My Honor to Serve

Posted on Fri May 7th, 2021 @ 6:08am by Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea & Captain David Tonelly [Reece]

Mission: Season 5: Episode 2: Operation Save Humanity
Location: USS Elysium sickbay
Timeline: MD -11 (Immediately following Quell'ish mission)
1289 words - 2.6 OF Standard Post Measure

While sickbay was still very busy, following the mission to Quell'ish, most of those who had been treated had been either released, or were asleep on the biobeds.

Most, but not all.

Corporal David Tonelly stood off to the side, still wearing his filthy armor. He had been cleared by medical but had chosen to stay. He felt compelled to. He had witnessed his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea, take an explosive detonation to her chest during the battle. Now, seeing the powerful warrior laying on a biobed, her entire right arm gone, the El Aurian warrior was quietly reliving battles long past.

The one in particular that was currently playing behind David’s eyes was of an ambush in which he had pulled his injured commanding officer, then a young US Army second Lieutenant, who had been gut shot by Cartel forces. That day, David had held the young human as she had died, defending her as best as he could. It was a moment that he would live with for the rest of his long life.

Naxea spotted one of her Marines, Corporal Tonelly standing by the doorway. "Corporal? Are you alright?" she asked, her voice still hoarse and weak.

Hearing the Colonel say his name, David snapped to attention and saluted. "Colonel, I'm good to go, Ma'am!"

"At ease, Corporal," she nodded as saluting while in a bed felt abnormal to her. "Please enter and have a seat. Don't worry, I'll make it through."

David relaxed as ordered, then moved closer, sitting in the one chair that was in the room. Even though he was on Naxea's left side, his eyes drifted to where her right arm should have been. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. I should've dug in harder, I had a bead on the prick that got you, but I had to break to another that was heading for my away team." When his eyes drifted to the void on her right side, he absentmindedly moved his right hand to the spot where, under his armor and uniform, were the bullet scars the last time he failed to save his commanding officer.

"You made the right call, Corporal," Naxea began. "The Away Team needed the protection. I once heard that a sniper's job isn't to take lives but to save lives--you did that. And don't worry about my arm...Doctor Sthilg informs me that they are currently creating a new biosynthetic arm for me."

It amazed David. Even at his current age and life experience, he still felt chills when a commanding officer, correction, an excellent commanding officer, gave comforting words to him. He knew right then and there that he would gladly follow this woman into hell, she just had to ask. Giving her a slight grin, he replied. "Thank you, Ma'am. I guess..." a sigh, "I guess seeing that happen to you brought up bad memories of when I served in the Eugenics War and my commanding officer died in my arms, all because I couldn't get her to safety." He didn't go into more details. First, because it was painful to do so, and second, he was sure that the Colonel had already read his rather lengthy personnel file.

"From what I know of you so far Corporal, you're a good man and a good Marine. I am sure you did everything you could," Naxea spoke, taking a break to gather her breath as she still felt weak. It still amazed her that she was speaking with someone who fought in a long ago war that she had studied while at the Academy. And yet he had chosen to enlist instead of getting a commission with his experience impressed her still. "Luckily we have much better technology now. Are you sure you don't want a commission?" she asked, changing the subject.

Sighing slightly, David considered the question. "Honestly, Ma'am, the thought had occurred to me. I mean, with my combat history alone, I'm sure I'd be fast tracked. But...I don't want it that way. While I may have forgotten more tactics than Starfleet could teach me, I want my service, here and now, to represent me and my service to the Corps, Starfleet, and the entire UFP, Ma'am." He paused briefly before continuing. "If my service record warranted a commission at some point in the future, I of course would be honored to receive it, Ma'am."

"I'll keep that in mind, Corporal," she grinned at the man. "So, how are the Away and Rescue Teams? I'm sure Chief De La Rosa is boasting he took on half the enemy force himself," she chuckled painfully, wanting to keep him talking and less thinking about his past. She knew all too well what war could do to a person's mind. She had seen it first hand during the Cardassian Occupation.

Despite himself, David chuckled. "Well, actually, he and his wife seemed to have vanished. I think they went back to their quarters." He was happy for them. They had found one another and were happy. David hoped, one day, he'd find his own bondmate and live a life of true happiness for the first time in his long life.

His smile fell briefly. "I lost Private Laknema, Ma'am. I told him to stay in the camp over night. But, while I was out scanning the far end of the camp, he left out the other end. Commander S'hib and I found his body the next day. He had apparently fell through a bit of weak surface ground, which was the roof of a subterranean cavern. We almost died recovering his remains, but, we did it. Unfortunately, during the initial attack, I was ordered to leave his body behind on the runabout, which was then flown off on auto pilot to draw away the enemy."

He reached over to the small pouch secured under his right breastplate. Pulling it out, he opened the pouch, revealing the private's identity plate from his armor, his commbadge and a small holo emitter. David activated the device. It showed Christian, proudly wearing his dress uniform on the day he had graduated from Boot. On either side of him, were his parents, who will now be crushed when they receive word of not only the death of their child, but told that there would be no body to return to them. "As his NCOIC for the mission, I...I was going to contact his parents and tell them that....that Chistian was gone." The color seemed to leave his features again.

"No Corporal, you've been through enough," Naxea said, placing a hand on his. "I'll contact them when I get out of here. It will take a day to get his belongings packed up and shipped off. You should go get a shower, chow, and some sleep."

David tried to protest but, was much to exhausted. He did manage to say, albeit weakly, "I'm locked, cocked and ready to rock, Colonel. Give me a target and I'll eliminate it with extreme prejudice."

"In due time, Corporal," Naxea replied, wanting to find out more about this new threat. "Until then, rest up. If you don't have anything else, you're dismissed."

Getting to his feet, David snapped to attention and saluted. He held the salute for three beats, then lowered it. Turning, he moved smartly to the exit, then paused. Turning back to face Naxea, he said, "Thank you, Ma'am. For everything." He then turned and left the room, leaving the Colonel alone so she could rest.

Watching Corporal Tonelly leave, Naxea sighed, seemingly sink further into the bio bed. She hoped Tonelly would get the help he seemingly needed as there was little she could do for now.