Amicus Curiae

Posted on 24 Feb 2016 @ 11:01pm by Lieutenant Olsam Mott & Lieutenant JG Rael Psy.D.
Edited on on 01 Mar 2016 @ 1:12am

819 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - Symposium
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 7 - Arboretum
Timeline: MD30 0700

[ON]

Quite like Narcissus in The Romance of the Rose, Rael was seated cross-legged near the lake in the arboretum, staring at his reflection in the rippling waters. Upon further inspection, however, one could see that there were tiny slivers of color-and-scales moving underneath the waves! Little fish, in fact. Rael was mesmerized.

"If you're thinking about eating one of those, I won't tell anyone. But if you get caught I'll have to disavow all knowledge of it. The science people get really mad when you eat their fish," Olsam said from behind the Vulcan. For such a portly man, he had an unnerving way of moving silently. "Psh, as if they can't make new ones."

"Have you ever eaten one of these fish?" Rael wondered mildly without turning to look at the interloper.

"Um," Olsam mumbled, rounding the Vulcan to the pond's edge. "I can neither confirm nor deny that allegation in order to avoid self-incrimination." He cleared his throat. "Have you ever eaten one of these fish?"

"I have not." Olsam wasn't imagining the mild thread of amusement that lined his words. "I think they make better fish than food," Rael decided with a nod. He gently placed his hand over top of the water, and could feel as one of the creatures brushed against his skin. Slimy!

"Oh, right, I forgot Vulcans only eat plants and broth," the Bolian confessed, sounding offensive but not meaning to. "Wait... Are these your fish? Are you one of the new scientists, a fish scientist? It was an accident when I ate that one and that was months ago! I haven't eaten a single fish since then! Well, from the pond, at least."

"Indeed, I've been informed of your rather--distressing culinary habits. My colleagues in the fish science community find them most peculiar, Lieutenant. These fish practically seem afraid of you." Rael had adopted a tone of mild indignation.

Without moving his head, Olsam's eyes shifted to look into the pond. Coming from a largely aquatic world he was well-acquainted with fish and the like, but he wasn't sure what fish fear looked like. However, he could imagine that it might look just like that - swimming in circles.

"Well, I... You know, they don't have any reason to be afraid of me. I'm not going to eat them. I'm not even hungry, believe it or not! Mostly. Wait... What do you mean, your colleagues? Are people talking about me behind my back? Is it because I knocked over that aquarium at the Intergalactic Society for the Exploration of the Sea Science Symposia on Raylaar IX? I told them that was an accident! An accident!"

Rael only barely suppressed the flicker of a smile that threatened his features. "You seem to be getting into an awful lot of paraphyletic--" he used his fish-words, "--related accidents, Lieutenant. One would almost think that you have some deep-rooted aversion to aquatic life-forms. Have you considered therapy? I could recommend a good counselor."

Whatever concerns the Bolian had about the fish science community disintegrated in the face of his prejudice against counselors. "I'm not even sure there's such a thing as a good counselor. They're not even real medical practitioners. They just make things up! They'd probably just say I have an oral fixation on seafood from a traumatic childhood trip to the beach or some other nonsense."

"The fish clearly represents your mother," Rael settled on, tapping a finger against his lips.

"What? Those fish aren't even remotely fat enough to be my mother."

That did it. Rael smiled. Flat out, smiled. The expression may have looked somewhat jarring on Vulcan features, but Rael managed to make it seem natural. "I'll be sure to let my colleagues in the Fish Sciences Division know."

"Maybe it's better if you didn't let them know. I don't think I want myself brought to the attention of a bunch of fish scientists. Again. I never paid for that aquarium, and I kinda hoped they'd just forget about it." Olsam started backing toward the exit, the way he'd come, abandoning whatever it was he'd even come in the arboretum for. "In fact, maybe you could just forget you ever saw me, Doctor... uh... what'd you say your name was?"

"Rael," he supplied.

"Right, Dr. Rail," Olsam said, mangling the pronunciation. Somehow he'd managed to back himself to the door without falling down and now raised a hand in an awkward gesture of departure. "Thank you. I mean good bye. Not thank you. I'll just go now."

As Olsam stumbled his escape, Rael could be seen with the faintest of smirks spread on his face.

[OFF]

Lieutenant JG Rael
Assistant Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant Olsam Mott, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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