Another Straggler

Posted on Wed Jun 23rd, 2021 @ 12:14pm by Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Stone

1,922 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: The Lonesome Road
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: after meeting Percy

Once Percy had left, Amanda moved to the next name on her list, a Lieutenant Elizabeth Stone. Amanda hoped that she would be much easier to handle than Percy had been. =^= Lieutenant Stone, please report to the Counselor's Office,=^= Amanda called over the comm.

Siren was on the bridge, finishing up on some LCARS training. Every ship had their own 'tweaks' and she needed to make sure she was aware of them. She was surprised at the rather blunt request slash order, but she tapped her badge =^= On my way =^= She logged out of her training session, and logged herself off of the bridge, then headed to the counselor's office. She was glad she had taken the opportunity to memorize the ship's layout. No more looking like a lost primary schooler. She more marched than walked, and was soon sounding the chime on the doctor's office door.

"Come in," a very friendly voice called in response to the chime.

Siren headed straight in, pulling out a PaDD to have at the ready as she did so.

The auburn haired counselor was standing to her full five feet, five inches in height as she was approaching the door. "Please, please. Come in and make yourself comfortable. There's the couch, the chairs, beanie bag chairs, whatever you might find the most comfortable."

Siren couldn't help it. She let out a small smile, even as her brow raised. Siren could barely remember her grandmother, but she got the sudden impression of a little old lady in a young body. She headed for a standard chair. "So, I take it I'm not here to fly you somewhere."

Interested, Amanda noted the choice of the standard chair. "A keen observation. Why do you think that you are here?" Amanda asked.

"I assume you've got my file from Starfleet medical." Siren told the counselor. "I did hope I'd get a chance to settle in before being bombarded with questions about my mother." She gave the woman a fake smile, realizing as she said it how flat the joke was.

Amanda favored Siren with a smile. "I do have your file but they never tell you about a person. They lead to preconceived notions, often times and I do not like that." She paused meaningfully and then continued, "But, you are required to report for your psychological exam and you have not done so until I called for you. Why is that?"

"I was hoping to avoid it." Siren told her honestly. "I'm tired of being poked and prodded, physically and mentally. I'm here though. What do you want to know?"

"There is no avoiding it. After all, I have to certify whether your fit for duty." She shrugged apologetically, then smiled and said, "So, why don't you tell me about yourself. I'd rather you think of this meeting as a conversation, a first meeting. I really do not enjoy being thought of as the proverbial 'big bad counselor.'"

"Yeah, alright." Siren wasn't thrilled, but it could be much worse. The woman seemed nice enough. "Ummm. I like kick boxing. I hate long walks on the beach, whoever thought up that romantic drivel should be hung. I've never met a burger I didn't like. I have horrible taste in men. I curse like a marine pilot." Siren paused, running out of steam for things that just popped into her head that weren't really personal.

"Horrible taste in men." Amanda nodded. "I totally get that. Unrequited crush for several years, here." She sat on the couch and pointed at herself. "So, you're direct. There's nothing wrong with that. Do you think that you should be more romantic and traditionally girly? 'Romantic drivel,' as you call it, seems to bother you for some reason.

Siren looked pensive for a moment. She'd never really thought about it like that before. "hmmm, I guess it does in a vague kind of way. You know, like somebody leaving the cap off the toothpaste, or the toilet seat up. It bothers you, but it's not really that big of a deal. And no, I don't think I should be more romantic or girly. I wouldn't very well be me if I did that." Siren had relaxed a bit. This felt a bit more like a 'girl chat' than a 'counseling session' even though she was well aware it was the latter.

"Leaving the toilet seat up is more than a small deal. It is a matter of discourtesy. It is a man not caring about a woman's basic biology." Amanda shrugged and said, "But that is my personal opinion. I have heard that some can be trained...."

Siren let out a very undignified snort. "You'd have better luck with a German Shepard." She grinned

"I'm partial to Siberian huskies, myself," Amanda replied with a smile, pleased that Siren was loosening up. "They're big and fluffy and can talk to you. Well, they're as dramatic as most men, anyways...." Amanda giggled at that.

"Oh. Good choice. I should get a dog. Train it to bring me beer." Siren got a little smile on her face at the mental picture of that. She then gave the counselor a rather hard to decipher look. "Alright, you've broken the ice so to speak, and I'd really rather get this done with. What needs to happen for me to 'pass' she held up air quotes as she said it. "I did just get clearance before this posting. Albeit with the proviso that I see you."

"Is that a fact?" Amanda asked innocently. "Why the proviso?"

Normally Siren would just glare at such a question. Clearly, the counselor knew what was in her file. But she'd been nice enough, and hadn't in fact asked Siren to lay on the couch and talk about well...anything. "Starfleet wants to make sure I'm not a danger to myself." She answered honestly, if a bit stiffly. "I'm not. I had a rather severe and acute reaction to losing my wings, but I'm not going to off myself, or anybody else."

"I suspected as much," Amanda replied. "Sometimes we say and do things out of aggravation and frustration that we would not do under normal circumstances. And of course, your injury did not make things easier for you." The counselor shrugged apologetically. "Of course, that does not mean that we cannot talk about finding ways to better express those emotions."

Siren rolled her eyes, gave a minor glare and retorted. "What, a heavy bag, a light bag, and sex aren't good enough?" This was what Siren hated about therapy. Neat little boxes you were suppose to check off to show you were coping. If the woman suggested art therapy she was out, damn the consequences.

Amanda blinked a couple of times, noting the change in attitude. "Sex is only good enough when it is good enough," Amanda replied with a light laugh. "I'm not sure what you mean by heavy and light bags, though."

"I kick box. A light bag.." Siren did a few mock punches at eye level. "A heavy bag." She made a stronger mock punch at gut level. It was a little awkward from a seated position, but it got the message across. "I'm expressing my emotions just fine." Somehow she made it sound like it was akin to a foul bodily function.

"I don't know if that is expressing all of your emotions," Amanda replied casually. "It sounds like you have found a constructive way to handle your anger and frustration. But what about other emotions, like desire, happiness, surprise, or joy?"

Siren looked frankly dumbfounded. She opened her mouth to retort, but no words came. Another try and she managed. "I don't know."

"You don't know whether you experience those emotions or you don't know how to experience them or you don't know how to react to them...?" Amanda led.

Siren thought for a few minutes, then seemed wary to say anything. She certainly didn't want to talk about the softer emotions, and how had they gotten on the subject anyway, she just wanted to know what boxes to check to get the hell out of here. "Umm. Well desire is easy, Always a willing man." She didn't say it in a bragging manner, just matter of fact. "I can express them just fine, it's just been awhile." She settled on, rather stubbornly.

"That doesn't sound pleasant," Amanda replied sympathetically and trying to ignore the comment about there always being a willing man. Such had not been her experience. "Tell me about something that made you happy recently. I mean, what do you enjoy, besides apparently beating up bags?" she told Siren with a small giggle.

She shrugged. "The lounge has a pretty good burger, and onion rings. That made me happy until I had to run it off. The Chief Science Officer is a hoot too." They were simple things, but for now, Siren would take simple.

"Huh!" Amanda first responded. "I'll have to try that burger and onion rings. I can't say that I have done so yet. Perhaps we could do that after duty. Now, as to the Chief Science Officer, you're talking about Percy, right?" Amanda asked. Well, tastes were definitely different in different people. However, Amanda had to mentally, strongly disagree with her. Then again, their personalities matched well, from what Amanda could tell thus far. Perhaps it was a good thing that Percy was gone before Stone arrived. "Have you approached him at all?"

"Yes, Percy, and the other way around. He helped me find my quarters and played wingman for me. Gave me a contact in engineering so I could get my bags hung in my quarters."

"That was nice of him," Amanda admitted, wondering about the odd man more. "But, I meant, did you approach him about being more, if you're so attracted to him?"

Siren snorted. "I came on to him, and he turned me down." She smiled. "He's cute and all, but I'm not pining. He's turned out to be better friend material anyway."

"Well, I'm glad that you both found a balance that worked for you. I really hate it when I see acrimonious relationships." Amanda then noted, "You have a nice smile. I think that's the first time that I've seen you use it genuinely since you walked in. I think you should use it more."

Siren raised her brow. "Well then it wouldn't be very genuine." She fidgeted for a brief moment, caught herself doing it and stopped. "So look, are we almost done here? I've about reached my limit of playing nice." She was at least honest, if not tactful.

Amanda laughed. "You're honest enough. I'll give you that. However, I would like to see you again, not necessarily here, though. Perhaps for a drink. See you in a less formal setting." Oh, God! That sounds so wrong, Amanda! Do you have to clarify that?" The Counselor's inner thoughts caused her face to lose some color.

Siren could read the expression well enough, and broke out into a short guffaw. "I take it you meant that professionally, thank goodness. So yeah, I guess that would be better than here. I'll send you my schedule."

"Great! You're cleared for now. I'll look forward to meeting with you out of here."

Siren was out of her chair like a kid excused to go for recess. She managed a "thanks" but she was already half out the door and faced away as she said it.

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