So Cold

Posted on Tue Mar 7th, 2023 @ 7:33am by Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels

Mission: Evacuation
Location: Security Training Deck

OCC I tagged Tony, but you can decide which of your characters will come looking for him.

ooc if it is the current time line Tony won't do. ≈ what's going on?

Soran sat in his office his shift had end fifteen minutes ago, he didn't want to deal with life outside of his duties. He checked the rooster. The training was free, he wanted to workout but didn't want to go the the ships gym. So he exited his office and went to the Training deck. "Computer Wagnor Training program 660"

The black and yellow grid dissolved into a small log cabin with a fire in the corner.he took off his uniform and put out a pair of wooden trousers and a thick warm hat. The room was cold in spite of the fire burning in the hearth. He stepped outside and a cold wind hit his bare chest, he took a deep breath. He watched the mist leave his mouth as he exhaled, he adjusted the sensor he'd strapped to his bicep to measure his vitals. He didn't fancy ending up in Sickbay with hypothermia, but he also couldn't let his life in the Federation him soft.

The Angosian stepped out into the cold and picked and picked up a heavy sandbag. He swung it over his shoulders and began to jog a lap around the clearing. Many people have described him as cold, they didn't know what cold was. His training had been some of the most brutal that could be imagined. The moved quickly to get his blood pumping, he made his way back to the cabin and began doing squats with the bag. Emotionally he had become numb, so as his body fought the cold he felt alive.

Kay had had a long day on the ship getting to know everyone and learning the lay of the ship. It was huge and she knew it would take her much longer. But knowing how to get from cabin to office and mess was a nice beginning. Now she wanted to just unwind for a while keeping her fighting skills up to par. She had selected the security training deck. When she saw it was in use Kay had almost left until she saw the name. Lt commander Soran. She smiled, one of her father's protegees and almost an older brother to her. So she decided to crash his program.

A young security officer sat behind the main desk and security he looked up as Kay entered. "What can I help you with ma'am?"

"The lieutenant commander and I are very old friends." She said. "And I would like to surprise him. If that is ok with you."

"I don't think he wants to be disturbed ma'am" The engine offered a shy smile.

Kay gave him doe eyes. "He's my big brother and I haven't seen him in years. I really want to surprise Ren. And you agree with me that he can use some cheering up right?"

"I can't speak to the commander's personal matters or his frame of mind." The Ensign said. "I can't let you through without authorization."

"I'll take it from here Danny," a Lieutenant said as he stepped up behind the young man. "You must be that new marine shrink, I'm Lt. CJ Boucher. Step this way please."

"You are very well informed, lieutenant. I did not lie, I do know Ren very well." Kay said. "And I do worry about him."


"Well enter at your own peril," CJ shrugged.

Kay snorted. "Please you are behaving as if Ren is scary."

"Ren doesn't react well to having his workouts interrupted." CJ said. "I'm not sure why anybody would want to interrupt his coat program but I guess you're about to see."

"Don't worry, he and I were born to irritate each other." She said cheerfully. "But he probably did not tell you about me."

"I can't say he has, your probably Admiral London's kin." CJ smiled. I'll leave you two, to settle your own accounts."

"Yes I am his daughter." Kay said. Gave him another wave and headed inside.

Almost at once the cold hit her even inside what seemed to be an old fashioned log cabin. "Yikes Ren! What the hell are you doing freezing your bum off!"

Soran dropped the sandbag and stared at her for a moment, he was annoyed at being interrupted. "What does it look like?!"

"That you are freezing your ass off for no good reason and you do stupid things like that when you are worried." Kay was not intimidated at all.

The Angosian grabbed his shirt and threw it over his head to cover the scars on his torso. Even though he considered Kay family he hated having his past pain on display.

"Resilience training has many purposes and I'd to back to it! Who let you back here anyway!?"

"Your kind receptionist." She gave him an angelic smile as well. "I am pretty harmless remember."

"I don't have a 'receptionist' I have a guard on duty and a duty officer both of whom I'll need a review of our protocol" Soran shook his head. "It's good to see you Kay."

"I did talk to your lieutenant as well." Kay said. "Maybe he thought it was a good idea to let me through. Come here you big lump and give me a hug!"

"Soran hugged the woman, "I'm glad you're here Kay, give me fifteen minutes and we can go to Ten-Forward."

"Yout take that long to change? Have you gone soft in your old age?" Oh how she had missed teasing him.

"I'm going to finish my set," Soran explained.

"I don't mind watching." Kay said and found a chair to sit on. "Have you been to see dad yet?"

He gave Kay a weary look he knew he wouldn't be able to talk her out of saying so. "You'll need a jacket, It's minus six in here. I haven't had time to see your father yet."

He lifted a heavy bag and began doing compound movement exercises.

"I am sure he would love to see you." She put on a coat and began to do some light excersise herself to keep warm.

"You've gotten sloppy, you need to be careful with your form." Soran said as contined is set. "Keep your back straight, or you'll be in Sickbay with lower back pain again."

"Ren!" She hated that her voice squeaked like when she had been a girl. "Fussing is not allowed! Do you know how bad it is going to be for me with you, dad, Tas and Melor on one ship! I am a grown woman, I am a badass marine!"

"You'll have a bad back to match your ass if you don't fix your form." Soran said without missing a beat.

"My ass! I won't let you anywhere near my ass." Kay said. She could remember a time or two he had spanked her for pranking him in the past. "What is it going to take for you to see me as an adult?"

"I do see you as an adult, I'm treating you like an adult with bad exercise form." The Angosian explained. "I've overseen the physical training of fighting personnel for over a decade, I told the captain of my last vessel to fix their form or get a backbrace."

"Hmpf." She said but she could not stay mad at him for long. "Say did you know that I have a boyfriend now?"

"I've heard congratulations, keep your eyes ahead that's why your back keeps coming out of alignment." Soran set putting his heavy bag down and sat on it. "I believe I met him during the mission, why don't you tell me about him?"

"He's great. He has so much patience with me and he does not mind that he is my first boyfriend. And he has already talked to dad through video and dad likes him." She grinned as she tried for better posture. "So you and Tony? Finally!"

"Yes, we're taking things slowly." Soran said. "Things are complicated right now."

"I am worried about her, Ren. She doesn't seem the same Tony I knew growing up. My big sister. I know she is under a lot of stress but Tony was always good with stress."

"I'm concerned as well," Soran sighed.

"Do you know what could have caused this, anything? You know Tony, she is always a rock in a crisis. I can't believe that she would suddenly go to pieces. Something is not right here."

"Sometimes people deal with trauma by not dealing with it and it all boils over." He shook his head. "I people break like before, it never the one you'd expect."

"No Ren. I don't buy it. Not Tony, there is something off. You have been hard at work so you may have missed it. I can't put my finger on it, but believe me when I say something is horribly wrong."

Soran said nothing for moment, let's get out of here before you freeze"

She started to deny that she was cold but knew it was useless. She knew from experience that he would know if she lied about that. So she followed him out giving him some time to process what she had said.

Soran stepped behind a screen at changed back into his uniform. "Tony is facing a great deal trauma all at once, that on top of past trauma it's to much. I watched a dear mentor break the same way. There's plenty for us to face right here without borrowing more trouble."

Kay did not believe that but she knew Ren. He would not change his mind easily. "And what about you?" How are you?"

"I'm alright," he sighed. "I have to be for Tony."

Soran and stepped out from behind the screen is uniform, He didn't make eye contact with Kay. His last relationship hadn't survived the loss of a friend and Tony had a family members that he had called friends. His normal grieving process often involved isolating himself, but he couldn't do that... not now...

"You are not, are you?" She said softly. "These people are not strangers to you either."

He shook his head, "I've spent the majority of my career as an expendable asset surrounded by expendable assets. It's hard form attachments. Sometimes, it feels selfish let people get too close. Some people seem to worm that are way in, weather I like it or not."

Kay nodded. "Yeah I know what you mean. I know you don't care about Tony's granddad but her grandma and her uncle." She wiped a tear away. "Uncle Pete has been my doctor my whole life you know. Not knowing is getting to me as well."

"I don't see eye to eye with Tony's grand dad, but we've reached an understanding. He knows I'm not going anywhere," Soran said. "As for your uncle I hope he makes it."

"Yeah, once we know who did this I hope I will be allowed to kick the shit out of them. It is not very therapeutically correct of me but a good beating up does wonders for my mental health." Kay admitted. "What do you do? You know, to deal with it all?"

"I train hard in cold temperatures at the risk of hypothermia." The Angosian shrugged. I used to drink or smoke myself into mental oblivion, but I don't the Captain would appreciate hos Security Chief behaving that so..."

"Most therapists would concider training with the risk of hypothermia a bad coping mechanism as well you know. And I get you on drinking. I have been told off about drinking and brawling." She pulled a face. "They will want you to sit down and talk about your feelings at some point you know."

"I'm in counseling," Soran said simply. "I think there's a pint of syntheale in Ten-Forward with my name on it, care to join me?"

"Well that is something." Kay was impressed. "There were times you only wanted to talk to Tony or my dad. He could usually get you to talk. Sure, I wished it was real alcohol though." She sighed as she followed him.

"We'll break into my private stock at some point I'm sure," Soran said with smirk.

"You are a good friend, Ren." Kay grinned.

"I try," Soran smiled.