Angry

Posted on Thu Sep 2nd, 2021 @ 8:50am by Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Lieutenant Tate Sullivan Ph.D.

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Garden
1019 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Christian was back in the Garden that he had been in the day before, upon leaving Sick Bay he was really angry that he had to be there for that long and didn't want to bring his frustrations back to his room with his bunk mate. He had found himself in the garden again looking at the plants and flowers trying to cool his tempers. It took him a few minutes before he noticed someone was sitting beside him.

Tate was so engrossed with her novel, she didn't recognize anyone was beside her. It was only after a few moments when she felt someone near her, she looked over and realized she recognized Christian. "Fancy meeting you here?" In point of fact, after her first conversation with him, she had decided to take her meals within the garden just to give her a change of scenery.

Christian looked over and was the Lieutenant sitting beside him. How could he has missed her sitting here and not notice when he sat down. He shook his head to try and calm his temper, "Ma'am..." everything inside of him was telling him to get up and walk away but his feet wouldn't budge they just stayed planted same with his butt.

"Feel free to call me Tate," Sullivan replied, getting the sense from his tone something wasn't quite right. Not wanting to press and conform to stereotypes, she fell silent, deciding to let Christian fill the silence only if you wanted to.

Christian sat there for a few moments and then replied, "Why do people want to put other people down? Do they get some sick joke out of it? Does it make them feel superior or do they just don't understand what it is like to be make an example of? he asked.

Clearly referencing a specific person and a specific instance, Tate knew she would need more information, but for now she kept things simple. " any of those could be the reason," Tate alowed, "I suppose it depends on the person and the circumstances."

He fell into a silence trying to think of what he could have done differently to make it so he wasn't in this predicament but he wasn't coming up with a lot of options due to not knowing a lot of the weapon that S'hib used, "I thought this was going to sooth me but now I don't know."

"If you'd like to talk about what's troubling you, I will listen," Tate offered.

"I just don't know," he said, "Maybe I am being to hard on myself. He was trained in such a weapon but still it seemed a mean move to do. "

Tate frowned. "Will you start at the beginning? I'm afraid I don't understand."

He told her how a Security Officer, he didn't want to name names, came in during the Platoons sparing time and had challenged Christian. However the Staff he was carrying was far powerful than he let on and the force had thrown him across the room and Christian had to spend several hours in Sick Bay after, "You see... It was unfair and made me look like a fool."

"It sounds like he looked more of a bully than you looked like a fool," Tate pointed out. "I'm sorry that happened to you. How badly were you hurt?"

"Minor concussion. Had to spend several hours in Sick bay. After that I came here to cool down," he shook his head, "I dunno. Maybe I made a mistake going into the Marines."

"I think it speaks well of you that you decided to come here to calm down rather than let your anger take over," Tate pointed out. "You'd be giving this guy a lot of power if you allowed him to make you question your entire career choice. I can't help but wonder if you've ever encountered someone like him before?"

He had to think of that for a moment, of course he had. And maybe this wasn't any different he stood up and paced a few meters and then paced back, "so then why is this affecting me different?"

"There could be many reasons," Sullivan replied. "Why do you think it's affecting you differently?"

He shook his head. He really didn't know why this was affecting him in the manner that it was. Continue pacing he went it over and over in his mind but he just couldn't come up with an answer, "Maybe because I am new to the Elysium?" he finally asked.

"OK," Tate replied."Tell me more about that. Why do you think being new here would intensify your reactions to what happened?" Of course, Tate had some ideas, but she wanted him to form his own conclusions so they could be more meaningful.

"Oh I don't know once again because I am new and don't know anyone," he replied sarcastically but then checked himself. She was trying to help, "Maybe as a person new to the ship I don't want to show weakness as I haven't meshed well or integrated as part of the crew yet. By doing what the Hors," he caught himself, "By what the Officer did it showed everyone that I may not measure up to the vessels standards."

Tate didn't take the initial sarcasm personally. It may have seemed to him the explanation was obvious, but Sullivan never assumed what anyone was thinking or feeling. " is that what you believe? That because of what he did it shows you couldn't possibly measure up here?" Experience and education had taught Sullivan that most of the time, the reason for emotional distress had little to do with other people's thoughts and everything to do with one's own.

"Maybe," he thought about it for a moment, "I thank-you again for the words of wisdom," he bowed a little and then departed.

Just as suddenly as he had come, Tate watched him depart before she could reply. She could only hope she had truly helped him and perhaps more importantly, he knew and trusted her, so if he ever wanted to come back, he would.