When Words Mean Much

Posted on Sun Sep 22nd, 2024 @ 9:40pm by Major Samantha Snyder & Admiral S'iraa

1,972 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Let That Be Your Last
Location: Sam's Quarters

Sam rested in bed having been told to take it easy for a while, she'd been told that physically she was healed but she didn't feel it. Laying on the Sofa she was flicking through some old pictures of her classmates when she was in training, sadly most were dead now, proof that the green uniform was not without risks. Sam had good memories of those she trained with ranging from the days of escape and evade to long haul marches and physical training. It almost brought a smile to her face but since that night during the attack, a smile seemed to be a luxury. She's been part of combat, ranged, close quarter even hand to hand and she'd walked away with her fair share of scrapes and bruises for it but the last mission was different.

In combat a plan only lasts until contact has been made, ideal circumstances yield to chaos and surprise, action and reaction. Sam couldn't expect that someone would detonate a handheld explosive device in a confined area notably within a house. The resulting chaos killed most of her team, the enemy combatants and the three hostages that were upstairs, a fact that weighed heavily on Sam.

Casualties were expected in combat, friendly, enemies and even neutral parties but its hard to swallow when that neutral party was huddled in the corner of a room, a father cuddling his scared Wife and Daughter shielding them with his own body hoping for freedom that would never come. Fighting was dirty and the rules were simple, kill or be killed, strip away all the pleasantries and the talk of rules and ethics that, was what it came down to.

*** Door Chime ***

Sam sighed as she was hardly in the mood for visitors as she'd been poked, prodded and flexed all manner of ways during rehab in the aim to returning her to duty. Slowly she rose from the bed and wearing PT shorts and top she made her way to the bedroom door. "Yes, what?" She complained, then the doors opened.

S'iraa had read the reports on the ground element of the mission and some of the early testimonies from those raiders that were taken prisoner. It was clear to read that the exploitation of the colony had gone on for some time with the aid of the Administrator to cover up the facts. The casualty list for the entire mission was a long one, one that would require questions be asked and answers demanded. He had read that the Major had suffered a severe injury and wanted to check upon her given the past of working together when he was Master of the Dreadnought.

When the doors opened he could see the lighting level was low in the room but his eyesight adapted to it quickly. "Major?" He couldn't see her from where he stood at the doorway.

Sam was slightly puzzled, that voice sounded familiar, and few held that commanding tone to it. The owner of the voice was realised when she took a step forward bringing the entrance to her quarters more into view. "Admiral." Annoyance gave way to surprise.

"Am I disturbing you, I can come back another time if so?" S'iraa spoke seeing the Major come into view.

"No, no, not at all please, come in." Sam was hardly prepared for guests in many ways but she tried to salvage initial impressions. "It's good to see you again Admiral. What brings you back?"

S'iraa stepped inside allowing the doors to close behind him. "I have read the post mission reports of the marine element and of your injury, I wanted to stop by and see how you were fairing."

Sam sighed as she slowly made her way towards the sofa. "Please, take a seat, can I get you something to drink?"

S'iraa put his hand up to stop her. "I am content, however, please, sit. You are the injured party and I am the one imposing on your time." He stood with his arms behind his back waiting for her reply.

"I'm not used to being waited on, never mind by an Admiral." Sam spoke sinking slowly into a chair.

"Few have but we are not meeting for the first time, we have served with each other." S'iraa spoke as he walked to the replicator. "Anything?" He offered.

"Do you have Tea on Cait?" Sam asked.

"A form of it. While not strictly Tea in the Human understanding it is a close approximation." S'iraa spoke. "I should advise that it might be a little strong for your taste, much of Caitian food typically is to other species."

"If you'd like to join me, I wouldn't mind trying it." Sam replied, while not shying from a challenge she was keen to have tea, with a friend, or at least how she felt about the large feline. This would be an interesting topic of conversation for Bianca when Sam next saw her.

"Will your Mate be joining us?" S'iraa asked as he prepared the Tea and all its required components.

"Oh, no, Bianca won't be home for a while yet with all the work that needs doing in Sickbay." Sam replied making the Coffee table a little more presentable for space.

"Bianca...." S'iraa answered, last he recalled Sam was courting Annabelle.

"Oh, yeah sorry. Things with Annabelle and I fell apart after you left the ship. I'm a couple with Bianca now." Sam was taking in the length of time that had passed since she'd last saw the Admiral.

"My apologies." S'iraa spoke as he walked to the table that Sam had cleared armed with a tray, a pot, a heater, cups and spoons.

"Don't be, you didn't know." Sam shifted in her chair to face the table a little more while the Admiral prepared the Tea. "How does it feel to be back?"

"The circumstances to my return are not ideal though it is pleasant to see some familiar faces, I see much of the senior staff are still present. I met the new Chief Engineer earlier."

"Commander Aries. Yeah I've met her." Sam spoke as she watched S'iraa prepare the Tea but the aroma smelled pleasant enough at least. "So, is there any special way of drinking this?"

"Drinkers preference." S'iraa answered as he poured her beverage first. "It may be hot for Humans, may wish to let it cool first before enjoying it." He sipped from his own cup but he noticed Sam's posture, the tension lines, that look of thought but of what he didn't know. "You seem troubled, is everything alright?" While he had little doubt it had to do with the ground battle, sometimes having someone listen made a world of difference.

Sam wondered for a while as she nursed the cup in both hands, her lips almost touching the rim as she breathed in the aroma. She considered his question wondering how she was going to answer, or answer in a way that would cast doubt on her abilities. "You read the report?"

"I have." S'iraa answered keeping his answer brief to not distract from her moment.

"So you know what happened to me down there."

"I do." S'iraa replied.

Sam went on to explain how she felt laying there on that slab, helpless, pinned to it and unable to do anything but wait, fate taunting her like all she could do was count the minutes and seconds she had left. How she felt alone even though she had another marine looking after her.

"What bothers you more, the fear or dying, or letting your comrades down?" S'iraa asked. He knew from experience and reading about her from Colonel Frost's reports that she was a driven and dedicated female, determined and put 100% of herself into whatever task was laid before her.

The question caught Sam off guard as she looked at the towering feline right to the eyes. It wasn't the question per say that did it but maybe a mix of both, more of one than the other maybe but at the same time. "Admiral, I'm a marine and with that distinction comes risks and dangers. It's part of the uniform we put on. We all take that risk regardless of your red and my green, Orange or Blue its all the same. The main difference is I'm trained for combat, to fight and protect the ideals of the Federation and the civilians."

"And that choice was taken from you due to your injury Major." S'iraa spoke softly.

"Sam, please Admiral. I think we know each other well enough for names." Sam chipped in not wanting to be called Major in her own home, but wouldn't hold him to it, she knew him and his ways somewhat well enough to know that might be pushing it.

"As you wish, Sam." S'iraa commented. "It was through the conduct of your duty that resulted in your injury. You were doing as you were trained, circumstance turned against you. Is it not better to enter that situation doing what you vowed to do?" He paused for a moment. "You went down there to free the colony from raider oppression, to free the innocent of the situation and at the whims of those that held little regard for the lives of others. In doing so you put yourself in harms way, you were injured and in such you were prevented from doing what you swore to do."

Sam hated that the Admiral was nailing it on the head so swiftly, through experience of rank, command or his own time in the Caitian military...he was getting it.

"You should feel no shame in what happened, you didn't hesitate to do what needed to be done to help those that could do nothing for themselves. It is noble, and honourable." S'iraa added.

"I thought I was going to die down there." Sam whispered.

"That is a possibility we all face in the line of service, but do not let it define your actions. Let your deeds speak for you, not your hesitations or doubts. Those you save for when you are alone."

Sam couldn't help but think he was making it sound all so easy but maybe that was it, the whole near death experience making life take on a new clarity. It was then that she realised that she'd been nursing this Tea without drinking it all this while. She took a sip and the flavour was indeed strong now that she was paying more attention to it, just as he'd mentioned. It wasn't offensive or overpowering per say, it just had many flavours to it. Still, his words gave her things to think about.

A silence formed between the two individuals though mostly though Sam's deep and thoughtful consideration to what the Admiral had said. He was right though in what he had said in that she was injured doing what she was trained to do, at least she was out there doing it instead of being stuck on the sidelines. Getting hurt was always a risk and one she accepted but its always a hard pill to swallow when its the one person getting injured....themselves.

S'iraa could sense that Sam was deep in thought. "I shall leave you to your considerations. Do enjoy the tea, but do not consume the leaves as they will make non-Caitians nauseous."

Sam was about to insist he stay but he was right, she needed time and while it was good to see the Admiral and a friend his words left her much to consider and think about what the future held for her. "Thank you Admiral." Sam whispered now staring off into the distance, the only change being when the light from outside washed within before vanishing again as the doors closed.

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