Dotting the Is
Posted on Tue May 2nd, 2023 @ 4:27pm by Lieutenant JG Mira Jayna & Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn & Sophia
Edited on on Tue May 2nd, 2023 @ 9:37pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Counseling Office - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD003 1500 hrs
Jayna approached Zhara's office two minutes before her appointment with the counselor. Even though her emotions were back under control—especially after spending time with Neil—she knew she needed to talk to her about the mission.
"Come in," Zhara called from the open doorway. "Make yourself comfortable."
A large poodle poked her head out of the door and wagged her tail before disappearing back inside.
The first thing Jayna noticed when she entered the office was the light scent of vanilla and the sound of water. She looked over to the corner where a rock sculpture and waterfall sat on a table. It was understated and pleasing. The office was decorated in creams and blues. "I don't think we've met before. I'm Mira Jayna."
"No, we haven't." The counselor indicated a couch and two chairs. "Please, have a seat. I'm Zhara, and this is my therapy dog, Sophia." She picked up two PADDs from her desk and waited for Jayna to sit in a chair before taking a seat on the couch. "I've read your files. They don't say as much as most. But then, I believe that is normal for someone in intelligence. Is there anything you'd like to add?"
Jayna nodded. She looked at the fern along one wall while she decided what else to add. "There's not much to say. My sister and I grew up in a resistance cell on Bajor, then joined the Maquis when we were teenagers." Very little else was in her files, except for the date her parents died. She didn't elaborate on her early life. "We don't have many records before we took the amnesty agreement and joined Starfleet. My sister went into security and I ended up in intelligence." She shrugged. "For the first few years I kept to myself. Infiltration and data retrieval are often done alone or in small groups."
Zhara watched her as she spoke and tried to take a basic reading of Jayna's mood, but her mental shields were too tight to get any sort of read on her. Once again, it was not unexpected. "Do you still keep to yourself?" She kept it generic to see how the other woman responded.
Jayna again thought of Neil and smiled. "Not as much. I've worked with the Marines and science. I've made friends in both departments." Again, she chose to keep it fairly generic. If the counselor didn't need details, she wasn't going to give them. It wasn't that she had a problem sharing, she simply didn't do it until she was comfortable with the person.
Zhara noticed the smile, but chose to say nothing. It was enough that the other woman wasn't spending all her time alone or on duty. She made a note in her PADD. "Diversity can be a good thing. So, tell me about your experience on the recent mission to retrieve the science team."
Jayna gave her a succinct account of what happened, even though it was already in several reports, including her own. "When the creature that called itself Ka vicus touched my mind, I initially had a problem dealing with the release of all the traumatic experiences of my childhood, but a friend helped me get it back into perspective and now I feel like myself again." Okay, she was feeling incredible, but that was for reasons she wasn't going to discuss with the counselor.
For just a moment, Zhara felt Jayna's emotional state, but it was quickly suppressed. Still, it was enough for the counselor to understand the type of help the half-Vulcan received, and she approved. "Most Vulcans find emotion difficult to deal with. You seem to have found a balance."
She'd been asked that question a lot and chuckled. "I'm half Vulcan and half Bajoran. I'm more emotional than most Vulcans and more logical that many Bajorans."
"Do you consider yourself more Bajoran or more Vulcan?" Zhara often found that a hybrid was more one than the other.
"I'm more Vulcan. I'm physiologically Vulcan and I don't generally follow the prophets. I learned how to mind meld and use a nerve pinch." She also went through pon farr, but that would be in her medical records and she didn't want to discuss it with the counselor, even though she felt relaxed around the other woman.
"Didn't your Bajoran parent believe in the prophets?"
"He did, but he was killed when I was eleven and the prophets didn't save him, or the others that died while I was on Bajor. I have his ear cuff, but I don't wear it often."
Jayna showed some residual anger over the occupation and loss of her family, even though it was within normal parameters. Zhara made a note and asked, "Do you blame the prophets for the Cardassian Occupation?"
Jayna raised an eyebrow. "No. I blame the Cardassians. You know what the prophets are. They'd rather observe how we react than get involved."
Zhara noted the use of the word, we. "So, you chose logic?"
"No. I chose my own path. I'm a Vulcan who enjoys emotions. I am also a Bajoran who still mistrusts Cardassian."
Zhara again noted her choice of words. While she still seemed to mistrust the Cardassian government, from what the counselor heard and observed, Jayna did not mistrust all Cardassians. The other woman's records also showed that she had a healthy attitude about other species. She was glad that recent events hadn't seemed to alter that. "That makes perfect sense. Most people are not really one thing or another but a conglomeration."
Sophia walked over to Jayna and sat on her feet.
"That's her way of offering comfort and support when she thinks it's needed," Zhara said. "Feel free to pet her if you wish.'
Jayna ran her fingers through the dog's short, curly hair. "I'm fine, but thank you."
Sophia thumped her tail against the sofa.
Zhara watched the two for a moment. Jayna looked like she was fine, but sometimes Sophia picked up on things she didn't. "Is there anything else you wanted to talk about?"
"No. I needed to talk to someone when I first got back, but I found Major Tremble and he helped me work through it. I'm fine now." Again, there was a flash of a smile before she controlled it.
Zhara made another note on her PADD and nodded. "You seem fine to me, too. Since it's been a while, I'd like you to take the battery of tests to update your records, then you should be good for another year—baring any stressful assignments."
"Understood." Jayna smiled as she scratched the dog behind her ears. Most covert ops were stressful at some point. It was part of the job. So were missions with the Marines, but she enjoyed them. Then she took the PADD Zhara handed her and began the tests.
Sophia sat by her until she was finished, then moved to her bed in the corner.
"All done?" Zhara said from her desk. "Good." She went over and took the PADD. "That will be everything for today. Please let me know if you have any nightmares or unusual stress over the next few weeks."
The intel officer stood. "I will. Thank you." She turned to Sophia. "And thank you, too." The interview had gone better than she feared and she was looking forward to the rest of her day.
The dog wagged her tail.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Junior Grade Mira Jayna
Assistant Chief Intelligence Officer, USS Pioneer
Intelligence Liaison, The Cure
Lieutenant Junior Grade Zhara Rynn
Counselor, USS Pioneer
Sofia
Therapy Dog, USS Pioneer
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