Zabrak, Interrupted (Kadrak Jalaan)

[Doctor Zendu]

Location: The Planet of Belasco, Home Office of Doctor Robert Zendu

After finishing up some paperwork from his previous patient, a Sullustan with a bad case of social anxiety who was ironically named Jitters, Doctor Robert Zendu, M.D., licensed Psychiatrist, dressed in a spiffy tweed suit and horn-rimmed glasses, checked his patient files for the lowdown on his next appointment.

Name: Kadrak Jalaan. Age: twenty-two. Occupation: Mechanic. Species: Zabrak. From his preliminary notes it seemed like she was looking to work on her stubborness and her perfectionism. He was sure he'd unearth more latent issues in the woman. He always did. But for now it was a good place to start.

Doctor Zendu knew many alien languages, Huttese, Cheunh, even a bit of Shyriiwook, but Zabraki was one alien tongue he didn't have in his wheelhouse. Ah, well, according to her file she spoke Basic fluently, so his reputed brand of talk therapy wouldn't be a problem for either of them.

Sometimes psychotherapy intimidated people, but with his state-of-the-art, modernly decorated office equipped with a plush Hover sofa, he made sure that his patients were as comfortable as possible. He opened the door of his office and peeked his head out to see if she had arrived or if she would be a no-show.

"Miss Kadrak Jalaan?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

It had taken a bit of persuasion on her part to assure Zatten that he wouldn't have to tag along this time, but she had managed. The fact that he wished to come with didn't bother Kadrak in the least, and the general idea of how he would behave in such a setting amused her. The appointment would have been much shorter, she knew, if he had decided to come anyhow.
In truth she wasn't sure why she'd even bothered with making the appointment, much less following through with coming, but something about it had caught her eye. Though primarily interested in machines and anything related to them, something about psychiatry sparked her interest. She was talented, or well enough, at sparking enmity in others, as evident by the bar fights she'd managed to get into. But beyond that, her experience in the science was limited.
Now, instead of waiting idly for the doctor to finish, she'd begun tinkering, as she always did when she had nothing else to occupy her hands. And in the absence of a certain Zeltrochiss, she deemed to fiddle with her blaster. Having taken it apart time and time before, it took her mere seconds to fit the pieces back together, holstering it in the next second before standing to regard the man in front of her, studying first him and then the office space she could glimpse through the door, habitually searching for anything out of the ordinary. Some might call her paranoid, she called it practical.
"The one and only."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu held out his hand for the attractive Zabrak woman, holding her file under his arm. "Pleased to meet you Kadrak, I'm Doctor Zendu." He gave her a big toothy grin. It soured when his eyes flicked down to her blaster.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave your weapon in a locker here in the waiting room." He reached into his pocket and took out a keyring, jingling it briskly. "It's against our terms that you signed in the beginning, you see. No firearms." He shook his head and gave her a thin lipped smile.

He crossed to what could have been a filing cabinet and unlocked the top drawer with one of the keys. Then he turned back to her and held out his hand for her blaster. "We just need to take care of this little detail, and then we can get started."

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

Had she not been above appearing rude when they'd only just met each other Kadrak would have rolled her eyes, but as it were she took the weapon in hand, making sure the safety was off before switching her grip to hold it by the barrel, handing it over to him. Firearms didn't mean she wasn't allowed to have the vibroblade she'd tucked away in its sheathe on the inside of her boot, nor did the rule apply to anything on her person that could be fashioned into a weapon should the need arise. So, all in all, she was content in giving up the blaster. Almost.
At least he wasn't preaching non-violence yet, so she was marginally happy with the terms for the time being. As her weapon was locked away she made a note to invest in a holdout blaster, so she wouldn't be entirely without something easily accessible besides her knife. A few tweaks here and there, and it would be just as deadly as her primary weapon. Nobody said it was exclusively legal, but it got the job done.
Brushing off these thoughts she smiled again, doing her best to ignore the odd feeling of the empty holster at her side. The only other time she'd had to give up her weapon was at a ball of sorts, but even then, as now, she'd come armed. Nothing said this Doctor Zendu had to know that. "I'll have to remember to leave it in the ship next time. Sorry about that." She was playing nice, but guardedly so. Past experience gave her cause to be cautious around most.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

After locking up her weapon and putting the keys safely back in his pocket, Doctor Zendu put his hands out in a conciliatory gesture. "Oh, it's Ok. I totally understand. In a world like ours, one can never be too careful. I have a few patients who are great warriors. And they always have trouble with that part of the treatment. It's like cutting the umbilical cord." He smiled and added. "It's really for my safety more than anything. After all, many of the people I treat are deranged. Anyway, Please come in."

He led her into his treatment room.

The space was a converted home office. It was a sleek, naturally lit modern space decorated with angular furniture. At the end of the office sat his desk, a white chair and an inviting-looking Hover sofa for patients who wanted to recline.

"Welcome to my office, Kadrak. Feel free to sit anywhere you like." He swept his hand in the direction of the chair and the Hover sofa.

A small bar droid blooped up to them, offering Kadrak some water infused with melon slices. He waited for her to sit, clutching his file.

"Once you're settled, why don't you tell me what kind of problems I can help you with?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

Oh, that was a loaded question. Making the appointment had really been more of a spur of the moment thing, and she didn't have anything particular in mind when she scheduled it. Really, it was to sate her curiosity about the entire psychological profession, and maybe learn a bit more about herself in the process. As it were, she didn't have any real reason to be there, she supposed. That begged the question as to how exactly she would answer him. Honesty was always the best policy, as many were fond of saying, and she knew she didn't have anything to fear from the man, as evident from his manner and office. If her lack of Force sensitivity benefited her in one area, it was her intuition when it came to dealing with people.
Kadrak sat as she was bid, taking the glass of water offered by the small droid and sipping at it as she pondered her answer. "Truth be told, I'm not here for one particular reason or another, as I'm sure is the norm for most who make an appointment. I'm a curious person, you could say, and psychology just happened to catch my eye. This wasn't too out of the way, and here we are." She shrugged. "There's really nothing more to it than that."
A part of her was slightly surprised that he hadn't started with a different question than that, or inquired about her tattoos or the burn scar that covered the better part of the right half of her face. Most of his type asked after something similar, but she supposed he wanted to start small. Very well. So would she.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu smiled at her choice to recline on the Hover sofa, as it tended to make patients more relaxed. He took the chair and placed it so that he was sitting directly across from her, adjusting his pant legs as he sat on the chair in a cross-legged position. He listened to her talk with a slightly furrowed brow, his lips pressed together with concern, breaking eye contact only to jot down a few notes in his notebook. When she was finished he tilted his head.

"Fair enough, Kadrak. So, let me ask a couple of questions about you then. Is everything alright in your personal life right now? How have you been feeling lately? Are you experiencing nervousness, depression or other emotions that are troubling?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

Opening up about anything definitely wasn't her strong suit, especially when it came to talking with a person she'd just met only seconds ago. But there was really nothing to hide, a secretive sort of smile turning up the corners of her mouth as he queried after her personal life. It was anything but bad, fantastic in fact, though she doubted he would approve of her idea of fun. Which, of course, involved a few gunfights here and there, and perhaps instigating a confrontation or two with a few patrons at this or that cantina. Nothing spectacularly unheard of, but definitely not something most people approved of either. And she had a feeling the same went for the doctor who sat across from her. "I don't think you'd want too many details into what exactly goes on in my personal life, but rest assured everything's normal. Or as normal as it can be, all things considered."
Now they were on to talking about her feelings, something else that definitely made her feel awkward and out of place. Kadrak didn't devote much time to thinking about them, mostly because any qualms she had could either be solved with a few short words or a blaster, nothing else to it. Yet another thing most people didn't guess by looking at her, and something else she wasn't too keen on revealing. "Define 'troubling'." A slow smile. "Nothing that I can think of, really. There's always the odd bar fight or squabble in the streets, but that can really just be chalked up to people getting mad over a dirty look or you breathing at them wrong. And it isn't anything that can't be solved quickly either. So, to answer your question, not really anything."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu rubbed his thin thoughtfully and leveled his gaze at her. "Kadrak. I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me. Two reasons. One, your body language is guarded. And two, you've just told me that you don't think I'd want to know too many details about your personal life." He grinned. "But that's exactly what you're paying me for, Miss Jalaan. I'm here to listen. And then offer advice if you need it. Or not."

"Maybe it would help to remind you that anything you tell me will be held in the strictest of confidences. I see all walks of life in this office. From nuns to warlords. Believe me, I've heard it all and nothing would shock me."

He smiled at Kadrak. "So with that out of the way. Doctor Zendu tapped his pen on his notebook for emphasis. "Why don't you tell me a little bit about your personal life. What do you do for fun? Do you have a boyfriend? A girlfriend? These details will help me help you, you see."

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

With all of their talking Kadrak had forgotten that she was speaking to someone who was as well-versed in reading other's body language as she was, perhaps even more so. It was odd for her, but she decided she could get used to it quickly. A bit of a mental exercise never hurt anyone, least of all her. It was like working on one of her projects, though this one was decidedly more organic in nature. In that moment she decided she liked psychology. Perhaps she'd have to pursue more about it in the future.
But for now, it was on to his questions. What she did for fun was definitely amusing to her, for more reasons than one. There were variables to that question, most definitely. Asking after who she was dating entertained her almost as much. Regardless of how much this man had seen in his life, she was certain her particular boyfriend would surprise him nonetheless. He did have his way with people, and it usually wasn't a particularly good one.
"Well, let's see...I'm dating the one and only notorious Zatten Black who is, in nine out of ten scenarios, most likely at the nearest bar right now. Now, as for what I, or rather, we, do for fun...that depends on what planet we're on, who's there, where we are and what time of day it is. And how much sad individuals have been drinking. Plenty of variables."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

At the name of Kadrak's boyfriend, Doctor Zendu's eyes showed a glimmer of recognition. "Ah, Mr. Black, a Zeltron-Chiss mix. I've never treated him as a patient, but I'm familiar with the name as I've heard it spoken before among a few of my female patients." He gave her a tight-lipped smile. "Strict confidentiality paperwork restricts me from saying any more than that." He chuckled and then added in a whisper: "But I understand the man is quite the heartbreaker."

He settled back into his seat, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose and continued, twirling his pen in his hand. "You may not want to hear this, but from what you're telling me, there is some possible substance abuse in your relationship. At least some warning signs of it. Couples in which a partner abuses drugs or alcohol often end up very unhappy, and it doesn't bode well for future marital bliss. However the man is part Zeltron so it may not affect your relationship in the way it would with human couples."

He leaned in and gave her the familiar concerned look again. "Miss Jalaan. Do you drink for fun or do you drink to reduce emotional stress? More directly, is there a pain in your life that you're trying to blot out?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

It didn't really surprise her to hear that Zatten's name had been mentioned among a few or more female patients that came through the office. In fact, she would have been disappointed if it hadn't come up somewhere here and there. A few tales of his exploits had come up when they were at the bar, but they served to do nothing more than amuse her. If there was one thing the man was good at, it was getting into a good predicament or two before the day was done. She'd be surprised if there were no stories he had to tell her by the time she returned to the ship. "Heartbreaker is one word to use, yes. But he's more than just a pretty face, and much more than just a ladies' man. Believe me when I tell you that if you ever have him in this office, it will be an experience to remember."
His other comment gave her pause, and she merely shrugged. "He's one of very few people I've met that gets more sober the more he drinks, instead of the other way around, so I can't see it posing a problem. I've only seen him with a hangover two times at best, and he always manages to get over them in a few hours. So it's not really an issue."
At his last question Kadrak blinked before smiling slightly. "I think, when I mention drinking, you and I think of two very different things. I rarely drink enough to get inebriated, or anywhere near that state. Most times it's because someone offered to buy me something and it would be rude to refuse them, others because it just seems like the right occasion. I can't, however, speak for my partner in crime."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Hunched over his chair, Doctor Zendu furiously scribbled in his notebook. Then he raised his head to appraise her again, folding his hands neatly over the notebook. "I would keep an eye on the drinking if I were you. Especially if your 'partner in crime' as you call him is putting you in uncomfortable situations, not to mention involving you in illegal activities."

"But it's fine to enjoy a good drink every now and then. I do myself from time to time." He chuckled and gestured to a nearby liquor cabinet that was stocked to the brim with liquor and barware. "I merely asked because substance abuse is quite common in trauma survivors." Doctor Zendu motioned to her face and the burn marks on it.


"Could you tell me about your scar?"


[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

An amused smile turned up the corners of her mouth at his mention of 'illegal activities', but she didn't elaborate on the comment. Kadrak had a feeling that he would be far less welcoming if he knew she worked with and for a group of mercenaries, though they weren't without their own sense of honor and loyalty, criminal activity was still criminal activity at the end of the day. And something told her he wouldn't discriminate should he become aware of that. But she was here out of curiosity, not to tell him everything about herself and who she decided to parley with.
Reaching up a hand to absentmindedly trace the scar she paused for a moment. It wasn't that the event necessarily traumatized her, but it definitely wasn't a pleasant memory to recall, all things considered. "Long story short, let's just say that you'd better know what you're doing when it comes to mixing explosives and your habit of fiddling with things. But that's not really how it happened. The real story isn't near as interesting, depending on your idea of the sort. I got it when I was young, which is why the tattoos cover a part of it. When I was younger, it wasn't any secret that I could work a machine decently enough, so I learned early. One thing led to another, something sparked and caught fire, leaving me with this. It isn't anything too terribly tragic, really."
It was then she decided to comment on his first warning in regards to illegal activities and uncomfortable situations. "Trust me, if I didn't like anything he was up to, I wouldn't be the only one to know about it. That blaster I carry isn't just for show, and if anyone decides to try anything I'm more than willing to show them."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu listened to her story with a gentle, caring demeanor. He made a few more scribbles in his notebook and then leaned forward, his arms resting on his knees.

"Kadrak, the accident you described. That was terrible thing to happen to someone at such an early, impressionable age. I'm afraid my instincts tell me that you haven't quite come to terms with it yet." He paused and scratched his chin.

"Of course, I could be wrong, although I'm usually not. But my feeling is that you have a very fortified wall built up around yourself."

The Doctor gave Kadrak a tight-lipped smile tapped his pencil on his notebook. "Miss Jalaan, I can't help you unless you open up to me. Now what can we do to break down that wall, hm?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

The fact that she was guarded around most was true, and Kadrak didn't see a point in denying it. But it really only went for certain situations with certain people, particularly strangers. And something about the formal setting still made her feel out of place. The only other time she'd been to any kind of similar event had been with the aforementioned 'partner in crime', which was most of the reason she was comfortable with the idea. Being unarmed definitely had something to do with it as well, but she didn't bother in asking for her weapon back. That would only lead this discussion in circles, and she didn't need to hear anything about how non-violence was the better path.
"If I'm completely honest, I don't really think about it much. You're, what...the second person to bring it up in the span of a few months. It's not something that really bothers me. If anything it reminds me of where I came from, and the risks of the job. But it still wasn't enough to convince me to stray away from the field." And that was the truth. The danger of it had only enticed her more, once she'd gotten over the general fear of going through the same scenario once again. If she was one to be scared off by a bad first encounter, then many things in her life wouldn't have reached the point they were at, namely her prowess with machines.
At his last question she almost suggested that they forgo the formalities and get right to the point, but she had to remember that this wasn't the usual type of person she normally dealt with on a day-to-day basis. "That's another thing I've never really devoted much time to thinking about, most likely because I don't have to rely on my people skills to get me through life." She shrugged. "Well, unless you count the more delicate work I've had to do, that is."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

He was impressed with the strength and resiliency in the Zabrak but Doctor Zendu could see that Kadrak was not yet ready to share. Many of his patients weren't at first. She was the kind of patient that would need much more time. Perhaps the path to least resistance was directness.

"Miss Jalaan, I would like you to talk a little bit more about that delicate work you're referring to." He scribbled a few more notes in his little black book and then looked up at her, tilting his head inquisitively. "But first a couple of questions."

"Kadrak, does therapy make you uncomfortable? Do I make you uncomfortable?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

Now they were getting to be straight to the point, something Kadrak could definitely deal with. Beating around the figurative bush was never something she had much time for, and in her line of work, asking someone flat out always warranted more results than continuing on with indirect questions that never quite got to the point. Of course, not many were typically used to her bluntness, but it was better than things leading to confusion. Straightforwardness must not be a strict virtue in psychology. That was something that could be remedied, at least while they were speaking.
And he wanted to hear more of what kind of work she was speaking of as well. "As long as you aren't concerned with the necessary legality of things, I'd be happy to share with you. It's not near as bad as you're thinking, most likely. People tend to dramatize whenever you mention working outside of the law, I've found."
Then on to his questions. "It isn't that therapy makes me uncomfortable, and it definitely isn't you. But where I come from, or at least when it comes to the crowd I run with, we don't really devote much time to talking things out, which is why you learn to become a problem solver quickly, or not at all. So, I guess you could say it isn't within my typical experiences to talk things out with anyone."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu leaned back in his chair, nodding his head enthusiastically. "Oh, Kadrak, anything you tell me regardless of its legality is strictly confidential. I am not in anyway going to contact authorities except in the instance that my own life is in danger. Believe me there are no judgments here."

He smiled and tilted his head, almost birdlike. "Therapy makes many people uncomfortable. You have no idea how many people distrust psychiatrists. I've been called everything from a charlatan to a parasite." He chuckled and then frowned. The memory stung. "I've had things thrown at me, and in a very rare case was physically attacked outside my office. I also have the occasional patient who goes the other way and becomes unhealthily attached to me, of course..." He stopped, realizing he was rambling.

"I'm not saying that you distrust me per se, Kadrak, but I am no stranger to resistance. Ultimately, you really get out of it what you put into it. So tell me. How is did talking things out make you feel?"

[member="Kadrak Jalaan"]

 

[Avery Rose Garter]

As she became more comfortable with the general situation Kadrak relaxed visibly in her chair, only shrugging at his question. The man was easy to talk to, certainly, but considering his profession it wasn't something that necessarily surprised her. And as long as he didn't pry too much into things, she would stay content with speaking with him about things. "Let me tell you right now that if I didn't trust you, you would be the first person to know about it. I tend to let people know when I'm not okay with them." There had been a few instances, in her profession as a mechanic, where she'd had to ward off the occasional hostile individual with a blaster bolt or two. "It's nice, I suppose, to just be able to talk about it with someone and not have the same conversation come up over a drink or two later. So you could say I appreciate it, definitely." A smile at that.
She leaned back in the chair now, having set the half-empty glass of water down previously. "And since you seemed curious about my line of work earlier, I primarily work with The Nova Outbound Fleet, who are more or less a group of freelancers that do the odd job for credits. Mercenary is a more proper word, but it's not how we refer to ourselves. Then you have The Shadow Empire, but they've gone quiet. There was The Nova-Valhalla Federation, but..." Another shrug. "That's done as well, it seems. So I'm a freelance mechanic who works for a good few credits if you need me, but I'm happy to take a job or two outside of the Fleet if someone needs it. And then you have your weapons' modifications, which aren't usually the most legal. But hey, if you don't get caught no one can say anything, hm?" She smiled again at that.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]