Part I -- Walking the Ravens

Posted on Thu May 8th, 2025 @ 3:33am by Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Xavier

1,246 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Deck 15 | Arboretum | USS Ontario
Timeline: Post --Roller-coaster Shuttle Ride

ON:

Xavier sat on the bench in the arboretum watching as Phobos and Deimos, his two ravens, flitted from small tree to small tree. They had just spent two hours flying on the holodeck and now were happy to rest amongst the flowers. Xavier could sympathize. The counselor had been after him since he cancelled the session so he could requalify for the phaser test. Somehow playing with phasers seemed safer then therapy. So in addition to avoiding the new Head Nurse whom he'd nicknamed the Smiling Terror, he had successfully avoided the counselor too.

He sighed as he leaned back on the bench and took out his latest book. He was determined to have a nice day. They left soon and he needed quiet to prepare.

Moments after Xavier had started to read, Amanda walked softly into the Arboretum. The computer was kind enough to have informed her where Xavier was and she was not about to let him get away from her.

Hoping that she would not immediately disturb Xavier, she sat beside him with a book over her own. She tried to make out the cover of Xavier's book but failed. "It is a beautiful place to read, is it not?" she finally asked.

Xavier, who'd been engrossed in his book, jumped with a small yelp. "Counselor!" He cleared his throat. "Counselor what are you doing here?"

She held up her book. It was easy to ascertain from the title that it was a trashy romance novel. "Well, I was planning on reading, just like you. It is a beautiful place to do it, is it not?" She smiled sweetly at Xavier but behind her eyes was the twinkle of a cat who was about to play with a mouse.

"Why is that difficult to believe." He suddenly flashed back to his mad dash to the storage closet on the deck when he'd seen her after a cancelled appointment. He closed his book making a mental note of the book title. It was one he'd not read. Sensing Xavier's unease Phobos, the smaller of the two Ravens flitted to the bench placing itself between the Counselor and Xavier. The bird watched her with intense blue eyes, an unusual color for a raven. "Counselor, meet Phobos. He is one of my pets."

Xavier reached out petting the little bird on the head. "Phobos. Say hello."

"Why is what difficult to believe?" Amanda asked with a nonchalant shrug. "For someone that came from Vulcan, you are not very precise in your language."

She chuckled softly until Phobos came down. "Hello Phobos," Amanda told the bird, not certain how she should go about introducing herself to a raven. "Interesting that you should have a pet.... Not very logical.... Also very interesting that you named him after one of the moons of Mars, specifically associated with fear. Why is that?"

"To respond to your questions in order. Hard to believe that you just happened to be here. As for Phobos," He gave a whistle and a second raven landed, this one bigger. "This is Deimos my second raven. They are named after the ancient Greek gods. Phobos and Deimos, Fear and Panic."

"Why is it so hard to believe that I just happened to be here? I do enjoy reading and this is a peaceful place to do it. How interesting that you named after fear and panic, though. Why would you do that, hmmm?" Amanda asked as she looked at the ravens trying to determine which was which, hoping they had some identifying features.

His lip twitched. "Do not try so hard to add meaning to it. When I found them, they were tossed aside by their mother. Phobos, the smaller one with the blue eyes was shaking in fear and Deimos was flapping his wings in a panic." He sighed. "I saw that their nest was near, but their own family tossed them out. Perhaps we were fated to meet, the three of us, so I took them with me. They are now family to me and I to them."

He paused. "I saw you looking at this earlier. It is a book written in 2012. It is called the Song of Achilles and It's a love story about a Hero in ancient Greece and the love of his life." He felt Phobos nudge him, a signal that his anxiety was getting high. "Counselor perhaps it is good that you are here. There is a hypothetical question I could use your assistance with."

Amanda took note of the lip twitch. She hit a nerve. Smiling, she let Xavier continue to let his thoughts go. "Love stories written in ancient times about even more ancient times." I detect a theme. He's trying to understand love. He may even be in it. I love it! "You can call me Amanda. You don't have to call me Counselor. But please, ask your question."

He gave a nod. "Thank you, Amanda." It felt weird using her first name but if that is what she preferred. He wondered briefly how he'd phrase it. "Let us put a romantic spin on it. If two people have known one another for fifteen years without seeing one another. If they shared their most intimate secrets and truest of selves but have never met would they be considered friends?"

Amanda knew that this had to be real. So, it was love.... OK, Amanda, phrase this so he's more comfortable. "Hypothetically speaking, if two people spoke for fifteen years and they shared their truest of selves, I would definitely say that they would be friends at a bare minimum. But I would have to wonder why have these people chosen not to meet."

"Fascinating. I have a follow up question. Why do you say bare minimum? As for meeting let us say that one party has... stipulated that they never meet to avoid history repetition."

"Avoid history repetition? I guess that I would need to understand what sort of history one of these hypothetical people was concerned about repeating. And I say at a bare minimum, because most people would have long met or asked to have met within those fifteen years. It seems to me that the other party has a very deep understanding and concern for the party who is concerned about having a repeated experience."

"Very well, then for the sake of the hypothetical response, I would say history in that anyone who has spent same time in the presence of said person, has thrown them away, family and friends alike. Perhaps the party that insists on the distance is ensuring that if this person throws them away too it will not... be difficult."

"Hypothetically speaking, if someone feels that they have always been thrown away, I would want to know why someone has that feeling so that I could help that person determine if that person is considering all possibilities. Even if everything that person had experienced was true and completely accurate, I certainly would want to help said person understand that his or her past experiences do not mean that other actors are going to treat him or her similarly."

"Hmmm. One further question. How would one know if...one party has feelings that go beyond friendship?"

"Is that hypothetical?" Amanda asked, raising her eyebrows.

To Be Continued...

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Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Xavier
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Ontario

 

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