A new facet

Posted on Thu Dec 14th, 2017 @ 1:45am by Commander Bertrand Cuprum

Mission: When the Sinful strike back
Location: Caounselor's Office, USS Victory

"The jumped up little shit just stands their challenging everything and everyone!" Bertrand was storming up and down the office. "The arrogance of this child trying to lecture ME about loss!"

The counselor sat in his chair watching Bertrand rant. The walls of his office had been treated to a telepathic suppression material which acted as the mental equivalent of a sound proofed room.

"You were angry," the counselor said evenly.

"I wanted to punch him in his pouting little face!" Bertrand bellowed.

"But you didn't," The counselor noted.

"Of course not," Bertrand waved the suggestion away. "If I punched every maverick idiot that spoke off, I would have spaced Mickey in the first three days."

"Yet, Mickey never made you this angry."

Bertrand stopped short his temper hitting an ice wall.

"I am wondering if you know why that is," the Counselor pressed.

Bertrand stood still for a long time, his hands clenched. Eventually he fell back into the empty chair left vacant for him.

"Because, at some level, I think he might be right."

The counselor just accepted this, "You are angry at him for thinking and voicing an opinion you fight to suppress within yourself."

There was a long silence. Bertrand eventually spoke.

"They didn't give out medals for Wolf 359. Don't think there were enough of us left to make the ceremony worth going to anyway. I think though, that at some level Starfleet didn't want to be reminded of how close it came to being wiped out. I know, if they had given me medal, that every time I looked at it I would see their faces again... hear the screams... feel them... slipping away..."

The counselor went to speak but Bertrand held up his hand, "By all that is worthwhile, if you tell me AGAIN that it wasn't my fault I WILL punch you in the face."

The counselor smiled at the false threat. Not that Cuprum was incapable of sudden violence, but it had not happened for a long time now.

"How is the drinking going?"

Bertrand looked up and then away, "One hour at a time, some days."

"When did you last have a drink?"

"Four days," Bertrand managed.

"You didn't join the toast at the dinner last night?"

Bertrand thought about it, "Shit."

The Counselor stood up and walked to his desk, "Bertrand, we have tried everything from guided meditation to medication. I think I would like to try something different."

He returned and placed a small box on the table between them. Bertrand looked at the box and then the counselor.

"Open it," he was invited.

Bertrand carefully opened the small container. Inside was a brilliant blue crystal. As he watched the colours danced and changed.

"It's beautiful," Bertrand allowed. "What is it."

"It is an Aulian Crystal; a lesser one, the greater crystals are very hard to come by. It was recovered by a Vulcan science team. Apparently it has particular properties for telepaths. I am not one, but I have found it calming to watch the colours change."

Bertrand frowned, "It does... draw the eye. Is it safe?"

The Counselor's face was dead pan, "It is a slab of crystal rock. It could be a formidable weapon if hefted by someone who wished to cause damage. Are you safe?"

Bertrand just watched the crystal. He reached out a hand to it, as he did so the facets nearest his fingers turned a deeper blue to a rich purple when he touched them.

"I want you to borrow the crystal for a week. Perhaps it will help you."

Bertrand closed the box and shook his head, "Sorry counselor, I don't hold with the healing power of magic crystals."

The Counselor maintained his calm face, "I though having something beautiful in your life now would be a good thing."

"One week, Commander," he pressed when Bertrand still looked resistant. "You can bring it back to our next session."