A Bad Decision Getting Worse

Posted on Mon Apr 10th, 2023 @ 1:15pm by Lieutenant Rowena "Rena" Campbell
Edited on on Mon Apr 10th, 2023 @ 9:38pm

1,170 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Good Will Tour: Mountain Home [Part Two]
Location: Evelyn Stewart’s Quarters
Timeline: MD 17: 11:00

Evelyn had been released from the brig for confinement to her quarters last night but she was already going stir crazy. She understood what Vi meant about checking up on her in a few days. After a shower when she was first released, she was restless, even more than she had been at her post.

Evelyn had already finished unpacking the last of her things that were shipped from Epsilon last night. The same with reading through reports. After a failed attempt at meditation, she lit some incense and settled herself on the couch with a cup of tea and reading one of her few traditional books, trying to relax and not think of being stuck there for another four days.

Rena hesitated to stop by Evelyn's personal quarters-she was fine meeting people in her office-or elsewhere on base-but in their own personal space was a bit much, with the sole exception of the Captain, but only because he REQUESTED it sometimes.

Still, both Paxidor and Culver had made it crystal clear that "home confinement" meant just that, even if Rena worked INSIDE the medical bay. So she sighed, but rang her chime. She piped up. "Evelyn, it's Rena...Can we...chat?" She had come as both counselor AND friend, but the latter was more concerned that Stewart had lost her ever-loving mind while the former was concerned that she really had .

Stewart sighed when she heard the chime and that it was Rena. She didn’t want to deal with this now, but she might as well get it over with.

Stewart still continued reading, not stopping from her place as she moved her feet up on the couch and leaned back into the corner. “Come.”, she called out at the door.

Rena opened the door carefully, both out of respect, and fear that Stewart would have her phaser trained on Rena. "I come in peace!" Immediately, she tried to manipulate the air around them with peacefulness.

"Wanna chat? Not as counselor/patient, but as friends and women." She sat down at Stewart's work station. "No PADDs, no reports, just you and I, having a talk about whatever you want to tell me."

Evelyn hardly glanced up at Rena from her book. “Sure….I’ve got no where to be.” She commented sarcastically the other woman, not moving to accommodate her. “What did you want to talk about?”

Rena sighed, but continued. "Well, I was SENT to talk to you about why you were in the Brig, but the report speaks for itself. So maybe we could talk about something else." She wracked her brain for a minute, still trying to put out calm vibes, but knowing that Evelyn was fighting them. "Say, did you manage to make it to the Romulan symphony when it was playing?" Neutral topic.

“No, I had other engagements.” Stewart commented about that night spent in the base’s bar drinking. She sighed and glanced at Rena. “Why don’t you just get to what you want to ask.” Stewart said dispassionately as she thumbed the next page of her book. She knew she was being rude, but despite what Rena said, ultimately she had a report to complete about the pilot.

She sighed, she'd try one more time. "I didn't come to ask anything. I came to see how you were doing, and if you needed more...assistance. My proposal was...if you come see me regularly-say, once a month-I can ask the Captain not to include your...incident...in your permanent file. It can stay here. AND...for what it's worth-he didn't say anything. I am just very observant. You don't get to be a chief Counselor at 26 by being aloof and absent." She bit the inside of her lip. "Did anything untoward happen in the brig? Everyone treated you ok? I mean...other than it being, you know...a brig."

“Ahh bribery, I haven’t heard that one from a counselor yet.” Stewart said sardonically, feeling her frustration build up. She put the book to the side and sit up, giving Rena her full attention. “Let’s be clear, Rena. Despite what you may say you were still sent here, so you are here on business. Let’s just get it over with and ask your questions so I can be declared fit for duty once my punishment is over.”, more heat in her voice.

Evelyn bit back a rude comment about Rena going running back to the Captain and being his lap dog. Instead she fixed the other woman with a hard look before going back to her comfortable position and book.

Rena sat her PADD down, and stood up, to pace. It was how she did her best thinking. "Listen. I know you're not the biggest fan of counsellors, and I am sure there's a good reason for that. And I am sure that you THINK you don't need my help, but would you REALLY be this defensive if you were truly OK?" She asked. "No, you wouldn't. I am not ASKING for you to tell me your life story, and that I can "fix" you. What I am ASKING is for a bit of effort on your part so you don't end up at Planita Utopia, pushing papers, slapped back down to Ensign, for the rest of your career." Rena upset wasn't that scary, but she hoped her words were at least getting through-this was the harshest she'd been to ANYONE so far. "So...whether as a friend or foe, we will be seeing each other more often. Starting right now." She sat back down, but leaned forward. "Why did you assume that Max had told me anything? We talk about the rest of crew, but nothing in depth. He will not, and, more importantly, I will not. When I tell you that what you tell me is private, it IS." She really was just observant. Except about herself, apparently. "So...what will it be? Friendly, or...not?"

Stewart felt her anger and frustration win out her control and logic. She shot up off the couch and violently tossed her book across the room in agitation, though making sure to be no where near Rena. She might have been angry, but she had no intention to hurt and threaten the woman. "Because he can't separate his personal life from his duty!" She snapped in anger. "You maybe professional but he is far from it."

When Stewart threw the book, Rena simply stood up, and grabbed her PADD. "We're done here. I will let the Captain know you've been non-compliant." With that, the Betazed counselor turned around and left. It was the first time she'd ever walked out on a client, and it didn't feel good, still. She KNEW that boundaries needed to be set, and one of her boundaries was that no one could physically hurt he on the job. Throwing a book was close enough.


Lt. Rowena "Rena" Campbell
Chief Counselor
Triton Seabase

 

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