<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mission: Space was cool before it mattered</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Day: 1</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Stardate: 2446.04.25</span><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif;"><br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(USS Exeter - Counseling Offices - </span>Ensign JG Braeden Kodai<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"> - 0801)</span><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Braeden sat in his office daydreaming about another away mission. He was still overcome with the romance of adventure, but found himself tied to his desk. Of course, no one was feeling particularly adventurous at the moment. What Braeden had discovered in his little time on the Exeter is that people tend to come out of the woodwork looking for someone to talk to on science missions. Many of his crewmates felt exactly as he did, even if they couldn’t put it into words. They joined for the adventure, and felt restless.</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">He was reorganizing his desk for the third time that morning when Thea Helms walked into the office. </span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Excuse me," she said appearing in the doorway. "I don't mean to barge in like this, but the nurse at the front said you were the only counselor here and that you had openings."</span><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font><br>“Feel free,” he said with a smile. “Barge on in. What’s going on?”</div><div><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"I was wondering if we could have a chat before I throw someone out an airlock...a specific someone that is. Of course it would definitely be the end of my career."</span></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“That sounds like a good idea. Let’s talk this through.” He said gesturing to a seat. “What’s bothering you?”</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"Well, let's just say, she has gotten on my nerves one too many times and I am about to burst with rage and I need someone to talk to before I throw her into space."</span></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“There are all sorts of interpersonal issues that can arise when we are asked to work together in close quarters. The important thing is to know how to deal with them and resolve our disputes. So what is going on?”</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Thea paused and took a deep breath. "I need help in my relationship with the captain's dog."</span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: garamond, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">If Braeden were drinking coffee at this moment he would have spat it out. Instead he raised an eyebrow. “The captain’s… dog?”</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(Reply Thea)</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“Anything you say here is strictly confidential, of course. Even if it has to do with members of, erm, the captain’s immediate family.”</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(Reply Thea)</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">“So what’s going on with Layla?”</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(Reply Thea)</span></font></div><div><font face="garamond, times new roman, serif" size="4"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">(Posted by Tim)</span></font></div><div><br><div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPad</div></div></body></html>