A New Guru For You, Boo Hoo
Posted on Sun Apr 19, 2020 @ 9:24am by Lieutenant JG Sydney Friedman Jr
742 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Nibiru
Location: Sickbay/Counselor's Office
Nicole finished her rounds and was heading back to her office when another brunette stood in her path.
Sydney smiled and waved. "Hello, Doc--" she stopped mid-sentence as Nicole quickly did an about face and headed down a side corridor. She rushed after her. "If you could just take a moment and--"
Nicole ducked through a room, sealing the door behind her.
Sydney put her hands on her hips then turned and hurried back the way she'd come, going back into Sickbay's main room to try and cut Nicole off as she came out the other side. She stood at the door then realized Nicole had doubled back on her and went back again, moving through Sickbay quickly. She came around a corner and saw Nicole coming back out of the room.
Nicole scowled, turned and ran back through recovery, coming out into Sickbay near her office. She ripped off her combadge and tossed it into her office and headed for the doors to the corridor, deciding to take her lunch break early.
The doors opened and Sydney stood there, hands clasped in front of her. "Hello, Doctor," she said, smiling.
Nicole stopped, flat-footed and grumbled. "Doctor," she said in return. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"Yes, you could stop avoiding me so that we could have an official meeting."
"I do not require an 'official meeting', thank you," Nicole said. "What I do require is to not-"
"-be bothered while I'm trying to do my job," Sydney finished. "And I don't like spending my day chasing you around Sickbay when you're right next door."
Nicole's eyes narrowed. "Fine. You have ten minutes."
"Thank you for your gracious gift of your time," Sydney said, her sarcasm meter rising to match the doctor's. She led the way through Sickbay back to her office and sat down at one end of the couch, gesturing to the other side for Nicole. "Please, have a seat."
Nicole barely spared the room's new, standard decor a glance and sat down on the couch.
Sydney sat as well. "I understand you were close with the previous counselor," she said.
"You have absolutely no idea," Nicole said, her voice hard.
Sydney cleared her throat, a bit put off by the other woman's tone. "It's understandable to feel a little resentment towards someone new occupying that spot, and I don't presume to take her place, or expect the same level of trust and understanding between us right away--"
"--or ever," Nicole said.
"But," Sydney pressed on, "I would hope that you understand that I'm here to help, and I'm here to support you, just as she was, and that whatever you need, I am at your disposal."
"Lovely," Nicole said. "May I go now?"
"No. I still have seven more minutes," Sydney said, politely. "And I'd love to know more about you, who you are, et cetera, and I'd like for us to get to know each other."
"Who I am, is your CO, and for the time being--"
"Not in here," Sydney said.
"Excuse me?" Nicole said.
"In here, you're not Doctor Anderson, CMO and Ship Battleaxe," Sydney said. "In here, you're Nicole, a person worthy of love, attention and care, just like everyone else."
"Thank you," Nicole said. "I happen to be that in my quarters as well, but I'm not taking my boots off here," she said.
Sydney smiled at the inherent humor, despite the sarcasm. "Understood. But it's my hope you come to feel as if you could. I'm not ask you to be my gym partner, or bosom buddy, or anything as serious as all that. All I'm asking is that you give me a chance to be someone you can trust. Aside from that being my job, it's a status I think would benefit us both in the long run while we serve together. Is that reasonable?"
"I suppose," Nicole said. "But trust is earned. So you have work to do." She did a quick calculation in her head. "And your time is up." Nicole stood up, as did Sydney, but the woman made no motion to stop her exit. "Good day, Doctor."
"Good day, Nicole. I'll see you around," Sydney said, gesturing to the door.
Nicole walked towards it, expecting a trick, but the doors opened and she stepped into Sickbay unmolested. She turned back to see Sydney still standing there, smiling, and shook her head, going back to work.
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