Hitting the Fan

Posted on Thu 1st Oct, 2026 @ 9:22am by Commander Heriah Rex & Captain Mindo

2,968 words; about a 15 minute read

Mission: [MAIN] Learning to Fly
Location: Ready Room
Timeline: Return +1

ON

Captain Mindo sat down at his floor desk, activating the monitor as he set down a tequila sunrise on the coaster nearby. It was day two of his tenure as Commanding Officer of Starbase 109, and so far things were going rather smoothly for a station still being rebuilt. He tapped the screen and opened his Reports folder, taking a look at the ones at the top, marked Urgent. Mindo's predecessor, Captain Francis, had not been one to read every report, but Mindo figured it was due to the fact that the man was old. Old Captains don't have time to sit and read everything on their desk. Mindo was barely thirty, and a fast reader. He consumed the first three reports--the ones marked Urgent--in a few minutes.

Clearly whoever wrote the reports had a different definition for the word "Urgent" than Mindo. All three were reports requiring the CO's approval to move forward to whatever it was these officers had next on their dockets. The diminutive Captain confirmed the orders in seconds, then set about looking at the other half-dozen reports left on the screen.

At the bottom of the list was another report marked "Urgent." Mindo was immediately curious. It was a report sent the day of the station's explosion. It was from Counselor Graves, regarding the station's Executive Officer, Commander Heriah Rex.

Over the last three months, Mindo felt he and Rex had developed a nice friendship, with the foundation of their inevitable working relationship. During that time, Mindo had not seen much in Rex that came close to suggesting what Graves' report entailed. He knew this report was a serious matter needing immediate attention.

He tapped his badge. "Mindo to Commander Rex," he said. "Report to the Ready Room."

Normally, Mindo would go to Graves for a follow-up report, but this was a different case. He needed to hear from Rex herself, not the impressions taken from a few therapy sessions. He knew approaching the subject would not be easy. He leaned forward on his desk and reread the report as he waited for Rex's arrival.

Mindo's voice emanated from Heriah's commbadge as she was finishing helping an Engineering team replace a few panels. She was a little sweaty and had a few smears of dirt here and there. Nothing unpresentable, so she decided to go against the thought of a sonic shower.

She tapped at her commbadge. "Aye, sir. On my way."

'Good. Let the Little Tyke see you are not above getting your hands dirty.'

"I will leave you to peeling off the plastic wrap," she said to the engineers and started off toward Ops.

Entering, she said, "Morning all," to everyone spread about. She even gave a nod to the newest addition to the crew, a Hermat who was walking by and away with a purpose. "I will be in here," she pointed toward the Ready Room, "should an emergency arise."

Arriving upon the Ready Room door, she depressed the chime and readied herself as this was going to be the first time she would enter this room and someone other than Frank would be within.

The place looked very different. The desk was on the opposite wall, chopped down to nearly the floor. Captain Mindo sat behind it on a beanbag chair, with two more beanbag chairs facing in front of the desk. The tequila sunrise was half drunk, and by this point of the morning, Mindo would have been too if his Fesarian biology didn't prevent it... or require it. Damn Fesarian hormones...

He looked up as Heriah entered the room looking dirty and sweaty, and Mindo fought the urge to say some line of how he loved when she talked dirty to him... This wasn't a time for joking. In fact, it was his first challenge as a CO.

"Rex," he said. "Good to... well, it's good you're here. Take a seat."

'Beanbags for chairs. What does Little Tyke think this is...playtime?'

"Aye, sir." She fought back a flood of Rex's thoughts regarding Davmorda's memories of him from all those years ago as she crossed over toward his desk. Yes the room looked far different than how Frank had it and it felt very different, new, almost out of place. She would get used to it though.\

Lowering herself into a beanbag, and trying to make it appear as graceful as she could, "I do apologize for the appearance, captain. Engineering is at capacity with getting things finalized. I was helping. We finished."

"Good to hear," Mindo said. "I have fresh zucchini water in the mini-fridge if you need to hydrate." Mindo was stalling. He hadn't anticipated being put in this situation when he accepted command. Should he approach this as her commanding officer, or as her friend? Could he make it a hybrid of both?

"Mini-fridge," Heriah said as she stood and stepped over to it. "That does sound better than anything replicated." She opened it, saw the pitcher and grabbed it, pouring water into a glass atop the fridge. "Sometimes, water...chilled water...is better natural than replicated." She took a greedy swig and started back toward Mindo's desk, with the beanbag chairs. She enjoyed the flavor of the, "Zucchini water, you say. It's good," and she sat back down. "I have not seen a refrigeration unit that was meant for food," she looked at the glass, "or beverage in some time now. Sometimes it feels good to get back to the basics. Sir," she finished.

Her adding "Sir" at the end felt like needles to Mindo's heart. He knew he couldn't address this as a friend, at least not yet. For the first time in his career, Mindo realized it was time to put on the "Captain Hat," so to speak. He was, after all, the Captain. He was no longer down in the depths of a warp core, where everyone smiled and called him "Chief," or "Mr. Mindo." Now he longed to be back in the core. Things made so much more sense there.

"Commander," he said, looking down at the report, not wanting to meet her gaze. "I have a report from Counselor Graves that contains some news he felt alarming enough to share with me." What the hell am I doing?, Mindo thought. "That you've had thoughts of... self harm, or maybe something worse." He didn't dare to say "suicide," even though that was the word in the report. He looked up and saw her. The moment was awkward, at least for him.

'True'

Heriah crossed her arms over her belly. Not in a defensive or offended manner but did try to appear as though relaxed.

'Yeah. Like that will shut me up.'

"I've read Graves' report, but to be honest some of it goes over my..." he stopped himself. "It's hard to understand." Mindo still needed to work out the whole "size" end of things. "Over my head" wasn't good phrasing in this case.

He continued, "I don't really know where his notes on Rex and his notes on Heriah intersect. I know there are two people inside that body..."

'Play your cards right and we can make it a three-some with Little Tyke here.'

"...and Graves feels strongly that one or both of them is in crisis, and that I need to know about it on my first day. I'm not going to him behind your back, so," he gestured to his First Officer, "tell me what he's talking about."

'He's talking about the time I shoved his sorry ass down into his chair.'

Heriah grinned shortly, ironically. It took a another second before, "Dr. Graves...he is..."

'...a whack-a-doo nutjob without any sense...'

"...he has a profound sense of care for his patients," she said to Mindo. "I am a patient of his. Have been since I arrived." She looked up almost to the ceiling. "And...in a way, I can see his concern. You have seen my profile. If not, to summarize...Rex was Joined with Refkin who was assimilated by the Borg and then rescued. Rex was traumatized and has been troubled ever since. Not to the point that he would commit..." she trailed off before using the very word Mindo would not dare to say.

'Oh you can say it. And I am in full support of it.'

Heriah brushed a lock of hair over her ear. It was her way of silently silencing Rex. "Davmorda, whom you've met and Luftine after her did not prove beneficial at all to Rex. Only I have been able to...tame the beast one might say."

'I just have not found that button of yours yet. But I will.'

"Rex wants to die," she said to Mindo then updated her statement with, "He want to be able to die. After me, Rex is only going to be put inside another host. And he does not want that. Dr. Graves, in our last session, wanted to, not just communicate, but to physically interact with Rex. I was not entirely comfortable with the idea but went with it. It ended with me standing up and shoving Dr. Graves down. Rex in control mind you. Through me, Rex loudly announced 'Let me die.' This is not a declaration that he wants death now, or by his own hand, but..." Heriah knew the Joining Commission would never allow this but, "...he wants to die when I die; for me to be his final host." She leaned forward; the beans in the beanbag chair shifted and crunched together as she did so. "300 years, Captain. Rex has a history spanning a little over 300 years. Do you want to live that long, carrying whatever baggage you may have? Wanting the ability to die is not suicide," she said, including the word she had dared not mention earlier, "it is simply embracing the inevitable. Complete without any means to delaying that inevitability."

Mindo took this in for a moment, trying to consider his own feelings. He knew, though, that as Captain, he was meant to have all the answers. In situations like these, he had to be a little of everything. Boss, friend, therapist. Someone had thought that he could be all of these things, and had made the decision it was time to put him there.

He stood and placed his glass into the replicator, where it dissolved into nothingness, having completed its purpose.

"I see what you're saying," Mindo said.

He didn't look at Heriah as he brought out the pitcher of zucchini water and poured himself a glass.

"It's healthy to fear death at the beginning of one's life," he said, sitting back down and looking at her again. "It's also perfectly healthy to reach a point in which you welcome death." He took a sip of the water. "It sounds like Rex is at that point, and I believe his wishes should be permitted. Three hundred years of living isn't actually long for a Trill, but it's more than most every other race. I think if I had to live three hundred more years I'd be ready to die as well."

He sat forward. "But let me be clear," he added, with absolute resolve, "this is not my approval for suicide. I want no giving up, from you or Rex. If you are in a life-threatening situation and your life can be saved, do everything in your power to save it, Heriah."

Heriah smiled. The look and feel of this Mindo was a stark contrast to the Mindo she recalled through symbiontic memory; Davmorda's memories. Even Rex was taken aback by the commanding presence of Mindo. "Yes, sir," she said. "And...you do not have anything to worry about from me regarding Rex. Think of him as that childish subconscious with that first unruly thought before reason takes over."

'You're a childish subconscious.'

She smiled again. "Both you and Dr. Graves can rest easy. And I will try to keep to a steady schedule with him."

Mindo gave her a nod. "That's good to hear," then remembered, this time, to say, "Dismissed."

As Heriah turned to leave, Mindo stood suddenly before she reached the door. "Wait..." he said, and walked around his desk and approached her, turning his leg rockets on and hovering to her height. He sighed.

"I know I just barked an order and was all 'Captainy' just now," he said in a softer tone. "Being a Chief Engineer working in a warp core, I'm used to giving orders. But I've noticed being an actual Captain is different. The orders are way bigger. I also know you're my Executive Officer and you have to take and enforce my orders... I'm very not used to that." He paused, then took in a breath and continued, "You and I have struck up a good friendship over the last three months, and I don't want that to change... please don't let my authority or your duties come between that. This isn't an order. It's a plea."

'Can you get him to turn that plea into a pleeeaaase?'

Heriah nodded to him; Mindo. " I will keep that in mind..." she purposefully did not say 'sir' or 'captain' but tried, "Mindo" on for size. "And it is good to know that we can be more than officers and counterparts, but...friends. It truly means a lot to me."

Heriah recalled what the high priest of the monks on Trillius Prime once told her, to surround herself with those who know and love her so that she would survive the revelations ahead.

"I understand I have some interesting quirks," she continued, "and concerning qualities. I am confident that, with you and Dr. Graves around..." she smiled, "...that everything will remain under control. And I will do as you...plea."

"Thank you, Heriah," Mindo replied. His shoulders went back and he drew in a breath. "There's a lot to do. Let's..." he struggled for a second, then added, "...get doing? I really need to figure out how to talk like a Captain."

"Understood," she said. "It can be a difficult trail to walk down." She breathed. "You will find your captain voice. Of that I have no doubt."

'Making the Little Tyke a bit taller would help as well.'

"When you do," Heriah continued, "you will know it. The crew will be looking up to you."

'Even though they have no choice but to look down to him.'

"And I will have your back."

"Thanks," said Mindo. "I'm used to being the boss in the core, running things casual. We tried not to take everything uptight and serious. It made it easier to do our jobs. Sometimes there'd be a fight or argument. Engineers all have egos and sometimes they can get in the way... but nobody got thrown in the brig. We handled it ourselves. In the end, we always had each other's backs, and all of us were there with no judgment if someone made a mistake. But they didn't call me sir. They called me 'chief.' I always kind of liked it." He paused, briefly letting in the nostalgia and then forcing it out just as fast. "I guess this is a far cry from that, huh?"

Heriah nodded as he spoke, understanding what he meant all too well. "We are all a far cry from where we used to be. Me..." she thought about her life on Trillius Prime before her Joining and before Starfleet.

'Yeah. At least you are not a centerfold anymore.'

"...well, some things are long gone and cannot be had again," she said. "Time keeps counting and we can only move forward. For what it is worth, I think you have landed right where you need to be, Chief."

Mindo laughed. "Maybe I can keep 'Chief,'" he said, adding, "...or not. Ever since the Academy I've been on thin ice with Starfleet. I'm sure there are plenty of old Captains and Admirals just hoping I screw this up."

'I'm raising my proverbial hand showing solidarity with those old Captains and Admirals.'

Heriah gave a singular nasal laugh. "I don't think Starfleet would dedicate as many resources as they did to this station if there was any doubt you could fill this role. If anyone of rank is hoping you screw this up, they are being quiet about it. I feel Starfleet is confident in their decision to assign you. As in all things, time will tell."

"Starfleet has always been a difficult place for me," Mindo said. "I don't know how many times I've considered resigning. Frankly, it's a wonder I even made it this far. A command was never something I actively sought. Then again, I've accepted every promotion I've had along the way. This was no different. I want to be where I'm needed, and I feel needed right here."

"It is good to be needed," she said. "That feeling means you are where you need to be."

'Too bad no one needs you.'

Heriah stood there a quick second.

'Was that too low? Has Elaine stopped returning your calls? How about that Bauhaus fellow? No word from him?'

"If there is nothing else, Chief, I am needed in Ops. Officer's reports and schedule rotations," she said matter-of-factly.

"You are dismissed, Commander," Mindo replied, straightening his shoulders. Talking to Heriah had been good for him. Her words of encouragement meant a lot, but it was definitely time to move ahead.

OFF

 

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