Head Shrinking
Posted on Mon Sep 2nd, 2019 @ 2:44pm by
Edited on on Thu Sep 5th, 2019 @ 1:30am
1,506 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 8 - The Silence
Location: Counselor's Office - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD001 1800 hrs
Ingrid exited the turbolift on the appropriate floor not knowing what was coming for her. She'd been ordered to the counselor's office several times and had put it off as long as she thought she could without being physically dragged down to her office. She came out of uniform in a grey-blue sleeveless dress that stopped several inches above her knees. Around her collar was an attached turtleneck portion that made the garment a confused mix of winter and summer.
Would this counselor be uniquely capable and more perceptive than the others she'd been able to fool? Only time would tell. She pressed the chime on the door and waited to be allowed entry, her heart beating loudly in her chest.
Tallida had been in her office when she heard the chime. Popping her head out she looked at the door for a moment. Stepping out into the main area she tapped the command to open the door. "Lieutenant, right on time." She smiled.
"It's rare, but it's been known to happen. I'm a little like a unicorn that way." Ingrid said, a brightly set fake smile on her face. She stepped into the office and looked around. She noticed the counselor, taking particular note of her hair which was also dyed., reminding her of her own white hair with blue highlights on one side. "I'm Ingrid...I like your hair."
Tallida instantly noticed the practiced nature at which the Lieutenant spoke. It was peculiar in someone who made an obvious attempt to be noticed, not unlike herself. "Thanks," She smiled as she reached up and tucked a chunk behind her ear. "I haven't been brave enough to bleach mine white before." She added in compliment to the women's hair. "Come on in and we can get started."
Ingrid entered promptly and lowered herself down on the couch, placing her hands gently on her lap. She adopted an easy posture, one that didn't betray her discomfort with this current situation. She looked at the other woman, her mind flitting back and forth between the realities of present and past, though she was typically the kind of person who preferred to focus on the here and now.
"Is there any chance we can just skip the middle man here and say we had a counseling session?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.
"Only in the sense that there is no chance." Tallida replied having no problem getting down to business. "We can however, go over the basics for me to get an idea about you and make my determination. If that is what you want." She smiled easily.
Ingrid gave an innocent shrug and a small smile, indicating that she thought it had been worth a try, at least.
"Okay, then." she said. "Where should we start?"
"Well the get you our of here quick path is for you to tell me anything I might need to be aware of." Tallida replied with a grin. "Or we can go the long way and start with, Are you close to your family?"
"Let's go the short way." Ingrid said, adopting a face that flashed frustration. "The Fearless was destroyed, killing everyone but me and the XO. I was captured in my escape pod by Cardassians and sent to work on one of their penal colonies. I started in the mines, but it wasn't long until the guards took a...special interest in me. I was taken to the colony's commander and I served as his...concubine.. for about 6 months. It was disgusting, but it came me access to resources which were necessary for my escape. Now that I'm back from that nightmare, I'm intent on returning to normal."
Ingrid thew a huge bone. A massive bone. She would have been simply amazed if the woman didn't bite. "That's what I think you really need to know."
"Do you have any one to talk to? I don't mean, have you met with a counselor." Tallida started. "I mean, do you have anyone to talk to when the dreams come?" She went out on a limb. She saw the look on the woman's face so she continued. "Trauma, and it is trauma, like that isn't easy to just put in the past and move on."
Ingrid hadn't let anyone close enough to tell her feelings to since her older brother, and that was years ago now. In her mind, there was far too much at stake for her to let slip any details of a seriously personal nature. She really wanted a friend and often laid in bed at night crying for lack of genuine intimacy, but out here she was strong. She had to be. Sure she could light up a room, be the life of the party, and she met people well, but it rarely translated to closeness. It couldn't; not for her.
"I have people." she lied, quite badly. "But I ugh,...I don't really like to talk about my..trauma. Best not to dig that stuff up. Everybody's got damage and skeletons in their closest. Mine are no different."
The Angosian watched her nodding as she spoke. "You are not wrong." she started. "But, have you ever thought that maybe those people want to help, or they might need to know they aren't alone?" The women sounded like she was healing well, but everyone needed someone.
Ingrid knew she had to play it right here. Her situation was deep as far as Talida knew, but it was even deeper than that. Sure she had a made-up back story which had been convincing people for years, but that didn't cover up the experiences she'd had in her real life. For goodness sake, she was the daughter of one of the most notorious crime bosses in the quadrant; she's stolen for him, threatened for him, and even killed for him. That had to stay under raps, even if it meant she couldn't talk about other things with someone else.
"I don't know." she said, keeping herself together. "Maybe I...maybe I should trust someone. But who?"
"If you don't have anyone that comes to mind, you could always seek out the companionship on the holodeck." The counselor started. "I have found it quite therapeutic in the past." There was more to the women that was sitting across from her, but she wasn't going to push.
"Wait, isn't that...unhealthy or something?" Ingrid asked, quirking a brow. "Making connections with people who don't exist, that is. I mean, what if I become obsessed?"
"I am not suggesting that you only seek out the companionship of holocreations." Tallida replied in an even tone. "While, it is not healthy to have all of your meaningful connections take place with computer programs, it is sort of like," she paused as she tried to describe what she meant. "Look, you said you have people, but you don't want to talk to them. You also don't want to anyone in a holo program, and I can't tell you don't want to talk to me. Those are your three options at this point. So pick one." She let out a controlled breath. "But, not talking is not an option." And she meant it.
Ingrid paused for a long while, not saying anything. Her mind was working, but no one would be able to feel certain what exactly it was working on.
"I'll think about it." she said, sounding genuine. She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came out. So she repeated herself, quieter this time. "I'll think about it."
Tallida gave her a tip of her head. "Well, then I will see you back in a week." She started, "We can discuss it then."
Inwardly, Ingrid cursed her stupidity. Why hadn't she just given her a straight answer and been done with this segment of the charade. It was highly possible she would actually have to talk someone about her "problems", or at least pretend to do so. She would beat this thing if it was the last thing she ever did.
"I'll give it some thought." she said, seeming to mean she would think about how she could best communicate with others when she was really going to be planning a game of pretend. "I'll see you next week then, I guess."
"See you then." Tallida replied with a tip of her head as she watched the women retreat from where they had been sitting. This was going to be a tough nut to crack, but she was fascinated by the prospect.
Ingrid flashed a polite smile and stood witout another word. She turned and walked out of the room, both of her hands finding comfortable resting places on their opposite elbows. What had she talked herself into now?
A Joint Post By..
Lieutenant Ingrid Hollister
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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