The Ren

Posted on Wed Jun 22nd, 2022 @ 1:58pm by Lieutenant Sky Jansen-Carey

Mission: The Lost Brother
Location: Counsellor’s Office
Timeline: Morning after ‘check up’

{ON}

With recent events between the two of them, Sky had requested Soran’s presence at her office. She mainly wanted to clear the air between them, to talk about the memories they now both shared. If she was to make sense of it all, then she needed to know the whole story.

Wagnor entered the room and he looked like he'd just rolled or fell out of bed. He was hungover and sleep deprived. He went to the replicator. "Tomato juice and deep fried pickles, cold."

Then he in the chair opposite Sky Took a sip of the tomato juice and popped one of the cold pickles into his mouth.

" I sincerely hope you haven't suffered any lasting damage," The Angosian's was neutral. "You sent for me."

“I certainly did” Sky gave a polite nod. She paused just briefly to note what he was eating, was he seriously eating pickles!?
“I err...I need to...” She motioned to the jar of pickles. “Would you mind if I tried one of those?” She smiled as he nodded.
“Thank you” she picked up one of the pickles, and then took a polite bite. She let it savour before she popped the rest in her
mouth. “Mmm delicious!” She grinned. “Anyway Ren I asked you here because I need to know more about what I witnessed in your mind.”

Soran gave her an inquisitive stare. He raised one finger, got up and went back to the replicator. He returned with a second glass of tomato juice and some more pickles.

"If you wish to truly appreciate this unorthodox delicacy, tomato juice is a must." He explained

"Now Close friends call me Ren and at the moment I don't know the category you fall into." Soran shook his head. "You know more about me than most of my close friends including Tony. However the way you got that knowledge makes things problematic."

Sky gave Soran a shocked look. “I called you Ren? I didn’t even realise I had.” She sighed as she picked up another pickle settling into a seat as she ate it. “I’m so sorry I did that, I didn’t mean to. Connections like that don’t happen often, it must have been the strength of your nightmare. It pulled me in.”

"That makes sense, the nickname Ren is dear to me," He sighed. "I will do what I can to give any context you need to understand whatever it was experienced."

Sky nodded. “Thank you. I will try not to call you the wrong name from now on, at least not until I’ve earned that right.” She offered a warm smile. “What I saw in your mind...” her expression changed to a more perturbed one. “There was a...a boy...” she looked at Soran.

"Yes," he stared at the floor. "I thought my government's indoctrination program started young. On Davin III they were teaching their children that we would eat them. That every male's duty was to stop us at any cost. I'd never harmed a child before or since that day, I tried to spare him and it cost fifteen people under my command their lives. I will never forget his face."

Sky nodded. “No...Neither will I” She picked up another pickle and dipped it in the tomato, taking a bite. “Hmm there’s nothing like comfort food to make you feel a little better.” She paused. “From what I saw in your nightmare, you did what you had to do. You weren’t left with any other choice.”

"That's never made it any easier," He said, "I'm sorry, I never wanted to share that pain with anyone."

He was having trouble making eye contact with her, he didn't know how she'd be able to see him the same way after what she saw.

Sky noticed the lack of eye contact, She was finding it hard herself, but what had happened had given her a unique perspective into Soran’s problems. “Soran you can look at me” She offered a reassuring smile. “If anything this has given me a unique perspective on what you’ve been through.”

He nodded and her gaze for a moment, before looking away again.

Sky paused. “The woman I saw in your nightmare, there seemed to be more between you. She called you Ren. Tell me about her.”

"Thatha," Soran smiled nostalgically
"We met at the Planetary Defense School, she's the one who started calling me Ren."

Sky nodded. “It sounds like the two of you were close. Does the name have a particular meaning?”

"The ren is a mythical creature that weeps for the suffering and plays music for the wounded." He shook his head, "my eyes water easily. So whenever we were in the area with a lot of smoke, my eyes would water and it would look like I was crying. So she gave me that nickname to bust my balls. Doesn't help that I also play a mouth organ."

Sky couldn’t help but grin. “I guess it kind of makes the nickname appropriate then doesn’t it?” She looked at Soran curiously. “Were you close? As in more than friends?”

"Yes," he smiled. "We had eyes on each other since Defense School, but the school had policies against that kind of fraternization. Once we were assigned to the same strikeforce, we became closer."

Sky nodded understandingly. “Did she survive her injuries?”

"No," Soran stated. "By the time the Evac shuttle got to us she was gone. I did all I could, but her 'Ren' couldn't help."

Sky shook her head. “I’m so sorry! Now I know why that name means so much to you. I’ll try not to use it again, it just...stuck I guess.” She paused. “This isn’t easy for either of us, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to give up being your counsellor. I need to understand as much as you need help to recover. I’m hoping, if anything it’ll be a bridge of understanding between us.”

Soran nodded, "I never wanted to put my burden on anyone else. I'll do what I can to help."

Sky nodded. “I appreciate that Soran. Tony isn’t amused that I went straight back to work. She was fuming when she came to see me.” She sighed. “I just find that working helps.”

"Tony worries too much," he smiled. "I spoke with the Captain this morning. Understanding what you saw is an important part of recovery. I'm sure you have more questions?"

Sky nodded. “There’s a whole plethora of them! Tell me more about the training they put you through, there was a man in your nightmare, the one you tried to...that you attacked.”

"Ichatha," he said in a flat tone. "Training soldiers may be difficult for you most of the peace loving Federation to understand. Breaking new recruits is necessary to mold them and harden them into beings that can survive in a battlefield. That man prided himself on breaking his pupils, he hated me. I never understood why. I was a cocky son of bitch, but who isn't at seventeen."

He started the wall as you continued speaking. "I fought through his tests, that day he decided to break me. He couldn't, I would have killed him. None of my instructors looked at me the same way after that."

Sky shook her head. “How could they do something like that.” She sighed. “What happened to him after that?”

"I never heard what happened to him, he was still alive when that took him out. The next counselor was much more respectful or scared I'm not sure which.

Sky smiled a wry smile. “I have no doubt word of what you did got around, I’m not surprised the so-called counsellor was more respectful. It gives us counsellor’s a bad name seeing what they did to you.”

"I don't like being feared," Soran looked her in the eye. "I thought you'd be afraid of me. After what you saw in my head."

“Afraid of you?” Sky shook her head. “I’m not afraid of you Soran, I’m in the unique position of having witnessed what it is you’ve been through. In a way I guess it makes me feel...closer to you. At worst we end up in counselling together!” She offered a wry smile. “I’ll admit I didn’t sleep well at all last night.”

"I've had quite a few sleepless nights myself," he admitted.

He decided not to mention Tony's visit after she left, He figured if Tony wanted to say something to her she would.

“I can imagine!” Sky offered an understanding smile. “I want to understand it all, I’ve got so many questions going around in my head right now I don’t really know where to start. It feels like...well...like I was there in training with you, without actually having been there.” She gave Soran a curious look. “Does that make sense?”

"Yes, I think I know what you mean." The Angosian smiled, he had an inexplicable feeling of connection with Sky…

He produced the small medallion she'd seen before and dropped it onto the back of her hand.

Sky smiled as Soran dropped the medallion on the back of her hand. “Now, how did you...” She surprised herself as she effortlessly rolled the medallion across her knuckles just like Soran had at the briefing. “How...?” She gave Soran a surprised look as she repeated what she’d just done. “How am I doing this?”

"I don't know exactly Angosian brains work differently. Our response to telepathy is unpredictable; it was pretty easy for all the engagement soldiers to block direct mind probes." He sighed, "The program they had me in was the next step, the results were unpredictable and the program was scrapped after another incident similar to mine. That's the other reason it's best to stay out of my mind."

Sky nodded. “So...I’ve learned this just by being in your mind? I’ve never had anything like this happen before. I rarely use my telepathy, I rely more my empathic abilities.” She handed back the medallion.

"I heard another of my comrades ended up with an erupted occipital arterie after a telepath tried to read him." Soran said. "I don't know if that's true but I'd rather not test the theory".

Sky looked suitably horrified. “The pressures of being read, especially unwillingly, can be extreme! I would never purposely try and read anyone.” She paused.

"I'm not suggesting you would do anything unethical," Soran said. "I just want you to understand the potential dangers, I have made friends with telepaths before. That's how I've learned to release others from my mind."

Sky nodded. “I wasn’t suggesting that’s what you meant Soran, I’m just glad you knew how to release me, I dread to think what would have happened otherwise.”

"Call me Ren," Soran said. "I'm choosing to trust you. You know more about me than I've shared with anyone and for some reason you're still here. I spoke to Capt Carey this morning, of all the officers dealt with he may be the first to understand me."

“Thank you Ren” Sky smiled warmly. “Xavier is a special man, and I’m not just saying that because we’re engaged, and I’m carrying his child.”

"I will try to make this vessel home." Soran smiled.

Sky smiled. “I will do my upmost to help make that happen. I guess I’ve taken up enough of your time for now. I’ll leave you to it.” She stood ready to leave. “Thank you for answering my questions Ren.”

"I'm sure you have further questions," Soran stated. "I'll be here for you"

Sky nodded. “I know” With that she nodded and headed on her way.

Wagnor exited quietly, He didn't know what to expect but it would seem that he had allies, possibly friends.

{OFF}