In the Brig

Month 11 Day 3

0938 Hours

Jane Burke

 

When Jane and Tall Bear approached the brig, 2 guards stood outside the doorway. The woman wasn’t in uniform, but it was clear she belonged there just as much as the man. It was the woman-- Zhang, if Jane remembered correctly--who stopped them before they entered. “Sir,” she addressed Tall Bear, “I’m not sure you should enter. The sight of a male seems to agitate the prisoner. When Ensign Ellis here accompanied Nurse Temple in, MacDowell jumped to her feet and got in a fighting position.”

 

“Sounds like she’s still spooked,” Jane stated.

 

“Can’t blame her,” Tall Bear returned. “Winthrop was seemingly unstoppable. We had 4 men trying to hold him back, and he was still trying to tear her clothes off.”

 

“That sounds like an assumption, Lieutenant.”

 

“Captain, I observed that every time he got a hand on her, her uniform tore. Every time he missed getting a hold on her, he threw something out of his way; computer, desk, chair, whatever came to hand. Her quarters—at least the living room portion of it—is a complete shambles.”

 

“Have you put it off limits until you can check for evidence?” Jane asked.

 

“Of course,” he responded. “I’m going there as soon as I’m done here.”

 

“But being here won’t do you any good if she’s too upset to talk. Ensign Ellis, which holding cell is MacDowell in?”

 

“Number one.”

 

“If you stay just inside the doorway, you should be able to hear what she says without her seeing you. That is, if you trust me with the initial interview.”

 

“I don’t think we can do much of an interview until we get her calmed down,” Tall Bear returned. “Maybe I should call in Dr Fong.”

 

“Unfortunately, Dr Fong is a man,” Jane reminded him. “Let me go in. MacDowell is on friendly terms with Nurse Temple. Perhaps the nurse has started the calming process.” Tall Bear nodded his agreement, and they stepped through the doorway. Bear stopped there; Jane walked over to join Hernandez and Temple. MacDowell, she noticed, was on the bed in holding cell 1, her legs bent and her head on her knees, a blanket draped around everything below her head.

 

“How is she?” Jane asked Temple.

 

“Lots of bruises and scrapes. There may be a cracked rib. I don’t think there’s any internal bleeding, but I can’t get her to lay down for a proper reading.”

 

“Can you give me any clues about her mental state?”

 

“Well, there’s lots of adrenaline in her system, which is rather unusual, as it doesn’t tend to stick around very long. However, any time she sees a man, she’s immediately ready to fight. If there’s no man present, she’s almost... catatonic. As you can see, she’s nearly in a fetal position. If there is a cracked rib, that may be as close as she can get. She’s slow to respond to a female voice, but she does, eventually. Underneath that blanket, she’s quivering. I’d say she’s in an extended period of the ‘fight or flight syndrome’, and right now, she can’t do either one. Give her a chance, a reason, and she might calm down.”

 

“Does she need Dr Fong?”

 

“I think that would be a mistake at this time. His gender would most likely prolong the adrenaline rush she’s in. A sympathetic listener who could gently guide her towards logic while accepting her emotional state would probably be more helpful at this point. Later, maybe...”

 

“You sound like a voice of experience.”

 

“I did a stint as an ER nurse, and that did include dealing with rape victims.”

 

“Has she been--“

 

“No. But in her head, that’s what she was fighting to prevent.”

 

And if Duck’s right, she probably was. “Thank you, nurse.” She turned to the young guard manning the controls. “What’s she listening to?”

 

“Rain,” Hernandez answered. “I assume they have rain on Gaelund.”

 

“Have that fade away and try bird songs. Birds often lift a mood. And open the mike so she can hear me.”

 

Jane walked over and stood just outside the force field that kept the lieutenant contained. “Lt MacDowell.” The rain sounds coming from inside the cell were fading, as if the rain was ending.

 

At first, there was no response from the redhead to the captain’s voice, but after a long moment, MacDowell’s head turned, and then rose from her knees. “Oh. Captain.” She lowered a leg to the floor, preparatory to standing.

 

“No, don’t get up,” Jane told her. “Nurse Temple says you might have internal injuries, and if so, we don’t want to aggravate anything.”

 

“Temple?” the redhead asked, and flicked a glance behind the captain. “Oh. Beth.”

 

“I understand you’ve been through a lot of turmoil this morning. Beth would really like to conduct a more thorough exam.”

 

“Just Beth?”

 

“I think she’s capable. Don’t you?”

 

“Yes, but... usually it’s a doctor, isn’t it?”

 

“MacGregor is busy right now. I thought Beth could do a basic exam. If she finds anything she can’t handle, we can wake up Dr Davis.”

 

“Peg,” MacDowell said, as if translating the last name into the name she used for the person mentioned. “Yes, that’s okay.”

 

“So you don’t mind if Beth comes in and does a more thorough exam?”

 

“Are there any men around?”

 

“They’ve all been sent away,” Jane lied.

 

The redhead took a deep shuddering breath. “Okay. Send her in.”

 

“Hernandez, let Nurse Temple into the cell,” Jane instructed.

 

The force field visibly crackled and then was gone. Temple stepped inside and started her exam as the force field crackled back into place. With some assistance, MacDowell managed to lay down, although she grimaced a time or two as she did it. Even though there were only women present, Temple was careful to keep the blanket draped over MacDowell.

 

After several slow and steady waves of the medical recorder over MacDowell’s body, Temple breathed a sigh of relief. “No cracked bones, no major internal bleeding. Just a lot of bruises and scrapes.”

 

“Document all of them,” Jane instructed. “The shape, pattern, intensity, all could help us reconstruct what happened.”

 

“I can tell you what happened,” MacDowell stated. “I went home to go to bed. Winthrop was waiting for me. I don’t know how he got in. He wanted sex. I told him no. We fought. Then security came in, tried to make me stop. I thought they were helping him. Somebody said he was down, and they stopped fighting, so I did, too.”

 

“That’s a very... dry recitation,” Jane commented.

 

“It’s what I remember. Not individual blows; I was too busy. All my effort was aimed at Winthrop, I just tried to push the others out of my way.” She paused as a tear flowed down her face. “I’m sorry, captain, if I say any more, I’m liable to get hysterical. Beth, my heart’s racing, is that normal?”

 

“Considering what you’ve been through, yes,” Temple answered. “Just lay there and take deep breaths. You’ve still got a lot of adrenalin in your system. It’s time to let go of that. Deep breaths. Calming thoughts.”

 

“Any chance I could get something to wear?”

 

“I’ll see that something gets brought shortly,” Jane promised. “Would you like a D uniform?” D uniforms were worn by technicians, but lieutenants were allowed to wear them when circumstances called for it. Jane thought long pants and a turtle-neck tunic might be more comforting than shorts and cleavage.

 

MacDowell hesitated. “I don’t have any D uniforms.”

 

“I’ll send for something. You will need to make a statement, a formal declaration of what happened. And it may become necessary to consult with the ship’s attorney.”

 

“I understand that,” MacDowell said with a short nod. “Meaning I’ll have to deal with men.”

 

“The crew is roughly 2/3 male,” Jane reminded her.

 

MacDowell cleared her throat. “And most of them are okay,” she stated, repeated it, as if trying to convince herself.

 

Jane turned her attention to Temple, who had taken a seat on the bed near MacDowell’s head. “Nurse, are you ready to come out?”

 

“I’d prefer to stay here for now, captain,” was the answer. “I know some calming exercises I can guide Mac through. And she’ll probably need help getting dressed; her body is already beginning to stiffen.”

 

“Very well.” Jane turned to leave the brig.

 

“Captain,” MacDowell called, and Jane turned back. “I want to file charges against Lt Cmdr Winthrop for attempted rape.” Her voice was like stone. If she had been determined to protect herself against Winthrop’s advances, she was equally determined now.

 

“Noted,” Jane said. “All the more reason to gather all the evidence and make a thorough statement.”

 

MacDowell’s hand reached up and took hold of Temple’s hand. “I’m right here,” Temple said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

 

Jane walked out, taking Tall Bear with her.