JP: LT JG Toxin Arlill & LT JG Josh Herrick: Pasts That Haunt (Part 6)
Thomas Sanderson
((Mess Hall, Desk 7, USS ‘Oumuamua))
Toxin made his way through the corridor to the turbo lift and then to the Turbolift. His own paranoia was at its peaking point. He thought, on a few occurrences, he heard a crewman he passed talking about Lhandon or a shuttle accident oO It had to be in my head, right? Oo
Before he realised, he was at the door to the mess and entered in stride. He wasn’t sure where they’d been sitting but as he scanned the room he found the officer he’d only briefly met a few times. He went over to the table, the officer seemed deep in thought, lost almost.
Arlill: Lieutenant Herrick right?
Josh looked up at the Bollian/Telleraite hybrid and realised it was the recently minted fellow Acting Chief of Operations. This was the first time they’d be up close, and while he couldn’t recall seeing a beard ever on a Bolian, the sharp contrast of the thick beard suited him. The engineer hadn’t left the mess since the incident with Lhandon thirty minutes ago; paralyzed by the awkward social atmosphere that had left hanging.
He had been holding the PADD in his hand, letting it taunt him to open it, but not yet yielding to his desire. The reaction from Lhandon had been… less than favourable… did he really want to get into this mess? Perhaps Arlill would provide a much needed distraction from what transpired.
Herrick: Yes… congratulations by the way.
Arlill: Mind if I sit?
Herrick: Please. ::nodding to the chair across the table::
Arlil: I hear you may know my roommate? Is that his PADD? He just told me that he left it behind, but had to go on shift so I offered to pick it up.
Toxin could see the PADD in front of Herrick, he wasn’t sure if he was just holding it or if he’d been looking through it. He looked up towards Herrick as the new lieutenant’s eyes remained on the PADD, as if in some state of shock.
Herrick: This ::holding up the device:: yeah. He left it here after our… lunch. If you’re looking for him, I think that he may have headed back to the Operations Centre if you’re looking for him. If not, was there something that I could assist you with?
Josh wondered how the man had come to know that Nilsen and him were just together. Had the gossip train already left the station? He wasn’t sure what the lieutenant’s intentions were, but he wasn’t sure he felt comfortable talking to him about Lhandon given what had just gone down.
Toxin: Lhandon and I are roommates. Have been since he came onboard. We work a lot together and often have each other’s back.
Herrick: Well, we were having lunch and something flashed up on the display that I had thought was related to a… previous issue that we had discussed and when I asked if it was related he seemed to get… concerned.
The table was still in the same state as when Nilsen stormed out, a bunch of juice boxes and uneaten food laid out as if something just ended there. Arlill noticed this but he just listened as Josh spoke, he didn’t respond, he didn’t say a word, not yet. Toxin needed to understand the man, first he needed to know where this man was now, and then he could figure out where he was going.
Josh’s course in general diplomacy had been over 7 years ago, but he remembered one phrase that had stuck with him, ‘Don’t give the farm, find out what they’re trying to buy first’. However, a period of silence hung between the men as Arlill seemed unsatisfied with the vagueness of his answer.
Herrick: It was obviously a… sensitive topic in retrospect.
Arlil: Lhandon has a somewhat unresolved past. What did you imagine the result would be?
Josh paused, what was the man’s agenda? Coaching, intervention, a friendly chat. He had gotten more than he bargained for with this conversation. Was it worth all this?
Herrick: Well… not what transpired ::a grim smile:: perhaps learning a bit more about it. Pasts have a way of cropping up… unexpectedly. I speak from experience.
Arlill: It took him almost 2 months living with me before you opened up. It’s not an easy topic.
Herrick: I see your point; I think the intent and the impact were definitely… misaligned. I just wanted to get to know the man better; not dredge up past feelings.
Arlill: Not to be blunt, you don’t have any connection to a reporter back in the Sol system, right?
Herrick: ::blinking a few times before responding:: I’m not sure why I’d be sending off stuff to a paparazzi; I’m just trying to get to know the man past his rank and post; honest!
Arlill: I believe you, we don’t know each other well enough to gain trust,I know V’Airu only brings people on board that she considers to the ideals of Starfleet.(beat) That may be the issue right there, he’s cautious about that past and sharing it. It’s a point of sensitivity.
Herrick: That;s understandable. I pushed too much, too quickly, and maybe… inappropriately. There’s a reason I’m gilded in goal and not teal ::genuinely smiling::
Arlill: He’s talked about you a lot, I think you meant a great deal to him.
Herrick: Oh…
He hadn’t been aware that their relationship had formed so quickly in the ensign’s eyes. Josh had a hard time moving people between the work acquaintance column and what he considered a ‘real’ friend, but in retrospect he could see that Lhandon had been shifting slowly over that line.
Arlill: He was worried you and others would read his PADD and learn about his past in a bad way.
Herrick: I try not to pass judgement… at least until all the facts are presented. And, I’m a bit of a data hound, I want to see the entire picture laid out in front of me and then work out what my opinion or decision is… I don’t want to hurt him or make him feel unwelcome.
Josh’s face bunched up; frustration filling him. The last thing he wanted to do was have someone else experience negative feelings because of him.
Herrick: So given you know Lhandon better than me… what do you suggest?
Arlill: He just need some time to cool off, see things straight you know if you ::cut off by the comms::
Liken: =/\= Ensign Liken to Chief Arlill, please report to Ops =/\=
Arlill: ::looking at Herrick:: well I guess that’s my queue ::getting up:: might be worth paying him a visit later.
Josh took a few moments to collect himself. First Kovacs, now Nilsen. It was clear that he was going to have to work on his interpersonal skills with officers or he’d be mutinied out of a job. As Arlill nodded to the man and departed, Lhandon’s PADD in hand, Josh cleared the table and headed out as well. This had not been the distraction he thought it was going to be, but a worthwhile conversation nonetheless.
Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick
Acting Chief Engineer
USS ‘Oumuamua
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)
&
LTJG Toxin Arlill
Acting Chief of Operations
USS 'Oumuamua NCC-81226
Writer ID.: O239910TA4