Posted by Fleet Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

Posted by Fleet Captain Alexander Cochrane (Commanding Officer) in Officer’s Mess- Dinner with the Captain

(snip)

Cochrane chewed a bite in silence and then set his fork down, interlacing his fingers and resting his hands on the edge or the table. “Becauee I knew something was wrong, and I knew that it was something significant. And I wanted to see if I could help.” He picked up his glass and took a sip. “This crew is not just my responsibility as their Captain, it is my family and friends. And that includes you, Counselor. Before I came to the Manhattan a few years ago, I memorized the name of all seven hundred and fifteen people aboard. I knew their names, faces, and what they did on the ship. As people have come and gone, I still make sure that I know every person assigned here. I do that because we are so very far from home. And even just that small act of walking past someone who has never met me in person and me saying ‘Good morning Dr. Rouse.’ or ‘Ms. Coglentin, happy to see you. How are your experiments with sub-space frequency harmonization coming along?’ gives these people a sense of stability and familiarity. Sair, I read everything I could about your people when you were selected for this position. I know of the war with the Amrayan. The biological weapon used against your people. The risks those initial individuals took to contact the Amrayan and ask for help. And that you specifically were one of the key figures in finding the way to save your people. The questions I asked at lunch yesterday were to allow your mother, who I knew was uncomfortable and scared of something, to talk about things she knew absolutely as fact… to give her and you a stable foundation that the three of us could build on so that you as my crew and her as our guest could feel more… at ease… in these surroundings, strange as they are.”

Cochrane

She set her fork down for a moment as well and studied him. “Her and I both believe in the same things, but we come at it from such different angles. Her life has been ruled by precision and regimentation. She thrives in those environments. Me? I always chaffed. I wanted to approach things creatively and not be restrained with how things have to be. I wanted there to be more coulds rather than shoulds in my vocabulary.”

Sair folded her arms on the table and leaned in a little. “I spent weeks split between seeing patients and sitting in a lab staring at cells, trying to figure out how to use my intense knowledge of the mechanics of our disease and figure out what we could safely alter without causing more harm.” This conversation wasn’t formal, so she mentally gave herself permission to let herself be more casual with him, though normally Sair’s upbringing told her that it should be who made that shift, not her. A part of her didn’t care though. “Alex, helping Kal Darvaana give birth that little girl…” She shook her head, momentarily overwhelmed with the happy emotions. “There will never be quite a moment like that for my people. It was truly the greatest honour, and I knew that if Kal could do it, so I could I. And it was the one of the few times that my mother was absolutely supportive. She wanted me to experience that intense joy of being a parent, and if my child could have a very different life? So much the better. It hurts her to know that I am staying out here, because for her devotion to duty is the next higher honour. It’s where we differ. We can’t reconcile that, we know that. So we are trying to accept that fact while now dealing with the inevitable. I wish she could be happy for me out here, but I would much rather know that she loves me enough to let it be.”

~Sair Songz, CNS

Cochrane smiled and said “So tell her to stay. Show her that you are doing your duty. Your duty as a mother, doctor, a therapist, and a citizen of this galaxy. The duty provide a better duture for your son, yourself, and your people. Because you are. All of us here are. Because that is what we do… we strive to make the galaxy a better place than we found it. Everyday.”

Cochrane

Sair nodded and picked up her fork again, sampling more of the unique dish. “I know it’s not just her issues at play. I have my own I’m trying to work through. The hard part about being a counsellor now is I’m all too aware of my own issues. So I know that I am struggling with intense guilt. I know that our collective guilt over the war with the Amrayans has shaped every facet of our society and not for the better, but it’s not easy to shrug it off. Even if I know deep down I’m making the right choice for Koro and I by being out here, it’s hard to not feeling like I’m also letting them down. It’s… a process.”

She broke into a smile and reached out to tap the padd resting on the table. “But you know what? You’ve offered us a solution that solves many issues. My parents had apparently planned that after my mother died that he would come out and spend time with Koro and I, and the thought of him being here so much sooner?” She couldn’t help the little thrill that swept through her. “Oh, I think you’ll really like him. He’s a sweet man. Thoughtful, gifted. I’ve never met a more soothing person in my life.”

~Sair Song, CNS