Zanna Meets the Counselor Part II
Posted on Wed Sep 6th, 2023 @ 6:54pm by Lieutenant Vura
Edited on on Wed Sep 6th, 2023 @ 8:36pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Counselor's Office - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD007 1330 hre
"I do but I rarely have anything to hide. If you like to draw, I can certainly do that with you. Deltans are well known artists. I do enjoy sketching and painting. I'm not as good as many Deltans, but my sketches are recognizable. I might be able to help you a bit with that, if you wanted."
Zanna considered for a moment. "That might be fun, someday," she said. "I have heard that about Deltans," she said. "So, it makes sense to see one as counselor," she said. "It's the same right-brain work needed for arts and things," she said.
Vura decided that Zanna was still being too guarded. So, she decided to shake it up. "If you could be any animal, what would you be, and why?"
Zanna wasn't prepared for that question. She blinked once. "Um...a cat. One of those from Earth, the really cute ones that are fuzzy. They seem content animals, and curious, too." She shrugged. What kind of question was that? Perhaps she wasn't the one needing a Counselor today. "Maybe an orange one. I like ginger animals-they seem...unique somehow. Did you know that in humans, the red hair gene is recessive? And curly hair for Cardassians," she said - some science knowledge she'd picked up from a bar trivia once.
"That is very specific," Vura told Zanna with a short laugh. "Do you study Earth a lot?"
Zanna shook her head. "No, but a friend of mine on Trill vacationed there once, and brought one home," she said. "That's how I learned about them originally, and then later on, at school and such. I did another survey class on flora and fauna of Federation planets when I was in High School, and they were discussed there, too. Very cute," she explained.
"I see. Have you ever had one as a pet?" Vura asked.
Zanna shook her head. "I've never had any pets at all. That's not really a part of Trill culture," she said. "And when I DID broach it with my parents, they weren't excited about the idea. I think they thought we were too busy in extracurricular activities and things to focus on caring for a pet," she explained. "But like I said, my friend had one, and a few of the girls I roomed with at the Academy did, as well. It seems to be becoming more common in more places than just Sol and its System," she said. "I have heard my Human friends insist that their parents suggest that it's a good practice if one wants to be a parent someday."
"In some ways it can be. A lot goes into taking care of a pet and the attachments are real. A good deal of the skills are translatable. Did you have any siblings?"
Zanna nodded. "Yes, I have two brothers, Keevan and Joris." She said. "They're both older than me." She said. "Why do you ask?"
"Just trying to get to know you better. Also, where you fall in the familial tree also generally has an influence on how you become who you are."
Zanna nodded. "I wasn't babied. Quite the opposite," she said. "There's enough of an age gap between myself and my eldest brother that we were mostly just friends. My middle brother and I fought a lot, though. We're only two years apart," she said. "He was always so mean. Never let me play with him."
I wonder why she jumped directly to being babied. That's rather interesting. "Well, it is far from abnormal from siblings to fight. Now that you're grown, have you seen a difference in your relationship with him?"
Zanna nodded. "Of course. The things we fought about were the regular things, I guess. Toys, playtime, what belonged to who, and so on. Now, we're pretty much friends, I think. He's my brother, and I love him, and even though we don't always agree on things, we handle it much more maturely. He wasn't happy with me leaving Trill to join the Fleet, but he's come to understand in time," she explained. "Keevan was much more open to it, but then he's always been a bit more willing to entertain my ideas." She shrugged. "Joris's only issue with it, I think, was from a place of concern for my personal safety and less about the overall mission of the Fleet and Federation."
"Do you have any concerns for your personal safety here?" Vura asked conversationally.
Zanna shook her head. "No, I don't," she said. "I had just never left Trill, and since I am the baby...they worried. I feel safer here, actually, than where I lived on Trill. After my time at the Science academy, I lived alone in an apartment in a not-great part of the Capitol. We weren't really raised for assessing danger and things like that. I was expected to marry and have children and stay on Trill with the Planetary Science Council. I want the freedom to do the kind of research I like without the politics and such that comes along with the Council," she said. "Trill is an advanced society and quite beautiful, but just like anyone else, we're not without our problems," she finished.
"Wherever there is politics, there seems to be trouble. I think it is almost as certain as death," Vura agreed. "So, do you want to marry and have children some day?" the counselor prodded on the strand that Zanna left off.
She nodded. "Someday," she said. "Hopefully sooner rather than later, but I haven't met anyone I like well enough yet," she said. "What about you?" She was aware of the status of Deltans in the Fleet. They had a very strict regime they had to follow. Absolutely ZERO dating, and definitely no hanky-panky. "Maybe after, I'll ask to be joined," she said. That was another goal of hers.
"Have you applied for joining?" Vura asked, completely ignoring the question about her desires about marriage and children. "That's a rigorous program as I understand it and may require you to leave Starfleet. Are you prepared for that? Or the addition of another personality?"
She nodded. "I have. I know it's very competitive. There's a need but there's also the additional stress of returning to the politics and bureaucracy of Trill science," she said. "Which. I don't know if I am up for. Still. We're RAISED for it. It would be like...I don't know...an oldest son in one of the patriarchal races not staying home." She shrugged. "A lot to think about."
Vura thought about that and wrinkled her nose slightly. "Are you saying that you are nothing more than what someone else made you to be, Zanna?"
Zanna shrugged a little. "Aren't we all, to an extent? Nurture and nature, right?! How much does one influence the other?" She asked. "For me, it's a bit of both. I've indulged my nature, maybe it's time to let my nuturing and upbringing and societal norms shine for awhile."
"Oh, nature and nurture influence us, of that there is little doubt. However, we think, therefore we are. It is our choices that make us who we are. We can become whoever we want to be, regardless of who we were. Never discount the creators' greatest gift: our minds."
Zanna nodded. "Trill doesn't have much in the way of religion but some of the beings we're joined with are often spiritual...they've seen so much in this plane...and many others. For me, it's not logical that there is anything that created the Universe-it just is, and it expands and contracts for infinity." She said, matter-of-factly. "Myself? I look at these stars we travel by, and at all the races here that work as a team, in harmony, even when there is conflict...I don't think an omnipotent being did that. I think that our collective experiences did."
"And that may be, but in the end, what is the difference? The essence of any religion is an instruction for beings to be good to each other."
Zanna thought about it for a moment. She nodded. "That is the best outcome anyone could hope for, I think...It just...perhaps that's something that should be taught by one's caregivers. I don't know...it's complicated, I guess. I just operate on logic and reason, and faith defies that." She hoped she wasn't offending the woman. "I hope I am not offending you," she said.
"It is very difficult to offend me," Vura replied with a laugh in her voice. "The universe is full of thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Vulcans say that it is infinite diversity in infinite combinations. Why do you think that you should be exempt?"
Zanna smiled a little. "I don't. I just...I tend to be a rigid thinker, and I am trying to work on that," she said, with a small chuckle. "It's hard for me. I was raised that manners are the most important thing, and it's sometimes difficult for me to remember that just because I am informal doesn't meant I am impolite," she explained. "Can I ask YOU a question? Why did you choose counseling? Wouldn't your skills be better at, say, tactical things? Deltans are empaths, correct?" There, see? She could ask pointed questions and still feel polite. It was uncomfortable, though, she wasn't going to lie.
"Deltans are touch telepaths, not empaths. Perhaps you thought we were empaths because we do relish emotions. As a species we tend to focus on inner space and ourselves rather than anything else. It is why most Deltans do not ever leave Delta IV. You might call us hedonistic, but non-Deltans are so immature when it comes to what you would describe as sexual relations." Her voice was pleasant, but pendantic and slightly condescending when speaking about the immaturity of other species. She shook her head lightly, before continuing, "But, of course, because of our telepathy and our pheromones, we have to take the Oath. We would not want to drive any of our friends insane."
Zanna nodded. "I understand. I am sorry! I understand the difference, so thanks for explaining," she said. "So you feel things deeply. Do you have someone you can talk to? I hope so," Zanna said. Sure, she was a scientist, but she was also a caring person and wanted the best for people, even strangers. "I guess I should get going, I've taken enough of your time already, and I don't want my boss to send the Fleet Marines after me," she said.
"Nobody will interrupt us here. You should have no fear. That being said, I do have another appointment coming. Feel free to stop by any time and for any reason, Zanna."
Zanna smiled, and stood up. "Thank you. It was a pleasure to meet you," she said. She followed behind Zura as she was escorted to the door.
"And you, as well. I hope we will see more of you soon."
A Joint Post by
Lieutenant Vura
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
Ensign Zanna Ligan
Assistant Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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