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2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | Starfleet Academy Grounds | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon tugged at the tunic of his cadet uniform as he strode down one of the many pathways that criss-crossed the Academy grounds. He was heading towards the Counselling building for yet another mandated session. It seemed a waste to be inside on a beautiful day like today. It was warm and sunny, with a light breeze carrying the scent of the roses Boothby so diligently tended throughout the grounds. Ekon closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, savouring the scent. As he opened them again, he saw three solid pips on a neck just in front of him, and snapped to attention as the Commander came to a stop just in front of him.

”I’m sorry, sir! I was not watching where I was going.” Ekon said rigidly by way of explaination.

“At ease, Cadet.” The Commander replied with the ghost of a smile. “No harm done. I know Boothby’s flowers can be quite a distraction. Just keep your eyes open next time.”

”Yes sir!” Ekon replied as the Commander chuckled and moved off.

Cadet…

Four months into his time at the Academy, and he still found it strange to be “Cadet” Okotie-Eboh rather than Petty Officer 1st Class Okotie-Eboh. It was something he would have to get used to.

Shaking his head, he put the incident out of his mind and continued towards the counselling building, making his way to the usual officer on the ground floor. As he entered the building and walked down the hallway, he tapped his combadge.

”Computer, what is the time?”

[The time is currently 13:30 hours.]

He was an hour early for his session.

Ekon growled softly as he pushed open the door to the counsellor’s office. He stepped into the room and walked briskly across to the receptionist.

”Cadet Okotie-Eboh to see Counsellor Henderson.“ He told the receptionist. ”I know I am early.” The receptionist glanced at Ekon and then nodded towards the waiting area and told him to have a seat.

Ekon turned and took a seat, finding himself sitting across from a tall Andorian. The blue-skinned cadet had an androgynous appearance, though female traits were still noticeable as well, and antennae that were two different lengths and shades of blue.

Ekon realized he had been staring at her for too long when she turned her gaze towards him, staring back at him with blue eyes that seemed to blend in with her skin colour. He cleared his throat and tried to give her a smile.

”So, what did they send you here for, ca…” He cut himself off just as he began saying “cadet”. It was a habit he still needed to break, a habit which had caused many questions and a great deal of embarrassment on more than one occasion over the past 4 months. He had dealt with cadets many times during his 3 decades with Starfleet, and it was taking longer than expected to get used to the idea that he was now a cadet as well. He decided to just keep his mouth shut for now and hope that the Andorian hadn’t noticed his slip-up.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #1 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  |Starfleet Academy Grounds | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife

Shar shifted in the seat, arms crossed over her chest and antennae standing rigid and quivering over her head. Today she felt a  constant dull pain in her mended antenna, the sunny and overly warm weather of San Francisco bothering her to extremes that she didn't think possible. How could a civilization develop in such an infamous climate? Why the Starfleet Headquarters and the Academy was located in such an inhospitable place?

The andorian got up, walked restlessly for a few minutes through the waiting room and sat down again, tapping her feet against the corner of one of the low tables that was sitting uselessly in the middle of the room.  She didn't understand their function, they had a few informative PADDs over them, all of them full of stupid information about improving self-esteem and personal image. They were too low to eat or work, especially considering her twiggy shape. They were only useful to hit herself in her shinbone every time she came to the counsellor office. She had been in interspecies protocol courses and knew that it was due to her cultural shock between that very human environment and the spartan life he had led in Andoria and Thonolan IV, but rationalizing it did not alleviate her anger.

She didn't want to be there. Yeah, she want to be in the Academy, but not in therapy. She needed it, but did not like it.

The receptionist cleared her throat and, somehow, managed to sound annoyed. Shar looked up at her and after a brief exchange of eyebrows movements and accusatory glances she realized that her drumming on the table must have been irritating. She sat upright once more, crossed her arms even more tightly over her slender chest and gave the woman a poisonous look. But she stopped making noise. She just kept looking at the secretary, boiling inside, thinking about ways she could kill her with her bare hands. When she realized the direction of her thoughts and the reason why she was in that room, she felt worse than before.

It was then that another cadet entered the waiting room, introducing himself to the receptionist as Okotie-Eboh. He quickly sat down right in front of her, and started to glance at her cheekily. Not only that, but he spent a good time observing her antennae, as if she needed someone to ask questions about her loss. She had had sufficient shame to endure among the other andorian cadets, she not need someone else questioning her.

She couldn't help but crush the antennae even more on her skull and hug herself even more, totally on defensive stand.

"So, what did they send you here for, ca ..." the man began to say. "I MURDERED AN ANNOYING PINK-SKIN, VERY MUCH LIKE YOU !!!" she shouted, totally crazy, staring at the dark eyes of that man...And realizing too late that she didn't know if he was human at all, nor had his skin pink. A purple flush began to rise to her cheeks despite all her efforts, while she was still standing, totally frozen, looking at the other cadet.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #2 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | Waiting Room | Starfleet Academy Counsellor’s Office | 2375 ] @Numen

”I MURDERED AN ANNOYING PINK-SKIN, VERY MUCH LIKE YOU !!!”

While Ekon would happily admit that he had anger issues and problems dealing with what had happened during the war, he did not really believe he needed to be in counselling. The Andorian Cadet, on the other hand, obviously belonged in the Counsellor’s office. He knew the counsellor would not be able to speak to him about the Andorian’s therapy, but Ekon figured it wouldn’t hurt to suggest some medication for the blue woman.

Some strong medication.

Ekon held his hands up in front of his face, though with the palms turned towards his face, not in a defensive gesture. He feigned studying his hands for a moment, turning them over to study the backs as well, then let them drop back to his lap with a look of relief painted on his face.

”For a moment, you had me worried that I had changed colour!” Ekon told the Andorian as he gave her a cheeky smile. ”Perhaps after your therapy session, you should have your eyes checked as well…”

Ekon himself having been sent to the counsellor because of his violent tendencies, and having been a Starfleet Nurse for many years, he knew he should not be provoking the obviously enraged Andorian woman. While Ekon had had numerous violent outbursts similar to the Andorian’s, his usually ended with a trip to sickbay. Since no damage had been inflicted yet, he figured he could get away with a little joke.

She looks kind of cute when she turns that shade of purple… Ekon thought with a mischievous smile, waiting to see if the Andorian was about to charge at him.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #3 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  |Waiting Room | Starfleet Academy Counsellor's Office | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife

Shar observed, still shaking with irrational anger, how the dark-skinned man examined his hands carefully, as if they were something he hadn't done before, and  then he briefly said "For a moment, you had me worried that I had changed color!"  The afterglow of her cheeks spread even more, she was embarrassed to the extreme. However, despite her clenched fists and gritted teeth, her antennae relaxed, moving forward and facing each other, showing amusement.

Without looking away from the other cadet, she sat down again, tilting her head with curiosity. That he responded to her aggressiveness display with sense of humour contradicted all the behavioral patterns she had learned and didn't know how to react. The same bewilderment abated the anger that had been raging inside her, becoming the everlasting background noise she had been suffering since the death of Layiss ... and Thelian.

She set her elbows on the bony knees and hid her face behind hands, rubbing her eyes. "I ...mmmh... I'm sorry" She murmured at last, her voice barely audible. At least she owed an explanation to that man. "It's too hot and that makes me irritable. Even more, I must to say " added with a soft chuckle. With a slight sigh she pulled her hands away from her face and leaned again against the back of the couch. Her face had almost returned to its usual tone, although small purple flecks still colored her cheekbones. She cocked her head to the other side, not knowing very well what to say,  small talk was not among her abilities, but she knew it was a human habit and she had to get used to. "I think ... I think yeah, I should check my eyes after this, human, unless the sun has cook you too much," She added tentatively, not knowing if her attempt of joke would be well received. To reinforce the idea that it was a well-intentioned comment, she tried to mimic a smile. It was another thing that wasn't among her skill set, so she end up like a dull crooked grin. The andorians' facial muscles weren't made to smile and Shar was especially novice in that practice. Insecurity brought the flush back to her cheeks and she looked away.

For once, the receptionist saved her from more discomfort, calling her for the consultation. "Kelzar Sezen, Counselor Henderson will see you now" said the woman in a bored tone, choking on the strange pronunciation of the andorian name. Shar rose up like a spring, while one of her mismatched antennae lashed against her skull, slightly irritated again. "Khelleshar sh'Zenne. Wait, it doesn't matter, just Shar, that's ok," She corrected her, with a point of desperation in her sibilant voice. Just as she struggled with smiles, most of the administrative staff couldn't handle her long, whispery name. She took a couple of steps toward the office door before turning to the other cadet, leading the small bow of her shoulders in his direction. "That's my name, Shar, by the way"

She walked a bit more, almost reaching the counselor's room, before stopping and turning back again, waiting for an answer. The morning had started in the worst possible way but she didn't know where each one of them could finish their careers, and despite that first clash therapy, she wanted to remain on good terms with the man. Her list of blunders was extensive enough so far to not want to continue expanding it.


OOC: I leave in your hands, finish the scene and make a small temporary jump until after the session ended where they cross over again

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #4 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | Waiting Room | Starfleet Academy Counsellor's Office | Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon smiled as the Andorian apologized for her outburst, seeming to calm down as she did. The purple colouring of her blue skin faded somewhat as she explained about the heat. Ekon chuckled at the Andorian's irritation at the "heat". Having spent his youth growing up on Earth's African continent, he found San Francisco to be very mild. As she made the remark about his being cooked in the sun too long, he let out a deep, rumbling laugh, his face breaking into a broad smile.

He was about to say something when the receptionist called her, butchering her name in the process. The Andorian corrected the receptionist, then introduced herself as Shar, giving a small bow in the process.

"I am Pet... excuse me." Ekon apologized, having caught himself about to give her former rank and stopping just in time. "My name is Ekon Okotie-Eboh, though most people just call me Eboh." He gave her a mischievious grin. "I expect people have as much trouble with my name as they do with yours, Shar."

He leaned back in his seat as Shar entered the counsellor's office, now waiting alone for his appointment.


[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | Waiting Room | 35 minutes later... ]

As Shar opened then door from the counsellor's office and stepped into the waiting room at the end of her session, she was greeted by a very different scene than when she had left.

The receptionist was on her feet behind her desk, a frightened look having replaced the look of boredom that she usually wore. Several of the chairs in the waiting room, as well as one of the small tables that had been the bane of Shar's shins, were overturned, and Ekon was in the middle of a grappling match with a human cadet with blonde hair and a sneer on his face. Ekon's bottom lip was swollen, and his uniform in disarray.

As Shar watched, Ekon shifted his weight and twisted his torso, sending the blonde cadet tumbling sideways onto one of the overturned chairs. Ekon raised his right arm and sent his fist into the human's face, a wet crunching noise letting everyone present know that the human's nose had just been broken. A second blow sent a small amount of blood splattering onto the carpet be the blonde cadet's head.The human let go of Ekon's uniform and clutched his hands to his face, letting out a groan than was muffled by his hands. Ekon straightened up and stepped back, pulling his uniform tunic back into place as he looked down at the bloodied human.

"Remember this lesson the next time you think to say something stupid like that, Kennedy. I have no patience for for racist rednecks like you."

Ekon turned his head to look at the receptionist.

"I'm sorry for the mess. Please tell the counsellor we will have to reschedule out session." He said through gritted teeth before glancing at Shar and stalking out of the room.

Perhaps the Andorian is not the only one who needs to be medecated... Ekon thought to himself with a dark grin as he passed out the waiting room doors and into the corridor beyond.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #5 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  |Waiting Room | Starfleet Academy Counsellor's Office | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife


Shar nodded at Eboh's introduction, rolling the strange name on her tongue, trying to reproduce the sound correctly. She directed another tentative smile to the other cadet, somehow a bit more natural this time, and finally she entered the office. From the attitude with which she did it, it could be said that she was walking towards the scaffold.

____

[ Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne | Counsellor office| 35 minutes later]

Although she began to accumulate a few of them behind her back, the sessions didn't become easier. As the door closed behind her, she stopped for a moment, closed her eyes, sighed slightly and tried to push her inner turmoil as deep and as hidden as she could, and leave it there, buried until she could analyze it later. It was just the opposite that the counsellor had suggested, but dealing with her problems as humans did had not proven to work. At least so far. She opened her eyes and directed her steps towards the exit, maybe, with a little luck, she would meet the other cadet and could exchange a few words before his session. The therapist had recommended her expand her social circle outside the andorian cadets and Eboh could be as good as any other. At least, they must have something in common if they had met in that office.

When she arrived at the waiting room, she found a scene that seemed to come from one of her worst days. Without being consciously aware of it, she stopped underneath the door's lintel and watched without moving how Eboh hit the blonde-boy until he turned away from him, hands on his face. It was like looking herself in a mirror, a dark-skinned and manlier mirror, but so similar that forced the andorian to smirk. Possibly, the worst of the whole situation was that, while part of her was seen “herself” for the first time through the eyes of others, most of her wanted to jump to the fray and blast Kennedy with her own fists. Even more so she had no idea what "redneck" meant beyond the literal meaning, but beating up a racist seemed a good way to put some reasoning in his head. Or leave him stupid enough to not open his mouth again. Shar pursed her lips for a moment when she realized, not for the first time, that the counsellor probably disagree.

The incident ended a moment later, with Eboh coming out like a whirlwind out of the waiting room. Still determined to comply with her original plan, Shar hurried after him. Despite her long strides, the andorian could only reach him in the hall of the building, almost next to the doors. The wide windows showed the scorching sun burning out the strangely green gardens of the Academy Grounds, Shar cursed under her breath the climate of that damn planet. She bit the bullet, grabbed the man by the elbow and went out to that scorching wilderness, dragging the cadet with her. "I don't know about you, but I need something to eat." She plainly expounded as a greeting. "And possibly a drink, but not that synthehol crap, something real," she continued, as she strode forward, without letting go Eboh's arm, shielding herself from sunbeam in every shadow she could find. However, the profusion of non-edible flower shrubs didn't facilitate the maneuver. "Good performance with the yellow-hair, although instead of hitting his face I would have focused on the solar plexus, you would have gotten rid of him more quickly" She commented in passing, as if they were talking about the qualities of one tool over another, instead of indicating the best way to beat someone. "In any case I won't deny the satisfaction of made a mess with his face, it will take him a while to forget the lesson whenever there are mirrors nearby". Shar's antennae faced each others till their tips touched, showing their amusement with the situation.

When they reached a mass of trees that provided some shelter, Shar stopped, fanning her face. "If you don't have a better idea, there is an andorian brasserie in South Bay, with the thermostat close to zero, a decent gristhera and an excellent glow-ale." Even though Shar's words weren't offensive, her tone was abrasive again. Evidently, she didn't handle the heat well. "I don't have classes until tomorrow morning and you..." She looked him up and down with an arched eyebrow. "I do NOT think you're too prepared to absorb knowledge right now"

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #6 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okkotie-Eboh | Starfleet Academy Grounds | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon fumed as he stalked down the hall away from the counselor’s office, aware that he would receive another reprimand for the incident with Cadet Kennedy. At the same time Ekon found himself savoring both the sensation of punching Kennedy and the crunching sound the blonde cadet’s nose had made as it was ruined by the impact.

Ekon was jolted out of his reverie when a hand took hold of his elbow.

Ekon instinctively tensed and balled his hands into fists, prepared to unleash further damage unto Cadet Kennedy’s smug, squinty redneck face. As he turned his head however, he was surprised to see blue skin, finding himself looking at the Andorian named Shar rather than Kennedy’s pale, bloodied visage. He allowed the blue woman to drag him outside, noticing that she seemed uncomfortable in the bright light and warmth of the morning. She pulled him down one of the paths crossing the Academy grounds, zig-zagging back and forth as they went to pass through every shadow along their route. Ekon listened to her talk as she dragged him along, smiling as she spoke of the merits of inflicting damage on different body areas. Her tone seemed to grow more surly as they went, thought despite the increasing annoyance in her tone she suggested the go to an Andorian brasserie, mentioning the lower temperature they maintained. The last part led Ekon to guess that the heat must be responsible for her increasing irritation.

”A glow-ale would be nice. There’s nothing like a drink after punching a deserving asshole in the face!” Ekon said, grinning at the blue woman who was making a passable impression of a tow-truck as she dragged him along at a furious pace. Then he twisted his arm and took hold of her forearm, gripping it firmly but not so much as to hurt her. He pulled her to a stop in the shade of a weeping willow tree that draped lazily over the path as he continued. ”Hold on. I’ll need to stop by my dorm and grab a coat. You may be more comfortable in the near-freezing, but I grew up on Earth’s African continent. Near-zero would leave me shivering so much that it would be a miracle if I managed to get any of the glow-ale into my mouth!” Ekon said with a grin, still holding Shar’s arm, though loosening his grip. He raised his other arm and pointed to a building off to their left, down a path that branched off just a few meters ahead of them. ”It’s just there. It will only take a minute.” Ekon finished, moving off in that direction, switching roles with the Andorian woman as he now pulled her towards the building.

”If you find this weather uncomfortable, you would not last long in Abuja.” Ekon chuckled, flashing the blue woman another grin. ”You Andorians are so chilly! Perhaps if you gave yourself a chance to thaw out, you would be a pink-skin as well! Or are you worried to will overcook and turn dark like me?” Ekon teased as they mounted the steps and entered the air-conditioned entryway of the dorm building.

”My room is just down the hall. I will only be a moment.” He informed her, releasing her arm and turning and striding down the hall and into his room, emerging moments later with his issued cadet coat. As he came back to the entryway he draped the coat over his arm and looked at Shar.

”Would you like to stay in the cooler air here for a moment before we go back out?” He asked, studying the Andorian’s face. He noticed that he had been wrong before, and that her eyes were actually a slightly darker shade of blue than the rest of her, now that her skin no longer had a purple tint to it.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #7 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | Starfleet Academy Grounds| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife

Eboh held her to stop her under a tree with strange, languid branches. Shar looked at the plant with suspicion, its unfamiliar structure seemed to indicate that it was sick and about to die at any moment. Without looking away from the vegetable haggard, she heard how the other cadet indicated that he wanted to go pick up a warm garment to his bedroom, while commenting something about the continent where he had been raised. Possibly it was one of the equatorial continents, although the human fixation of naming their planet land masses with words that started with "A" she found difficult to distinguish them only by name. Whatever what of them was, surely half the continent need to be molten rock. Then her new acquaintance made another tremendously exaggerated comment with joking intent, accompanied by a broad smile and, without hardly giving her time to nod, he grabbed her elbow, just as she had done moments before, and he directed his steps to the building with the straight course of an icebreaker.

Walking like like that, hurriedly, without thinking too much, gave her a je ne sais quai that reminded her home, before the Chekthora, before ... everything. She winced trying to push that memory away, but her expression went unnoticed, facing the broad back of Eboh. Eventually, they crossed the double doors of the dorm without slowing down their furious pace and at the end, Shar was released in the entryway. “You Andorians are so chilly! Perhaps if you gave yourself a chance to thaw out, you would be a pink-skin as well! Or are you worried to overcook and turn dark like me?" She arched an eyebrow as answer, the antennae again touching in front of her faced with Eboh's sassy attitude."If I thaw a bit more I'll end turned into a blue puddle, we're half icicle, you know?" She mumbled, trying to follow Eboh's puns with little success, due the dryness of her tone. "But, if I ever turn into bouf, You'll need to end my suffering" She added with a frown.

After these words, Shar found herself in the middle of the hall of a dorm, alone again. She felt misplaced, scorched with heat and tried to distract herself comparing the differences in the current building from the one that held her room, just on the other side of the campus. That was an older building, with the light color and large windows that humans seemed to prefer, and a good overlook of the gardens. The Andorian stuck to the glass, trying to find the nearest public transporter, one that could save her another session of running under the scorching sun. She had barely found it when the dark-skinned man returned, asking if she would prefer to stay while. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we'll arrive, there is no point in wasting more time" She asserted and she launched herself again to open air , under the ruthless midday sun.



[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne | "Flabbjellah", South Bay | 35 minutes later]


The brasserie was not too big, but it was well situated, placed in a crossroad close to the promenade, facing the Bay. From the outside, it looked like a building like any other in the neighbourhood, without any remarkable feature except for a thick and clearly airtight door. However, once both cadets crossed the door they found themselves in a unmistakably alien room. The temperature was near freezing and the regulars where all andorians, many of them dressing the uniform of the fleet or the academy.

As soon as she passed through the door, Shar felt more relaxed, even her movements became less stiff and more loose. She approached the white counter and spoke for a moment with the waiter in their native language, to finally go to the spot where she had left Eboh with two jugs of a slightly shinning liquid with floating ice cubes and a steaming plate. She put the three services in one of the free tables, and sat joyfully, her antennae arched forward. "We're lucky, they just received tuber roots and fresh redbat, it's not easy to find them." Saying that, she attacked the plate avidly, only stopping to take a sip of glow-ale. When she had consumed almost half of the plate contents, she avert the eyes from the food and she looked up to the other cadet. Her gaze was serious and her antennae were firmly arched forward, fully aware of Eboh reactions. "Tell me, that cadet, Kennedy ... Why did you call him redneck? His neck was as pink as the rest of him." The Andorian cocked her head slightly, waiting for the answer. However, before the african could open his mouth, she continued talking. "I thought I had trouble controlling my impulses, but you're not  far behind me. That's why they sent you to therapy?"

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #8 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay ] @Numen

Ekon had shrugged into his coat just before he followed Shar into the brasserie, Once inside he was glad he had, as the coat held some of the warmth from outside. The inside of the establishment was near freezing, and Ekon noticed he was the only non-Andorian. The knowledge that he was the only one of his kind in the room didn’t phase him. Being half El-Aurian, he was usually the only one of his species in any given group.

Ekon looked around the place as Shar headed off towards the counter and spoke with someone, Ekon guessed the proprietor of the brasserie, then returned with two jugs of shining liquid and a plate. He followed her to a table and sat opposite her, glancing at the drinks and wondering why they bothered to put ice cubes in them if the room was kept so cold. Then he realized that he used to drink hot coffee back in Nigeria, which was more or less the same idea.

Ekon looked up at Shar, who was attacking the plate of food with gusto. After devouring half of the plate’s contents, she turned both her gaze and her antennae up to face him.

”Tell me, that cadet, Kennedy… Why did you call him a redneck? His neck was just as pink as the rest of him.” Shar asked, pausing for a brief moment before continuing, not leaving Ekon an opportunity to answer her question. ”I thought I had trouble controlling my impulses, but you’re not far behind me. That’s why they sent you to therapy?”

Ekon waited a moment to be sure Shar had finished talking before he began to answer her rapid-fire questions.

”I did not call Kennedy a redneck as a literal term.” Ekon explained, taking a sip of the glowing liquid. ”Redneck is a human term. It usually has a negative connotation to it. It is basically implying that the person is unsophisticated and unintelligent.” Ekon knew he was under-explaining the term, but Shar would understand the gist of it. He studied at the Andorian as he moved on to her next question. ”As for my impulses, well…” Ekon gave her a guilty smile, ”I have never been particularly good at dealing with them. During the war, however, I became less able to resist acting on them. “Volatile” is a word often used to describe my lack of self control.” Ekon shrugged. ”It is not an inaccurate description. I think perhaps I got a taste for combat during the war, and now find myself without a way to satisfy that thrill.” Ekon’s smile took on a dark quality as he considered his next words. ”Cadet Kennedy is an instigator. He likes to push people and try to get a reaction. I have been having… issues with him for months.” Ekon shrugged again and took another sip fo the drink before leaning back in his chair. ”When you put an asshole like Kennedy in the same room as someone easily provoked, such as myself, it is to be expected that an incident like what happened earlier will be the result.”

Ekon sighed, causing his breath to mist in the air in front of his face. As he spoke again, softer this time, his eyes took on a slightly distracted look.”When I hit Kennedy, it was almost as satisfying as the Cardassian I beat to death during the war, though for different reasons.”

Ekon shook himself back to the present, and looked at Shar apologetically. ”Forgive me, I was lost in the past for a moment.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows in the table and giving Shar his full attention. ”So tell me, who is Shar when she’s not yelling and calling people pink-skins, and why was she sent to therapy?”

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #9 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | "Flabbjellah", South Bay| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife


Shar listened carefully how Eboh explained the concept of redneck. When he finished, she simply nodded. "So, a pink-skin, in the broadest sense," she whispered softly, validating what she has guessed. The andorian took another bite of the plate before turning her attention back to Eboh, the antennae arched forward, and the head slightly tilted, ready to listen to what he had to say.

The first thing that surprised her about the other cadet's exhibition was his affirmation that he had participated in the War. "Wait, Dominion War? Are not you supposed to be a cadet? And how old are you? " She asked herself puzzledly, but she resisted putting a voice to these questions to let the man continue with his presentation. When the african said that part of his problems came from his inability to give a way to deal with his battle thrill, Shar's gaze softened slightly. She truly understood that feeling, many of her colleagues in the Chekthora had gone through the same during their training, finding solutions more or less tumultuous. "I can understand that, my people have a predisposition towards violent behavior, learn how to deal with that in a socially acceptable way is a part of being full Andorian citizen." She explained with a point of pride in her voice, resting lightly against the back of her seat. However, as soon as the words came out of her lips she realized the terrible example that she was supposed to be for that statement. The corners of her lips twitched a bit, while she shrugged slightly and dropped the antennae a little, wringing their tips.

She tried hard to compose herself, leaning her elbows on the table and returning her focus to the food, toying with it, while she let Eboh continue talking. For better or for worse, the other cadet rambled on about Kennedy's nature. Shar understood perfectly the nature of the instigators. She had faced several on her path to be part of the Imperial Guard, personified in its maximum expression in Thelian th'Valrass. However, for andorians that kind of personalities were a reason to pushed forward with their decisions, enduring the rough time as a challenge. Until the last moment, that was what had allowed the shen to stand out in front of her academy mates, till all began to go south. When the cadet interrupted his speech with a drink of glow-ale, the andorian explained her point of view. "Instigators are a wake-up call to keep sharp senses and a good self-possession, you could almost give thanks for having him close, no matter how annoying he is. He keep you ready to fight." Shar couldn't stop her antennae from coming together again on her forehead, with a kind of smirk, when Eboh pointed out that the fact of being in the same room that kennedy already posed a risk of incident , she felt reflected again in the dark-skinned man. It was strange and comforting at the same time.

However when the human distracted remembering how he killed a Cardassian, Shar stiffened and looked at the man bowing her head. It seemed that this was where the mirror failed: Eboh seemed almost nostalgic and Shar... well, she knew that she was going to carry that death with her for the rest of her life, and that she might never could be release of its weight. Of course, the actions of the other cadet could be justified, the cardassian was an enemy, he was in a war situation. Shar had no justification. She had only let the monster escape and it had vent its rage on the nearest one. The food soured in her mouth and she couldn't help pushing the plate aside, without appetite, and trying to drown the bile that rose to her throat with a drink that left her stein empty. Despite this, her mouth tasted like blood and ash and tuber roots suddenly seemed like stones in her stomach. She focused her eyes on her hands, trying to calm down.

"So tell me, who is Shar when she's not yelling and calling people pink-skins, and why was she sent to therapy?"

The question took her out of the gloomy spiral in which she was descending, she looked up and saw Eboh leaning forward, waiting for an answer. She slightly arched the antennae towards him and rehearsed a coy smile, trying to fit herself back together. "Me? I was a lunar dweller, I mean, I'm not came from Andoria but from one of the colonies, Thonolan IV. Well, born and raised in one of its shepherd moons. That place doesn't even have a proper name, Orbital Mine twelve, OM-12. That's all" She answered quickly, trying to hide her distress. She took another swallow of glow-ale to give herself a little more time, but found that she only had froth left. She looked with disgust at the empty bottom of her mug and pushed it aside. "Most of my parents are prospectors or miners, so well, they moved to OM-12 when they discovered Pergium there. My charan discovered it, by the way. My little sister and I were born there, that's why we are ... we were... I am, I am ... like that" She added pointing at herself, her body tall and fibrous with long and thin limbs. "Microgravity, you know, you don't spend too many resources on a temporary mining base. The mine should be exhausted within a few years like it or not." It was a bittersweet feeling, knowing that the place where she had grown had an expiration date. She flexed her antennas lightly, shrugging them and looked back at the counter, unable to look at Eboh's face and see if he had noticed her misstep. "I almost  graduated in the Chekthora ... sorry, in the Imperial Guard Cadet Program but that didn't end too well, as you can imagine. I was allowed to enter Starfleet Academy on condition that I'll go to therapy so that I don't have another ... What did you call it? Incident. Also I have been advised against trying a career in Security, for the safety of my classmates. Luckily I'm still in the general courses, because I have no idea what I'm going to do in here if it's not a military-type career." Shar experimented with another human smile, but her slightly fallen antennae gave her a sadder look than what she intended. She looked at the empty stein again before asking. "You have chosen specialty? Maybe you can help me to found out mine, you look like you have been around here longer than me. Because ... the War? Did you mean the Dominion War? What happens, is this the second time you go through the Academy because when you turned 70 you decided to change your life? " She joked incredulously.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #10 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon chuckled at Shar’s comment about it being his second time going through the Academy and asking if he was making a change after turning 70.

”I turned 70 a long time ago.” Ekon told her with a grin. ”It’s more like I made a change when I turned 82.” Ekon chuckled as Shar looked increasingly confused as he spoke. ”Although this is my first time through the Academy. Before I enrolled here and became “Cadet” Okotie-Eboh, I was “Petty Officer 1st Class” Okotie-Eboh. I spent 23 years as a medical NCO before transferring to the Operations department five years ago.” Ekon shrugged. ”I was planning on staying in Operations or switching to Engineering, though I hadn’t decided which.” Ekon smiled at Shar. ”If they have recommended that you stay away from Security, you should consider Operations. I enjoy working on the ship. It doesn’t complain or yell at you, and you don’t have a lot of people bothering you while you work.” Ekon’s smile grew, and amusement crept into his voice as he spoke again. ”It’s a perfect fit for people with our… social issues.” Ekon finished with a chuckle.

Ekon finally decided to clarify things, feeling pity for the Andorian who had worn a puzzled look since he mentioned his age and Starfleet service. ”You were only half correct when you called me a “pink-skin”, Shar. I’m half El-Aurian, and still quite young by their standards, despite the fact that I first enlisted in Starfleet in 2325.” Ekon leaned back and took a long sip of glow-ale before he continued, taking the opportunity to think back over the rapid-fire questions Shar had put forward. ”As for the war, I spent the entire war as a Petty Officer in Operations aboard the Hiroshima, and we saw our fair share of combat.” Ekon’s face took on a somewhat grim look, and he cast his gaze down at the glow-ale he cupped between his hands. ”Anger issues are not the only memento I have from the war. I also have a sizable scar on my back from a stab wound, courtesy of the Jem’Hadar, and a deep hatred of Cardassians.” Ekon raised his gaze to meet the blue woman’s azure eyes. ”I apologize if my comment about the Cardassian from earlier bothered you. You seemed uncomfortable.”

Ekon found himself wondering about Shar’s discomfort for a moment. He was sure it had to do with his comment about killing, though he couldn’t be certain if it was discomfort at his being satisfied in killing the Cardassian, or if it was a reminder of something from her own past.

A friend she lost, perhaps? Or something she did?

Ekon knew all too well the effect a haunting memory could have on a person’s mental state, the knowledge bringing rise to a feeling of empathy for the Andorian cadet. They may be different species, but they had plenty in common. They both held painful memories, and they both had been sent to therapy for their violent outbursts and antisocial behaviour.

Some things are universal. Ekon thought, studying the Andorian for a moment. Perhaps it was a stroke of good luck that we ran into each other in the therapist’s waiting room.

”If you would like to talk about it, El-Aurians are known to be good listeners.” Ekon told her, then grinned again and, in a teasing tone, added, ”Although I’m only half El-Aurian, so I’ll probably only listen to half of what you say.”

Maybe less than half, if her antennae keep distracting me… Ekon thought, trying not to glance up at the multi-coloured blue stalks that rose out of her hair. Ekon had not had a lot of interactions with Andorians, and found that he had to concentrate to prevent his eyes from drifting up towards the squirming antennae.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #11 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | "Flabbjellah", South Bay| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
[Show/Hide]
Attn: @Fife


Meanwhile Eboh was revealing more information about his life, Shar's face was appearing increasingly bewildered, going from surprise, to disbelief, then give a brief pass through the humiliation while she faced with her own naivety, to end up in the most absolute embarrassment . As all these expressions passed like an avalanche down her face, her antennae twisted crazily over her head in tune with her confusion. In turn, her face was blushing more and more until it acquired a vivid mauve tone. Unable to hide her shame and confusion, she finally listened to the last phrases of the El-Aurian with her face buried in her hands, wishing the floor suddenly opened under her feet and swallow her.

She stayed like that for a few minutes, trying to relax, although her stalks kept moving as if they were deranged. Finally, after a few minutes of silence she managed to push her hands away, showing only flush on the cheeks, instead of the whole face to the collar of her uniform. "Just ... give me a minute," she said with scarce voice, getting up and carrying her empty stein and the half-empty plate. Without adding another word, she went to the bar, handed the crockery to the owner.

"Something wrong?, is he bothering you?" The waiter whispered, seeing the state of confusion in which the young shen showed herself. Shar looked up at her compatriot and shook her head slightly. "No,  I just ... I just realized that I shouldn't assume THINGS before I open my mouth" she said apologetically, arching her antennae politely at him. "Ah, well, things with pinkskin are usually rare at first" replied the waiter with an eyebrow raised, leaving explicit to what kind of rarity he was referring. The young Andorian flushed again violently, and quickly shook her hands, unable to formulate a coherent response to what the owner suggested. The only thing that could increase her embarrassment at that moment was to meet the only prying andorian in San Francisco. And there he was.

When she returned to the table with the other cadet, she was struggling with four steins in her hands and a more blushed face than she had when she left. She pushed two of the mugs towards Eboh and polished off one of a her drinks. When she finished, she wiped her lips with the back of her hand and pushed the empty jar aside to catch the other. However, this time she didn't continue throwing glow-ale to her throat, instead she only clung to the stein as if it were a lifebuoy. "Let me see, I need a recap. You're telling me that you are older than the oldest of my parents, that you've been serving in the Starfleet for more years than I have reach and that you belong, at least in part, to a scarce race coming from another Quadrant ... and you're here, drinking a few steins with me as if nothing strange was happening, because we share the same behavioral problems. Everything is fine. Yeah, all ok "she recalled. The andorian pinched the bridge of her nose and massaging it gently. Finally, giving up, she shook her head and shrugged both her shoulder and antennae. "And to complicate things even more, after all this and knowing that the only thing I'm good at is breaking things, you suggest that I must join you in Operations. I mean, the thing about not having anyone around bothering you and spending half of the shift crawling on Jefferies tubes doesn't sound so bad, but I don't know, I've never been good at fixing anything. But I guess that, given my current options, I could give it a try. For better or worse, you have plenty more experience than me. Since, i don't know, a life ago. In any possibly matter, everything." She chuckled softly, still perplexed, looking at Eboh still slightly shocked.

After a moment, she looked away from the El-Aurian, directing her gaze back to the mug she held in her hands and toying with it idly, passing it from one hand to the other and leaving the wet trail in the table. In spite of everything, the proposal to enter Operations seemed less preposterous to her than she was implying aloud. Devoting her career to fixing things instead of destroying them was perhaps a better way to honor her sister than simply keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again. Loneliness was an extra positive point, in some way. Certainly the less interaction she must had with others, the less chance of conflict there would be, which was positive if she looked at her current curriculum. Besides, as far as she could remember, she had always been surrounded by people: a large family in which she was only one voice in the crowd, a small colony where everyone knew each other, the Chekthora where she was just a cadet among so many others... She had learned to define herself in contrast to those around her, not because of any of her own characteristics. Maybe being Shar, Operations officer, could be her first decision to discover who she really was. She looked up again and lobserved  thoughtfully at the african for a long time. Maybe it was true that the El-Aurians gave good advice.

The andorian started her third glow-ale while the silent grew thick between then. Even though the other cadet seemed correct in his assumptions and suggestions, Shar still hesitated to explain why she had felt uncomfortable with his nostalgia at the death of the cardassian. The part of her that was starting to become stupefied thanks to the new mug wanted to say: "shelat!, Let him finds out about everything! So at least he'll see that I'm crazy like a zabathu in the spring. Either he don't speak to me word again or he proves that we are more alike that I believed at first ". In the other hand, the part of her that was rabidly andorian resisted  to open herself to a stranger, no matter how much they shared. Even her closest family was reserved with some subjects, and breaking that custom was a difficult task. Finally, she tried an intermediate way. "As for your comment about the cardassian. Well, you made me remember... things. I wasn't completely honest in the Counsellor office, I didn't kill a pinkskin. I killed another cadet, with my own hands, back in Andoria. I'd not ... I hadn't a motive, not directly against him, I just, he, I mean ... I screwed  all up. A lot. He didn't deserve it. Not what I DID to him. Not HOW I did it. They only expelled me from the Guard without many more ... "consequences" because they considered that I was under a state of transient madness. Hear that you've been in a similar situation and, in part, you miss it ... "Shar bit her lip and looked away. Her voice had been falling in increasingly dim tones as she spoke, unable to continue. And scared that her compatriots would hear her. Scared to turn around to see rejection in Eboh's eyes. She took another swig of her mug, trying to drown her discomfort in it. She left the stein on the table again, still without turning her head to her table partner, seeing as a group of cadets, composed of three humans, a Vulcan with a jacket three times thicker than Eboh and a couple of chans bustling into the brasserie. She watched them for a while, seeing how their jokes and commotion altered the quiet atmosphere of the place until they sat down and began to loudly discuss what they were going to consume.

"I lost someone, and that made me lose control and I did something horrendous to someone who didn't deserve it. Someone I really appreciated in some way. I disappointed my family, and I messed up my career. I'm an embarrassment to what constitutes being an andorian. I think it's a good reason to be sentenced to therapy.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #12 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

As Shar asked for Ekon to give her a moment and turned to head off towards the bar, Ekon wondered if he had said too much. The Andorian had been changing colour in a way that was almost alarming. He finished his own drink as she seemed to speak to the waiter, then watcher her return. As she sat down, looking more flushed than when she had left, he wondered what the waiter had said to her. She pushed two of the fresh mugs of ale towards him and proceeded to down the first of her mugs in one go. Ekon watched at the Andorian chugged the glow-ale, wondering if he should be concerned. She pushed the empty mug aside and grabbed the other one, not drinking form it yet but instead cradling it in her hands.

Then she spoke.

Questions and a summarization of what he had told her spilled forth from her lips, in tones which varied between puzzlement to outright disbelief. Then she fell silent, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

Maybe I did say too much at one time… Ekon thought to himself, sipping the glow-ale as he calmly waited for her to speak again. Time seemed to tick past as she remained lost in her own thoughts. Ekon remained patient, letting her compose her thoughts. He was in no rush, and the Andorian seemed like she needed to talk about something.

Finally she spoke again, talking about how she killed another cadet on Andoria. Ekon’s brows furrowed, and he now understood why his comment about the Cardassian had made her uncomfortable. It had dredged up old memories. Painful memories. Her voice trailed off and she looked away, watching as another group of cadets entered the brasserie. The new group caused the noise level in the establishment to double. Still looking away, she began talking again, this time speaking of loss, disappointment and embarrassment.

When she had finished, Ekon reached out and gently placed his hand on her forearm.

”Shar, I know what it feels like to suffer a loss. I lost someone as well, though I seem to have been more fortunate than you, in a way. I was in love with a woman. An Engineering Ensign. We were responding to a distress call from a disabled Starfleet vessel during the Dominion War. She and I were both members of the away team.” Ekon sighed, removing his hand from her arm and taking a long pull from his mug before continuing. ”We were ambushed by Cardassian troops. I saw her die just meters away from me. I saw her fall.” Shar had turned her head face him as he spoke, and now he looker at her with sadness in his eyes. ”So you see, the reason I speak of being satisfied by killing that Cardassian is that he was the one who killed her. He killed the woman I loved.” Ekon let out a long sigh and dropped his gaze to the table as the face of the woman he had loved formed in his mind, seeming to smile at him. The mantel image was quickly replaced by the vision of her lying on the deck, her eyes open and staring at the ceiling but seeing nothing. Ekon pushed the image away and continued speaking.

”So in return I shot three of his crewmates and beat him to death with my bare hands. The Away Team Commander and another crewman had to drag me off of him.” Ekon gave her a sad smile. ”And now they have me talking to a counsellor who saw none of the fighting throughout the entire war, but still sees fit to tell me how I should be dealing with the aftermath of such a loss.  Who tells me how I should behave after surviving battles and ambushes and seeing my friends killed all around me.” The smile had disappeared from Ekon’s face as he spoke, replaced with a grim look of dissatisfaction. ”Part of me thinks the counsellor is making my anger worse. She presses me to talk about things she knows nothing about, then sees fit to give me advice on how to deal with the resulting emotions.” Ekon smiled at Shar, a darker smile this time. ”If I’m being honest, I know I have a problem. I know I have anger issues. And I know I don’t deal with them properly. But the way the counsellor talks to me about them…” Ekon trailed off, looking down at his mug and lifting it halfway to his lips. He paused there, glancing back at Shar. ”It makes we want to beat her like I did the Cardassian. How’s that for mismanaged anger?” Ekon chuckled and held the mug up in a mock toast to Shar before draining the remain half of the glow-ale.

Placing the empty mug back on the table and pushing it to the side, he pulled the third mug closer. ”So what now, Shar?” Ekon asked with a smile. ”Are you going to report me as a danger to public safety?” The El-Aurian hybrid chuckled and gave Shar a wink before taking a sip from his third mug. ”I’m sorry if I rambled. I just wanted to clarify why I don’t feel remorse at the Cardassian’s death.” Ekon looked back up at Shar. ”You know, I think talking to you has done more good than talking to the counsellor has.” Ekon grinned at the Andorian, turning his attention to her problems.

”I’m sorry you lost someone.” Ekon spoke more softly now, knowing it was a painful topic. He looked Shar in the eyes, speaking with sincerity. ”As I said. I know what that feels like.” Ekon paused for a moment. ”I don’t know about Andorian family dynamics, but as far as your Career goes, you’re on your way to becoming a Starfleet Officer. And while it may not be the Imperial Guard, it’s nothing to feel bad about. There are plenty of people who can’t make it this far.”

Ekon took another long draw from his mug, sighing contentedly as he lowered it back to the table. ”I’m sorry if it sounds like I am lecturing, Shar.” Ekon said, giving her an apologetic smile. ”That was not my intention. I just thought perhaps your might benefit form an outside perspective. Albeit from someone who is also condemned to therapy, so keep that in mind!” Ekon laughed as he finished speaking, leaning back in his chair and giving the blue woman a grin.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #13 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | "Flabbjellah", South Bay| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife

When Eboh began to speak, with his hand resting on her forearm, Shar looked at that small gesture and kept her gaze there. Generally speaking, Andorians were not very keen on accidental physical contact, especially with "strangers", like they were. It was not the case with the shen, who had craved for physical proximity since she left her home. Just to feel another being, a friend. That small gesture, that fortuitous and disinterested show of support and understanding, produced her more relief than months of therapy, than thousands of words. So much so that she was almost unable to listen to the beginning of the cadet's story, captivated by the contact. When she got back into tune with the conversation she had lost part of the concept but the direction of the story augured a dismal end. Eboh removed his hand from his forearm and continued talking, looking at her with big, sad eyes and she couldn't help but feel empathy for him. He really had more than justified reasons to do what he did, unlike her. However, just as she didn't know how to handle the guilt over the death of her sister and Thelian, she didn't know how to console the other cadet for his loss. The words didn't make sense, no matter how many she could say, it wouldn't returned those they loved from death, everything they could have done, all the moments they could have shared. That's why she just imitated his early motion and put a hand on his forearm, squeezing it tenderly and let him continue with his speaking.

Right after, he looked down, lost in his painful memories, describing the aftermath of his beloved one' death. The young andorian respected his silence, looking at him with her head slightly tilted to her right, still surprised at the amount of experiences they shared. However, the sad story ended with a jocular comment, as usual seemed to happen with the half El-Aurian. Shar responded to the comment with a sardonic grimace and the antennae meeting again in front of her forehead. She didn't know if it was because of the amount of glow-ale that began to run through her body or because they really had more in common than she wanted to acknowledge, but she felt the same about the counselor. That woman didn't know how to deal with patients with non-terran background and, apparently, neither she had a clue of how to treat patients with problems associated with the War. Perhaps the impasse was that her training didn't cover the treatment of patients with anger-issues, but whatever it was, it seemed that at least in the case of both cadets it only worsened their ailment. "Well, in fact half of the sessions I don't know if I want to get out of there running, hit her until she quiets down or silence her forever with a killer gaze" Shar answered to Eboh's toast, responding to the gesture awkwardly while rehearsing another human smile . Then she gave her mug a generous gulp, reinforcing her agreement with the stated.

"Well, IF I need to report you some day, I would be the next in line to be pushed out for public safety, so, it's better if I simply shut up" She said to respond to the teasing question of Eboh, with a self-importance smirk. "We still have a lot of work to do to become truly Jefferies' rats." Shar had heard several cadets 4th year cadets from operations refer to themselves by that name and it had sounded pretty funny to her. Even more so when orbital miners were usually known as "Mine worms". It seemed that she was condemned to carry the nickname of an underground animal. "It's ... i don't know if i can said i feel better to talk about all this with you, but at least it's better than talk to the counselor. You know, as fellow convicts " She chuckled.

However, her good mood was soured again with another of the rapid changes of subject of the african. She turned her head towards the other group of cadets as she listened the patronizing speech, hiding her expression. The group seemed to continue making a row, cheerfully, which drowned out the rest of the conversations. It was almost a blessing.

"You know, I've always been a troublemaker for my parents. My sisters are both so serious, so focused and I, well ... except get me and my little sister into trouble, I had never done anything useful until entering the Chekthora. I come from a humble Keth, Eboh, nothing of great warriors or brilliant scientists  on our side, so for that reason it was a pride and an honor for my family that I somehow managed to enter to form myself with the Guard. Not only for pride of the Clan, but for patriotism, maybe now a military structure like that may seem redundant, but for us as a species it means a lot  that it remain active. That's why when I was expelled, it was a blow to my parents, especially after the death of my little sister. It's ... as if i was confirming that I spoil everything I touch." Shar shipped her mug and looked again at his new friend. "This, the Starfleet, was my sister's dream, I came here to fulfill her wish, since she couldn't do it anymore. I know I am not the sharpest pencil in the box, but I can get some things done if I put myself into it, so... here you have me. It's true that many don't make that far, but I know that right now nobody in my family trusts that I will get too much farther. I haven't given them too many reasons to trust me in that lately." The andorian smiled slightly, her antennae falling to the sides of her head. "In any case, I can always try to enroll as an NCO if I mess up this too, right? I think that in my case I can't wait to take thirty years of service to do it, but it's always an option" She finished with light-hearted tone, trying to keep up with Eboh's custom of dealing with serious issues and immediately after jokingly tease the other. "You know? We should repeat this. I don't know, after each session, just rambling about the counselor, or wathever is happening. I could also beat you a bit if you are into body combat. I haven't practiced Kharakom for a long time, I think you could last me a couple of rounds," she said looking the other cadet from top to bottom, who was obviously taller and with a wider frame than her. However, in her expression it was clear that she considered herself more than ready to give him a beating if she proposed herself to made it, with a sufficiency in her visage too obvious to not be a joke.

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #14 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon had noticed Shar staring at his hand when he had toucher her, and wondered if he had done something wrong. He was well aware that many species had very different rules and customs regarding physical contact, as well as many other things.

He listened as Shar spoke of her family and of how Starfleet had been her sister’s dream. Ekon grinned at his blue companion as she suggested they might go a couple rounds in what he could only assume was a combat sport. Well, technically she had offered to give him a beating, but he chose to view it in the more polite aspect.

”I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Shar.” Ekon said with a smile and a chuckle. ”I have never been one for body combat sports, at least not for fun. I got a taste for combat during the war, but I have never tried it recreationally. And with how eager you seem, I have little doubt that you would do a number on me!” He chuckled at this, then continued. ”I do agree that we should make this a regular thing after our sessions, though!” Ekon said, grinning at his blue friend. ”Though if it’s alright with you, I think we should take turns choosing the venue. I’m a little worried that this chair has given my ass frostbite.” Ekon joked, giving her a wink. ”And I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable when I touched your arm. You had a strange expression on your face. I know many species have different views on physical contact. I’m afraid I’m not very familiar with Andorians.” Ekon smiled and continued, hoping to relieve the tension. ”Though I still think you’d turn pink if we thawed you out.”

His face grew serious again, and his voice was softer as he spoke. ”If you don’t mind my asking, what happened to your sister? What was she like? If you don’t want to talk about it… If it’s too painful, I’ll understand. But it might help to talk about it. You don't strike me as the sort of person who usually shares her feelings, but you might find it helps to speak of her.”

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #15 –

[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | "Flabbjellah", South Bay| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife

Shar pouted her mouth, disappointment, when Eboh declined her invitation to train together. In her youthful arrogance, she was convinced that she would have no problem forcing the el-aurian to bite the dust, but she decided to accept the refusal with an gracious nod. Her enthusiasm for physical practice had always managed to clear her mind and relax her spirit, the adrenaline rush when she faced a damaging situation was able to stabilize her inner turmoil, much more than any other method she had tried. Maybe it was something that only the andorians could relate, she thought distractedly observing the dark-skinned man.

"Okay, you can choose the place of our next meeting. As long as you don't choose an excessively warm place to ... "thaw me" as revenge for your frostbite. I've no interest in becoming a blue puddle, as I stated before, and I never ever will turn pink, it's a very unfortunate colour" she joked, letting herself be dragged back by the cadet's peculiar sense of humour. "As for the uninvited touch. Well,  it's ok, I'm thonolanian, we're ... "warmer" than other andorians ... in a way you've made me feel at home again" Shar tilted her head and rehearsed a little human smirk again, then, she returned to acquire a solemn and circumspect gesture. "But don’t you dare to go around hugging andorians, we pride ourselves in being serious people, your advances may not be received in a ... way as cordial as mine" She added with a deadpan expression. However, the rapid succession of questions shooted by the african prevented her from clarifying whether she was joking or not, interrupting the light moment with a much more delicate question.

Shar's gesture soured instantly, and she turned her head to look away and stared at her stein for a while. She didn’t really want to talk about her little sister. It was a wound too recent and the heart of the shen cringed only to consider the fact of remember her. She dilated the answer as much as he could, taking a small sip of his glow-ale. Eboh had shared with her the death of his beloved one, his passage through the war, situations that had led him to the situation in which he was. In some way, she owed the man a sincere and complete answer, but she felt unable to do so. " She wasn't just my sister, she was the closest person to me, my best friend. And she died at pointless death, chasing an stupid challenge I dared her to complete years ago, when I was just a teen and she barely a child. The tunnel was unstable, there was a landslide and she got trapped. Nobody missed her until it was too late, so she died alone and scared without anyone knowing she was suffering down there, just under their feet." Shar paused her speech for a moment, fiddling with the mug again, twirling it between her hands. "She had so much potential, a future so bright, she could have been the best in her Academy promotion, the youngest captain of her generation. But no, she just left the world, alone in the dark. Her dead was simply trivial. And that only make it worse. "

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #16 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon listened quietly as Shar explained what happened to her sister. It was a truly sad story, made all the worse by the fact that Shar obviously couldn’t stop blaming herself for her sister’s death. Ekon knew that nothing her could say would change that fact. That was something Shar would be dealing with for a long time to come, possibly for the rest of her life. He remained quiet for a moment once she had finished speaking, gazing at the blue woman with calm eyes.

”I am sorry about what happened to your sister. That kind of loss is never easy to deal with. I know you blame yourself, and that nothing I say will change that fact. But I think your sister would be happy that you’re in Starfleet. If she dreamed of joining, then she must have believed in what Starfleet stands for. I think she would be proud that you’ve chosen this path.” Ekon gave her a small grin. ”Even if it wasn’t your first choice in career paths.”

Ekon looked down at his glow-ale for a moment. ”I know what it’s like to suffer the loss of someone you truly care about. I know how it can leave a void within your very being. But I think you honour her memory by being here.”” Ekon raised his gaze and gave Shar a sheepish grin. ”I’m sorry, I must sound like the counsellor right now. But I thought you should hear that from a friend rather than someone who’s job it is to say it.”

Ekon raised his glow-ale and drained the last of it as he finished speaking, placing the empty jug on the table and sliding it to the side with a contented sigh.

”Would you mind if we walk outside for a bit? I need to let my ass thaw out before it freezes permanently!” Ekon chuckled, looking at Shar as he teasingly added, ”And if you’re going to be spending 3 years at the Academy, you really should try to get at least somewhat acclimatized to the temperature. Or find an environmental suit that you can fill with ice packs.”

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #17 –
[Cadet Khelleshar sh'Zenne  | "Flabbjellah", South Bay| San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ]
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Attn: @Fife



"It's complex, but there are days that I want to believe that my sister is with the Star Guardian observing me and enjoying somehow this experience with me. I would like to think that she's lives through me all... this." The young shen nodded looking around them both. She didn't mean the brasserie in particular, but the Academy, the Starfleet, the Earth ... everything that involved her late experiences. "Despite the insane heat with which this planet has decided to punish me,” she continued, trying to turn the conversation away from his sister's loss. She didn't want to deal with it now, not anymore, and while Eboh seemed a much more appropriate companion than the counselor, in that small meeting, they had delved too deeply into the wound and she needed to let it rest. In those moments she just wanted to bury those negative emotions as deep and hidden as she could, and not have to face it again in a long time. Entombed them until the guilt and loss would only become a dull pain in the back of her mind, and didn't feel the stab in her chest that she felt at that moment.


Even so, she received the apology of the other cadet, she let her antennae face each other in front of her forehead and shrugging in a human fashion at the same time, trying to get her body language closer to something more understandable to the african. "You know, probably you're the first person here that call me that, a friend, maybe I could get used to that" She said in a soft tone, liquid quality in her eyes. And she really meant it. Her curt and bitter demeanor hadn't brought her any ally among the cadets of other species and she herself had avoided the rest of the Andorians so she hadn't to explain her abrupt expulsion from the Chekthora. The short time she'd spent with the El-Aurian had cheered her and soothed her pain more than anything in the last year. Maybe it was the intangible qualities of his species, that ability to listen. Or maybe it was the combination of excessive heat and alcohol. Whatever was the case, Shar found herself getting on well with Eboh, like two inmates condemned to understand each other, while living in the same cell.


So when he suggested changing the current establishment for a warmer place, the andorian simply drained the last of her glow-ale, lifted the stein and hit the table with it, ending their meeting in the thonolanian fashion. Then she rose up with a resolute stare in her eyes, as if she hadn't been drinking anything stronger than water and waited for Eboh to join her. "Okay, let's let that your sorry ass thaw a little ... and let's see if I'm able to get used to the infernal temperature of this planet," she said resolutely. “Although I think the enviromental suit sounds quite tempting at this point... anyway do you have any suggestions as to where we should go next?"
 

Re: 2375/Starfleet Academy: Clash Therapy

Reply #18 –
[ Cadet Ekon Okotie-Eboh | “Flabbjellah”, South Bay | San Francisco, Earth | 2375 ] @Numen

Ekon smiled as Shar lifted her stein, drained it, and hit the table with it, assuming it must have been some custom from her home. Then she rose to her feet and spoke, causing him to chuckle as she spoke of thawing his ass out. Ekon smiled and rose to his feet, feeling the consequences of drinking so much of the strong Andorian beverage. After placing his hand on the table to steady himself for a moment, he straightened his posture and smiled as his blue companion.

”Where we should go next? I don’t have any preference as long as I can warm up for a while first.” Ekon replied with a grin. ”And I am happy to call you a friend, Shar. I hope this is the first of many after-therapy sessions.” He continued, smiling warmly at the blue woman. ”Though between the cold and the strong drinks, I am not entirely convinced that my new friend isn’t trying to kill me!” He chuckled, his legs moving sluggishly as he walk with Shar towards the exit, feeling especially heavy from the combined effect of the frigid environment and the potent glow-ale. As he trudged up the steps on leaden limbs, he was driven forward and upward by the knowledge that once he was out in the warmth of the day, feeling might actually return to some parts of his body. Now that he was fully realizing how much the cold room had affected him over the time they had been sitting there, he wasn’t certain his rear end would ever thaw out entirely.

My frostbitten behind gives the term “black and blue” a new meaning. Ekon thought with a chuckle as he finally reached the door and passed through into the heavenly warmth of the sunshine beyond. He immediately shed his jacket and allowed the sun’s rays to wash over him, turning to Shar with a broad grin plastered on his face.

”I know you don’t appreciate it, but I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed the sun so much as I do now!” He said, his deep voice rumbling with amusement at both his own situation, and the grumpy expression the Andorian had adopted the moment she had stepped out into the sunlight. Ekon chuckled and shook his head, unable to hold back the amusement he felt at the Andorian’s reaction.

”I have an idea of where we could go next. Though you might actually thaw and turn pink before we get there!” He chuckled, giving her a smile. ”Come on, we’ll try and get there before you melt!” He added with a  wink, guiding the scowling Andorian down the street. ”I won’t tell you where we are going. You’ll just have to resist turning into a puddle so you can find out!”

The two continued down the street, with Ekon guiding them on their way as Shar let loose with a scathing retort to his jibes, eliciting a booming laugh from the dark-skinned man as they made their way through the foot traffic and off into the mid-afternoon heat of San Francisco.

Fin
 
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