Part 1 - Where Fore Art Thou, Counseling

Posted on Saturday 10 September 2016 @ 01:01 by Commander Save'ena (Sav) Tillatix & Captain Melody Jones & Major Richard "Wolf" Johnson, Psy.D.
Edited on on Tuesday 13 September 2016 @ 21:52

Mission: Old, New Ship
Location: USS Merlin, Deck 8, Meeting and Counseling
Timeline: MD8 - mid morning
3118 words - 6.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Sav sighed as she walked along the corridor from conference room 8-12. She had enjoyed listening to Melody and the protocols, just, she was antsy, and not due to anything with Melody. No, it was that the conference room chosen happened to be on the same deck as Counseling offices. She sighed again, then looked up to see which way to go, and stopped. Right there, just ahead of her, was the entrance the Counseling spaces, with its waiting room, reception area, and offices. Those offices containing counselors. Counselors, who 'loved' her so much on Apollonia and the Academy.

Sav knew she was supposed to be in counseling for what happened at the Academy with those upper freshmen, and counseling to continue to beat the lies into her from Apollonia. But, because it caused went against who she was to always be forced into lies of another, she stayed away. And now, here were those very offices, in front of her, admonishing her, lording over her, forcing fear upon her once more.

Sav couldn't move as her body began trembling. The stabbing of a headache began to course through her brain as she felt the layers of overlays and memories trying to wipe out what she knew, 'counseling' her to accept the fake to protect the high and mighty. A light whine came from her chest without her realizing it, as she brought her hands to her head. She tried to shove those damnable sessions away, to push them back for another day. She had to get moving, to get away from here before a counselor came out those doors and led her into the abyss once more to finish their work started on Apollonia.

Wolf had elected to wear his BDU's with flight jacket rather than the duty uniform. While still technically in uniform, he was in a relaxed version that carried only a subdued rank on his collar and his flight patch above his commbadge. He had found, which was supported by many counselors, that the relaxed dress and not immediately apparent rank made people more comfortable. He was moving through the corridor when he spotted the CAG, trembling and looking like she was in pain. The Marine walked over slowly and put a hand on her shoulder, "Lieutenant, are you alright?"

Sav, in the throes of earlier counseling, had not heard Wolf approaching. However, she was shocked out of her inner recesses by a hand alighting on her shoulder. She turned and gasped, trying to make sense of what was happening around her. Then, she found a fellow pilot, one Major Richard Johnson, Wolf, Dragon 2 of the Raptors. She seemed to relax into his presence, her hands moving away from her head with her trembling lessening. She smiled to her fellow pilot, "I am, now. Please, can we go from here, to the Round Table?"

Wolf smiled and nodded, " of course, " he replied and motioned toward the lift, keeping a watchful eye on Sav as they walked. He was watching for any fidgeting, crossing of her hands or arms, anything that would hint at her closing herself off or hiding any more anxiety.

Sav led the way to the turbolift, her mood seeming to lighten the farther away from the Counseling doors the duo got. She took in a breath, releasing it, and said, "Thank you, Major Johnson, Wolf. I... just have minor issues with counseling. My experience with them hasn't been of the best." Sav was surprised the overlays let her get that out, but, it was also true about the Academy, which had no bearing on the 'incident' on Apollonia, thus, it must have been allowed. She smiled to him, "So, how are you doing? I haven't seen you at some fighter briefs. The brass having you fill in at other duties?"

The Marine nodded, "Not a problem," he replied with a nod then smiled and scratched an imagined itch behind his ear, "Well, since you're here to take over the air group, I asked to put my degree and other training to use," he explained then chuckled, "I'm afraid I went to the dark side, I'm the new Counselor," he explained with a smirk.

A remarkable change came over the Merlin's CAG. She stepped back away from him and into the wall of the corridor as fear and anxiety shot through her. It caused her tail to become even more full and more exotic from that fear as her tail worked on protecting her. Her eyes were wide open, ears folded back, whiskers full forward and out, with lips drawn back from teeth in almost abject terror. Her arms were now out and against the wall, her entire focus having become tunnel vision onto that counselor before her. Her body trembled as her mind wrapped around a fellow flier who was now one out to make her not who she is, but into what others desired she to be. She involuntarily spoke out, "C... C... Cou.. CounSELor Joh.. Joh... Joh... Johnson?!?!?"

Wolf stepped back a step before reaching up and pulling the flight patch from his jacket and held it out to her, "Yes, but I'm still Wolf too, " he started, keeping his voice calm, "We just flew together, I didn't do anything to try and hurt you, right?" he asked and lightly tapped the senior pilot wings on the patch with his thumb, but, kept his distance and smiled.

Sav looked at him like he was a venomous snake, rearing to strike her, and she could not do anything about it. She looked at the flight patch, her eyes dilated, seeing, but not seeing it. The overlays in her mind began pounding her again. She closed her eyes, groaning, as she sank to the floor. She was able to speak out, just speak out, to him, trying to resolve that this was a fellow fighter pilot Wolf, not on of 'those' Counselors after her again. "Wolf, Pilot, Wolf, COUnselor, Counselor knows, you know, please, no more, no more, I withdrew my complaint, I'll be good, just let me be, just let me be, please.... "

Sav rocked there, back and forth, as her tail came around her to try and protect her from the badness trying to get her into its grasp once more. Her body trembled as her mind fought with itself. This was Wolf, they flew together, she could trust him on her six, yet, his being a counselor overrode everything else. She had to fight out of this, she had to, somehow.

The conference room doors not far away opened and Melody stepped out. She was whistling softly to herself as she was in a really good mood. The lecture, she thought had gone really well. She had meant to speak to Saveena about it afterward but had got distracted by an ensign who asked her a question. She was on her way to catch up with Saveena when she stopped and gasped as she saw Sav curled up in a ball with Major Johnson stood a short distance away looking concerned.

She quickened her pace and hurried to Saveena's side. As she knelt down bedside her she looked at Richard, worried, "What happened?"

Sav heard the new voice, female, as her mind leapt onto the thought it must be a counseling aid, or a meditech to inject her with a sedative and a cocktail to try and break down her mind's defenses again. Even as she came to this conclusion, there was a niggly saying she knew this voice.

Richard started to tell Jones to stay back so he could handle the situation but she was already turning back to Sav. Which meant any trust he could have gained and any further insight was gone for the moment, telling Melody to back off now that she was already leaning into Saveena would make things that much worse, though he'd be speaking to her privately after all was settled.

Turning back to Saveena, Melody came close and reached out to gather her up in her arms "Hey Sweetie" She spoke in a low voice trying to calm her friend "It's ok. What the matter?"

The trembling of Sav's body could be easily seen by the shaking fur of her tail which was around and in front of her, its front-side facing them. It was fully fluffed, oils misting into the air to neutralize Sav's scent from predators. She felt hand and arms reaching around it, and with a quick movement, batted them away. Her climbing claws remained sheathed, fortunately for Melody, thanks to the anger management training and its drilling 'do not claw cadets' into her back at the Academy. A whimper of "Please, no more, please..."

"Lieutenant Jones, " the Major said in a quiet but firm voice and pointed to the deck next to him, not out of anger but concern for both officers' safety, "no more what, Saveena?" he asked and realized his patch before tapping his comm badge, "security, Johnson, do not let anyone else near my twenty, reroute everyone to other corridors," he said, making sure he did not use the phrase seal them off.

Melody didn't move from Saveena's side. She looked up at him with a fire in her eyes. Slowly and deliberately she stated "She's my friend, and clearly she's in pain. I'm going to help her and that's all I'm worried about right now, Thank you!"

"I will have you removed, Lieutenant, medical personnel outrank even the Captain, am I clear, Lieutenant?" he said and started reaching for his comm badge to punctuate his order.

Melody took a deep breath. She had reacted out of instinct again. She looked at Johnson again. "Please Wolf. One flyer to another" She pleaded "I didn't mean to snap at you, I'm sorry. She's my friend and I'm worried about her."

Johnson didn't reply, instead just giving a look he'd had a lot of experience with as a father when dealing with his son, not wanting to argue with the officer because he knew that wouldn't be helpful to anyone. His hand hovered over the communicator, but he didn't touch it.

Melody stood and took a step towards Johnson. She raised an eyebrow "Better?" She asked.

"No more warnings, stay back until told," Wolf said with a nod and let his hand drop away from his comments badge.

Sav heard her full name spoken out and the psychic overlays latched onto that, the psionic counselors always using her full name to try and key into her psyche and memories to burn them away, implant their own, and to make sure she would be obedient with the overlays imprinted over the top of that. The overlays made sure she would not say anything but the cover story, just in case they missed some small snippets of memories. Sav whimpered again, "No, no, please, no more sessions, please, no more 'this is what happened', please, no more imprints, please, no more, no more..."

Melody turned her attention back to Saveena. "Hey, it's ok. You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you. I won't let them, you here me!"

Unfortunately, Sav's tail neutralizing the scents meant that Sav could not smell Melody. However, she heard that voice again. The niggly finally came to the fore as she realized it was Melody. Melody was here to help, and Wolf, Pilot, could not be a part of 'this' in her head. She managed to latch onto that, reaching through her phobia, and called out, "Melody? And... Wolf? Wait, Stop, Please, just need.. time." Sav reached up to hold her head, her face scrunched into a mask of pain and terror as she fought the psychic overlays within her. She managed to quiet them down, to shove them into their place once more, implanted, but without erasing her true memories. As she did, her face began relaxing even as her trembles lessened.

"Take your time, Sav," Wolf replied and smiled before standing and looking to Melody with a nod, "when she says she's ready," he said, knowing the ships Second Officer wanted to go help her friend.

Melody shoot Wolf a smile in gratitude. She then turned back to Saveena. "You feeling any better, Sweetie?"

Sav's breathing slowed out as her tail moved around to be against the wall and no longer in front of her. She opened her eyes, blinking away the tears, as she managed to get her ears from flat back and out to side. There was still a little fright in the muzzle and face, but nothing like just a couple of minutes ago. Sav realized now she had batted away Melody's arms earlier, so would Melody still want to help her? Sav reached up her arms to Melody, unsure and hoping, and asking, "Can you still help me?"

Melody took her friends outstretched arms and smiled warmly at her friend "Of course, come on Sweetie, lets get you up."

Sav, now up against the wall, Melody helping to support her, smiled to wolf with trembling lip. "Sorry.. for the half-truth.. earlier. I have a phobia.. of counselors. I'm so sorry Wolf, I.. tend to not share that." She blushed and looked down, snorting in humor to herself, as she added under her breath, "And diplomats, and aristocrats, and bartenders, and docs, and playboys.."

Johnson smiled, "no problem, Sav," he said simply, "why don't the three of us go back to your quarters and we can talk there....and I can have Round Table send drinks to us?" he asked, wanting to let her be on her home turf and let her have Melody as support, which also allowed her to take his 'power' from him by not taking Sav to his office and not taking away the person she felt protected with.

A shiver went through Sav at inviting a 'counselor' into her most private place, her room, where her nightmares gave vent. She didn't want this, want to listen to friendly counseling and have to tell the lies forced upon her. It hurt to lie, it doubly hurt to be forced to lie, and it was shear pain to fight to try and get out the truth. And, Sav could not stop fighting, it was her nature not to fight for what she knew was right. She looked down, not having the nerve to look Wolf in the eye. "If you think it necessary... then, this way. "

Melody looked at Wolf for a moment "You're a counselor?" she asked.

Sav's body flinched at 'that' word sounding out from Melody, she could not help it. At least this time, nothing else occurred.

Richard just nodded, "Doctor Richard Johnson," the Marine replied with a wink, "it should be in your daily command updates."

Sav moved back from Melody and straightened her uniform. Then, she churred out in pleasure at seeing a control panel a couple of feet away. She moved over to it a she said, "Give me a moment to gain my strength." She leaned up against the wall with a hand on the control panel. Contact. She closed her eyes, her mind already linked with Merlin, her senses with the ship and flying in Warp in the cosmos. To those watching, Sav was leaning against the wall, hand on panel, with her tail now gently swaying as her body's trembles ceased. The panel showed data flowing through it, just not why. After a minute, she took in a deep breath, then let it out. "Better."

Seeing Saveena relax, Melody let out a sigh of relief. She also noticed the panel on the wall. Knowing Saveena had asked Melody to keep her cyberapathy between them, she didn't draw attention to it.

Pushing away from the wall, Sav turned around to face Melody and Wolf, a smile upon her face and the only indication of something wrong earlier were the tears drying in the fur of her muzzle and face. "Okay, this way to my quarters. Trust me, I will feel much better away from this area." She led the trio towards the turbolift, all the while thinking, 'Wolf, not Counselor Johnson, Wolf, not Counselor Johnson, Wolf, not...'

The Major smiled and motioned forward, "after you, ladies," he said and followed behind them, watching both - the way they interacted, Saveena's sudden healing and the fact that Melody didn't seem the slightest bit surprised by it. This was already turning out to be an interesting assignment.

As they walked Melody batted Sav lightly on the arm "Will you stop scaring like that. So......... what did you think of the briefing?"

Sav paused for a second for them to enter the turbolift. After the doors closed, Sav touched the handle and said, "Deck 9, CAG Quarters." Now paying attention to Melody and Wolf, she said, "The briefing was outstanding, Melody. You hit each code according to priority with issue pertained too. I did not see anybody not paying attention, which is always a good thing."

Melody chuckled "Well I'm glad I didn't put anybody to sleep." She was deliberately trying to get Saveena talking, to put her mind off what had just happened and it seemed to be working for the moment. "I'll have to bring Nibbles around again sometime. I think she misses you. I caught her up to her old tricks last night" Melody indicated the side of her shoe which had a row of tiny teeth marks along one edge. "How she managed to get out of her habitat I don't know, but I found her curled up inside my shoe."

Sav churred with giggles intermixed, causing a very erotic sound from her. "That sounds like Nibbles."

Melody sighed wistfully "I think she might be a secret ninja." She paused for a minute then went on "After last time, you know you can call me any time of the night if you need to talk Sweetie. I don't mind being woken up." she added with a wink.

Sav sighed at this, "Yeah, I know, and, just hard to be more than just the help." She saw the look on Wolf's face, then said, "I'll explain more in my quarters. She called me... right after a rather bad dream, and.. " Sav sighed.

Richard just nodded slowly, "I see," he replied with a smile, though he was taking notes on the conversation and decided to leave asking about the dream til later.

TBC in Where Fore Art Thou, Counseling Part 2

OFF:

Major Richard "Wolf" Johnson
TAD Counselor
USS Merlin

Lieutenant jg Saveena A. Tillatix
CAG / Uroboros Squadron Leader
Bridge Command Specialist
USS Merlin

Lieutenant Melody Jones
Chief flight control officer / Second officer
USS Merlin