Instinct

Posted on 20 Aug 2012 @ 12:24pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jeroen Adlar & Verity Thorne

1,101 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo: Chaplain's Office
Timeline: MD 09: 18:00

ON:

Kneeling on the floor in the corner of the office, Verity carefully picked up the pieces of a vase. The casualty of the battle hadn't been precious, but it was still a shame. He'd been tidying his office for an hour. Not that it looked like a typical office. There was no desk. Just comfortable seats, shelves with books and ornaments, plants. It had taken some putting right, but he was almost there.

Jeroen let out a breath as he stood outside the Chaplain's office. He...needed to talk to someone. But he didn't really do proper counselling and...well. This was close. He had spoken to God in his time. For a scientist, he still had some faith. He rang the chime and waited, frowning.

Verity sat back on his heels, looking to the door with mild surprise; he hadn't been expecting anyone. "Come in?"

Jeroen opened the door, meeting his eyes before giving a small smile. "Chaplain?" he asked, watching the office. "I...is this a bad time?"

"No, not at all, I've just finally been able to get round to tidying," he motioned him in, climbing to his feet. He smiled warmly, offering his hand to him. "And please, call me Verity."

He nodded as he took the hand, smiling to him. "I'm Jeroen," he said, taking a breath. "I just...yes. I think I needed to come here."

"Well that's what it's for," he assured firmly, leading him to sit down. "Would you like something to drink? Take a chance to relax for a while."

"Tea, if you have it," Jeroen said softly as he sat down, watching him for a long moment.

"I have most things," he assured, smiling brightly to him before moving to set some to brew. "You're lucky. The teapot survived."

"Amazing," he laughed and nodded, shaking his head. "Real tea too...I was expecting replicated."

"Nothing but the best here," Verity shook his head, looking across to him with a smile. "Besides, it goes best with chatter."

He nodded as he watched him, studying him closely. "I did something very stupid. I brought a knife with me to work because I felt unsafe after...well...everything."

Verity watched him with surprise for a long moment. He carefully carried the tray over, moving to sit close to him. "Perhaps you should start at the beginning?"

"Well...I took a knife I own, I put it in my belt and reported for duty, he said and smiled weakly. "Because I felt...I don't know, shaken perhaps? By everything that was happening. So I wanted to be armed. Thing is, scientists don't carry phasers unless for damned good reasons."

Verity nodded as he held his eyes, his own showing concern. "You must have been pretty scared to do that."

"I think I just went into survival mode," he confessed as he watched him, shaking his head. "It was foolish, the sort of thing a man half my age does."

"I'm not sure age really affects us all that much," Verity shook his head with a soft smile, holding his eyes.

He nodded, sitting back as he let out a breath. "Well...that was my stupid act for the day."

"You know, we all do illogical things at times," Verity shook his head, leaning forward a little. "Irrational things that we just do, without thinking about it. It's perfectly normal."

Jeroen held his eyes for a long moment. "Thing is, Verity...I have to be really careful around all that stuff."

"Why is that?" he asked with the same, soft tone of voice, smiling gently to him, as if he could say anything and it wouldn't matter.

He met his eyes before smiling weakly as he looked at the teapot. "I used to be Maquis."

He watched for a long moment before sighing gently, nodding with understanding. "It must be difficult. Facing that on a Starfleet ship."

"I chose this path. I don't regret it at all...but I keep those facts very close to my chest," Jeroen said as he met his eyes, giving a small smile.

"I can understand that," he replied honestly, nodding to him. "Not everyone would take the news well."

"Very few in fact," he said and smiled warmly, holding his eyes as he relaxed. "You took it well."

"It's not for me to judge," Verity shook his head firmly, frowning as he watched him. "You said yourself, you chose your path. I can't judge whether I'd have done the same or not unless I was in your position."

He watched him closely before smiling to him. "You're not just a chaplain, are you?"

Verity chuckled softly at that, shaking his head as he looked down. "I used to be a priest," he said softly.

"A Catholic one," he said and smiled gently. "My parents were both Catholics. Are. I was raised in the faith."

Verity smiled at that, nodding in recognition. "Feel free to come here if you ever....miss it."

He smiled gently and nodded, holding his eyes. "I think I will...even if just to talk theology," he admitted quietly.

"Whatever helps," he said firmly, holding his eyes. He leant to pour the tea, glancing to him with a small smile. "Science seems a long throw away from your past."

"I always loved it. My brother too...my parents believed science was God's language, a way for us to understand His work," Jeroen chuckled as he looked down, smiling. "I am a geoengineer...I...work with terraforming."

"A remarkable thing," Verity watched him with surprise, offering a cup over. "You recreate the beauty in the universe."

He took the cup and smiled gently. "I try to. It will never be as perfect as what God did. After all, the...air tastes different..." he sipped the tea and moaned. "Like this tea, being real, is different from replicated."

"I can understand that," Verity admitted, nodding as he gave a small smile. "But it's still a remarkable thing you do. You give life."

"I like to think I give people a chance for a new beginning," he held his eyes, searching them.

"Which is just as precious," he said replied with a smile, sipping his tea. "As you know."

"Yes, I do," he said softly and looked down, frowning. "Gets hard sometimes. To...keep it in."

"Then don't keep it in," Verity urged softly, shaking his head to him.

Jeroen met his eyes, searching them before nodding. "I won't. Now I know I can come here."

OFF:

PO2 Jeroen Adlar
Science
USS Galileo

Crewman Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo

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