Ensign Tho’Bi - Drinks. Bitter. Holds Glass.

[Tobi]

((Counsellor's Office - Counselling Suites - Deck 7 - USS Artemis-A))

Trepidation upon entering officers aboard a Starship was part of an Ensign's stock and trade, but this was different. He felt exposed. As though the simple act of crossing the threshold, signaled to the universe that he was broken, not right. By walking through the door, he had confessed himself a damaged thing in need of repair.

Tho'Bi: ::quiet:: Ensign Tho’Bi, Engineering. Ca-Captain MacKenzie recommended I speak with you.

The Andorian shifted uneasy upon his feet once again, every motion multiplied by his height. 

Lux: You can relax Mister Tho'Bi, you've done the hardest part :: points to the door :: You entered.

He moved to sit down. Leading first one foot, hesitating, and then leading with the other instead. His one-meter ninety-centimeter frame sank into the comfy armchair, like a big blue stick insect, stuck in quicksand. 

The door was closed. The Trill seated herself.

Lux: Are you comfortable? :: she indicated the colourful bottles on the table :: Feel free, I replicated a popular Andorian refreshment or plain old water. 

Tho'Bi: ::stilted uneven:: Erm.. I've been having trouble… with… ::fidget:: the… ::swallows:: Orion attack. ::head tilt:: I mean… my decisions d-during the attack.

It was exhausting just saying it out loud. The chair embraced him like a snow drift. He half wished it would just get on and bury him.

Lux: Do you mind if we bring it back a little? I would like to know more about the situation and these decisions? :: leans forward slightly :: If you don't mind? 

Tho'Bi: ::quiet without commitment:: No, I… I do not mind.

Lux: Thank you, maybe you could start with the first decision and what led to that? 

The Andorian shifted without purpose. He noticed the glass of Srjula Tea for the first time. Bright yellow. He reached for it and felt the heat of the glass through his fingers. Bringing it to his lips, he drank a little. Bitter. He held onto the glass, though normally he would put it down again.

Tho'Bi: ::slowly hushed:: We were on Fusion… Impulse Power. Ensign Cole had the idea to… to fool the Orions with false warp signatures.   

Drinks. Bitter. Holds onto glass.

Tho'Bi: ::swallows:: Projecting warp signatures requires a huge amount of power be fed to the Deflector Array. And we were on Impulse Power…

Drinks. Bitter. Holds onto glass.

Tho'Bi: ::long shaky exhale:: I needed to find the power from somewhere ::voice thins out:: 

The room felt smaller.  

Tho'Bi: ::thin breathless:: I transferred power from the Inertial Dampeners.  

The Trill listened.

Lux: And Commander Jovenan was in command?  

Tho'Bi: ::quietly:: Yes.

The Trill nodded.

The glass was placed to one side.  

The Andorian lent forward.

Tho'Bi: Is.. Is that important? I mean… I don't… I don't think it is.

The Andorian sat back.

Lux: Response? 

Tho'Bi: ::staring at floor:: I mean to say… I… I still made the decisions I made.

Lux: Response?

The Andorian's gaze moved away from the floor and back to the Trill Counsellor. 

Tho'Bi: ::slow deliberate:: I do not believe I can… excuse myself. 

Moves to pick up glass. Stop. Moves back. Glass remains where it was. 

Tho'Bi: ::slow deliberate:: I can not simply put it all on Lieutenant Commander Jovenan. 

Lux: Response? 

TAGS/TBC

—————————

Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11