Leatherneck and Leash: How to Train Your Tellarite

Posted on Sun Oct 10th, 2021 @ 11:37pm by Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D & 1st Lieutenant Dahlia Acker

1,860 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Out of Time
Location: Deck 15, USS Ontario
Timeline: [Backpost]

The good thing about rare names is that it made it easier to find someone based on their first name. And Percival had a unique name, so it was not that difficult to find out that he was Percival Bálor, Chief Science Officer. Dahlia had raised an eyebrow with surprise...she usually covered science officers on away teams, telling them not to touch that fascinating plant in case it tried to eat them. She had sent off a message asking if he wanted to meet up for a coffee later and spent time working on reports before making her way to the lounge on deck 15. Rumours told her it was quieter and maybe that was a good place to start.

Still in her uniform with no makeup and her hair tied in a pony tail, she looked a lot less glamorous than last time. But it wasn't a date, she had just liked talking to Percival. And would like to make at least one friend on the ship that she didn't have to worry about. She got herself a black coffee and sat down, with a good view to the door, her eyes going over the exits...both those easy to see, and the ones she knew went to crawl spaces. She may or may not have spent some time looking at the schematics of the ship.

"Oh good," Percy said as he approached the table where the woman was seated. "You do have a face underneath all that caked on concealer and pageantry," the Half-Tellarite stated. "I was beginning to wonder if there was marine underneath it all or not. I'm delighted to see there is one, oorah!"

The Chief Science Officer took a seat and sat there looking at the marine. "Black coffee eh? One of those Janeway fan girls? You know there was a study in the 21st century on Earth that showed a correlation between psychopaths and preference of black coffee...fortunately, I don't believe in that gobshite type of study."

Dahlia laughed as she looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "This is a Mike Juliet...Marine Juice. Keeps us going, keeps us awake. Besides, milk and sugar is difficult to take with you when working, so you get used to black coffee..." she sat back and raised her cup. "And are you saying that Marines can't be glam too? How very narrow minded of you, Percy...I am almost shocked..." she winked and leant closer. "What can I get you? Frothy mocca? Betazoid cold press?"

"I did not mean they couldn't be glam," he replied though admittedly he put himself in that corner. "You just don't get to see it as often. It is kind of refreshing to see someone break the stereotype. I think I may just nickname you Covergirl," the science officer teased.

He sat his mug down on the table. "Considering one counselor aboard thinks I'm a sociopath, black coffee is one of my normal beverages, but today I went a little closer to my roots." A good look at the of the coffee would give off it away, but it was missing its signature boozy aroma.

"Thanks, I already lived through Mascara Marine on my last ship. As if mascara will make the enemy think I am soft," she said and glanced at his cup, clearly considering something. "Irish?" she asked, clearly a bit curious as she met his eyes.

"Aye, and a piss-poor excuse for it," he replied. "I have to be on my best behavior these days. So, I couldn't break into my personal stash and liven it up a bit," explained Percy. "Commander Vetur would have a stick shoved up my arse and an apple in my mouth if I do anything that is not acceptable from an officer aboard this starship."

"Wow and I thought the Marines were harsh with the grooming standard," she said before she took a sip of her coffee, holding his eyes. "Insider knowledge...if morale falls, we stick a Sergeant on to shout at people for the grooming standard. United the enlisted in hating one person. Like being a professional arsehole."

Percy snorted. "Sounds delightful," he replied. The Chief Science Officer was interested in how Dahlia was settling in. "Have you had the chance to meet a lot of the crew yet? We have some absolutely fascinating characters among the crew. Quirky even."

"Met a few," Dahlia said lightly before she chuckled softly. "It's difficult to make...regular fleet friends. But I am making an effort." And she was. She truly was, trying to put herself out there a bit more, to approach people.

"It can be difficult in general to make friends, but more so in Starfleet. People move around and take new assignments, or Starfleet decides they've been somewhere too long." Percy shrugged. "I try to make peace with it and enjoy people while I have them. Sometimes, I'm lucky and they are around for a good long while, but if not, then they were there when they needed to be."

Dahlia considered it for a long moment, clearly thinking. "It was easier before. We were just Marines, apart from the corpsman. Meant we...easily made friends. Those you served with were your family. When I started, there were four Lieutenants. And we were...a tight knit group. But since going to ships, I find it more...difficult."

Percy shrugged. "I think that we both need to socialize more, and I need to stop getting myself into trouble. It has been a bit difficult for me lately...baggage and such. I've made friends on the Ontario, but I haven't been winning over the command staff with my adolescent antics."

"Okay, now you got me curious...just how have you pissed off the command staff?" Dahlia asked with a small chuckle, raising an eyebrow almost critically. It was playful though, an offer to listen if he wanted to share.

"I did not get caught," he began, "but let's just say someone took a plasma torch and burned a horga'hn on the Captain's door, contributed to ship scuttlebutt about the Captain and First Officer, definitely pissed off the Ship's Counsellor." Percy shrugged. "A little chaos here and there."

She let out a low whistle and shook her head, sipping her coffee. "Wow, you must have a self destructive streak..." she said before she smiled. "Or you have a way of getting away with murder. Not sure if I am impressed or terrified what you'd do to my door!"

"Nothing," he replied. "I thought the Captain was bothering the First Officer. I was hoping to get him away from her, but I misread the situation. That was my fault. I often mess up, and frankly I could use your help in that regard."

Dahlia looked at him with surprise before she gave a nod, holding his eyes. "What is the mission?" she asked, almost playfully.

"Reform and refine me into the officer I'm supposed to be, the person I want to be, and the scientist that I need to be, Dahlia," he said almost pleasingly. "The Marines are disciplined, structured, and honorable. I need help moving past what I came here as, and helped to evolve into what I want to leave here as."

She watched him for a long moment, clearly taking a moment to consider if she believed him. She finally sighed. "I can try," she said, after a moment. "But I don't know the regular fleet way, only the Marines. If you are okay with that, then...we can try. Because to be honest, I think you've most likely been able to charm yourself out of a lot of things in your time."

"Marine way it is," he replied. "I can be charming among other things" he stated and looked at the marine. "Consider me your student in all things proper conduct," he added with a snort.

"Alright. Ground rules for you then. No pranks," she said gave a small smile, her voice gentle and encouraging. She wasn't judging anything he had done in the past, instead she focused on the things she had learned. "If someone outranks you, always use their rank or Sir when speaking them. No matter what department. And...this is something I have never been that good at...stop and think about possible consequences. I hope you enjoy doing some running because you are going to be doing a lot of it. Pushing yourself physically makes you push yourself mentally."

Percy patted his stomach. He wasnt exactly porkish, but his yourhful days of being thin were past him. He had some meat on him, and had the beginning markings of a robust average male gut, compliments of his indulging on pies, cakes, and from time to time booze. "Body by pastries" he replied. "I could push myself a little more admittedly" added Percy.

"You're a handsome man, Percy, and you look good. It's not about losing weight, it's about gaining focus," Dahlia said with a small smile, shaking her head. "More stamina, better focus on a set task. Narrow down the world to what you are doing. Trust me, it helps controlling tempers."

"Thank you," Percy replied and took a deep breath. "My temper is usually not too terrible...usually," he added though he was not sure he was being fully honest given his recent plotting and revenge. Sometimes, he went a bit overboard. "I am going to try to focus more on my duties."

Dahlia chuckled softly, biting her lip for a moment before she shrugged. "Good first step then, to focus on your duties. For tempers, they do recommend counselling...although I am guessing it isn't your deal. There's meditation...or we could do martial arts. A balance where you can let out some steam but within rules. You learn to control your temper, your emotions, your fear."

"I can do counseling...I've been doing counseling," replied Percy quickly wanting to dispel that notion. "I just have to have the right counselor for me, and I think I have found one now. Focus on my duties? Not a problem, I can do this." When it came to fear though, Percy was uncertain. His fear of failure was sometimes crippling.

Dahlia nodded as she watched him before she gave a small smile. "And cut yourself some slack too...it won't work the first hundred times. You pick yourself up, learn and go better the next time. Same as anything else in life," she went to take a sip of her coffee and found it empty. "Damned coffee fairy, stole the last mouthful..."

"They always do, the damned fae," he replied and chuckled. "Thank you for the advice and for the help. I need to stay here on Ontario, and at the rate, I have been going, I would have been sent packing if I were not valuable."

He gave a respectful and parting nod to the marine. Percy was well on his way to becoming a work in progress, and only time would tell. Could she reform him or would he buckle under the pressure. This was more than etiquette school.

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