Danayal ran to Dom's practice. He was late and arrived panting. "I'm sorry, Dom, I ran as fast as I could!" He exclaimed.
"And just where were you?" Dr. Dominic Sebastian asked with a smile. "Lost in that book again today?" He motioned to the book Danayal held in his hand.
"No, I was invited to a picnic, by a new friend of mine. Her name is Karissa Bentara."
"Really?" he replied. Of course, Tyran had mentioned Karissa to him and that she was a counselor and he also knew not to mention that little fact to Danayal. At least not right away. "Is she nice?" he asked.
"Yeah, I played tag with her children, and River. That's her babysitter." He sat down for the first test - the blood test.
"My goodness . . . a woman with children? And this River . . . Is she young? Around your age?" he asked. He was pretty sure he'd actually treated her before.
"I think a bit older then me, around 22. I'm only 18."
"Close enough," Dom replied. "She's quite pretty, isn't she? Dark hair, dark eyes . . ."
"You know her?" Danayal asked with surprise. "Why am I even surprised? She lives in your district; I mean she lives in the area where you work as a doctor."
He smiled. "That's exactly it," he replied. "I've treated her for a mild illness and headaches from time to time . . ." He finished drawing the blood and didn't seem too happy with the results as he scanned it. He then handed Danayal a cup. "You know what to do now . . ."
He sighed when he saw Dom's look. He took the cup and went to the bathroom. When he came back he handed the cup to the man. "Here."
Dominic took it and placed a sample in his scanner. He sighed. There was no denying it. Danayal had used drugs . . . Nothing as bad as Dust, but it was still bad. "I see you smoked some pot recently." There was a bit of disappointment in his voice, as he went to the comm. "Security. I need someone over to my location . . ." He closed the connection as he received an affirmative.
"Wow, Dom! I didn't do it on purpose! It was just... in the heat of the moment!" Danayal stiffened. But then he slowly got on his feet, and had the desire to take a hike.
"You stay right there, Danayal. Running will just make it worse. You know that . . ." Dominic replied. "Besides, you know you have consequences for this . ."
He paled and looked at Dom. "But why did you call security? You could have called Tyran!" His eyes were widening in fear. He was scared that he'd never see Tyran again!
"Oh, believe me, I am contacting Tyran right now," the doctor replied, since he hadn't stepped away from the comm. "But this wasn't my choice, Danayal. These are the instructions I have on your file from the courts."
Without hesitation he contacted Tyran.
[Starlight inn, how can I be of service - oh hello, Dom? Were my suspicions correct?] Tyran had voiced his concern that he thought Danayal had used drugs the weekend before to Dom yesterday afternoon.
"Apparently so. I've already contacted Security. They should be here any time now. But I did want you to know . . . I found marijuana in his blood and urine."
[Danayal. Danayal...] He said. His voice filled with disappointment. [Alright. I bet security will handle him. Thanks for warning me, Dom.] Tyran sighed, and closed the signal. Maybe he had granted the boy too much freedom.
Suddenly, there was a chirp from the door sensor. Dominic went to the door and opened it. There stood a Starfleet Security officer, with dark eyes, dark hair and looked exactly like her sister Karissa.
"I'm here," she replied, and walked in going to Danayal. "Well, officially, I have to arrest you . . . on paper, that is. I don't need to take you to prison or rehab," she began. "I thought you might appreciate knowing that right off the bat."
Danayal released the breath he was holding. Prison was what he feared the most, so he thought he was coming out of this rather smoothly. Maybe it would only end with a fine, he thought, looking relieved.
"I wouldn't get too cocky, pal," Share replied. "You'll have to face the judge. A court date will be set for you in the next week."
"Does... does that mean they'll still send me to a rehab center? For crying out loud it was only one joint!"
"Not my call," Shara replied as she looked through the orders again. "Wait, these have been changed. In fact, they were changed at the beginning of the year. The judge's last notation says . . . Well, looks like you're going to come with me after all. I was just handed your file and told to go. I hadn't read the whole thing through . . . You don't get out of this so easily after all." She turned to Dom. "You'd better let Tyran know I have to take him in . . . I don't have a choice in the matter . . ."
"Well, maybe it will push some sense into the boy," Dominic replied, gently but firmly.
Shara nodded. "Sorry . . ." she said to Danayal. "So will you come quietly or do I actually have to bind your wrists?" she asked.
He tossed her an angry look - a look Dominic knew well/. Danayal would fight to stay free, even if it was the last he should do. He had done the pot voluntarily, not believing after only one time, he'd be treated like a criminal. There was no way he was going in the easy way. No way!
He suddenly pushed her very hard against Dom and started running for the door..
But he wasn't fast enough for Shara. Before he could reach the door, she jumped from where she was onto him in a single move, as if it had taken her no effort at all. She then pushed him to the ground and bound his wrists behind him like a common criminal. She hated doing it, but she knew she'd had no choice. She had orders and on top of that, he had to learn to follow the rules.
Once secured, she hauled him to his feet. She could feel his utter surprise by her speed and strength. He had no way of knowing that had he been a dangerous criminal, she could have easily snapped his neck in two without effort.
He still struggled and resisted. "Release my hands! NOW! Or I won't walk!" He threatened.
"If you don't walk, I'll throw you over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes and don't think I can't . . . Trust me, there hasn't been a person yet in my life that was either too strong for me to take down or too heavy for me to carry. Well, except my sister once . . ."
He stared angrily at her. "I hate you. You know that!" He growled.
"Awww, you say that now . . . Wait until you see your accommodations. . ." she smiled. "So what's it going to be? Are you walking or am I carrying?" There wasn't a trace of anger in her voice, her eyes, or her demeanor.
"Neither! I'm staying right here, until Tyran comes to get me!"
She sighed. "Okay, have it your way."
With that, before he could react, she scooped him up over her shoulders and started walking out the door. She could feel him struggling, but it was to no avail. Her grip was like a steel vice, holding him in place and she wasn't even pushing herself to carry his weight. It was as if he were, indeed a sack of potatoes or even just a sack of feathers for all the effort she seemed to have to make.
"You know, fighting this process is only going to make things worse for you. I have to file a report . . . and unfortunately I'll have to include your unwillingness to cooperate. It won't look really good to the judge who's going to decide what to do with you."
"I'll walk," he said quickly. "Put me down, please?" He was insulted, angry, and not too willing to undergo whatever punishment they'd planned.
She sensed the truth in him. "Keep in mind, you can't deceive me . ." she put him down on his feet. "You try to run again and you'll be meeting the pavement and you'll find yourself back on my shoulder. I won't have a choice."
He nodded. He knew now it was no use resisting. He wished she would loosen the bands around his wrists. There was no escape for him, and he knew it.
She sighed. "I can't loosen the binds," she replied, knowing what he thought. "This is my job and regardless of how much I like you, Danayal, I have to do my job . . ."
With that she continued to head back to the Security office.
When they got there, she immediately took him to the brig and placed him in a cell, finally taking the bindings off. "Have a seat and make yourself as comfortable as possible. You want some water?"
He shook his head. He was scared, and not just a little. He had smoked pot and he had used drugs on occasion in the past. But then, Dom only called Tyran, not security. He had no idea that the court order on him had been changed. And now, he didn't understand why he was arrested, and sitting in a cell. He hoped Tyran would come to get him soon...
Shara gave him a concerned look, but knew she couldn't get involved at this stage. It was out of her hands . . . and the judge on his case would notify them of his decision.
"Well, let me know if there's anything you need," she said.
Just then, she saw Tyran walk in. She went to him.
"Hi," she said softly.
"Why is he brought here?" He ignored Danayal completely. There was anger in his eyes, but she could also see concern in them.
"Dr. Dominic Sebastian was supposed to notify you," she said with surprise. "Danayal tested positive for drugs . . . marijuana to be exact. I had to bring him in. It was in his file . . ."
"Because he turned 18?" Tyran asked suddenly understanding why this had happened.
"Yes, apparently this has been in effect since January - his birthday," she replied. "Well, on the bright side, he managed to keep his nose clean up until now . . ." She said trying to lighten the mood. But she knew the concerns and knew that Danayal had to suffer consequences to learn that drugs were not the way through life - even when things were tough.
"Alright, there's nothing I can do right now then... I'd better go to the waiting area. and hope I get to take him home..."
"I'm sure the judge will contact us soon . . . From what I understand his court schedule was light today," Shara said, having checked it herself. It was more than she would have done under other circumstances, but Tyran and Danayal were friends of hers.
"Good. I hope he doesn't take this lightly." Tyran walked to the waiting area and pulled out a PADD from a bag he had with him. It was a PADD Alec had given him to study.
It was another two hours before the judge contacted them. Once he gave the Security Office his orders, he called for Tyran. Shara immediately got him and pulled him to a comm that had the judge's face on the display.
"Good-day, Tyran. Sorry we have to speak under these circumstances. I would have preferred it to be on happier issues."
"Yes, I would have liked to discuss his parole, but now..."
The judge sighed and nodded. "I'm not going to have him taken to prison or placed in rehab just yet," the judge began. "Personally, I think this was an error in his judgment . . . If we can change the perception of the drugs to him, then I don't foresee more problems. But for the time being, would you have trouble taking him back in? I am ordering temporary house arrest for him . . He can leave the house, but only under supervision, whether that's yours or someone you trust. But I'm also increasing his testing from once a week, to three times a week. Once he's proved himself, I'll take him off house arrest."
"That's no problem. I expected as much, so I've prepared his former room. He has to earn his freedom back, and I still think this is a light punishment."
The judge was silent for a moment. "Have you found a councilor for him?" he asked.
"Yes, he's unaware of what she is though. Her name is Karissa Bentara."
"Ah! Yes, I know of her," he smiled. "She's a good choice from what I understand. Well, make sure he sees her at least once a week . . . And that is ordered. I'm sure she's creative enough to find a way to visit him without him finding out."
Shara smiled. If anyone could do that, it was her sister.
"I know," Tyran replied, though his mood was none improved. "Thank you for being so kind to Danayal."
"He's a good kid," the judge said. "He's just lost and still trying to find his way out of the woods . . . Well, I'll see you in one month. I have a date set for then. If he keeps himself out of trouble, I might change the order. But I'll also be contacting Ms. Bentara for a report on his progress as well."
"Yes that should work, thank you." Tyran said with a friendly smile. He was relieved. If the man had wanted to, he could have taken Danayal back to prison.
"Good-Bye," the judge finished and closed the channel.
"I'll go process the paperwork," Shara said. "Why don't you tell Danayal the decision? I'm sure he'd like to hear it from you . . . I think he's a little angry with me right now anyway," she said with a lopsided grin.
"I'm angry with him as well. He should know better." Tyran grumbled. He walked to the cell and looked sternly at Danayal. "Now you've done it, and I am through warning you. You are now under house arrest, and I don't care if the judge said you could go out under supervision, I'm ground you for a week!" Tyran said.
"But, Tyran!" Danayal was shocked.
"You have to earn our trust back, Danayal... You also get to take three drugs tests every week now, until the judge finds that you're behaving well enough to reduce that number. And I would say you have a lot to prove." Tyran then turned on his heels and left the startled Danayal alone.
Shara finished the paperwork a short time later and went to the cell Danayal was in. As she let down the force field, she looked at him.
"You can go," she said gently. "Tyran's waiting for you."
"To lock me up in his apartment, I know. I didn't do it on purpose, honest!"
Shara sighed and took his hand for a moment, so like her sister. "Danayal, I can't presume to know what it's like . . . what you go through . . . But everything in life comes down to rules . . . some can be bent from time to time, but not rules like these . . . Not rules put in place to help you succeed with your life . . . Anyway, it's something for you to think about . . . and you know, if you ever do want to talk, I'm always available . . ." Though I'm not as good as my sister, she thought.
"And you think you're still one of my friends?" He said angrily as he walked passed her.
She merely shook her head and sighed, knowing it was only the momentary anger he felt talking. She wasn't about to take it personally. Shara then walked him out to the waiting area and over to Tyran.
"Here he is. All ready to go."
"Come with me..." Tyran ordered briskly.
They walked out, Danayal still angry and Tyran still disappointed.
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