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Soft Exorcism

Posted on Sun Sep 16th, 2018 @ 7:23pm by Lieutenant Seregon French & Ensign Avendar Jurot
Edited on on Sun Sep 16th, 2018 @ 7:25pm

Mission: Holographic Horrors
Location: Counserlors office

The time had come to face her demons. The moment she had dreaded. They cleared her at fleet, but what kind of mind games would this counsellor play?

"Well, may as well get it over with. Seregon French reporting. as per my orders." she said loud enough to be heard.

The woman in room was sitting at a table, regarding an old fashioned photograph. When Lieutenant French spoke, the councilor's looked at the woman, revealing her eyes' black irises- a trait of all full blooded Betazoids. She then stood gracefully.

Councilor Avender Jurot was a tall woman, with long flowing auburn hair and pale skin, which really made her eyes stand out. Her figure was very curvaceous, which she accented by having her duty uniform specifically tailored. Her entire being radiated serenity. She smiled warmly at French, and extended her hand in welcome.

"Hello Lieutenant, I've been expecting you. I don't stand on ceremony here. Please call me Avender."

Lt. Thought French. That's the first piece of news she had received regarding her rank, now she knew. Wonder what other good news awaits me. She thought. Then she got a good look at the counsellors eyes. "Oh my, you're eyes are absolutely amazing." Said French not really knowing where that remark came from. "Oh forgive me doctor, a Frodian slip of the tongue, I assure you." Said offered.

Avender giggled slightly. "No apologies necessary, Lieutenant. Also, I'm a counselor, not a doctor. Am I the first Betazoid you've ever met?"

Avender kept her hand extended.

French realized she was staring and left the Counselor hanging. So she caught herself. "Oh, I'm sorry." And she took the Counselors hand. "Forgive me. I'm actually straight, but you are gorgeous. And no you're not the first Betazoid that I've met, but you will be the first one to examine me so to say. But I'm cool with it. Ask me anything you want and I'll answer." Said French.

Avender smiled. "thank you, that's very kind of you to say." She then motioned toward a comfortable looking chair and an extremely comfortable looking reclining couch. She sat in the chair, and looked expectantly at the beautiful lieutenant.

French smiled at the compliment and followed her gaze to the comfortable looking recliner thingy. Releasing the Counselors hand and almost pouring herself into the recliner. A wave of anxiety seemed to leave her body and she fell right under her therapist spell.

"Now that feels nice. Look with the mission of the Hera being what it is, I'm sure you have the clearance to hear my troubles. So please don't hold back. Tell me what I need to do to work this out so I can get back to doing what I love. Working in my chosen profession!" Said Seregon

"Well, Lieutenant, shall we stand on formality, or may I call you by name?" Avender said, smiling. French felt a warm comfort about her, like a familiar joy.

"Please call me Seregon or Frenchie, either will do." She said joyfully. Not knowing why she felt so good and trusting.

"Frenchie. I like that! Ok, Frenchie, so you know how I work, I'll tell you a few things. I'm a telepath, so if I wanted, I could read your mind, figure out what the issue is, make you forget it, and you could go on your merry way. However, that is something that I refuse to do. I prefer to have you tell ME the issues that are bothering you, and we work them out together. And yes, I have the top security clearance, so even if I didn't have Counselor/patient confidentiality, I can still keep a secret."

Avender shifted in her seat, getting comfortable. The whole room felt comforting, like nothing could ever hurt anyone in here.

"Then I will begin at the end. Just over two years ago, I killed my lover." and she paused for that to sink in. "It was in the line of duty, but that I'm sure you know to the mind does not matter. You see I was undercover when we became lovers and it was my job, no my duty to see this mission through." said Seregon as she took a minute to readjust herself on the recliner. As she crossed her arms tightly across her chest she felt as if her heart would leap out and that this unconcious action would somehow stop that from happening. She could also feel a tear forming in the corner of her eye. Which she quickly wiped away, as he no longer deserved her tears.

"The story goes as follows. Star Fleet had made an agreement with the Risan Government to help with security issues. Since so many of our citizens frequent the planet on a regular basis, it made since that we have a presence there. So they sent me and a 12 man team to Risa. After a couple weeks there, it was brought to our attention that Humanoids were disappearing at an alarming rate. Sometimes two a week. So far the count was 32 and growing. This was something that could not be over looked, so my team and I were tasked with finding out what was going on, who was responsible and finding these missing or kiddnaped Humanoids and liberating them from their captures." and she paused. "please can I have a glass of water?" asked Seregon.

Avender nodded, stood and went to the replicator. "A pitcher of ice water please. Two glasses." The replicator hummed and her order appeared. She brought the pitcher and glasses to the table, moved a low table next to the couch, then put the empty glasses on the low table. She then poured the lieutenant a glass, handed it to her, and poured her own. She did this with a deliberateness that almost suggested a ritual. She reached to the other side of her chair, and produced an antique looking box of tissues, which she also placed on the low table next to Seregon. She then sat back in her chair.

"Please continue," Avender said.


French took a deep breath, drank from the glass closest to her and settled back to give her account of what had happened. “For my part it was decided that I would go under cover and see if they would take the bait. It worked better than we could have expected. I was in a bar that’s frequented by the type that might indulge in such activities and we got a bite.” She took another sip of water.

“He approached me like a lion would a fresh kill in the wild. I could see the Predator in him. He sat down at the bar with me and I let him reel me in. I had no idea mind you if this was our suspect or not, but we were hopeful."

I suspect this will not end well, Avender thought. "It sounds like you had a fair idea though."

"You could say that. So one thing led to the other and I gave the surveillance team the signal to let it play out. We had a transporter tag on me. A stealth ship in orbit tracking me and a recovery team ready to come get me if I sent a signal to be pulled out. But what I did not know was our team had gotten one of us on the inside as a kidnapee. Trudy had actually gotten captured and was victim 34 or 35, we were not sure. So when he invited me back to his, i went. The moment we walked through his hotel room door, we were transported to his ship. So I figured, let the games begin and they did." And she stopped and took a sip of water.

"Days turned into weeks and he did not trust me enough to tell me what I wanted to know. I was worried that he would never tell me anything, then one day we were taking a stroll around the ship and he took me to the brig area and there they were, my operative and 7 other females just waiting to be dropped somewhere. Needless to say I was pissed to see my agent and team mate stuck in there like an uncleared unfed animal in a cage. So I appealed to his kindness and asked him to please feed them, in fact I told him that I would be glad to feed them if he would allow it. Little did I know it was a setup. He was so paranoid that he thought there might be an undercover in the cage, so he waited to see if It would revealed by our actions. So he monitored us and our interactions. I didn't, but Trudy made a mistake. She tried to escape, and he was ready for her." And Sesregon began to cry!

"We were on another one of our walks, when an alarm sounded. He told me to go to our quarters for safety. You already know I wasnt about to do that. so I trailed him, am got there just in time to see him shoot Trudy and then disintegrate the body. I was heartbroken and pissed at the same time. But I had no idea where we were or where we were going, so I had to play along." she said through sobbing and tears.

The counselor nodded slowly. "And with her body disintegrated, there was no evidence. Did he begin to suspect you then?"

"He didn't have to. I told him that he was under arrest and I shot him for the first time. He was shocked and so surprised that he dropped his weapon and kinda stood there looking at me. When he did not fall, I changed the setting and shot him again. He was an Orion. They have a superior constitution. I said to him, I'm Commander Seregon French with the Risan Security Force and you are now my prisoner. His shock turned to anger and he started forward. I shot him again. This time he stumbled back and got very angry. That's when I changed the setting for the final time, bypassing all the middle possibilities straight to the highest setting. He lunedged at me and I disentagrated him!" And she broke down in a fit of tears. "I.....did..not...want to.......but it ....was my.....duty to.....stop him!" And she sat there crying with her head in her hands for long seconds.

"During the investigation, I was found to be suffering from PTSD and cleared of any wrong doing." She volunteered. "Oh we found those who had been previously taken on a Ferengi Moon at a resort for carnal pleasures." And she looked up at the counselor. "All the information we needed was on his personal computer, detached form the ships main core."

Avender nodded. "Yes, PTSD is present, as is survivor's guilt. They are a powerful pair. I'm impressed that you've continued with Starfleet. How can I help?"

I think there's something else as well, but I won't pursue it unless she asks, Avender thought.

"I've been out of action for two years. I've spoken to other therapists along the way. But I still feel as if there this something in the background that I just can't shake or put my finger on. Can you help me?"

The Betazoid thought for a moment. "Yes, I think you're right. There is more to this trauma than just the death of your friend. That was painful, to be sure, but I think that experience triggered a previous trauma locked away, possibly in your subconscious. There may even be a 'memory graft' obscuring it, as you've done work for Fleet intelligence."

The counselor sighed.

"If that's the case, I would need the Captain's, and your, permission to see into your thoughts and emotions in hopes of finding what happened. Before we take that step, which would not be pleasant for either of us, I'd like you to start keeping track of a couple of things. I'd like you to write down what happens when your dream- immediately every time you wake up. Also, if you experience a sense of deja vu, I want you to log that as well. Can you do that for me? For, say two weeks?"

"As long as it won't keep me from doing my job, I'll do anything you say!" Replied French

"Ok, that's the course we'll take for now. Is there anything else I can do for you right now?" Avender asked.

"I was instructed by the First Officer Paris that once I completed my medical and spoke to you that your findings would be sent to the Captain. She is my final port of call today. So if you could forward what we have done so far, that would be appreciated." And French stood up to leave, thanking the Counselor gif her time.

The Counselor stood as well and smiled. "I look forward to serving with you, Frenchie!"

"Ditto." They shook hands and French left the office.

~~

 

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