Ensign Pressure Cooker
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Arcadia # 2788 | |
| original continuity | |
| |
| year | 316 CE (2379) |
| posted | January 4 2003 |
| previous | Land Down Under |
| next | Arrested Development |
Bump, thump, smack.
Bump, thump, smack.
Ringo stood alone in the starboard nacelle access room, bouncing a rubber ball off the wall. The classic activity when bored, right?
Wrong.
Or, right, if it was a matter of venting frustration. At least rubber balls couldn't crack one in the noggin.
He stood on the platform over the plasma stream leading into the starboard nacelle. Even with the ship docked, the plasma stream was active, burning brilliant yellow. If one fell in, one would be incinerated instantly, reduced to subatomic particles faster than the blink of an eye. The railing prevented falling in, but if one really wanted to die that way, one had only to climb over and jump.
The only thing which kept Ringo from jumping in like he wanted to... were the voices. They taunted, echoing in his head, as he engaged in the pastime.
That bitch, who does she think she is...
Bump.
She said it was an honor.
Thump.
You accepted the honor, Simon. You didn't have to.
Smack.
That's right. I didn't.
You have feelings too....
Bump, thump, smack.
And then that sonuvabitch April... talks all nicey-nicey, then puts his hands on you... who does he think he is?! Get his ass court-martialed!
He never acted like that before! He actually kinda liked me for a while, I thought....
That was before he got taken by the Klingons.
Bullshit. He didn't like you the moment you got here.
They all mistreat you, don't they? Just because you like women and ain't afraid to show it....
Ringo nodded as he bounced. "Yep."
Yeah! Listen! Wayne puts you with Quarton like it's some sick joke....
No, that was the ops officer.
Soltak?
No, the one before him. Gutierrez, that little pretty boy....
So what; same point.
Bump, thump, smack.
Bump, thump, smack.
You better get out of here, Ringo. Wayne's probably looking for you. If he finds out you're not scrubbing plasma vents or something....
Hah. Don't listen to him. I bet Eve's screwing him right now, the slut. You know how it goes. They all don't like you, so they gang up on you, and fuck each other behind your back while they plot ways to fuck you over, so they can all laugh about it and do it again, and again, and again....
"Shut up!" Ringo snarled, not letting up.
Bump, thump, smack...
"Eve's beautiful. She's precious. She's just... going through that phase, like Doc Brisk said."
Oh, you want to get started on Doc Brisk, do you?
"No, I—"
Brisk fucked you royally too. You know she did. Gave you an injection that was supposed to help you...?
The voice laughed, and the laughter spread to the other voices.
"Shut up, I said!"
The laughter ceased. The voices did not.
Don't like it, do you?
They're all laughing at you, Ringo.
Laughing at Simpleton Simon, who thinks he's all that...
Brisk did screw you over. She's the worst of all. Acts like the nicest gal on the ship; she only wants to help you? Oh sure, she's Eve's best friend; and what did Eve do to you? Now what does that tell you?
And you were stupid enough to let her inject you with that stuff, you don't even know what it is; you are stupid, you should have asked. She got ya good; screwed you with a hypo and ruined it for Eve...
Might have done better without it...
Quit standing around bouncing a ball, dumbass. Do something. Quit standing there taking it. Go tell someone. They can't get away with this.
"I don't know who to tell."
Bump.
Of course ya don't; the entire universe is out ta get ya. Why d'ya think yer own folks won't talk to ya?
Thump.
When it comes to the end, ya only got two choices, Ringo.
Smack.
Ringo held the ball in his hand, turned and looked at the plasma stream. The blazing light danced in his eyes, flickering over his face. He had to squint to look at it.
Yeah... you know what we mean.
Do it, dumbass. It's the only way out.
Do it before they do it to you.
Or... you could do something else....
Ringo waited, watching the yellow plasma. "What... what can I do...?"
Make them pay.
Take revenge.
Yeah, they wouldn't be so smug and laughing then, would they.
Do it! Do it!
We're your conscience, Ringo. We wouldn't steer you wrong.
"It's true... Eve could have apologized, at least... she had the chance... I apologized...."
Right! And what did she do?
Told you to get lost, loser.
Go on. Do something about it. Show that bitch what happens when she kicks a man around. Show her who's boss.
Hurt her, make her suffer...
Make her beg for forgiveness....
Won't that feel good? When you're vindicated?
"It might not work..."
So what? At least you tried.
Just like when he tried to apologize? He told you that didn't work...
So what! If it doesn't then he can blow 'em all to hell!
Come on Ringo. Do something. Don't just stand there.
Do it, do it...
Ringo looked at the ball in his hand, and hurled it angrily into the plasma stream. It vanished with a mere flicker.
He turned and started climbing down the ladder, back towards engineering.
▷ TBC ◁
