A good boy-A good man is a hero

Posted on Sun Apr 23rd, 2023 @ 9:01pm by Crewman Melly & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Marner & Lieutenant R'elle
Edited on on Sun Apr 23rd, 2023 @ 9:02pm

2,244 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Medical

Cyrus had been working on a puzzle, a conundrum if you will. It was that of an enthusiastic ensign whom he had sent out of Medical for being too ultra judgemental of Crewman Melly. Cyrus had to admit though, he did lose his temper and felt some remorse for how he handled things. Then things started to make a pattern in his mind. The things that Melly had said, and what the ensign had said. Too familiar so uncannily the same. Cyrus had chills run up and down his spine. He had to check, to make certain of it. Cyrus called for the ensign to meet with him, to test his theory.

Ensign Tarran heard the call and took a deep breath. "Okay remember what he told me, remember what he told me, remember what Mast.." The ensign shook his head and started slapping himself in the cheek. "Remember what he told me." Turning he hurried out the door of his quarters and went at a brisk jog toward the medical facility. Stopping at the entrance to catch his breath he slowly walked in more calmly. His cheek was red from where he slapped himself but he did not realize. Approaching the Doctor he stood at attention, "Ensign Tarran reporting as ordered Sir."

The reddened cheek drew Cyrus's attention rather quickly.

"Ensign, what happened to your cheek? " the doctor moving to get a good look at the aforementioned redness.

Ensign Tarran put his hand to his cheek, covering the entire redness with his hand perfectly. "Nothing Sir. I must have.. slept wrong. May I ask what you need? I am ready for whatever tasks you need done. I don't care what needs to do but I will, I will be a.. good boy." His eyes started lowering but kept being pulled back up. He was fighting the training but it was hard.

There it was, a confirmation in Cyrus's mind, and the imprint of the ensign's hand upon his cheek, matched something he had seen Melly do to herself. He kept his features calm though, not letting the ensign know he was figuring out what was going on.

"Ensign Tarran, I asked you here, not to assign you any sort of duties. I actually wished to apologize to you. My previous behaviour just wasn't the rignt thing to do. I instead should have drawn you to one side and spoke to you in private." a kindly and apologetic smile.

The kind tone of the Doctor caused the Ensign to look up suddenly and slowly smile. "You need not Sir. It was my fault for not knowing my place. But thank you Sir thank you for your kind words. I will not cause anymore issues. I've been getting advice from a..." He paused as if trying to find a proper sounding lie, "Family friend. And I will be a good boy."

"Your heart was in the right place, albeit slightly misguided." he paused for a moment then asked, "Ensign Tarran which would you rather be, a good boy or, a good man?" Cyrus raising both of his eyebrows as per his question.

"A Man. Of course a man. But..", he turned away dropping his shoulders. "He told me I can only be a good boy until he decides I am a man. That too many people thinking there men are whats wrong. Only real men. I'm a boy." The Twenty two year old Ensign looked to the Doctor, "I want to be a man though. And if that means being a good boy. I will be the best boy." He seemed proud whenever the word good was said even if done by himself.

"Ensign Tarron, you are a man, just this person who you speak of; he wants to keep you in a boy status so that you can be persuaded in doing something he wants. This is a case of someone being manipulative and controlling." Cyrus spoke softly. "It is subtle, and the person seems so nice. Promising things under the guise of being helpful and being understanding. How do you feel when you talk to this person. Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"At first... no. He made me feel right that I was in the right and good. Then slowly he reminded me that I needed to be a good boy. He would reward me for agreeing and learning. Then he started having me do things I feel are not right but he said a good boy needs to prove themselves. He will be coming in a month from now and I will then be tested by him. If I am a good boy he will reward me. But.. what he has me do feels wrong, but I have to be a good boy. A word from him and my career will be fast tracked, but a word from him another way... and I will be in the same prison that Only girl was in.", The Ensign started pawing at the side of his head the more he spoke, pawing over and over more agressively.

This worried Cyrus greatly, "Ensign Tarron, look me in the eyes for a moment and stop pawing at your head. Just focus. I know who you are talking about, and he can be stopped, you are a good man and, I don't think you want him to hurt anyone anymore. I feel you are a man, you are not a boy. You proved you were a man when you went into academy and have gotten your Ensign pip."

Tarran reached up feeling the pip and closed his eyes. "I don't like what he did to test my devotion and loyalty. I don't like how he makes me feel during the lessons. I don't want to be his... boy." The Ensign turned to Doctor Cyrus as tears slowly streaked down his right cheek. "I'm not a toy. I don't want to.. just.. What can I do Sir. I want to be a good boy... man. A good man." The ensign was heavily conflicted and needing support.

"I suggest that you give me a report on what he has done and well I have someone who can help you as well. If you don't mind, I'll call the counselor and we can make a plan of action. Sound good?"

"He encouraged me, telling me I was right and good. Complimented me and my devotion to duty. He would say my good boy like my grandfather used to when I was little. But then it morphed into just good boy. He pulled a favour and got me my first drink, god it was rough but he said thats the first sign of a boy versus a man. He would have me repeat phrases, mostly to remind me my place in things. He would then have me debase myself to people he would order me to. As a way to show I was dedicated. I don't like it, but he said it was the only way. Finally he started teaching me that if I question or worry about his training I am to strike myself. He wants me to call him Master but I can't so I end up hitting myself when I slip and say it.", Tarran blurted out in one long breath.

Even though Cyrus really wanted to glower more at anger at the person who was doing this to Tarran, he kept a calm face. Tapping on his combadge. he sent out a call.

"Lieutenant R'elle, would you come to my office please. Its Cyrus and I could use your help very much so." Cyrus then closed his combadge. "Well he isn't your master you are the master of your own fate, your own destiny."

"Cyrus! Of course. I am on my way!" Several minutes later R'elle entered the seekbay. "Hi Cyrus. What's up?"

When R'elle arrived, Cyrus walked over to R'elle and said quietly "The Ensign has been under the not so tender ministrations of the Admiral, the one who had a hold over Melly. He has begun the grooming process."

Cyrus turned once more to Ensign Tarran. And spoke in a calming manner, "You have support here from us. I do not want to have the admiral do anything like this ever again. And please do not slap yourself if you slip and say Master. " Cyrus paused and looked at R'elle and gave a nod.

"Ok, thanks Cyrus." She pulled up a chair so she could talk to the ensign. "So Ensign Tarran, how did this begin?"

"The day of the confrontation I contacted the Admiral with my concerns. He began complimenting me and explaining how I was right, he told me that I was a good boy and that he wanted to help me. He got me my first drink threw a friend of his. Not synthol, real stuff. Don't care for alcohol I found. From then on he was talking to me daily, got me to start doing routines that would make me a good boy. But he wanted me to prove myself so he had me debase myself to show I am obedient. I like that less then alcohol. Kept going on and I hit myself earlier while repeating training mantras because I said Master. Not the first time. He actually encourages it, shows I'm devoted if I punish so he doesn't have to.", Tarran said.

"Yes indoctrination. A common technique. So how does all this make you feel?"

"Unpleasant, wrong, sick to my stomach. The actions he has me do to humble make me feel wrong and I am not happy with them. But if I refuse he can ruin my career, put me in Tantalus like that girl was in, but if I debase myself... be a good boy I will advance. But I don't want to. I'll go to prison at this rate.", Tarran said sighing.

"No one has the right to humiliate you like that or force you to humiliate your self! I honestly don't think he can send you to prison. I understand your fear."

"Would you be willing to record this and this way I can give this to someone who can stop this man? He needs to be stopped." Cyrus queried, "You won't be alone, as you will have support all along the way." Cyrus rubbing his chin."I will be amongst the ones helping and supporting you."

"If you record this, it will be used against him. Please, know you are a good person and you deserve better than that! You are a good man and a good officer. NO One, I repeat Noone has the right to treat you like he did. Ensign Tarran, What happened was not your fault. The Captain should be made aware of this! This is not your fault Ensign. This is him manipulating you! The truth is your better than he is!"

"I... yes okay. I will do it but in the end I don't think it will make much difference. He is strong and powerful, i'm just.. nothing. But I will make the statement and record. He will be coming in a week or so, he wants me to put that Melly Crewman in his reach. I don't want to.", the Ensign sighed as he began pawing at the side of his head again more and more agressively as he stood there.

"Ensign! That will be enough of that! You've done nothing wrong and he can't say you did! Pawing at your head like that will not help. You do not have to do what he says. He'll threaten you and manipulate you, but he can't do anything if you don't let him!" R'elle said. "I know you are better than that! You are a good man! You made it to here. That is a huge accomplishment in itself and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Cyrus walked up to Tarran, and put a kindly hand upon the ensign's shoulder. "Now repeat these words, and don't hurt youself say, I am a good man, and say it with confidence. Cause you are a good man, you are. That admiral is just a mean little boy, a bully. He is nothing but a small man. He has no substance, he doesn't have any depth. He think he does but, he doesn't. He is only a predator of the worse kind. Help to destroy him, be a hero give evidence as to what he has done. Let the Captain know, let us tell him. As you are a good man, and I have faith in you."

"I.. I am a good. Man.", the first time was not confidant. But he had stopped pawing his head. "I am a.. good boy.. No. I am a good man!.", he repeated then looked to the two superior officers. "I am a good man."

"Good! That's great! You can stand on your own two feet and you are your own man! You don't need his approval. Be confident in your self!" R'elle said.

"There, that is the spirit and you are a good man, time to stop that monster who preys upon the innocent, and causes Good men like you to question themselves. Ensign Tarran, you are doing well."

Tarran nodded, "Let's do this. Lead on Doctor, Counselor. I will do what must be done."

"Good man, Ensign Tarran, you are a good man. " Cyrus said, as the three of them headed for the Bossman himself.

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