Posted by Captain Dira Myqian (Commanding Officer) in CSO’s Quarters- Looking in on Friends

Posted by Lieutenant Achilleas Petrakos (Chief Science Officer) in CSO’s Quarters- Looking in on Friends

Posted by Captain Dira Myqian (Commanding Officer) in CSO’s Quarters- Looking in on Friends
Posted by… suppressed (19) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

“Why the need for pity?” Dira asked. It was hard to ignore his state, both physical and emotional, and it was hard not to fall back on what she would do if this was a professional visit. In this instance, the approach had value.

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas sighed, and for a moment, his eyes lost focus as if he were contemplating something deep. “It’s just… the aftermath,” he mumbled, his voice carrying a weight of exhaustion. His hand instinctively moved to the back of his head, a subtle indication of the persistent headache that lingered from his recent recovery from a traumatic head injury. “You know, the kind that doesn’t wash off with a sonic shower. The painkillers help, but they can only manage so much.”

CSO Petrakos

Her chest tightened and Dira moved in farther and she took a seat on the sofa, lowering herself slowly. “Yeah, I know that all too well. The physical stuff takes time to heal, but that’s not the only part of it. It’s the unexpected feelings and flashes of memory that can really take you by surprise.”

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas gave a small nod, appreciating the understanding in Dira’s words. “Exactly,” he replied, the strain of the recent events evident in his eyes. “It’s like… trying to navigate through a fog. Some moments are clear, others…” He trailed off, not wanting to delve too deeply into the complexities of his current mental state.

CSO Petrakos

“So I guess the question is whether the alcohol helps the fog, or in actuality makes it worse?” she said softly. Some days she wasn’t sure either, but so far she had managed to just focus on work as a distraction. Her promotion had been something of a saving grace even if it has also delayed the necessary processing.

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas considered the question, taking a moment before responding. “It’s a double-edged sword, I suppose. There are times when it offers a brief respite, a moment of clarity in the midst of the fog. But then there are times when it seems to make everything more confusing, the thoughts more jumbled.”

He took a sip from the glass he held, contemplating the complex relationship between his current coping mechanisms and the challenges he faced.

CSO Petrakos

“And right now?” she asked. “Which one is it tonight?” She couldn’t even quite tell, though her mind was relatively open to him. Dira still hadn’t managed to find equilibrium with her shielding after she had nulled her abilities and had that fact used against her. Being aware felt like a safety measure, even if it left her more open to input, which was exhausting to filter through.

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas took another sip, his gaze distant for a moment. “Tonight… I think it’s more on the confusing side. There’s a constant hum in my head, like a low-grade buzz. It doesn’t stop. The alcohol sometimes drowns it out temporarily, but it always comes back.”

He sighed, the weight of his recent experiences evident in his tired eyes.

CSO Petrakos

She gazed at him for a moment, her face set somewhere between curiosity and a frown. “What do you mean by a hum? Like a ringing in the ear, or something less physical?”

Captain Myqian, CO

“It’s hard to describe,” Achilleas replied, rubbing his temples. “Not quite a ringing, more like… static. Like when you tune a communicator to a frequency that’s not quite right, and you hear that faint crackling in the background. Except it’s in my head, and it never stops.”

He paused, searching for the right words. “It’s like there’s something trying to break through, but it’s just out of reach. Always there, but never clear enough to grasp.”

CSO Petrakos

“Have you been back to Sickbay and talked to the medical staff about it?” she asked. Dira suspected she knew the answer but she could be wrong.

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas sighed at Dira’s question. “I’ve been back to Sickbay and they’ve tried different pain relievers but nothing has been effective for longer than a couple hours and apparently it’s not a good idea to increase the frequency or dosage of anything that they had given me.”

CSO Petrakos

Her dark eyes searched him, her mind drifting into places of possibility. “What if there was a way to sort through the noise to allow a place for whatever needs to rise to the surface to make it through? In a controlled way, too.”

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas looked deep into Dira’s dark eyes in return. He knew that she wouldn’t lie to him but it was hard for him to let the burgeoning hope grow in case it didn’t pan out. He slowly nodded his head as he felt the need to try anything that would keep him from becoming a functional alcoholic.”I’m willing to try.”

CSO Petrakos

She drew in measured breaths, checking her own well-being before she fully made the offer, but this was something she knew how to do, and had done so before. “So, just like a therapist can do guided experiencing, as a telepath I can provide guidance inside someone’s mind. But I’m not just Betazoid, I’m Haliian, and my father’s people are touch telepaths. I don’t have as strong of mental shields to filter out all the minds around me, but that actually has allowed me the develop even better compartmentalization abilities than many other telepaths. What I am suggesting is that, when sober and under supervision in Sickbay, I can help create a safe space in your mind for whatever it is that you feel is there to surface. And together we can experience that. You won’t be alone in it.”

Captain Myqian, CO

“I think the last time we were both here, and drunk, you had mentioned touch telepathy.” Achilleas said with a bit of curiosity in his eyes. “If your mental shielding isn’t sufficiently strong during this compartmentalization construction and you end up feeling the full brunt of what’s in here…” He motioned to his head. “Will that put you at risk?”

CSO Petrakos

“Not likely, but there’s no guarantee. But the idea is for me to bear witness to whatever it is your mind is pushing back. And hopefully together we can work through that moment. The potential risk is why I think doing this in Sickbay where we can be monitored. If there was an issue, they could sedate me and the connection would end and so would the risk. My being in your mind won’t harm you.” Dira could at least speak with some confidence about all this. While she hadn’t done anything exactly like this, she had had many experiences that she would consider adjacent.

Captain Myqian, CO

“I appreciate your willingness to help,” Achilleas said, the weight of his situation evident in his eyes. “The idea of someone being in my mind is… daunting. But if it might provide some relief, it’s worth trying.”

“If you weren’t the least bit hesitant, I’d probably be more concerned,” she said with a soft smile.

He took a deep breath, trying to push aside the anxiety that was bubbling up. “Alright, let’s do it. I trust you, Dira.”

CSO Petrakos

Dira nodded. “All right. But you must be sober, Achilleas. And not just post-drinking hungover. Clear headed and able to consent. So this isn’t happening tonight, but I will make myself available to you when you are ready to try this and we have a doctor who will agree to monitor us. Can you set that up?” It meant him having to take charge of his situation and be honest about what was happening with him to people who needed to know.

Captain Myqian, CO

Achilleas met her gaze, the seriousness of the situation clear in his eyes. “Yes, I understand. I’ll arrange for a doctor to be present and make sure I’m in the right state of mind. Thank you, Dira, for offering to help.”

CSO Petrakos

She nodded. “I’ll always help people if I can. Friends even more so. This isn’t something I offer lightly, though. Know that.” Dira looked around the room, her eyes landing on the bottle. “Can we put the alcohol away? Perhaps we can find something else that will help for tonight? Like maybe some sleep at this point?”

Captain Myqian, CO

“Agreed,” Achilleas responded, reaching for the bottles to reprocess the empty ones and store the ones with wine remaining. “Sleep sounds like a good idea. Thank you for offering your help, Dira. I appreciate it more than I can express.”

CSO Petrakos

She gave him a warm and sincere smile. “Well, I’d be a terrible friend and captain if I ignored the hurts of someone in front of me. And I can’t promise that whatever we do will work, but I think at this point it can’t hurt to try. Get some rest, Achilleas, and let me know when you’re ready to go delving.”

Captain Myqian, CO

“Thank you, Dira,” Achilleas replied with a nod, appreciating her support. “I’ll definitely keep you posted. And… thank you for being a friend.” With that, he offered her a small, grateful smile before preparing himself for some much-needed rest.

CSO Petrakos