In the Interests of the Child, Part 1

Posted on Mon Jul 17, 2017 @ 6:22pm by Civilian Aleczandra Naqiis-Ryan & Captain Maritza Soran

1,409 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Rumours
Location: Counselling Suite
Timeline: MD04 1500

[ON]

Aleczandra looked up from her homework at the touch on her shoulder. The study hall attendant said, “You’re wanted in the school counsellor’s office.”

Zandra frowned. “Why?” she asked.

The teacher shrugged.

Zandra sighed and closed down her padd. “I was in a groove, too,” she muttered, packing up her things. She tossed her bag over her shoulder and trudged down to the office, smoothing the skirt of the blue minidress school uniform she wore.

Inside the room was a woman in her mid thirties, thick dark hair in a huge cloud of curls around her head and hanging down her back in glossy ringlets, with soft black eyes. When the half-Trill entered, she stood up and held out her hand. "Miss Ryan? I'm Sisharal Rann, of the Seventh House of Betazed."

Aleczandra tilted her head, studying the woman.

Hot, Juheni and Kinony noted in her head.

Shut up, Zandra thought to them, though with little force. She was getting used to the voices.

“Hello,” Zandra returned the greeting, tentative. “You can just call me Zandra, if you want. What is this about?” she asked.

Sisharal tipped her head on one side, looking at Aleczandra with surprise and curiosity. Then the look vanished and she returned to her original professional and attentive attitude. "I've come to talk to you about your experiences on the Ferengi ship a few weeks ago, when the new planet emerged."

Aleczandra sighed. “And if I don’t want to talk about it again?” the teen asked, crossing her arms defensively over her chest. “I’m already in counseling, and I made my statement to Security.” She shifted nervously on her feet, fidgeting a bit in the doorway.

The Betazoid noted her discomfort. "We don't have to talk about the actual incident. We do have to talk about what happened after. You said you gave a statement to Security. I understand the investigation was abandoned. How do you feel about that?"

Aleczandra shrugged. “I wanted it done with,” she said. “There was nothing to investigate. Everything was completely consensual,” she insisted. “I don’t need people poking their noses where they don’t belong,” she told the Betazoid with a pointed look. She idly fingered the small knives hidden beneath her sleeves, resisting Juheni’s urgings to take care of this problem woman forcefully.

"Consensual?" the woman queried.

Aleczandra shrugged. “I offered, he accepted,” she said, her feet shifting a bit. “It was a business transaction, nothing more.”

Shisharal made a note. "You instigated it. Why?"

“Why? Because there were a bunch of students that needed to be evacuated off the station during the emergency and he had a ship,” Aleczandra said. “So we made a deal. I knew oo-max, so it was easy enough. It’s not like anything really happened.”

"Where did you learn oomox?" the Betazoid asked; her tone was calm, not outraged or judging, simply curiosity.

Shit! You stupid girl! Juheni cursed in Aleczandra’s head.

Calm, Juheni, Kinony admonished.

Zandra shifted uncomfortably. “I watched a holovid,” she lied. “Back on Leto Colony. There were Ferengi there, gave me some pointers.”

There was a still moment between them whilst Aleczandra was regarded by deep black eyes. Then the Betazoid woman checked her notes again. "The Ferengi demanded money from the station before returning you and the other children. Even allowing for cultural differences, that's a crime under Federation law. Kidnapping, extortion. Probably piracy as well. I'd have to check. Given your bargain, I might also add breach of contract. How do you feel about being a victim of that?"

Aleczandra shrugged. “I’m alive and safe,” she said. “Same can’t be said for a lot of people that didn’t get off the station,” she pointed out. “The money was a pittance, and Starfleet just made matters worse. We were more in danger of getting shot by some trigger-happy Security officer than the Ferengi.”

The Betazoid nodded to herself. "If I may change the subject, I understand your mother is deceased. How have you coped with her death?"

Zandra shifted nervously again. “I don’t know. The usual. Went to the shrinks and stuff,” she said. “Not like I had a choice. My grandparents helped. We stayed at the ranch while dad recovered.”

"And what about your recovery? Did no one look after that?" The betazoid was making more notes, her face professionally neutral.

Aleczandra crossed her arms again defensively. “I said I saw a bunch of stupid counselors,” she huffed. “I even have one here. Dr. Bennet. I’ve been with her for years, before even coming here.” She didn’t mention that Noelle knew her deep, dark secret.

The Betazoid noted that down with a frown. "So your mother died four years ago. And you're still in therapy?" More notes on the padd. "To change the subject again, how are you getting on with your father?"

“There’s nothing wrong with going to therapy,” Aleczandra said defensively. “Dad and I are fine. Why wouldn’t we be?” She shifted her feet again nervously. She hadn’t really discussed all the strange feelings she had for her father coming from her mother, even with Noelle.

"Tell me about him." Rann's eyes had noted the nervous fidgeting.

“Who? My dad?” Aleczandra shrugged. “I’m sure you have access to his file. He’s...my dad,” she said, her eyes darting away from the nosy Betazed. “It’s just been us since mom died. I l-love him.” She stumbled over the word, her feelings for her father all mixed up with her mother’s. She pushed her rainbow hair back behind and ear. “What is it you want to know about him?”

She noted Aleczandra's delaying question, debated how direct she needed to be, and decided on indirect to begin with. "About your relationship. What you like about it, what you don't like about it. Do you get on? Teenagers and their parents often have conflict."

“We get on fine, I guess,” Aleczandra said with a shrug. “No worse than anyone else. He’s overprotective.” She rolled her eyes. “I can take care of myself. He made sure of that. He works a lot, so I don’t always see him.”

"Do you want to see him more?" Sisharal found the ambivalence a note of concern, though determining if it was caused by genuine issue, sheer teenage angst, or the question itself, and second guessing the reason for the interview, she couldn't tell without invading Aleczandra's privacy.

“Sure. I guess,” Aleczandra said, though in her mind Juheni was a little more antagonistic to the idea. “I mean, not having him looking over my shoulder all the time is nice, too, the freedom.” She gave a noncommittal shrug. “But he’s a station chief. Of course he’s going to be busy. I’m used to that.”

The woman put her padd aside and folded her hands. "Aleczandra. I need you to understand something. Everything said in here is 100% confidential. I will not report anything said. You are aware that what the Ferengi did constitutes statutory sexual assault? The situation in which you agreed to the actions you took means your agreement is not, cannot be, consensual, in the eyes of the law?"

“Not Ferengi law,” Aleczandra pointed out. “Are you suggesting I should have just let all my friends go down with the station?” she asked defensively. “All I did was rub his stupid lobes! I kinda think that’s a pretty low price, all things considered.”

"This isn't about what you did, Aleczandra. It's about what he did. He didn't recuse himself from the investigation when his immediate family was one of the victims. He put his name on a report that refused to even acknowledge a crime took place. That's raised some questions about your father." It was a hard thing for anyone to hear, Shisharal knew. But she needed to see what Aleczandra said about that, and more importantly what she thought.

Aleczandra scowled. “I told him it was nothing,” she said defensively. “It isn’t his fault. I didn’t want this to be a big deal. It needed to be done. I saved all those kids! Why am I being punished for it!” She let the tears come then, and wiped at her eyes.

TBC

Shisharal Rann
Children's Counsellor

Aleczandra Ryan
Civilian
NPC Caleb Ryan

 

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