Someone to talk to

Posted on Sat Mar 9th, 2019 @ 4:26pm by Fleet Admiral Mike K`Wor Bremer & General Janice Fultian-Bremer & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne

2,197 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 97 - Cultural Exchange
Location: Cardassia/USS Pegasus
Timeline: MD2 1625hrs

ON:

Dow and Draven had already found something to eat and had taken a seat at one of the open air tables. The weather was nice, there was good shade, and a soft breeze.

Mike on the other hand couldn't make up his mind. He'd tasted a few new things. The simple Cardassian Meat roll dipped in Yamok sauce with Oceanleaf tea wasn't bad, but it wasn't something he'd prefer to a meal out of. He also tried Romulan Viinerine and washed it down with a shot of Kali-fal. Again, it wasn't awful but also wasn't something he'd make a meal out of.

Mike made his way past the C'hakilian food stands, but nothing caught his eye or nose. He decided to find something in the Klingon food area when he saw Lieutenant Monroe.

"Miss Monroe, how are you enjoying yourself?" Mike asked as he walked up to her.

Ariana smiled as she greeted him. "I wouldn't go mad over some of the food choices Sir" She gazed at a live Klingon dish shook her head and turned away. "But all in all its going okay. Doctor Hades has put me on reduced duties for my remaining months of work so I have more time to myself to explore."

"How is the baby doing?" Mike asked. "And that racht is actually pretty good. It goes well with bahgol, a warm Klingon tea." Mike added. "I think I'm going to get some pipius claw, zilm'kach, Skull stew, targh tIq, and warnog to drink. Have to save room for something from the Federation food booths too." He smirked.

Ariana gave him a bemused look. "The baby is fine, it's just me that's classed as stressed." She sighed. "So what would you recommend from here for a pregnant woman? Preferably nothing that slithers on its own please! I already have one wriggler inside me either that or a gymnast!" She grinned.

Mike laughed, he needed a good laugh. "The pipius claw with zilm'kach is good, simple but filling. Pipius claw is a traditional dish made from the claw of a pipius. It's not served live, the dead pipius is torn into pieces and then marinated. Zilm'kach is an orange fruit similar to an Earth apricot. And bahgol tea is very soothing, my mother use to drink it when she was pregnant with me and with my brother. If you're feeling adventurous, try a little Grapok sauce with the pipius. Or, if you want something simple, try the Gladst, is a side dish consisting of brown and green leafy vegetables."

Mike's mind then turned to Janice, wishing she was still down on the planet with him. He knew she still has some suppressed anger from the Dominion, maybe that's why she beamed back up. He then blinked and returned his mind to the here and now to see what Ariana would pick to eat.

"Okay I'll try the....pious claw with zilm'kach please." She smiled as it was served up and handed to her. "Hmmm looks interesting!" She gave Mike a curious look. "Is there something wrong?"

"Um no.. well." Mike shuffled his feet and turned his head, "It's Janice. I was hoping we'd have some time together planet side. Enjoy the Exchange and take a walk on the shores of the lake close to Lakarian City. However she found some work to do and returned to the Pegasus. I know she still has some feelings, anger, other memories from the Dominion War and the Cardassians that she's pressed down deep. I don't think she'll return to drinking or another, but it's not good to suppress your anger...I know that all too well. Maybe you could speak with her?"

"If you think it'll help I'll be only too happy to speak to her." She tucked into her good, nodding in approval as she looked at Mike. "Hmmm very nice. So when would be the best time to speak to her?"

Mike took a breath. "Probably now, before she has time to come up with an excuse for returning to the ship so fast." He tried to smirk. "She'll be either in the Intel Office or Tactical Astrometerics."

"Care to accompany me?" Ariana looked at Mike waiting to see what he'd say.

"I think she'd be more open to you alone in this." He looked defeated for a moment, "Her anger issues, or previous issues as well as some of her suppressed feelings have always been a touchy subject in our marriage. If I'm there she's likely to close up.

"Okay...in that case I guess I'd best be getting up to your ship. If you could arrange a shuttle I'd appreciate it?" She smiled warmly.

Mike nodded and tapped his comm-badge. "Bremer to Pegasus. Send a shuttle down to pick up Lieutenant Monroe please."

"Aye sir, on its way." Roebuck replied over the comm.

"Thank you." Mike said to Ariana.

"I'll do what I can Sir" Ariana smiled. "Hopefully it'll help."

The shuttle from the Pegasus arrived at the closest landing area.


Pegasus, Tactical Astrometerics

Janice had confirmed that the Ferengi Alliance had indeed signed a non-aggression pact with the Typhon Pact just yesterday. Grand Nagus Rom had told the Federation and other Alliance members about it prior to signing and said he was only trying to keep the Ferengi Alliance neutral and even be in a position to help broker peace between the two sides.

Janice had sent the information to her husband as well as T'Lar, Ward, Jackson, Pike, Draven, and to K'Temoc back at Starbase 400.

She thought about returning to the surface to speed time with Mike, but the thought of stepping foot on Cardassian soil again turned her stomach. Truthfully, she thought about a drink, but she hadn't had one in years and didn't want to slip up now. As a still recovering alcoholic, she not only knew a drink would ease her nerves but would also only delay the thoughts and could also plunge her back into depression. No, no drink, nothing stronger that a raktijno anyway.

She deactivated the console she was using, gave a nod to the Intel Officer on duty and walked out into the corridor. Janice walked about a meter or so when she leaned against the wall, covered her face, and wiped a tear away. What bothered her most was, she really didn't know what was bothering her.

Ariana arrived aboard the Pegasus and immediately headed for Janice's location. She arrived just in time to see her looking quite upset about something. "Janice..." Ariana smiled as she approached her. "I'm Ariana Monroe Chief Counselor, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Janice sniffled and wiped her face again, "Um, hi. Uh no, no thank you. I'm just a little stressed and overtired. It's been a busy few days" She lied.

Janice turned to walk away, took a step, then stopped. "Actually, if you don't mind talking over a cup of coffee, a little conversation would be nice."

"That would be lovely" Ariana nodded and smiled. "Although I'll pass on coffee for obvious reasons!" She grinned.

Janice turned back around and smiled, letting out a little laugh. "Perhaps some Klingon warm bahgol tea. It's Klingon and is very soothing. Ten-Forward okay?"

"Ten forward is fine and I'll take you up on that Klingon tea, seems I'm developing a liking for certain Klingon foods."

Janice smiled, "Wait until you try krada. It's kind of like frog legs on Earth. If prepared right, they are amazing...and I hate Klingon food beyond ratajino and bahgol tea."

A few minutes later they arrived on deck ten, and walked into Ten-Forward. They took a seat neat the front window in a corner.

Once their drinks arrived, Janice took a sip of her bahgol tea and savored it for a moment. She then set the glass down and looked up at Monroe. "I used to be manic depressive and an alcoholic following the Dominion War. Being here, on Cardassia, is bringing back a lot of memories and I'm not entirely sure why. It was twenty years ago that the war ended."

"Twenty years but you're on, or were on, Cardassian soil. It's bound to bring back painful memories." Ariana sipped her own tea. "The Admiral was worried about you, he did mention you were having a hard time being here."

Janice nodded. "A lot happened during the war. The man I was dating was killed early in the war. I met Mike while we were both on leave at DS9. Well, we knew each other, he was the Forth Fleet CO and I was the Marine CO for the Fourth Fleet. We...we slept together and then back to the war. I didn't tell him when Marc and Emmaline were born. Didn't want to cause him to lose focus in combat. I did a lot of fighting while pregnant, from the bridge of the USS Durga and on the ground. Saw a lot of good people die, saw that the Jem'Hadar and Cardassians did to wounded and prisoners. After the war, I was assigned to Starbase 400 as the new station XO, Mike and I rekindled our brief romance and later were married. He didn't know at the time I had a drinking problem, and when he learned he helped me get past it." She paused to take a sip of her tea. "I retired from Starfleet, but later, after...after Marc and Emmaline were murdered I relapsed into depression and drinking. Mike helped me pull myself out of it again. After a few years I re-reentered Starfleet because I felt empty without it and I wanted to stay busy, so Marine Intel is my job now." She paused for a moment, "You know, we have a Jem'Hadar exchange officer on the station, and I can work with and talk to Ramata'tar but when a Cardassian is around I feel so angry."

"After what you've been through I'm not surprised. There aren't any magic cures or treatments for this. The best course of action is to find ways to deal with your anger. Only time will heal the pain and maybe lessen the anger, just don't give in to it. Revenge isn't the way to go, not that I'm saying you'd consider it."

"No...my hands had enough blood on them during the war. I'm not looking to add more." Janice replied. "I know suppressing my anger isn't the best thing to do. I've tried running, but that didn't help. I've tried kickboxing, yoga. Some days, week, even months I don't have an ill thought but then one day something triggers a memory or a feeling. I know it's a form of PTSD...can you tell I've spoken to a counselor before?" She laughed. "I wanted, really wanted to enjoy myself here this week. Now I wish I hadn't even come."

"PTSD is a serious condition, you can't help how this has affected you. If anything I think you're very brave for coming here in the first place." Ariana smiled warmly. "I can imagine...no I can feel, what you're feeling. Have you spoken to Mike about how you feel? You said he's pulled you back before, let him do it again. Let him in to help you."

"I didn't mention it today when it hit me. I didn't want to ruin it for you so I made an excuse about work. Well, if was work not just an excuse. When he returns to the ship tonight I'll speak to him about it. Sometimes he doesn't understand though. His half-Klingon side makes him feel like I'm weak and I should enjoy battle...he doesn't say that but its what I Klingon would think. He's never embraced his Vulcan-quarter, so at least I don't get the comments or thoughts about it's not logical to dwell on the past. And, his Human-quarter...I know he cares I just don't think he really knows what to say sometimes." She finished her tea.

"Have you told him that? How you feel he sees you?" Ariana looked at Janice curiously. "Maybe you should sit down with him and talk about it. If you need me to talk to him about it I can or see how it goes first. You need his support and he needs you."

"No, I haven't. He has so much already on his shoulders, he doesn't need my depression too." She looked out the window at Cardassia Prime and the dozens of ships nearby. "I'll say something to him about it tonight. Can you and I meet again after we get back to the Station?"

"Of course!" Ariana smiled warmly. "If I'm not in my office feel free to drop by my quarters anytime. I'm on reduced duties until this little one is born but my door is always open for you."

Janice stood, "Thank you, and thank you for listening. I'm going get a shower and see if Mike will bring me something from the food area up for dinner. Then talk to him about how I'm feeling." She gave a smile then walked to the door and beyond to the turbolift.



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