Knocking once for help
Posted on Sun Aug 6th, 2017 @ 11:32am by Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant JG Ilan Rol
1,458 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Episode 95 - Helping Old Friends
Location: USS Essex, Counselor's Office
Timeline: MD 01 1630 hours
ON:
Hades had finished his sickbay prep, the ship was on its way and he was supposed to be either in the lounge eating or in his quarters reading. Things didn't work out that way. He couldn't sit still, he couldn't eat, he just walked. He'd spent the last half an hour walking around the ship, going from deck to deck. He'd tried to stop into the gym but couldn't muster up the energy to workout. He tried to sit and meditate in the observation room but that didn't work. His mind was racing so he continued to walk. His steps took him back to the sickbay deck and down the hall to a place, a room he didn't want to be in. He stood outside the counselor's office now looking at the door willing it to open and also willing it to remain closed. This was the room that was occupied by the counselor, he'd sworn to himself he'd never see a Starfleet counselor. He'd talked to Splendora a few times but that had been different. She didn't have the ability to make notations in his file. She wouldn't be writing in his file how weak he was; this Bajoran man would be writing that.
Shaking his head he knocked and then quickly turned to leave...
had just finished unpacking his flight bag. There wasn't much to unpack. He'd had all his stuff taken to his quarters on the station and he'd just grabbed some changes of clothing, his uniform, some books and a few other things he couldn't live without. What he really loved about this ship was the fact that his quarters were in back and his office out front. It was so cosy. Office, bathroom, room, little kitchen slash livingroom area and it was perfect. His quarters on the station were huge, he'd had the chance to see them but this was small and perfect.
Ilan smiled as he headed to the bathroom to unpack his toiletries. It didn't take long with that either nor did it take long for him to set up his prayer shrine in his bedroom. He then decided to tackle his office.
There was nothing to unpack there ... at least not much anyway. He had his favourite notebook as well as his pens and highlighters; yes, this was a new age but he'd always liked writing. It had been a dying art and he'd found taking manual notes and then transferring them to the computer file was a calming exercise in itself. He stowed those and the drawer and finished putting up some photos of himself during the Academy, on Bajor, and with family. He had a few more photos to place up when he heard a knock on the door. It was one single knock.
Being so close to the door it took him but a few seconds to hit the door open button and to be faced with the back of a retreating and what he saw as, a reluctant, doctor. "Doctor Hades?" He asked.
Hades spun around. He'd hoped that he could knock once, run away, and then chalk it up to the Counselor not being in. He felt much like the man with his hand in the cookie jar before dinner. Turning, and blushing slightly, he rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous habit he'd picked up along the way. "I...accidently stumbled and knocked into your door." He said, outright lying.
Ilan's lip twitched, "I see. Well since you're here why don't you come in. See the counselor's office. We are a part of medical technically so you should see the digs too."
Logical. Then why did Hades feel like a fly in a spider's nest? He sighed and entered the room. He looked around. It was a small office with several doors. He'd known that the quarters were behind the office. It was a feature he'd always liked on the Essex. He'd had to admit that he'd been a bit excited when he'd heard he'd been assigned here. The ship was comfortable, cozy, and not a wasted bit of space to be had. Every inch was put to good use.
"This is...nice."
Ilan smiled as he headed to the replicator. He'd read all the files of the senior staff and was just going through the junior staff. The senior file he'd remembered most was Hades. There had been a little part about him not liking counseling nor responding well to it. He'd have to get creative with this one. He'd also read about the doctor's fondness for peppermint tea. "Would you like a mint tea? I'm just getting one for myself...or something else to drink?"
Hades walked over to the wall of photos and started looking through them. He'd heard the question and as a reflex he'd agreed to the tea. In fact he'd never said no to peppermint tea. It was relaxing and he felt as relaxed as a coiled snake at the moment. There was something about a counselor's office that made him...edgy.
Ilan picked up the mugs of tea, one for himself and one for the good doctor. He walked over to the wall of photos. "That's my roommate from the Academy, Reinhard Stevens." He smiled, "He was the one who tutored me in shuttle craft piloting and fixing. I learned a lot from him. He was also the head of the student's medical association."
Hades emitted a sound that sounded like 'Hmmm'.
Ilan smiled, "This is my family, my siblings."
Hades eyes rested on a young woman with an exotic mix of Cardassian and Bajoran features.
Ilan noticed where his eyes were. "That is Belar Adekat, engineer. My half sister." He smiled proudly. "My Mother's daughter from her...relationship with Gul Adekat."
He said the last words slowly. Hades noted the hint of sourness and pain. It couldn't have been easy for Rol knowing that his mother was a comfort woman for a Cardassian.
"You are on good terms?" He asked.
Ilan gave a nod, "She is my sister." He said it as it was. Wanting to stay away from the path that he'd gone down he turned to the doctor. "So I heard you were recently promoted. Congratulations." Ilan noticed a shadow pass over Hades' face. He'd done some research on the CMO. Talking to Nurse Lynn had been enlightening. She'd said that Hades had been in a relationship with the former CMO who'd ... left rather suddenly without word. The staff had never liked the idea of Hades with this doctor...what was his name...Ilan searched his mind, ah yes Thr'elanon...or something like that. Lynn had been specific. They'd all liked both doctors but there was a vulnerability to Hades that they all saw, an innocence that they hadn't found in the other doctor. They had been weary of the relationship but had refused to intervene.
"How are you settling in your new role," Ilan asked to try and get the doctor talking on a safe subject.
Hades sipped his tea and studied the photos. "Fine." He felt a bit tight lipped due to the fact that this was a counselor and most of them didn't know the meaning of off the record.
Ilan thought about things a bit. The knock on the door had not been an accident, it had been deliberate and he'd have run away if Ilan hadn't been near the door. "Say I was going to go and grab dinner when you...bumped into the door. How about we go to dinner? You can tell me more about the Starbase and settling in."
Hades studied the man. "I...don't need counseling."
Ilan laughed, "Well I never suggested you did but you do seem to have a dislike of counselors maybe you can tell me why." He paused, "Maybe we can both get dinner in the process?"
Hades sighed, "Your not going to use your counseling powers on me are you."
Ilan threw his head back and laughed, "Counseling powers?" He chuckled as he walked to his desk and put his cup down. He shook his head, "You, my dear doctor, have a weird view of counselors, you must tell me how that started."
Hades shrugged and headed to the door. "Okay I guess." As counselor's came this one didn't seem so bad. Maybe talking to someone would help. "Dinner it is...but no counseling."
Ilan smiled and followed the doctor out, "I wouldn't dream of it Doctor Hades." What Hades didn't see was that Ilan's fingers were crossed behind his back.
OFF:
Lt. Cmdr. Hades
Chief Medical Officer
USS Essex
&
Lt. JG Rol, Ilan
Counselor
USS Essex
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