Trigger Warning: Discussion of Trauma, Profanity, and Portrayal of Addiction
Simmie sat across from Dr. Calnori in her office. He sat at attention and was in uniform. He also had a pair of steel-toed work boots on his feet, as he had just come from the workshop, and his wedding ring on a chain around his neck.
Dr. Calnori’s office had a no-smoking sign over the door. It had a couch across from a polished oak wood desk in the neo-imperial style. Oak is a wood unique to the earth and hard to find. It also had a Persian-style rug from Calkori, a planet known for making rugs and homemade housewares. Nick-nacks of jade carvings and rare crystals were on neo-imperial wooden tables. The Jade carvings were from her home world and were religious symbols of the gods and goddesses like the god of the forge, the god of war, or the goddess of love. The crystals were from rock shops from all over the galaxy and were all sorts of colors and shapes.
“You said you wanted to discuss Brinus. I booked a full appointment to discuss Brinus, so something is bothering you.”
“What happened between Brinus and Harper?”
“I can’t discuss patient information with family members without their consent.”
“I feel like he compares Harper to me. Like, I’m a replacement for him.”
Dr. Calnori leaned forward and said softly, “I told you before you married him he would never get over Harper. You knew what you were getting into.”
“Yes, I did. I guess I am not as fine with it as I thought I was.”
“He loves you, you know. If you’re worried or feel undervalued, you should talk it out with him.”
Simmie laughed for a few seconds until he saw that Dr. Calnori was not laughing. “Are you fucking serious?!”
Dr. Calnori nodded. “Why are you so scared to confront Brinus? You told me you feel safe around him, and he is your protector.”
“I do enjoy cuddling with him, and I joke that he is my teddy bear, but...Brinus is intimidating.”
"I have dealt with clients like Brinus when I worked in the prison system before joining the Navy. Trust me, he will value your directness more than letting things fester."
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Proctor Vapes
Brinus was in line at the pharmacy. He had his prescription in his hand while Simmie was seeking advice from Brinus’s therapist. He tapped his foot and kept checking his watch. The person in front of him was setting up her first account and getting her first prescription. He made a sigh and rolled his eyes as the young, petty officer walked away with a vape pen and a vial of replicated juice.
“Next!”
Brinus was anxious for the next hit off his vape. He had been waiting for thirty minutes, and there was a strict no-smoking policy at the pharmacy. Brinus knew the reason for the no-smoking, and it was simple: air quality. The pharmacy hired non-smokers, and they didn’t want to deal with a bunch of nicotine vapor. It still didn’t make it any less annoying for people who used the pharmacy.
He slammed the script onto the table. “I need more nicotine in my Goddamn vape!!” He shouted.
“It says here it is 50 mg of class AA nicotine with 100 nanites per 20 mg of replicated vape juice, with the nanites programmed for health monitoring. That is what will be dispensed. Please wait. You know the policy, and you can go smoke outside.”
“Are you fucking Serious?!”
This is the fifth customer today acting like this! The tech smiled a customer service smile. “What you need to do is go vape outside. Your doctor has written the prescription; that is what will be dispensed.”
The pharmacist came from the back. He wore a white lab coat and blue crocks. On his chest, he had a green commissioned lieutenant’s ribbon. He was also in uniform and had silver hair. “Is there an issue?”
“No, sir. Sorry, sir.”
The pharmacist went up to the counter and said, “If you’re unhappy with your prescription, there is a vape shop down the promenade. Otherwise, pay and smoke outside.”
Brinus put 50 credits on the counter, which was his co-pay, and went outside to smoke.
The pharmacy tech turned to the pharmacist and asked, “How did you know that would work?”
“Easy, because Midshipman Helios is a patient. If he wanted to keep smoking, he could just go to the vape shop or buy from any number of vending machines. I will program his nannies and then replicate his formula. Next time, I will deal with him.”
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Brinus came home to his quarters with the pharmacy bag in his hand. He entered the foyer, removed his shoes, socks, and uniform shirt, and put on gym shorts.
Simmie was streamer surfing on the Holovision. He, too, was only in a pair of gym shorts. He had his feet propped on an ottoman.
Brinus put his prescription on the counter and sat next to Simmie. “What’ca watchin’?”
“I’m just channel surfin’.” Simmie leaned his head on Brinus’s shoulder, and they began holding hands.
“I made a fool of myself at the pharmacy today.”
Brinus felt humiliated and that he put himself on public display.
“Let’s face it, love. You’re a junkie.”
“Are people talking about it?”
Simmie laughed for a few seconds and then said, “Let’s just say there is a popular video going around on the net of Smokestack Helios being a karen.”
Great. now I am being ridiculed. Brinus flicked his head and snuggled with Simmie. “Anyway, you said you were seeing my therapist today. What did she tell you?”
Simmie began kissing Brinus’s vagus nerve and then ran his finger down his chest. “Do you want to have some fun first?”
Brinus smiled. He knew Simmie was stalling but went with it anyway. “You’re impossible to say no to too.”
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Forty-five minutes later, Brinus and Simmie were in bed, snuggling with each other. They were under the sheets, and Simmie cuddled with Brinus with his arm over Brinus’s side and chest. Brinus finally said turning around on the bed and facing Simmie, “Okay, Simmie, what did she say?”
“I noticed you didn’t call out Harper’s name this time.”
“Is that what y’all discussed? Me comparing you to Harper?”
Simmie nodded.
“You’re not Harper. You are Simmie. But I will never be over Harper.”
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“What happened?”
“I don’t wonna discuss it... but I’ll say it was bad enough to make me leave the syndicate and join the navy; hell, I was ready to die to leave the syndicate.”
Simmie ran his finger down Brinus’s chest and abs. “Is that why you tried to commit suicide by cop?”
Brinus nodded.
“I don’t like it when you compare me to Harper. I feel like there’s three people in our marriage.”
Brinus stroked Simmie’s face. “Why didn’t you say something sooner?”
“I went to your therapist. She gave me advice on how to communicate with you.”
“I wish you told me sooner.”
Brinus’s triquarter rang, and he answered. It was Brinus’s commanding officer. “There is a video of you circulating online. I want you in my office in the next thirty minutes, or I will have the police bring you to my office. We need to talk.
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Brinus was standing at attention in Commander Theodore’s office 15 minutes later. Commander Theodore had just played the video of Brinus in the pharmacy for him. “Do you have anything to add?”
“No, sir.”
“I would be within my rights to put you in the brig for disorderly conduct.”
Brinus said nothing.
“Are you going to defend yourself?”
“No, sir.”
“The pharmacy was telling me this is a routine occurrence, so they aren’t too bothered by it. However, in your case, you are a celebrity, and this video is going viral. Do you know who Grandma Joe is?”
Brinus nodded. “Isn’t she the mother of the chief flight officer?”
“Yes, she recently had her identity compromised. She clicked on a link and downloaded a VPN or something. I don’t know the details. She wants someone to help her with data security. You will help her or spend six months in the brig. Which do you prefer?”
Brinus had to admit that helping an elderly woman with her cyber security was a lot better than six months in jail. “I’ll help Grandma Joe.”
“Good. Report to her quarters at 0800 hours tomorrow. She is on deck 9, section B, room number 909B. I am also confining you to quarters for six months. I know nothing was damaged, but your prize money from your recent fight and the next fight will be confiscated as compensation to the ship. You only go to class, work, and the mess hall. Your husband can get your groceries and your prescriptions. Your food ordering privileges have been revoked for the duration of this time. Dismissed.”
“Yes, sir!” Brinus saluted and left.
Brinus thought it was bullshit that someone recorded him and posted it on the net. He didn’t act any differently than anyone else at the pharmacy. He’ll just bring Nicopops from now on.
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Brinus was soldering tin, copper, and silver alloy filaments he had just smelted to a blank glass circuit board he had 3D printed. He was wearing a pair of microscope goggles and a leather apron over his uniform pants and shirt. He also had on a pair of leather work gloves. Next to the circuit board was a bowl of homemade cookies and replicated milk. He was listening to loud gangster rap from Talon Prime.
Simmie came into the workshop and yelled, “Computer-cut music.”
Brinus growled but said nothing.
“What’s wrong, Brinus?”
Simmie came up to a droid and put it on the other work table. He attached some wires to it and ran a diagnostic program while looking at the ticket.
Some damn amateur criminal took advantage of a damn disabled elderly woman. She drained her fucking life savings and took everything from her. Rule zero of the Syndicate Code: no women, no children, and no disabled targets. The only exceptions for women are for those in positions of power. Fuck that fucking fucker!” He threw a pen across the room, and it lodged into the wall.
Simmie decided to change the subject. “I see she made you some cookies. Do you want them?”
“I can’t eat them because they ain’t on my diet.”
Simmie rose from his seat while running the diagnostic program, grabbed a handful of cookies, and then grabbed the milk.
“Do you need to take a hit off your vape, love?”
“No more than you do, sweet pea.”
They both laughed. They continued laughing for two minutes. Simmie then came up to Brinus and asked, “What are you working on?”
“It’s a modem for Grandma Joe. It will filter out any scam messages, spam calls, and texts.”
Simmie smiled. “You’re going all out, aren’t you?”
“Ever been to jail before?”
“No.”
Brinus laughed. “They you won’t understand.”
“How bad is jail?”
Brinus’s eyes became watery, and he faced Simmie in his stool. It was not a fake cry. Simmie knew when Brinus was faking because it was obvious. “Look, jail and prison are different. I remember in my second year at Newhaven District City Jail, they didn’t get food at the cafeteria for two weeks, but they still delivered shit to the commissary. People who didn’t have money for commissary starved, and it turned into a lord of the flies situation. Half of the prison died in a week, and the guards did nothing to stop it. Turns out some fucking desk jockey in the capital forgot to sign a piece of paper.”
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Captain Plato and Dr. Calnori were in the restaurant Dalla La Tramonto. Captain Plato had an alfredo pasta dish, and Dr. Calnori had a chickpea soup and salad dish. The restaurant was new and had been open for four months. In front of them were the service records of five people, including Brinus.
“Are these the only convicts left?”
“Most of them were KIA or given a bad conduct discharge. We only have five left on the ship.”
Captain Plato opened the file for Brinus and whistled. “Damn, did you see that video of him going viral? How do you plan to get him off of nicotine?”
“I have a few ideas to encourage him to see the light. I think we need to put him in a position where he is vulnerable and makes the decision to quit on his own.”
“And how do you propose to do that?”
“First, we need to address the root cause of his addiction, or he will replace nicotine with something worse if we force taper him now. I think it is both a combination of his trauma with Harper and his incident in foster care that led him to be homeless at 9 years old. The plan is to step up his therapy with DMT sessions once every other week. I also want to step ketamine therapy as soon as I have authorization from the chief medical officer. If he refuses to quit after the therapy regimen, I know an excellent smoking interventionist who specializes in cases like Brinus. I can bring him on as a consultant.”
Captain Plato I took a sip of his coffee with his pinky sticking out. “I trust your judgment. In my opinion Brinus should have gotten Brig time, but I understand why Commander Theodore gave him house arrest and forced him to help Grandma Joe.”
“I think the punishment fits the crime, sir.”
Captain Plato laughed and then said, “Maybe a little trauma is good for him to remind him where he could go if we revoke his parole.”
“Sir, you could overrule the sentence if you feel that strongly about it.”
Captain Plato waved his paw dismissively. “No. I’m not undermining my officers. I may not agree with his judgment, but it was the right call. Now, what is your opinion on Crewman Mouser?”
Dr. Calnori laughed and then said, “I think he enjoys killing a little too much, if you take my meaning. I understand his specialty is operating a star simulation machine as a science technician. Perhaps he could work somewhere far away from the front lines.”
“Agreed, I will recommend a transfer today. We don’t need someone like him in combat. He is too unpredictable.”
Captain Plato slow-blinked and swished his tail side-to-side. “I know just where to put him; he will be far away from the front lines.”
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Meanwhile, back at the workshop...
Brinus was pressing a steel sheet in a metal press. He had just cast a steel ingot. After cutting the steel sheet into four panels, he drilled four holes into each corner and replicated 12 super-hardened plastic screws. He then started 3D. I printed a 120-mm fan from a premade model and grabbed some ball bearings from a container labeled “half-inch steel balls.” He dipped them in lubricant, made a steel ring, and lubricated the inside of the ring after welding it closed. Once the 3D printer finished printing the blades, he screwed in more replicated screws. He then got a heat sink and put it on the CPU, the storage processing chip, and lots of RAM.
As Brinus was building a modem and a server, the new lieutenant came into the workshop. “Officer on Deck!”
Brinus and Simmie Stood at attention and saluted the lieutenant.
“Midshipman Smokestack, acting Lieutenant Simuor. I see you’re both working on a server and just finished a modem. Maybe it’s time for a break? You and Simmie both have been working for ten hours.”
“Sir, might I...” Brinus started but was cut off by the lieutenant.
“I am ordering y’all both to take your lunch and dinner. Brinus, you’re under house arrest, so you need to eat at home.”
“Sir…”
“NOW BRINUS!!”
“Sir, yes, sir.”
Brinus saluted, and they both left.
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Simmie cooked up a quick lunch—two roast meat sandwiches with a spicy relish sauce on toasted baguette bread from the bakery.
Finally, Simmie spoke. “I think there is an elephant in the room we need to discuss.”
“I know. You remind me of Harper in a lot of your mannerisms, but that isn’t why I choose to be with you.”
“Then why do you?”
Brinus put his vape pen on the table and then sighed, “Because you’re a lot more stable than he was. He was a bit of a party animal, and he had a drinking problem. He did quit at first but relapsed three more times afterwards before he was murdered.”
“Harper sounds like he was a handful.”
Brinus laughed and poured himself a glass of whole milk from the replicator. “He definitely was a wild child. Hell, when he was wasted, he could be fun to be around…but sometimes took things too far. I don’t want to be in a relationship with another alcoholic again.”
“I see. So you don’t compare me to Harper?”
“I see you as someone who is stable, compassionate, and kind. Harper was wild, undisciplined, and had a massive drinking problem.”
Simmie slammed his sandwich down onto the table. “What does that mean?”
“That means you’re my rock. Yes, I loved him. No. I will not date another addict again. Remember when you called Dr. Calnori rather than calling the police when I had that nic fit two and a half months ago? Harper would’ve called the police.”
Simmie Nodded.
“You also cook some amazing meals for a billionaire’s kid. Harper was my other chaotic half, but you keep me balanced. There is no comparison between you and Harper.”
Simmie smiled and pulled out his vape pen from his pocket after they both finished their sandwiches. “We have a two-hour lunch. You wanna blow Os?”
Brinus smiled and said, “Sure.”
Brinus and Simmie took off their steel-toed boots and socks and hung up their uniform shirts on a hanger by the door. They cuddled on the couch. Brinus turned on the holovison to a popular streamer for his MMORGP he played, and they began relaxing for the next hour and a half.