<USS Avalon> Updating a Security Officer

From "Captain Deals With Trouble" (01/02/2007)
Talea just shook her head. "Either he's an honest man that admitted to a terrible error . . ." She didn't finish the sentence, as it was self-evident to both her and Cialra.
Walker came up at that moment and stated quietly, "Captain, may I see you for a moment?" He was sickened by what he'd seen the security camera record in what he honestly believed to have been Talea's quarters. He was unaware of the quarters misassignment. 

----We now continue----
His voice, although calm, was too quiet for Talea, only a few feet away, to hear clearly, but Cialra did without reacting to it, as did Captain Skyler, since he had pitched it for just her ears only.
Looking at Jackson behind the cell's force field made Skyler smile inside. At least he wouldn't be able to get to anyone for a while, and Talea would be safe. She noticed that Claire had heard Walker speak but hadn't made any mention of it to Talea. She wasn't sure why that was. "If you ladies will excuse me, I need to speak with Sergeant Walker for a moment. If you want to stay and talk to the prisoner, that is up to you. If not, you are free to go. We can meet later to finish out the final details."
Turning, she walked over to where Walker was standing. "What can I do for you, Sergeant? I get the feeling that you are not happy with Ensign Jackson and don't want Ensign Erridim to know."
Walker nodded. "What she has gone through is almost indescribable, Captain. The fact that piece of trash put her through more of the terror she went through as a child and young adult . . ." He stopped, his eyes closing as he tried to prevent her seeing the pain he himself was in over what had happened. "It's a miracle she was able to defend, given the fact the other had surprise on his side. This concerns me as both a Security officer and as a member of the same species as she is." He almost growled, but restrained it just in time. "Add that to the fact she's stasis-locked, unable to use her psionic abilities past touch without severe cost, and doubtless injured herself during the defense, and I think you begin to understand, ma'am, why I want justice to be served against him, and that swiftly." He was shielding hard, but inside, was almost angry enough to call vendetta on the creep and his cronies, but he also knew that was a fast train to the end of his career if he seriously entertained it. He released his shield as he exhaled, releasing his anger against the man. "He's in custody, and that's a plus."
"Calm yourself, Sergeant. He will be taken care of as swiftly as possible. Ensign Erridim is consulting with me on the best way to punish him, and in a manner that will make her feel more comfortable. Granted, what he did was wrong and I am not excusing it in the least. He will be punished for what he did. She did manage to use some sort of scream to stun him. This I learned, for Lieutenant K'etrall was affected as well. I appreciate your concern for her safety, but rest assured, the matter is well in hand."
Walker nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I know the technique myself, in order to teach it to others. It's called a stun-scream. In a Regellian or telepath who isn't stasis-locked, it's a highly effective weapon against an assailant. When you're stasis-locked, though, it can cause nearly as much damage to the one using it as to her target." He sighed. "The technique is, frankly, more useful to women than men, since the higher the vocal pitch, the more effective the weapon seems to be, although there is the psionic aspect as well." He looked chagrined. "And I need to apologize to Talea, although I did want to let you know that I'm gathering certain information you and Admiral Ketchum requested I brief you on." A brief grin flickered across his face then.
"If she was able to do this stun-scream, does that mean it's possible that she could be starting to get her powers back? If that is the case, I would like to help, as would Lieutenant K'etrall. I also appreciate your concern for Ensign Erridim. I'm sure she appreciates it as well. I know you are concerned about her, as am I. I was hoping having her here to help decide his punishment would help to alleviate any remaining fears she might have. As for your briefing, I look forward to it."
He bowed. "It'll take a few days, I'm afraid. In-processing of those idiots who tried to scavenge the /Avalon/-B will take time, as will inventorying damage to said ship, amongst other matters."
He frowned in consternation. "As for Ensign Erridim, ma'am, certain abilities have apparently been partially usable all along, for lack of a better term. It just causes her intense agony past touch-telepathy." He winced as he remembered her accidental send during his inspection of her cases, then attempt to shield her grief when she realized he was becoming overwhelmed by the intense images. "And there is the risk that she could, by accident, broadcast her own pain to others." His face showed his concern. "As for you and the Chief Engineer helping shield, ma'am, the more the better, but, ma'am, do you know how to extend your shields to cover another?" He was honestly not sure, and the question was in respectful tones.
Now, that was something that Skyler had never broached before. She had never actually tried it. "To be honest, Sergeant, I have never really tried. I am willing to do whatever is needed in order to assist Ensign Erridim. I was helped once in a similar manner and would like to reciprocate. If you would be so kind as to tell me how or what I am to do, it would be greatly appreciated." Skyler truly did want to help much in the same way Lyryn had helped her.
Walker bowed. "What I am going to need to do to properly train you to do it at the so-called second-nature level is going to, at the surface, appear to be a mind-meld such as the Vulcans use. It is not that, I assure you, nor is it two-way, and I advise you not to fight it, since the last thing either of us needs is for you to become disabled by a level-five migraine from the effect of trying to fight off the imposition of the knowledge." His tone was respectful warning, as he suspected she'd never experienced this particular method of learning. "Ten to twenty seconds suffices for language or training someone to fly a fighter like an expert, so this should be very easily done, yes?" He grinned at her a little impishly. "And before you ask, I hold a Master's certification in the skill, which is only two from the absolute top certification." He then mentioned, "It is possible to learn this technique by other means, but it is much slower. Were there another, more conventional way to do it in a timely fashion, with Talea's problem upon us like this, I would simply train you in that manner, but we haven't several days to a week." His voice was shading toward worry now. Talea was hurt and angry with him, and he wondered if she'd forgive him any time soon.
Listening intently, Skyler had to admit to herself the whole prospect was a little frightening. Still, she was determined to go through with it. She owed it to Lyryn and she owed it to Talea. Looking at Walker, she nodded. "I will do my best not to fight you. I want to help, and if this is the only way, then so be it. Do we need to go somewhere special or will anyplace do?"
He grinned. "Other than it being advisable for you to sit, ma'am, no, ma'am. Where we are is fine. Imposition of knowledge like this can be pretty unsettling, even if you're not struggling against the imprinting. It's not unknown for the student to feel disoriented or dizzy for several seconds after the Training ends."
"As long as that is the worst of it, I think I am good to go." Looking around, Skyler found a chair and sat down. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Walker and nodded. "I suppose we might as well get started. The sooner I know what I am doing, the sooner I will be able to help when needed." She didn't want to admit that she was a little frightened, but if it allowed her to help someone, then she was going to do it, regardless of the outcome to herself.
Walker suppressed a chuckle. He'd seen this reaction before. "Relax, ma'am. As long as you just let the knowledge flow unopposed, you'll be fine." He smiled, then crouched, reaching for the proper pressure points. Just over eighteen seconds later, he released the gentle contact, and sat back. "How's that for painless?" He also knew she'd likely learned other things, since it was nearly impossible to prevent crossover like that. "Try extending your shields past me, to see if you have it right." He grinned slightly, knowing she may be a bit disoriented.
Having never experienced anything such as what she had just gone through, Skyler wasn't sure what she should expect. It hadn't taken nearly as long as she had thought it would, and it was painless. Now he wanted her to extend her shields. She hesitated and took a deep breath before trying. Without even trying hard, she thought about extending the shields and it seemed like she felt something happening. She didn't know if she was doing it right, or if anything was even happening. Looking up at Walker, she shrugged. "Well, did anything happen?"
Walker looked at her quizzically for a bit, then realized why she had asked that. On reflecting for a bit, he realized that he had felt shields brush past and engulf his, although it was a little disconcerting, since the shields were a different beat-frequency than he was accustomed to. "Your shields are extended past me by about a meter. Strength has decreased, but that's to be expected with the increased diameter, thus the need for more than one person to help shield, ma'am." He grinned. "Feeling any dizziness or disorientation, ma'am? I'd stand carefully if I were you, just to be certain."
Not feeling too sure of herself at the moment, Skyler merely sat for the time being. "I'm not feeling too much of anything at this time, Sergeant. What I need to know is, will I be able to help Ensign Erridim? Was this a successful endeavor?" She desperately wanted to be able to help. Standing, or rather attempting to stand, she felt a wave of nausea overwhelm her. She reached out to grab something and felt someone helping her back to her chair. "Uh, that was not expected at all." She hoped she didn't look as green as she felt.
"Whoa! Steady there!" Walker was dismayed at the wash of nausea he detected in her; it showed she was one of those who were a little sensitive to the technique, and those were, fortunately, rare. "Yes, you'll be able to assist. Let yourself settle a bit; your body rebelled, I believe, because you weren't quite as ready to test the ability as I'd hoped. I do apologize, Captain." He sighed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go speak with my immediate superior, likely to get chewed over for something I did on mission that," he shook his head, "didn't go quite the way I'd expected, although it didn't result in any deaths, praise the Creator."
Skyler nodded her head, afraid if she opened her mouth, something other than words would come out. That would not be good. She watched as the marine left and wondered if she would really be able to help Talea after all.
Again, Walker felt something amiss with the Captain, and stopped before turning around. "Captain, do you feel that I need to call Sickbay for you? Just nod if you think it's necessary, ma'am." He didn't have authorization to attempt to heal her, even if he knew what to do. His face showed his growing concern. 

<<TAG: MCpt. Phillips, Capt. Skyler>>

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