A Lunch to Help Morale

Posted on Saturday, 15 May 2021 - 10:58am by Ensign Oriana Skye Sety & Lieutenant Scarlet Rogers

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: USS Standing Bear | Mess Hall
Timeline: 2394 - MD 09

ON:

Oriana sat in the mess hall pushing her food around the plate. It had been a rough night but interesting.

Scarlet had headed to the mess hall for lunch. She spotted Oriana and looked worried. Quietly, she slid into the seat opposite, "penny for your thoughts."

Oriana looked up startled a little. "Oh! Scarlet. Hi! Sorry it was a rough and confusing night." She smiled at her friend. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," Scarlet replied trying to be cheerful, "you didn't expose yourself to another guy accidentally again, right?"

She chuckled a little. "Kind of...I had an anxiety attack and Hamura came home panicked and called sickbay." She sighed. "Then stayed all night sleeping on the sofa to make sure I was alright."

Scarlet nodded. She, herself was no stranger to panic attacks. "What triggered the attack?" Scarlet asked.

She cupped her face in her hands. "Usually not much. I mean I had these since I was a kid, this time it was a letter from family." She shook her head. "I don't know how they found out where I was."

"You want to talk about it?" Scarlet asked offering an empathetic smile.

She sighed and then shrugged. "I want to say no but..."

Scarlet nodded in understanding as her sandwich arrived, "I'm a good listener."

She sighed, she had to confide in someone. "How much time do you have?" She asked smiling.

"Flexible," Scarlet replied honestly, "I'm research, so I'm not on a strict shift pattern like you guys."

She sighed. "Well long story short I left home when I was very young and I decided to carve a name for myself and build my own life and to do that I changed my city, my name, I started over...Now it appears that one of my siblings has found me."

"And you don't want them to find you?" Scarlet confirmed.

"When I left I closed that chapter for good. I was never...wanted by my family I always felt inadequate and as if I was a burden and I left as much for them as for me. My brothers...they were never horrible to me but...I need a fresh start I felt like I was … drowning." She sighed. "This probably makes no sense."

"It doesn't mean that I don't get it," Scarlet offered, "what are you going to do? I mean, just because they found you, doesn't mean you have to talk to them."

"Can I be honest? I haven't even read the letter I just saw the name on it." She looked a little sheepish. "That was enough to stress me out."

"That makes sense," Scarlet replied, "they must have gone to great lengths to find you. Perhaps reconciliation? Either way, you don't have to read it. You don't even have to reply."

"I know but knowing it's there is an anxiety. Maybe even a source of fear. Does that sound horrible? Does it even make sense?" By this time she'd lost her appetite and pushed the plate away opting for the warm cup of tea to bring warmth into her cold hands.

"I roomed with someone at the academy that had a similar issue, but ex boyfriend. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know the contents. She sent the message to another friend of ours and deleted it from her records, that way, when she decided she was ready, she'd have it. It also meant, someone else could read it to ensure it wasn't... You know," Scarlet offered.

"Well that's a creative solution. That's something to think about! Did she end up reading it ever?"

"I don't remember," Scarlet tried to think, "I don't think so."

"Well it's something to think about." She looked at Scarlet. "Enough about my anxiety. Tell me about what's new with you? How goes settling in?"

Scarlet smiled, "anytime." She then answered, "pretty good actually. Things are good, the science chief is nice and very entertaining. Though her husband is... Well... Not good at first impressions, though he did apologise. Aside from that, I'm getting into routine and everyone seems great."

She smiled, "Not good at first impressions?" She grinned. "I sense a story."

"Let's just say that from behind, I look like the chief science officer," Scarlet blushed, "either way, he was mortified and apologised profusely."

"Oh my!" She laughed. "You will have to tell me the full story sometime." She smiled, "He's not so bad but overly serious at times."

"I think that's a Vulcan thing, not a personality thing," Scarlet chuckled, "he seems like a lovely guy."

"So how are things with your love?"

Scarlet blushed and couldn't stop herself from smiling, "think I made the right decision to be here for him."

"That's wonderful! I'm a hopeless romantic," she laughed, "So details are appreciated. I shall live vicariously through you."

Scarlet chuckled. She wasn't one to speak like this, because she never wanted to embarrass anyone, but she needed to confide in someone about just how happy she was, albeit only about Ryan, not so much about target practise or generally being on a ship. She talked about the small dates they'd had, which were mainly movie nights or dinner, all behind closed door. "I guess as a chief he doesn't want to be massively public, but I'm content as it is, you know? No gossip, no drama, it's great," she concluded.

"Well that's important. A relationship is nobody's business but the people who are in it. When the time is right I'm sure you'll both settle about being more public." She said. Not that she was speaking from experience. She had none in that respect.

"How's your roommate situation?" Scarlet asked.

"Well aside from what I told you with the anxiety issue and Hamura rushing me to sickbay...it's alright. We talked last night, I think that I can be comfortable with Hamura as my roommate. When not pulling roses from people's hair Hamura can be quite understanding."

Scarlet chuckled at the rose comment, "yes, I've heard it's a party trick he likes to pull on everyone."

She smiled, "Hamura is complicated but then so am I. Perhaps we are a good roommate paring." She shrugged. "So how do you like the ship itself?"

"I'll get back to you on that one," Scarlet shrugged.

"I like that it's small. I can use the ladders and tubes to get around rather then the turbo lifts."

"I've told you, I'm willing to install elevator music," Scarlet offered, "they really aren't that bad and it's a rarity they break."

"I know I just can't....I don't even know where the fear came from, to be honest." She said as she sipped her tea. "Ohh Cold. Going to get another one. Want one?"

Scarlet shook her head, "I should probably get back to the lab. We can do lunch again tomorrow if you want?"

Oriana smiled, “I’d like that. Let’s do it!”

Scarlet nodded, "if I'm not here, call me. I may just be engrossed and that means I need a break." She stood up, "see you tomorrow."

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