Splendid

Posted on Fri Apr 23rd, 2010 @ 10:43am by Lieutenant JG Hannah Andeti & Ensign Velia Moretti

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: Holodeck 1
Timeline: MD11 1900

Velia had come around the corner just in time to hear the doors come together behind who she hoped was the counselor. After the last crossover in holodeck time she'd experienced she wasn't all that excited to do it again. Her finger tips found and tugged at the outside of the cuffs on her shorts. The only part of this whole outfit she was comfortable with were the boots. Glancing down she smiled. Those were rather enjoyable. Another hiss and she found herself inside with Hannah, who looked awfully pleased even for a counselor.

"Hi," Andeti greeted the young woman with a smile, she hadn't really expected the intelligence officer to don the clothing she had recommended but was happy to see that she had taken the advice. It wasn't that a Starfleet uniform wouldn't work just as well, but there was something awfully impersonal about running a holoprogram of any kind with their uniforms to remind them of who and where they really were.

She looked up at the grid-worked walls and called out to the computer. "Computer, activate program Andeti four." The walls shimmered and immediately a brief wind picked up. She could feel the short tendrils of hair tickle the back of her neck and she leaned over to tighten her laces to give Moretti a chance to glance around the terrain. The rocky plain turned into an even choppier set of hills which eventually rose into several mountains, one of which appeared to be the perfect cone of a volcano. After a moment the counselor stood up with a smile. "I hope you don't mind a long hike. This is the Tongariro Crossing in New Zealand on Earth. Have you ever been there?"

"Good God no," Velia shook her head as the understanding of what she'd agreed to fully formed. She wasn't much of a hiker. Not that she didn't appreciate what a decent scenic view combined with a little exercise could do for a person; she just prefered her scenery to spring from pages and her exercise to involve body protection. She let out a breath, mentally calculating just how 'long' this hike was going to be before shooting a worried look at Andeti. "I don't think I brought enough water." The rocky path ahead also assured her that she maybe should have chosen spike soled boots.

The counselor eyed her carefully, it was pretty obvious that she wasn't exactly keen about the coming adventure and the last thing she wanted was to force the activity on her. "I've got plenty for both of us," she said slowly and then added. "If you'd rather do something a little less . . . strenuous, I don't have a problem with that."

"Nope," Velia set her shoulders along with her mind. "If you say we're good, I trust you on that." She hinted at a smile, tugged on her ever loving shorts one last time and wiggled her toes in her boots. "After you?"

Hannah smiled and started moving, tying her fleece around her waist as they went. If this hike was as variable as she remembered she would need it later.

The intel officer fell in behind the counselor, keeping a close eye on who was stepping where. "Have you ever been here? I mean, outside of the holodeck?"

"Once." The counselor nodded. "It's an interesting hike, but the first hour is pretty easy going." They continued for a few quiet moments. "Do you enjoy hiking?"

"I don't mind it," Velia told her truthfully. Though where Velia'd grown up, a 'hike' was a two mile trek through a wooded area or a slight uphill incline to a decent picnic spot. This was more like a quest. It very much made her think of a near ancient trilogy and she started to snicker, trying to keep it under wraps so she wouldn't have to explain it to Andeti. "I prefer it to horseback riding or bicycling to be honest. There's something liberating about getting where you're going on your own."

Hannah nodded, an agreeable smile on her lips. "Yes, there is." She became quiet as they moved, not so much because she was waiting for Moretti to talk but because she didn't want either of them to feel obligated to speak.

"Do you hike a lot? I mean, when you can, on planets?" This was going to be a long walk and it took everything Velia had in her to hold the longing of one of them twisting an ankle at bay. It was really pretty though, in an . . . outdoorsy kind of way.

"I try to, but there's always so much to do when there's shoreleave." She paused. "So many things I want to do, I mean, that it's kind of hard to do a lot." She laughed. "Thank the fates for holodecks, right?"

"Absolutely," Velia nodded, thinking how much less enjoyable it would be to actually have to find a sparring partner who would want to talk and be all personable when good ol' Karo was but a program run away.

They continued on in silence for a few moments, the rising shards of mountain gradually becoming nearer. "Did you do anything of interest over leave?" She chuckled. "Or were you working too hard fending off Myrin's advances?"

"I actually did run a holoprogram or two, and explored the base a little." Velia chewed her lower lip, debating on whether or not to share her curious and unique find with the counselor. Something about it made her want to keep it private.

Andeti didn't seem to notice the woman's reticence. "So what sort of holo-programs do you usually run?"

"Jiu Jitsu or, I guess just more self defense training programs in general. CQC and the like. What about you?" Velia nudged a rather large stone off the path with the toe of her boot and watched as it rolled and bounced down the side of the trail.

"Mostly stuff like this." She wasn't about to bring up the orbit diving, which might be a bit too much for a first visit. "So what made you go into intelligence? It's sounds like security might have been more in your line."

"Absolutely not." Velia shook her head vehemently even though she was behind the other woman. "It's been my experience that security officers are one of two types. Either they are just plain old bullies who use the power trip as an excuse to exercise their past time and wait with baited breath for some higher up to unleash them or they are the ones who got bullied in youth and turn it around when they get bigger, stronger, trained, and hell bent. No, Intelligence is very much the work of the mind, not the brawn. I mean, the tactical side of security maybe, but my programs are defense not offense. Offense is good, and necessary for some postings and positions, I guess. But defense is what will save your skin. No matter how good your offense is, Counselor, when someone gets past it, and they will, if you don't have defense you're ... well to put it clearly, you're screwed."

"You're right, of course." Hannah was surprised with the woman's tirade and just had to ask. "May I ask how you feel about Lt. Fala?" She had never had that impression of security officers, but her curiosity got the better of her.

"I've never met her, nor had any contact with her, so I just haven't formed an opinion of her." Velia caught something in Hannah's voice. "I'm willing to accept there are exceptions to every rule. I generally find pilots and marines disagreeable as well, but that doesn't mean I haven't met the odd one out who was nearly enjoyable. What do you think of Lt. Fala?"

"I don't know her well, to be honest," Hannah admitted as she reached out and pulled herself up onto the beginnings of a more vertical hill. "She seems very pleasant, though." The truth was that she had been thinking more about another former security chief, but she wasn't planning on bringing that up. "Is it true that you first went in for counseling yourself?"

"Yep," Velia followed Hannah up the rock narrowing her eyes slightly as she wedged a finger just a little too firmly into a hold. "It just wasn't," she grunted slightly at the motions her body had to do, "for me, I guess."

"It's not for everyone," Hannah said, half grunt as they worked their way up the steep incline. "Then again I could never imagine going into intelligence."

"It's a lot like counseling, actually." Velia was starting to feel it in her legs which made her want to ask Hannah if they could do this again. Conditioning really shouldn't be pushed aside. "The main difference is that the people we interact with tend to be less whiny and actually *don't* really want to talk about themselves." Her last statement could be true about counseling too though, she supposed.

The counselor turned and eyed the younger woman as she stopped to catch her breath. "You think that most of the people who come to see counselors are whiny?"

"I think some of them are, yes. The ones who come willingly anyway." Velia pushed the heels of her palms into either side of her leg and one at a time began to run them downward, working the aching muscles even though they were stopped. This also presented an opportune time for some water.

Hannah nodded and began climbing again, not commenting immediately. "You don't think that some people sometimes just need some help with their personal problems?"

"I think if people really tried, they could find a way to solve most of their emotional problems themselves. Most of the answers they're looking for are found inside of themselves anyway. Self responsibility and self awareness will take people a long way. The problem is, no one likes to admit or own faults and bad choices." Velia followed suit. Speaking of choices, even though her body was disagreeing furiously, joining Hannah for this had been a good one; Velia found herself wondering what it was like to really do this on Earth.

"I'm afraid I don't understand that view." It was true, the counselor couldn't have agreed less. "You're right that people have trouble seeing their own faults, but sometimes it takes that outside, impartial viewpoint to be able to accept them." She paused, but only to catch her breath. "Personally I have a great deal of respect for the people who come to see me. If they can acknowledge that they need and want help, that someone else might be able to give them some insight into themselves that they can't manage on their own and that they're willing to open up to a relative stranger in order to grow as individuals." She stopped, again, for breath. "Well, that's a strength I can't help but admire."

It was then that they came out on top of the Devil's Staircase and Hannah let out a loud breath into the strong and biting wind. She turned and motioned out to the view, where the rocky terrain disappeared into green fields and lakes beneath the ceiling of cloud. She didn't say anything, instead allowing the ensign to enjoy it as she would.

And that was why Hannah was the counselor, for Velia hadn't ever thought of it that way -- though it mattered not. Velia sighed internally. She was glad that Hannah didn't understand her view actually; if life was good to her, the Betazoid would never have to. "I guess," the Ensign replied with a hint of reserve in her voice, hugging her arms about her. The urge to look down was strong, and instantly made Velia feel very very small. Suddenly, she wasn't so curious as to what it would feel like to be up here without the aid and comfort of safety settings. The scene below could have sprung from the pages of a children's book, Velia thought in awe. And while it didn't look exactly right, the hues were off marginally, it did make her think of home. "This program," Velia asked as quietly, letting the wind carry her voice, "when you run it, do you do so alone?"

The counselor smiled. "Usually." She thought for a minute. "Not out of any desire to be alone, but there aren't very many people who enjoy spending their off time on an eight hour hike."

"So why do you?" Velia turned her eyes to the counselor.

Hannah laughed. "I like to explore."

Velia tilted her head and studied the blond for a moment. "It's a holoprogram. How much exploring can you possibly do once you've done it a few times?"

The counselor laughed. "You're right, of course. I suppose it's just nice to get away from the ship for a while. Or at least pretend you are."

A stifled laugh was difficult, but Velia managed. She could only imagine what in Hannah's daily life would encourage her to want to spend eight hours enacting an escape from the Pandora. She knew it was more likely the counselor was simply a wandering soul, and so Velia chose not to retort, but instead to ask what was next for them before drawing yet again from her water bottle. "Either I move these legs, or I think they're going to lock up," she admitted to Hannah.

The counselor laughed. "Alright, let's get going. The scenery only gets better from here."

[OFF]

by

Lt. JG Hannah Andeti
Chief Counselor
USS Pandora

&

Ensign Velia Moretti
Intelligence Officer
USS Pandora