EXETERRPG: (2-0900) CO captain Trip Williams & CTO/3O Lieutenant commander Ravok

[Rob Davis]

Mission: Auld Lang Syne

Day:02

Stardate:2445:12:29

(Risa Suraya bay resort,  captain's bungalow- Captain Trip Williams &
CTO/3O Lieutenant commander Ravok- 0900)


Ravok beamed down to Trip's location and approached the door he was dressed
in normal clothing consisting of a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans . ~
Nice place ~ he thought as he knocked on the door.

" Housekeeping " Ravok said in a high pitched voice.

Trip quietly made his way out of bed so as to not disturb Ash and walked
towards the door of the bungalow. He looked through the peephole to see
Ravok standing there. Trip quietly grabbed a pair of boxers,  shorts, and a
tank top and put them one before opening the door.

"Morning Bud ?"

Ravok stepped away from the door and allowing for Trip to come out if he
needed to.

" Good morning Sir,I wanted you to know that I have thought about and
considered the offer from Captain Hart. "

"Well, have you really considered it or have you just gone through the
motions?" Trip asked as he walked out and sat on a chair on the deck. The
bungalow was at the end of a private pier. The floors of the bungalow
contained areas of clear glass where one could see directly under water.


Ravok pulled his commbadge out of his pocket. Looking at it he sighed.

" When I was 16 i made the decision that one day I would join starfleet and
captain my own ship. Then I joined the academy. My first year was spent
dedicating all my time to academic excellence. Then I discovered that It
felt better to help others excel. I have spent my time in starfleet placing
the interest of others before my own and I don't regret it. Now I face a
bigger challenge where I yet again must place the interest of others before
myself. I have a daughter who needs her father. " Ravok extended his hand
with commbadge in it towards Trip.

" I have to be her father. I can't do that in starfleet."

"Bullshit." Trip replied. "Bullshit."

Ravok took a deep breath and looked around.

"You may not be able to do it. But that's on you. But it can be done. My
family is proof of that." Trip walked over to the deck railing and looked
out onto the ocean.

"You want to be a better father, be there for her. That's commendable. But
don't say you can't do that in Starfleet."

" I'm not you or your family, I will never be you. I will never be one of
you. Im lying to myself and everyone when I wear the uniform. "

"For @#$%'s sake man. You were mr. Starfleet on Mars. I drank the kool-aid
but dude you bathed in it. What changed…" Trip paused. He allowed himself
to read Ravok’s emotions and sat back down. "I get it now."

" Get what? My fear of failing me daughter like I failed Baker and the
others or how about how I failed Nesha? Or is it that My best friend cant
even look me in the f@($!&# eye.

"Exactly. Because rather than deal with it. Your bottling everything up and
its going to tear you apart."

Ravok sat down

"Besides its not your dag gum fault. Im the Captain, I was FSCO  all there
lives are on me. Baker, Kyros, Clark, Tyko, Nesha. Every single one. Even
those of our enemies. So stop throwing a pity party because life got hard."

" So because your the commanding officer we aren't allowed to feel ?
Because we should just say 'Trips dealing with it it's his problem not ours
?' No that's bullshit and you know it. " Ravok said letting a lot off his
chest.

"No. Im telling you, you don't Need to shoulder the blame alone or at all.
If it was your fault . Believe me, I'd tell you."

"I asked for a higher alert status and it was denied. I should have
challenged you on your call , made a protest and I didn't. I played the
part of the good loyal romulan and followed orders. Because I don't have it
in me to ask you to reconsider. "

"And I still would have denied it. Maxine it whoever she was lashed out
because she was a Wounded animal feeling trapped. You can't play the what
if game. Maybe nesha would be alive. But maybe more would be dead."

" So what do I do ? "

"You can't ask me to reconsider an order fine. I get that. But don't quit
Starfleet. Transfer to the Lexington. You don't have the same loyalty to
Jimmy. It might be easier for you and Rayna won't be the only kid "

Ravok thought about the fact of other children for her to be around,
something he didn't have for himself as a child.

"And don't think for one minute you'll get to stay on my ship as a
Civilian. I don't let quitters stay."

" I'm not a quitter. I'm a pretender if I'm anything at all."

"Then you can pretend on someone else's watch. Only way you stay on my ship
as a Civilian is if you're married to Keira. Even then it'd be a middle
finger to Starfleet to have a trained asset like you resign your
commission."

" Your right. I need to be who I set out to be from day one. No more taking
the backseat, but I need to sort things out."

"Ravok, I'm worried about you. The fact that I'm out here and not snuggled
up to my wife is proof of it."

Ravok laughed a little. " What do I do about Ire?"

"I know Ire is your best friend but I'm your friend too. And we both know
Ire has always been a bit of a robot. He's just….he's not dealing well with
this either. Because the more you bottle,  the more pressure you create,
the worse the explosion."

" I don't deal with things the way you guys do. It's difficult to explain.
"

"Have you even talked to a counselor about Nesha's death?"

Ravok shook his head. " No I haven't because it wouldn't do any good. Our
counselors use methods that don't work on us. Our minds are wired
differently. No offense but our brains are biologically more complex. Our
senses are more detailed , our emotions run deeper. Our perception is
drastically different. Most people look out into the ocean and see the
water, the waves. We see the tidal forces at work on the water."

"Just stop. Don't give me any of the Romulan superiority bullshit. Have you
even read poetry from the different species. Betazoid poetry is amazing. So
just stop. Admit you don't even want to try."

" Romulan superiority ? There's nothing superior about being this way and
yes I have read poetry and the only ones who got it right were the
Bajorans." Ravok laughed, ashamed of himself and feeling stupid. The truth
is I don't know how to try"


"You wanna know what I think?"

"  What do you think ?"


"You've spent the last 5 or so years feeling like an outsider. You worked
your ass off to belong thinking you never would. You used your Romulan
heritage as a chip on your shoulder to push yourself and as an excuse if
things didn't go your way. You flocked to Keira, who is lovely I might add,
because you thought she'd be the only one who could understand you. Then
you were proven wrong. We accepted you with open arms. You became my right
hand at the fighter wing. You're my third officer. Starfleet wants you to
be a first officer. All of a sudden you belong. You're wanted. You've made
it. And you've lost the chip on your shoulder. Now you don't know what to
do."

Ravok thought about what Trip was saying. " So perhaps I created a false
conflict, set up a false challenge for myself to overcome ?

"I dunno. I'm not you."

" I've told you dozens of times that I've never been in a room with more
than two other romulans before. I've never stepped foot on a Romulan world
I've never seen romulan architecture with my own eyes I've never had a
proper romulan meal prepared by romulan hands,maybe I'm more human than I
have led myself to believe and if that's the case then perhaps I am also
more ambitious than I think I am."

"There is nothing wrong with ambition "

Ravok nodded his head.

" I have made my decision. I'm going to reject the offer with the Lexington
and remain with the Exeter. You don't allow quitters on your ship. I've
started something with all of you on the Exeter and I intend on seeing it
through to the end. "

"Ok. But under one condition."

" Ok…"

"Weekly counseling sessions with a counselor of your choice mandated by me.
You've got a lot going on and you're going to @#$%&£€ work through it."

Ravok stood up. " I will"  He placed his commbadge on his shirt.

" Thank you ...Trip "

"Anytime"

" Now go back to your wife ." Ravok smiled.

"Ravok. You belong and that's ok." Trip said going back inside.

Ravok walked off the deck and onto the sand. He looked at the water again
smiled. He removed his shirt and ran as fast as he could and jumped in the
water.

( reply none)

( posted by Will and Rob)
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