Chapter Text
Johannah was in sickbay, yet again. She had significantly calmed down from the initial outburst, but was still not OK in the slightest.
“You seem calm, Johannah… Would you mind explaining what happened?” The EMH calmly asks, not intending to make her go through such a flashback again.
“I-I don’t know, I just remember being back… there.” Johannah states, on the verge of tears.
“Back where?” Devoid asks.
Johannah takes a breath before explaining it “Momma had me while she was on the run from… it. It caught us when I was a baby, and took us to… to… a slaughter house. We were well fed, but oppressed. It had a special room it went into that I didn’t know what it did. It took my friends in, but they never came back. Eventually, it went cell by cell, one per day to take everyone in there to the room. Momma made a hole for me to escape, but she couldn’t come with. I crawled through the tunnel into the vents, where I got to see the room. And Momma… Momma… M-M-Mmmmmm…” She begins to weep, crying a deep state of despair that has lied within her for many years on end.
“I see. I don’t know what I can do, I’m a doctor not a therapist.” The EMH states solemnly.
“This might be the ‘it’ she was talking about, Doc.” Devoid states, showing the picture to the holographic Doctor, who had a major look of concern on his face. This concern quickly turned to hatred, with him slamming the drawing onto a console, making both Johannah & Devoid jump. “Whatever that thing is… I don’t want to see it EVER again.” The EMH coldly states, before turning to Johannah. “I assume this… thing explains your ear.” He says, back to his regular demeanour as he points at the missing chunk of Johannah’s ear.
She feels it, shivering again “I-I… yes.” She curls up in a ball again, tears still streaking down her face as she tries to keep herself from going back into an outburst.
Devoid felt sorry for her, walking to Johannah and giving her a hug to try and comfort the Mobian Ewe. “Look, it’s OK, Johannah, whatever it is, it can’t hurt you anymore. I promise.” Devoid says, holding the ewe close.
She slowly hugs back, crying into his shoulder. She looks at Devoid, a small smile on her face. “I-I wanna go to my room now.” She requests, expecting an immediate no.
“I don’t think you have a room just yet. But, we’ll find one of the empty ones and you can stay there, ok?” The EMH states, seeing the state Johannah is in.
Johannah nods, laying back down on the bed. And just waiting for the feelings to subside.
“Or you can lay there. That’s perfectly acceptable too.” The EMH states as Devoid looks at the drawing… Seeing a very familiar symbol on the chest of what Johannah drew.
“I need to go do some research, make sure Johannah remains OK while I’m gone. Play a game or two to keep the mind busy.” Devoid states, leaving sickbay.
Devoid walks through the corridors of the ship, looking for the computer core when he encounters Gary.
Gary was working on some of the wiring in a replicator. He is soldering two wires together and checking a control panel and nodding. “There we go,” he says softly as Devoid approaches.
“Hey, Gary. Do you happen to know where the computer core is? I need to look up something.” Devoid asks, looking at the engineer.
He looks at Devoid with a smile and says. “Any reason why? Regardless, it’s two lefts to the turbolift, down 2 decks, an immediate right and the signs should take you the rest of the way through.”
“Alright… Mind coming with me though? Might need some company.” Devoid states, his hands in his pockets.
Gary shrugs “I don’t see why not, I’m still somewhat sober.” He states, before he and Devoid make their way to the turbolift.
They go down to the terminal on deck 4 to access the computer core, and Devoid steps up to enter any inputs into the machine. A QWERTY keyboard pops up, allowing Devoid to type in ‘Ivo Robotnik’. “He’s got to have something to do with this… I just know it.” Devoid states as he hits enter.
‘Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik (1957-2104) was a robot obsessed dictator who was slain by Sonic Maurice Hedgehog (1976-2104) during an act of transitional martyrdom. Although the Doctor is deceased, an artificial intelligence network seems to have activated in his stead, throwing all laws of ethics and The Prime Directive into the pits of hell in its pursuit to carry on the legacy of its creator. From illegal meat processing to mass solariside, as of 2366, only 8 of the robots (all of the K.A.R.C.A.A.L. type) running on the network still exist. (Excluding the AI server core)’
Devoid and Gary read the text, with the latter being rather confused.
“Who the hell is this Robotnik guy?” Gary asks.
“Ancient history, but somehow still affecting us today.” Devoid states.
Gary scratches the back of his head in concern “Guess we keep this in our back pockets then?” He asks, curious about what to do as of now.
“I don’t know… Johannah suffered because of them and now that I know that he’s responsible but long dead, I’m not sure what to do. I should likely inform Breezie.” Devoid says, walking out of the Computer Core Terminal and heading to a turbolift, going straight to Breezie’s ready room.
Breezie sat at her desk, looking at a PADD displaying what the crew did at the Fleet Museum during the 2 month period the Unreliable was receiving upgrades when Devoid spoke through the door.
“Breezie… There’s something I have to speak with you about.” He says, rather solemnly.
Breezie looked up, confused. “Come in, Devoid.” She says, the hedgehog stepping in soon after.
“We discovered a bit more about Johannah’s past. She was raised in a slaughterhouse, but escaped before harm could come to her, the Slaughterhouse was being run by a robot originally made by the late Dr. Eggman. Something called a ‘K.A.R.C.A.A.L.’. Presumably, it was the one butchering its captives after fattening them up.” Devoid explains, trying to convey a kind of careful severity to his captain.
Breezie seemed disgusted at the concept of a slaughterhouse, especially for sentient creatures. “Is she OK?” Breezie asks, turning to the hedgehog after standing up.
“She’s recovering in sickbay from a major set of flashbacks… The Doctor is helping her recover.” Devoid states.
Breezie still seemed somewhat unpleased at such a thing. “I can’t have a crew member of mine suffer like this.” Breezie laments, clenching her fist.
“What do you plan to do then?” Devoid asks.
“I intend to help. It’s what a good captain does.” Breezie says confidently.