Questions or Something of the Like

Posted on 06 Oct 2013 @ 7:26am by Lieutenant JG Jacrux & Commander Scarlet Blake
Edited on on 06 Oct 2013 @ 9:20am

1,026 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 04 - Exodus
Location: USS Galileo: Counselor's office
Timeline: MD -01 1300 hrs

[ON]

Jac rethought his decision a dozen times, and a dozen times again as he stood in front of the door. Was there another way to gain what he sought? Yes, but the counselor had more reason to keep his concerns to herself. The suspicious Ensign finally raised his hand to the door to alert the LC of his presence.

"Come in," Scarlet glanced up with mild surprise as she finished writing with the old fashioned pen and notebook. It wasn't unknown to get callers, it was part of her job, but unscheduled ones were more unusual than those who had appointments.

"I hope I am not intruding," Jac said politely, stepping quickly into the room.

Scarlet tilted her head with interest when she saw who it was. Now that was a turn up for the books. Jacrux had been half way between trying to control the psych evaluation and trying to avoid her questions last time they'd met. So she hadn't expected him to return, and certainly not so soon. She smiled at the unexpected visit and stood quickly, motioning him further into the room. "Please, come in and be comfortable. What can I help you with?"

"I have some questions you can help me with," Jac wasted little time on pleasantries. He opted not to sit and instead looked out the large windows, giving Scarlet occasional glances. "You have been on the Galileo for some time, correct?" His next question stuck in his throat, and he hesitated, unsure of whether to ask.

"I suppose I have now," Scarlet nodded with a slight chuckle, moving to take a seat as she poured out a glass of sparkling water from the jug. It didn't feel it, but in reality she had. "Why?"

"What can you tell me about Evelyn Coleman?" Jac's voice was steady, displaying only idle curiosity.

Scarlet sat back as she sipped her drink, watching for a long moment with neutral features. She finally shook her head slowly. "Not a lot," she said softly. She had heard the tragic news of course. "I didn't know her, other than as a superior."

Jac's expression tightened as he suppressed a frown, the slight ridging of his forehead becoming more apparent with tension. "Is there anything you can tell me?" he pressed on.

"Well that depends on what you want to know," Scarlet pointed out softly, crossing her legs as she watched him carefully. "Why are you interested?"

"Personal curiosity," Jac explained shortly. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, judging whether she could be trusted, suspicious even with Blake's professional code of secrecy. "I just want to know about her, anything really."

Scarlet shook her head lightly as she let out a soft breath, setting her drink carefully on the table, lining it up neatly with the edge. "Then there's not much I can tell you," she said softly. "She was a good officer. A long serving one. She gave a lot to the Federation, more than most. She worked in Intelligence and she had a keen mind. That's about all."

Long serving. The comment brought a chuckle to Jac's lips. "Intelligence, of course," he already knew that fact, he already knew everything Scarlet had to say, "I suppose I should have asked her when I had the chance."

"I think that's something we all think when someone we know dies unexpectedly," Scarlet said quietly, shaking her head. It was a natural reaction to death. 'Why didn't I say or do this when I had the chance'...because people always expect there to be another chance sometime in the future.

"I didn't know her, at all," Jac pointed out, "I haven't spoken to any El-Aurian in... a long time," he trailed off lamely. Maybe it wasn't meant to be. He'd lived with only his father's culture his entire life, maybe for a reason.

"Would you have liked to have known her?" she asked, watching him as she tilted her head. "As a kinsman?"

Jac frowned, pondering the word. The ties between family members differed greatly between species, as he'd discovered when joining the Federation. Finally, he shook his head. "My family is dead," he said simply, and it was true, to a point. His father was dead, and his other blood relations were not ones he could claim.

Brushing the thoughts aside, Jac turned on his heel and gave a brief nod in thanks, "I think that is all."

"Very well," Scarlet watched him move from her chair, sipping her drink carefully. "Perhaps you should take some time to explore your El-Aurian heritage," she suggested lightly to his back.

Jac chuckled to himself. There came the counselor, showing through. "That was the idea. But it will wait for some other time, when I am bored enough." He silently added, when the dreams return. If they return.

Scarlet lowered her eyes discreetly, her head tilting ever so slightly. Bored enough. Making it sound more casual than a need. "Where you come from can be just as important as where you're going," she said quietly. And didn't she just know it. "It alters the route you have to take."

"Nice try, Lieutenant," Jac used the title to emphasize his acknowledgement of her skills. The counselor was trying quite hard today. "I come from Kator, of the Latasam Stelai Rom'lnz," he told her, "That is what matters." Rolling his shoulders to get rid of any lingering tension, Jac stood up straighter at the mention of the mighty Star Empire.

"I think we are done here. Thank you for answering my questions." Though there hadn't been many answers, for either of their concerns.

Scarlet gave a small, half smile, close to amusement before tilting her head with a slight nod in acknowledgement. "Hopefully more questions can be answered for you when you're ready to look at your other half."

Jac shook his head. People seemed to always consider things in the binary. "I am only me. There are no halves about it," he said as a parting thought.


[OFF]


Ensign Jacrux
Anthropologist
USS Galileo

LT CMDR Scarlet Blake
Chief Counsellor/2XO
USS Galileo

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