Zora/Logs/Tienlong Marijuana
IC Time: April 5, 2122
Redemption - Cargo Bay - C Deck
This cavernous Cargo Bay stretches about two hundred fifty feet long, fifty feet wide and fifty feet tall. The flooring and walls are entirely functional, being reinforced metal, piping, and wiring. The floor is littered with quick-release clamps to easily attach or detach standard cargo containers. A set of winding stairs lead up to the Training Room on the B Deck from the Cargo Bay, and another set of stairs near the end of the bay lead up to a narrow Catwalk near the Engine Room above. The wide ramp opens just below the nose of the boat, with a spot for the MULE to attach right onto the ramp, so that the craft is ready to deploy as soon as the ramp lowers.
Zora comes rushing into the cargo bay, calling after Brian loudly. "Captain Brian? Captain Brian!" She looks defeated and anxious, and she peers over her shoulder a few times as she hastily attempts to get the Tienlong's Captain before he leaves. <English>
Brian comes to a halt and turns to look over his shoulder with curiosity and what might be a hint of mild annoyance at being flagged down on his way to take Wren on vacation for a little bit. He waves Wren onward and mutters something to her about catching up before turning to face Zora and asking, "Yeah? Oh, that conversation, I'm sorry I completely forgot." A glance at the retreating form of Wren suggests other things on his mind, but he stays in place. "What was it you wanted to discuss?" <English>
Zora nods, her eyes following Wren as well. "I'm sorry," she apologizes quickly, a bit out of breath. "But this is important, and doesn't have to take long. The last time Wren came back from your ship, she told us that someone got her high. Obviously, that's a bit of a problem. I wanted to address that with you. She didn't say who it was, and I didn't push because I didn't want her to think we were upset with /her/. Do you know anything about this?" Her eyebrow raises as she waits for a response, her breath slowing down some. <English>
Brian nods slowly, listening as she speaks, and at a certain point it's somewhat obvious that this sense of.. dread mixed with embarassment comes over him, and he's doing a sort of standing face-palm. "Yeah.. that." He sighs a little. "Wren told me about it, and she didn't really understand what was going on. Obviously I was a little upset over it, and had words with the person in question. And I'll tell you the same thing I told him: Honestly, if she wants to get high, that's great. It's not my or anyone else's place to keep her from it, so long as she knows what she's getting into. Obviously she was sort of bushwhacked and didn't understand what was going on, and she got sick, and.. yeah. Anyway, it's been handled on my end." <English>
Zora just nods and listens as Brian speaks, sighing when he's finished. "Well, I'm glad you were made aware that there was a problem," she comments. "Obviously, we try to watch over Wren differently than we would other crew, and you're right, the consent lines for these things are very fuzzy when it comes to her. She's of age for a lot of things, but I worry that she's not of a mental age to handle them. Things like drugs, alcohol, sex - I don't know how to advise her about them, or when to step in and speak for her about something's level of inappropriateness." Mournfully glancing to where Wren has disappeared, she lets out another dejected sigh. "Though I suppose much of that won't matter, now. This incident has damaged her trust in the crew as a whole, and try as I might, it seems that I've completely undone any progress I made with her on a personal level, which is supremely frustrating." After a few moments, Zora shakes herself, trying to ge rid of her thoughts, and smiles warmly at Brian. "But I'm sorry. I'm sure you have things to do and take care of, and I don't want to keep you from them. I really just wanted to make sure we were on the same page." <English>
Brian can't help but smilea little bit as she begins speaking, though it fades when she talks of trust and frustration. "Do you mind if I give you a little advice?" he asks, but just sort of goes on anyway without waiting for an answer. "Wren sees and understands things a bit differently from us, that's true, and she is in some ways even child-like. But I think the most important thing is not to mistake her for a child. She is an adult by any definition, and even if the way she looks at the world is different from the norm, she still has the right to experience and do just like we do. Drugs, alcohol, and sex may mean entirely different things for her, but it's her prerogative to make value judgements about them based on her experience, and sheltering her only makes that harder on her." He pauses a moment, sort of letting that sink in, nad then continues, "There are tensions, sure, but she's very resilient and I think now that she knows Passe's okay, given a little time, things will go back to relative normal with her. The other thing, regarding trust, and what I saw of the two of you interacting earlier.. I think it's important to treat Wren not as someone to be helped, but someone to be cared for same as anyone else. Want to help her, help her even, certainly. But accept that what she says and does and thinks is relevant and important and has the same value as anyone else even if the connections she makes are sometimes beyond us. Accept that when she says there are monsters that she believes there are and address them as a real concern, not as a hallucination or a defect." With this, his smile returns but it's more one of affection for the thought of Wren as he concludes, "It's why Wren and I get along with each other so well and why she trusts me, I think." <English>
Zora is nodding in agreement for the majority of what Brian says, but then she slowly begins to frown. "I understand what you're saying," she replies slowly. "But the autistic adults I've known were unable to understand concepts like that. Which means consent cannot be given, if they can't truly understand what they're consenting to." Raking her hands through her hair once again, she closes her eyes, leaning against a nearby cargo crate. "But Wren is higher functioning, as well, than those I've known. It seems like people are bent on making choices for her, regardless of what her wishes are, and I do feel that that, at least, is wrong. It's why I promised her I'd never do anything to her that she didn't want, or force her to be anywhere she didn't want to be. I thought that would help her to trust me, but apparently my profession alone is enough to make that impossible." Opening her eyes, she peers at Brian to get his reaction. "I want to see her happy, and from what I've gauged, she isn't happy here right now." <English>
Autism? Brian hadn't ever asked, and certainly has no medical experience, so he assumes that must be what it's called. He'd never even thought to categorize it far enough to consider a name for it. He shrugs a little at the subject of consent, but ultimately agrees. "Wren understands," he says, "When it happened she didn't understand because it wasn't explained, but once I sat her down and told her she incorporated that information and made a judgement about the experience - she didn't like it. I think that's an important distinction." And again he's nodding, the ghost of a frown crossing his features as he considers his next words a moment. "I don't think the person who offered her the drugs even considered that it was something worth 'Making A Choice' about.. but that's a perspective thing. I agree, it is wrong to try to make choices for her, and that's sort of rolled up in what I meant by treating her like an adult same as anyone else. As for your profession.." His words trail off into a sigh and he's shaking ihs head a bit. "I think she's had some bad experiences with medbays and doctors nad nurses and made blanket assessments based on them. All I can suggest in that department is to just show her you're different. It'll take time. But either way, I'm glad to hear that her happiness is what's important to you, and any unhappiness regarding this ship is I think just a result of high tension over what happened, not a general dissatisfaction. Only way to know is wait and see how it goes, though." Almost as an afterthought he adds, perhaps an attempt at reassuring her, "I'm happy to have her on the Tienlong as long as she wants to be there, but I am by no means trying to steal her away. I think she knows this is home." <English>
"Well, to be honest, thinking about the whole situation makes my head hurt," Zora sighs, giving in and hopping up on the cargo crate. "It feels like either she's got someone hanging over her protecting her and making her choices for her, which I'm sure, would be suffocating and irritating. On the other hand, if she doesn't understand something until she's gone through it and then had it explained..Captain, there are things you don't come through. What if this had been heroin she'd been offered, or some other mixture of drugs that could have been fatal? I worry that she'll get herself into something that will harm her permanently because she simply doesn't understand the situation. I honestly don't know. But I do know this - I don't want anyone ever forcing her to do things she doesn't want, even if they think it's in her best interests." She stares down at her feet, crossing them for a moment, and then uncrossing them again. "I do want her happy," she says quietly. "And honestly, if that meant you stole her away to the Tienlong, if it was where she wanted to be, I doubt I'd object. I know there are those who would miss her horribly, but ultimately, Wren should be where she's happy and feels safe." Zora looks back up at Brian, smiling shyly. "Just let me know if there's ever anything I can do to help." <English>
Brian sighs a little too as he speaks. "Yeah, I get you," he says. "And I don't have an answer for that other than to be watchful. I mean, the same could be said for anyone offered heroin or the like who didn't understand it, but I realize there's an additional level of concern with Wren. In the person's defense he never forced her, only offered, but.. as I said, I was upset because he didn't tell her what she was in for. Eyes open, I told him. But.. yeah." He shoves his hands into his pocket and shrugs his shoulders a bit - the not having an answer thing has gotten to him a little, given his additional responsibilities.. "I want her to be happy too, but I would never presume to make that determination - what makes her happy - for her. If she comes or goes, rest assured that it iwlll be her choice." He matches her smile, then, though it's less shy, and he adds, "And I will. For all my babbling I'm obviously no psychologist, I value your input as much as I value your desire to help. You seem like good people, so I really hope you and Wren can come to some sort of accomodation." <English>
Zora blinks when Brian declares her 'good people', and she beams. "Thank you. That...really means a lot. Especially after...well, you know. This whole thing with Wren...I really only recently got hired here. I barely know most of the crew. Mostly because they all got sick soon after I came on board. But Wren is so special, and she took me by surprise with her plants. I think she has a great heart, and I don't want to see anything happen to her that she can't handle." Smiling once more, her dimples showing, Zora nods to Brian. "Like I said, though. Captain of a ship and all...I'm sure you've got more important things to do than chat with the Redemption's nurse. I appreciate the time, though." <English>
Brian's nodding again as she thanks him, offering an easy smile. "Yeah, she's asked me to help her get things to set up a little garden on the Tienlong too. No one wants to see anything bad happen to her," he agrees, then chuckles a bit. "She's practically got mascot status on both ships, everyone loves her. And yeah, I suppose I ought to get back, but I never mind time spent this way. Like I said, I value your input. And I'll extend the same offer - if you need anything, regarding Wren or otherwise, don't hesitate to let me know." With another smile he says, "It was nice talking to you. See you around." And with that he turns to head for the exit. <English>
Zora calls, "It was nice talking to you, too. And I appreciate this, Captain, I really do." Conversation over, she begins to scoot herself off the cargo crate, heading for the rest of the ship once she's down. <English>
Brian has left. Brian disembarks from the vessel.
