Anger Beyond Reason

Posted on Mon May 20th, 2019 @ 5:33am by Captain Garrett Lovejoy [ Taylor] & Ensign Kara Hoffman

Mission: Episode 1: Hell is a four letter word
Location: XO's office USS Elysium
Timeline: 12hours Before Shuttle Departure
3086 words - 6.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Kara left Sickbay, her face red as red could be, her fists clenched so tightly her fingernail had cut a little into her thin palms. Her jaw felt as good as new once more After her little accident in Engineering. However, having been informed of some new knowledge of a certain discussion between Lovejoy and Liorga. Then finding out about the Witchhunt that Lovejoy had promised was not at all happening, Kara was pissed. So pissed infact, she'd left sickbay without her boots, or tying her hair up, or even waiting for the Good Doctor to clear her. Her boots could wait for her, however speaking her mind to her new "XO" Could most definitely not.

She stormed up the corridor into the turbolift, biting down on her lip as hard as she could, attempting to reign in her anger. She had TRIED to show Lovejoy the family of the Elysium. She had tried to treat him as one of her fellow crew. She had thought perhaps, she had gotten through. However, it was all too convenient. All to staged. The senior command team all dissapear, just moments after the commodore and her puppies arrived.

She marched out of the Turbo-lift, her long hair trailing behind her as if it were a trail of fire and brimstone from the depths of hell itself. She banged once onto the door of Commander Taylor's personal office. Her eyes fixed into a gaze that could pierce time and space itself.

"Garrett! Garrett open this bloody door immediately. I demand, you open this door, at once! It is Lieutenant Hoffman" She hissed, through gritted teeth. "I'm going to give you to the count of three. trust me, I'll have it open by number three by force if necessary! COMMANDER!" She eventually yelled as loud as she could, slamming her fist again onto the door with all her might as the thunderous echo caused all the nearby officers, to peak round corners and out of office doorways. Panting heavily, Kara fumed, ready to explode like an active Volcano.

One second passed, then another before the door hissed open allowing her entrance. Lovejoy sat at the desk looking over a pile of PaDDs his face an emotionless mask as Kara stormed in sans boots. He leaned back in the chair, looking her up and down. "Your out of uniform Kara." he commented blithely before continuing on. "You seem upset. what's wrong?" He posed innocently even as he set a PaDD to the side so he could focus his full attention on her.

"What's wrong? As if you didn't know. I trusted you, but when it comes to my family nobody messes with them! You've been threatening people I care for Commander, I suggest you explain to me why, before I throw you out of an airlock." She ran out of breath, taking a large, almost comical breath of fresh air. "As of the Captain's sister, you thought trying to get her removed literally five minutes after the captain was gone, would actually work?! ARE you insane?!" She breathed hard, and slammed her fist onto his desk. "Just how DARE YOU mess with my family!"

He held up a hand, "Whoa! Wait a second Kara! I haven't misplaced your trust in me. Are you going to stand there an accuse me or will you sit down and listen to what I have to say?


Kara huffed, her bright red cheeks puffing out slightly, like a cobra before she strikes an artery. Her breathing slowed down, and with a big long sigh she flicked her entangled mess of hair, behind her shoulders...most of it anyway. "You have literally, no idea what you could have caused, the diplomatic consequences, not the mention the consequences to the Captain, and t her sister....ugh". She moved the chair in front of her out into the middle of the room, and sat down onto it. Her black sleeveless shirt showing the well toned, large muscles she had acquired. Her black shorts revealing calf's that could bend steel. She kept them tight, ready to strike.

"Now who specifically have I threatened? Please enlighten me. Oh, would you like something to drink?" You look like you could use a drink."

Her eyes widened. "Go get me hoffman 09 Alpha, it's in the replicator library, you should have one too. Wait, no! Shut up I don't want a... look, what the hell is going on Garrett. Not just seconds after we all find out about our command team's dissapearance...You and the commodore take up command positions on our ship. Almost as if...YOU PLANNED THE WHOLE DAMN THING?! Please, tell me you didn't, because if you did i'll..."

He held up a finger, "One, I didn't call the Princess's homeworld that was Percy and it was ill advised." Another finger went up, "Two, I deeply resent you implying, suggesting that the Commodore, Percy and I had something to do with the missing shuttle and the Elysium command team aboard. There was a vacuum in the command structure of this ship that needed to be filled and it was." His voice cold, glacially so. A third finger went up to join the other two. "I'm still waiting to hear who I threatened Kara." A fourth finger rose, "You can move the chair closer. I don't bite." A final finger rose "Finally, if you ever accuse me of doing something like this again, I'll throw you in the brig."

Kara gritted her teeth. ~Percy that son of a...~ She sighed, her muscles relaxing. "Yeah, fine so it might not have been you. fine just...forget it.." Her head lowered, and she looked at the floor. "I just, rushed to conclusions maybe? I don't know, sometimes I think I misunderstand things sometimes, or get the wrong end of the stick perhaps."

~Maybe he is telling the truth? Maybe he really hasn't threatened anyone.~ "Have I screwed up, again? Thanks feelings, fucking hell what a mess." She said aloud without even realising it. Catching herself mid-sentence she quickly shook her head, stood up and went to the replicator. "You could throw me in the brig sure." She said, typing some commands into the replicator console, as one glass materialised, then two. Picking them up, she put one onto the desk and sat back down with her own glass in hand.

"Do you have any Intel on what happened? Also, why the hell would percy do something so ridiculous. Even he must have known about...what the erisians are like. Does he harbour spite towards the Captain?" ~That's right, this time it's my turn for answers.~

"Percy is very by the book even more so than me. As such, he saw a minor aboard who in his estimation needed to be off loaded. He didn't think of the ramifications his calling Captain Lalors' homeworld would have or the diplomatic mess it would cause. So this is a mess we need to quickly clean up. As for Intel on the shuttle's disappearance. Nothing concrete yet. There seems to be some support for the idea that the abduction has something to do with Commander Taylor's past. Would you happen to know anything about his past?"

She frowned, taking a sip from her glass, and as she exhaled, a beautiful rainbow mist gently floated upwards. "His....past? I've, um. I mean I've never really...spoken to him much about his past. He keeps that pretty locked up tight..." She replied.

Garrett nodded, "Um. Okay, I didn't think you would but it was worth a shot." He looked at the glass before him. "What's this? I'm not going to green or purple or something funky am I?"

Kara laughed. "You're such an...idiot. Just take a sip."

He did as she instructed and took a sip, It was surprisingly good as he exhaled a small rainbow appeared and drifted towards the ceiling. "Very good." He admitted. "Oh! You said I threatened some people and we cleared the air on the Captain's sister. Anyone else?"

Kara blinked for a moment, her eyes turning super intense. "Have you threatened anyone else? If you have, you would know." She replied, with an icy voice. ~God, I always feel so awkward around him, dammit Kara get a grip of yourself...~

He shook his head, "No, I haven't threaten anyone.... well maybe I have. I questioned Chief Liorga about her oath of celibacy." He admitted.


"Y...y-you..." Kara stammered. "W-What...the.." Kara's internal processes ground to a halt for a few moments. As if time had completely stopped at that very moment. ~Is he dumb, or just a complete asshole. Just how insensitive, can you be.~ She didn't even realise it, but she had gripped the glass in her hands, so tightly, that under the pressure the class fell apart in her hands like paper. As pieces ricocheted onto the floor, she stared directly into Garrett's eyes, her fury, was no longer that of a human, or a Klingon. This fury went beyond reason. Buried deep within the recesses of her mind, somewhere dark, locked away. Something dangerous had been unleashed.

Her face was blank, expressionless. She couldn't hear anything, she was saying words, but it was almost as if she was a passenger now, or even a prisoner inside of her own mind. ~What, what's going on. I can see what I'm doing. but I can't stop myself. Wow i'm really angry...~

Within a split second she snapped up to her feet, her hand grabbed the underside of the desk tossing it aside. As librarian might toss aside a forgotten novel. She turned and left the room. The bloody hand-prints smeared onto the desk's clear surface. "You'll pay...you'll pay...you'll pay for this." She muttered the whole time.

Garrett was thinking himself. *Kara's cute, Especially when she gets mad.* Then that thought quickly left his head as she first stammered at him, then broke the glass in her hand and finally tossed the desk aside like it was made out of plywood. He stared at her, motionless by what he had just witnessed. "Kara!" He shouted but she was gone.

Kara had moved outside of the office. From inside, the sound of bones against alloy, as he fist relentlessly pounded the bulkhead. Dazed and stunned crew watched. One crew member whispered. "She's... like a demon, or a devil. Who...is she?!"

Stunned security crew members stood in the gathering crowd, watching as Kara savagely tore into the flesh of her knuckles, as she lobbed punch after punch into the bulkhead ruthlessly.

Nobody dared to approach her. "I...I'll uh.." Said one security officer. Another said. "Perhaps she's lost it, somebody stun her and take her to the medical bay."

After a few more agonising punches, that would see a normal human fist broken into pieces. she stopped, turned back around and forcefully opened the XO's office door with her bare hands. Stepping through into the office once more, the doors closed behind her, immediately sealing, due to a potential security breach. The stunned gathered crew, gathered around the bulkhead which had been indented with the fist of Kara; as blood trickled down onto the floor.

She said nothing as she faced off Garrett. Her eyes intense, as if she was looking into his soul and beyond that. into his mind.

Garrett's hand was on his combadge. "Cancel the security sweep. Lt. Hoffman is back in my office." He looked at her saw the anger in her eyes, saw the blood dripping from her bruised fist. "Kara, calm down! Come, sit down. Let me look at your hand. What the hell were you punching?" he asked calmly, trying not to upset her further. If you promise to stay calm, I'll explain about Chief Liorga. but you have to stay calm and let me take a look at your hand and get the desk back where it belongs."

Her face was a blank canvass. A few more silent moments went by, before she stomped over to the desk, righting the heavy desk, with ease. When she spoke, her voice was not soft. It was rough, dark and slow. "Explain yourself." Her words could have been made physically real, as she stared deep into his very being.

He wasn't cowed by her icy tone or display of strength. "Sit down." He countered, his voice just as firm and cold. "Then I will." he looked at the desk, back where it belong. "Um thanks for putting the desk back." Trying to get her to relax.

In utter defiance, she stood for several minutes. She didn't even flinch. If anyone didn't notice her chest rising and falling, an outsider might think she was a statue. Eventually, with a thud, she lowered herself into her chair once more.

"Thank you." He told her as he moved behind the desk, picking up some PaDDs as he did. Sitting down he faced her. "I only asked the Chief about her oath Kara and it uh kinda spiraled out of control after that. She got defensive, thought I was going to have her arrested and I was being snotty."

She let out a hiss. "Of course she did. You don't ask about such things! You will stay clear of her Garrett, if you value your balls that is." Raising her hand, she closed her fist tightly, her knuckles cracking a little as she did so. "Get the message?"

"Listen Kara. Your friends." He practically spat the word. "Have had an attitude since we first set foot on this ship. They have been hostile and argumentative. Thinking we're out to get Captain Lalor and Commander Taylor and I don't appreciate it." He stared back at her. "Get the message?" he challenged.

Her fearsome energy had begun to subside. Closing her eyes, she winced, as she brought her hand down. "Tsk, ow. Look what you made me d-" She stopped and looked down to the floor. "I...did it, not you. " She said, her tone quiet and almost submissive. "I know. However talking to people, about their heritage...their past...such things cannot be done so recklessly. Empathy, understanding, genuine compassion. These things cannot be faked. You haven't shown any of that to, anyone. So why should they trust you. Why should they work with you. When you arrived, not you, percy nor the commodore did ANYTHING, to ease the tension. Instead all you did was treat this crew, MY FAMILY. like mere tools, to grind information from, by any means necessary. Asking questions that make our hairs stand on end. Asking about our loyalties to our commanding officer. Prying into our secrets, our lives. You and your team have treated this crew, as if you could toss us aside without remorse. You, lack true caring for how other people feel. Without empathy, you'll be hated by everyone you speak to, because nobody will believe you genuinely care."

He sighed when she had finished, "They are questions Kara not accusations! Yet your friends this crew has been just as guilty of what you say the Commodore, Percy and myself are. I wasn't reckless." He said stubbornly, "I asked a question." He looked at her, "I have a loyalty Kara, to Starfleet, the Federation and the Commodore. Could this have been handled better? Quite possibly but it takes two to tango so while your condemning me, look in the mirror."

"How dare you." She swiped her arm up, and pointed at him. "Look in a mirror? You stubborn bastard!" Without thinking, her hand moved, to connect with his face. She slapped him.

She gasped a little at the connection, but held her hand onto his face. "I don't condemn you, you fool. We had our arguments sure, but did I not get you out of your shell, if even a little bit? Did I not get to see the REAL you. The human, inside of the shell. From now on, if your going to questio any crewmember, I don't want you to do it alone. I want to be there with you. Infact, I'm absolutely certain not only SHOULD i be there, I MUST be there. Someone has to stop all of this fighting and anamosity. I cannot do that, if your stubborn foolishness and the crews beliefs are at odds." She suddenly realised her hand had been touching him this entire time, and she quickly whipped it away, huffing loudly. "Tsk...men."

He continued to look at her, he didn't even raise a hand to where she had slapped him. "Yes. Yes you did." He admitted. "Kara. What are you going to do? Be the go between me and the crew? You have your own duties to tend to." He sighed, "I will consider it.... if you have dinner with me."

She let out a long sigh. "Yes, I do have my duties. However, part of being a department head and a senior officer, means I have a responsibility. To you and everyone on-board. I will right these wrongs, somehow. If being a go between is what I must do, then I will. There is no stopping me." She said, her absolute faith in herself; unquestionable.

She stared at him for a few moments, and her head cocked to the side. "Dinner...after what hell I just put you through, you want to? Alright, Mr Brave. You tell me where and when. I might show up."

"I think it's more of what we both put each other through Kara. Tomorrow night 1900 hours. we can go to the Galaxy Room here on the ship. Your friends can keep an eye on you." He gently joked. "You'll show up." He announced.

She huffed. "Whatever...yeah I'll be there." She stood once more. "I'm going back to the doctor. Don't even think about telling the commodore, she is probably already aware of what has happened. Heck everyone probably knows by now. I'll have to keep my head down for a while." She sighed as the doors didn't open. "Damn, security seal..." She huffed and opened the doors with her hands. "I'll go down to engineering and over-ride the lock after I've seen the doctor. That way you won't be locked in." The doors closed behind her, as she walked past the stunned group still dealing with what they all saw.

He watched her leave. "Women." He muttered and got back to work.


Lieutenant Kara Hoffman
Chief Engineer, USS Elysium

Commander Garrett Lovejoy
Temp XO, USS Elysium