - Quarters of Lt. Commander Tracey Townson - USS Independence-A))

::Tossing and turning, Tracey found that sleep was not forthcoming. Instead of fighting her bout of insomnia, Tracey went to her desk. There was something she felt she needed to do. Something she hoped would ease her feelings of loneliness and despair.::

::The wedding was a beautiful ceremony that Tracey could only dream of having when she herself was married, what was it now, more than two years previous now? Hers was a rushed ceremony between battles and skirmishes. Both she and her husband were high ranking officers with continuous duties to perform. But Tracey began to fall in love with the man when she was a Private, rescued from sure death in a losing ground battle. Her husband, a junior officer at the time, encouraged Tracey to go to the academy, if for nothing else, to keep her from the battlefields and to keep her alive for at least the next four years.::

::The two became close over that time, even though it was a long distance relationship. With Tracey at the academy and serving on Cadet cruises and her husband to be, moving from battleship to battleship. But years later, Lieutenant Tracey Townson was posted to the battleship Resolution. A ship her husband to be served on as First Officer. Shortly after Tracey was promoted to Lt. Commander, the wedding plans began and within two months, the two had married.::

::But the man who Tracey married also existed in this universe. She had met him when she first came to this strange, peaceful, place with the small, slow starships. But the man who was Tracey's mentor, savior and love did not recognize her. Tracey tried, in vain, to live through that; work with the others on this universe's version of the Resolution. But Tracey found it impossible. So Tracey found herself at Starfleet Medical, where she underwent therapy for almost a year under the supervision of Doctor Samuel Huff, one of the lead Psychiatrists at that institution.::

::Since her release, she has tried to keep herself from being reminded of her past. But with her brief return to her universe of origin and now the wedding, Tracey felt like she needed just one small thing from the man who she once referred to as her Imzadi.::

Townson: Computer, access Starfleet personnel files.

::After searching, Tracey located the person she wanted to contact. The picture on the screen in front of her made a tear fall from her cheek, and her nerves made her shake a little. She felt she needed to hear the voice behind the picture and wondered if the officer would even recognize her after two years not seeing each other after serving together for such a brief time. But Tracey felt she had to try.::

::The man was now a full Commander and now, Commanding Officer of said vessel and Tracey pinpointed its location. It was not far from Romulan space. Mission details were spotty at best, but Tracey figured that it was there due to the recent events surrounding the destruction of Romulus.::

::With a pain in her stomach, like a schoolgirl making contact with a guy she likes over the net, Tracey contacted the bridge of her own ship.::

Townson: =/\= Townson to bridge. Open up a subspace communication to USS Victory NCC-362447. Patch it through to my quarters. =/\=

::Tracey could hear the clicks and beeps coming from the bridge, when all of the sudden she found herself face to face with a bridge officer of the Victory. Suddenly Tracey's nerves went through the roof, and she concidered cutting the link right there and then.::

Wright: ::appearing on the screen:: =/\= Victory communications? =/\=

Townson: ::taking a deep, nervous breath =/\= Uhmmm...My name...is uhmmm. I'm Lt. Commander Tracey Townson, Chief of Operations onboard the Independence? =/\=

Wright: =/\= Right, I suppose you want Chief Rais? =/\=

Townson: ::taking another breath as her finger hovered over the "disconnect" button:: =/\= I'd...I'd like to speak with Commander Jaxx. =/\=

Wright: =/\= I will let him know he has a call from the Indy.. =/\= ::He smiled as she spoke, then placed the call on hold. The logo appeared on the screen.::

Townson: =/\= Why thank you. =/\= ::rushed and with a forced, nervous smile.::

::Suddenly the face of the man who was her former husband appeared on the screen in front of her. He looked a little older, but the youthful exuberance was still there.::

::Jaxx sat in the Ready Room. The reports were still coming in and he wanted to review them. The crew had been enjoying some down time on their transit back to Earth. Barricading himself in his office he worked longer than he expected to. A call came through from the Independence. While, he expected to see the face of Sidney, he was surprised to see another. He smiled slightly as he checked the amount of pips.::

Jaxx: =/\= What can I do for you? =/\=

Townson: ::visibly shaking:: =/\= Uhmmm....hello Commander. My name is Lt. Commander Tracey Townson. I was wondering if you remember me. We served for a short time on the Resolution awhile back. =/\=

::That was a name he would never forget, not to mention her face. He always found her to be an amazing and attractive woman, one he could see himself with in another life. He smiled warmly, remembering her difficulty aboard the Resolution. He had offered her help to figure things out, Jaxx was more patient then the CO at the time. He tried to allocate resources to a project that could help her, but nothing ever came to fruition. After he was reassigned, he heard she had been moved to StarFleet Medical. He had been contacted a couple times by Doctor Huff, but was very unaware she had returned to active duty.::

Jaxx: =/\= Of course. Are things alright? =/\=

Townson: =/\= Well actually...Commander. If you could just talk. Just say something. I know it sounds crazy, but just talk about your ship, your crew...[...]it Andrus, I just need to hear your voice. Its all I have left. =/\= Tracey closed her eyes as tears began to flow uncontrollably::

::It did not take a Betazoid to tell Tracey had hit a rough patch. Giving the woman a reassuring smile he tried to think of something to say. There wasn't much he could say that she could not read in LCARS. He looked at the woman, and the smile turned to concern for her.::

Jaxx: =/\= I have been fine, the crew sees to it. The Victory is great and I have a very solid crew that makes me look good. ::changing the subject he shifted in his seat.:: Things not going so good for you? =/\=

::Opening her tearfilled eyes, Tracey stared at the image on the screen in front of her and imagined the man in a different uniform and in a different place. She then rose her right, prosthetic hand in front of the screen for a moment.::

Townson: =/\= I uh...I lost my hand, Andr...I mean Commander. I made a mistake. I ...I acted out of haste. I feel like...well like I'm harsh to junior Officers here and...well...you know...it's like the way we were...I mean, I was trained. I keep myself busy with work, but...but during off times, well, I just don't think I'm handling things very well. =/\=

Jaxx: =/\= For the record I think you have handled things very well. I do not think there is a stronger woman where you come from, believe me I would only marry a strong woman. But you cannot be strong all of the time. Talk to me...=/\=

::Tracey knew, from his record, that the Andrus Jaxx of this universe was a former counselor. When she first found out about it, Tracey knew that was his calling. As First Officer of the Battleship Resolution, he was able to ease the tensions of those serving under his command. Even through impossible odds. Tracey had commented to him on several occasions that he would have made an excellent motivational speaker if the galaxy wasn't at war. Here in this universe, it appeared that Jaxx put his skills to a good occupation.::

::Tracey was beginning to calm a little. Thoughts of communications, such as this, before being assigned to the Battleship Resolution came flowing back to Tracey, and for now it seemed she was back in her universe. Back when she was a junior officer either on Earth or Romulus or wherever she was assigned at the time.::

Townson: =/\= I have just come from a wedding ceremony. Probably one of the most beautiful I have ever witnessed. If all weddings are like this here...well it reminded me of our...well the rushed weddings of the place I come from. =/\=

::He never got the chance to hear about certain details about their relationship where she came from. Jaxx was privy to some of the what had happened in her life, but they did not serve together long enough for him to find out any more than he did.::

Jaxx: =/\= Bring back memories? =/\=

Townson: =/\= Yes. It reminded me of you. ::with a tinge of sadness in her voice:: I ... I just felt I needed to see you. Hear your voice. If only for a little while. I must apologize if I took you away from your duties.=/\=

::It was an odd situation for Jaxx. He felt connected to Tracey in a strange way, and felt that he owed it to himself, even if in another universe, to look out for her.::

Jaxx: =/\= Contact me day or night. If I am unavailable, I will contact you as soon as I can. When I tell you that I understand how you feel...::pointing to his head:: know that I really do. I would suggest you take an extended leave, but something tells me you would not hear of it. I could direct you to your counselor, but they have probably helped as much as they could. Talking to me seems right. I have always been curious about myself, where you come from. He must have become a great man to earn the love you still have for him.=/\=

Townson: =/\= Without a doubt. =/\=

Jaxx: =/\= I offered you help once in finding a way back. I have a science vessel at my disposal and a very good science department. We have some time to tinker around with some experiments. I want to do this, if you would want to go back. =/\=

::Tracey stared for a moment at the man who was the spitting image, and who shared the same name, as her husband did, for what seemed like forever. Tracey had gone back, if only briefly, just a few weeks ago. The horrors of war, and the smell of death all around her filled her senses, if only for a little while.::

((BACKSIM - Otherverse - USS Resolution - Triage Center))

::The beeps and noises of the bio-bed was the first thing that Tracey heard as she came ot of unconsciousness. The the ship rocked around her and Tracey opened her eyes. The red, flashing lights around the massive room was the first thing she saw. Lifting her right arm, she could see her hand was still missing. But the room looked familiar, as the cries of people in pain all around her echoed off the walls.::

Voice: ...found her on deck 6.

Another Voice: Did you inform the Commander?

::Tracey turned to look at the two Doctors talking. They wore familiar clothing. Clothing she hadn't seen in almost two years.::

Doctor 1: What happened to her hand?

::The second Doctor just shook his head.::

Townson: Hey! Report Doctors!

::Tracey said the words with a familiar authority in her voice. She knew exactly where she was. One of the Doctors approached Tracey's bed.::

Doctor: You need to relax, Commander. Do you know what happened to your hand? And where did you get this uniform? And your trachea and voice-box appear to be uninjured. How did you...?

::Tracey quickly looked at her uniform, which was still the one she was wearing in the peaceful universe.::

Townson: Nevermind that Doctor. What ship is this?

Doctor: It's the battleship Resolution. Commander Townson is on her way from the bridge. As soon as we have a free surgical unit...

Townson: ::Sitting up and cutting off the Doctor.:: I need to speak to Captain Cedeno immediately! THIS IS WHERE I...

::The universe Tracey was in began to fade and she found herself being pulled back to the universe where she had originally lost her hand. The Doctor looked on in bafflement as she disappeared in front of his eyes.::

((Otherverse - USS Resolution - Corridor))

Townson: =/\=What do you mean, disappeared Doctor?=/\=

::Tracey was walking through the corridors of the large battleship as quickly as she could. She was holding her flip-open communicator and speaking frantically into it. Repair teams were almost everywhere, as was normal for this ship. The yellow alert lights were a continuous presence during this war, and the only times they change was when the Resolution was at red alert. Tracey spoke, but not with her usual voice, but more of a voice like a computer due to her injury months earlier.::

Doctor: =/\= I'm sorry Commander. I don't have any more information.=/\=

::Tracey made her way around a corner and entered through the large doors of the triage center. She quickly spotted the Doctor she was talking to, closed her communicator, placed it securely on her belt, and made her way through the maze of injured soldiers to where the Doctor was.::

Townson: Describe what you saw, Doctor. What was she wearing?

::As the Doctor described what he remembered, Tracey whispered to herself.::

Townson: EV pants, on top of a Lieutenant's service uni...

::Tracey then began to fade out of existence as she looked at the Doctor in horror.::

((Moments later - USS Independence - Sickbay))

::The pain coming from Tracey's wrist was intense. Tracey opened her eyes as she was laid on a bio-bed on a ship she hadn't seen the likes of in almost two years. Finally, she thought, she was home. Home where her parents were alive. Home where she grew up. Home where she served aboard the Hammond as an Ensign and eventually, StarBase 118 as its Executive Officer so many years earlier. The surroundings of the sick-bay, the uniforms, the feeling. Tracey was ecstatic with joy despite the pain. She had returned home. A place she thought she'd never see again.::

Townson: ::with her computerized voice brought on by an injury suffered months earlier, in and wearing a Starfleet uniform from the otherverse.:: I'M HOME!

::There was no joy in her voice, just her eyes. Her computer voice could not change tones.::

Sharpe: ::Putting Townson down on an empty Bio-bed:: Doctor Zhou, got Lieutenant Townson here ::Sharpe said as Medical Staff came rushing to the table, as Zhou approached:; Here is the Tricorder I used to scan her Doctor ::Sharpe said handing over the Medical Tricorder he found in the emergency Med kit on Deck 14.::

::But Tracey quickly felt herself disappearing. She knew was heading back to the universe of hell.::

Townson: DOCTOR! YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING! THIS IS WHERE I BELONG! GET ME ADMIRAL ANASSASI! SOMEONE! ANYONE! HELP ME!

::As Tracey disappeared, she let out a scream. A shrill computerized scream that echoed off the walls and through time to when the Independence first entered this anomaly.::

((Back to present - Tracey's quarters - USS Independence-A))

::Tracey had read the report of that incedent and was convinced that the Tracey Townson who belonged here was where she used to be. Without hesitation, Tracey spoke.::

Townson: =/\= Yes. Its not a question of want. I feel like I have to right a wrong. I don't belong here. =/\=

:: It felt just so easy to talk to this man. Like she knew him forever, which she did in a way, and the words kept flowing.::=/\=

Townson: =/\= Don't get me wrong. I like it here. A peaceful Federation, as you...well...is a place I've always dreamed of living in. I can send you recent information that we collected. But if you fail, dear...I mean Commander, don't feel bad. I am slowly coming to terms with the idea that I may live out the rest of my natural life here. =/\=

Jaxx: =/\= I will not make any promises. The odds are not in our favor,but that does not mean we cannot at least try. ::forcing a faint smile:: =/\=

Townson: =/\= I appreciate it Commander, and thank you for your time and effort. I may very well call on you again in the future, that is if you don't mind. =/\=

Jaxx: =/\= I do not mind at all. As long as it helped? =/\=

Townson: =/\= Yes, Commander. This must seem very strange for you. But just seeing you and talking to you has put me more at ease. Thank you.=/\=

Jaxx: =/\= Very well. Rest well Tracey. =/\=

::And with that, the image faded and the Starfleet emblem shone in Tracey's face. Tracey stared at the image for awhile before resting her head on the right arm still wearing her dress uniform tunic, and whispered quietly.::

Townson: I miss you Imzadi.

::She then fell into a peaceful sleep.::

Fin

Commander Andrus Jaxx

Commanding Officer

USS Victory

&

Lt. Commander Tracey Townson

Chief of Operations

USS Independence-A