Posted by Civilian Thyr Th’arialat (Resident) in Side sim: Safety Risks

Posted by Civilian Jezem (Upstanding Citizen) in Side sim: Safety Risks

Posted by Civilian Thyr Th’arialat (Resident) in Side sim: Safety Risks
Posted by… suppressed (29) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>
Séan took a sip of his coffee as he looked at Thyr. Typically counselors didn’t divulge much of their history and life circumstances. This was to maintain a professional line between patient and counselor. He had blackmailed convinced Thyr to be his patient under less than normal circumstances though, so what would it matter for a little more irregularit wey? He set the cup down and answered the question. “I have a mentor who helped me when I was an impulsive and angry brat. He didn’t have any reason to do it but he felt that if he didn’t try that I would be lost to a dark path. I learned a lot under his mentorship and I feel the key lesson I took away is that the universe is a nasty place but by each person I’m able to help, it gets just a little bit better.”

Counselor Iven

Shivan had to hold back a face of disgust. That was vomit worthy. But it was… somewhat familiar. Could Shivan have turned out differently if there had been someone for him? Passed the Academy? Avoided the life of crime and all that came with it? Was Séan just Shivan if someone had helped him?

Not that it mattered. It hadn’t happened. The universe didn’t work that way. No one had cared. No one had been there for Shivan, ever. It was why he used to harass Jezem for believing in that Orion religion of his. There were a select few lucky individuals, like Séan, and the rest were Shivans and Jezems.

How was that fair? What divine being would allow it to be that way? Why couldn’t Shivan have had that? For a moment, an alternate life flashed through Shivan’s mind. One where he didn’t get into that fight. Where he graduated the Academy and went on to serve in Starfleet. One where he wasn’t one giant screwup. He hadn’t missed that future in a long time. Now he felt that perceived lost keenly. Shivan’s anger built and he had to struggle to contain it, to avoid making a rather rude scene. “I guess you’re lucky then.” He managed.

~ Thyr

“I guess.” Séan said with a slightly sad smile. He would’ve been perfectly happy not joining Starfleet and staying on with his dad doing freighter runs if his dad hadn’t completely isolated himself off from everyone around him, especially his son. For that matter he would have been ecstatic to go into medicine and work alongside his mom on a Federation colony if she hadn’t been murdered. Maybe he would have become a big brother and shown the ropes to a little brother or protected a little sister. So many other possibilities but at least he did have someone who helped before his anger took him too far.

Counselor Iven

Shivan stood, knocking over his coffee by accident. He hardly seemed to notice. His antenna would give away his emotional state: quaking with rage. He wanted to get out of here. He wasn’t going to talk about it. He shouldn’t have asked. Séan wasn’t going to turn him in. Why was he even here? “I should go.”

~ Thyr

Séan was surprised at Thyr’s agitation. He wasn’t surprised at the outburst, Thyr had done that numerous times, but the anger he was giving off was palpable. He thought about stopping him and trying to get him to calm down, but he suspected it would prove counterproductive and not be a great idea in a cafe. “Okay. Let’s meet at the fountain same time and…” He thought of his schedule. “Next Friday.”

Counselor Iven

“Fine.” Shivan wasn’t sure whether he would show up or not. He left the cafe, turning down the street and heading off angrily, and not in the direction of either his place or Jezem’s.

~ Thyr

Jezem had not gone straight home. In fact he remained in the area, intent on completing some shopping for Shivan’s storefront. Where possible he ordered locally made items and decor, shunning anything replicated or brought in from off world. Funny, considering Argam’s primary business on the colony was importing off-world luxury goods and items. Perhaps all the more reason to support the local businesses when possible. It was while stepping out of a store that Jezem caught sight of Shivan. Oh, he knew that look.

The orion chased after Shivan, quickly catching up to the other and keeping pace beside him, “Thyr” Jezem said, “Did that s’loh say something?”

Jezem

Shivan’s antenna quivered with rage. His fists were balled. If Jezem knew this look, he also knew that getting in his way was a great way to get punched. Or stabbed. Shivan did have a weapon on him, concealed by his waist. He always had one. Just in case someone tried to jump him. When he heard Jezem’s voice, he turned to look. “He’s a lucky grelfeli,” Shivan growled, still heading down the road at a brisk pace. “Has everything. He’s not better than us. Why can’t we have what he did?” It wouldn’t make much sense to Jezem. Shivan wasn’t in a headspace for making sense. “Hell, what do I care? Even you get your fancy life. I’m gonna go drink.” Jezem would know that was definitely a bad idea. Shivan would get in a lot of trouble. And probably start more than one fight.

~ Thyr

He paused, considering Shivan’s stance, the impassioned words, and their location. They can’t fight in the open, even a side alley could prove risky at this time of day. Humans were so stupidly curious. Never kenw when to leave well enough alone. What was that shrink doing?! Letting Shivan leave the cafe in this condition? Thinking fast, Jezem called for an auto transport. Setting the pick-up location for a bit further down the road. “Just where are you going to get the kind of drink you want around here? No, the kind of place you’re looking for isn’t in this side of town.”

“I’ll walk to the tavern!” Shivan was, to his credit, trying to keep his voice down.

Ahead, a transport landed, “Sisters, Thyr I’m tired of dealing with your moods. There’s a transport. Go somewhere where you can sulk and not cause a scene.” Jezem kept his body language cold and dismissive but he had no plans of letting Shivan board that transport alone. It would simply serve as the most private place to have one of their friendly spats.

Jezem

Of course he was tired of it. Shivan always knew he’d get bored of dealing with him and move on to whatever new hobby Jezem’s rich husband could provide him. With dismissive huff and a shrug, he headed for the transport.

~ Thyr

After Shivan boarded the transport Jezem quickly slipped inside and closed the doors. The shuttle took off, automatically headed towards the destination selected upon being ordered. Jezem stood just outside of Shivan’s reach, “What in the hells is wrong with you? What makes you think you deserve nice things when you thrown tantrums like a spoiled child?”

Jezem

“Why do you? You get angry. You throw fits.” Shivan shook his head. “Why are you here? I thought you were ‘tired of my moods’.” It wasn’t even about Jezem. It was about Séan, Séan who was exactly what Shivan would have been if anyone had bothered to care.

~ Thyr

“Because I know how to contain my rage,” Jezem spat back, “Do you think I would have ever gotten as far as I have if I acted like you? No, if I acted like you do then I’d be dead or wasting in a slave mine until I died a gristly, painful death.” His hands curled into fists, “Sisters, I’ve never heard you sound so pathetic before. ‘Oh woe is me because a sparkly fairy didn’t descend from the sky and give me a perfect little life. Why must I suffer so?’. That’s not how the universe works, Thyr. Some people suffer so others can have everything. I’m so sorry you were dealt a bad hand.”

Jezem

“That weirdo psych was the same as me!” Shivan spat back. “The only difference is, someone cared to stop him!” He didn’t waste anymore time with argument. He threw a punch at Jezem. “You didn’t do anything to deserve to be in that slave mine either!” Maybe he was right. Maybe Shivan did deserve a grisly, painful death. The thought made him angrier. Jezem shouldn’t even be there. He’d said he was tired of him, so why not just let Shivan go to a bar? Shivan’s pathetic death wasn’t his problem. He had his perfect life. Another fist went flying towards Jezem.

~ Thyr

There it is. The blind rage. The violence. The punch connected as Jezem mentally braced for the pain. “Go and tell that to all the slaves. I’m sure they’ll feel much better knowing they don’t actually deserve their lot in life. What do you want? A reward? A pat on the back for figuring it out? Because it sure as hells doesn’t seem to be helping you.” The second punch came and Jezem made every effort to look as though he tried to dodge the hit connected and sent him reeling and his back slammed against the wall of the transport.

“What are you going to do about it?” Jezem spat. Was there any for him? “You can’t change the past.”

Jezem

What didn’t seem to be helping him? He was too angry to think clearly. “I’m going to go. And drink. Unless I get harassed all the way there.” Shivan said. Then he threw another punch. He couldn’t change the past. But it wasn’t fair and that made him upset and angry and he just wanted to drown out those emotions and why wouldn’t Jezem let him do that? Why did he always have to go all despair olympics and bring up the slave thing? It just made Shivan feel like garbage. He at least wasn’t that and he was still just a screw up.

~ Thyr

Another punch. Jezem hissed in pain. “Is that the best you got? Your punches might as well be gentle touches for all the damage they’re doing.” He threw his own punch back, anything to goad Shivan into fighting more, harder, angrier. “Then what? Drink until you’re wasted? Until someone smashes in your face and leave you to rot in some alleyway? Do you even want to live?”

Jezem

Shivan’s next swing was harder, putting more of his weight into it. Then another one came after it. “Is there a problem with getting wasted? You and I used to do it plenty. Of course I want to live!” He growled, “Why do you think I’ve done all this work to get away from the Syndicate?” The truth was, though, he wasn’t sure if he did. He was just too much of a coward to face his fate with the Syndicate. And though he thought doing it himself would make him a coward, the truth was he was too much of a coward to do it. He swung on Jezem again, another one with all his strength behind it. “I’ll show you a soft touch!”

~ Thyr

“Gnng!” Jezem wheezed as the air was knocked out of him. He clawed at Shivan’s arms, chest, wherever he could reach. “You- hit like a human!” Another hit and Jezem couldn’t voice the insults lingering at the tip of his tongue. Push through the pain. Center the mind. Focus on a point beyond space. Beyond this moment. Techniques to withstand torture had many uses. Jezem didn’t cry out, but he grunted after each hit. Ugly bruises bloomed over his exposed skin, beautiful green and purple and blue around the edges. “That. . . all you got? No wonder that klingon got the better of you.”

Jezem

Jezem’s nails caught Shivan’s skin multiple times making deep scratches down his arms and across his chest. It didn’t seem to deter the Andorian. His fist kept coming as if Jezem were the punching dummy Shivan used to keep in his quarters on their ship. “She took me by surprise and put me into a headlock. Maybe I should do the same to you and see if you can get out of it.”

~ Thyr

With each hit Jezem felt him slipping further into his mind, his safe haven against the pain. Suddenly, Jezem’s eyes shot wide open. Pain and fear merged together into a heady cocktail of blind panic. At some point he could not determine, he’d lost control of the game. From the beginning the goal was to goad Shivan into beating him stupid. To make the andorian so angry so out of control that when he finally snapped out of it he’d realize that his anger was out of control. Now, Jezem fought with a renewed ferociousness.

He could die if Shivan went too far. Beaten until he lost consciousness. At the mercy of Shivan, if the Andorian could even think anymore. Would know what to do. Jezem fought back because he was scared.

Jezem

Jezem was finally fighting back. Scratching harder and hitting back. Why hadn’t he been before? The thought lodged itself somewhere in his mind. He threw several more punches before one of Jezem’s knocked him back, snapping him out of it. “Jezem! Jezem!”

~ Thyr

Jezem staggered forward and then collapsed to the floor. Each breath heaved as though punched out of him, lungs working hard to pull more air in. It wasn’t enough. Numbness spread through his thoughts and mind. He felt so heavy. Sisters, he was so tired. He slumped to the floor and laid there. Way to go Jezem. You aren’t dead yet.

Jezem

Shivan knelt down by his friend, gently jostling his shoulder. He looked concerned. “I didn’t knock you around too hard, did I? Damn, Jezem, why did you have to egg me on? Are you okay?”

~ Thyr

Jezem shook his head, the movement sluggish. His eyes slipped closed. He’ll rest for a minute. The transport shuddered as it landed and the doors opened. They were outside Jezem’s house.

Jezem

It was easy for Shivan to lift Jezem. He was smaller than Shivan and Shivan was strong. Once he had him in his arms, Shivan went into the house. He set Jezem on the couch. Then he paced in front of the couch. “Maybe I shoulda had the transport take you to the hospital.”

~ Thyr

Jezem groaned, being lifted jostled his body enough to send new waves of pain through him. Jezem retreated into his mind where everything felt light and free. “No. . . Don’t. . . need that. Just. . . let me sleep.” Given the beating he just took that might not be the best thing for him to do.

Jezem

Shivan remembered something their medic told him once, after the last time they beat each other senseless. He shouldn’t let him sleep. “No, you can’t. Not yet.” Shivan sat by the couch. “I’ll splash you with cold water if you try, got it?”

~ Thyr

“Do that and I’ll kill you,” Jezem muttered, eyes barely open. He sunk into the soft cushions of the couch. How could Shivan expect him to stay awake when he was so comfortable? Then he’d breeze too deeply, shift too far and he’d hiss in pain.

Jezem

“You can barely stay conscious.” Shivan pointed out. The scratches jezem left him were bleeding, but Shivsn didn’t think them any more serious than a bad cat scratch. He’d be fine. Jezem, though.... “Maybe I should call Argam.” It felt like he should do something.

~ Thyr

A sigh, “Med kit. . . in the kitchen.” Sisters, what a mess this was.

Jezem

Shivan went out to the kitchen and got the med kit. “I’m not giving you the painkillers, they’ll put you to sleep.” He sat down in front of the couch again and opened the kit, starting to use the supplies to treat Jezem’s injuries.

~ Thyr

“Your beside manner. . . doesn’t suck.” Jezem sighed and hissed in pain by turns. Gradually he was patched up, kept awake by all the poking and prodding of his injuries. After a moment Jezem caught Shivan’s gaze, “You could have killed me,” He stated bluntly.

Jezem

Shivan closed the kit when he was done, getting ready to return it to where it goes. Then Jezem caught his gaze. “I know. I don’t think it would have taken much longer.” That was a grim thought. Shivan looked appropriately guilty. “Why did you egg me on like that? Did you want me to beat you to death?”

~ Thyr

A deep breath through his nose, “You can’t go on like this. You need to learn to control your anger. Because one day your anger will take you across a point you cannot return from.” Jezem wished he had the strength to sit up. Alas, he stayed still on the couch, “Just. . . promise me you’ll try.”

Jezem

Shivan broke away from his gaze. “I’ll.... try.” He sighed. “It just… It doesn’t matter.” He couldn’t go back in time and change his past. And he didn’t see a life for himself now. So why did it matter? He finally met Jezem’s gaze again. “I’m sorry though. I don’t want to kill you.” Even when they stabbed each other, they weren’t aiming to kill. They both knew how to stab in ways that wouldn’t kill unless it wasn’t treated.

~ Thyr

He shook his head, “We never really do, no matter what we say.” A pause, then “It does matter though. . . the shrink is trying to be that person for you. The one to help you and pull you up. I don’t know why but he looked at you and he saw someone worthy of and in need of help. You don’t want to die? Then try. Try the counseling. Try running a legitimate store. You want to pay me back? Then don’t waste the opportunity that’s fallen onto your lap. Pay me back by trying.”

Jezem

Shivan bit back a bitter remark. He’s about thirteen years too late. He managed not to say it. Shivan looked like he was trying not to cry. What a wimp he was. “I don’t know what the hell he thinks he saw.” He sighed and then nodded. “I’ll try. For you.” Then he sat on the floor, criss-cross-applesauce. “How do you feel?”

~ Thyr

Good. Jezem breathed a sigh of relief. The plan could have failed. Emotional blackmail was always a tricky thing, sometimes people were unpredictable. What mattered was it worked and Jezem could feel good about a job well done, “Like I got on the bad side of a klingon grandmother,” Jezem said, tone lightly teasing, “Or an andorian.”

Jezem

Shivan might have normally grinned or chuckled, now he barely cracked a smile. “You can have the pain meds in a few more hours. Our medic told me once. The last time we beat the snot out of each other.”

~ Thyr

“Joy,” Jezem motioned towards the holoscreen, “Put on something for us to watch. I don’t care what.” So long as it wasn’t the local news he really didn’t care at the moment.

Jezem

Shivan turned on Jezem’s favorite Orion soap. Then he settled in on the floor in front of the sofa to watch. After a few episodes, he gave Jezem the pain meds.

~ Thyr

Jezem quietly accepted the pain pills and made exactly one attempt to get up from the couch before deciding this was comfortable enough. “Tell Argam. . .” But he dozed off before he could finish his sentence.

Jezem