Head Shrinker

Posted on Thu Aug 6th, 2020 @ 10:49pm by Lieutenant Aurelius Davis & Ensign Kathryn Bell

Mission: Mission 3 - 100
Location: Mess
Timeline: Day 31 Month 2 Year 0, 22:00 Hours
779 words - 1.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Renee was just putting away some of the pots and pans she'd been using, when she caught sight of a man in a lieutenant's uniform in the kitchen. "Can I help you, Lieutenant...?" she asked, not recognizing him.

Aurelius scratched his head for a moment as if he'd forgotten why he came in here in the first place. "Hmm? Oh, nah. Just looking for a bit of s snack I guess. I'm so used to eating something this time of night I guess I forgot about rations and stuff." He was nearly sleep walking when he'd come in, his body just going through the motions of what he'd always done before.

Renee regarded him critically. "Sit--I'll get you a cup of something, and some hot soup. There's some left. You'll eat, and then we can speak of whatever's bothering you and making you like a zombie." Her tone was firm, yet warm. She pulled out a chair for him, then set about getting the lieutenant some food and drink.

"What makes you think I'm not always this way?" he joked. "It's just my rugged good looks, it confuses some people." But he sat down anyway. His stomach rumbled at the prospect of food, even if it wasn't what he could get on Earth at this time of night. What he wouldn't give for a slice of pizza about now.

"Ha, very funny... Here." Renee put a mug of tea and a bowl of chicken noodle soup down in front of the man, then sat herself. "Eat--you look dead on your feet... I'm Renee, chef extrordinaire... And you are?"

"Oh sorry, Aurelius." He offered his hand for a shake. She looked human, he didn't see any pointed ears which would have been totally inappropriate for a hand shake. "Head shrinker I guess . . . though I don't have a degree in it. I was sort of volunteered for the position given the circumstances."

"mmm..." She took his hand, then studied him intently. "If I'm allowed to use the coloquial, you're not shrinking yourself much..." Her tone grew softer. "Who did you leave behind? For whom do you mourn? For whom is suffering real and raw?"

Aurelius blinked at her and chuckled. "No one, not really. I do have family but they are few and far between and I wasn't close to any of them. What about you?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Well..." She pondered the matter a moment. "I'm both blessed and cursed. My family back home are very close-knit, and I miss them like crazy. But, I've got my fiance on this ship, so its not all bad. Problem is, she won't commit to a wedding date, and now that we're so far from home... When you love someone, and you want to be with them, but schedules don't match up, or everyone's too stressed, or you're trying to arrange a date..." She broke off, hoping the man understood.

"Ah yeah. Well if I might offer some piece of advice, and you can tell me no," But Aurelius didn't wait for her to say that. "I would just grab her and the captain and get married, be done with it. You can always have a reception later when we're not running for our lives. You won't regret it. It will be done . . . just in case something happens."

Renee laughed. "That might be true, but who's got time for a wedding... And who'll stand with us? ... Well, you wouldn't be interested, would you? And maybe one of the Vulcans? Maybe the CMO?"

Aurelius's face brightened. "I'd be happy to do it!" He hadn't ever been involved in a wedding before, only seen one from the audience. This wasn't be all that fancy but still, it would go a long way toward morale for the crew.

"Perfect! Do you look at all good in purple?" she asked him, grinning.

"I have no idea," he blinked at her. "I usually wear black, but hey, it's a wedding so . . . . time to celebrate."

"Well, find some purple cloth," she told him.

"Might be kind of difficult given our situation but I'll see what I can do." He gave her a nod. "I should get going. I'll see you later."

"All right--get some rest if you can." She rose and extended a hand. "I'd hug you, but I'm not sure that's appropriate for a civilian," she added with a bit of a grin.

"Thanks, nah I don't generally mind them but we don't want the other women on this ship getting jealous," he grinned at her. "Have a good night Renee." Without another word he headed back to his quarters to seek sleep.