Posted by Lieutenant Commander Bethany Kovra Gadi (Chief of Security) in Gadi’s Quarters- Commiseration

Posted by Commander Shara Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Gadi’s Quarters- Commiseration

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Aasrel Izei (Chief Medical Officer) in Gadi’s Quarters- Commiseration
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Shara shot Bethy a glare. She did want to see Dr. Izei, but that was hardly the whole of the picture. Though she mused to herself for a moment that it did save the additional workout.

He picked up on the underlying frustration and grinned to himself. It was a very Bethany thing to do.

Bethany smirked and winked at him - all flippant, carefree, attitude in place.

Aasrel smiled at Bethany, but the smile faded when he realized this was a business visit, not a personal one. He turned his gaze to Calloway. “Commander? What can I help you with?” Asked the Betazoid, his hands held behind his back.

~ Izei, CMO

Calloway looked between the two and then focused on Izei. “Actually, we needed to see you because this isn’t about me, and since Bethany says you are someone she trusts as well, I was hoping we could figure out a better solution together. Can the three of us talk someone more privately?”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

“Uhm, sure.” Aasrel said, uncertainly. This was not Azimov, he didn’t have an office. Then he came up with an idea. “There’s a vacant patient room over this way…” and he led the two of them there and closed the door. He glanced at Bethany with a concerned frown, “So what is going on?”

~ Izei, CMO

“Oh don’t look at me like that Doc. I feel fine. Cmdr Calloway is getting ready to go see her kids and she’s feeling maternal. I get the benefits,” Bethany grinned at Calloway, warmth and affection in her tone and body language. She appreciated it, she did, and it was very sweet of Calloway. There was no hiding things from him though. “Cmdr Calloway has become aware of my blossoming telepathy. She’s concerned.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

The flip flop in demeanour only reinforced the fact that Shara should be concerned. “I am concerned. Because I came by to share a drink and at first her being a half bottle in might not have been too concerning given everything, but I’ve been around a lot of people and I know suffering when I see it.” She shifted her gaze to Bethy for a moment. “And others might have run away from the mean drunk, and hell I came close, but I care too much. Sue me.” She shifted her gaze back to the CMO and kept talking. “The lack of mental shields is too much and she’s too stubborn to say so, so she’s trying to drink herself into oblivion rather than doing the more sensible thing and getting a neurosuppressant to give herself a break here and there until her mental shields have developed.” She was matter of fact, but Shara’s worry for her friend was not at all disguised.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Bethany would know exactly what look Aasrel was now giving her. Why hadn’t he noticed? He should’ve been paying more attention to her. “Why didn’t you tell me you were struggling? You’d rather drink yourself to death than talk to me? I can help you.” He shook his head, they could talk about it in the personal sense later. “Do you want a neurosuppressant?” He looked to Shara and smiled probably the friendliest smile anyone but Bethany had seen him give. “Thanks for making her come in.”

~ Izei, CMO

Shara wasn’t sure how to characterize this situation other than coercion that was accepted. She wasn’t a fool. Her threat had been somehow empty because of Bethy had truly objected, they wouldn’t be standing here. “I did threaten to toss her over my shoulder for all that’s worth.”

He didn’t notice because it wasn’t just that, it was just how her life had changed. He was also too far away on the station for her to effectively speak to him yet. He was due to be off duty in an hour anyway. “You are helping me. I’m not drinking myself to death. Go ahead, give me a sobriety test.” She would have mentioned it when he checked on her after his shift. Bethany shrugged, “It didn’t work last time.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Calloway quirked a brow. “Really? One option didn’t work one time and you throw in the towel? Try again, Bethy. You’re not a quitter and you’re too smart to convince us that you don’t know there could be other options. I get that you’re not likely to run off to therapy, and talking won’t change anything as we’ve already established. But it doesn’t mean things can’t get better in some way. You want to wallow and allow that to ruin what good things you do actually have, at least be honest with yourself about it.”

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Bethany’s stance stopped being relaxed for a moment. “We know the reason it didn’t work, Shara. You’re making assumptions without all the information. Dr. Izei advised me not to try using them again.” That was private medical information and she wasn’t sharing it.

“You didn’t tell me earlier you had already tried it,” Shara said with a shrug.

“The reason it didn’t work last time,” he glanced at Calloway, “shouldn’t be a problem anymore.” Aasrel turned around and opened some cabinets, readying a hypo. With the hypo and a medical scanner in hand, he looked at Bethany. “I can double check, but I know the time frames on these things. It’ll work this time.”

~ Izei, CMO

Bethany did not want the hypo. Shara was making a bigger deal than it was. No, Bethany didn’t typically drink, but she felt the woman was being a bit hypocritical of Bethany. Especially since she came to her quarters wanting to drink.

Bethany flashed a grin, “You’re the doc, not me, but you did tell me I can’t work a muscle that I keep in a sling.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

“You’re right, you can’t, but I didn’t anticipate you drowning that muscle in alcohol, either,” Aasrel replied, giving Bethany a little glare. “Maybe a break will be good for you.”

~ Izei, CMO

This was bordering on territory that was uncomfortable for Shara, not because she couldn’t be a part of this conversation, but because Bethy’s strange behaviour told her that Shara herself couldn’t help here. “It might not affect you quite the same way, and maybe it won’t kill you, but it doesn’t mean it can’t change you,” she said softly.

~Shara Calloway, CIO

Bethany held her hands up, palms out. “Alright, alright.” She moved her hair out of the way and tipped her head to the side. “If it makes you both feel better, go for it.”

Lt. Cmdr. Gadi, COS

Aasrel administered the hypo gently. “It’ll last about twelve hours. It’ll give you a break from it.” That was something he would never understand, needing a break from it. But he could feel her overwhelm, he knew how it made her feel.

~ Izei, CMO