Perhaps An Olive Branch?

Posted on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 3:11am by Lieutenant Commander Mindo & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:48pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: Morning after the Reception

A Mission Post by Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith & Lieutenant Mindo
Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Counselor's Office
Timeline: Morning after the Reception

ON

Lieutenant Mindo hit the chime for the Counselor's office and sighed. He needed to see Lt. Kaleri-Smith for a number of reasons that were increasingly complicating his life, to the point where his focus on his duties was becoming difficult. In the past year, he had had only one counseling session. It had been with Lt. Jameson at the time, but since then she had been promoted to Assistant Chief Medical Officer, and Kaleri-Smith had taken her place. It came as somewhat of a relief to Mindo, as since then Jameson and he had gotten a little involved, creating an awkwardness between the two. So seeing Krysia instead came as a bit of a relief for Mindo. He straightened his uniform while waiting to be let inside.

As the door opened Krysia smiled. "Mindo...please come in! My apologies for not fitting you in earlier, I was trying to fit in as many appointments as I can before I head off on honeymoon." She smiled warmly. "Feel free to take a seat." She sat down in her chair. "What can I do for you?"

Mindo climbed up onto a chair and took the normal sitting position. "Well, first thing's first, congratulations on your wedding!"

"Thank you Mindo" She smiled warmly. "It's a shame you couldn't attend the reception but I understand that you were busy.

Mindo sighed. "I have to admit, the current rampant weddings on this ship have me rather... uncomfortable."

"Rampant weddings?" She offered a bemused grin. "Why do weddings made you nervous? It's not like they're something that everyone is expected to do. It's a matter of choice between lovers."

"I know that," Mindo said. "In my time spent with non-Fesarians I've found that a lot of species have monogamous relations. On Fesaria, when a couple wishes to raise a child, they often live in the same house until that child is of age, so they're both there for their child's needs. I get that part. People often marry to start a family. It's not marriage that makes me uncomfortable. It's just being surrounded by so much of it lately has gotten... stressful. Did you know Lt. K'Laus plans to propose to Lt. Fick? K'Laus wants me to be his best man, which I understand is a huge honor... but I don't understand why."

"You don't understand what a best man does? Or you don't understand why K'Laus would want a best mate?" Krysia looked at Mindo curiously.

Mindo shook his head. "No, it's much more complicated than that. I forgot you weren't here for the incident between Vecon, K'Laus, and myself." Mindo cleared his throat. "About a year ago, Vecon and I were... involved. Our friendship had moved fast and we had become rather intimate. Because of our native cultures, Vecon understood my aversion to an exclusive relationships. We became, I think the term is 'friends with benefits.'"

Mindo let out a sigh as he continued the story. "K'Laus was attracted to Vecon, and to my understanding the two of them had done some casual flirting a few days before Vecon and I formally met. Vecon and I continued to see each other for about a week after that. When K'Laus found out, he went into a drunken rage and stormed into Engineering and proceeded to strangle me. I narrowly escaped his grasp, thanks to my LEG apparatus, and K'Laus was beamed into the brig, but not before making a scene in front of my crew and security.

"Since then," Mindo continued, "I've avoided K'Laus, I've had very little interaction with Vecon, and now they're getting married."

"Ah now I understand." She nodded. "Perhaps Vecon requested that you be present given your prior involvement and maybe this is K'Laus' way of offering an 'olive branch' between the two of you. Perhaps you both need to sit down and talk about it?"

"We did," Mindo replied. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he insisted. I didn't want to be strangled again, so I accepted his request. I feel like I should be honored, but it just feels..." Mindo struggled to find the word.

"Coerced...Forced?" Krysia looked at Mindo understandingly. "I can understand how hard this is but perhaps try and see how it goes?"

"It feels... wrong," Mindo said finally. "Or maybe that's not the right word. I just feel strange; like I shouldn't be best man. Like being best man would look... weak."

"Why would it look weak?" Krys looked at Mindo curiously. "You're supporting your friend through the most important day of his life, admittedly you're being K'Laus best man and not Vecon's. Perhaps K'Laus has found it just as awkward asking you as it is for you having been asked. If you see what I mean?"

Mindo frowned. "What if I don't want to support this? According to K'Laus' weird Klingon rituals, I won the fight we had. So then why is he the one marrying Vecon? He says it's some kind of honor, but I find it humiliating. Everyone knows about mine and K'Laus' history... now they're getting married and I'll be up there to remind everyone that I lost the fight... or won it, according to K'Laus. I've tried to explain this to K'Laus, but he doesn't seem to understand."

Krysia nodded. "Perhaps we should talk to K'Laus and Fick together. I need to get all sides of this to properly be able to help. I don't want to cause any further problems for you by giving the wrong advice. Would you be up to all of us sitting down to sort this out?"

"No," Mindo said almost immediately. "I didn't come here to solve the problem diplomatically. And I don't want to put Vecon and K'Laus through all this. I just thought you would have a different perspective as a counselor, and as someone who has just been in a wedding."

His communicator chirped then.

=/\= Zo to Lieutenant Mindo, =/\=

Mindo tapped the comm badge on his chest. "Mindo here, go ahead."

=/\= There's a malfunctioning shuttlecraft in bay two that requires your expertise. Lieutenant Fick is already there and says he needs a hand. =/\=

Mindo's eyes widened. Speak of the devil. "I'm on my way," he replied. He looked back at Kaleri and hopped off his chair. "Any parting advice, counselor?"

"Yes! Talk to him!" She smiled warmly. "As a friend and former 'special friend' it doesn't have to be a drama just a friendly talk."

Mindo smiled. "No guarantees, but I'll try. Oh!" he said. "I almost forgot... where are you and James going on your honeyloom?"

"Honeyloom? you mean honeymoon" She grinned. "To be honest I don't have a clue!" Krysia grinned. "It's supposed to be a surprise! Or so James tells me."

"Well I hope you both have fun," Mindo said with a smile. "After the past few weeks, I think all of us deserve a honeymoon. I hope you got the bottle of Eloi tranya I sent you. It's from my town's vineyard, dated 2366 in Terran years. I think you guys will like it."

"Of course! Thank you for that it's very thoughtful. I just wish you could have been at the reception, you were missed." She smiled warmly. "Any problems or if you just want to talk feel free to call upon me when I get back! Otherwise Aeryn will be here filling the Counselling gap."

Mindo nodded. "Thank you, Counselor," he said as he left the office.

"My pleasure Mindo!" Krysia called just as the door slid shut. She only hoped she'd managed to help.

[OFF]