Aiding the Counselor - Part I

Posted on Sun Jul 13th, 2025 @ 9:28pm by Lieutenant Endymion Tox & Commander Grace Vetur

1,282 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Medical Bay & Mess Hall | USS Ontario

ON:

Grace felt surprisingly better after her chat with the doctor, but she was still concerned about Amanda and her twisted ideas about romance. There was nothing she could do, but Grace did think there was one person who might be just what the counselor needed. So, at the first opportunity, she went in search of the new nurse.

Tox stood back staring at the recovering wing of sickbay. Earlier in the day he'd walked in and had just about screamed at the state. He'd gotten the on duty nurses on board and had scrubbed that sucker until it was shining. Now, in addition to being so clean you could eat off them the bio beds had a hint of lavender sent on them to sooth any person that needed them. He'd hi fived the nurses and left them to finish up the little things heading to the main bay to see his favorite grump but in the process he saw a familiar face. "Captain! Hello!"

"Hello! How are you settling in?" she asked.

Tox smiled. "It has an interesting time." He stopped closer to the Captain. "What an amazing crew. Your pilot is a bit serious and gloomy but hey, can't win them all. The XO is a surprisingly good fencer even though he's just learning, the doctor is brilliant! He's just a bundle of grumpiness you just want to hug the stuffing out of! I adore my new boss so that's always a plus. His personality is so wonderfully unique and makes me feel right at home. I've also met the amazing counselor. A true romantic soul which can be a good thing and a bad thing." He gasped. "Oh! I also discovered the coffee bar in the mess hall! Oh, Gods of Starfleet, but y'all know how to live here! The coffee is nectar."

Tox slipped his arm through the Captain's. "What brings you to sickbay, Captain? I'm no doctor but I know enough to help with the little things."

She laughed at his comment about the coffee bar--and the doctor. "It's all about keeping the crew happy." She hesitated for a moment, unsure how to approach her next question. "Actually, I have a little favor to ask you. But it's a rather delicate matter and needs to be handled with tact."

"Oh Captain, I have tact, style, and a hell of a sarcastic streak. I can also stitch someone up without causing a scar so that counts as delicate." He grinned leaning in conspiratorially. "I'm all ears."

This was either going to help Amanda feel better about herself, or blow up in Grace's face. "You've met the counselor. She has been down on herself because she doesn't think a man will be interested in her. And, sadly, she won't listen to me. I'm not asking you to set her up or anything. I would simply like you to see if you can help her feel better."

"Oh Gods, yes. I've been trying to. Since our first session it's been my mission to increase that girl's self-esteem. Don't you worry Captain. I fancy myself a bit of a psychologist...I took some classes....it was actually part of my nursing minor. She needs to see herself as enough first and then she won't look for that second person. When she stops seeing herself as a hopeless romantic but a hopeful one then it will all fall into place." Tox grinned.

She smiled. "Perfect. I think she'll be in good hands with you." Much better than Grace herself. "For another question, how are you getting along with Doctor Marcus?"

He smiled. "Oh my Gods of Starfleet! That man is perfection. He's brilliant, and just so grumpy you want to hug the stuffing out of him. He's got wicked sense of humor and a sarcastic streak that ravels my own." He clapped his hands. "I think discovering him has been the best part of my move. I thought I would miss Captain Ahab but Doctor Marcus could out grump him and I adore that." He sighed. "It sounds like I'm not making sense but I assure you I am. I mean he's unapologetically him and I'm unapologetically me and it works. I do have one question, though."

She mostly agreed with his assessment. "What's your one question?"

"What kind of coffee does the man drink. A brilliant bee like that should not get his own coffee."

"I think he likes it black, but I may be mistaken."

"Well live and learn." He smiled and studied her. "You are a mother hen aren't you. I could toooootally see is the crew mother. I love that." He paused. "Can I ask you another question about personnel?"

"Sure." She didn't think of herself as the crew mother, but she had to admit that it was true in some cases.

"When you got my transfer orders....did they say why I was transferred?"

"No. Just where you were transferring from and the authorization." She paused, one eyebrow raised. "Why do you think you were transferred?" While he orders didn't say, she had her suspicions.

He sighed. "I honestly don't know. Punishment? I know an Admiral asked for me to be transferred specifically. I'd have said I pissed him off somehow but that's...not it. I mean I tend to dance on people's nerves sometimes...accidentally and others cause they're just fun to needle but I'd remember pissing off an Admiral." I inhaled sharply, "And actually this is less of a punishment and more of a wakeup call. I was stale in my old ship. I had a routine was beginning to fear change. This move reminded me that I joined Starfleet for this, to move around, meet new people, see new space. Okay so I needed a shake up and here I am. I walked into a model's den cause everyone on this ship is ridiculously good looking and I'm starting to get a complex about my own looks if I were to be truthful."

Tox paused and tilted his head. 'No, that's not true. I'm fabulous." He made the motion of tossing and imaginary scarf.

Tox went on, "But aaaaanyway this is less a punishment more a reward. The ship is great, great people, I have bigger quarters then I had, I have a cuddly cute grumpiloficus of a boss and a sickbay that smells of delicious sterile eucalyptus-ness. I have a counselor to glamourize and bring out the star in. I'm working with the XO on trying new things and helping pull him out of the funk he's in with his partner being gone." He paused and pulled out a pad. "Note to self: figure out how XO's partner got off ship it's depressing him, help him fix that." He put the pad away. "Sorry I tend to think of notes while I talk, walk, and breath so....I note." He sighed. "So yeah, reward? But I can't remember being so good to an Admiral that he'd reward me sooo....not sure I just know it was unexpected." He shrugged. "Oh well! Life gives you glitter, you toss it around."

He slipped his hand through the Captain's arm. "The doctor's been fed and watered and is flexing his beautiful mind. Let's do lunch and tea! You can tell me more about my new amazing Captain. We didn't talk much on the shuttle ride back, partly cause I was seated next to the oddly hot yet silent and grumpy pilot and partly cause you had a Raven beside you and I have a tiny fear of birds."

(To be continued...)

Commander Grace Vetur
Commanding Officer
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Head Nurse
USS Ontario

 

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