Aria Rice's brain gets examined [3/3]

Posted on Sun Oct 25th, 2026 @ 1:58am by Lieutenant B'Lakkam Slichez & Lieutenant JG Aria Rice

1,593 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Behind the Curtain
Location: Chief Counsellor's Office
Timeline: Enroute

[ON - Continued from part 2]

"Like...growing up?" she asked, with mock horror, making a show of covering her mouth. "Because I always heard people say that one day it would happen...I'd grow up."

"There's a difference between maturing and giving up. One can still have hopes and dreams while maturing," the Counselor told Aria. "Do you understand that difference, I wonder?" he mused aloud. "I wonder if it would be helpful to introduce you to the Betelgeusian hero, Slichez." Silently, he wondered if Aria would pick up that was his adopted last name or if it would go completely over her head.

She looked at him, for a moment her eyes narrowing. "You a hero now, Counsellor?" she asked, almost innocently. "Quite a big thing to name yourself. I mean, I am sure ego comes to mind..."

"No," B'Lakkam answered with a small laugh and knowing smile. "I was an orphan who was adopted by a Betelgeusian family. I was given a choice to select from one of the Betelgeusian heroes. Every Betelgeusan chooses one of five heroes from their mythology to emulate: Altaa, Slichez, Lahile, F'ter and Doban. This practice is called j'tonka. Criminals follow a sixth evil hero named Cordban, while pretending to follow one of the others. Betelgeusan society is divided into social groups called naccords that emulate the same hero. To identify myself with the hero that I selected, I gave myself his name as my last name so that I could keep his teachings in my mind constantly. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah," she said as she looked at him, shifting slightly. For a moment she studied him before she gave a nod. "Makes a lot of sense actually..." she tapped her fingers on her knee as she thought. "Sounds like a lot of pressure though, counsellor...to be the hero."

"It is not about being the hero, so to speak, but aligning yourself with their beliefs. Do I think I could be as great as Slichez? Maybe not, but it gives me a goal, something to direct myself towards." He then gave Aria a mischievous grin, "Or, I could be a follower of Cordban and just be pretending to follow Slichez's beliefs. What do you think about that?" He then gave the woman a small wink, as if to emphasize his point.

She looked thoughtful, although that was an act. "I think that you could totally be playing everyone to get your evil plans together, or whatever anti-hero quest you had in mind," she said before she winked. "But be warned...Good has a way of showing up when you least expect it. And where...one day you may look into the mirror, follower of Cordban...and see Slichez's eyes.""

"Or maybe I saw Slichez all along? After all, why take his name otherwise? Would be quite the audacious ruse to follow someone else while taking another's name, don't you think?" B'Lakkam continued. "Or, maybe I'm just that sneaky?"

"Or maybe you are a stirrer," she countered, her eyes shining with it. "You're more than you seem, I can see that...but hey, not my secrets to dig in..." she winked and sat back. "So Counsellor...what's your judgement on me?"

"What do you think?" B'Lakkam answered, his eyes twinkling, but his face impassive.

She looked at him before she clicked her fingers. "Surprisingly healthy in a mental health kinda way, charming, most likely in need of a hamburger...?" she ventured, almost innocently.

B'Lakkam shook his head negatively and then put his thumb and forefinger up, turned them sideways and left them slightly apart. "So close...." He smiled more widely at the woman and said, "Perhaps you would like to try again?"

Aria considered it before she shook her head. "I've been told I am surprisingly sane despite not always acting it, but I am not sure what you'd say."

"I would say that you have lost your way a little bit. I would say that you have decided subconsciously that it is easier to settle than to strive for what you actually want. Beyond that, I think you're a fun and flirty person who I would not mind learning more about in time."

She looked at him and a frown came to her. "I've not settled," she said, something close to outrage rising in her chest. "I am proud of being in Security."

"I did not say that you were not proud of being in security," B'Lakkam answered with a mysterious smile. She really does not like it when someone hits close to home, does she? "Did I?" he replied with soft inflection.

Her eyes narrowed a little bit, watching him before she shifted. "But you did say that I've lost my way and decided that it is easier to settle than to strive for what I actually want," she countered. "Now, the only thing that I have that you may say that about is being a Security officer. And you know what? You're wrong. I know exactly who I am, what I am..."

"I'm wrong?" B'Lakkam answered with a playfully horrific tone. "That never happens," he replied in a continually playful tone. "Well, if you know exactly who you are, perhaps you should tell me without beating around the bush. It WOULD make things so much easier. I could always use being educated more...."

She watched him, the warmth gone and her eyes cold with it. With the tone...the mocking. The way he spoke that made her feel like she should be smaller. "I am Aria Rice. I'm someone who will never let anyone use me to chase their own dream again. I am someone who believes in the Federation and what it stands for, to protect those who need it. I'm me. The good, the bad, the messy. But it's all me. You sit there and you act as if I became less by not going down the route I wanted to when I was a kid. As if somehow, it makes me...lost. But I'm not. I know why I am here. And it's for reasons that matter to me." She stood, tugging her uniform jacket down and smoothing her hair.

Now that was interesting. Someone that would never let anyone use her. B'Lakkam watched as Aria rose. "Thank you for that, Aria. Please sit. That was raw, honest, and definitely you." His voice softened. "Now we can have a real conversation. Please tell me more about who has used you to achieve their dream. That must have been something awful." B'Lakkam's tone was honest and concerned. The playfulness, mocking, and sarcasm were gone.

"Not today," Aria said and met his eyes, her face serious. "I'm not in the...right mood right now," which was honest in itself. She was already feeling the knot of defensiveness in her stomach. Staying here, continuing this conversation right now...it would not help anything. "And I don't like being played," she made a point of saying.

"Neither do I," B'Lakkam answered with a soft smile. "So, perhaps next time we could start with being honest with one another. What do you say?"

"I'll think about it," she said, lifting her chin a little bit. "Because right now, not exactly feeling trusting or warm and fuzzy towards you, Counsellor. No offence."

"None taken," B'Lakkam answered. "Sometimes the methods that counselors use are not always the most pleasant, Aria. For my part, I'm sorry that's what I felt what was necessary to get some real truth out of you. My job is to help and I will now that I know so much more." His eyes were wide and his voice soft and seemed sincere.

She watched him for a moment. Part of her reacted to him, the apology. Had it been necessary? Was she...one of those people who had to be manipulated into help? It made her shiver, an unpleasant feeling. She didn't like this feeling, as if she was...stupid. And more, she didn't think it had been necessary. "Help?" she suddenly asked, before she laughed. But there was no warmth in it. "You could have asked. I am not a chess piece." She looked towards the door and made a decision. "We may speak in the future. But not yet."

B'Lakkam shrugged. "I understand your feelings in this matter. I rarely play chess. Cards? Poker.... That so much more so." He gave Aria a toothy grin. He watched Aria as she stayed in place. She had not left which implied she was torn but obviously she wanted to remain in control. What else lurked behind those eyes? Such decisions. He knew she would be back. The question was when and what terms she would demand. Of course, he would not work with anything unreasonable but building some new trust was important, if for no other reason than to safeguard his privacy and assistance in getting to Lucy wherever in the universe she might be.

She watched him for a moment, blue eyes cold and back straight. There was nothing she could do at the moment. She felt too...too much to think straight, or to trust that the grin was real, or a performance. "Good day, Counsellor Slichez," she said instead before she walked out of his office.

With an extremely friendly tone and wave, B'Lakkam answered, "Goodbye, Aria. Hope to see you soon."

[OFF]


Lieutenant B'Lakkam Slichez
Chief Counselor
USS Fenrir

&

Lt. jg Aria Rice
Assistant Chief Security
USS Fenrir
(PNPC Hanlon)

 

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