Rahman and Rivi Vataix Posted September 3, 2016 Posted September 3, 2016 (( USS Invicta, T’Lea’s New Quarters)) :: Pandora had done her job and delivered the new living space promptly. She’d also managed to include a little more room in the lounge area than what was normally allocated for “shared” quarters of two officers. Perhaps the ‘droid had taken into account the requirements of a six year old, rambunctious little girl running around.:: :: T’Lea briefly scanned the area through the tower of moving crates. The extra room would be the perfect place for T’Sara’s surprise, when it got here. She glanced at the time and scowled. Delivery from the station was late. [...]s. She’d paid extra for expedited shipping, and she was going to damn well make them pay for not getting it here on time.:: :: Just then the door chimes rang out. T’Lea popped her head out from behind the many rows of cargo boxes blocking the lounge area.:: T’Lea: Enter. :: She said, knowing it was the delivery guys with her package. She had ducked down behind a row of containers and was in the process of scooting them out of the way to make room for T’Sara’s surprise.:: T’Lea: You are late. I’m filing a complaint. Just put it over here…? :: When she looked up she was met with immediate disappointment. And Raissa felt it.:: T’Lea: Oh, great. :: Hardly an enthusiastic welcome, but in her defense she had been expecting someone else. She stood to full height and rested an arm on the stack of boxes that were about chest high.:: T’Lea: Is this a business or social call? ::Raissa kept her expression neutral and her mental shielding up tight. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. Usually their meetings took place in her office, but this was T’Lea’s ‘turf’ and she was a little unsure. But then, blunt always works with T’Lea. :: Moonsong: We do not socialize, therefore… business... T’Lea: That hurt my feelings. ::not really:: How about, you help me get these boxes into that room ::she pointed to the right:: and set up my daughters bed, and we can do business all you want? :: She wasn’t really as grumpy as she sounded; in fact, she was mostly nervous, excited and happy that T’Sara was coming home. On the other hand she was nervous, concerned, and worried about seeing Vetri again after how well their last get-together went.:: Moonsong: ::Raissa easily picked up the flash of emotion and could guess why.:: Very well T’Lea: Here. :: She handed over a crate, what she thought the Counselor was strong enough to carry, meanwhile she took what she *knew* she could carry.:: T’Lea: How has your shoreleave been? ::Raissa didn’t grunt under the weight. She was a little stronger than she looked since she kept in shape, but still.:: Moonsong: I have managed a few hours… T’Lea: So you decided to break up the monotony and come see me? You must really hate fun. Moonsong: I do not…. T’Lea: ::frown:: Don’t you have a personal life? A male companion, or at least an aquatic pet? :: The stack of boxes were shoved aside and T’Lea dug out a set of fresh linens for T’Sara’s bed. Pink, cartoony, frilly bed sheets with matching pillowcases and comforter. She tossed a pillow and a case at Moonsong.:: T’Lea: Catch. :: She said after the fact. On purpose. Raissa scrambled to catch both… barely.:: Moonsong: ::T’Lea babbling. Check.:: No, no and no… ::She really shouldn’t have answered quite the way.:: :: Stopping mid-pillow-stuf[...]e, T’Lea stood straighter and slanted a frown at her.:: T’Lea: Wow. That’s largely pathetic. I expected more. At least a fish. ::she hoped this next part would irritate her:: Haven’t you read the study that says it’s unhealthy not to get laid every once in awhile? :: She watched Raissa for a reaction. Nothing? Really? C’mon! That was good stuff, top shelf annoying stuff!:: Moonsong: ::Not the first time something similar was said to her. Usually after she spent hours with someone having some sort of meltdown. She tucked the case around the pillow.:: What I mean is that shore leave is when the crew has time to see me, therefore I am here. T’Lea: Oh. Well. :: Said T’Lea waving her hand as if accepting the perfectly logical logic. She set the pillow aside and searched for the correct end of the fitted bed sheet. Stupid stretchy sheets always confounded her, and she always got it wrong on the first try.:: T’Lea: How could I possibly poke holes in such a well-rehearsed excuse like that. ::shrugging:: You’re here. Thanks for the house call, I guess. What do you want? Moonsong: ::She put the pillow on the bed, her hand unconsciously smoothing the material:: I am following up with you. ::she paused to look at the taller woman.:: I heard that Captain Vetri was on the station. :: She tossed Raissia one end of the elastic-edged sheet, mostly to avoid the topic for a moment more. She gathered her *word*.:: T’Lea: So. Moonsong: I believe I have come to know you somewhat… How did it go? :: She half-glanced at the woman as they tucked one end of the sheet in.:: T’Lea: Poorly. :: There was silence that followed. T’Lea was waiting for another prying question, but oddly nothing came. When she looked up she figured out why. Raissa was giving her space to continue on her own without prompting. Stubborn, T’Lea didn’t bite.:: T’Lea: What? Moonsong: And? ::she turned the sheet around to get the right end in the right place.:: T’Lea: ::sigh:: Fine. Things were said. Then things weren’t said. ::shrugging:: She’s got the Tiger now, she doesn’t need— Ha. ::wagging a finger at her:: You almost got me there. Good one. :: She had bit off the last part that would have accused the Trill of abandoning her and their family for her career.:: Moonsong: How do you feel about that? T’Lea: It doesn’t matter what I feel, or think. She made her decision without me, which speaks volumes. Nothing I do or say is going to change that now. ::she crossed her arms:: Tell me I’m wrong. :: Defiant in stance, but desperate to hear a different side she challenged the Counselor.:: Moonsong: ::Raissa looked at her with a raised eyebrow.:: You are wrong. :: T’Lea wagged her head a little and picked up the top sheet to finish the bed. She tucked sharply and tightly, revealing her aggravation in action not words.:: T’Lea: You know, maybe you got it right. No personal life is the answer. I should have never opened myself up to anyone. Who needs the extra targdren, right? ::she looked at Raissa:: You’re better off alone. Moonsong: You are wrong again. T’Lea: Pfft, whatever. :: That was the best intelligent response she could produce in that moment. Frak, she hated it when Raissa stonewalled her and wouldn’t play her games!:: Moonsong: Did you go all logical and emotionless on her? T’Lea: Pfft… no. :: Did she buy that? T’Lea glanced at her. Of course not. A huff of frustration followed.:: T’Lea: Maybe. Moonsong: Then you are a fool. ::A quick glance told her there was enough soft things that if thrown wouldn’t be too painful. Unless T’Lea decided to smother her to death with stuffed animals.:: :: The hybrid reached for the comforter, either to straighten it out, or wrap it around the Counselor’s head.:: T’Lea: Excuse me? Moonsong: Plain and simple then. You give her what you think she wants without asking her. Putting T’Sara in your care speaks volumes when you are not being too stubborn to listen. You are narrow minded and ready for the worst without considering a different outcome. :: There was a pause in T’Lea’s denial for a moment as some of that started to sink in. The counselor was right about one thing. T’Sara. The fact that Vetri trusted her with their daughter indicated that maybe something was still there worth fighting for. But she was *not* narrow minded, she thought to herself with a slight sneer on her face.:: Moonsong: I will wager that at no point did you say to Della: “I want you back. I want to keep my marriage.” Did you even say “I love you?” :: Blocking that assault on her logic, T’Lea snapped out the comforter in anger to spread it on the bed.:: T’Lea: This from a woman that doesn’t even date. I am mildly amused at your attempt to fix a relationship, when you cannot even start one yourself. Moonsong: Yes, I am well aware that I have no personal life. My patients do not look at me as a potential friend. Do I like it? No. But dealing with people like you and helping them to be at least content with their personal life gives me something in return. :: Bullseye. T’Lea had proudly struck gold for a second, until she realized just how kind of sad the confession really was. Damn, she didn’t actually expect to feel sorry for Raissa. She toughed up and thought about going for the throat, but took a different, more honest approach.:: T’Lea: That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. You are more afraid than I am. :: Honest, not soft.:: Moonsong: No I am not. T’Lea: Grow up, Counselor. Stop hiding behind your work, and acting as if you are far more superior than the rest of us, and don’t need anybody. Take a frelling chance with some poor idiot and let them in. Geez. You call me narrow minded? At least I’m *trying*. I mean, for frak’s sake, start having fun and maybe, I dunno, maybe then people will see you as more than just a boring sounding board. Take a risk. :: She indicated the frilly pink comforter to straighten it out the other end.:: Moonsong: ::Raissa followed instructions. T’Lea battering at her painfully? Check.:: You think that is what I do? T’Lea: I know exactly why I do what I do. To protect myself from getting hurt again. I already spilled my guts to Della on the flight deck once, and her response was “see ya”. So forgive me for not wanting to go there again so soon. I know my reasons and motivations. Can you say the same about yourself? Moonsong: Yes I can. After all, I do endure your rather vicious emotional attacks on me because I dare to ask the questions you do not want to hear. :: It was true, Raissa was a convenient punching bag -- an outlet to spew her venom safely without the risk of repercussions to her career, but she also thought highly of the woman, and that was why she held back the true fury of her attacks. But Raissa didn’t need to know that.:: T’Lea: And I dare to question who is doing the questioning! You’re a telepath, ::shrug:: exercise your mental walls if I offend you that much. Or are you too busy hiding from yourself to deal with me? ::Raissa straightened her shoulders and crossed her arms as she looked up at the taller woman who could probably break her in half. She punched a Gorn after all while she was miffed. And if she opened up she would just give the woman more ammunition. Her job sucked.:: Moonsong: I block most thoughts, but I cannot block emotion. I know when someone is being intentionally hurtful. Useful in the job, but not elsewhere. I do have friends I spend time with. One is in a coma right now. I did have a boyfriend. We broke up when my new telepathic ability put him into sickbay with neurological damage after a kiss. Then I almost had a relationship with a Deltan, but he dumped me after he was reassigned. Lately I have been too busy with patients to troll the ship for a telepathic male that ‘might’ be interested in ending my lonely nights. I considered a vow of celibacy which my friends thought was ridiculous. ::There. More than enough for her to do damage with. Opening up was probably not the right move, but it was necessary to prevent T’Lea from completely losing focus.:: Moonsong: There. Now you should have more than enough information to rip into me with. :: Finally, something that T’Lea could sink her teeth into, but not in the way Raissa probably thought. T’Lea was a very good bully, and a pretty decent master of manipulation, twisting words and twisting arms to get what she wanted. While in the past she would have absolutely shredded the woman’s candor and used it against her to demoralize and humiliate her… well, lucky for Raissa this wasn’t the past.:: :: The hybrid slightly tilted her head inquisitively.:: T’Lea: You think that little of me. Moonsong: Yes. That is what you do. When you hurt, you lash out. ::pause.:: But you do not know anything about me therefore your vitriol is unfocused. :: But T’Lea *did* know. She knew more now than ever, and oddly there were some things in Raissa’s past that had similarities with her own. Obviously, Raissa had expected T’Lea to use it against her, but that hadn’t been her intention at all. She was just really terrible at making friends, and Raissa clearly wanted to keep things on a doctor/patient basis.:: T’Lea: Fine. I’m a drenhole. Anything else useful to save a marriage? Moonsong: Bottom line? You love her. Tell her. Just because the two of you are apart that does not mean your marriage is over. You do not want that. Neither does she. Stop being stubborn. Lay it out there until she clearly says the words “This marriage is over”. Stop trying to put them in her mouth. Stop assuming pain before it happens. :: She confront the Counselor almost toe-to-toe. Anything could have happened in those few seconds that passed, a fist thrown to the face, royal toss out of the door, but this happened…:: T’Lea: Agreed. ::pause:: But only if you do the same. :: She was of course referring to the “stop assuming pain before it happens.” Moonsong’s vow of celibacy almost paralleled T’Lea’s retreat from emotion. At least, in T’Lea’s mind it was comparable.:: Moonsong: ::Raissa blinked. That was not what she expected.:: What? :: The door chimes sounded at that moment, and T’Lea called around Raissa to grant access. As the doors opened two delivery men entered with a large cargo container. As the crates were moved in, Raissa slipped closer to the door.:: T’Lea: Over here with that please. :: Apparently Raissa had tamed the tiger, and saved the delivery guys who were twenty minutes late now.:: :: As the crate was set down and T’Lea signed the receipt she glanced at the Counselor making her exit.:: T’Lea: Hey. The Deltan you mentioned. His last name wasn’t Adarnis was it? Moonsong: No… Belasi... T’Lea: Good. That would have been awkward. Moonsong: I suppose so… ::Why, she didn’t know. Raissa decided now was the time to flee. She was confused by the emotions that T’Lea was projecting. She paused. Did opening up make her less the ‘enemy’? She wasn’t sure. Would they become friends? Again, she didn’t know. The friends she had had ignored the doctor/patient rules and included her in their life and got her to open up since that wasn’t something she did easily. At the moment retreat now seemed the best plan. Next time, it would be here office.:: END =/\==/\==/\==/\==/\==/\==/\= Lt. Commander Raissa Moonsong Chief of Counseling / Attache IEC USS Invicta =/\==/\=G239107RM0 =/\==/\= & Lieutenant Commander T’Lea History & Archaeology Specialist USS Invicta Author ID I238301T10
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