[Commander Bentara to Lieutenant
Wang, report to Counseling please.]
Ming looked up from his work. He'd located four more of the circuit boards he'd
been cleaning up earlier and had decided to try to activate one. That would
have to wait.
Starfleet regulations required that an officer changing assignments or assuming a department head position submit to an examination by a ship's counselor. It was all routine; he'd had to submit to regular counseling examinations at the Academy and when he reported aboard the Von Braun.
But the examinations at the Academy had been so routine as to be the subject of jokes, and the counselor aboard the Von Braun had been a male Vulcan. This session was anything but routine, and this counselor was definitely female and..if she were human, then she was the most enticing human Ming had ever met!
"Wang to Counseling; on my way," Ming responded. Part of him left the lab with a spring in his step. The other walked as though he were on his way to his own hanging.
Ming entered the counseling office, both excited and terrified. He wanted to see Karissa again--more than anything he could think of--but at the same time he knew what had happened in the holodeck program and didn't want to be confronted by it. He'd been avoiding it since that night.
"Reporting as ordered, ma'am," he told her as he walked in.
She smiled. "Good," she replied, "Lt. Wang, why don't you take a seat?" She motioned to a couch just across from her chair. "Make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you," Ming said, nearly tripping over his feet as he walked over to the sofa. He still wasn't sure he'd gotten the right boots on from the holodeck. "I'm not usually this clumsy, you know," he said in embarrassment over nearly tripping.
"I'm not interested in your coordination at the moment," she smiled sweetly. She let him get comfortable on the couch and then said, "So tell me how this new posting has been so far for you?" She watched his body language and facial expressions.
"It's been...ah...interesting," Ming replied, suddenly shy and at a loss for words. "From what I was told, my predecessor didn't really do much in the way of original research, even though there's a treasure trove of data and artifacts just in the archaeology division! I've yet to touch astronomy, astrophysics, exobiology...but I digress. Really, I've found this most stimulating. But then my work has always been a refuge for me," he said. Something about Karissa put him at ease and made him speak more freely than he'd managed with other counselors--or even with anyone else.
She noticed that he loved his work and this was a good thing. But she also noticed that, he was, as he said, using his work as an escape. She knew there was something more on his mind and she knew what it was. "Its nice to hear how much you enjoy your work," she said. "But how's your personal life?"
Ming suddenly became uncomfortable, and knew he was uncomfortable. "It's funny you should mention that," he said. Then suddenly a strategy came to mind. "I had a good time the other night with the Captain and some other officers aboard the station. It really made me feel at home, even more than I felt aboard the Von Braun or at the Academy. I'm confident the Ronin is where I was meant to be. I just wish, sometimes..." he said, trailing off as he began to lose words.
"Sometimes what?" she persisted casually, trying to get him to talk . . . She knew that their time in the holodeck had affected him. She wanted to know how much.
*What do I say now?* he thought. *I don't want to lie, but I'm afraid of what she'll think of me! Do I talk to her as my counselor or as...I don't know!* "Sometimes I feel as though I'm not handling people properly. Not professionally, please understand--I'm new to running a department but I've had no difficulties so far. But interpersonally, I feel lost, like I can't really say what I want to say, or even that no one seems to know, or want to know, I exist."
Suddenly, she got up and took a seat next to him on the couch. "Ming," she said, "Whatever you say to me will go no farther . . . "
He took a deep breath. "The other night, we ended up in a holodeck program. There was lots of music and dancing and food and...you were there," Ming said. "You were there and I couldn't control myself and--"
She gently took his hand. "Are you afraid you took advantage of me?" she asked, tenderly with a soft smile.
"Yes, ma'am. Even if I didn't, I'm afraid of what you might think of me. It was the first time I've actually...been with a woman. I've never had very good luck with women," Ming confessed. "I've always been better in the lab or with books than with women, and any woman who's known me for any length of time can tell you that." He took another deep breath. He couldn't stop now. "Usually women avoid me! Yesterday in the mess hall I sat down next to Lieutenant Parnell from Engineering. I didn't mean anything by it; I just wanted company. She got up and left without even saying hello. What's wrong with me?"
"Oh, Ming . . ." she said, "Lt. Parnell was most likely having a bad day . . . and you . . . You had other things on your mind yesterday . . . It made you more sensitive . . ." Dealing with the emotional repercussions of her partners on the holodeck was difficult. Had she controlled herself. Had she left when she said she was going to they wouldn't been feeling these things . . . "I'm sorry . . ."
"I'm the one who should be apologizing to you," Ming replied. "I should have stopped myself. You are my superior officer and my counselor; I should have been more respectful, regardless of the circumstances."
"You couldn't have been," she said, wanting him to understand. "What happened happened because of me . . . My genetics include feline DNA . . ." She didn't know why, but she was worried about him. More so than she was for her usual patients. She felt a connection to him that she couldn't explain and didn't want him going through this because of her and what she had done.
Suddenly Ming's scientific mind overwhelmed the wreckage of his emotional mind. "Intriguing...begging your pardon, ma'am--speaking strictly as a scientist, with no lurid intention meant, may I ask if you were in heat that night?"
She laughed and a light pink flush came to her cheeks. "Yes," she replied, "That's what happened . . . "
A light seemed to come on behind Ming's eyes. "Pheromones!" he exclaimed. "Your feline DNA causes you to produce pheromones!"
"What?" she replied with surprise.
"Many animals, on Earth and elsewhere, emit chemicals called pheromones as a form of communication. In Earth honeybees and ants the chemical reactions are so complex as to nearly constitute a true language," Ming explained. "In primates, the pheromone sensing organs are vestigal but still function to a certain extent. That's why the perfume industry has been a major economic sector for centuries! If your pheromones were powerful enough, no male anywhere near you could resist! The mating instinct is largely chemical driven. So once you entered the heat state, not only would no human male have been able to resist you, there's almost nothing you could have done to stop it."
"Pheromones . . . I never considered that . . ." she said, "But I suppose that would explain a few things . . ." As she contemplated this new information, she nodded. So much fit into place now. "Thank you," she said smiling. "Now I know something else about myself. Perhaps with this knowledge I can find a way to control it the next time . . . "
"And perhaps I can help," Ming said. "I'm not a medical doctor but I do know a great deal about biochemistry. If you don't mind me saying so, though, for me it would have almost been better if there hadn't been pheromones involved..."
"What do you mean? The intensity of the desire it created in you. . . ?"
she questioned.
"No," he said, quite embarrassed. "To be honest, the intensity is always there, if not always fulfilled. A part of me, a very large part, was hoping that it had been something more than instinct. That there actually was some emotion and desire involved."
Gazing into his eyes, she gently caressed his face. "It wasn't all just instinct . . ." she said, "There is a connect I feel that I can't explain . . . But if this were just a chemical reaction, then it wouldn't be there . . . We shared something more on that holodeck than just momentary passion." She couldn't explain it to herself, let alone to him coherently. She hardly knew him . . . but never the less it was there.
"Thank you," Ming said simply. "That's all I needed to know. That I am more than just another Starfleet scientist--that on some level I am a man as well."
She giggled. "There's no doubt about that!" she replied. "But I do have to know . . . how do you honestly feel about what happened on the holodeck . . . The last thing I wanted to do is cause anyone distress, and I need to know if that's what I've done . . ."
"I enjoyed the experience tremendously, from what I can recall--the exact details are still hazy. I was afraid afterward that I had jeopardized my relationship with you as a member of the crew, and ultimately my own good name and standing, aboard this ship less than a week after coming on board. But I see that not to be the case now. I just wish I had been sober enough to remember it better!!!" he laughed. "My first time, and I was too drunk to remember how it felt!"
She laughed. "Well, I am sure that somehow, that will be remedied in the future . . . with someone . . ." she replied, her eyes sparkling like onyx jewels.
"Perhaps," he replied. "In the meantime, I will try to find some sort of remedy or counter-agent to reduce the effect of the pheromones. It can't be very comfortable for you," Ming added. "I can run this as a private experiment, strictly off the books, and no one else aboard this ship or in Starfleet will have to know."
"I would appreciate that," she smiled. "And it does get quite uncomfortable . . . The last several times I placed myself in a drug induced sleep for 36 hours . . . Just to avoid it . . . Of course, this last time took me by surprise . . . But here it is, I am talking about me, and we are suppose to be talking about you . . ."
"I've heard it said that most therapists go into counseling ultimately to solve their own problems," Ming replied with a wink. "But it has been helpful for me. In fact, I'd like to set up another appointment if possible. I'm happy aboard the Ronin, and with the possible exception of Lieutenant Parnell don't know of anyone who might be upset with me. Even if she is upset with me, well, you can't please everyone," he finished, smiling.
"A very good attitude to have!" she replied, "You're more that welcome back for another appointment, though I am not sure if you really need one . . . You seem to be adjusting very well here . . . However, if you'd like, we could make it a social meeting . . . Strictly off the record!" she laughed.
"That might be better," he said. "Save your appointments for people who need the help! Check your schedule and let me know--but I will warn you that I do sometimes lose track of time when I'm involved with research. Tonight's booked--I need to catch up on quarterly personnel evaluations my predecessor neglected and Command wants them no later than 0900 tomorrow. But maybe tomorrow afternoon, say 1700?"
She checked her PADD to reference her schedule and noted the time slot was empty. "That works beautifully! My last appointment is at 1530 . . . so I'll be all yours after that," she smirked.
Very well then! I'll see you at 1700...we'll figure out what to do from there!" Ming said as he got up. "I should be going now, though. I'll want to see to the air filtration system in the holodeck before the end of the maintenance cycle."
She nodded. "Good idea," she said, as they both stood up. On impulse, she caressed his face again and ran a hand through his hair. Realizing what she'd done, she started to step back, as a light blush tinted her cheeks. After all, she was on duty at the moment.
With that, Ming reached over and gave Karissa a hug--a bear hug that almost caused her to stop breathing. But it was meant with sincerity.
After departing the counseling office very much relieved, Ming headed straight
to Engineering. The ventilation system was Engineering's turf, and he didn't
want to step on any toes while conducting his off-the-books experiment.
As he entered the main Engineering control room he saw a familiar looking redhead from the day before. Lieutenant Jenna Parnell.
"Excuse me, I was wondering if you could be of assistance..."
"What the hell do you want now, Yoshi?" she yelled.
"Yoshi? I'm Lieutenant Ming Wang, Chief Science Officer. I've only been on board a few days," Ming said.
"I don't care what you--" Parnell started, then looked up. "Oh, my God! I'm so sorry! I thought you were that bastard Katayama from Medical! He doesn't know when to leave well enough alone! What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to get the air filtration unit from the holodeck, in connection to some research I'm conducting."
"Sure, of course," Parnell said, recovering. "I'll send a couple of technicians to pull it for you. Any special precautions you want?"
"Level 4 biocontainment, and if possible seal it in a vacuum container as well," Ming answered.
"I'll let them know. Was that you yesterday in the mess hall?" Parnell asked. Ming nodded.
"Oh, again, I'm so sorry! Yoshi Katayama in Medical has this thing for me, but he's a creep. Doesn't know what 'no' means!"
"I can see the mistake. We both have the blue collar, and we're both Lieutenant JG's. But Katayama's Japanese. I'm Chinese. A subtle distinction, but one nonetheless...Chinese are much better, of course," Ming said jokingly, referencing an ancient rivalry that had evolved from
blood hatred to a humorous rivalry over the centuries.
Parnell laughed. "You know, a group of us in Engineering get together every so often for cards, concerts, and so forth. Would you like to join us sometime? This weekend we're trying out an ancient card game called bridge."
"I'd like that very much,"
Ming said, smiling.