Subject: Grail: "The Great Brightness"; The Games People Play (Brinn/Tzavaras)

Athalya Anne sat up and streatched. She began to leave, but suddenly felt

the gaze of the ships' counselor on her. With out any forethought, she

gravitated to Mirka's side.

Mirka was surprised to see the very infamous first officer of the

Grail approach her. She smiled at Brinn, if rumors were true she was a

fascinating woman. "Hello Major."

Although Athalya Anne had not spent much time amongst her own people,

she did posess the ability to know when someone had wanted to broach a

topic to her. "Counselor." Athalya Anne grunted as she waited for

Mirka to get to the point.

"I heard Major that you were having some... difficulties with a certain

Lt (jg). I may have some ideas for you, if you're interested. We could

talk about it in a more private place," Mirka looked at the people who

were still in the room.

Athalya Anne shrugged. "It's nothing that can't be solved by stuffing

him out of the nearest airlock." Athalya Anne took a deep breath. She

was inwardly bristeling at the innuendo. *I can take care of it

myself.* she thought determinedly. *Well, not nesscarily.* She

mentaly ammended herself. "However, I am interested in hearing what you

have to say."

Mirka smiled. She knew that for someone like Brinn, taking advice

wasn't easy, especialy from a civilian.

"Why don't we go get a drink in Ten Foward?" She motioned to the

door. While walking down the hall Mirka started to explain herself. She

didn't like talking about her past or anything that concerned her but

this was for a good cause. She took a deep breath.

"I know François Demontigny from a while back and I know how he reacts

to authority, especially when it comes from women, although he'll never

admit this.

"I also know he is a good officer and he can be very efficient. But

you can't make him obey by confronting him. You have to corner him

very subtely. Demontigny doesn't fear authority, he despises it. So his

reaction to it is very strong. But more than anything François wants to

be a starfleet officer. He trives on danger and never is he as happy as

on a brigde during a red alert. He knows he's good and he knows he is

difficult to replace, so he knows he won't be remove from the bridge for

a little insubordination. Especially on the Grail, the Grail needs all

the competent officers it can get. But he can be removed if he is

reconised unfit for duty."

Athalya Anne took a breath in. "It would appear that we are in

disagreement over the term 'good officer'. An officer is someone who

has respect for the chain of command. A good officer does not interfere

with the task at hand. A good officer makes sure that the said task is

completed. Now, as for DeMontigny's complexes, "Frankly, Scarlett, I

don't give a danm." In this situation, I am the superior officer. I

make the rules. You play my game or you don't play at all. If

DeMontigny values his career half as much as you claim, he would realize

that I can destroy his career in half a heartbeat and he would act

accordingly. How DeMontigny managed to graduate first in his class at

OTC is a miracle of bribery. He is obvioulsy incompetent. In terms if

his not being replaceable, you're dead wrong. I will have a fourth year

cadet who understands the value of executing an order promptly, before I

have a Lt(jg) at the helm who does not." Athalya Anne paused for

breath. "Should you decide to make counseling mandatory for DeMontigny,

I'll support you. However, that is your call. Same for should you have

him relieved of duty."

Mirka laughed "I'm sorry major, I should of thought you would

take it that way. Fine, I won't help you with Demontgny. You handle

him, you throw him off the brigde, you sent him in a airlock. I'm not

mocking you major", continued Mirka trying to find her seriousness,"I

should've realised we'd have a different perspective on this. You see,

I don't really understand command. That's why I dropped out of

starfleet. If that's the way you want it to be, that's the way it will

be. But, as I was about to tell you here, you're not the one who needs

help, Demontigny is. But if you don't give a shit about these people

that you are doomed to spend at least the next ten years of your life

with, fine, let's do it your way. After all, what do I know I'm just a

civilian who doesn't know shit about ships."

*Lawamighty!* Athalya Anne thought. The counselor was more paranoid

about her ability to execute her job than Athalya Anne was about her ability to

do hers. If that's possible.

"And, my dear counselor, I am just a Marine who doesn't know shit

about psychology." Athalya Anne turned a smile on to the counselor.

"Come now. No hard feelings." She diplomaticly decided to wait to

explain her views on command to the counselor. Athalya Anne suspected

that the counselor wouldn't like them anyway: her views were about as

marine as she was, and counselors were so touchy - feely.

Mirka looked at Brinn and shook her head. She said in a voice where

you could perceive deception "Still, it would have been fun to play a

bit of cat and mouse with François" They moved toward a table in Ten

Foward.

As they sat, Athalya Anne ordered a bottle of Tequila. "If that's

what you enjoy, then go for it." she said dryly.

"Don't worry I will" Mirka smiled "So major, now what?"

The tequila came, along with two shot glasses. Athalya Anne filled

both of them up and pushed one towards Mirka."We make a toast." Athalya

Anne held her glass aloft. "To the mouse."

Mirka drank and knocked her glass on the table.

Athalya Anne smiled as she refilled both of the glasses. "So,

counselor.... Or may I call you Mirka?"

"Please call me Mirka."

"With, of course, the understanding that you'll call me Athalya Anne."

"Hmmm." Mirka said in agreement, it was her turn to wait for Brinn to

get to the point.

Athalya Anne groped for a subject. Finding the most prevalant amongst

the crew acceptable, she said, "What's a nice girl like you doing on a

ship like this?"

Mirka rolled her eyes " Getting in way over my head. What about you?"

Athalya Anne paused, looking for a nice way to explain the reason, "A

fated accident, of course." Casting her eyes upwards, Athalya Anne

thought *I'll get you, you assholes. Both of you.* But there was no

malice in the thought, merely empty threats.

Half a bottle of tequila later, Athalya Anne wondered what the

probability was that she'd be able to pick up Mirka, but quickly

dismissed the thought.

Mirka's head was turning, she felt good for her first time on the

Grail. She looked at Athalya Anne, she was a very attractive woman.

Three quarters of a bottle of tequila and a stream of small talk

later, Athalya Anne wasn't so inhibited. Impulsivly, she put her arm

around the counselor's shoulders. Mirka turned to look at the Major

with her doelike brown eyes. Her head was spinning and she felt like she

was wrapped in a clood.*Old habits die hard* she thought looking at

Brinn's eyes then her lips. She saw in the corner of her eyes a face

that started an alarme in her head. As Brinn's lips were getting on

hers she remembered. Kord. The ship's biggest gossip. Then it striked

her they were in Ten Foward, and probably putting on quite a show.

Without moving an inch from Athalya Ann and still staring at her lips

she suggested

"Maybe we should take this somewhere else..." Brinn shrugged and got

up, Mirka silently followed her.

Counselor Mirka Tzavaras and LMaj Athalya Anne Brinn