Getting Closer to the Truth

Posted on 29 Nov 2025 @ 2:44am by Ensign Ryan Collingway

1,442 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Displaced
Location: Medical
Timeline: Morning

// Vid-Comm Call Between Benzite Counselor & Dr Amberlyn //


Counselor Barda responded to her com request promptly. The Benzite had his trademark respirator device above his mouth, and he had a kind expression on his face. "Good morning, Doctor Amberlyn. I trust you are calling me regarding my inquiry?”

“Good morning, Counselor. I am wanting to discuss that inquiry. My colleague, Dr Emerson, who works with Ensign Collingway, and I have discussed the issue, and we have broached the subject with Ensign Collingway, Ryan. And Ryan’s comment was that was over and done and he wanted to move on with his life. Bringing it back up is clearly unwanted and after checking with Starfleet JAG and Starfleet Medical, it is also a closed case. However, I am curious, as someone who is responsible for Ryan’s ongoing physical and mental health, what has initiated bringing this back up at this point.”

"Yes, that is a perfectly understandable reaction, and I am not surprised by his response," Counselor Barda said. "To answer your question, last month Starfleet was able to launch an expedition to investigate the wreckage of the USS Thysia, along with a small party of Benzite representatives. There wasn't much left, sadly. But we were able to find a few things of note that question Ensign Collingway's account. Now," he raised his hand. "As you said, the case is closed. This is not a witch hunt. However, I am concerned that trauma itself has caused Ensign Collingway to … misremember events, as it were.”

“Trauma is known to blur or even erase from conscious memory things that the human mind cannot face. That could be a possibility, I admit,” agreed Amberlyn.

"I can go on about those details further, if you'd like,” Barda offered.

“Of course. I’m very interested,” replied Amberlyn.

"Besides the conflicting testimony between officers, which is understandable given a life-or-death chaotic situation, we were able to retrieve Ensign Collingway's phaser and were given permission to test the battery. According to his testimony, he first fired six shots at maximum strength. Five for the Borg and one of the late Lieutenant Mendon, shot by accident behind the Borg. However, the number of shots fired were actually four: two at maximum strength, one in a stun setting, then maximum strength. In that order," Counselor Barda said.

“Interesting. Go on."

"The medical team also recorded two injuries to Ensign Collingway: a laceration on the back of his head and bruising on the neck. Someone may have pushed him and grabbed him by the throat. Unfortunately, we could not get conclusive DNA on who it was at the critical time, but based on the picture ...” Barda cued the image to the corner of the screen and then leaned back, showing his own hands, "Benzite thumbs are a bit more distinct than human hands, see? And that bruising looks very consistent to a Benzite hand.”

Riah took a deep breath, studying the image. There was no doubt in her mind that it was made by a Benzite hand. “I see why you have brought this to our attention. It doesn’t take a great leap of the imagination to suspect that Lieutenant Mendon tried to strangle Ryan. Remind me, were there any other Benzite officers or crew on the Thysia?”

"No," Barda said with a slight smile. "As you've no doubt heard, they are quite rare."

“I’m certainly not a forensic physician, but I assume such a trained physician has examined this,” queried Riah.

"Not nearly enough at the time," he admitted. "The rescue crew's main focus was finding survivors and attempting to reverse assimilation of anyone infected. However, our current physicians estimate a 78% probability."

He paused. "I understand that Ensign Collingway and Lieutenant Mendon were good friends. It may be possible that he simply blocked out the memory. Trauma can be a destructive force with the human brain. But I am sure your counselor can reach her conclusions as well.”

“If these images were available at the time of the hearings, why were they not considered at that time?” asked Riah.

"As a reminder, all of this evidence is circumstantial at best, and it still is," Barda reminded her. "We did not have access to the phaser until very recently. Ensign Collingway had assumed guilt due to his error and taken responsibility. All we had at the time were a few bruises that could have easily been done by the borg during the attack. And Ensign Collingway himself said he did not remember how it happened. Given the chaos of the situation and that he was in a catatonic state for a few days, Starfleet accepted that information."

“Ok. Thank you for sharing this information. This is going to be a challenging situation. We need to try to help Ensign Collingway, not destroy him. Does the Benzite community have any inclination of bringing this up to a higher council or litigation? In other words, what are the consequences, if any, to Ryan either remembering or not remembering details of this?"

"That would depend on the nature of what happened," Barda said. "Did the two of them have a fight and straight up try to murder each other? No, the facts don't point that way either. But we do need some idea of what happened."

He sighed. "The politics here are a factor as well. Benzites want to leave no stone unturned, but they also don't want to 'tip the apple cart' with Starfleet for no good reason. For now, they seem content to leave things as they are, with Ensign Collingway accepting responsibility. But they could be playing a long game. They could be waiting for more evidence to pop up, even if it takes years. In the end though, I'm a Counselor, not a politician. My advice is for him to volunteer any information he has, if you feel it is appropriate. If it is determined that Lieutenant Mendon attacked him needlessly, then of course he would be free of any blame. It might even help him, in the end. But I will leave that in your capable hands to decide.”

Riah took a sip of her cold coffee. It was bitter, like this whole development. And yet, would it somehow clear Ryan’s name and his conscience if he had been attacked by the Lieutenant Mendon?? Why would Mendon have attacked, unless he too was in a state of extreme traumatic stress. Either way, it was not something Riah was eager to bring up to Ryan until she had a little more information.

“Counselor,” Riah said, "I will do my best to sort through all this information and discuss it at length with Dr Emerson. We may, and in fact I hope we do, have more questions to be answered before we bring any of it up with Ryan. I would like to know more about the Benzite intentions. What do they speculate might have happened - likely more than one scenario - and what might their actions be in the various possibilities. We will be pretty much blindsiding our valued officer when we do bring this to his attention. I don’t want that to be compounded by unforeseen legal action on the part of the Benzites.

"I think you realize how upsetting this is going to be to Ryan,” she continued. "He has a very promising career and future with Starfleet. He has recovered well from a horrible trauma, and I don’t want to drive him back down that path of mental stress without knowing the consequences. Will you please find out if there is any further information that has been uncovered, the possible consequences as we’ve thought about here? I will discuss it with Dr Emerson, and we could reconnect in say a week?”

"Of course, Doctor," he said smoothly. "I also want it to be clear that I am a counselor above all else, and I have more experience with humans than most of my kind. I am here to help both you and Ensign Collingway, however I can.”

“And I am so very grateful for that fact. Let’s see if we can’t find a way together to perhaps avoid causing Ensign Collingway from further extreme trauma, but clear up the questions for the Benzite people, and Lt Mendon’s family as well. Thank you again for sharing the details with me. I appreciate your trust,” concluded Amberlyn. “I will contact you again in a week’s time.”

“That will be expected. Thank you, Dr Amberlyn.”

~~~

LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD

Chief Medical Officer

USS Arawyn

&

Counselor Barda

Benzite Counselor






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