Yeoman Dedjoy Recovered Log 3: We regret to inform you...

Posted on Fri Mar 13th, 2020 @ 1:47pm by Rear Admiral Farenia Meowlith & Petty Officer 2nd Class Ila Dedjoy
Edited on on Fri Mar 20th, 2020 @ 4:00pm

Mission: Dedjoy System Mystery
Location: USS Katana: Station of Glitter
Timeline: 2393

Farenia was staring at her terminal, reading over the list of new personnel that came in on that new Delta class shuttle. She couldn't believe Starfleet had done this and she knew that the news of Crewman Dedjoy's demise hadn't yet reached her family yet. Tapping her comm badge, she steeled herself to deliver bad news. "Commander Eneas and Crewman Dedjoy, report to my ready room." Now she'd have to hope that their former crewman's sister didn't take the news badly and that Clio didn't feel even worse for it.

Crewman Dedjoy had just disembarked and been assigned her quarters, Tossing her duffel onto her new bunk when the call came in. Already called to the captain's office? That didn't sound good... Maybe this commander that was also called was her department head and the Captain did things differently with a more hands on approach. Either way, she checked her uniform in the mirror and headed out. She just hoped she'd see her twin sister soon.

Clio had been squirreled away in her office, finishing some last minute reports when the call came through. Hearing the second name called, she froze in place, still holding a PaDD in her hand. She was pretty sure Dedjoy had died in sickbay, but surely Farenia wasn't that much of a troll. Rather than call and ask what was going on, she very slowly set the PaDD down and left her office, going to the bridge. There was a looming sense of dread as she approached Farenia's ready room door and pressed the door chime button, one that suggested there was a lot more to this than some juvenile prank.

"Come in," Farenia called, relieved that it was Clio that was at the door first. "Please come in and have a seat. I have... news."

"I'd gathered that." Clio wasn't quite sure what to think as she came inside the ready room and found a place to sit. "What kind of news?"

Farenia likely didn't have much time and she didn't want to mince words as it was. "Dedjoy's twin sister was just assigned and she more than likely hasn't received the news yet."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the door chimed again. It seemed ominous, but Farenia paused before calling out. "Come in."

And there stood Crewman Dedjoy.

"Commander, this is Crewman Ila Dedjoy." Farenia stated simply.

Clio turned just enough to see who Ila Dedjoy was, and instantly her breath caught in her throat as her pulse quickened. For several long seconds, she was convinced she was looking at a women she knew was dead in the sickbay morgue. But Dedjoy hadn't had a first name, had she? She'd been 'just Dedjoy', Clio was sure of it. Which meant this was a different person, which meant... no, that couldn't be right. Starfleet wouldn't do that, assigning a dead officer's identical twin to the same ship. Or would they?

Feeling the rest of the color drain from her face, Clio swallowed. She wasn't ready for this.

"Crewman, please have a seat." Farenia began. As Dedjoy took the seat next to Clio, she seemed oblivious to Clio's plight. "You've been waiting on transportation here for about a week now, I take it?"

The crewman nodded cheerfully. "Yes ma'am. I asked for this assignment once I found out my sister was here and you were headed into the stellar nursery. I'm hoping we can earn her a given name."

"You have to... earn your given name?" That certainly didn't make Clio feel any better, knowing that Dedjoy had been robbed of an essential tradition her people apparently held. She had no idea how she was going to break that sort of news to Ila... or if she even wanted to be the one to do it.

"That's how we do it." Ila Dedjoy said with a nod. "Otherwise, we're just known by job or rank if we have one."

Farenia nodded, deciding it was time. "Crewman Ila Dedjoy, I regret to inform you that on stardate..." As Farenia spoke as if from a script, Ila's face sank in horror the more Farenia spoke. When she was done, she sat there in silence.

Ila could only shake her head, mouthing the word 'no' while tears rolled down her cheeks.

Still somewhat stunned by this new development, Clio very gently put her hand on Ila's shoulder. "I'm sorry. We're not entirely certain what happened."

Ila shook her head some more, finally squeaking a full "No..." out.

"I'm sorry," Farenia spoke softly. "I wish I had better news. We almost lost Commander Eneas and our counselor on that mission as well. If you'd like to speak with them in private... Or if you'd like to transfer elsewhere..."

"I'm sorry," Clio repeated, squeezing the girl's shoulder. "She was closer to the explosion than I was. There was nothing I could do."

"The subsequent decompression didn't help either." Farenia said in hopes of comfort. "Vicky, our counselor is still in sickbay."

After a few more sobs, Ila nodded and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'd like to see her... One last time."

"Of course. She's in stasis in sickbay." Clio wasn't looking forward to that either.

"Commander, do you mind escorting her to sickbay?" Farenia asked, still softly.

"Not at all." It was the right thing to say, but Clio wasn't sure she could actually do it. The gnawing pit in her stomach grew larger by the second, and sickbay was a decent walk away.

"Thank you. If either of you need anything, please let me know." Farenia said as Ila stood and took a few wavering steps towards the door.

Clio nodded as she got up to follow Ila, gently guiding the younger woman's wavering steps toward the door.