Delivering bad news

Posted on 05 Feb 2023 @ 9:42am by Civilian Iola Hawkins & Captain Jonathan Reynolds

Mission: Through the looking glass
Location: Hawkins quarters
Timeline: After "Touched by a dark fire"
785 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon was not looking forward to this at all. Protocol laid out he was to speak to the next of kin. He had expected this to be Hawkins parents but had been rather surprised to see the computer inform him that Iola and Michael had recently married. So that meant he had to speak to her first.

Pressing the chime, he was sure this would be awful.

It already was awful even though Iola was unaware of the current turn of events. When the door opened it revealed a room in disarray, as I'd a hurricane had passed through it. In the center of the mess she had created sat the Orion woman, kneeling with her face buried in her hands. It was clear that something had already transpired here, and it hasn't been pretty.

Iola looked up as the captain walked in and she slowly got to her feet, trying to rub the wrinkles out of her dress. "Michael isn't here," she huffed, trying to bite back more tears, "he...left...earlier."

“May I come in Iola?” Jon said softly taking in the scene. “I need to speak to you.”

"Me?" She nodded slowly, wondering why the captain would need to speak to her. Had Michael said something, and was she now going to have to leave? But where would she go? "Why?" She managed, barely keeping her voice steady.

Jon gingerly stepped inside. “I think perhaps you ought to take a seat.”

This was bad. If told to sit, it was bad, wasn't it? Slowly, Iola moved over to the couch and sat down. "What is it?"

“I’m so sorry to have to inform you of this but Michael died earlier today in an incident on the bridge,” Jon said trying to separate his own emotions on this.

All colour drained from her face. "What? No, no, you're lying. He left...he said he'd leave and not come back. He can't be dead...." She had wishes a great many things but not this! Her greatest desire had been for him to change his mind and now it'd never happen. "How?" She finally whispered, tears flowing down her pale cheeks once more as she breathed heavily.

“There was an alien influence. It seemed to be possessing crew members,” Jon tried to stick to the facts. “It wasn’t friendly. Whatever he said Iola, I’m sorry you had to endure that,” it was making sense now the room, in her upset she must have lashed out, “but we cannot ignore that perhaps he was unaware and compromised by this being. That perhaps his behaviour was not down to him.”

The woman nodded slowly. "Was he in pain?" If what he said was true, if it hadn't been him.... surely he deserved peace? Whatever that meant. "What happens to me now?" She finally managed, "he was everything..." She swallowed. "What am I now, without a husband? What am I to do?"

“It happened so fast he endured little pain,” Jon said. “You’re his next of kin as his wife. Everything that was his, is now yours. Nothing happens to you or your place on my ship. You’re still my liaison, my link to the dons if you wish to continue in that role and we will support you the best we that we can during this time.

I know it’s a shock,” Jon said softly . “We will need to speak about his funeral but today is not that time.”

"I want to stay here and do my work," she determined firmly even though she felt far from firm right now. She felt like someone had pulled a rug from under her feet. "Can... Can I see him?" There was a brief look of relief when she heard there'd been no pain.

"I can speak to the CMO. I'm sure that request can be granted," Jon said. "And of course you can stay."

The young woman managed a small smile. "Thank you captain... I want to stay here, and help you where I can. That's my job....I want to do it right."

"And you are doing it wonderfully Iola. We are very grateful to have you with us," Jon said with a nod. He rose to leave.

"Again if you need anything contact me directly," Jon offered.

The young woman nodded slowly. "Thank you captain," she said again. "I...should clean this up," she finally spoke, looking lost and lonely. "I need to be alone now, for a little while." She managed the smallest of smiles. "I will be okay."

Jon nodded and gave her the privacy required.

OFF:

Jonathan Reynolds
CO, USS Andromeda

Iola Hawkins
Crossroads liaison
pnpc Aidan