Shakedown #110"
By: Giuseppe Silvio, Chief Engineer, [RNPC]
Patia Zoei, Chief Counselor, [PC]

Stardate: 58203.02 0930

Silvio got settled into his new quarters. He paced the room frantically. He not only felt all alone but he was now cooped up. He decided that it might be time to visit the ships counselor. Silvio he was not sure how the counselor would respond after their first meeting in sick bay. His past experience with women who had rejected him told him that things would be tense. Silvio decided that he would be on his best behavior.

Leaving his quarters Silvio went to the office of the ships counselor. He rang the door chime and waited. The thought occurred to him that he had not made an appointment and that he might be interrupting someone else's session.

Ensign Zoei paused in her dictation of the session with Doctor Dane. She sensed trepidation from Lieutenant Silvio. If only this second meeting wasn't going to be during a session, she might have had a little fun with him after his showboating in Sick Bay. It was a good thing her next meeting with him was a session, anything like she would have planned would have been highly irregular.

Zoei straightened in her chair, placing her hands flat on the desktop. Standing slowly, she said, "Come in."

"Sorry for not making an appointment first. I was hoping that you might have a few moments to spare for me." said Silvio trying to keep everything as professional as possible.

"Of course, Lieutenant," Zoei replied. "My morning was going to be spent working on reports, so now will be fine to meet. I heard you had escaped Sick Bay. Are you ready to return to your engines?"

"Yes, I believe that I need to return to work. I am not one to sit around." Said Silvio.

"Have a seat over there," Zoei gestured toward the sitting area. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you, Counselor," said Silvio as he looked around the office. "You have a nice office."

"Computer, ice water, please," Zoei stated as she paused by the replicator. She picked up her glass and walked to the sitting area. Cradling the glass in both hands, she settled into her seat. "Thank you, I have to say when the Zion was built, they designed this area perfectly. I couldn't have found a better office if I had been part of the design team that put it together. Lieutenant, why do you think you are ready to return to work?" Zoei asked, shifting the focus of the conversation to the business at hand.

"Because, my body has healed enough that I can do the jobs required of me." replied Silvio. He wanted to ask her to call him Silvio but decided to tread carefully. "Besides, just being cooped up in my quarters is driving me crazy." Silvio paused and added, "Sorry counselor, perhaps I used a bad choice of words there."

Zoei smiled. "After reading your jacket, I would have been more concerned if you hadn't made at least one comment along those lines. Tell me how you feel about what you have been through lately."

Silvio was not sure if she was referring to the Cardassians or his time in sickbay. "I am very glad to be out of sickbay. There is always someone there." he thought about things a bit. "It is funny, while I was there all I wanted was some time alone. Now that I am out, I can't stand to be alone."

Looking at the counselor he added, "That sounded really strange didn't it?"

"It sounds perfectly reasonable. Most people like to be around other people, when they choose. While you were in Sick Bay, you couldn't choose to be alone. Going back a little further than Sick Bay, how do you feel about what you went through on the Kittyhawk?"

"I think I am lucky." Said Silvio.

"Luck, as long as it is good, is nice to have. Do you have any concerns about returning to your position?" Zoei asked. Silvio was a hard man to read. One didn't come through the types of torture he had with no psychological scars, it was impossible. So far, though, there wasn't any appearance of trouble with him.

"No, I have no concerns. Other than keeping our warp systems together long enough to get us to Qul Tuq." Said Silvio. He looked at the doctor. "You look somewhat astonished counselor. Did you expect me to fall to pieces?" Silvio paused "The truth be told I have already done that, counselor. As soon as I got to my quarters I broke down. All of the people on that death shuttle were my friends. They are gone but, it will do their memory no good if I stop living, too. I will not dishonor their memory." Silvio paused and looked into the Counselor's beautiful eyes. "Perhaps you want to know about my experience with the cardassians? Do you want to know how I survived it? Do you want to know why I did not die in sickbay?" Silvio tried desperately to cling to his professionalism.

Zoie learned forward, hands clasped, forearms resting on her knees. "Yes, Lieutenant, I would like to know."

Silvio took a deep breath and focused his attantion on her eyes and began. "Cardassians are such hateful beings. Did you know that during the time that they interrogated me the only question they asked me was 'What is your name Human," said Silvio imitating his cardassian captor. "I answered them, heck my name and rank is not secret information, and for that I was rewarded with a blow to the face." Silvio touched the side of his face, remembering. "That was the only time they asked me a question. They just beat me and tortured me for their pleasure. They are hateful creatures. After a while the pain did not bother me anymore. I was able to force my mind to focus on other things. I am certain that I designed, in my head, a complete slipstream propulsion system." Silvio smiled, "I wish I could remember the details of that now."

"Minds play funny tricks sometimes, don't they?" Zoei smiled. "What will you do the next time you see a Cardassian?"

"I suppose the answer to that question would depend on if the Cardassian intends to do me harm,"Silvio replied. "I cannot say that I will go out of my way to befriend a Cardassian."

"That is understandable." Zoei shifted in her chair, slightly straightening her spine. "Do you have anything you wish to discuss with me?"

"Well, now that you mention it," Silvio began, "I would like to apologize for being so forward with you when you came to visit me in sickbay." Silvio was shocked. He could not remember a time when he had appoligized for putting what his classmates at the academy referred to as the "Silvio Slide" on a woman. Silvio wondered what was wrong with him but decided that now was not the time to bring it up.

"Apology accepted, Lieutenant. If there is nothing else, I will get the report authorizing your return to duty off to Commander Wright. I am sure he will be happy to see you are ready to head back to the engine room."

"Thank you Counselor." Silvio smiled at her and then left her office. He was eager to get back to work.