Former counselor meets Counselor

Posted on 06/30/2021 @ 11:05pm by Captain Cara Letsul

2,483 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: The Mirror’s Edge
Location: Counselor's office
Timeline: Near the end of the shift

ON:

Cara slipped inside the counselor's office, just before the end of the day shift. She wasn't certain if there would be any openings with the chief counselor but she wanted to try to see him.

She walked up to the cute blonde at the receiving desk, "Excuse me... Kevin? Do you know if Counselor Reynolds might be able to have a last minute unscheduled appointment?" giving him a charming smile, "If it wouldn't be a bother." the dark haired woman asked, her voice gentle, and non threatening. "My name is Cara Letsul, if you'd like to let the Commander know."

“No need Kev,” Liam said holding out some PADDs to the muscle man to file. Well hopefully. “You can get off once they are all finished.

Cara Letsul. I remember you. Thank you again by the way for all your help the night of the explosion, I was hoping to see you again. Please,” he indicated in the direction of his office.

"Thank you." Cara said to Kevin, with a grateful smile then walked towards the indicated office once inside, she turned to face Liam," Thank you for letting me help as well. And you were hoping to see me again? Do you need a counselling session?" giving a small smile, then lightly laughed. "You know. who counsels a counselor? The enigmatic puzzle." she was looking for a place to sit on the chair or in another place. "Please enlighten me as to why you hoped to see me?" a furrow appeared in her brow, and a sense of worry also leaking from her, then it was drawn back in.

“Apparently I’m getting someone for that. Officially,” he said to the age old question. “But out of pure curiosity I wanted to see you again,” he said smoothly. Obviously he could not divulge her friend had been to see him upset at her sudden appearance and disappearance.

“You just appeared and disappeared again that night. In exactly the right place at the right time. And did a dam good job. Of course I’m curious to know more about you. Make sure your not a friendly ghost or perhaps the goddesses sent you specifically at that moment,” he said seriously.

In a teasing way, Cara held out her arm. "Here you can test to see if I am just a ghost, friendly one but if your hand passes through, perhaps it means I am a ghost." giving him a chance to see if she was solid, slightly tilting her head, and also looking up into his eyes. For he was certainly taller than she was.

Liam playfully and gently poked her arm. His finger certainly didn’t go through her arm. “I'm suitably convinced, ” he grinned.

"Tea?” he asked, “and then maybe you can tell me what I can do for you?” he asked.

"Yes please, tea would be lovely. Ginger if you don't mind, I think something to settle the stomach is in order with some honey and lemon please."

Cara took a look about his office, deciding to take a seat, on the nearby couch. "So how do you like being a counselor? I know for one thing I do miss it. I miss when things were oh so more simpler." a note of weariness in her voice and wistfulness as well. She ran her hand over the surface of the couch.

“Well I can't agree things are simple doing what I do but I do know it's what I'm meant to do. Help people this way. I had a brief spell as a diplomatic officer a few years back but it just did not cut it. This is my calling, ” Liam said honestly ordering her tea and taking it to her.

“So, ” he asked again letting her take a sip first and taking a seat himself. “How can I be of assistance for you?”

"I noticed when we first met, you gave me a quizzical look. As if you sensed something." raising an eyebrow. "Thank you for the tea." Cara leaned against the back of the couch and tucked one leg up under the other, then took a sip of her tea, enjoying the warmth of the liquid as it made its way down. "Would you like to know just what it was, you sensed?"

"Certainly. You sensed like two different people. The last person I sensed like that turned out to be possessed. And running around my last station killing people but they blacked out and did not remember it. Although they did not report all that happening and lied about it on record to save their own skin. It took me and every telepath on the station to force it out of her. Such a dark and angry entity.

I do not believe you to be possessed by something dark or anything like that or I would not of allowed you to come see me one on one but something is going on there Cara," Liam said gently. "And clearly if you have come to me you have your own concerns. What happened to you?"

There is a twinkle in her eyes as Cara takes another sip of her tea, lowering the cup she remarked nonchalantly,

"Apparently a few years back, I became the hostess of a woman's katra. This katra had been residing in someone I cared for deeply, well make that I love/or loved him." Cara paused for a moment then stated. "Hmmnn make that love him, but not at the extent I once did."

Cara untucked her leg and put it down to the floor and readjusted herself. She took another sip of the tea, before she continued.

"Apparently I had no idea I had her Katra, until a few days ago, when something happened and memories that had been locked away from me, came back. " tears formed in her eyes, but did not fall. "It can be just a bit, how shall we put this, mind boggling and also a bit unsettling. I am still sifting through the emotions and memories trying to work them out."

"I can imagine," Liam said. "So you have her Katra but can't remember how it came about? What happens now? Do you have to return it to someone on Vulcan? Have you any idea who?"

"I remember how I got her katra, it was me taking it from someone else. Fernandez the one I love. And I know whom it is too. She is my former love interest's dead wife, T'Mar. It's a complicated story, but I do know how to put her to rest, and I don't need to go to Vulcan to do so. I just need to make a receptacle and place her katra in there and take it to him. At least that is how I am figuring out that needs to be. Then he will be at rest. And then I guess I will be free too?" Giving a shrug. "It seems I've had her in here" touching her head with her index finger. "For quite sometime and due to my being half Betazed I was able to handle having her as a guest, far more than what he was able to. And at the time, when I took her from him, he was injured badly and close to dying."

"How do you make a receptacle?" Liam asked curious.

"From what I am reading so far, it is a receptacle made of a crystalline substance and metal or even wood. It seems to be a work of art in some cases." she gave a sigh. "I've been doing so much research, I have papers and PADDs and books all over my quarters. And I want to design it just the right way." giving a bit of a sigh, and then taking a drink of her tea. "I may make it like an old ships lantern from the past. I'm not quite sure of it yet." Love and sadness was radiating from Cara, as she became lost in thought.

"Well if your looking into wood, I've just started getting quite into woodwork. I had to repair my piano," he explained. "If I can be any assistance."

Cara looked at Liam at this offer. "You should talk with Brina, she's really into handcrafted items as well. I had thought to talk to her but.. I can't not right now. I do know she is extremely angry at me, I hadn't told her why I am here. I haven't told her that I am so jealous of her that she has a family, a loved one to turn to. Not being alone." Cara closed up that part of pain, and turned to the other subject. "I would love for some help though, Liam. Maybe you can help me come up with a design. Or I may have to, as its my last gift of love for Fernandez and T'Mar. Then they can be reunited in some way, and they can be free, of me."

"I've met someone called Brina actually and she frightened me. Perhaps you can elaborate if you know anything. What does it mean to have the look of you have seen the mirror exactly?" he asked. It was a slight side step on the doctor/patient confidentiality but he wasn't going into detail, hadn't said it was from a counselling session or in what context in any way, or even if it was the same Brina and he needed to evaluate if this was dangerous and something to be concerned about.

Cara gave him a sharp look then shook her head. "That sounds a lot like the Brina I know. The meaning of that mirror comment is this. Years back the crew of the King George V, where both Brina and I served. I was counselor back then. We came into contact with an ancient gate sort of thing. Our psyches were switched with our other selves. In another universe. Its sort of a mirror universe experience. I'm telling you this in strict confidence and hopefully I've not put you into danger. There are people who are trying to find that gate and use it for evil purposes." Cara took another drink of her tea, her hand shaking as she did so. The cup being emptied she looked at Liam, "Might I have a bit more tea please?"

"There's always more tea in this office," Liam said simply fetching her some more. "I did not experience a switch in psyche. I have actually been to that ... "place" twice now. Seen the other version of me. He was not nice. They have some technology now. Don't necessarily need a gate."

Once he brought the tea over, Cara took it gratefully, "Thank you. Your other version, does he have telepathic skills? When our psyches were switched, my other self's body I found it to be disconcerting. No empathic ability, not being able to 'hear' people. She didn't have psionics well they were not used being stamped down to where it was hidden away. They did not like anyone who had psionics. They had an Imperium. It wasn't fun at all. "

Cara took a drink, "No gate to get there? How do you or did you get to the Mirror Universe?"

"They had some sort of alien tech. They sent a bounty hunter the last time for me when I was babysitting a colleagues kids. He had a sword. Cut right through my last piano. The kids clung to me when it ... transported us. Then they used the kids as leverage over me," Liam said. "I'm not good with Science. I couldn't explain what they did to get me there but I was there .. Again."

Cara's eyes widened, "those poor kids! Poor you and poor piano! You have been to the Mirror Universe how many times?" leaning forward her eyes locking onto his. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

“Twice. I don’t remember all of it. My family locked away some of the memories. The first time he ran medical tests on me. I know that much. I remember a doctor. She was kind after clinic hours when eyes were off her. I didn’t see her the second time,” Liam said. “I’m fine. I don’t need anything.”

"Very well, but if you do, let me know. And I am sorry that you had been dragged into the other side of the mirror in what seems to be something of a horrid experience. " she nodded when he spoke of memories being locked away.

"Well, on that account I probably need to let you go on about your business. And don't let Brina frighten you. She has her quirks, but she is someone you can trust your life to. She would even lay down her life to protect others and I would do the same."

Finishing up her second cup of tea. "I do need to get with her at some point, we need to regain the balance she and I used to have. I just don't, I just don't want anything to happen to her, even though she is a marine, still I feel protective over her and her boys. All three of them." giving a soft and gentle smile.

It seemed that Cara may have something else on her mind, then, there is the sense of her closing that off. A look of weariness crept across her face, "I think I need to find a place to get a massage, and do some personal care. Its been a long while. I just can't, I just don't know, whom I can trust to do so, anymore." she moved to get up from the couch. "And holo masseuses just don't have that element that physical ones have."

"Yes I can understand. My new cousin Niska owns a bar. She may be able to help you. Its the Neptune's Folly," Liam told her. "And please, you can trust me. Stay in touch. Let someone know how to keep in touch with you."

Cara took a good long look at Liam, as if taking his measure then she slowly nodded. "I believe I can trust you. I do need someone to trust right now. There are things that non Betazed can't comprehend . They can try, but still there is just something that separates us from others." her lips lift up into a smile, and there seemed to more of a light in her eyes. "I think I will go see your cousin, Niska. Perhaps she can help me and I will feel safe enough to trust someone for a massage. Thank you, Liam. I am quite glad I came to see you."

"No problem. Its what I'm here for," Liam said. "Say hi to Niska for me."

Cara nodded, and then left.

OFF:

Cara Letsul
Bartender

Cmdr. Liam Reynolds
Chief Counselor

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