10-15-2026, 09:52 PM
== During the journey to Nalim ==
Order had been restored to the Security Chief’s quarters. Everything had been tidied up. Clothes put away, discarded meals disposed of, instruments hung carefully on wall-mounted racks.
With the exception of one guitar. The crimson-bodied axe rested on Mara’s thigh as she sat on the couch. Fingers blurred up and down the fretboard as the Amazonian officer played, eyes closed, lost in the music. The guitar wailed and screamed in her grasp, her socked foot tapping out a rhythm on the floor as she shredded away. It was a consummate display of musicianship. But it was a skill that Calleja’s crewmates knew nothing about. A couple of people had seen the guitars on the wall but no-one had ever seen her play them, and thanks to the wonders of the directional sonic fields nobody had heard it either, even though she practiced daily.
The door chime went completely unnoticed in the sonic assault. Visitors were not a regular thing for Mara so she’d never seen the need to bother with a back-up alert in case someone came knocking whilst she was playing. It was pure luck for the caller that her shred ended when it did, the last notes hanging in the air as the Bandaran opened her eyes and smiled to herself.
Calleja heard the second chime and sighed. She climbed to her feet as she switched the guitar off and hung it up, stretching with an easy feline grace and padding over to the door. She was wearing a baggy black hoodie and grey sweatpants, hair loose over her shoulders.
“Yeah?” she said into the comm.
[Chief Calleja? It’s Counsellor Kuik. Do you have a few minutes for me?]
Luckily the counsellor couldn’t hear the deep sigh that escaped from Mara’s lips before she opened the door and took a step back.
“Welcome to my ‘umble abode,” she said. “Drink?”
“No, thank you. I had one before I came over.” The counsellor, in full uniform, was nearly a full foot shorter than the Security Chief, but she wasn’t phased. She’d dealt with Calleja enough to know that she had no reason to worry.
“Cool. I will though.” Mara helped herself to a protein shake from the replicator, and then sat down on the couch. Kuik sat down on a nearby chair.
“So. I’m guessin’ this ain’t a social call,” the Bandaran said with a faint smile.
“No, it’s not.” The counsellor settled down. “Normally I’d spend a little time on small talk but I know how you detest it, so I’ll cut straight to the point. I think you might have an undiagnosed phobia. And I’d like to confirm that, so we can address it and start to deal with it.”
“A phobia?” Calleja frowned.
“It’s an irrational fear,” Kuik replied.
“I know what a phobia is,” Mara said. “I might be a jacked up Security Officer, but I’m no’ stupid.”
“Sorry, I never meant to imply you were.” The counsellor raised her hands to placate Calleja, but it wasn’t necessary. The Bandaran motioned for her to continue as she took a slug from her shake.
“So we think you might have gymnophobia,” Kuik continued. “It’s a strange name, given that it has nothing to do with the actual gym. But it’s a phobia of nudity. I don’t think you’re remotely bothered by other people being naked. But I do think you have a deep-rooted issue with exposing yourself in any way.”
Mara’s frown hadn’t left her face. There was a clear shift in her body language as she leant back.
“On wha’ basis?” she asked.
“On quite a few, actually.” Kuik took a deep breath. “First, there was your explosive reaction at the gathering. Nobody really saw anything, but the fact that they might have done caused you to erupt and make some particularly graphic threats. Secondly, you are always seen in baggy and long clothing. I don’t know anyone who’s seen anything more of you than your lower legs. And now, even in your own quarters, you’re still exactly the same. Fully covered. And we know in your case, it’s not for religious reasons, because you don’t follow one. So there’s definitely something there. And the moment I mentioned it, you closed up immediately. So I think I’ve pressed a button there.”
There was an awkward silence before the counsellor broke it.
“Tell me I’m wrong?” she ventured.
Calleja was silent as she tried to marshall her thoughts.
“No, I don’ think you’re wrong,” she said eventually. “It does make me uncomfortable talkin’ ‘bout it. I think I’ve stripped down in front of someone like… once? An’ that was takin’ my shirt off in front of Aeryn, one o’ my best mates, who was tryin’ to get me to stop dressin’ all in black. Other than tha’... Nah, you’re right. I don’t even roll my sleeves up.”
“Why do you think that is? Are you in some way ashamed of your body?” Kuik asked.
“Hell no,” Mara replied instantly. “I work damn hard an’ I am not ashamed. I know I ain’t yer traditional looker, an’ muscular women are an acquired taste tha’ nobody wants to acquire. But it ain’t tha’.”
“So what is it then?” The counsellor pressed the point. “There’s something there. Something that’s stopping you from showing the body that I believe you’re proud of.”
“‘Cause it ain’t anyone else’s to look at.” Calleja shifted uncomfortably on the couch, before she sighed and leaned forward.
“Like so many other cases o’ me not bein’ wired right, I’m pretty sure this is a Bandar thing,” the Security Chief admitted. “You got a society where you gotta fight from really, really young, it tends to slant male dominated. Girls, we take a while to get strong. I know I did. So the guys saw us as trophies, not equals. You ‘ad to be real vicious to get even a passin’ bit o’ respect. An’ everyone was so judgmental. Show even a little bit o’ skin, an’ tha’ was you beggin’ for it. I wasn’t doin’ tha’. I was nobody’s property. So I showed them nothin’. I gave them nothin’. Shut them down. An’ if they pushed me, I pushed back with a blade in my ‘and. I’ve never really gotten over it.”
Broad shoulders rose and fell as Mara shrugged.
“Nobody ever showed any interest in me anyway so it ain’t like I’ve ‘ad a reason to change. An’ yeah, it’s probably learned behaviour a’ this point. I watched the other women at the lake. The ones out there in swimsuits an’ cutoffs an’ tank tops. An’ yeah, there’s a little part o’ me that would actually love to join ‘em. My body is rockin’. But the rest o’ me is all screwed up in horror at the idea.”
Kuik nodded.
“I think I’ve heard enough to confirm the diagnosis,” the counsellor replied. “And I understand some of the reasoning behind it. I will make a note on your file so that precautions can be taken if you’re in Sickbay if that’s OK?”
“Sure.” Mara nodded. “Not gonna lie to ya, that’s caused an issue or two before. I get tha’ clothin’ gets in the way o’ treatment. But I ain’t comfortable at all with gettin’ mine ripped off me in an open room.”
“Understood.” Kuik carefully slid a PADD from her hip pocket and scribbled down a stream of notes as Calleja threw back the rest of her shake.
“So in terms of treatment then,” Kuik said. “I think we’ve got the perfect opportunity to start coming up. Commander Miller is organising the halloween party. What were you thinking in terms of a costume?”
The Security Chief’s attendance was a given. She still wasn’t a massively social creature but one of her best friends was organising the party, so she’d be there to support Aeryn.
“Why do I jus’ know this is a trap,” Mara replied with a faint smile. “But sure, I’ll walk into it. I was gonna lean into my rep. Turn up as the Grim Reaper. Cowl, scythe, some facepaint.”
“So in fact even more covered than usual with the hood up,” Kuik summarised with an encouraging smile of her own. “How about we workshop some ideas?”
Mara’s eyebrows raised.
“Within reason,” she said guardedly.
“How about this one?” The counsellor said, pulling up an image on her PADD. “I hear you get referred to as an Amazon on a regular basis. So why not lean into it?”
The data slate was passed across, and Mara snorted.
“You try an’ make me wear tha’, it’ll be yer cause o’ death,” she said, giving the PADD straight back. “I’ve never worn fuckin’ sandals in my life. An’ that’s way way too little fo’ me. Tank top an’ a miniskirt? Fuck off.”
“You’re fully covered shoulder to knee though…”
“Only jus’. Pass.”
The counsellor paused before going straight to plan D.
“OK. How about this then?” she said, showing Mara a different costume.
The Security Chief leaned forward and had a closer look.
“Alright. I think that can work. Add some sleeves…”
“No. No sleeves. That’s the step forward we’re taking. Show off a little.” Kuik reached out to touch Mara’s leg to encourage her, then thought better of it. “I was actually thinking maybe some bicep cuffs. Draw a bit of attention to those arms.”
“Can I?” Calleja reached out for the PADD, and Kuik handed it over. The Bandaran studied it for a moment, and then shrugged again. “Sure. I can make this work. An’ I know jus’ the person to help me with a few tweaks.”
“I’d already warned Dr Sydesh that she might be called on,” the counsellor said with a broad smile.
“Tha’ woman owes me,” Mara replied with a grin.
“Oh she does. And I think she knows it as well.” Kuik stood and accepted the data slate as Mara handed it back. “Well, I think we’ve made some progress here. I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thank you for being so open, Commander. And I look forward to seeing some pictures from the party.”
“Only if I don’ see the camera first,” Calleja replied, rising as well. “Take care, counsellor. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
Order had been restored to the Security Chief’s quarters. Everything had been tidied up. Clothes put away, discarded meals disposed of, instruments hung carefully on wall-mounted racks.
With the exception of one guitar. The crimson-bodied axe rested on Mara’s thigh as she sat on the couch. Fingers blurred up and down the fretboard as the Amazonian officer played, eyes closed, lost in the music. The guitar wailed and screamed in her grasp, her socked foot tapping out a rhythm on the floor as she shredded away. It was a consummate display of musicianship. But it was a skill that Calleja’s crewmates knew nothing about. A couple of people had seen the guitars on the wall but no-one had ever seen her play them, and thanks to the wonders of the directional sonic fields nobody had heard it either, even though she practiced daily.
The door chime went completely unnoticed in the sonic assault. Visitors were not a regular thing for Mara so she’d never seen the need to bother with a back-up alert in case someone came knocking whilst she was playing. It was pure luck for the caller that her shred ended when it did, the last notes hanging in the air as the Bandaran opened her eyes and smiled to herself.
Calleja heard the second chime and sighed. She climbed to her feet as she switched the guitar off and hung it up, stretching with an easy feline grace and padding over to the door. She was wearing a baggy black hoodie and grey sweatpants, hair loose over her shoulders.
“Yeah?” she said into the comm.
[Chief Calleja? It’s Counsellor Kuik. Do you have a few minutes for me?]
Luckily the counsellor couldn’t hear the deep sigh that escaped from Mara’s lips before she opened the door and took a step back.
“Welcome to my ‘umble abode,” she said. “Drink?”
“No, thank you. I had one before I came over.” The counsellor, in full uniform, was nearly a full foot shorter than the Security Chief, but she wasn’t phased. She’d dealt with Calleja enough to know that she had no reason to worry.
“Cool. I will though.” Mara helped herself to a protein shake from the replicator, and then sat down on the couch. Kuik sat down on a nearby chair.
“So. I’m guessin’ this ain’t a social call,” the Bandaran said with a faint smile.
“No, it’s not.” The counsellor settled down. “Normally I’d spend a little time on small talk but I know how you detest it, so I’ll cut straight to the point. I think you might have an undiagnosed phobia. And I’d like to confirm that, so we can address it and start to deal with it.”
“A phobia?” Calleja frowned.
“It’s an irrational fear,” Kuik replied.
“I know what a phobia is,” Mara said. “I might be a jacked up Security Officer, but I’m no’ stupid.”
“Sorry, I never meant to imply you were.” The counsellor raised her hands to placate Calleja, but it wasn’t necessary. The Bandaran motioned for her to continue as she took a slug from her shake.
“So we think you might have gymnophobia,” Kuik continued. “It’s a strange name, given that it has nothing to do with the actual gym. But it’s a phobia of nudity. I don’t think you’re remotely bothered by other people being naked. But I do think you have a deep-rooted issue with exposing yourself in any way.”
Mara’s frown hadn’t left her face. There was a clear shift in her body language as she leant back.
“On wha’ basis?” she asked.
“On quite a few, actually.” Kuik took a deep breath. “First, there was your explosive reaction at the gathering. Nobody really saw anything, but the fact that they might have done caused you to erupt and make some particularly graphic threats. Secondly, you are always seen in baggy and long clothing. I don’t know anyone who’s seen anything more of you than your lower legs. And now, even in your own quarters, you’re still exactly the same. Fully covered. And we know in your case, it’s not for religious reasons, because you don’t follow one. So there’s definitely something there. And the moment I mentioned it, you closed up immediately. So I think I’ve pressed a button there.”
There was an awkward silence before the counsellor broke it.
“Tell me I’m wrong?” she ventured.
Calleja was silent as she tried to marshall her thoughts.
“No, I don’ think you’re wrong,” she said eventually. “It does make me uncomfortable talkin’ ‘bout it. I think I’ve stripped down in front of someone like… once? An’ that was takin’ my shirt off in front of Aeryn, one o’ my best mates, who was tryin’ to get me to stop dressin’ all in black. Other than tha’... Nah, you’re right. I don’t even roll my sleeves up.”
“Why do you think that is? Are you in some way ashamed of your body?” Kuik asked.
“Hell no,” Mara replied instantly. “I work damn hard an’ I am not ashamed. I know I ain’t yer traditional looker, an’ muscular women are an acquired taste tha’ nobody wants to acquire. But it ain’t tha’.”
“So what is it then?” The counsellor pressed the point. “There’s something there. Something that’s stopping you from showing the body that I believe you’re proud of.”
“‘Cause it ain’t anyone else’s to look at.” Calleja shifted uncomfortably on the couch, before she sighed and leaned forward.
“Like so many other cases o’ me not bein’ wired right, I’m pretty sure this is a Bandar thing,” the Security Chief admitted. “You got a society where you gotta fight from really, really young, it tends to slant male dominated. Girls, we take a while to get strong. I know I did. So the guys saw us as trophies, not equals. You ‘ad to be real vicious to get even a passin’ bit o’ respect. An’ everyone was so judgmental. Show even a little bit o’ skin, an’ tha’ was you beggin’ for it. I wasn’t doin’ tha’. I was nobody’s property. So I showed them nothin’. I gave them nothin’. Shut them down. An’ if they pushed me, I pushed back with a blade in my ‘and. I’ve never really gotten over it.”
Broad shoulders rose and fell as Mara shrugged.
“Nobody ever showed any interest in me anyway so it ain’t like I’ve ‘ad a reason to change. An’ yeah, it’s probably learned behaviour a’ this point. I watched the other women at the lake. The ones out there in swimsuits an’ cutoffs an’ tank tops. An’ yeah, there’s a little part o’ me that would actually love to join ‘em. My body is rockin’. But the rest o’ me is all screwed up in horror at the idea.”
Kuik nodded.
“I think I’ve heard enough to confirm the diagnosis,” the counsellor replied. “And I understand some of the reasoning behind it. I will make a note on your file so that precautions can be taken if you’re in Sickbay if that’s OK?”
“Sure.” Mara nodded. “Not gonna lie to ya, that’s caused an issue or two before. I get tha’ clothin’ gets in the way o’ treatment. But I ain’t comfortable at all with gettin’ mine ripped off me in an open room.”
“Understood.” Kuik carefully slid a PADD from her hip pocket and scribbled down a stream of notes as Calleja threw back the rest of her shake.
“So in terms of treatment then,” Kuik said. “I think we’ve got the perfect opportunity to start coming up. Commander Miller is organising the halloween party. What were you thinking in terms of a costume?”
The Security Chief’s attendance was a given. She still wasn’t a massively social creature but one of her best friends was organising the party, so she’d be there to support Aeryn.
“Why do I jus’ know this is a trap,” Mara replied with a faint smile. “But sure, I’ll walk into it. I was gonna lean into my rep. Turn up as the Grim Reaper. Cowl, scythe, some facepaint.”
“So in fact even more covered than usual with the hood up,” Kuik summarised with an encouraging smile of her own. “How about we workshop some ideas?”
Mara’s eyebrows raised.
“Within reason,” she said guardedly.
“How about this one?” The counsellor said, pulling up an image on her PADD. “I hear you get referred to as an Amazon on a regular basis. So why not lean into it?”
The data slate was passed across, and Mara snorted.
“You try an’ make me wear tha’, it’ll be yer cause o’ death,” she said, giving the PADD straight back. “I’ve never worn fuckin’ sandals in my life. An’ that’s way way too little fo’ me. Tank top an’ a miniskirt? Fuck off.”
“You’re fully covered shoulder to knee though…”
“Only jus’. Pass.”
The counsellor paused before going straight to plan D.
“OK. How about this then?” she said, showing Mara a different costume.
The Security Chief leaned forward and had a closer look.
“Alright. I think that can work. Add some sleeves…”
“No. No sleeves. That’s the step forward we’re taking. Show off a little.” Kuik reached out to touch Mara’s leg to encourage her, then thought better of it. “I was actually thinking maybe some bicep cuffs. Draw a bit of attention to those arms.”
“Can I?” Calleja reached out for the PADD, and Kuik handed it over. The Bandaran studied it for a moment, and then shrugged again. “Sure. I can make this work. An’ I know jus’ the person to help me with a few tweaks.”
“I’d already warned Dr Sydesh that she might be called on,” the counsellor said with a broad smile.
“Tha’ woman owes me,” Mara replied with a grin.
“Oh she does. And I think she knows it as well.” Kuik stood and accepted the data slate as Mara handed it back. “Well, I think we’ve made some progress here. I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thank you for being so open, Commander. And I look forward to seeing some pictures from the party.”
“Only if I don’ see the camera first,” Calleja replied, rising as well. “Take care, counsellor. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”