From: Jamie LeBlanc (plainsimplegarak_at_yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Jan 01 2008 - 20:00:54 PST
“Reflections in the Glass” (continuing "Epiphany")
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Location: USS STONEHENGE
Stardate: 2.70101.2300
Scene: CMO’s Quarters
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“And since you know you cannot see yourself,
so well as by reflection, I, your glass,
will modestly discover to yourself,
that of yourself which you yet know not of.”
~William Shakespeare
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Aerdan just watched dumbstruck as Phia allowed Ishe to
drag her into their quarters and ate the bread with
her. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly as Ishe got up
to go get some napkins. "You look like you're in
pain."
"You have no idea. I might have to reevaluate my
opinion of Arjan," Phia muttered.
"What?" Aerdan asked, his antennae swinging in
confusion.
"Nothing," Phia sighed, her smile dropping. Rubbing
her face she admitted, "I can't do it." Shaking her
head she asked, "How are you?"
Giving the counselor a cool look, the CMO set his
features into a carefully emotionless mask. “I’m
quite fine, thank you for asking.”
Phia watching the Andorian slowly, her black
brows knitting very slightly, “Perhaps I should
rephrase my question. Is there anything you wish to
talk about?” Her voice was cool, but calm.
Aerdan shook his hear, small tufts of snowy hair
calling out of place. “No, counselor, There is
nothing to speak of.” He replied, his soft voice
retaining a formal politeness.
The Bolian hybrid sucked a short breath in
through her teeth. This wasn’t going as planned.
“Regarding our former conversation, Dr. Jos.”
“Oh.” He remarked lightly as if they were talking
about nothing at all. He paused for a second and then
fixed Phia with a look of utter severity. “Counselor
Phia, I would much rather saw off my left antennae
with a rusty butter knife than to resume that
conversation with you.”
Though his voice was soft, the words came out
with an underlying passion that made Ishe stop
mid-chew and drop her sweetbread. It hit the plate on
the table with a morbid thunk.
Phia sucked in a second breath, trying to decide
if she was really surprised at that answer or not.
When she spoke, he usual cold voice had taken on
Counselor Siggy’s trademark analytical tone. “And why
do you feel that way, Dr Jos?”
Aerdan leveled the Bolian hybrid with an even
gaze. “It is not about fear or respect.” He paused
lightly, “I do not trust you, counselor.”
“Trust…?” Phia worked the word around in her
mouth, as if wondering what the hell trust had to do
with anything.
“Trust. As in I do not trust that you have
enough concern about anybody but yourself to actually
help anybody. So you hide the fact that you cannot
deal with emotion – yours or someone else’s – by
saying that they need to decide to change.”
“I don’t think I can actually fix anybody…” She
was about to continue with the same lecture she had
given Cadet Karn, but Aerdan cut her off.
“I don’t think you should. But that doesn’t mean
that your own arrogance should be cutting gaping holes
in the crew’s morale. For example – the entire ships
is talking about how you walked into Engineering and
pulled a phaser on Lieutenant Wainwright so you could
basically one up the woman and prove that you were
better than she was. That is harmful, not only to
Wainwright, but the crew around her. Or myself. I
came to you, one of the few people on this entire ship
to actually visit your office without being dragged
there because I wanted a second opinion on a serious
concern. But my concerns were beneath you because I’m
‘emotionally blind as a bat.’ Well, counselor, I have
taken my concerns into my own hands and I no longer
need nor desire your assistance. That is the way you
want it, isn’t it? You feel you are empowering the
crew to help themselves?” He never broke eye contact
with her once.
Phia didn’t know what was worse, the worse coming from
his mouth, or the fact that Aerdan Jos delivered
almost everything he said in the same, soft, near
whispering tone. “The only way anyone can fix their
problems is by facing them.” She replied, solidly.
“And what if the way to fixing a problem is to
try to speak with someone…?” He didn’t even blink as
he spoke the words.
The counselor swallowed a dry lump in her throat.
“Why did you choose me?”
“Because I wanted to know if you were a person
worthy enough to…. trust.”
Phia blinked once. She was really starting to
wish that Aerdan Jos would stop staring at her, or at
least blink. “Any person on the ship could have been
your sounding board. Most of them are far more
empathetic. It makes no sense to come to me to simply
reach out.”
“Doesn’t it?” He perked a snowy brow. “This ship
has entrusted you with the psychological welfare of
the crew. Like it or not, you and I must work
together to ensure their health and safety. I need to
know what to expect, and how far I could extend my
trust to you in that mission.”
“So you made it all up?” Phia shot back, her
brows creasing.
“No. I didn’t.” Came the clipped reply.
Ishe had picked her bread back up and was now
playing tennis, watching while the two adults spoke,
her eyes wide.
Phia swallowed again, remembering her reason for
coming here in the first place. “Then did it go
away?”
Aerdan shook his head lightly. “Not completely.
But it’s better. Nothing you should trouble yourself
on, counselor.” He waved his hand in the same
dismissive gesture Cade Foster used.
“Wouldn’t that go against the job description you
laid out for me, Dr. Jos?” Phia snapped back.
“Not at all. I am simply following your official
counseling advice.” The Andorian returned in a light
tone. He even offered her a smile. It made him look
like Arjan.
Phia sat still for several long seconds before
asking in a quiet tone, “Do they school all the Jos
family to completely bury their emotions? Or are you
and your brother ‘special’?”
“No… it’s a rite of passage.” Aerdan replied. It
was hard to tell if he was being sarcastic or serious.
“Well, then your brother is better at hiding them
than you are. But I must say you have buried yours
far deeper.” It was the Bolian’s turn to fix him with
an even stare.
Doctor Jos thought that over for a few seconds.
His next words were barely audible, but crystal clear.
“Not nearly as deep as yours.”
Silence pervaded the conversation for several
long seconds as the two officers watched one another,
as if they were both trying to dissect the other’s
inner thoughts. Ishe set her bread down on the table
and put her hands on her hips. “Daddy… Counselor
Phia… this conversation is really stupid.”
Phia snapped her head towards the girl. “What do
you mean, child?”
“If this is a holiday, shouldn’t you both just
eat the bread and talk nice?” She pushed a piece of
sweetbread into both Phia and Aerdan’s hands.
Phia flickered her eyes between Ishe and Aerdan.
“She’s smarter than you, you know?”
Aerdan didn’t say anything, but he gave a true
smile towards the girl. After a long pause, he spoke
warmly. “I am well aware.”
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NRPG: Probably the shortest post I have sent out in
ages.
But I *had* to drop a reply to Sarah’s post right away
:)
Sarah: tags if ya wish! I still love your post!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jamie LeBlanc
Lieutenant Aerdan Jos
Chief Medical Officer
USS STONEHENGE
"Why do we fly? Because we have dreamt of it for so long that we must"
~Julian Beck
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