Lt. JG. Orrey & Ensign Wil Ukinix - "Meeting over a Meal"
Danny Lee
((Mess Tent, New Risa, Day 68))
::Wil walked into the Mess Tent in the heat of the late afternoon, and could smell the food being prepared for the evening. The whole area smelt of fish, mixed in with an unusual spice.::
Ukinix: Lieutenant Orrey?
::Jansen looked up from the pot he was stirring squinting one eye when some of the steam got in his eye. He didn’t completely recognize the young man heading toward him. There had been a lot of work to get the stew as close to a filling gumbo as he could given the native ingredients.::
Orrey: Korèk. Who do I have the pleasure?
::Wil walked towards Jansen and offered his hand.::
Ukinix: Hello Sir, Wil Ukinix, I haven’t formally introduced myself yet.
Orrey: Jansen Orrey ::He wiped his hands on the scrap of fabric he had turned into an apron and shook his hand.:: What brings you by Wil?
Ukinix: ::Taking a deep breath:: Actually, I’ve been reminded that I needed to have a counselling session, I didn’t get one on board the Veritas before we came here.
Orrey: ::eying the man with a bit of a smile.:: There was an awful lot of time before we got here...
Ukinix: Well, OK. I’ve been reminded three times.
Orrey: ::Chuckling a little:: Sounds about right, what is on your mind?
::Wil wondered how much he could get away with. He assumed that it was unlikely Jansen had his personnel file… he hoped.::
Ukinix: ::Smiling: I didn’t have a good track record with Counsellors… but, ::waving his hand:: that was about 8 or 9 years ago in my teenage years.
Orrey: ::laddling some of the stew in the bowl and hands it to him nodding over to a table.:: Well we can fix that I am sure. Might handle the earlier counseling sessions later as well.
::Wil looked down at the bowl handed to him, before smiling back at Jansen to appreciate the gesture.::
Ukinix: Thanks!
::Wil followed Jansen over to the empty table nearby. He politely tried to tell Jansen that he “didn’t want to go there”. He was not sure if that would work though.::
Ukinix: It’s OK, I think I’m way past that point. I had someone help me when I was 17. And I’ve made a good friend recently, that’s helping a lot.
Orrey: ::sitting down at one of the seats at the empty table.:: So how are you handling the stay here?
Ukinix: ::Smiling:: I’m actually OK. It’s been months now I know, but honestly? This has been good for me. I feel guilty about that sometimes. But I know it’ll eventually hit me that we may be stuck here for a long time.
Orrey: You all have been going practically non-stop since we got here, things are almost set up to a T now aren’t they?
Ukinix: ::Nodding:: I think so, but it never stops. There’s so much more we will do, and Teller’s done an incredible job of leading us. Building that spa was so much fun. ::Looking down at his bowl:: I hope we get more projects like that.
::Wil took a spoonful of the soup, and blinked his eyes a little, but then nodded.::
Ukinix: It’s an acquired taste, I’m getting used to it!
Orrey: ::Chuckling and waving it off:: So what is it you feel guilty about exactly? What part about being here?
Ukinix: I can -
::Wil chose his words carefully before speaking further. His empathic abilities or Betazoid heritage hadn’t been raised, and he was hoping to keep it that way.::
Ukinix: - tell that there are some unhappy people here. That’s why I feel guilty. I feel like I’m coping OK. ::Looking down again:: Dunno, I feel like I should do something to help them. ::Smiling:: Like building the tub. But I just don’t know what it is.
Orrey: ::nodding some as he considered that.:: I have found there are two groups of people, ones who have accepted our state, like yourself, myself, Raissa. If not comfortable with the situation we at least are comfortable with some of the skills we have to make things easier. The other group, have…::motioning with his hand as he thought:: Not so much clung to the future but just haven’t had much chance to experience a different way.
Ukinix: You can’t blame them for that though. ::Smiling ironically:: My first few days were crazy on the Veritas, and then I ended up here. ::Shrugging:: I guess with Starfleet you roll the dice, huh.
::Wil looked at some of the other people that were sitting in the tent, and watched as a few more entered.::
Ukinix: The Veritas is up there, basically on ice. For some people like me, that gives hope. For others, it’s a permanent reminder of our predicament. ::Smiling, looking down:: My biggest problem is that my PADD is soon going to run out of power. My music will be gone. ::Laughing:: *Then* I’ll definitely be coming to see you!
Orrey: ::Laughing along:: And I may be forced to send you to see Alora. She has quite the singing voice, I am afraid my talents are restricted to the violin and more recently the steel guitar. Those are ::pointing upward:: a bit out of reach. You have very little to worry about though, in the broad over under, my friend. You are a good person, your heart and head are in the right place.
::Wil felt his cheeks burn as he blushed, and looked away. He looked up, smiling but not knowing what to say.::
Ukinix: Thank you.
::Wil rested his hand on his chin.::
Ukinix: ::Smirking: Do you think Alora knows any “Nine Inch Nails” songs? ::Wil made a cheeky smile, shaking his head:: Never mind. ::Eyes lighting up:: Oh, by the way, did you and Alora know that Doc Maxwell plays the guitar as well?
Orrey: Can’t speak for her, but I did not..::looking thoughtful for a moment.:: Actually come to tell...I haven’t seen her since we hit landfall...hmph…::shaking his head with a smile to keep it clear.:: You just remember if you want to talk you come find me, eh?
::Wil nodded, and smiled appreciatively.::
Ukinix: Thank you I will. And ::looking down at his soup:: when I need extra spices to, you know, enhance the flavour of this delicious soup?
::Wil’s smile beamed cheekily.::
Orrey: Like I said, a good man. ::He laughed again rising to his feet.:: Tell you what, we get back up there I will the hot plate in my quarters going, or get into a kitchen on the holodeck and really get you a meal, sound like a plan?
::Wil offered his hand again, smiling::
Ukinix: You’re on, mate. I’m going to hold you to that.
Orrey: ::Jansen shook the younger man’s hand again.:: My suggestion to you about the other issues would be, find some small project or a few small projects. They don’t have to change the world for everyone, maybe just balance the shaky table leg for a couple, see what I am saying?
Ukinix: ::Pondering, nodding:: Yes. Yes I do. Thanks, Lieutenant, I appreciate you talking to me. I shouldn't have put this off.
Orrey: ::Waving it off:: Eh, don’t thank me. Doesn’t matter to me about pips or shirt colors ::shrugging:: I like helping people. Just doing what is natural. Now you eat up, trust me, it will grow on you faster than you think.
::Wil smiled, nodded, and gave Jansen a simple thumbs up, before taking another mouthful of soup - which made his eyebrows lift a little.::
::Jansen nodded Wil again and offered a smile before he turned and headed back to the back of the mess tent to keep working on the food for everyone.::
--
Ensign Wil Ukinix
USS Veritas
V239511WU0
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Lieutenant Jansen Orrey
Counselor
USS Veritas
O238506JO0