True Calling - Part 1 of 2

Posted on 19 Jun 2013 @ 12:06am by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Oliver Sylver & Verity Thorne

1,178 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 5, Sylver & Thorne's Quarters
Timeline: MD 06 - 21:30

[ON]

Oliver smiled as he refilled his glass before leaning to refill Verity's. Just a few calm drinks, a bit of a chat...the sort of thing roomies did when they didn't want to go out. He studied the other man, taking in his features. Verity was beautiful, the sweet smile and mischievous eyes. And yet he could easily look so serious.

Verity looked up at that moment, catching him watching him. "What is it?" he asked with a soft laugh, feeling warm and relaxed from the drink.

He smiled as he shook his head, his eyes warm. "Just admiring your features," he admitted softly.

Verity watched with surprise at that. Whatever he had expected him to say, that wasn't it. "Wonky?"

He shook his head, sipping his drink as he watched him. "More beautiful, actually. And animated."

Colour came to his skin at that and Verity chuckled as he looked down, smiling. "Says you. You're like old style perfection of the marbles and gods."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Oliver whispered as he searched his face. "I think you don't see how...amazing you are."

Verity swallowed, searching his eyes for a long moment before looking down. "Because I'm not," he whispered.

Oliver watched him before frowning, touching his cheek. "Why not? How can you not be?"

"I've messed up loads," he whispered, holding his eyes, shaking his head with a frown.

"So?" he whispered and smiled gently. "Verity, we all mess up. All the time. Makes us human."

"I suppose I always tried to be more," he admitted, giving a half smile as he held his eyes.

"You're not God...afraid you have to be as messed up as we are," Oliver whispered and touched his hair, caressing it.

"I don't think I'm God," Verity said quickly, letting out a shaking breath, holding his eyes.

"I know! I know..." he said and smiled warmly, watching him with gentle eyes. "But you shouldn't be so hard on yourself either."

Verity relaxed again at the words, letting out a long, soft breath as he sipped his scotch. "I always wanted to do the best I possibly could," he whispered. "I just get frustrated at times."

Oliver nodded, his eyes gentle as he watched Verity. "Well...if you ask me, you are a good man and therefore...pretty much the best possible you that you can be."

"You could charm the sun out in the middle of night," Verity teased, but with a warm, fond smile.

Oliver smiled gently as he watched him, nodding. "That too...but mostly, I just want you to be happy."

Verity watched him intently, his tongue loosened and barriers lowering from the buzz of the alcohol, making him say more and get deeper than he usually would. "Are you happy?"

Oliver watched him for a long moment before looking down. "I am happier here than I have been in years," he confessed softly.

"Good," Verity said firmly, a genuine, warm, bright smile coming to him at the words, clearly pleased to know it.

Oliver smiled as he watched him, knocking his drink back. "Are you happy, Verity?"

Verity searched his features for a long moment before letting out a long breath, the alcohol making him honest rather than just shrug it off. "I don't know," he finally replied, honestly.

Oliver watched him before frowning, shifting to be closer to him. "What is missing?" he asked gently.

Verity frowned as he thought about it, and it was a real effort. It was difficult to put his finger on it. "A...reason."

Oliver frowned as he stroked over his hair, pulling him into a proper hug. "You do have reason. You...are helping people. You are guiding us, just as much as when you were a Priest."

Verity closed his eyes, touching the back of his neck. "I'm not helping people," he said quietly. "There are people that hurt here, but they don't come to my office. I think many people just see the chaplain as another counselling figure, or an outdated notion. On Earth, as a priest, I worked directly with people, a lot of the time out in the streets, where they lived and worked. Some days here, I just sit in my office, or in the holodeck, in prayer and contemplation. I've not done so much of that since seminary," he laughed softly at that though, looking down. "I was warned in training that I shouldn't come on too strong. So I sit and wait.

You know, I was talking with a female officer in the lounge. She didn't even know the ship had a chaplain at all. She was badly hung over, so I gave some tabs, talked with her for a bit. She seemed down, more than just the hangover, you know? She said something like 'no one died yesterday, that was good enough reason to celebrate'. I was concerned. Someone's usually not in a good place when they see life like that. So I made it clear she could drop by the chaplaincy whenever she wanted, joked a bit, saying I had a painkiller stash, you know, in case she needed to recover from anymore hangovers. Gave a smile and a wink. She dropped off cold. Like I was a strange guy trying to lure her off into some dark woods or something," he shook his head with obvious hurt at someone thinking so mistrustingly and badly of him.

Oliver watched him with pain at that, reaching to gently stroke over his cheek. He wasn't sure what to say, what he could say. "I can't speak for her, but in general? Some people are a bit strange. Some people don't see good things when they happen. I...think you need to understand that some people won't be reached because they don't want to be reached. They enjoy their misery," he said as he searched his face. "They believe it makes them special. Even when all it does is make them isolated. Don't feel guilty for not reaching those people, they're not interested. Focus on those you can help, who want to be reached...people like me, Verity, who need someone to talk to without feeling judged or fearing to be reported in for being mentally unstable by a counsellor."

"I'd never report anyone in, I'm not a counsellor, I'm there, with trust, to be someone more removed that people can talk to. That you can talk to," Verity assured softly, touching his cheek gently. "And I would never judge you. Trust between a troubled soul and a confidant is sacred."

Oliver nodded as he held his eyes, searching them for a long moment. "Please keep faith, Verity. Please?"

"I have my faith," Verity assured softly, smiling gently to him. "It...wobbled a few years ago, but I have it. I'm just not sure I'm doing the right thing with it."

[TBC]

WO Oliver Sylver
Flight Control
USS Galileo
(PNPC - Lt JG Aria Rice)

PO2 Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo
(PNPC - Lt JG Scarlet Blake)

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