Settling In - Part Two

Posted on Sat Oct 13th, 2018 @ 5:45pm by Senior Chief Petty Officer Syal Duran-Yeager & Ensign Avendar Jurot

Mission: Hera v Hera
Location: Various Locations - USS Hera
Timeline: Set before Settling in - Part Three

It was at about oh eight hundred hours when Duran-Yeager was due to report for her second of her coming aboard checks, she was in to see the counselor as the new Chief of the Boat of the USS Hera smiled. 'Maybe she'll think I'm nuts. She won't be the first and nor the last either.' as she moved down the hallway before reaching her destination a few moments later.

The previous evening had seen her get something of a decent night's sleep after she had fallen asleep but getting there was not fun, she wasn't used to sleeping alone, the shorter then average female yawned softly before she herself the once-over, she noticed that her boots looked alright but they could have been better.

Duran-Yeager paused before she tapped the door chime once, before settling in to wait.

"Come!" she heard from inside.

The door shushed open, and she saw the new Chief Counselor. Avender Jurot was a very tall Betazoid woman- much taller than Syal. Her skin was very pale, and her auburn hair reached the small of her back. She was very curvy and busty, a fact that her tailored duty uniform accented.

"Senior Chief Duran-Yeager! I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Avender Jurot, the Chief Counselor. Please call me Avender. Won't you come in?"

Duran-Yeager entered the domain of the ship's counselor, she smiled as she regarded the taller and larger female before her. "Hello Avender." she paused. "Did I pronounce that right?" she inquired. "Sorry, it's always interesting meeting new people."

Avender smiled. "Yes, you pronounced it correctly. Please make yourself comfortable." She gestured toward a very comfortable couch. The entire room radiated serenity. The Betazoid counselor looked at the Senior chief, who noticed her black irised eyes.

Duran-Yeager entered the office as she regarded the taller, larger female before her. "Thank you. After the insanity of getting here. I am ready to put what happened behind me." she admitted. "Besides, I won't be telling my kids that their mom almost got kidnapped by an Orion slaver." before the small Bajoran let out a quiet sigh.

"Yes, I read your report. I'm very glad that you survived, and came through it as strong as you did. That experience would've crushed a weaker person," Avender said.

The Chief Counselor sat in a chair next to the couch. Between the two was a small glass top table with an archaic box of tissues on it.

Avender gestured again toward the couch. Please, relax. We'll start whenever you're ready."

Duran-Yeager decided not to argue or to fight, rather than simply outright deny that there was an issue or that she needed help, the small Bajoran female sat on the sofa before she regarded the tissues in silence for a moment. "I'm... honestly not sure of where to begin," she said quietly, suddenly the small woman stifled a yawn. "I'm sorry, I didn't sleep well.. I'm not used to sleeping alone."

"Well," the Betazoid woman said, "that sounds like a place to start."

Syal let out a small sigh as she considered it. "I do miss my husband and kids." as she regarded the large female before her. "Do you have children Avendar?" she inquired, in a gentle tone.

"No, I don't," Avender said. "My Izmadi was assimilated by the Borg before we could have children."

Duran-Yeager's smile vanished like a snowball on Vulcan. "I'm sorry," she answered in a quiet tone of voice. She had not been expecting that one and the look on her face said as much.

"Thank you," Avender said. "I know what it means to miss a loved one. However, we're both here today to help you."

"Considering how close my children came to losing their mother to some Orion drug lords pleasure pit," Duran-Yeager commented. "I suspect I'm going to have nightmares about that for quite some time to come," she admitted, to her there was nothing to be gained by making life harder for herself then she needed to. Also, Duran-Yeager had never understood why many of her contemporaries and colleges had this fear of therapists. "It doesn't help I'm not used to sleeping alone."

"Yes, you are right," the Betazoid counselor said. "Nightmares can be a way for the brain to cope with trauma. However, you have a family who loves you. Time with family helps, but sometimes life gets in the way. How often do you speak to your loved ones?"

Duran-Yeager held her silence for a moment. "I just left Starbase Twenty Three and the last time I talked to my kids was two weeks ago and my spouse was two days ago. He was on duty at the time so he couldn't drag the kids out of school because their mother was calling them." the small Bajoran explained. "I'm not quite sure of this ships communications protocols as yet so I've been trying a letter for the family, it should be done in a day or two."

The Counselor smiled. "Family is often the best medicine. I'm sure if you asked, the Captain would allow you use of communications to speak to your children. It can't hurt to ask!"

"I will ask her." Duran-Yeager responded with a gentle smile. "The Fe'garren is a little far for coms in real time so I'll be stuck with letters until her mission ends. Michael and I were both expecting this." the small Bajoran explained. "It sometimes sucks, these long separations but I endure them for my career. I know I'll be reunited with my family someday."

"I know you will as well," Avender said. "Your family is your strength."

"They are, and I miss them but, I will make do with what I have." at this statement, Duran-Yeager smiled at the larger female before her.

"You are very strong, and a credit to your family and ship," Avender said, smiling.

"I do what I can." Duran-Yeager answered. "This crew saved me from who know what the Orion slavers would have done to me. It's not something I like to think about... being carted off to slavery I mean.." the small female paused. "Dwelling on it doesn't help and there is little point thinking about it.. So I move forward with life."

"That's all any of us can do," the Counselor said, standing.

"Yep." Duran-Yeager answered as she likewise stood up. "I am alive, I'm going to stay that way, with whatever it takes." she added.