Task Force: Gamma

Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

"I've thought about it. But, the last time we spoke was just a brief conversation over the comm. I didn't know I was pregnant when I boarded the ship, so I had to tell him via communications."

She bit her lip in thought, thinking back to the conversation she had with Taj that night and found herself wishing, not for the first time, that she had spent more time talking with him.

"Well, I let you get to bed then" he said, still smiling broadly. "I'll speak to you again soon... Oh, and start thinking of some names! Personally I'm fond of Taj." He chuckled.

Qech rolled her eyes. "And what if it's a girl?"

He laughed. "Taj is unisex. I'm kidding of course, but really... Start thinking of names. It's never too early." He watched her for a moment and, deciding she looked incredibly tired, said: "I'll stop yappin'. You go get some sleep. G'night, love."

"One name came up" Qech said at last. "But it was... sort of a joke. Although now that I think about it, I'm not really sure. His father's name is Taj, as is his grandfather, and his great-grandfather. In fact, he's the seventh." Realization crept across her face slowly. "He was joking about not using it as a girl's name, but..."

She looked back up at Lioy. "This was before I knew I was having a boy." She bit her lip again, looking away toward the far wall but not really focusing on anything in particular. "I think he wanted a junior... times seven."

A small smile appeared on her face as she considered the idea. They hadn't talked about it with any certainty, but she knew him so well. She could read between the lines. Her baby had a name.
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uvek · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:29 pm Post subject:

Uvek stood outside the door of the Counselor's office. It hadn't been that long since the party she threw as an ice-breaker, and he felt like an idiot. Bad enough to be slicked up and in a fool's costume, but to pass out over some earth drink was the heighth of ignomity.

He pressed the chime and straightened his uniform. Hopefully, she wouldn't notice the green tinge creeping into his carefully composed face.
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Aria · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:50 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Qech

Aria smiled back at her. "I think Taj is a beautiful name," she said.
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Aria · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 7:54 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Uvek

"Come in!" she called.

She looked up as the door opened and dimpled. "Ah, Lieutenant! Welcome. It's a pleasure to see you again. Please, won't you take a seat?"
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Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

"I think Taj is a beautiful name"

Qech smiled, but even though it was a decent attempt, it wasn't her brightest smile. She had a name for him, and that was a good feeling, but the topic that lead to it still weighed heavy on her.

"I think so too" she said sadly. "At least I know the grandparents will approve."

With that, she rose from the couch and extended her hand to Lioy. "I'm sorry it had to be so brief, counselor, but I have an appointment with Doctor Kiv in a few minutes. If you need me for anything after that, official business or otherwise, I'll be in my office."

She smiled.

"I appreciate your taking the time to see me. And it was nice to get a second opinion on the name. I have to say, it feels nice to know he has one."

As she shook the woman's hand Qech couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Had she really tried her best? Probably not. But burying oneself in work just seemed so much easier.

She sighed inwardly. Maybe next time she thought. Just not today.
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Aria · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:03 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Qech

Aria shook the commander's hand, feeling both pleased and a little sad. The other woman had closed up again, but perhaps that was inevitable. These things didn't happen overnight. She'd gotten Qech to confront the problem, to stop avoiding...even for a moment...the pain that was eating at her. It was a first step towards healing.

It was a start. That was what counted. The rest would follow with time...and a little helpful prodding.

I appreciate your taking the time to see me. And it was nice to get a second opinion on the name. I have to say, it feels nice to know he has one."

"Not at all," she replied. "My door is always open."

If you need me for anything after that, official business or otherwise, I'll be in my office."

She grinned. "As is yours, apparently. Isn't it good to know we're both so conscientious. All right, then," she added as she showed Qech to the door. "I suppose I'll be seeing you around, sir. I think it's going to be an honor serving under you."
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uvek · Posted: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:36 pm Post subject:

Uvek nodded respectfully to Commander Qech and then sat in the appointed place. He smiled grimly as the counselor took her seat in the office.

"Counselor, I did not mean to intrude. I did think it was necessary to apologize for my behavior in the party a bit ago. It was...uncharacteristic." He winced at the weak term. It was a nightmare for the carefully composed Romulan. But still, underneath it all, was a small sense of something else; satisfaction? relief? He shook the feeling away and looked at the new ship's counselor. "I regret that such behavior may cause you to lose confidence in me."
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Davynn Qech · Graphics Chief Joined: 16 Jun 2009 Posts: 809

"I suppose I'll be seeing you around, sir. I think it's going to be an honor serving under you."

Qech smiled. "It's a pleasure having you aboard Lieutenant." On her way out, she bumped into Uvek, who nodded at her. She looked past him and back toward Lioy, smiling.

"Oh, good luck with this one. I hear he hangs out with the ship's First Officer. She's a terrible influence. You may need to restrain him." With a grin, and a wink at Uvek, she made her way back toward sickbay.

Taj, she thought to herself. Why didn't I think of that before?
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Aria · Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:26 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Uvek

Aria grinned at Qech's words as she sat down across from the Romulan.

uvek · Posted: Thu Apr 08, 2010 4:12 pm Post subject:

Uvek showed shock for a moment, then composed himself. Shaking his head he replied.

"No. It does not seem very practical. I have led a very solitary life in the service of my government, and while the Federation is something of a mystery to me, I find some of their personal interactions rather distracting." He leaned back. "I have changed somewhat over the past several months, that much I must confess. However, since my interrogation at the hands of the Tal'harton, and my mind meld with Dr. T'Lau, I find emotions in general more difficult to make room for." His face darkened. "I fear that my workouts with Petty Officer Koester have become so violent at times that I have suspended them. It is strange that anger springs more readily to the surface than enjoyment would, but there it is, nonetheless." He looked at the counselor with an almost curious expression on his face.

"I try to remember my boyhood on Ch'rihan, perhaps reclaim some of that energy and emotion, but I find that I cannot. All that seems left to me are angry memories. Yet, still...something is there that I wish to understand more fully, but cannot seem to express. Your party brought a piece of that bursting to the surface, yet I seemed unprepared for it, and reacted poorly. Do you understand?"
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Aria · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 5:40 pm Post subject:

((OOC: I'm so sorry I took so long to reply to this. I just got ahold of the latest Dresden Files book, and I've been completely immersed in that awesomeness. Any time spent not at work or sleeping has been spent reading. You ever had a storyline grab you by the neck and shake you like a small kitten? Erm...anyway, my apologies. Smile

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Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Uvek

"I think so," Aria replied slowly. She leaned back as she thought upon Uvek's words. "You're unaccustomed to having your emotions out of your control," she summarized. "And this is disturbing you. That's perfectly understandable." She paused before going on and considered how to put her words.

"It's not uncommon for someone who has suffered a trauma to have violent impulses. It's the subconscious' way of trying to deal with what happened. Unfortunately," she said, "that doesn't mean it's the healthiest way of dealing with the memories."

"Your inability to connect with your childhood probably stems from this as well," she went on. "The angry memories, as you put it, are blocking the drain, if you will." She looked at him, and addressed what the Romulan hadn't said. Not directly. "There is nothing wrong with you. These reactions are normal."

"If you're willing, I'd like to talk with you about what happened during your time with the Tal'harton. Facing the source of your anger might help you in managing it."

She waited to see what he would say. She found it interesting that Uvek and Qech had gone about things so completely differently. The Trill had been extremely reluctant to speak about what was bothering her, making Aria have to pull carefully and watch her words to get any sort of meaningful response. Uvek, on the other hand, had come to her fully willing to talk about his problems. Clearly, he was desperately worried by his lack of control...worried enough to come for help. Aria found this direct and refreshing. But at the same time, she wondered if the Romulan had been testing her...even as he came to her. He had ordered his explanation of his problem in a controlled and meticulous fashion (something she thought was probably typical of him) and then asked her if she understood. She'd tried to respond in kind, marshalling her own thoughts and explaining her take on what he had told her. The very way he'd set the conversation up had nonverbally demanded that she do so, forcing her to place herself up for his analysis. If she correctly stated the problem then they could continue and build a relationship. If she muffed it, he would be justified in leaving. There was a questioning undercurrent to the apparent directness. Aria had read Uvek's file and knew he had once been a member of the Tal'Shiar. Therefore this sort of careful judging was completely in character. She was an unknown quantity and he was feeling her out. She'd just have to hope she lived up to it.

Of course, she thought wryly, it was also completely possible that she was reading too much into things.
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uvek · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:20 pm Post subject:

(OOC: no apology necessary....great internal monologue by the way...)

Uvek swallowed while reaching to touch his right ear tip. "I would prefer to say that it was...unsettling. Suffice to say that in an attempt to retain control of my mind during whatever subversion program they had (and avoid the full brunt of the torture I endured), I performed a very dangerous and unstable procedure called a neural synaptic induction." He actually shuddered. "As a result of that I was quite incapable of self-control. A mind meld with Dr. T'Lau helped restore my reason, but I lost some memory and capabilities." He smiled ruefully, "That's why I have been allowing Petty Officer Koester to throw me around the gym."

Leaning back he stared upward to the ceiling. "Now your party has caused me to recognize that I have lost something in the translation. I enjoy structure; being in control. I do not feel the need to lose that quality, and it is more necessary as we travel further from the Federation. However, I must be able to separate this desire from the need for it. I find I no longer have that ability, which no doubt led to my behavior in the party."
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Aria · Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 6:46 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Uvek

"I performed a very dangerous and unstable procedure called a neural synaptic induction. As a result of that I was quite incapable of self-control."

"Really," she said. "What was that like?"
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uvek · Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2010 8:50 pm Post subject:

Chuckling for a moment, Uvek looked directly at the lieutenant. "Like having a Hzz'kah scratching your brain while standing outside yourself and watching it happen. It was very much not what I expected."

"However, saying that I would say that if things had progressed as I felt they would have, dependnig on the information I interpreted from Ambassador Rolen, the procedure would have allowed us invaluable information on the tal'harton. As it was, it did not."
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Live a life of action...not reaction.

Aria · Posted: Mon Apr 12, 2010 7:09 pm Post subject:

Aria Lioy's Office
Speaking to Uvek

"the procedure would have allowed us invaluable information on the tal'harton. As it was, it did not."

"Why not?" Aria asked. "What happened?"

She hoped the Lieutenant would stop deflecting. It was the strangest thing. When he first started talking to her, he'd outlined an emotional problem...clearly wanting her help. But when she tried to talk to him about it, he immediately tried to distance himself from the very emotions he'd come to discuss. He kept pulling back from his personal experience and would switch into explanation mode. She supposed that was a defense mechanism. Perhaps if she kept coaxing him, he'd relax a little.

Why is nothing ever easy? she thought wryly.

((OOC: I'm not criticizing, BTW. I hope it doesn't sound like I am. I just think it might be fun if we play up the difficulties a little. But do as you want. I'll follow your lead. Smile

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