F is for Friends Who Do Stuff Together
Posted on 23 Feb 2016 @ 5:21pm by Lieutenant Benice Gyce Ph.D. & Lieutenant JG Rael Psy.D.
Edited on on 24 Feb 2016 @ 5:37am
1,626 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Mess Hall
Timeline: MD40 1000
[ON]
Rael was in the mess hall!
He got a tray of food and then spotted a free table. "Good morning," he greeted the occupant mildly as he slid into the seat one over and opposite her. It was one of those large tables, so it didn't seem like he was just totally crowding in her space.
Probably.
"Morning," Gyce nodded to Rael before she went back to her eggs. She liked to watch the flow of life and learn how people reacted to unexpected events. Standing in a chow line offered all sorts of unexpected events.
"How are you doing today?" the Vulcan asked amicably. He was also eating eggs.
"Fine," Gyce answered and turned to look at the Vulcan. He was one of those V'tosh ka'tur. A Vulcan without logic, to his people. Gyce really knew the term meant a Vulcan that chose to embrace emotion.
To have one on Galileo fascinated Gyce, but she was not one to pry.
"You are a new arrival?" Gyce asked. It was the subtle way to peak her curiosity.
"That's correct," he said after he swallowed. He also didn't observe the Vulcan tendency toward silence at a meal, clearly.
"I'm Lieutenant Benice," Gyce finally offered after a few more bites of her food. "The ship's chief of security."
"I am Dr. Rael." He held out his hand to her, as was the typical custom amongst most Alpha quadrant races. "Assistant chief counselor. It is nice to meet you, Lieutenant Benice."
"After I finished my degree in criminal psychology, I was offered a few positions as a criminal psychologist," Gyce admitted with a polite smile. "Turned them down to become a criminologist and detective with SCIS."
"Indeed," a brief smile flickered across his face. "That must give you a chance to interact with a wide variety of individuals. I am certain your psychological background aids you considerably."
"It has," Gyce agreed. "So why does a Vulcan decide to take an interest in an emotional science?"
"It's interesting."
"That wasn't an answer," the experienced interrogator pointed out.
"I think it was," Rael hummed serenely. "Just not the one you were looking for."
"Interrogators call it a deflection," Gyce winked at him. "Pretty sure you counselors call it the same thing."
"Ah, who counsels the counselors? If this is to be my therapy, I am going to need a little more k'vass."
"Everyone has secrets. Everyone tells lies," Gyce shrugged off. "Tell or don't. I don't offer up my past, so I can respect your secrecy as well."
"I chose to pursue counseling because it calls to me," he offered a real answer, gentle. "It allows me to interact with others in a way that touches home. Much the same way that I expect your profession calls to you."
"I'm here because a bum leg told the Bajoran Provisional Government that I was no use to them, after the Occupation... This is my only way to give back," Gyce spoke rather simply.
He popped another forkful of eggs-and-plum-sauce into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "Ah, you have found some use after all," Rael said dryly. "Most fortuitous."
"So did you train at the Vulcan Science Academy or did you school elsewhere?" Gyce asked, then took a sip of her juice.
"I was accepted to Starfleet Medical Academy's direct-entry program."
Gyce's suspensions were further proven. His status as a V'tosh ka'tur, Gyce could only imagine an education outside Vulcan was his only way out. She had much sympathy for him, to be shunned and treated differently from your peers. Vulcan were unforgiving and cruel to V'tosh ka'turs.
He arched a brow at her, tilting his head. "And yourself? Did you complete your education on Bajor?"
"The family's farm was in no shape to prosper and I wanted to go into public service. Since the Provisional Government refused to take me on as an adviser, I chose to school at one of the best universities of criminology - Ended up off-world. On Earth." Gyce took another sip of her juice as she finished her story.
"I see. So it appears that we both chose to decline the higher education of our respective worlds. I found Earth to be quite refreshing, personally. It's very--green."
"I never really grew to love Earth," Gyce confessed sheepishly. "Humans often tend to think themselves the center of every thing and the apex of what civilized sentients are. The scenery, however, was lovely."
"I fear I've yet to meet a species who didn't consider themselves to be the center of something. It's certainly a trait that Terrans and Vulcans share in equal degrees. Nevertheless, our respective worlds do hold their particular charms. Bajor, as well."
"Do you ever miss Vulcan?" Gyce asked conversationally while she finished her eggs.
He shook his head. "Not particularly. Vulcan is not closed to me."
"I once saw Vulcan," Gyce admitted. "My former partner had to return home for personal reasons and I was asked to come with him... I found the place lovely, but very bright."
"Indeed. I find it rather hot, to be perfectly honest."
Gyce smiled brightly to that, "I gather you spend time at the beaches then?"
"I like the water."
"Not too much not to like, with water," Gyce agreed.
"On Vulcan, did you have a chance to see Khaf-Spol?" The pair of twin volcanoes on Vulcan's Forge was a prime tourist destination, and one of his favorite haunts as a youth.
"I never got the chance. I did tour the Vulcan Science Academy campus though," Gyce supplied. "Loved seeing the ancient structures."
"It is pretty impressive," Rael agreed. "Did you know the original foundation is still in tact? It is over 7,000 years old."
"I didn't know that," Gyce admitted. "Of course, I really did not have a lot of time to take historical tours."
"Of course. If you ever get a chance, you should take the historical tour. It is truly remarkable. I do not know how our archaeologists manage to keep everything so preserved."
"Must be the type of stone they used. There are temples on Bajor, as old as a lot of Vulcan structure. They are composed of a type of stone called kynal'pagh... Soulstone, in terran tongue," Gyce told him with a huge grin. "Ancients never left a record of the forged minerals though. The masons of old must not of thought the generations to come were not worthy."
"Most incredible. Have you been to visit these temples?"
"No." Gyce looked sad when she thought of those memories. "...A lot of the upper crust Cardassian military officers and government officials took over the temples as their homes. Forbid us to worship too. Some of our oldest temples were completely sacked due to orb-seeking treasure hunters."
"Do any of these temples still remain?" Rael wondered, his tone soft.
"Several. Though most are in the restoration process. Newer temples have also been constructed due to some very sinful things that happened in a few of the older temples, under Cardassian residence," Gyce noted with a frown. "My aunt is a monk at one of the newer ones in the Kendra Province."
"I see. Yes, I expect the act of restoring them must be symbolic as well as practical. Are you religious?"
"I am," Gyce answered with a smiled while she tapped the earring on her ear.
He leaned forward to examine it, and touched his own (bare) ear. "What does this represent?"
Gyce removed the gold earring off her left lobe and and held it very reverently in her hand. "This is an heirloom of my mother's. Main circle that rest on the lobe, has a small tree in the middle - Farming caste. The chain is made up soulstone and accented in gold as a representation of our devout faith in the Prophets."
Rael was stooped over so much that his nose almost touched the metal. Not quite, though. He was studying each inscription as though memorizing it. "I imagine that wearing such an item must provide you with a great deal of groundedness."
"I suppose I was always the most grounded in my family," Gyce smiled bittersweetly upon the memory. "My brother Dohl was the adventurous one - To the very end."
"The end?"
"My family were knee-deep in the Kendra Province's resistance cell, during the Occupation," Gyce explained slightly detached, to save herself a lot of pain. "A Cardassian power patrol came into our village and fired upon everyone. Dohl never once showed his fear."
He touched his chest with his fingertips--not a Vulcan gesture. "Tushah nash-veh k'odu," he intoned the traditional words softly. "I grieve with thee," he translated, holding her eyes with his.
"Thank you," Gyce allowed, then reverently placed the earring back on her lobe. "...Do you have any siblings?"
"Yes," he said, and the slight smile was back. "Reshar and Kelan. They are my foster-brothers."
"I take it you played often with them?" Gyce smiled brightly.
"I am certain they would not categorize it as such," Rael said, but the lift of his eyebrows suggested amusement.
Gyce looked at the chrono as she finished her plate she shook her head. Time flew, it seemed.
"I'd love to sit here and find out more, but it seems I've some security checks to run," Gyce spoke apologetically.
"It is of no concern," he said with a congenial nod as she rose. "It was very nice to meet you Lieutenant Benice. Please fare well."
"You too," Gyce smiled and stood up to leave the mess.
[OFF]
Lieutenant JG Benice Gyce
Chief of Security
USS Galileo
Lieutenant JG Rael
Assistant Chief Counselor
USS Galileo
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