Unwelcome Pests

Posted on Wed 16th Feb, 2022 @ 8:55am by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Lieutenant Damion Ildaran & Kya Adtanis
Edited on on Sat 14th May, 2022 @ 6:05am

1,231 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: A Good Day to Hunt
Location: Brown Sector; Chief Counselor's Office
Timeline: TBD

{Community Center}

Kya and Lexy were trying to finish the model of a Bajoran solar sailship. Lexy had taken to sports lately and the finer motor control was a good exercise for her. Patience was not among her virtues, however, so the process had been a learning one. Nonetheless, as they neared completion there was a jubilation to Lexy's focus and determination that was simply adorable.

A piercing scream from the bedrooms cut to her soul in an instant, Hasskin!
Despite the distance she felt it took two bounding leaps to reach the door across the large room leading down a corridor. Kya saw her precious boy sucking a finger with black fleckmarks. Skittering sounds attracted her attention to a blanket that was definitely moving.

"TANNIS!" Kya screamed for the large Barolian, fearing the worst, and darted forward only to snatch the boy from further harm.

Tannis came running. A father of four himself, he knew the sounds of distress very well. Hasskin's call had roused him already; Kya's call had brought him running. His eye took a moment to activate. Lacking a cortical node, his body had to operate the machinery and it was slow and messy. His biological eye took in the scene, and unafraid moved past Kya to the skittering device under a blanket.

A spider-like device had ensnarled itself in the thick quilt. As his Borg eye-activated telemetry told him this was a simple tritanium alloy, nickel-cordenide battery, comms and camera. It was in their bedroom, and that was frightening enough without it writhing inside the threads.

Tannis could see the seam, a spheroid body had the battery inside of it usually, and as he twisted the parts, a small shock hit his thumb.

"Kya, it's a scanning device, and it's anti tamper. It shocks you if you try to open it."

"Scanning? How in the hell is it here? Don't crush it; I think Renato should see it!"

***

{Chief Counselor's Office}

Renato carried the quilt, squirming and all, right into the Turbolift. He knew the thoughts of people without reading them for once, as he attracted curious stares. Paul was waiting for him at the counselor's office, and this was too good to spoil with anyone else. The door was closed to the outside waiting room, as well as his office, a sign he might be in session.

Yeoman Matav was explaining again why he had to leave and couldn't wait inside. "Mr. Solis, I've already told you not to come here too early before your appointment. Dr. Graves is explicit about anonymity with his patients."

Renato rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Please, like I don't know he sees Commodore Suzuki, Lt. Ildaran, half the Intelligence Department, General--"

"Stop!" Yeoman Matav exclaimed, horrified.

Renato smiled, "He has an ongoing case with me, I am updating him with a result, so really this argument is just wasting everyone's time." He had maintained the smile the whole time but now felt he was forcing it. So with a gentle decision to soften his features he relaxed into a grin, "Five minutes?"

Yeoman Matav sighed. "I'll ring him," she said firmly. "Please have a seat." She pointed to a chair and then pinged Commander Graves' office.

Inside the office, a soft tone sounded from Paul's computer. Yeoman Matav didn't usually interrupt him during a session unless it was important, so Paul glanced at Lt. Ildaran. "Sorry; I'd better take this. Hold that thought for just a moment, please."

Ildaran nodded. "Go right ahead. We're almost done, anyway."

Paul opened his instant messages and read the latest one from Deosha. He rolled his eyes and swiftly entered a reply.

Tell Mr. Solis he will have to wait. I'll be done with this patient in a few minutes. He could feel Renato's eagerness tickling at the back of his brain. Whatever it was, Renato was intrigued by it. Paul turned back to Ildaran.

"All right, Lieutenant. I'd like to try some exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy with you to ease your agoraphobia. I certainly do not want you in a dangerous situation with this being untreated." He sighed. "I'm glad you told me about this now, rather than waiting until you were actually walking around on the hull of a drifter colony."

"I have to be functional," Ildaran said. "Too much depends on this case being successful. We want to bring this blaggard in, and I don't want to be the fool who mucks it all up."

"I want you to bring him in, too," Paul agreed. "Let's schedule weekly appointments for now. We're going to do an EVA together, and I want to see how well you do."

He could already see it wasn't going to go well. At the mere mention of an EVA, the normally unflappable intelligence officer broke out into a cold sweat. "A real EVA, or one in a holodeck?"

"Exposure therapy starts slowly and builds up to you facing things that are slightly more frightening over time. The final test will be a real EVA," Paul told him, "I already know you feel safe in a holodeck. No matter what it looks like, you know it's a small room with walls."

Ildaran grimaced. "Bloody hell...I have to requalify every year for EVAs, and I hate them."

Paul met his gaze. "It will be all right, Lieutenant. We will get you functional. Now, I'd better discover what my guest came to see me about," Paul said as he opened his door.

Renato looked up at Damion Ildaran from his seat. Their appointment had clearly caused the man stress. Tiny beads of sweat that Renato had never seen there before glistened on Ildaran's forehead, and he looked even paler than usual. If Renato wasn't mistaken, Ildaran's pulse and breathing were faster than usual, too.

Damion had once offered a hand to Renato in greeting. Having taken it, there was a psychic impression left forever. Damion was a well known friend to Renato despite their limited in-person interactions. Without any regards for privacy he simply spoke candidly, "Lieutenant? It's been too long, I'll tell Paul about that exploration into the tunnels and what happened with Jorn."

Ildaran's eyes--and Paul's--widened in shock, and Ildaran gave Renato a freezing look. "No, you will not," he said and looked Renato directly in the eyes. "That is for me to tell. Thank you for the offer, though. See you later."

Once Ildaran was out the door, Paul rounded on his friend. "Renato, what the hell?! Even among psions, there are boundaries we don't cross. And with my patients, there are definitely boundaries you should not cross. I've told you not to come here too early. That's to protect my patients' privacy--yours among them. You know that!" He let out a breath and shook his head.

Betazoid counselors did not--quite--have the Terran philosophy of unconditional positive regard; empaths couldn't, among themselves. On Betazed patients always had a good idea of how their counselors felt, even if the counselor was able to shield well. Too perfect a shield with another empath was rudeness; a slightly less perfect shield demonstrated honesty and a desire to give a fair hearing.

"So what are you carrying?" Paul asked, indicating the moving bundle of cloth in Renato's lap. "I don't feel that it's alive."

 

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