An Undesirable Counseling Session Part I
Posted on Tue Jul 28th, 2026 @ 4:09pm by Lieutenant Vura & Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Edited on on Wed Jul 29th, 2026 @ 10:15am
2,293 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
Episode 18 - The Edge of Darkness
Location: Office of the Chief Counselor - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD003 1000 hrs
Vura knew that she had been procrastinating. It was mostly unintentional but the order officially came in. She had to meet with the XO regarding his injuries and counsel him. She also had to make certain that he was fit to continue being in command.
The Counselor had her own particular bias. She did not care for Tremble. She knew that he did not respect her or her job. His strongholding her did not endear him to her either. Of course, with her documented conversation with the Admirals on her opinions regarding the success of the merging of marine and Starfleet crew, she was going to have to be especially careful regarding her counseling.
She did not like to be conservative or question her own techniques, but she knew that was likely to happen with Tremble. Vura felt the weight of unseen eyes looking at her and what was to follow.
Before she put it off further, she called out, =^= Colonel Tremble, this is Lieutenant Vura. Please come to my office. =^=
Neil didn't bother responding while he finished speaking to a pair of J.G.'s that he hadn't met yet but he did toggle Rommie and the AI's acknowledged this by blinking a green light within the Colonel's HUD.
She did this even as her eyes appeared on the screen nearest to Vura, blinking a few times before her asking, "The Colonel is in another meeting Counselor, but should be wrapping that up within the next ten minutes. Is that acceptable or would you rather I schedule an appointment for you two when your schedules align?"
"I can wait," Vura answered. "However, I am going to require the Colonel's presence in my office."
"I will let the Colonel know of your request and update you immediately should his schedule change, Counselor." Rommie said, the eyes crinkling only slightly with amusement.
"His schedule certainly will change if he tries to change his schedule," Vura replied cryptically. "I appreciate that you will be notifying the Colonel of my message."
Rommie decided she didn't need to respond and her eyes faded from the screen.
Neil saw the junior officers out and saw motion as Rommie emerged from her data stream.
Rommie emerged from her data stream in the at-rest position and asked, "Any notes for those officers jackets, sir?"
Neil shook his head. "They should fit in fine. No notes, just update to show I've met with them and handed out my thoughts."
Rommie's nodded and said, "Yes sir. At the top of your queue now, Lieutenant Vura has summoned you, sir. You did have an opening so I agreed, though I also told her your schedule changes."
She paused for a twenty seconds to let him digest and said, "Does your schedule need to change, sir?"
Neil sighed heavily and said, "Well. There's that. A summons from on high is right. But she's still got her dander up, so to speak. A law unto herself but I suppose. Think I should take an olive branch?" he asked with a wry smile.
Rommie cocked her head and an image appeared beside her. "The ancient Greeks did construct war-clubs from olive branches, sir. Would you like to take something like this with?"
Chuckling, Neil shook his head and gave his uniform a once over, brushing the material straight with his hands as the nano-threads re-crisped the creases and he said, "A good idea, but likely over the top."
"She likely would prefer something like this I would imagine," Rommie said as the war-club morphed into a spanking paddle.
"Snorting," Neil made a get it away from me motion and said, "Absolutely not. More like a three meter pole version. Let her know I'm on my way, Warrant. And, get a fire team into suits for an extraction mission, just in case."
Rommie let the doors shut behind him, sealing his office as she sent a notification to the Counselor. She also debated if he was actually serious about the fire-team, but decided the fact that he mentioned the EAS suits, tipped the balance.
Minutes later, Neil was pacing off of the lift and he made sure to keep a measured gait, not hurried but not dragging his feet...or foot. He let his HUD trip the counselor's annunciator six meters out and said, "Tremble for Counselor Vura. I believe you're expecting me?"
"I was," Vura answered neutrally. "Please, come in." Just as Vura said that, she realized that this was the first time that Tremble had been in her territory. She was uncertain how she felt about that: Tremble being in her inner sanctum. She also wondered where he would sit. That should prove interesting.
When Tremble entered, he could see at the entrance to Vura's office, there were some blooming lavender plants, which gave off a pleasant soothing smell. On a wall, over a couch, she had put up a copy of Katsushika Hokusai's "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife" above a periwinkle couch that swooped up and then down in the middle and then back up again. The couch had definite sensual innuendos written all over the convenient shaping.
The walls of her office were of a deep rose with hints of purple hues. From there, she opted only for a small desk, so the desk would not set a barrier between her and her clients. It was a semi-circle and she placed it carefully in such a way where she could swivel on a chair and quickly type something on a computer or PADD and not interfere with her relationship with her client. The color of the desk nearly blended into the wall but was more mauve on closer inspection.
Warm wooded mahogany chairs were available in case her clients did not prefer to be on the couch. There was a small glass circle table between the chairs. The table contained a small zen sand garden and rake for clients to manipulate.
"Take a seat where you'd like," Vura instructed Tremble.
Neil considered for a moment, tempted to ask if she minded if he stood.
Knowing the counselor, this was going to be a measuring contest right from the moment she'd decided to finally get his mandatory sessions finished.
Then he sat in the middle of the couch, stretching his legs out and slouching as he shifted his shoulders into the back. "Nice couch. And nice office, Counselor. What can I do for you?"
Oh, I don't know. Transfer from the ship? That'd be a nice start. "It is not what you can do for me, it is what I can do for you," she explained. "You experienced a rather unusual trauma. Not many people lose a leg, Colonel...." She let her voice trail, hoping that Neil might open up more than a paperclip holding a single sheet of paper.
Nodding, Neil said "True. It does happen a bit more in the Corp." He pulled up a trouser leg, displaying the artificial leg and tapped on it. "I think I'm adjusting. Not quite used to it yet, but I don't try and get up from bed and forget I don't have two anymore. It does have me wondering about getting my old leg re-attached. How far is going too far before it's more trouble than it's worth?" He kept his tone mild but didn't need his HUD to tell him her heart rate was elevated and she likely was cross just by having to talk to him.
On the way here, he'd decided being nice just might irritate her more.
It was worth experimenting.
Vura decided that Neil was not well. He was being cordial and civil and almost likeable. She gave him a wry smile and asked, so why did you not have your old one reattached? Why the artificial one? You've had the opportunities...." She paused and then asked one final question. "What does your wife think about it all?"
"Part of is down time," Neil said. "I've too much to do to let a leg have me in bed for a week, as much as that might delight Mrs. Tremble." He said, letting humor touch his voice. "The other bit is I'm a career marine and it's not a bad reminder that, despite the contrary, it's a reminder that I'm human. I think we all need something like that." He kept a straight face for a moment and activated the automatics that released the leg from his stump and he withdrew it to stand next to him as he tucked the stump away behind folded trouser leg.
Glancing about and not seeing a mug or cup, he shrugged and patted the artificial limb. "Plus, it's an instant cup holder when needed. Hard to beat that kind of utility."
Levity? About this? And being pleasant? He almost certainly is in shock. I have to assist him. "You are entitled to take time off, especially when you have been injured," Vura reminded the Colonel. "And I would suggest that there are better ways to be reminded that you are human than losing a leg."
"Are you alright, Counselor?" Neil asked. "You seem wound kind of tight. I know this is supposed to be about me but since you're one of my officers, I do need to keep tabs."
"There is no need to keep tabs on me," Vura assured Neil. Keep tabs on your wife. Only in your dreams would you ever want to keep tabs on me. She smiled secretly as she stifled her own humor. "And you're right, this is about you."
"If you're sure, Counselor. You look tired," Neil said, keeping his face straight and tone even. "And it is my job to keep a handle on the crew's health. Do try to get some extra rest...." He let it go for a few beats and said, "As to the leg, honestly it's part and parcel to being in the Corp. The new one is just as good, if not a bit better than the old and I can still catch my wife as often as she'd like. I have a few more months to make up my mind so I'll keep evaluating."
"I believe that you're misreading me, Colonel." What else is new? "There should be no concerns for me. Perhaps you're projecting? I'm sure that being a newlywed might be wearing you out. I'm quite aware that the first few months could be rather pleasurably intense." She grinned at the Colonel to add effect to her statement.
"As to a few more month for evaluation, what is your criteria? Why do you think your leg which causes you a limp is 'just as good'?" Wow, he really is out of touch with his emotions and reality. How did he end up married? Of course Jayna is part-Vulcan, so maybe that helps, both of them being somewhat emotionally detached.
"A limp is just another reminder that I'm human. And can be killed. A few scars here and there. It's a part of me. The baggage you take with you. Not a badge of honor, but more that others might not have been as lucky." Shrugging slightly, Neil said "I might just bury the leg in the family plot on Earth so at least there's be a piece of me there."
"There are many other ways to have those reminders other than a limp or a false leg. Just breathing and meditation could be a reminder," Vura answered sagely.
Neil slouched purposefully, propping his stump up on the arm of the chair casually and said, "Too easy to tell ourselves that something or another wasn't that bad and it's a good idea to go ahead and just get something unpleasant out of the way. I imagine you run into that here and there," Neil said innocently. "I kinda like reminders that are in your face to remind you to be cautious."
Vura tilted her head curiously at Neil and asked, "Did you ever cut yourself with a knife when you were a child?" Let's see if we can force this stubborn jarhead to use some logic on this situation.
Neil considered that before replying, "Probably? Not that I remember. Broke a couple of bones. Well, more than a couple through my career. But dermal regenerators and bone-knitt casts made them fade out within a few days. Been years since I was a kid. What about you, Counselor? Did you play with knives?"
That was an odd question. What is he getting at? "When you broke the bones, did that not teach you not to do the thing that caused you to break your bone?" Vura smiled pleasantly at Neil, trying to get him to see reason. She was not certain that he ever would. Then again, he could be completely contrary just because he wanted to be. So frustrating.
"Might have been one of the things said," Neil acknowledged, "Knowing mom, I'm sure she did. And to my knowledge, I never did do that exact thing to break something again. But when you chose to go into harms way, you do have to expect harm to come your way. A few broken bones. Cuts. Losing a leg," he shrugged "Comes with the territory."
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Colonel Cornelius Tremble
Executive Officer, USS Pioneer
Battalion Commander, The Cure
Lieutenant Vura
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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