Posted by Lieutenant Bethany Kovra Gadi (Counselor) in Lay of the Land - Corridors (Tag Forgrave)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Issac Forgrave (Chief of Security) in Lay of the Land - Corridors (Tag Forgrave)

Posted by Lieutenant Bethany Kovra Gadi (Counselor) in Lay of the Land - Corridors (Tag Forgrave)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻
(snip)
His watchful gaze would tell him that Bethany was perfectly relaxed, but she still had that mischievous grin on her face and not offended by his assessment at all. “It’s a pleasure to meet you Lt. Forgrave. And if I may speak as plainly.” She motioned down the corridor, inviting him to keep walking with her. “my question stemmed from the fact that when you noticed my eyes your body posture changed. Your posture had relaxed taking in my uniform and then instantly became cautious again when you looked me in the eye.” Bethany shrugs. “It wasn’t hard to determine why. It happens all the time.” She turns her head as she walks to look at him. “I am only half Betazoid which means I only have empathy at my disposal, IF I choose to use it. But if you simply choose to not let me feel what you feel, I could not.” She shrugs, “It’s a simple enough mental discipline to learn. I could certainly explain the technique to you if you wanted to learn if you don’t already know.” She neither let on if she felt his emotions or not. Simply responding to his words. “Your accent, southern North American contenent isn’t it? My mother is from a very small, but beautiful place there. Valle Crucis, North Carolina.”
Lt. Gadi, CNS

Well, she don’t seem mad at me, so that’s a good start… Issac nodded; “Please do - plain speak is uh, my preference, if ya couldn’t tell - don’t see much point to mincing words.” Issac shrugged and joined her, meandering down the hallway. He nodded in response to her assessment - it was pretty well dead-on. Well, she is a counselor… It’d be a bit odd if she couldn’t get an idea of someone’s attitude. “Hmmm; seems straightforwards enough. I’ll admit ta not being all that knowledgeable about betazoids.” Issac pulled a face, continuing. “Grew up on stories of betazoids invadin’ minds and whatnot; controlling people. Got older and learned that was nonsense; but childhood fears seem ta have a way of stickin’ around.”

“That they do, and well, to a world that has very little psychic population it’s not that odd to be wary of it.” She would not speculate that those stories probably came from the Betazoid resistance, and so had some merit. Though in times of war people did things they normally would not do. “I prefer to speak frankly, but people don’t always like that in a counselor. So I try to warn them,” she’s laughing at herself, but her tone says it’s all too true.

“I uh, might have ta take ya up on that offer; if nothing else, I know I could stand to watch my temper a bit better.” He was silent for a moment, caught off guard by the sudden change of topic. “Huh; small world I reckon. Valle Crucis…” Issacs face screwed up in recollection and thought. “That’s near Boone, ain’t it? It sounds familiar, though I ain’t never been there. I’m from a near enough area; Asheville. That whole area’s gorgeous; I do miss it at times.” A hint of longing had entered his voice with memories of the past.

Issac Forgrave, CoS

“It is. It’s beautiful. No place like it, that area. Small community. I was born on Betazed. But after the Dominion occupation, my mother begged Dad to take us back to Earth. She didn’t feel safe there anymore. I grew up there on Earth. I miss it. The rivers flowing down the mountain side and the clouds that seem to sit just out of reach.” There is an echoing note of longing in her voice. “I visited Ashville several times. I was little more than fascinated by the Biltmore house. Begged my mom to take me every year.” She continued her walk into the next turbolift and waited to see if he would join her. “I think maybe this time deck 15.”
Lt. Gadi, CNS

“Ha! Yeah; me an’ my folks went to the Biltmore house a few times when I was a kid. It was always just so....” Issac paused, trying to come up with the proper words. “The scale of it was just overwhelming; especially as a kid.” He found himself interested in Gadi’s history - he know some about the Dominion war; but not enough in his mind. He made a note to do some more research; there were a least a few crew members that had been directly affected by it.

Bethany chuckled, “It is certainly massive. Honestly I usually ran through the house, to get through it, and then spend hours wandering the gardens and forested areas. We went mountain biking across the estate once.”

Not having much else going on at the moment; he joined Bethany in the turbolift. It’d be to his benefit to know the counselor better; as well as to try and confront his own prejudices. With a somewhat mischievous grin, Issac commented on her deck selection. “Deck 15, eh? I reckon that’s an interesting place. Seems like it’s a bit different every time I go there.”

Issac Forgrave, CoS

The lift doors closed, =^=Deck 15=^= “Really? Why is that? What’s down there?” she asked. “I’m just picking at random. I always go out of order. Otherwise it’s just an ordered list. Then I have to run through the whole list to remember where things are.” The turbolift doors opened and Bethany stepped out into the deck.
Lt Beathany Hadi, CNS

“I reckon you’ll find out in a moment; though it ain’t nothing dangerous.” Issac paused in thought, head cocked to one side. “Well… it ain’t dangerous ‘less it’s made ta be dangerous.” He unconsciously put a hand to his ribs as some unknown memory passed through his mind. “But I suppose that’s true for most areas of a ship - long as ya use common sense and are careful; you’ll be alright. But as the saying goes, common sense ain’t so common.”

As they exit the elevator, signs would reveal deck 15 to house visitors quarters, as well as holodecks 1-6.

Issac Forgrave, CoS

OOC: So if you want to know about the Dominion occupation: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Battle_of_Betazed
It is a pretty good summary without having to actually read the book.
IC:
Bethany noticed him touch his ribs, and wondered, but he was the chief of security after all. “Oh if only common sense was something we could hand out like candy, we’d all be okay.” Bethany stepped off the turbolift and read the sign and started laughing. “Oh I would say so Mr. Forgrave. It does indeed change every time you come down here.” Visitor quarters meant new people every time you came down here and the holodecks would ensure that the scenery changed every time. She laid her hand briefly on his arm. “I do believe you have a mischievous streak. I shall have to stay on my toes when you’re around.” And then she winked at him and started walking down the corridor.
Lt. Gadi, CNS

OOC: Thanks, that article is quite helpful!

IC: “I do enjoy making folks use their brains; helps me ta know who’s worth talkin’ to.” While his face remained a deadpan, there was a slight twinkle in his eyes; breaking the aura of stoicism. Issac froze slightly at her touch; it was clearly unexpected. He gently shook his head as she passed; chalking it up to a difference of background or culture - he still wasn’t quite sure what to make of the Betazoid Counselor.

Bethany, for her part, noticed his shock, or surprise at her touching his arm. She realized after the fact that she’d done it, being slightly flirtatious. She admitted that Forgrave was an attractive man and cut a striking figure. And maybe it was his accent that reminded her of home and that their homes had been so close. And after the day she’d had yesterday she was ready to meet someone friendly. He was mischievous and had a subtle sense of humor that she liked. But he seemed uneasy with the contact, and he had already said that her being Betazoid bothered him. She didn’t use her empathy on crew or team mates. In therapy sometimes, if her patient was having a hard time or requested it. But having grown up on Earth, she didn’t automatically rely on it like other Betazoids, despite her control of it. He seemed to play his cards close to his chest and she reminded herself to respect that. She continued to move down the corridor. Taking note of the visitor quarters and how they were laid out. She was likely to be called upon to visit any guests on board at some point or another.

Following her down the corridor, he asked: “So, what brings you to the Dresden? Happenstance, or design?”

Issac Forgrave, CoS

She considered his question. “Well I thought it was just lucky happenstance. I’ve wanted to be a ship’s counselor for a long time. I put my name into the hat, as it were, when the position came available, but after talking with the captain, she said it wasn’t her choice to have me here. So I’m not sure. I hope that it’s just happenstance and not something else.” She shrugs but, a keen observer would notice that the something else seems to bother her.
Lt. Gadi, CNS

“Hmmm.” Issac’s thoughts went back to a conversation with Captain Holloway; and his suspicions of Federation and Intelligence scheming. “I reckon it’s impossible to tell, without getting ahold of the Personnel department and asking ‘em. But I’ll admit ta wondering if ‘someone’ has some schemes in play.” Issac grinned mischievously at Bethany. “But then, I’ll freely admit to being a suspicious and paranoid fragger.”

Issac noted her discomfort; and his tone changed slightly, now quieter, with an earnest undercurrent. “Seems like the idea of it might be troublin’ ya, though. I may be off base here; but I can understand that. Secrets and hidden motives just get under my skin; I can recognize the necessity of such; but damn if I don’t hate it. I reckon we’re stuck hoping that others are makin’ good decisions on our behalf.”

Issac Forgrave, CoS