JP: Lieutenant JG Jansen Orrey & LtCdr. Chythar Skyfire - The Importance of Sand Drawings (Part 1)
Jansen Orrey
((Outside Holodeck 4 Deck 4 - USS Gorkon))
::Jansen stood outside of the holodeck and waited for CD to show up. He had worked on a holoprogram for a while to try and make sure it was close to his needs. It was certainly a hectic design later on in the program but at first it started simple enough and had room to grow to for his changing needs. Jansen was a strong believer in more than just talking through problems.::
:: Chythar showed up a few minutes early, wearing his now traditional for him red collar. His hair was damp, he was clean-shaven, and he had a cup of coffee in his hand. He was not amused at the message that was left, because of the sore subjects touched upon last time. This time, he was quiet as he approached and merely raised his now-empty-coffee cup in greeting. ::
Orrey: Are we having a good morning so far?
:: The first officer’s brows furrowed slightly for a moment, his voice cheerful as he did his best to fake the mood. ::
Skyfire: Absolutely, mate.
Orrey: ::Jansen smiled broadly.:: Good good. Now come on the program is ready.
::Jansen turned and tapped the control panel and stepped inside as the arch opened. Inside the holodeck was a white room with a door on the far side opposite of them and little else in the way of decoration.::
Orrey: So given what we talked about what do you think we are going to do today?
:: Oh, sore subjects indeed. The anger...it took a great deal of restraint for him to remain calm, eyes closing for a moment as he forced himself to relax a little. Every word seemed calculated, as though he’d practiced this speech when in reality he hadn’t actually practiced anything. This was all improvisational based on the earlier conversation which opened the can of worms. ::
Skyfire: You’re going to put me in a difficult situation where I have to try and relate to the people in front of me and make a command decision without the use of my gifts in an effort to correct my oversights. Correct?
::Jansen smiled some. Never let their feet hit the ground. Keep them moving then they don’t have time to lie to you.::
Orrey: So very close, and that is part of what we are doing today but not nearly as simple. Or maybe it could be. ::He shrugged and motioned to the door in front of them.::
:: CD followed suit and entered the holodeck, setting his coffee cup down by the door. The calm demeanor of the counselor was starting to get just a touch annoying when combined with the cryptic psychobabble. ::
::Once through the door Jansen followed Skyfire through into a large open sandy area. As he moved over to a fenced off area he reached inside and unlocked the gate. He then handed a rake to CD from a barrel of them and took one of his own.::
Orrey: Have you ever raked sand before?
:: The prospect of raking sand was not enticing, let alone did there seem to be any point. Chythar quirked a brow and gave an incredulous “Seriously?” look without speaking for several moments before he came up with the right phrasing to come back with. ::
Skyfire: I am assuming there’s a point, counselor?
Orrey: In every single thing I do and say. Go in and draw something that is important to you.
::Jansen took his rake and with a few slow strokes designed the Starfleet logo in the sand outside the fence. He didn’t mention that the area he had set aside for CD to work in had a swift wind set to come by at irregular intervals with just enough force to undo any work started.::
:: CD’s mind raced for a moment at the stupidity of sand-raking, and starting to idly wonder why he bothered humoring the counselor. He started to draw the Starfleet Medical logo, but the wind quickly ended that design before it was finished. Once the sandstorm disappeared, the XO glanced to the counselor with a raised eyebrow and merely stared at him in silence. No words could express the correct emotion for this. ::
::Jansen calmly went about slowly designing his own set of images in the ground giving a soft contented sigh almost as he stopped and looked up at the XO.::
Orrey: Something wrong?
Skyfire: :: flatly :: I’ve got nothing.
Orrey: Nothing is important to you?
Skyfire: oO I *hate* it when he does that… Oo
:: With an irritated sigh, CD got back to his seemingly pointless task and managed a crude rendering of a dog before the wind disrupted it. He hoped that the counselor saw it before the wind picked up again before scattering what he’d intended as Devlin to be scattered to the four winds. ::
::Jansen smiled a little to himself watching the work of the XO out of the corner of his eye working on his own design reminiscent of Starbase 10.::
:: The beginnings of the Starfleet medical logo were etched in the sand just before another gust of wind undid the work of the last five to ten minutes. Once it passed, Chythar stopped in his tracks and glared once again at the counselor. ::
::With the Starbase finished Jansen again felt the heat of the glare and looked up.::
Orrey: I thought I saw you working? Still can’t think of anything?
Skyfire: Wind bursts undo it all, so the point is...what, exactly?
:: It was a straightforward question, hopefully one that would yield a straightforward answer without any of the backwards doublespeak counselors were known for. Especially the ones who claimed to have a point in every action. A particular character from the Phantom Tollbooth came to mind: the Terrible Trivium. Pointless jobs, meaningless tasks, and things that seemed fairly impossible. ::
Orrey: The point is to design things that are important to you. ::Jansen turned his rake up and placed it back in the barrel.:: However if you would rather just give up and quit….
:: That earned a glare of rage. The counselor must have mistaken Chythar for an idiot. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that Jansen’s designs were still intact and CD’s were obliterated. ::
Skyfire: I’m not dumb, counselor. Your designs are untouched, and mine are scattered to the four winds every time I get something drawn or attempt to draw something more complicated. This says to me you are attempting to give me a lesson in frustration. Right?
Orrey: I never said you were dumb. :: He tipped his rake over to the other side of the barrel and made sure to press the plate inside which restored the XO’s changes and Jansen pointed at the canine shape.:: So tell me about the dog.
:: He turned around and gave a soft smile before returning his attention to Jansen, his gaze softening a little. ::
Skyfire: Devlin. A present from my former nurse, Greywin Fergus. Beagle, one year old. Brown and white. Cuddle therapist, frisbee chaser, and...slightly telepathic. He talks to me.
Orrey: Interesting. He helps a lot then doesn’t he?
:: CD nodded faintly and resumed drawing the Starfleet Medical logo, determined to finish it before the wind struck again. ::
Skyfire: Yeah. I still have to lecture him about licking the screen when I’m engaged in subspace chat, but that’s another issue. Even when I was a T2, I could still read his thoughts. He gives nicknames to people he forms relationships with.
Orrey: It is important to have a person you can depend on like that.
:: A few slow strokes later, and the SFM symbol was finished. As he stepped back to admire his work, he found himself relaxing a little. CD gave a faint nod in agreement with Jansen’s words, but said nothing further. ::
Orrey: Relaxation comes from all places you just have to be able to find it. Now tell me about medical.
Skyfire: I… :: He paused, and took a breath before continuing. :: I was a doctor prior to joining Starfleet. Once I was posted to the Excalibur, I saved the life of a colleague who was stabbed in the line of duty and wrote the journal entry you read on the Skyfire Cure. Oddly received a promotion to lieutenant JG and distinctly remember putting in the addendum that I never wanted to be a hero.
:: He couldn't think of anything else he had the vaguest inkling of how to draw, because people were just not his strong suite. Not with a rake, anyway. Paper and pencil might be better, but he couldn’t come up with any other designs to etch in the sand. ::
Orrey: Then this is where you start to connect with people on common ground. You and I both became doctors outside of Starfleet but have managed to use our talents to a great deal of success within Starfleet.
Skyfire: I feel like there’s more to that speech...don’t stop on my account.
Orrey: No no, no more to that speech. It wasn’t a speech just a comment. You won’t find me giving many speeches.
:: CD nodded again and watched the counselor, wondering what would come next. ::
TBC
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A JP BY:
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jansen Orrey M.D.
Counselor
USS Gorkon
O238506JO0
&
Lieutenant Commander Chythar Skyfire
First Officer
USS Gorkon, NCC-82293
History Team Co-Facilitator
Medical Duty Post Facilitator
Dear Doc Columnist
Podcast Promotions Reporter
O239002CS0
http://wiki.starbase118.net/wiki/index.php/Chythar_Skyfire