Never Going Back Again

Posted on Tue May 26th, 2026 @ 2:59am by Lieutenant Daltom Vesper & Lieutenant JG Jade Petracca

2,055 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Friends and Traitors
Location: USS Thunderbird, Deck 5 Corridor
Timeline: Mission Day 1, 1945

Deck Five, section Twenty-Three Baker. It wasn't the sort of place where people lingered. Too narrow to be comfortable, too cold for conversation and too far for any use other than to fiddle with a power coupling or a bioneural gel pack.

The ship hummed quietly, but Jade Petracca's heart roared. She was there again. The field hospital in the city of Strawberry Fields on Caldik Prime. Bodies everywhere. Dead on arrival. A doctor stretched beyond her limits doing the best she could. It all had been... satisfactory.

She whimpered on the deck. Arms wrapped around her knees, lab coat wrapped around her. Afraid anyone might hear her.

So much for disappearing. That same crewman who'd quizzed her about not being able to get into her quarters was down the corridor, half turned, talking into his combadge. It looked like he'd been talking for a while. No one was supposed to be down here, dammit. She waited now for the other shoe to drop.

The one thing that Daltom knew about ships were that beings who sought solitude or were in trouble always knew how to find the quiet places or nooks and crannies of the ship. It was the place where the underdogs hid and sought refuge. Daltom liked underdogs. After all, he was one. So, if they needed his assistance, he was going to be there for them.

So, this evening, he found himself walking on Deck 5. At first, he saw a crewman talking into his commbadge. More interesting to him, though, was the figure beyond him: a woman who was curled up into a ball. Lightly, he tapped the crewman and instructed him to disappear in a different direction. His voice was low, but Jade could hear that something was said and witness the crewman's feet walking away, while Daltom's came toward her.

When Daltom got close to Jade, he bent down to her level and asked, "How can I help you?"

Jade's reddened eyes peered behind her knees. She saw a man in a uniform similar to her own. From down where she was, he was tall, dark and handsome. She gathered herself quickly and stood up. She straightened herself and her uniform, smoothing her lab coat with sweaty palms. "Oh, um, I'm fine. I was just looking for an earring."

Daltom noticed the gestures and did not believe the woman before him for a split second. After all, she did not appear to have any earrings missing from her lobes at this moment. "Well, let's not stand up on my account. Let's find that earring and you can tell me all about yourself in the meantime. After all, I'm new here. Daltom Vesper at your service."

“It’s… good to meet you?” The tone was unintentionally phrased as a question, it was just the way it had come out of her mouth. She dabbed the moisture from her flushed cheeks, keeping her face angled down and away. “Are you, um, are you a doctor here as well?”

Ignoring the last question for now, Dalton stated, "Usually, when someone introduces themselves, it is polite to introduce yourself, as well. So, you are...?"

“Still looking for that earring.” She paced around, trying to catch her breath or get rid of the feeling of being gut punched. The carpet was not revealing its mysteries. She stopped. A deep breath. Then she turned to the mysterious stranger, her puffy eyes returning a hard look. “Jade Petracca. Did Sylar send you down here?”

"Sylar?" Daltom asked. "Who is that?" the Counselor asked curiously, as he considered the subject. He then said, "Wait. Is that the name of the new Chief Medical Officer? I met the old one when I came onto the ship. I guess he left shortly thereafter. Just someone new to sort out." The last bit was said with a grumble in his voice. "Why should you be concerned about Sylar sending me? Did you lose an earring that he gave you?"

“Yes, he’s the new doctor, and I suppose if you didn’t know that… then you aren’t in medical.” Her eyes peered down the corridor, a surge in the muscles of her legs told her to make a run for it. Instead, she sighed. “You’re new here too?”

"Technically, I am in medical, as I am the counselor of the ship," Daltom answered. "However, I am new. I came in just as the Thunderbird docked. I've met the Captain and a couple others. But, by the way that you are talking, you are in medical, as well, and are somewhat frightened or nervous around the new Chief." In a soft, concerned voice, he asked, "Why is that?"

"I didn't lose his earring if that's what you're thinking. I was just worried that he might be worried about me." Her pulse slowed as she thought it though, her breathing becoming controllable rather than like she was sucking air in through a straw. "You're, uh, the ship's counselor? I... I don't suppose you have a moment to talk? Not that I want to impose, of course, you're new and--"

"Of course I have the time to talk." And you REALLY seem to need it. What in the world has gotten into you and why? "Would you like to stay here or go to my office?"

“Your office would be most appropriate. Perhaps away from the audience?” Jade nodding toward the young man up the corridor, who was still chatting away on his combadge.

"As you wish," Daltom answered Jade. "Walk by my side and I will lead you there. That should take away some of the gossip, I should suspect."

“Thank you,” Jade nodded. They moved off, Jade dabbing her eyes every few paces. “So, do you normally roam the corridors of your ship looking for the headcases, or was this just a fluke?”

"In my experience, beings try to handle their problems on their own first. When they get overwhelmed and do not seek assistance, they often seek isolation. It is a feeling that can be rather weighty. So, to answer your question, yes, I do look for those who are overwhelmed and in need of my assistance."

"Interesting," Jade nodded. They stopped at the turbolift door, the Doctor tapping the stud to summon a carriage. "I guess I'm used to mine rushing through the door. Can I ask how long you've been a counselor?"

"That's an interesting question," Daltom responded, musing an appropriate answer. "I officially started my studies in 2354. That might be close to the answer to the question that you intended. However, I have to ask, why would any counselor rush through your door?" he asked, his eyes starting to cross slightly. "That makes little sense to me."

"I meant patients. My patients," Jade smiled.

"Ah! My misunderstanding. I should have paid better attention. My apologies," he told Jade genuinely. "So, you are a medical officer, then. Hopefully you will not have many patients. Your patients often end up in my office, as well."

"Hopefully not because of their treatment," She joked, forcing a laugh as the turbolift and they stepped in. "That, um, that was a joke."

"I do have a sense of humor, regardless of how much others may deem otherwise," Daltom returned with a small smile. "You seem to be feeling a bit better," he told Jade as the doors to the turbolift closed. "Though, it is still forced. I promise, I don't bite." He paused dramatically before adding, "unless you ask nicely." After another long pause he said, "That, too, was a joke."

Jade blushed a little, this time, a genuine smile. Though as soon as it appeared, it was gone. "Counselor, have you ever treated someone and--" She paused, biting her lip as the words came to her. "And just... never been able to forget it?"

"Please, call me Daltom. There's no need to be formal." He thought about Jade's question for several moments and asked, "Did you have some sort of traumatic event that is hindering your ability to work?"

"You're answering a question with a question," Jade had to pause to force the name out, "Daltom."

"That is true," Daltom answered. "But when someone asks a question like that, they are looking for some sort of confirmation that there's something not wrong with them or that they are not alone in an experience." The Ardanan sighed. "I come from a planet where traumatic events were somewhat common and accepted. That creates its own set of difficulties."

"I see," Jade nodded as the turbolift came to a halt. "Where are you from, Daltom?"

"Ardana. Have you heard of it?" Daltom answered simply but a careful observer would notice a slight bite in his voice as he uttered his home planet's name.

"I can't say I have." The pair stepped off the lift. "I assume it's not a Federation world."

"It is one," Daltom answered flatly. "It is mostly known for its zenite production," he told her as he led Jade towards his office.

"How do you feel about your world?" Jade asked, dipping her hands into her pockets as they walked.

"Conflicted," Daltom answered. "It is home but it is flawed."

As they arrived at Daltom's office, he led Jade inside. "I'm afraid that it is not set up the way I would like yet, as I just arrived. Rest assured, it will be corrected soon," he told Jade. "But, we will do the best we can, now, won't we? Just take a seat and I'll sit by you and we can talk about whatever you want or need."

"Sure. So, it sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat on this ship. New arrivals." Jade looked around the room; it was tidy, but everything just seemed a little... off. She was reassured when Daltom noted the need to fix it. "Trials by fire. Um, could I please have a glass of water?"

"Of course," Daltom replied pleasantly, as he headed to the replicator and got both of them some glasses of water. He then handed one over to Jade and sat down, encouraging her to sit down next to him. "So, tell me, what's on your mind? What's bothering you?"

Jade took a sip from the glass that was cupped between both hands. "I... I had to do surgery before, two young officers. One was a DOA... it... it was a lot. It... it took me back..."

"Dead on arrival?" Daltom asked to confirm. "Took you back to what?" he encouraged.

"My last assignment at the hospital on Caldik Prime," Jade began, taking a deep breath. She could smell their seared flesh. "Last year, a pilot pulled a reckless stunt, he... caused an accident."

"Uh huh," Dalton replied encouragingly. "Go on...."

"I'd... I'd been in so many situations where people had been hurt. But this... this was different. The pilot was there, standing in the hospital while we tried to save them. They were so... so broken, beyond saving, and he stood there and watched us try to fix it. And... and he blamed them." It had come out in a ramble. "He knew he did it."

"What do you mean?" Daltom asked, trying to persuade Jade to be more descriptive.

“Um, in my residency I did a lot of disaster relief work, or humanitarian outreach,” She shifted uncomfortably. “We spent a lot of time at the Bajoran colonies where the Cardassians had withdrawn. I saw things that I will never forget… especially in paediatrics. But I never saw the people who did it. Now, here I was, with these… boys, days out of the academy, and I couldn’t save them and I was looking into the eyes of the man responsible. I… I think… I know that what happened in the shuttlebay was an accident today but, Daltom, seeing those crewmen, I was right back there at Caldik Prime, at the hospital.”

"Were you here during the last incident? With the counselor who killed themselves after turning out to be a spy?" Daltom asked softly.

“No,” Jade shook her head. “I’m new aboard, I’ve only been here for a few hours.”

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Lieutenant Daltom Vesper
Counselor
USS Thunderbird

Lieutenant JG Jade Petracca
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Thunderbird

 

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