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Not So Easy A Conversation

Posted on Mon Jul 19th, 2021 @ 4:03pm by Commodore Keiben Haistro & Commander Peter Horn & Commander Lillian Carter

1,932 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 3 - Fear Is Fear Itself

ON

Keiben watched as the away team started to filter away from the bridge leaving him slightly short handed until the relief officers poured in. Lillian was really upping her game and he was more than pleased to see it. He and Tam really had made the right choice to promote her. There really wasn't much to do now other than wait for word from the away team, until then he could easily leave the bridge in Carter's hands once more and take the time to speak with Horn about not only his animal on the bridge but also his reluctance to start owning his new living situation. It wasn't going t be easy but this needed to happen and before it got out of hand.

"Lieutenant Carter, can I ask you to mind the store for a time while I have a chat with Commander Horn?"

"Aye Sir." Lillian moved back to the Captain's Chair as an ensign took her place at the helm.

"Commander, can I see you in the ready room please!" Keiben was already moving across the bridge to exit knowing that Horn would be following but he didn't wait. He exited the bridge and was gone.

Peter had kept mostly quiet as he had observed everyone on the bridge. Being suddenly addressed seemed to startle him from his thoughts. "Yes sir," he answered quietly, pushing away from the bulkhead he'd been leaning against to follow his commanding officer.

The doors to the ready room opened and Keiben was sat behind his desk, telepathic barriers in place to prevent the other man from reading anything from him. This wasn't going to be an easy conversation but it was something that needed to be said.
"Commander, please take a seat!"

Though he was incapable of reading the Betazoid's thoughts without touching him, being suddenly cut off from the man's feelings altogether felt as though part of his senses had been taken away from him. Giving a slow nod, he sat as directed, waiting patiently for the man to speak.

Keiben eyed the dog at Peter's side for a moment before bringing his gaze back to his Counsellor.
"Who Counsels the Counselor Commander? We need to deal with your situation and quickly... I think you know why i have asked you here and this may be considered a bit a tough love but this needs to be said!"

"I have already met with Chief Stoun, and asked for his assistance," Peter answered almost immediately, before shaking his head. "No, I do not know why you called me here. I cannot read you captain, not like you can read me."

"In a nut shell... Commander, I know what you have been through has been tough, devastatingly so, but its time to shake yourself out of this. For starters, the Dog on the bridge... Do you really feel that is appropriate? What if we had been thrust into an emergency, the animal would likely be scared and unpredictable. For that reason alone you of all people should know not to bring any animal on to the bridge. Secondly, I heard about the set too between yourself and the EMH and how Ensign Olowe, who is in a similar position to you, had to break up what was rapidly turning into a fight... How would that have affected your own professional credibility with the crew once news started to spread? Need I go on Commander!"
Keiben remained level and calm throughout but all he wanted to do was stand up and shake the man. Shake him until he found his Vulcan composure, until he found his Romulan determination, until he found his resolve to push through this life challenge with some form of dignity and decorum.

Peter listened in silence, but as the tirade continued, his eyes flashed angrily. "Khione will learn to behave, training will expose her to different sounds so she will respond appropriately. It is a temporary measure to keep me functional." He drew in a deep breath, as if to recollect himself. "The incident in sickbay is on that intolerable hologram which would not see reason. These were unusual circumstances. Anyone who can see reason would understand that I am not myself, but I am trying!" The frustration and anger were clearly audible in his voice.

He looked down as the pup jumped up into his lap and licked his face as if to draw him back out. He drew in another deep breath. "I am trying," he said again, "if I were not, I would not even have been on the bridge."

"I appreciate that Commander... I have to ask if you wish to remain on active duty? If you do then you need to find a way to deal with this in a much more accelerated pace. The Dog, regardless of training is not to be brought onto the bridge again. If we end up in combat then the Dog becomes a liability. As for the exchange between yourself and the EMH... I am lead to believe that Russ was simply doing his job and you were the one to be unreasonable... Now I am not getting into that... I am simply telling you that it does not happen again. Everything to this point is contained and should not affect your professional credibility but that level of cover will not be water tight indefinitely. The longer you take to deal with this the less likely it is that the crew will feel comfortable with you handling their mental wellbeing"

Keiben paused for a moment take take a deep breath unsure if he should say what he wanted to next. It would be blunt and direct and it would either finish the Commander off or it may be the wake up call he needed.
"To be as direct as I can Commander... You lost a hand. Its sad, it must be an adjustment... Ensign Olowe also lost her hand and she has already accepted the prosthetic hand and is now well on the road to learning how it will function and she is adapting... Beyond that Yelena Sidarov lost her life. I know you didn't know her very well but do you think she would sit around wallowing as you have been... I know the answer to that would no she wouldn't. She would be celebrating the fact she was still alive and had a new adventure... Beyond that, would you deem someone in your position in a fit state to look after their son, now be honest and really think about that!"

"You are not listening," Peter accused, "you do not hear well for a telepath. I have already spoken with Chief Stoun regardin a replacement hand and my requirements. He already took scans." The counselor was visibly irritated. "And do not dare judge my parenting skills. I have four children, one of which attending the academy and one preparing to."

"Exactly my argument... You are having a custom designed and built prosthetic, grasping at reclaiming your life instead of accepting the standard prosthetics that Doctor D'BrooNi would be able to replicate as Ensign Olowe has done. You could have already been back on formal duty by now if you had been able to work past your own prejudices and hang ups given your situation".
Keibens gaze was like tempered steel but his voice was controlled and measured. "On the topic of your parenting skills, I am not questioning that. I asked you a question... Would you deem someone with your level of scaring, and yes I am talking about your mental state as it currently stands. Would you deem someone like that fit to be caring for a child... You can be as irritated and angry at me as you wish but this is me giving you the proverbial slap to drag you out of this as fast as I can because my next step is not one that I want to take!"

Peter's gaze was the opposite as his temper was starting to get away with him. His eyes were blazing and his voice was starting to betray his anger. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of my children," he snapped, "I have not accepted a standard prosthetic because that is not what I need. I am currently going without, as for me this is my way to accept what happened. I am not Ensign Olowe, and she deals with this differently than I do. Her duty-set is different from mine, I can be without a hand for a few days if that gets me what I need."

Khione whined softly, drawing him out of his anger and he took a few more deep breaths to attempt to get himself back under control. He closed his eyes from a moment, as if to center himself. "I am a counselor now, not a security chief. I have different needs now, different requirements. I do not require immediate substitution, what I do require is time, to deal with this my way. And seek the help I need, in my own time." He gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing again. "And I am drawing myself out of this, I was on the bridge instead of in sickbay was I not? I went to engineering, instead of remaining in sickbay, did I not?"

"Yes, you did what you wanted Commander instead of listening to your medical advise. Ensign Olowe needs precision, mobility, flexibility, dexterity... You say she has a different skill set and yet from my perspective you could easily have been fitted with a hook given your position and skill set in comparison to Ensign Olowe. Instead she is accepting her situation and she is adapting. Instead you are avoiding the truth and making more of it than you actual need to... I will also point out that this is no longer a discussion, this is a Commanding Officer and your friend telling you to look beyond the fog of sorrow and anger that is directly in front of you because you will eventually put me into a position where I will have to remove you from the ship. Your outburst in sickbay is the start of a very slippery slope Commander and you are lucky that Doctor D'BrooNi, Russ and Ensign Olowe spoke to me..."
Keiben's tirade was cut short as the intercom sprang to life and the melodic tones of Lieutenant Carter interjected.

"Bridge to Keiben. Sir, we've reached the source of these energy readings. I think you better get out here."

Keiben was on his feet, forcing his flaring temper to calm and reduce down to a simmer rather than a raging blaze that it was threatening to turn into.
"I could do with you on the bridge Commander!" he said as he moved past the man, not stopping to give him a moment to gather himself.

Peter briefly closed his eyes as a tidal wave of barely reigned in anger washed over him. He'd been unprepared for that as most of their conversation he'd been unable to sense much of anything from the Betazoid. He just couldn't understand why the man seemed to believe that his way of dealing with this trauma was considered to be wrong or wallowing. He was here, wasn't he? Out of sickbay, and reaching out to those he believed would be able to help him. How was that wrong?

He stood at the call of his rank, taking a deep breath to center himself before following. "Yes sir," he answered curtly.

OFF

 

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