Under the Surface

Posted on Wed May 8th, 2024 @ 11:22pm by Crewman Avery Hawthorne & Lieutenant JG Rhee Xiviu

1,500 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1 - Project Concord
Location: Operations
Timeline: Before the transwarp jump

[ON]

Glancing around the bustling Operations hub, Avery moved in carefully, smiling at the atmosphere of the busy work place. It had been almost spooky when they'd made a tour before the arrival of the rest of the crew, but now, it was most definitely alive. Unfortunately, it made it difficult for Avery to catch the attention of one of the distracted officers.

From her console, Rhee Xiviu could feel Avery. It was the downside of being Betazoid, it was never completely silent around her unless she was alone. She looked up, her dark eyes taking them in. And then she nodded when their eyes met hers. "How can we assist?" she asked, straightening behind the console.

Avery smiled at the question, instantly feeling more comfortable at getting what was close enough to an invitation. Moving over, Avery nodded in greeting and respect to the dark haired officer. "I'm Avery Hawthorne, Yeoman. I wanted to come and see how you were finding things down here."

"Rhee Xiviu, Operations," she said and then let out a breath. "The last is rather obvious right? Not like I'd be science and get my uniform colours mixed..." she looked at them an dsensing the way they was relaxing she found herself mirroring it. She was relaxing with them. "I think we are almost there. Doing checks and making sure nothing is broken before we go. I know Engineering are busy with their thing but for two departments that work close together we..." she shrugged, looking down. "Seem to have a communication problem."

"Communication problem?" Avery asked with a frown, already shifting the padd in the crook of their arm to start making notes. "Is there anything I can help with?"

She looked at them for a moment before she smiled. They was very genuine in their want to help. "I think there is," she said and motioned for them to sit. "I want to propose a weekly meeting with the two departments."

"Sounds like an excellent solution to me," Avery admitted easily enough as they moved to sit in the offered seat. "I can schedule a weekly meeting for key team members of both departments. I can't think of any two departments that it's more critical to have in sync."

Rhee nodded as she looked at them, holding their eyes. She gave a small smile, because they seemed to agree. "It would be helpful. If anything else, it avoids confusion."

"Would you be willing to chair it?" Avery asked lightly, already making notes on the PADD to pull together a recurring meeting for them. "It seems you already have ideas about how to make things work here..."

She met their eyes for a moment, blinking with surprise before she smiled. "Yes," she said, because at least then she could get things done. It was good, because once something was sorted she could let it go. And it would mean that any interactions she had were controlled.

"Then I'll attach your name as meeting host," Avery gave a small but satisfied smile at being able to find something to help. "How do you like the new ship?" Avery glanced around the engine room, wondering how it compared to her other billets.

Rhee looked around for a moment as if it was a signal to what she might think. "It's very different, especially our...engine," she used the antiquated term on purpose, a small smile coming to her. "And all systems attached. It took me some getting used to this state of the art ship. But I like it, so far. What about you?" she met their eyes, holding them.

Avery managed to keep the eye contact for a moment, but then ended up letting their gaze drift around the engine room, taking it in as she had done. "It seemed a little...spooky. Before everyone arrived, I mean," Avery chuckled weakly, shaking their head at admitting it. "But now, it's come to life. It has a soul."

"It's a machine," Rhee said softly, looking at them before she smiled. "But we are all that, really. Just biological matter rather than metals. But you're right. When it is empty, the core dormant...it's like a graveyard. No breath. Now? She breathes, she lives. And keeps us all alive."

"A she, is it?" Avery asked with a soft laugh, clearly finding the words amusing. Shaking their head, Avery looked around with interest, trying to see it for themself.

"It's tradition, to call a ship she," Rhee said with a small shrug. "The idea that anything...helpful was a she, anything dangerous was a he. Applying gendered constructs to inanimate objects, which in itself is..." she paused, looking at their face. "Funny. And irrational, and sort of useless."

“Trying to find a soul in the shell,” Avery said softly, reaching to touch a panel lightly. “Reinforcing stereotypes along with it. We didn’t stand a chance,” Avery’s head shook with the soft words. “Sorry…that was uncalled for.”

"No, it was not," Rhee said and she gave them a quick smile that faded a second later. "It is true. Still a battle going on, isn't it? Between what we see, what we assume, and what is."

"So long as we keep moving and learning, I can live with that," Avery assured, smiling warmly to her before shaking their head. "I really am sorry, I came here to see if I could help, and I've done nothing but distract you."

Rhee shook her head, meeting their eyes for a moment before she looked away. "I don't mind the distraction, it has been good to meet you. I do not often...mix...with people."

Avery tilted their head with curiosity at the admission, because it was so different to other Betazoids they'd met. But then, Avery of all people knew better than to assume and stereotype. "A loss for them."

"Not really," Rhee said before she gave a small smile. "I find it tiring to be around too many people, or interact with too many." It was an open admission from a person who did not lie, because she came from a people where lying would be caught out instantly.

"I know how you feel," Avery admitted with a half smile as they moved in closer to Rhee. "Tricky, in an organisation like Starfleet...those who shout loudest are the ones that get 'seen'."

She nodded as she looked down, taking a slow breath. "And just see what they want to see, rather than asking," she said as she looked at them. "I do not mind being somewhat invisible. It is...helpful."

"And you can see and learn a lot that way," Avery agreed with a weak smile, all too familiar with what she was saying. "But...it can feel lonely," they gave an awkward, half shrug.

She looked at their face for a moment before reaching out, to touch their arm. "So can being in a crowd of people," she said before she smiled. "Loneliness is not just about connections. It's about what you feel is missing in you."

Avery smiled weakly as they thought on what she said before nodding gently. "You're very smart," they chuckled, shaking their head gently with it. "No wonder you're in Ops."

She looked at them with surprise before she looked away. "Now you're flattering," she said before she tilted her head. No. They were being sincere. She felt it. "Thank you. I'm..." she looked over at them again. "It's observing, through the years."

"Did you choose to join this mission?" Avery asked with curiosity, smiling softly as they shifted to lean back against a stool.

"Yes," she said before she looked down, considering it for a long moment. "It was a good career move, on paper. I also wanted to help. I am good at my job. I don't need supervision and I am proactive. It works in emergencies, which we may encounter." She looked at them, considering it. "What about you? Did you volunteer, or get assigned?"

"I was assigned," Avery admitted, shrugging softly before laughing. "I hope you will not hold it against me. I...enlisted to be able to join the war effort as soon as possible, but....by the time I graduated, it was all over. This is my first assignment."

"I won't hold it against you. I think it is brave of you, to come here even if you didn't seek it out," Rhee said as she watched them. She finally gave a small nod, a slight frown coming to her. "It'll be a steep learning curve. For all of us."

"I enjoy the learning bit," Avery admitted with a half smile, but soon shook their head as a soft sigh escaped. "It's the messing up bit I don't like so much."

"No one likes messing up," Rhee said before she raised an eyebrow. "But all do. It is how we learn from it that matters. You will be fine, that I am sure of."

[OFF]

 

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