Ensign John Kendrick - Cold Peppermint Tea (Part IV)

[Jon Van Pelt]

((OOC: my apologies for the delay))

((Counseling Suite, Deck 7, USS Juneau))

 

John placed his glass of tea on the small table next to him and leaned forward, as if he was talking to the carpet on the floor instead of the Counselor.

 

Kendrick: It all started down Aturn VII. Commander T’Lea, doctor Rel and I entered an abandoned mining tunnel. I had the misfortune to be bitten by some sort of tick. Its poison made me sick and I fell unconscious for a while.

 

He looked back up at the Counselor.

 

Kendrick: And that’s when I had this, well, vision if you can call it that.

 

Tierney: A vision? 

 

Kendrick: There was this darkness at first. And then this spark of light followed by these warped voices. I didn’t understand what they were saying. But then I heard my father’s voice and I suddenly found myself back home.

 

Tierney: I see. Did you have a conversation?

 

He looked back down at the carpet.

 

Kendrick: He told me I shouldn’t have left home. I shouldn’t have left my family behind. And then I saw her.

 

He buried his face in his hands, as if he was ashamed to be sharing his nightmare with the Counselor.

 

Tierney: Her?

 

He looked back up at Tierney, teary-eyed.

 

Kendrick: The Captain. Telling me I don’t belong in Starfleet.

 

He looked at the Counselor, desperately hoping to find answers.

 

Tierney: That sounds like quite impactful imagery. 

 

John leaned back in his chair and diverted his eyes at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh.

Kendrick: It certainly was.

 

A soft chuckle followed as he looked back at the Counselor.

 

Kendrick: Considering the fact I ended up here, in your office.

Tierney: What were you feeling at the time you heard these words?

 

Kendrick: I don’t know.

 

He paused, trying to find the right word to describe his emotions.

 

Kendrick: Guilt, I guess.

 

He nodded as he finally realized what he had felt. Guilt.

Kendrick: I’ve thought a lot about what I saw. Trying to interpret it, give it some kind of meaning. But I think guilt is the right word to describe what I was feeling.

Tierney: I see. It seems you’ve thought hard about this experience. What comes to mind when you remember it? That is, what do you think caused this vision to happen?

 

John couldn’t help but notice the Counselor used the words ‘I see’ a lot. Perhaps it was a typical expression used by counselors but it felt strange to be hearing it from a telepath who he knew could actually ‘see’ in someone’s mind.

 

Suddenly the image of his father flashed before his eyes.

Kendrick: My father.

 

Tierney: That can certainly be powerful imagery. Are you close?

 

Kendrick: When I left home for Starfleet Academy, I wasn’t exactly on speaking terms with my father, to put it mildly.

 

He reached for his glass of tea and took another sip before putting the glass back on the small table next to him.

 

Tierney: Ah, that can be very difficult. Do you know what prompted the lack of speaking?

 

Kendrick: I’m the first born child, so family tradition demanded I should be the one to take over the family business. ::a chuckle::  I of course had other plans.

 

Tierney: Do you remember a specific disagreement about the topic?

 

Another chuckle followed as he looked up to the ceiling, remembering the many conversations that had turned into heated arguments, finally ending in them not talking to each other for days.

 

He turned his gaze back towards the Counselor, fighting back his tears.

 

Kendrick: There were so many, Counselor, and they always ended the same way. Me shouting at him, him shouting at me while probably none of us really listening to one another.

 

He looked down to the floor again, remembering the pain.

 

Kendrick: When I left for Starfleet Academy, I waited for almost an hour before boarding my shuttle, hoping my father would come down to the docking bay to say goodbye. Maybe even give me a hug. But he didn’t. My younger brother and sister - Eric and Nathalie - did. And my mother too. But she just kept on crying, so my sister decided to take her back home before I left. 

 

Tierney: These can be difficult memories to recall and I appreciate you sharing them. Did you have a strong connection to your father, your family, before this occurred?

 

He looked back up as he wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes.

Kendrick: Yes. Absolutely. As a kid, I always looked up to my father. He had a very demanding job but always made sure he’d be there in the evening for our family dinner. Looking back now, those moments we had together as a family were one of the happiest of my life. 

 

Tierney: I see. Clearly your relationship with your father is important to you. If you lived in the ideal situation, the ideal world, what would that look like?

 

He took a moment to think about it.

 

Kendrick: I guess all I really want is for my father to be proud of me. To be happy for me.

 

Another tear rolled down his cheek.

 

Kendrick: To be able to move past the hurt and pain we caused to each other.

 

Tierney: response

 

John nodded and reached for the glass of peppermint tea.

 

Tierney: response

 

Kendrick: I’ve been wanting to reach out to my family for a very long time. But every time I’m sitting in front of my computer and set up a comm link, there’s something holding me back.

 

Tierney: response

 

Kendrick: Perhaps.

 

Tierney: response

 

Kendrick: I really don’t know Counsellor. But after the vision I had of my father and the Captain, I realize I’m maybe projecting my personal issues onto other people in my life. Does that make any sense to you?

 

Tierney: response

 

Kendrick: And what would you recommend me to do about it?

 

Tierney: response

 

 

 

TAG/TBC

===
Ensign John Kendrick
Security
USS Juneau, NX-99801
J239801JK3