Call and Answer

Posted on Sun Dec 12th, 2021 @ 7:12am by Commander Mindo & Ensign Aenardha Sh'vastarth

Mission: The Gauntlet
Location: Mindo's Quarters
Timeline: current

ON

Lieutenant-Commander Mindo was nearly expelled from Starfleet Academy after his first year. The reasons were a combination of hanging with the wrong friends and sleeping with the wrong professors, along with a few other transgressions.

One of those transgressions was possession of contraband alcohol. He'd been caught with cases of tranya within weeks, and his stash was confiscated. As a result - and much to the chagrin of his roommates - his quarters were inspected on a regular basis. As a Fesarian, Mindo needed the alcohol to qualm his anxiety and mania. Fesarians were well known in the Federation for their delicious beverages, but most people never knew why. Fortunately, the situation reached the ears of the Federation's ambassador to Fesarius, Will Bailey. Bailey ended up vouching for Mindo at the hearing, and Mindo was given a reprimand and ordered weekly therapy for the remainder of the year. His cases of tranya were returned as well... at least, the cases not consumed by the deans.

His therapist was Dr. Anastasia Lauda, a lovely half-human half-Xyrillian. Most of their sessions were spent naked on the good doctor's couch. One day, she suggested that a career in Command wasn't suited for Mindo; perhaps a change in majors? The suggestion inspired Mindo and gave him a goal in the Academy. He'd been jealous of other cadets with a drive and passion. Mindo had joined the Academy because he was running away from something. Now he found himself running toward something else. It didn't take long for him to pick Engineering. After that, he kept running and never wanted to look back. The year of therapy ended a few months later. Lauda gave him a clean bill of health. Mindo never returned for another "session." They never saw each other again.

Until now. Mindo sat at the desk in his quarters wearing his heavily insulated uniform and watching the Starfleet logo spin on the monitor while the transmission was being connected.

It took a moment for the slowly spinning logo to disappear. The screen went black and, after a few connectivity glitches, a warm and inviting room appeared on the screen. A shadow passed by on the floor and someone wearing a Starfleet uniform sat and took up the screen. The uniform looked as though the wearer had been just about to disrobe. Her long blonde hair rested on her shoulders. Not quite regulation, but Dr. Lauda did certainly appear to have been at the end of a long day.

“Lieutenant Commander Lauda speeeee…” and that syllable was drawn out. “…eeeeeeaking.” The half Xyrillian grew silent then let out a single, “hmm.”

Her arm ventured to the side and off the screen. After a beep of the computer from her side, the screen went black again. Mindo inspected and saw that the connection was still active. And, before he could inspect further, Anastasia’s face reappeared on the screen. “No,” her brow furrowed, “my eyes are not playing tricks on me.”

She sat back in her chair and Mindo could clearly make out the pips on her collar agreeing with the rank she said a few seconds ago. Her green eyes though were looking him over, obviously questing into the purpose of his wintry outfit. She started with but one question. “Lieutenant-Commander Mindo,” she said with both a level of disgust and of pleasure, “to what do I owe this honor?”

This tone of voice was nothing new to Mindo. It was another thing Mindo had learned at the Academy. Former human lovers, especially the women, never let "things" drop. He'd never seen a race harbore more grudges than the humans. And they always wanted to have a conversation - usually one-way - about "things." It occurred to Mindo then that he'd never had that one-way discussion with Dr. Lauda.

"Hi Stazy," he said, putting on his best smile. "It's good to see you again."

There was a clear nasal exhalation sound coming through his speakers. “No one…has called me that…since…” she looked off to the side, blinked a few times and shook her head. Looking back at him, “Yes, it is good to see you again too.” She took a breath. “I would be lying if I said I was not thinking about you just the other day.”

Was she crying? Mindo toggled with the reception controls, but the damn Rentara nebula was making it difficult. In seconds he had rerouted a little more power to the bandwidth transmitter. The screen cleared up by a lot, though some static was still creeping in on the edges.

Mindo looked at the cleared image and indeed noticed red eyes and flushed cheeks. Well, he thought, this melted down fast.

Mindo smiled as best he could, despite his confusion. "I think about you too," he said. Not exactly a lie. "I owe my career to you and your kindness... is everything okay? Did I call at a bad time?"

She was nodding to his first question then shaking her head to the second. “All is well. Just…I didn’t think I would ever see you again…or hear from you,” she said in a lowered voice. “You never showed for another session and next thing I knew, you graduated and were leaving for your first assignment.” She paused ever so briefly. “But my career flourished as well. Got my commission,” she tilter her head to display those pips, “and am now an Academy instructor as well as senior staff.” Despite the random interference, Mindo could see a spark of interest in her eyes. “…with a possible ship assignment if I choose.”

"I'm impressed!" Mindo said, sitting back in his chair. "Until a few days ago, I was Chief Engineer on the Pandora. Currently I've been field promoted to XO while our own is in a coma. Guess I finally did get into a Command position, even though it's only temporary."

“Yes, I recall talking you into Engineering. You’ve always been good with your hands.” At that, the image of Stazy took on a small reddish complexion. She looked off to the side, apparently to compose herself but also to look at some information. “I see you have been an engineer on several ships. Pandora,” she had to pause a brief second as she said, “…Tornado…, just to name a few.” Anastasia turned her attention back to Mindo. “My, you certainly have been on some adventures. And that field promotion is a great way to learn a job before you decide to take it. I do see here you are due for a real promotion to Lieutenant Commander. It only needs your acceptance.” She leaned in a little. “That third pip, hollow as it may be, is a big step as I am sure you are going to find out.”

Mindo grinned. "I've become comfortable in the core. This temporary promotion has definitely given me more appreciation for the job. In any event, another pip wouldn't really change my duties. Everyone tells me I should accept it, but I'm still undecided." He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. "Why haven't you accepted a ship assignment? I'm sure you're a great instructor, but..."

“I enjoy helping the cadets,” she broke in. “Besides, I am not very good with change. Odd, I know, because the cadets here change every year.” She thought a quick second, calling to mind one of her own mental exercises. “It is the scenery, more or less, here that I find most comforting. A ship will be OK, but, no matter where you are, a quarter mile away is endless space.”

Stazy likewise leaned forward and rested on her elbows. “We will have to see what opportunities come up next cycle. You know,” she produced a smile, “I could have been a Commander by now, with a whole team of counselors, chaplains, among other mental health providers under my command, aboard an Olympic Class vessel. Alas I fell into a little bit of trouble."

"What happened?" Mindo asked, suddenly concerned. He was no stranger to trouble.

Anastasia smiled. “You happened. Or,” she added, “I should say, WE happened. Counselors are not supposed to get involved with their patients. You were one of my patients and…” she shook her head a little, “something overruled my better judgment.” Again she smiled.

Mindo could tell she was remembering.

“That incident is on my permanent record. It is what caused someone to get a promotion before me. And I told you earlier I was thinking about you just the other day. That is because this incident was brought up again at my evaluation with my CO. I never repeated that behavior so he ignored it. Even now, I can only speculate at how many hearts have succumbed to your charm.”

Mindo's eyes never left hers. "I'm so sorry," he said, with complete sincerity. "I didn't mean to hurt you. I feel awful for that."

“Well,” Stazy sounded like she hopped into counselor-mode, “pain and feeling awful is how we learn and better ourselves. We just cannot let those feelings drive us away from where we are meant to be, away from friends and family, because that is when we need them the most.” She gave a singular laugh. “I did hurt when you left. For a while, I thought it was because of me. But, I decided to study deep into Feserian culture and practices and found that you do not…couple…the way many others do. I realized, it was not about me, and it was not really about you either. Just a collision of varying cultures. That did not make me feel better, but at least I had a better understanding. From then to now, I’ve had a couple failed relationships. It is a sign, perhaps, that I should focus on my career. Still, I am no stranger to loss.”

"I've lost someone too," Mindo continued. "No reason. No explanation. No goodbye. Just questions. And it's been so long that I don't really know what to expect, if and when I find her."

That raised an eyebrow. “She must have been quite a woman.” And, Stazy nodded to his brief tale of woe. “Sounds like you have acquired a similar understanding. That is a good thing. Just do not allow these feelings of loss and the desire to want to know why define who you are or govern your actions. When you feel that tug of a desire to want to know why, that is the time for mental reflection and of focus. Seek and you may find. Force the issue…and you may lose more than you bargained for.”

"She was quite a woman... when she was one." Mindo smiled. "I'd just gone through a horrible experience on the USS Rhys when I met her. We served together on the Tornado. My time there was difficult too, but for other reasons. I almost left Starfleet at that point, but I couldn't leave her. Then suddenly I'm ripped away to the Pandora and..."

"Mindo!" Dr. Lauda broke in. She used her soft counselor voice. "We do not need to get too far into this right now." She looked off to the side and Mindo could see her eyes scanning something, information most likely. There was also a concerned awareness, almost a familiarity of sorts. "I see you are on a mission right now but due to return to Earth soon. You should focus on that. How about we meet up when you are back? It often takes weeks before a vessel departs again. After all," she smiled at him, "you are no longer my patient. Besides," she leaned in closer to the screen, "you still have not told me to what I owe the honor of this call."

"Actually, I was getting to that," he said. "You see-"

=/\= Zo to Commander Mindo."

Mindo sighed. "Excuse me," he said. He tapped his badge and replied, "Mindo here, go ahead."

=/\= Sir, my team's been waiting for you in cargo bay four for about fifteen minutes..."

Mindo sighed. "I'll be right there."

He looked back to Stazy. "You're right," he said. "I should focus more on my mission right now. I suppose there's nothing I can do about it here. I'll see you on Earth. Promise."

OFF