Overdue Talk

Posted on Wed Jul 10th, 2024 @ 7:00pm by Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant JG Zai

1,997 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Lacertae Mortis
Location: Various | USS Arcadia
Timeline: Current

ON:

Fang rang the chime to the counselor's office. It had been a while since he'd have an evaluation but it was well overdue. With Ito on the mission he needed to get this done so he could focus on engineering. He disliked the protocol of it all so he had an idea hoping that the counselor would agree.

Inside her office Lanna was just about to check who was next on her schedule when the chime sounded, she smiled as she walked over to the door to greet whoever it was in person. She glanced at her PADD. “Hello...Lieutenant Lee, please come in and make yourself comfortable.”

He gave a slight bow. While he had to be in uniform he left his hair in a simple ponytail that fell to his lower back. "I detest formal settings. Could I impose upon you a walk in the arboretum? We Capellan's hate feelings or so I'm told. Nature is...relaxing."

Lanna nodded. “By all means, it does tend to get a little stuffy being in an office for all my appointments. The arboretum it is.”


~ Arboretum, a few mins later ~


“This is much better” Lanna smiled warmly. “There’s something to be said for having a such a lovely area to walk in.”

"I agree." Fang said. "So where would you like to start? I can gather my file is still transferring through. Ito asked for me last minute so myself and another arrival just got here right before she left on the shuttle mission."

Lanna nodded. “How’s about you tell me about you? Is there anything you feel I need to know, or is there anything you need to talk about?”

He sighed as he offered her an arm in gentlemanly fashion. "There is a lot. I don't know where to start and I promised my adoptive father to say nothing." He paused. A wave of helplessness and pain washed over him. "I'm tired of secrets."

Lanna held politely onto Fang’s arm, it wasn’t the usual thing when walking with someone you barely knew, but if it put Fang at ease she didn’t mind. “If it helps, what you say to me is totally private. It will be purely between us, if you want it to be off record, so-to-speak, that is fine as well.”

Fang and Lanna walked a little in silence before coming to a small bench. He motioned for her to sit and only when she was settled he sat down staring off into the small cluster of bright coloured flowers. "It would be nice to speak with someone." He paused letting his eyes close slightly as a weariness wash over him. He opened his eyes looked again at the flowers. "I have been thinking a lot of my home planet Capella as of late. Capella is at war and I am feeling...guilty for having left all those years ago." Fang sighed. "I am removed from the planet as I left when I was young and went through the Academy but do I have the right to be happy when my people are not?"

Lanna paused giving it some thought. “To be honest that’s a hard one to answer. I would say you have the right to live your life the way you see fit. The fact that things on Capella are difficult right now, means that you are fortunate you aren’t there experiencing it. Though I do understand how hard it must be for you.”

"But it's more then that..." Fang's shoulders dropped as he sighed. "I have never spoke about this. I...don't think it's relevant to me being a Starfleet officer as Starfleet is what I am dedicated to but...Can I tell you something in strict confidence for now?"

Lanna nodded. “Of course you can.” She looked around checking with her eyes what her senses were telling her, that no one else was near.

Fang leaned back on the bench letting the cold hard backrest be his grounding. "Capella is a planet of warriors. There are, currently, eleven tribes all lead by a Tier, a King from the first tribe. It's a way to ensure peace. Each tribe has a king but the Tier is...above them all. While all the leaders are equal the Tier has final say. I was born to the first tribe a relation to the royal family. I was different. My family is about being warriors but I never wanted any part of that." He waved his hand. "Don't get me wrong I have been Engineer and warrior for Starfleet but here I can be more then just that. I was born loving the arts, philosophy, my family disliked this and I was not only shunned by them but by the people of the first tribe seen as nothing more then deficient. I always dreamed of being amongst the stars and here I am."

Fang leaned his elbows on his knees clasping his hands and staring at the ground. "I left Capella just as the war broke out. Out of this whole thing the eleventh tribe has suffered the most. They were born for peace, the cultivation of mind, body and soul. Much like your people they are empaths, they are fortune tellers and healers. The Tier has always been against them. They are now the subject of his anger. When I was there, even though I was a child, I spoke for them, argued that they needed more sway and more of a voice and I wonder if that's what angered the Tier. I have always carried the guilt that it's because I spoke for them that I angered him enough to see them as Villains."

Lanna listened quietly taking in everything Fang was saying. “I’m sorry you feel as though you are to blame, but you aren’t! This Tier obviously has his own agenda, and your people have bared the brunt of it because he knows deep down they won’t fight back. Actually those of intellect could be more dangerous to him than any warrior.”

His lips lifted in a sad smile that did not reach his eyes. "And you have, as Humans say, hit the nail on the head. The Tier has always been afraid of loosing power." He looked over at Lanna meeting her eyes. "Do you know what my greatest regret is?"

Lanna shook her head. “No, but I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.” She offered a smile.

His lips turned up in a little bit of a smile. "Indeed. My greatest regret is that I didn't get my best friend off Capella. We were all set to meet and leave together but the person sent to get him was injured...the shuttle took off. Maybe if I had tried harder to get off the shuttle." He shook his head wringing his hands. "I live with a lot of what ifs." He sighed. "Well we can't all have a regret free life I guess." He paused. "Counselor may I ask you for a favour?"

Lanna had sat listening, nodding as Fang asked her for a favour. “You most certainly can, am I to assume it’s to see if I can find out what happened to your friend?”

He shook his head. "No I've got a friend looking into that, but from all sources so far it seems he died on Capella. When I was at the academy I met a person from Capella, he is from the eleventh tribe. Honestly I was deep in what humans call depression when I met him. He was a refugee from Capella, Gods know what he's been through but meeting him ...it thought of what Xingtian, my friend on Capella went through and is going through. I have tried to get him to talk with me but...he refuses. Keeps things inside and I know he has nightmares. Our previous ship was small there was four of us to a room and he'd wake everyone up with his nightmares but he would never talk." Suddenly his eyes filled with tears. "If I can help him maybe it's one step to atonement for leaving Xingtian back on Capella. I'm not sure I'm making any sense."

“Of course you are, you feel the need to help a fellow Capellan. Not just that but help yourself at the same time” Lanna nodded her understanding. “I think that’s very noble of you, but it all depends on whether he wants the help. You can’t force help on someone who refuses, they have to want the help in the first place.”

Fang took a few steadying breaths. "I apologize I am not this emotional, usually...."

The two were conversing and unaware that another had entered the arboretum. Lieutenant Junior Grade Zai walked in data PaDD in hand muttering. "Stupid equations. Damned Dilithyum regulators." He'd gone in search of Fang and with the aid of the computer found out that Fang was in the arboretum. He always came here to think so Zai headed here. As he rounded the small corner. He looked up noticing the two figures sitting on the bench. Fang's form drew his gaze right away. He watched as Fang used his sleeve to dab his cheek free of a tear. His eyes locked in on the sighed a myriad of emotions slamming into him. His lip twitched and the fist of his free hand clenched tight. Grinding his teeth he began to stalk over. His lavender eyes flashed. "What did you do to him!"

Lanna was shocked by the sudden arrival, she had been so focused on Fang she hadn’t sensed another’s arrival. “I’m sorry? I haven’t done anything, who are you?”

Fang stood up. "Calm down Zai. This is Counselor Alexander. I.."

"You cried! She made you cry! You don't cry."

Fang shook his head. "It's the pollen. I am fine. Do not worry. I am not crying."

Zai pointed at Lanna. "You did this! What mind scrambling did you use?!" Fang had opened up to this woman, he knew that. Sudden burning sensation gribbed his chest. His breaths came out faster and he clenched his fists to keep the spots out of his vision.

Fang gripped Zai's shoulders. "ZAI! Enough. I am fine and you are addressing a senior officer."

Zai opened his mouth but thought better of it. He looked at Fang and suddenly he realized that both anger and helplessness washed over him. He shook his head. "Whatever" He shrugged his shoulders out of Fangs hands "If you're done blubbering like a Human I'll be working on your damned Dilithym equations. " Zai turned and stalked away feeling somewhat confused about all that he was feeling in that moment. He needed time to think.

Fang sighed. He watched him go and then turned to Alexander. "I'm sorry he's not usually like this."

Lanna nodded as she gazed back at Fang after watching Zai go. “It appears he worries about you, that was a protective response if I ever saw one.” She offered a caring smile. “Don’t worry there won’t be an repercussions, I will need to speak to Zai though.”

He sighed. "I will talk with him as well." He looked back at the counselor. "I am sorry for his behaviour. He is not usually this...agitated."

“His emotions were very...mixed. He was giving off some very confused vibes” Lanna offered a shrug of her shoulders. “Right now I’m more worried about you, I’m always available if you need to talk.”

He gave a nod. "Thank you. This has indeed helped me realize some things." He gave a small bow. "I think I should head back to engineering."

Lanna nodded and stood ready to leave. “It’s been nice talking to you Fang.” With that they both headed on their way.

OFF:

 

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