STF

side-sim Ten Forward and Tracking People Down

Posted July 4, 2020, 10:51 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Ethan Nash (Chief Tactical Officer) (David Shotton)

Posted by Lieutenant Revna Edman (Counselor) in side-sim Ten Forward and Tracking People Down

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Ethan Nash (Chief Tactical Officer) in side-sim Ten Forward and Tracking People Down
Snip

Now Nash grinned properly, not the smile as before, but the grin that showed the thing that tended to make others twitchy if they didn’t know him. Harry gave him two shot glasses without being asked, and Nash filled them both with his Tequila. He had other drinks, but tonight Tequila was his choice. One of the glasses he pushed back slightly away from him, the other he shot neat then refilled it, placing the bottle down beside the first shot glass he had not touched.

Revna watched and mentally acknowledged the glass. She’d seen others do similar things. “So there’s the look everyone whispers about.” She stopped before she waxed philosophical about fear and scaring Death. As she told her patients you’re entitled to feel however you feel and give it the time and acknowledgment you feel it needs, just don’t stay there. She wanted another shot but she wouldn’t.

“I was wondering when you would get tired of the lemonade and ice tea, Princess. It goes lousy with Steak anyway,” He took the lighter out of his pocket and relit the cigar stub, leaving the lighter on the bench this time for when he needed it next. Looking over his shoulder at the room, he blew a small cloud of smoke in the general direction of no one and turned back around.

Lt Cmdr Nash, CTO

Princess? She swore, rather elegantly, under her breath, the laid back, kind woman from earlier gone. He didn’t know it, but it stung, hitting way to close to the memory. “Princesses stay in ivory towers where they belong and don’t get people killed. I’m no princess Mr. Nash.” She turned to stare him directly in the eye as she spoke.
Lt Edman, Counselor

“I am familiar with a little of Earth history. Elizabeth the 1st, Boudicca, Zenobia. All described as Warrior Princesses although, yes for some the distinction might differ. Your talking about a fantasy princess, we both know they don’t exist. I prefer the real ones that fight for what they believe in,” Nash looked at her steadily, “Ones born with ancestors as pirates, for example. Strong people, not bad people. People who have lived and seen what life is really like,” He raised his hand in surrender, however. He had prodded, sure, and now he had no need to. He took the second shot of Tequila and left the glass unfilled, replacing the cigar in the corner of his mouth. He didn’t know why, but he filed the name away for later.

Revna can’t hold a grudge, and the only anger she can keep is one directed at herself. The inaccuracy of naming of queens to describe princesses made her shake her head, and then she was wondering, again, if he was messing with her or making a pass. She was not going to back step.

“Next time we meet, it’s your turn to talk though, Lieutenant,” he told her. “You have some things you need to say I think, but not here.”

Lt Cmdr Nash, CTO

Revna tilted her head to the side, “Oh really? You think so? Whatever gave you that idea?” No one ever accused her of not being sarcastic. She knew she had to talk about it, she’d been talking about it and was sick of it. She grabbed her PaDD and stood up. He wanted to use rank, fine by her, “Here’s your stool back, Cmdr.” He’d gotten in her head just as surely as she had his. She started heading for the door.
Lt. Edman, Counselor

Nash let her walk away, while he removed the cigar stub from his mouth and placed it on the ashtray, slowly exhaling and putting the lighter back in his pocket. He didn’t watch her leave, just picked up the final Tequila shot he had set aside and drank it, setting the glass upside down on the bar and nodding at Harry.

“Really Nash?” Harry asked him as the bartender watched the woman walk away. “You have a way with women buddy, they’re either on your arm or slapping you.”

“Ah stow it, Harry,” Nash growled in a low voice. “Neither of that kind I know the name of, you know my rule. This ones different, I know her name.” Nash turned and got out of the seat, the warmth of the drinks running through him but not affecting anything. He straightened his coat and nodded to Harry as he began to walk, out the doors to catch up to her. He walked fast, just enough to catch up with her shortly.

“Revna, slow down a moment,” he said as he got closer to her. “I’m heading this way, let me walk and talk with you. Or we can walk and you can glare at me in silence, either works for me.” It was the first time he had used her first name at all, up till that point, it was rank or position.

Lt Cmdr Nash, CTO

Revna slowed down. If she was honest, because he asked her too, and because she was never mad at anyone. Not really. Revna hadn’t been made, not at Cmdr. Nash. It was like she told her patients: some times things will trigger a memory, and you never know what it is. You need to acknowledge it and either deal with it then or let it go, forever, don’t let it sneak back up on you. It wasn’t his fault his words fed her guilt. But the second reason she had to slow down was her lungs. She’d been stubborn not letting the doctors heal the scars. And she’d been moving a lot of heavy boxes and equipment that she shouldn’t have. So now her lungs burned where the scar tissue constricted her air. So for all the above reasons, she slowed her pace carefully measuring her breath. She glanced up at him and shook her head. Rather than guess what he was up to…she spoke softly and evenly. She honestly couldn’t think of a single reason to not like this man, except that he seemed to keep her off balance. “So it’s Revna now? Not Lt, not counselor?”

Lt. Edman, Counselor

“That is your name isn’t it?” Nash grinned, “You can call me Nash. I.... don’t use my first name.” He slid his hands into his coat pockets and walked beside her, he even slowed down a bit more so that they had to walk slower.

Revna slowed her pace willing even more. She could have made some comment about him calling her Edman shudders but she really didn’t mind him calling her Revna. She never had a problem with anyone using her name. It was hers after all.

“It takes a little time to break the ice in names,” Nash told her, “at least I always felt so. Using rank or title keeps people at arms length. For some of us it’s intentional. See back there for all our chatting, we’re still learning. Counselors use first names as a way to make a patient feel comfortable with them, it imparts trust. I don’t trust easily, and I admit I’m difficult to get to know, but I didn’t want you to leave angry even though I know it isn’t really at me. The night was better than leaving it at that.”

Lt Cmdr Nash, CTO

“Really? Is that really why you think we do it?” Revna shook her head. “All you ‘stay away from counselor’ types are the same. You think we try to manipulate you into trusting us so we can get you to spill your deepest secrets.” She was probably pushing a button she shouldn’t, but he wanted to walk and talk. “Do you know the one thing a person can do for another, when there has been trauma, mental or physical? Call them by their name. It gives them identity and it gives them an anchor a sense of reality and location. Just their name. And maybe there are some twisted individuals out there who would use that for their advantage. But for the record, Nash, I don’t. I don’t expect nor want your trust, unless you choose to give it because you think I’ve earned it. I don’t manipulate people like that.” This was obviously a soap box for her. Her finger tips were tingling and she as sure if she looked down they’d be slightly blue. She put them behind her back, and slowed her pace a little more, stopping her tirade and keeping that slow steady breathing and calm center she had been known for.

Lt. Edman, Counselor

“Hey I didn’t chase you down to get a lecture on what counselors do or do not do, Revna” Nash replied, slowing his pace to match hers again. “It wasn’t an attack against counselors for using someone’s name and I never said everyone should stay away from counselors.” Nash paused for a moment as they turned a corner in the corridor and passed another crewmember. “It sounds like you’re stereotyping me, is that a counselor thing too?” Nash poked a little, but he was going to call her out if he saw it and he bet she would do the same, she was too proud of what she did not to.

“I caught up to you, Revna because I wanted to. I used your name because I wanted to and i’m here right now, because I want to be and you didn’t tell me to sod off. I could have just as easily waited five minutes and walked home myself, right?”

Lt Cmdr Nash, CTO


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