Breakfast Meeting

Posted on 27 Feb 2021 @ 8:41am by Commodore Harvey Geisler & Lieutenant Commander Arjin Djinx
Edited on on 16 Mar 2021 @ 9:50pm

3,219 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Extinction
Location: Captain's Mess
Timeline: Mission Day 5 at 0800

The Black Hawk was now a mere five days into its mission with nothing to show for its standing orders. Harvey knew that, if nothing else, the ship's sensors were getting a workout. The Captain had also developed a few concerns about his Chief Science Officer, Lieutenant Commander Djinx. Since the mission in the Finnean Convergence Zone, the Trill officer had kept to himself, limiting contact as he saw fit. Harvey had granted the Commander a lot of latitude in this regard, especially since so many needed time to heal.

But Harvey wanted to make sure there wasn't anything else afoot with his science chief. The longer he was left in solitude, the more chances something could go wrong down the line. This was why he invited Djinx to join him in the Captain's Mess for breakfast this particular morning.

Arjin had gotten an invite from the Captain last night, to join him for breakfast the next morning. Though it being a habit most Captains kept, including Captain Geisler, it wasn’t all that common. And the last time had been way back. So he had no idea really what what to expect of the experience.

He made sure his uniform was crisp before heading over. Walking through the ship’s corridors helped him relax a bit. Maybe he should just go with the flow. That was what he had done when he had accepted the dinner offer from the Counselor. And when he decided to join in with the pilots on New Bajor. But there would be no alcohol this time to loosen up.

Adjusting his uniform one last time, he announced himself by pushing the chime.

The doors swiftly parted, revealing that Arjin was the first officer to arrive. The other occupant in the room was the ship's chef, standing in his white service uniform near the beverage cart he'd just rolled in. "The Captain sends his apologies," the chef stated. "He was temporarily detained and will be here in just a couple moments. Can I get you something to drink?"

Seeing the Captain wasn’t there yet threw him a bit off guard. So it took a few seconds before he answered the Chef. Looking at the cart, he decided a juice would be a safe choice. “If that is Cranberry juice,.”, he replied, “then I would like a glass of that.”

The chef kindly poured the science chief a glass of the juice. "It is in fact," he confirmed as he handed off the beverage. "Can I go ahead and get breakfast started for you? The Captain called in his order as well."

Arjin did not really know what the chef would be able to put on the table as it seemed it would be done without the replicator. So he decided to keep it simple. “I think I would like some eggs Benedict and a yogurt with Moba fruit on the side. Please. And a White tea, no sugar, milk or lemon added.”

Taking a sip of his Cranberry juice, he turned his gaze towards the window and gazed outside.

The chef nodded and excused himself. Commander Djinx was not given more than ten seconds to himself before the doors opened once again, this time bidding entrance to the Captain.

"I apologize, Commander," Harvey said as he veered straight for the beverage cart. "Jameson surprised me this morning with a diaper blowout that happened to go all over my uniform. Had to take care of that before coming here."

The sight of the dark wide expanse was something that had always a calming effect on Arjin. And on Djinx for that matter. He let his thoughts wander whilst admiring the cold beauty that lay besides them. Wide and vast and hostile to their lifeforms. It reminded him of their own frailness and insignificance in the whole scale of things. But also of the ingenuity inherent to so many species.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the doors opening once more and the Captain’s voice.

Arjin turned towards Captain Geisler and nodded. “No worries Captain. I understand. I can remember the sleepless nights and small incidents and inconveniences that come with one as small as Jameson. The number of dresses that had to go into the washing machine were countless.”

Armed now with a black cup of coffee, Harvey joined Djinx near the window. "You know, I've always been curious. A joined Trill has had countless lives, not to mention offspring over the centuries. Do you keep in touch with any the lives your symbiont has helped to start?"

Arjin smiled. It was a normal question for a non Trill. But a very delicate topic for a Trill. “No we do not. In fact it is forbidden by the symbiont commission. They want us to look forward rather than backward.”, he replied. Administering the official point of view of the commission.

Harvey shook his head before taking a drink of his coffee. He wondered how anyone could do that, avoid contact with those from a former life and life style. "I'm sorry I brought it up," he offered after a few moments of an uncomfortable silence. "I didn't realize it was such a hard line."

“Don’t be. And it isn’t really. It makes sense. Do they not have a saying on Earth that nobody wants to outlive their children? That is what would happen if a new host would keep track of the former host’s offspring.”, Arjin explained.
“The symbiont would remember the offspring. But they would have no recollection of the symbiont since they were too little yet. Nor would the new host have any links towards them other that the symbiont’s memories and feelings. And vice versa.”

Pondering a bit before continuing, Arjin decided to explain even more. “The real difficulty comes when you have 2 symbionts whose hosts were partners. As both symbionts have a long life, they would remember each other. This could, in cases of a deep connection, lead to them influencing their hosts to continue their relationship. Which is not really healthy. Thus these contacts are forbidden and frowned upon by our society. But most times two symbionts who knew each other from the past can have a good working relation without any unhealthy personal one. “

Still pondering he added, shrugging: “In fact if the commission would have known that Doctor Kij and I served on the same vessel, they would have contacted Starfleet and demanded one or the other was commissioned on another ship. And Starfleet would comply.”

Another sip of coffee was consumed by Harvey. He'd been carefully listening to Arjin's detailed account of how symbiont culture worked. "That's interesting. I didn't know you and Doctor Kij had prior entanglements. And, I should certainly count myself thankful that the Commission doesn't have eyes and ears everywhere. If you don't mind me asking, what was the relationship Djinx had with Kij in a former life?"

“It was .... How do you humans say it?...... Just a fling?”, Arjin responded with a sparkle in his eye. “Two of our former hosts had a brief relationship for a couple of years. He ran away. She didn’t hold a grudge.”

Harvey nodded before again sipping his coffee. For a moment, he recalled his own relationship with the good doctor. Their relationship wasn't long, nor was it serious. And, thankfully, it was all before Joey arrived and ensnared him in her intoxicating web. "What about Djinx? Is there any remorse there?"

“Non what so ever. It was fun while it lasted and it was written in the stars his former host would do a runner some day. The time on the Black Hawk was a nice extra. And we are both sad to have seen a friend go. But nothing more than that.”

Before Harvey could reply, the chef returned to the dining room, pushing a small cart. "Breakfast is served," he announced, placing Djinx's order onto the table. "Eggs benedict with yogurt. Moba fruit on the side, and a white tea for the Lieutenant Commander. And french toast with powdered sugar and sausage for the Captain."

"Thank you, Zaixin," Harvey said to the chef with a smile and nod. The chef returned the Captain's nod with one of his own before departing the room. "Shall we?" he then said, inviting Arjin to join him at the table.

Arjin also thanked the Chef before terminating his cranberry juice and joining the Captain at the table.
“So like so many here, you are a fan of the hot black brew.”, he remarked. “I for one never quite got the taste for it.”

"It's certainly an acquired taste." Harvey set his coffee mug behind his breakfast plate. "Not all coffee is good, and not all is bad either. It all comes down to the bean, how it's cultivated and roasted. Then how long it takes to ship it to its destination. Many call it a science."

Arjin laughed. “Then it is a field of science I cannot call my own I am afraid.” He gently pushed his fork to make the egg yolk spill all over the bread and bacon and blend with the Hollandaise sauce. After which he cut off a slice so he could savor the chef’s cuisine. The taste was delicious.

The Captain chuckled. "It's quite all right. I'm afraid my own expertise is limited to taste. And that taste is strictly limited to telling the difference between replicated and fresh coffee." Harvey cut off a corner of his french toast. Before he consumed it, he asked, "How's the department?"

“The whole department?” Arjin asked. “Is that even possible to know?. But seriously. I think all in all after our recent endeavors, all things considered I should say things are not too bad. I do not have many complaints. Non of them big issues either. I think everyone is glad we are away on a new mission. Though many hope to avoid any intrusions or being shot at.”

"I think that's always our hope," Harvey confirmed. "No matter how much we try, it always seems like we can't avoid it. How about yourself? You've been rather quiet and isolated since our time in the Convergence Zone."

Arjin took a sip of his white tea before he answered. So the Captain had noticed. But did he therefore have to answer this question? He figured he could not just keep quiet. “Has there been something wrong with my work?”, he replied with a question of his own instead.

Harvey considered his words carefully. "I wouldn't call it wrong. I know the sensor failures from a few weeks ago are not your fault, nor could anyone think so. You did everything you knew to do, and I applaud you for that. But I have to wonder if others saw your solitude as an opportunity to exploit. Our most recent saboteurs have been wearing science blue."

He lowered his cup before speaking up. The food in his stomach just turning into ashes. Another one who thought he wasn’t good enough. Maybe he should stop fighting all together. “ We both know that this answer is an euphemism for you thinking I did not do a proper job as Department head. If that is your opinion Captain, just say it and I will step down or transfer.”, the Trill answered.

The Captain paused, surprised by the abrupt suggestion. "Commander, I will not accept you stepping down. Nor am I asking for you to transfer. You're a damn fine officer, and I expect it to stay that way. Still, I am concerned by your detachment. I know you went through hell in the Convergence Zone. We all did. But I speak from experience when I say, you can't hide from that pain forever."

Arjin kept picking in his plate. He had to resist the urge to answer with a quote from an old Earth series he had recently seen: “You know nothing John Snow.” But that would have been disrespectful. And if anything that was not him. “One can try.”, he mumbled.

Harvey barely heard the science chief's comments and chose to let them slide for now. "Look, I can't order you to seek counseling or talk about what you've been going through. It hasn't affected your performance, at least not yet. What I can do is encourage you to get to know your team. And I would encourage you to find someone in the crew you can confide in. I've walked the path you're walking now. It's a lonely road and it only leads to self-destruction. It almost got the best of me, and I'm not going to let it get the best of my crew."

The Commander let the silence linger by taking another bite of the eggs Benedict. He wondered if he should confide in the Captain about his hunting ghosts. He had no intention to seek out counseling, so maybe he could confide in someone. “Do you know Ambassador Yedrin Saarik?”, he asked the Captain?

The Captain, just after taking a bite of his french toast, shook his head. "The name is not unfamiliar, but I don't think I ever met the Ambassador."

Arjin chuckled. “I could say that you not knowing his name and accomplishments would shock him. But I think that would be a lie. I don’t think he would care too much. As he would not consider a Starfleet Captain to be of much importance.”

“You see. He only lives to excel in what he does. But contrarily to you and me, it would be only about himself and his accomplishments and his fame. No matter what or how he would get them. There is never any praise from him to Be expected by those he works with.”

Harvey set down his cup, having just taken a sip of his coffee. "I can relate all too easily to that, especially in my earlier career. But what makes you think of this Ambassador? Did you have a less-than-pleasant encounter with him once?"

Finishing up his plate, he put it aside and started putting the Moba fruit into his yoghurt. “Saarik was my surname before I was joined, and the ambassador is my father.”, he explained focusing on his bowl.

Harvey raised an eyebrow at Arjin's revelation. It made him wonder how many in Arjin's immediate family had been joined before him, or if he was the first in a generation or two that had the privilege. "I see," the Captain stated, finishing his main course. "Have you spoken to him lately?"

“That would depend on your definition of spoken.”, Arjin answered after having taken a first spoon of his dairy. “If by that you mean him uttering a monologue of disapproval and critique. I guess it would have been about some eight years ago. If you mean him not speaking but continuing the disapproval in a non verbal way. I’d say about 5 years ago. If instead you mean me having written something to him, it was a greeting last Christmas via subspace. But if you really mean some actual face to face Interaction where I was able to put in a word of my own, I would say it was 12 years 7 months and 18 days ago.”

The Captain nodded slowly before taking another sip of his coffee. "I suppose I can't entirely relate. When I joined Starfleet, my parents and I weren't exactly on speaking terms, but it wasn't because of competition or anything. I was in my own universe, enjoying what Starfleet had to offer. We exchanged messages off and on, but we never really got together again until a couple years ago. Our meeting was pleasant, despite all the time apart. I'm sorry your father doesn't approve of your life choices, Arjin."

“Don’t be. I am not. And it is not so much his disapproval of my choices that gets under my skin, but his incapability to recognize the things I do achieve within my choices. Be them Starfleet or becoming joined.”, the Commander explained. “I guess the shenanigans with the Dolmoqour enlarged some of my feelings regarding being appreciated. “ He took another spoon of the yoghurt, perhaps with a bit more vigor than he should have.

Harvey considered Arjin's words for a few moments. "Are you saying that you feel ignored or overlooked, Commander?"

Arjin paused his spoon in mid air. That was not what he meant. “Not really, Sir. Overlooked certainly not unless you know more than me. “, he answered. “But with all due respect Captain. You weren’t on the bridge with the Dolmoqour taking over. I can’t help but wonder if all that happened there was all Dolmoqour or also some unconscious feelings tapped in by them.”

The Captain frowned, setting down his cup of coffee. "You're right," he conceded. "I wasn't on the bridge. But you also weren't in the observation lounge when a phaser was drawn on me. Commander Di Pasquale, controlled by the Dolmoqour, exploited an unpleasant memory of my own. I had to fight and shoot dozens of crewmembers to save this ship, including my wife."

Harvey sighed. "What I'm trying to say, Arjin, is that you were not the only one who was brutally abused at the hand of the Dolmoqour. Those who had those... creatures... in their heads have experienced some of the worst survivor's guilt I've ever seen, and I fought in the Dominion War. The question you have to ask yourself is... if members of this crew do harbor ill will toward you, wouldn't they have demonstrated it on other opportunities besides being trapped on the bridge with them?"

Pondering over the Captain’s answers, he could not do anything else than agree. “I am sorry. It seems I have been focusing too much on my own feelings and misadventures and have not been giving others misfortunes the place they deserve.”, he replied. “It seems a bit of my upbringing keeps seeping through. And no, I have not seen any ill will out on the open being displayed towards me.”

The Captain lifted his cup of coffee from the table. A simple glance inside revealed that there was not very much left. "There's no need to apologize. Believe me, I get it. And, given what you've been through, I also won't tell you to trust your colleagues. Instead, I would ask you to look for opportunities for them to earn your trust, the right way."

“I will do that and be more open to it.”, the Commander nodded. “Thank you for understanding and being willing to listen.”

"My pleasure," Harvey affirmed with a nod. With a single gulp, Harvey finished off his coffee. He set the cup near the empty breakfast plate. "It seems the day is ready to begin. Remember, Commander, my door's always open."

“Glad to hear.”, he replied before finishing his tea. He stood and after a last nod, exited the Captain’s Mess on route towards the bridge.

Harvey sat in the room alone for a moment. He hoped his concern for his Chief Science Officer hadn't come across as harsh or overbearing. Harvey did care for his crew, especially his senior staff. Now, more than ever, he needed to protect those close to him.

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