Candid Conversations

Posted on Thursday, 28 January 2021 - 5:57pm by Commander Soral & Lieutenant JG Adrianna Eberhardt

Mission: Operation: Trail of Tears
Location: USS Standing Bear | Gym
Timeline: 2394 MD 06

ON:

Adrianna was enjoying wearing her engagement ring. She felt like she was walking a little taller and most certainly with a spring in her step. That said, today was a bit different. With a 'not pregnant' from Doctor Rose, Adrianna felt the need to smack something. Maybe even kill an innocent punch bag or two.

She changed into a sports bra and shorts, allowing for her scars and tally tattoos to show. Her engagement ring had been moved to a necklace chain, her hand wrapped. The woman was loose and already glistening in sweat as she fought the bag, without hesitation or mercy. The more she worked out, the lighter her main scar contrasted with her olive skin, but she didn't care. The woman was proud of any of her scars, aside from the one on her foot, that one was a reminder to always grip your dagger well.

Soral had been meditating for a good hour. He then went home, changed, and then headed to the gym. The very woman he was contemplating booting out of the airlock was fighting a punching bag. "Petty Officer." He said walking up to her.

Adrianna looked to Soral and paused, mid-swing, "yes, sir."

"I see that the bag has offended you."

Adrianna put her hands on her hips, catching her breath. She was still sure that Soral would at the least scream at her for taking Alex to Italy, so internally braced herself. Outside though, she offered a small breathless smile, "he was very rude, sir. I don't speak bag, but I'm convinced he said so etching about my mother's cooking."

"Hmm. Interesting. Your frustration mirrors mine. Although mine is not with the bag but with you."

Adrianna’s smile faded. She decided to go for a different approach, owning up to wrong doing, but in Vulcan, not standard as she didn't want un welcomed ears listening, " would you like us to step into a ring so that you won't be questioned? Not that I'd press charges. You'd be right to do so." Her Vulcan wasn't bad, just a bit softer in sounds as her mother tongue didn't allow for harsher phonemes.

"Not necessary," He switched flawlessly to Vulcan. "I wish to speak to you, to find out what was on your mind hen you put Alexandra in danger."

"You make it sound like it was my choice," she replied, "and frankly, I think I'd prefer to be hit. I've been hit by worse." She gestured to her large scar that looked like lightning had struck her. Adrianna then picked up her water bottle and towel and gestured for a nearby resting bench.

He motioned for the bench. "I just require the story and why you did not come to me with your issue rather then undertake this on your own."

Adrianna sat down, continuing in Vulcan as best she could, though occasionally slipping a word in standard in when she was unsure, "I assume I can speak freely. I went to Alex for advice. I asked her for a distraction, some sort of small smoke bomb or something. Kingsley is a very persuasive person and she would not let me go on my own. I tried. Trust me, I tried. I didn't come to you because you would have stuck out like a tribble on Kronos. Either way, I assumed she would have told you where she was going. I did not willingly put her into harms way. I'm not stupid enough to have a Vulcan their version of angry. I did everything in my power to keep her safe. I plotted plan B through to Z and back again."

He gave a nod. "She can be...more then persuasive." He studied her. "And she keeps things from me that she thinks I would worry about."

Adrianna looked to her water bottle, "I can't speak for Alex, but I get it."

"Oh? Perhaps you can explain it to me." He sounded resigned.

Adrianna looked to him and sighed, "you tell her I told you, she'll kill me." Adrianna decided to offer the suggestion I stead of tell him outright, "perhaps, she's being comparative at the moment and doesn't want to be seen as the weaker opponent. Make herself look like she's a goddess instead of someone feeling expendable."

His eyes rose. "Expendable? I do not understand."

"Most relationships only have two people in it. When weakness is detected, sometime someone will try to push in. Make one of the partners doubt themselves or focus solely on getting rid of the person trying to push in," Adrianna tried to explain, "Alex won't be able to achieve happiness with doubt in her mind and her negative focus on the person trying to break you two up. But the person trying to break you up is like a dog with a rat-- she's not going to let go until the rat is dead, and even then. You need to step in."

"I do not understand. Who is trying to break us up. I am aware of no such person."

"Vulcans can be blind," Adrianna sighed, "T'Paris."

"That is absurd. She is a Vulcan female and our females are strictly forbidden by an honour code to interfere." He sighed. "What is it that makes her and you think T'Paris is attempting this."

"Security footage," Adrianna shrugged, "and I trust Alex to tell the truth. She may be Vulcan, but if memory serves, that honour code is only for Vulcan to Vulcan relationships. T'Paris is pushing Alex to breaking point in the hopes to step in. Even if you don't see it, step in and pretend you do. Trust me."

He sighed. "Security footage." He looked at her. "Show me."

"You didn't look at it?" Adrianna was confused. She looked around, "you have a PaDD?"

He shook his head. "There is a terminal in the main part of the gym. We can have access there." He stood and started walking towards is. He wondered if the video had something to do with the fight he'd walked in on.

"Which time do you want to see?" she asked, "most recent blow up?" Adrianna was already tapping in the time. She left the screen on ready for him to press play. She didn't want to rush him.

They reviewed quite a few images but without sound. "These only show them talking. I do not see any aggressive moves. I only see Alexandra rushing at T'Paris in the gym and I waked in on that."

"You and I both know that Vulcans instigate very differently to those with 'weaker' mental strength," she backtracked the footage pointing to key parts of the screen, "T'Paris goes out of her way to see Alex, and initiates conversation. You can see the reluctance in engagement from Alex. Equally, the more T'Paris talks, the more Alex is tensing. Then--snap. Do you really think Alex would just snap without being pushed?"

He wanted to believe that T'Paris was just trying to put Alex at ease and it could be that. "I do not know." He said. "I will monitor the situation. I still think that they two must be having a miscommunication. Alexandra, for the record has a stronger mental state then T'Paris."

Adrianna shook her head a little, "my father had a saying for when one of us were in fights with our siblings: don't wait for a war, kill the politician that started it. I'm not saying kil T'Paris, but I am saying that you need to shut her down, not wait. Don't continue monitoring something like this. You've already seen what doing nothing does. I am telling you what is happening. I have no reason to lie. Step in, or watch Alex crumble more. Or, better yet, step in now, or start writing a report about why T'Paris was found floating outside the hsio near an airlock."

He sighed. "Alright. I will look into it."

"This mean you've forgiven me?" Adrianna asked cautiously, "it would, after all, be illogical to hold a grudge against someone that didn't have a choice."

His lip twitched. "Indeed. Most illogical." He paused. "Petty Officer may I speak frankly?"

"I'd be offended if you didn't speak frankly," Adrianna offered.

"I have much hope for you. You have the ability to go far you just have to find your footing. Our past does not define us it shapes us. There comes a point when we may need to let it go and use its shaping to build a future."

"May I speak frankly?" she asked.

"Yes, I value it."

"Both yourself and Lieutenant Mackenzie, have said similar things within this past week," she replied, "but neither of you have asked why I risked my life, crewman Eberhardt's and lieutenant Kingsley's life to return to Earth, let alone Italy. You know what kind of risk that would have been for me, alone. Especially my last trip, where I had no one. Only myself. Neither of you have asked why, neither of you have asked what the outcome was and neither of you can focus on anything but my alleged obsession with my history." After saying her final word she offered a small smile and switched back to standard," Sir, if you don't mind, it's been a long week and that punching bag still needs to be taught a lesson."

"Perhaps we shall speak of your motivations at a later time."

"Perhaps, one day, you'll ask as an acquaintance or friend," Adrianna said softly, "it's not a work conversation." The woman picked up her bottle and towel and headed back to the punch bag.

OFF: