Straight Counselling

Posted on 03 Mar 2015 @ 9:14pm by Lieutenant Commander Amynta Markos & Lieutenant JG Dorian West

1,506 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Counselling Office
Timeline: MD41 - 1520

ON:

Amynta Markos walked down the corridor, frowning slightly. She was due her check up at counselling. It was standard, to make sure people weren't going to become manic serial killers. She was happy with that analysis.

On the plus side, she was off duty now. Which meant that rather than going in with her uniform, she went in with her dark red dress. Some could see it as her lowering her defences. Others...well, she had exchanged one suit of armour for another. She rang the chime to announce herself before entering, watching the man there. "Lt. West?" she asked, holding his eyes. "I am Lt. Commander Markos. I am here for my counselling session."

Dorian nodded with an easy smile, standing quickly at her entrance. "Of course. Please, make yourself comfortable, Commander. Can I get you anything?"

"No...thank you for the offer though," Amynta moved to sit down, watching him closely before looking down. "So. My Department are still alive. I have not murdered anyone, and they have not gotten themselves killed...all good, I think."

"I would agree with that evaluation," he nodded, chuckling softly at the bluntness, moving to sit with her. "Interestingly though, not meaning any offence, I don't really care about your department at the moment," he gave a small but genuine smile even as he became just as blunt as Amynta. "I'm more interested in *you*."

She raised an eyebrow at that before sighing, sitting back to cross her legs. "I am fine. Dandy. I have my department, I have my job, I have a social life. I believe that makes me in a good place."

"Tell me about your social life," Dorian asked of her with a warm smile, leaning back, his elbow resting on the back of the chair.

She held Dorian's eyes, considering how to best phrase it. "I am seeing someone. I spend a lot of my free time with him and his son. On occasion, usually during shoreleave, I meet up with my son. That too is...rewarding."

"What is he like? Your son, I mean," Dorian asked softly. He had the bare notes in her file, but it wasn't the same as hearing it from someone.

Amynta's expression softened as she watched him, taking a breath. "He's gentle. My tall, gentle giant. Kind heart...strong spirit. He is a Marine, just graduated. I am so proud of him...he is growing into the best of men. He is gay. He hasn't told me yet, but I have known since I first spoke to him."

"First spoke to him?" Dorian asked gently at the unusual turn of phrase for referring to a child.

"I did not meet him properly until he was 11," she said as she held his eyes for a moment. "He was raised by my parents, not me."

Dorian watched her gently, nodding as he sat back a little, letting out a soft breath. "An amicable arrangement?"

Amynta considered it before giving a small shrug. "I was 17," she finally said, sitting forward a little, looking at her hands. "I wasn't...responsible. So my parents insisted that the baby shouldn't be punished for my sin. I was asked to leave and I did. I went to Earth. I was going to be a dancer...and I did. Exotic dancing, mostly. It was a living. Of sort. I joined Starfleet...and then the war broke out. My family were evacuated from Volan III and relocated to Mars. I joined the Intelligence effort against our enemies. I spoke fluent Cardassian so...a lot of reading reports," she arched an eyebrow, giving a small smile. "Carus was well raised and has become a confident, beautiful man. So I suppose it is nurture rather than nature...if he had been like me and his father, he'd have been an arrogant monster."

"Is that how you see yourself?" Dorian asked softly, but there was a slight frown at the thought of it.

Markos met his eyes and gave a sly smile. "Not a monster. Arrogant for a reason. A bit of a bitch. But I suppose not that bad. His biological father was..." she frowned, shaking her head. "Not the best of men. Thank whatever powers there is that he is dead, I'd never want Carus around him."

"How is your relationship with Carus now?" he asked with interest, shaking his head gently as he watched her. "Considering the distance you had between you when he was younger."

"We have...a decent relationship. We are...friends. I doubt I hold much of a maternal hold over him in that sense," she admitted and gave a weak shrug that showed she did not mind very much.

"I think you must be proud of the fine young man it sounds like he's become," Dorian smiled warmly and easily, nodding to her.

"I am," Amynta said and smiled as she sat back, arching an eyebrow as she held his eyes. "Very proud of him, he is a good man." And she hated to admit it to herself that she enjoyed talking about Carus to anyone.

West nodded gently, smiling with it. He could see the difference in her. The warmth in her smile, the ease of it. So different to her outward persona he had witnessed. "Is it difficult being apart from him now that your relationship is closer?"

"No," Amynta shook her head for a moment. "No, it isn't difficult. I just think about him quite a lot nowadays..." she smiled to him, holding his eyes for a long moment.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Dorian agreed with a small smile. "Love and comfort of family....pride in his achievement....something to focus on and keep going. All healthy things."

"Good to know. I try not to let it distract me from other important things. Like my work," she said and smiled, arching an eyebrow. "And all the things that must be considered for it. New missions. New challenges. I feel I have been sitting still for far too long during shoreleave."

"How *is* work?" Dorian asked with a small smile at the turn of conversation making it easier for him to bring it round. "I know that the last mission was rather stressful."

"It was. And yet I rather...enjoyed that," Amynta said with a small smile, holding his eyes for a moment. "The Cardassians are a rather...intelligent adversary. I enjoyed the time sparring with them. I...know it isn't quite right, but it makes part of me feel extremely alive."

"I think it's natural," he assured gently, shaking his head with a small, knowing smile. "And a healthy reaction, taking your past with them into account."

"Always good to know it is healthy," Amynta said with a laugh, shaking her head with disbelief. "Sometimes, I do wonder. My patience is very thin in general. I must come off as a right witch."

"Has it effected your career or personal life up to now?" he asked with a gentle smile.

Amynta looked down at her nails, her eyes shining. "If people have a problem, they're better out of my face anyway."

"And does it bother you? What other people think?" he asked with raised eyebrows. He somehow thought he knew the answer to that though.

Amynta's smile was perfectly innocent when she watched him before it became something a bit darker. "I've learned over the years that all that matters is what you think about yourself."

"And what do you think about yourself, Amynta?" Dorian asked softly, leaning forward to her with a small smile, his eyes dark.

"I'm complicated," she said as she let out a breath. "I'm harsh, but fair. I try to do what is best for Starfleet. I can be nice, but cruel. Forgiving, gentle...harsh and merciless."

"Like most human beings then," Dorian chuckled, shaking his head as he looked down for a long moment. "You have a good grasp on yourself and your tendencies. That's more than a lot of people."

Markos nodded as she watched him before smiling gently. "I am not perfect. But no one is..." she said before looking down. "So sane, then?"

"Hm," he made a play of having to think about it, tapping his PADD against his knee. "Oh alright then, you twisted my arm. Sane."

She smiled as she met his eyes, arching an eyebrow. "Good. Or else I would have to find your deepest, darkest secrets..." she said playfully and stood, straightening her skirt.

"I would have to disappoint you; I'm really quite straight forward," Dorian laughed softly, standing with her to offer his hand across. "Just don't start a riot and prove me wrong."

Amynta took his hand, smiling at the words. "I avoid riots...such better ways to manipulate a situation to my advantage," she admitted softly, letting go of his hand. "See you later, West...and thank you."


OFF:

Lt JG Dorian West
Counsellor
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

&

Lt. Commander Amynta Markos
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

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