Mystery Note

Posted on Sat Sep 7th, 2019 @ 4:10pm by Lieutenant JG Ilan Rol & Lieutenant Commander Ariana Monroe-Wayne
Edited on on Sat Sep 7th, 2019 @ 4:13pm

1,523 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 100 - A Hatred of Atonement
Location: Ariana's Office & Rol's Office
Timeline: MD 01 0130 hours

ON:

Hades had approved Ariana's return to duty at a bit of a higher level. The pregnancy was going well and he had no concerns. The mystery note writer knew she would be finishing up now and that she'd stayed late tonight.

They hit the sent button and sighed. Perhaps this was sneaky but Rol had been very adamant about keeping their relationship a secret. Sure, it was understandable but...there were days when the secrecy of it tugged at both of them. In fact it was their argument last night that proved it.

Ariana was sitting at her desk when she was alerted to the arrival of a message. Pulling it up on her computer screen she read it carefully.

The message read,


Dear Counselor Monroe,

I am writing to you in secret...I did ensure you could not trace this so please don't try. I have recently begun seeing a counselor of yours, Rol Ilan. Rol and I have been seeing one another for a short while and we are quite close. At night he has started having night terrors...I can guess they are about the occupation by what he says and I don't know the circumstances of it as he refuses to talk with me about it and I do not wish to pray as the relationship is rather new.

I feel...helpless to assist and I hope that you would be able to. Logically you would be the most qualified person. I would also appreciate if you did not mention this letter to him.

With thanks for your assistance.

...I cannot sign my name so call me a Concerned Friend.



Ariana read the note over again just to get her facts straight before deciding the best thing to do was to make a visit to Rol to see if she could get to the bottom of what was going on.

Rol was just finishing up notes from his last appointment hours ago. He sighed. This had been one of the good ones. He'd been able to help that ensign and he was happy for it. Now he just had to keep an eye on Carolyn and that was it. He smiled. She was turning out to be his favourite patient. He was earning the right to help her. It was all so Bajoran.

Arriving at Rol's office shortly afterwards Ariana pressed the chime and waited for an answer.

Rol looked up. He wouldn't turn anyone away. Smiling he stood. "Come on it." He hadn't expected Ariana to walk in. "Hello! Come on it. Have a seat. I heard doctor Hades has lightened up a bit letting you come back to work more but it's getting late."

Ariana nodded as she made her way over to a seat. "Everything is going okay with the baby so Hades relented some and let me add a few hours to stave off the boredom!" She grinned as she sat down and made herself comfortable. "I've only got a minor few months to go so anything to save me sitting around dwelling on the fact that I have to give birth yet."

"You are worried?" he asked.

"I'm not worried I'm petrified!!" She grinned. "Gives me nightmares just thinking about it." She shook her head. She was hoping to work her way round to asking Rol if he had nightmares. "Please tell me I'm not the only one round here who gets nightmares!"

That was an understatement. He shook it out of his mind. "Well I'm sure everyone has them but you will do amazing. There is nothing to be scared about or worried about." He gently took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "We're all here to help."

"I know" Ariana smiled as she held Rol's hand. "So, how are you doing?" She was hoping Rol would talk to her about his problems but if not she'd have to raise the matter herself without mentioning the note.

He sighed. I'm okay. Just a bit tired but plugging away, as humans would say." He groaned. "That was so not an intentional rhyme."

Ariana smiled. “That’s okay. Are you not sleeping very well? Is there something you need to talk about?”

He sighed. "Lots to keep my mind going. Yes. I am having trouble sleeping." He shrugged. "It's come on and off for a while now. Sometimes," he shrugged, "The shadows of the past know no rest."

Ariana nodded, now she was getting to where she wanted to be with Rol. “Tell me about it. One Counsellor and friend to another. I want to help.”

He sighed, "A long story. The occupation was not easy for anyone." He shrugged. "Every Bajoran lost a lot. I was no different. I sometimes... remember it and get lost in the memory. Then I have trouble sleeping. It is one of those times."

Ariana nodded. She wanted to say that she knew he was struggling but she couldn’t mention the note or Rol would know that something had been said. “Talk to me about it, what is it that you remember? Sharing might just be what you need, to be able to accept and move on.”

He sighed, "It is a long story." He smiled at her. "Oh boy...am I being counseled on the sly?"

“Now would I do that?” Ariana looked innocently at Rol giving him a smile. “I was just offering to help that’s all.”

He sighed, "Perhaps. It's...difficult to talk about. I guess I could tell you a little about it but I'm not ready for the whole story. Can we do a little for now?" He sounded tired and defeated in that question and in a sense he was. This had plagued him for a long time.

“We can do as much, or as little as you want Rol” Ariana smiled warmly. “We’re both Counsellor’s but what good are we if we can’t help each other as well as our patients? Let me in Rol, let me help you.”

He sighed, "Well not much to tell. It wasn't an easy life. Being a Bajoran during the occupation was not easy. My family was...divided. My father a member of the resistance, my mother the mistress of a Cardassian." He shrugged. "Everyone did the best they could." He missed his siblings but talking to them was not an option.

Ariana nodded. She understood how hard the occupation had been for the Bajoran's and the names that those who assisted the Cardassians were called. She could only imagine how Rol's mother must have been thought of as a mistress of a Cardassian. "Of course, the occupation was a time that caused many Bajoran's to do what they didn't want to do. I can understand how hard it must have been for your family."

He shrugged. "I joined the resistance at 11. After my father died I tried to become a monk, a way to pay my siblings safety. Then spent some time as a prisoner on a Cardassian station in the mines...it was...not a pleasant experience. My youngest sister...she's half Cardassian, when I took her in the last of my family fell away. My mother married the Cardassian shortly after my father died and he helped me and my sisters start a new life on Earth." He shrugged. "Everyone always sees me as a collaborator but... couldn't leave my youngest sister. She was part Cardassian but still family." He shrugged again, it was obvious that this was a soar spot for him.

"You're no collaborator Rol, you did what any of us would do in your situation. Family is family no matter what their genetic makeup." She could understand how painful it must all have been and still be for him. "Your family have nothing to do with you now?" She gave him an understanding look.

"Brothers...no. Sisters...one is back on Bajor and the other...she calls every six months but...not so much anymore."

Ariana nodded. "Perhaps we could try getting you all together at some point? A mediated discussion between them and you with some help from me. If that's something you'd be willing to do?"

He shrugged. "They deserve to be happy. If not having me in their lives makes them so...it's their right." He said sadly. He looked at the time. "Do you realize it's already 0130 hours?"

"It is!?" Ariana couldn't believe it she'd completely lost track of time. "In that case how's about I go and let you get some sleep, and I do mean sleep!" She grinned. "Guess it's time I was going to bed anyway."

He smiled, "I will walk you home, then I will go home and perhaps deal with the reason you are so concerned for my sleep." He saw her face and laughed. "That in itself is a long story. I know all." He waggled his eyebrows in a bid to be mysterious.

Ariana grinned and nodded in agreement. "You are just too mysterious Rol but that's all part of your charm!" With that they headed out of Rol's Office.

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