DL/PL|Ltcdr Rotek|"Tension"

Posted on Wed Nov 11th, 2015 @ 8:41am by Lieutenant Commander Rotek

637 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Agua Mala
Location: Sickbay/Holodeck 1

=/\=Sickbay=/\=
Rotek stood up from his desk with a groan, and immediately looked around to make sure he was alone. He didn't want to embarrass himself in front of his staff. He could feel a tight twinge in his back, and cursed himself for sitting at his desk for so long. He'd been spending so much time going over the information that had been collected about the Stenellis medical facilities, that he'd lost track of time. He had been fascinated by how different it was from that of the Federation, or even from the Klingon Defense Force.

Walking around his office, while trying to stretch his back, he thought about his time with the KDF. To say medical science had evolved with them would be an understatement. He remembered learning how at one time, they would barely heal someone, as a true warrior didn't saw overcoming pain as a battle. Shaking his head, he remembered having many officers still asking him to leave a scar when he healed their wound, so they could have a story to tell about it. He'd never been like that, maybe it was his human side influencing him in that way.

As he made the third circle around his office, he realized why he had lost track of time in his office. He was doing what he knew he shouldn't. He was losing himself in his work, and was using it as an excuse not to deal with other issues. Quickly sending a message to one of the medical officers to take over in Sickbay, he went off duty, and made his way to Holodeck 1.

=/\=Holodeck 1=/\=
Entering the holodeck, he said "Computer, run program Rotek 912, authorization Rotek Yellow 237." Moments later, he found himself outside of his childhood home on the Homeworld. He'd visited the program before, and talked to the holograms of his parents, but he'd locked the program so he wouldn't focus on it. He needed to run it now, as he'd made a decision he needed to say out loud.

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, he entered the house, and moved to the sitting room. The holograms of his parents were still there of course, silently looking at him, but programmed not to speak. Sitting in a chair across from them, he said "I know you aren't really my parents, as much as I'd like you to be. I need to vent, and to feel a sense of closure about what I'm about to decide." Taking a moment to compose himself, he said "I've decided I have let you two go. I have to let go of the baggage I've been carrying about your deaths, and your approval of me being gay."

Feeling emotional, he stood and began to pace "I've realized I've been using my work to hide myself from getting close to people, and while it has helped me advance, it is at a cost." Staring at his father, he said "I've been working so hard to be the best at what I do, to win your approval, that I have closed myself off from being happy. I'm not going to do that anymore. I'm going to try, with help to be open, and hopefully grow as a person." Facing both of the images, he said "I'm tempted to delete this program, but I won't. I don't want to forget you, but I can't put myself through seeing you again right now. That being said, I'm going to archive the program, and have it not be normally accessible anymore. Goodbye Mother, Father." Taking a moment to breathe, he said "Computer, end current program, and save in archive." Moments later the scene ended, and without looking back, he left the room, en route to his quarters.

=/\=End Log=/\=
Lieutenant Commander Rotek
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator, NCC 78213-E

 

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