Where Does Your Mind Lie

Posted on 01 Nov 2012 @ 10:26pm by Eric Anderson & Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle

935 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo, Brig
Timeline: MD02 0900 hours

[ON]

"Thank you," Delainey smiled to the young security officer who had escorted her to the cell holding Eric Anderson. Carlisle had learned the scientist had gotten violent with his boss and was subsequently thrown in the brig. What wasn't clear was what had led up to the altercation.

Lying on his bunk, Eric stared at the ceiling as his leg swung off of the edge of the bunk. His mind seemed empty since the accident, he wasn't sure if it was the phaser blast or if he just couldn't be bothered to think anymore..whichever it was, he found that he really didn't care.

Delainey had expected the sounds of her arrival would at least arouse Eric's curiosity - and she was certain that would be true by the moment she stopped in front of his cell - but not getting the reaction she anticipated, she waited to react. Unsure whether Anderson was being defiant or was merely stunned, Carlisle began, "Mr. Anderson, I'm Counselor Delainey Carlisle. I'd like to speak to you about the shooting."

Staying staring at the ceiling, the only indication that he was awake, or even alive was the the fact that the arm above his head, the hand kept repeatedly making a fist. Hearing the word counsellor, he didn't even react to the woman's presence.

Not immediately alarmed, Delainey replied, "Please say something so I know you understand and aren't in need of medical attention."

Hearing the voice, Eric let out a sigh as he moved his leg back onto the bed, pushing himself up into a seated position before throwing his arms over his raised knees. "I'm alive. No need to go about panicking people. There's been enough of that at this point."

"That tends to happen when a man attacks his boss," Delainey replied dryly. "Will you help me understand what happened?"

Mock coughing, Eric lay himself back down on the bunk, crossing his hands across his stomach as he stared at the ceiling. "Why would I bother doing that? It's not as if you care."

"If you're an empath, you're a terrible reader of emotion," Carlisle again replied dryly. "If you don't want to talk about it, fine, but don't blame me for your choice by trying to tell me how I feel."

Smiling, Eric looked back at the counsellor, finding himself slightly surprised. "Isn't it part of your job description that you're empathic with your patients and calm and collected?"

Delainey arched an eyebrow. "Is that code for submissive and accepting of bullshit?"

Sitting himself up on the bunk, Eric arranged himself to sit cross legged as he watched the woman on the other side of the forcefield. "Let me ask you something counsellor...what's causing your need for aggression?"

Delainey shrugged. "I'm not being aggressive at all, merely being assertive. Besides, I'm not here to talk about me, but rather what led you to attack your boss."

"What if it's interconnected? You feel a need to be aggressive..." Holding up a hand, Eric stopped her from commenting, "...sorry sorry..you feel a need to be assertive as you feel I'm wasting your time and being uncooperative. You reacted to the situation..correct?"

"I'm more interested in your reactions, specifically those that led to your incarceration," Delainey replied. "Trying to distract me by getting me to talk about my feelings won't work."

Laughing softly, Eric shook his head as he stood looking at the woman, nothing but a force field to divide them. "You should try listening to people's words more closely. It'd probably make your job easier." He watched her closely wondering if she'd remember what he'd said to try read into them further.

"Talking to me could very well help to mitigate your crime, Mister Anderson, but you have chosen to play mind games with me. If you don't want to be straightforward with me, that's your choice. You aren't a puzzle I have to solve. As for aggression being an appropriate response for whatever you were feeling, I disagree."

Shaking his head, Eric turned his back as he walked over to his bunk, lying back down again as he went back up to stare at the ceiling. "Your really not very good at your job. Everyone reacts in different ways in different situations. I was placed in an environment where it was high tension with a boss who cared very little about the people around him. Ever try to save lives, to help people only to get contravening orders from your Boss to forget about the lives of others, that all that mattered was one single piece of equipment? Until you've been there, until you break, you can't even fathom what I was thinking or feeling. Aggression may not have been appropriate? What would you have done if a person continuously told you that others people's lives didn't matter? If you were in a situation where you were going to end up dying anyway, where any chance of escape looked less and less with each passing minute..."

Suddenly his attention was pulled away from the counsellor as he noticed two security officers approaching the cell. "Well I'm afraid that as much as it was wonderful to meet you, it now seems that I am needed elsewhere. Take care counsellor."

Watching as she walked away, Eric turned his attention back to the security officers, a smirk on his face. "Well guys..I guess do your worse."

[OFF]

Eric Anderson
Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Pola Ni Dhuinn

Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle M.D. Ph.D
Chief Counsellor
USS Galileo

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