[Legacy] Artemis - Pre-Session Introductions
Zack Fester
USS Artemis
Officers Common Area
Though Joanna didn’t put herself out there as a social butterfly of any kind, she did enjoy the company of those around her. She had spent a good three hours setting up her lab to her standards and looking into the missing research items. Turned out the Borg parts she was studying were accidentally sent to engineering, that must have been a shock. Before she left on a break she was promised that her research items would be in her lab waiting. Her head still buzzed from the hangover and clearly she was hearing bells every few minutes.
“Guess she kept her word” Joanna muttered as she took a sip from her coffee cup. She cringed at the bitterness then smiled “That should help in the long run…” she stated then went back to her datapad, reading over the older research data when she felt a presence nearby. She set down her pad then glanced across from her to see a young Andorian woman just sitting there trying to act inconspicuous. She smiled then glanced around before speaking. “Looking for anyone in particular” she asked.
Thani gave her a warm smile and stood up, holding out her hand.
“Just you, if you’re Joanna Byrd? I’m Ensign sh’Rothi, but please, call me Thani. I’m your sister’s parole officer and therapist, and I thought it would be nice if I came and introduced myself to you.”
Joanna smiled, inwardly feeling sorry for the woman for having to deal with her sister. Joanna stood up and took the woman’s hand giving it a solid handshake. “Nice to meet you, hope my little sister isn’t giving you too much trouble.” she stated “Jenny can be a handful at times.”
Thani gave a soft laugh and shook her head, her antenna swaying slightly.
“No, actually I think she’s a tremendous breath of fresh air I believe the human saying is?”
Joanna let out a small sigh. “That sounds about right,” she responded “And that's the nicest thing I think I have heard anyone say about her in a long time.” she nodded to the open chair across from hers “Please take a seat, unless this is just a dropping by to say hello, no reason not to be comfortable.” she offered.
Thani sat down with a smile and a nod of thanks.
“Thank you. I actually wanted to see you, on a professional level, if you have a spare moment to talk?”
Joanna looked at the time and nodded. Her materials were not delivered yet, so she was fine to take a little longer. “Yes I do have sometime” she heard the bells again in her head and groaned “As long as the bells stop ringing I think I can manage a little conversation.”
“Ah, she did say she was going to see you last night. I’m taking it both of you both, um, imbibed somewhat?” Thani’s smile was slightly cheeky.
“If you mean we made mistakes and polished off a bottle of honey mead...yes” she groaned “And as usual when we got together sparks flew and I ended up drinking more than half the bottle myself…” she heard the bells increase “and seeing as my sister and I share a telepathic link….she likes to mess with me when I have a hangover.” she shook her head “I will say she seems to know how to sound like a bell very well...but it is annoying”
Thani couldn’t help but give a short laugh.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t laugh, but that’s the sort of thing that sisters, or brothers do, to their siblings. You two are certainly an interesting pair. Which is why I am here today.”
Joanna had guessed this was going to come up and sighed “Ok guessing she has painted me as the worst thing in her life” she stated. She wanted to make a change, wanted to try to make things different but when it came to her sister she was not sure what she could do “What do you want to know?” she asked
“Well, she didn’t actually. What I would like to do, and I already have her okay on this, is to have a joint session. The both of you together, with myself as moderator or sounding board or referee if you prefer. I want to get to the heart of both your issues, that way, I can help her more, and hopefully, help you as well.” Thani stated earnestly.
Joanna let out a laugh then shook her head “I’m sorry you want both of us...me and my sister in the same room together...for a joint session…” she let out another laugh then looked straight ahead at her “Thani I know your a professional but there are somethings that you don’t want to experience”
“I think I’ll be the judge of that. It will help in her rehabilitation and therapy if we could get to the root cause of the issues between the two of you.” Thani’s expression sobered. “There obviously is a tremendous amount of animosity between you both, and we need to get that sorted. You both harbour resentment to the other - and I can tell that even in this short amount of time spent here with you.” Thani frowned slightly. “That is not healthy for either of you.”
Joanna held her tongue when it came to that statement. Her sister was the train wreck not her...but stating the obvious would help no one at the moment. “It's just...I’m sorry” she let out a sigh “You have never seen me and my sister in the same room” she explained “We can’t even verbally talk to one another, we have to go back and forth telepathically just to get through the conversations of the day” she explained “The second we start coming into each other’s orbit we just lash out.” She took the cup in her hand to keep Thani from seeing her fingers fidgeting. “Last night was a find example...and thankfully starfleet did not skimp on soundproofing”
Thani frowned. She could tell that she wasn’t getting the full story from Joanna.
“I think that is why we need to sit down and sort this out for once and for all, don’t you? Wouldn’t you prefer to have a relationship with your sister that didn’t involve soundproofing, alcohol and possible violence?”
She let out a long sigh and looked at her. “I understand that we have a toxic relationship.” she let out a sigh and corrected herself “Sorry toxic is not the word to use, think radioactive” she nodded. “I am not sure how you will get Jailbird in the room with me without her knowledge.” she offered “She will never agree to a session with the two of us if she knows about it ahead of time.” Joanna could not believe she was agreeing to this.
Thani held up her hand.
“First things first. Stop referring to her as Jailbird. That’s clearly an issue to you and something you will need to work on. Secondly, she has already agreed to a joint session.” Thani looked at her. “I can’t force you to attend, but I can strongly suggest, and if necessary, I will ask my boss to order you to attend. But I would rather have you both there voluntarily.”
She let out a sigh again. “She actually takes pride in that term...I mean haven't you seen the tattoo….” she thought about it “I guess Marine nicknames are a bit touchy sometimes I mean she had that tattooed on her arm.” She looked at Thani and spoke again. “I guess I can give it a shot but I swear this will probably end in Fire.”
“I will be there to ensure that it doesn’t. How does tomorrow at 10 am sound to you?” Thani was pleased she was able to get somewhere with Joanna.
She nodded “Ten Am would work for me, but you have to….” the bell clanged again hard followed by her sister saying yes to the time. “Owch….” she muttered “I think she agrees to that time as well...just double check with her.” Joanna took another sip of her coffee and nodded “I promise I won’t bury myself in my tech research”
“Good, because if I have to come and drag you to my office, I will.” Thani’s grin was wicked. She stood and held out her hand again. “Thank you for taking the time to talk to me.”
She took the woman’s hand and nodded “Sorry If I was a little too harsh” she offered “I’m still getting use to the idea of the two of us under the same roof again after all these years...and being back on a ship.” she smiled “I won’t say I am looking forward to this but I will be there.”
“That’s the main thing. Thanks again, I’ll leave you to your work.” Thani smiled warmly and headed out, humming softly to herself, pleased with the result.
End..