Brain Inspection

Posted on 10 Aug 2014 @ 1:43pm by Lieutenant Aria Rice & Lieutenant JG Dorian West

1,730 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 3 - Counselling Office
Timeline: MD 07: 0830

ON:

Aria Rice was almost relieved to see the counsellor. Because if anything, it meant it was one of the last hoops she had to jump through. Fair enough, she had spent a lot of time trying to sort out tribbles from her bags (how they got in there was beyond her) and then seeing people. Luckily, counselling was one of those steps you had to do and that made you feel better about life.

Because when it was done, it was so totally done!

She smoothed down her uniform and rang the chime, her eyes shining. She wore her hair in bunches now, the red still there. Someone had to rock the look and she was more than happy to do it. Especially nowadays.

"Come in!" Dorian called out, a slight frown of concentration on his face where he was eased back in a chair, a book balanced in his hand as he tried to distract himself from the horrible cooing sound of a tribble that he just couldn't find.

Aria stepped in, looking at him with surprise. The Counsellors had gotten hotter since she last went here. "I...hi, I'm Aria!" she moved to the desk, tilting her head. "Ensign Rice..."

He closed the book with a small smile, leaning forward to shake her hand. "Nice to meet you Ms Rice. Why don't we take to the sofa instead. I'm going to get a coffee, want anything?"

She took his hand to shake, taking in his features. Wow. He was...wow. "Hot chocolate please. With marshmallows, whipped cream and chocolate shavings..." And all over his chest too, please, thank you very much.

"Of course," Dorian chuckled, quirking an eyebrow at the extravagant drink, but fetched it just the same. "I'm Counsellor Dorian West," he offered as he moved back to the sofa with her, sitting down as he set the drinks carefully on the table. "Call me whatever you want, I really don't mind."

"Of course, Counsellor Sexy," she said before her eyes widened and she put both hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry..." she murmured before lowering her hands, her face red. "Sorry. That just...yeah. Sorry! Counsellor...Lieutenant...Err...West. Sorry, West. It's been a long couple of days."

Dorian watched her with amusement, but couldn't quite mask his surprise. "That's....er....fine...." he cleared his throat, reaching for his coffee. "So how have you been recently."

"I've been...busy," she said and grimaced, shaking her head. Okay. Awkward. It was okay, she just had to get through this and she wouldn't see him again for awhile. Until the embarrassment had worn off. "You know, accidents, demotions, transfer. Busy bee me!"

"You've packed a lot in," he arched an eyebrow with mild surprise as he reached for a PADD. He called her file up, seeing the incident she was talking about before bringing up the report of it to look at. "Tell me what happened?"

Aria sat back, pulling a leg close, careful that her heels wouldn't damage the chair. Even if the shoes were standard Starfleet ones, not her own personal uber-cool ones. "We were on an ice planet. So we needed to get to this village. Now, my Chief....may he rest in peace, he thought that it was better to get there quick. I mean, because of the troubles with the snow storms, transporting was hit and miss and we had been put as close as we could figure out. So he started heading off. I did tell him that there had been bad activity there. You know, avalanches and stuff. But he shrugged it off. And truth is, he was stubborn and I knew better. So off we went. And then there was an avalanche. And people died. He died. Three others died. I broke my arm and got a dislocated shoulder, but managed to get out. I wasn't in deep. The villagers came and helped us. So...that was sort of it. A bad call."

Dorian frowned at what he heard...and what he was reading in the report. It was pretty clear she'd been used as a scapegoat to avoid having to blame the dead Chief. "Wow....now that's a load of bollocks..."

Aria chuckled at that before shaking her head. "Want to know something? I never slept as well as I did after that demotion. Screw it, I don't care. I finally get to just...be an Ensign and do my job. And then go home and be able to sleep."

Dorian looked up to from the PADD with surprise, taking in her facial expression and body language to try and work out if she was trying to play him. "You were relieved?"

"Err...yeah!" she nodded, leaning forward. "I've never been comfortable with...being in charge like that. I am way too young for it and not afraid to admit it."

Dorian looked into her eyes for a long moment before laughing softly. "And here I was worrying I was going to have to help you with your confidence and the trauma of it all...." he said softly. She wasn't lying. That was plain as day on her face.

"Hell no!" Aria said and laughed, her eyes shining. "My confidence is just fine. I objected. Maybe not loudly enough but what was I meant to do, stun him? No. I am fine."

"I think, where I come from, we'd have called this 'being stitched up like a kipper'," he motioned to the report before clicking it away with a sigh, shaking his head. "Although it sounds like you weren't particularly fond of the position anyway."

"Hey, if it means I get to run around and just shoot and jump? They can stitch me up any time," Aria said lightly with a small smile. "I am not that proud. I genuinely...am relieved to be an Ensign. The whole 'with great power comes great responsibility' thing never worked well for me anyway."

"You prefer the lesser responsibility thing?" he asked with a small smile of open amusement as he watched her.

"Err...yeah!" Aria nodded, arching an eyebrow before smiling. "I mean, sure, people rely on you when you're an Ensign, but they don't expect miracles of you. I am quite happy doing the job and not having a nervous breakdown thank you very much."

"Hm...." Dorian rubbed the back of his neck as he watched her. "Maybe I'll have to declare you the sanest officer I've met...."

"Don't do that!" Aria said and reached out, to grip his arm. "They might promote me if you do..."

"True, true..." he chuckled softly, meeting her eyes. She seemed bouncy and in good spirits. A little ball of energy and very....young. He could see she'd be good fun to spend some time with...but maybe spending too much time with her would wear a person out. Maybe even make them a little bit mad. "So how have you been generally? Illness, sleep, appetite...."

"No illness, healed up from broken arm and dislocated shoulder but I am all dandy. I sleep well and..." she smiled, searching his eyes. "And I am eating well. I am eating crap, but nice crap."

"Story of my life," Dorian shook his head with a small smile, looking down over her file. There were no previous worries or issues. "Are you....prepared for the reaction that some people might have to your demotion?" he asked delicately. "You know it was a load of rubbish, but...well...others don't."

"Nah, when I first came here it was because my old CO didn't like the way I was around him or anyone higher rank so he slammed a conduct unbecoming on my file and transferred me here. I'm good at changing subjects," she said and smiled gently. "Those that know me know better. Those that don't won't necessarily know anyway. It's all shiny anyway."

"Good," he nodded with a slight nod of approval, sitting back as he let out a soft breath. She seemed grounded. Bouncy but grounded. "Is there anything that has been worrying you that you'd like to talk about?"

Aria took the time to consider it before shaking her head. "Nah, I think I am all five by five myself," she admitted. "But I am sure I can annoy you should I ever need it, right?"

"It's what I live for," he replied with a playful tone of sarcasm, but gave a small smile with it. "If that's the case, I'll clear you for duty," he nodded, tapping on the PADD to enter it. "You're kind of crazy, but in a sane way. You'll be fine."

"Good, because I sort of have this whole thing I want to do called having an actual good life and fun. Still need to get some quarters and everything!" she laughed, shaking her head as she watched him. "Besides, already made a fool out of myself in front of you once. Usually I try to at least last a few minutes before foot in mouth arrives."

"I've been called worse things than 'Counsellor Sexy," he assured with a soft chuckle. "Not quite as embarrassing things, but worse things."

She covered her face with her hands, groaning. "Is there a hole full of tribbles I can crawl into? Just until I forget I said that?"

"Most probably, with how those things are managing to get themselves just about everywhere," Dorian shook his head with a roll of his eyes. "You're free to work, Aria."

"Awesome!" she smiled and nodded, standing and stretching. "Because or else it would be a very boring few weeks for me while going through the counselling to get all well and sane and workable, huh?"

"And I don't think I have that kind of strength," he quipped in return, shaking his head with a small but playful smile. "Best of luck to you, Aria."

"Thanks!" Aria smiled warmly, nodding at the kind words. "See you around, Counsellor S....err...West."

Dorian watched her leave before sitting back and letting out a soft whistle with wide, dark eyes. He felt like he'd just been hit by a tornado. She was a perfectly nice girl, but he hoped he'd have time to recover before they did bump into each other again.


OFF:

Ensign Aria Rice
Security Officer
USS Galileo

&

LT JG Dorian West
Counsellor
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

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