Love on the Rocks 16

Posted on Fri Oct 30, 2020 @ 10:46pm by Lieutenant T'Lul & Captain Maritza Soran

1,111 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Et In Arcadia Ego
Location: Near Main Hangar Bay
Timeline: MD 10,

[ON]

T'Lul left the docking bay. She knew that she was going to have to breach the subject of Geral with her, especially in light of the very obvious gift. Of course, T'Lul might also have to talk to Geral regarding the concept of trying to buy the Captain's love. That was not something that would likely work with the stubborn Trill who needed something less tangible.

It did not make her comfortable that she was sending off Amia to make tea. At some point, when she was permitted, she would have to explain the necessity for these actions. Either that or Amia would have to trust that she did this for a logical reason. When T'Lul found a private location, she hit her commbadge after considering her words carefully, =^= Captain, this is Counselor T'Lul. I have an unusual situation that requires your personal attention. =^=

=^="Not for another 48 hours."=^= came the crisp reply.

=^= I appreciate what you are trying to communicate but I would not contact you prior unless the matter required your immediate attention. =^=

There was a deep sigh at the end of the line. =^="Alright. Where are you?"=^=

=^= A corridor near the docking bay. It concerns something there. I leave the place of meeting to your discretion. =^=

=^="I will be with you momentarily."=^= A few seconds later the captain arrived in the buzz of a transporter beam. "What's this about?"

"Myself and the Doctor received an unsigned gift. A rather expensive one from Origin Corporation. A yacht. It came with a card." She handed the card to the Captain. It read, "For the betterment of the station's company and crew. The frontier can be a hazardous and stressful place. These yachts can be deployed on the planet's surface and provide an excellent platform for the recovery, relaxation, and decompression of station personnel. Humbly provided, Anonymous.'"

Maritza raised an eyebrow. "I have my suspicions." After all, these things represented significant investment. They weren't handed out frivolously. And they would have had to have been ordered weeks ago. Roughly about the time she'd been standing in a holosuite portraying a cosy mountain cabin with crackling fire and exposed timbers, the remains of a intimate dinner on a table, a bottle of wine opened and ranting about OPM not keeping the station fully staffed and how much it was killing the personnel here.

"I believe that the donor is rather obvious, do you not, Captain?" She straightened herself and said, "My research reveals that this was gifted prior to your last meeting with Geral. Certainly, it could have been cancelled or sold. It was not." She paused momentarily to see if the Captain had further thoughts.

Maritza doubted it had even occured to him to cancel. She was sure that oce he decided her people would benefit from something like this, he'd not cut it off just becuase the weren't talking to each other. He may be conniving to her. But she didn't believe for a minute he was petty.

"I know you are uncomfortable with your personal feelings. And normally, I would not recommend this course of action in your circumstances but rather than our normal session, I think that you, me, and Geral should meet."

"Marriage guidance?" Maritza raised a very skeptical eyebrow. "Really, lieutenant?"

"It would be incorrect to call it marriage counseling when neither of you are married to the other. However, you both seem to lack some basic relationship skills. And, logically, if your personal life more settled, it will be easier to address some of your other issues."

For a moment, Maritza entertained the possibility of having T'Lul beamed into space. "For a counselor, your bedside manner is sorely lacking."

"From what I understand, many would say the same for you as a Captain." The Vulcan tilted her head and admitted, "Though it is not my strongest aspect of my personality and something that I have been advised to enhance, I do not believe that a better 'bedside manner' would be productive for assisting you. After all, Captain, you have a great deal of necessity to be in control and you would, I believe the phrase is, 'run roughshod' over just about anyone else."

"Touché." Maritza admitted.

Satisfied that her point was made and that the Captain was at least acquiescing, T'Lul continued, "Then, you will agree to meeting with myself and Mr. Lasuma? Shall we say tomorrow after your ten hour work day?"

"If you insist." Maritza wasn't going to waste energy arguing with the counselor. And she wasn't going to admit that the thought of seeing Geral made her just a little bit happier.

No arguments? No witty or snide comments? Interesting. Logic would dictate that she wants this meeting to happen. Of course, she has to make this "my choice," because she is unwilling to accept or express her desire but for now, I will accept that mantle. "I do. However, this does not dissolve your requirement to give me a report a day on your feelings about something. I will still expect that today."

The look Maritza gave her could have frozen nitrogen. "I haven't forgotten. Are you bored of how much I dislike you yet?"

That is much more normal behavior for the Captain. "No, but it is redundant. So, we are going to change the assignment slightly. I would like you to find something that elicits a positive emotion and write about how you felt in that moment to me each day. It could be something as simple as you enjoyed a smell and it reminds you of something pleasant or talk about something that you enjoy, besides disliking or hating me."

Martiza stared at her for a moment. She didn't know which was more horrifying, that she'd have to deal with something so twee, or that finding something positive would be really hard. "I'm quite positive you are the most aggravating Vulcan I've ever met."

Part of T'Lul wanted to test her emotions and smile at that comment. However, tradition and her breeding kept her locked into her normal neutral state. She quirked her opposite eyebrow and said, "Coming from you, Captain, I believe that is quite the compliment."

Maritza snorted, then looked at the delivery barge, keen to unload its cargo. "If you think you can use these things, take them."

"I believe that they will be useful, Captain." She informed the dock manager, "I am now satisfied with the delivery." And I must try and find a way to smooth over Amia's feelings at tea.

[OFF]

Captain Maritza Soran
CO
Deep Space Five

Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor
DS5

 

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