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She knows the girl likes her.
Genesis is always fluttering around her, trying to reach into Nahla's core and pull out approval and admiration. She's got a sharp mind, good reflexes; if Nahla can mold the fear out of her, can soothe that need for validation, she could make Captain one day, land herself a place on that wall. Nahla thinks she wouldn't mind it, staring at Captain Genesis Lythe in the atrium centuries from now, aching at the loss, knowing that her hands were the reason Genesis made it. She's promising.
So Nahla doesn't mind when Genesis schedules unnecessary meetings with her during lunch. She'd give up her lunch tranquility for any cadet - it's a duty - but Genesis is a particularly welcome intrusion.
"What bothers you, cadet?" she asks, noticing the frown spreading across Genesis's face. "You look pretty down. Take a seat."
But Genesis shakes her head, remains standing. Nahla watches her lips quiver, watches her fists clench and then unfurl, folding with anxiety in front of her. She watches as Genesis puts on her little mask of confidence, the one too small, the one that doesn't fit her quite right and leaves half of her essence exposed. Nahla watches her. Nahla is eternally watching her.
She manages it: "I want you to teach me how to stop being afraid."
A laugh escapes her before she can swallow it down. She wants to laugh louder, wants to bellow it, wants to put her arm around Genesis's shoulder and whisper into her ear you assume that I've figured that out, cadet, your faith in me might be misplaced, I deserve all faith and nothing at all, leave me here. But: that isn't right; she's supposed to be guiding these kids, not brandishing her flaws in front of them. Her weaknesses must remain unspoken and clandestine, hidden in plain sight and scattered all around her office. Instead of vomiting herself out, she shakes her head and stands up to face Genesis.
"I'm sorry for laughing," Nahla says, placing her hand up and over the peak of Genesis's shoulder. The contact seems to fluster Genesis; she looks away, her face flooding red; hm. "I'm afraid all the time, Cadet. The trick is not to stop being afraid, it's learning how to work through that fear. The important thing is knowing when to trust yourself and when to trust those around you. If you can do that, you can keep going even when you're batshit terrified." They both laugh. "Excuse my language."
Genesis shrugs. There's an adorably confused look plastered on her face.
"What do you mean?" she asks.
Nahla sighs. She isn't getting it, so she squeezes Genesis's shoulder tighter, pours adoration out with her gaze. "You learn through life experience, kid. And you'll learn it here, over the next three years. Starfleet Academy will teach you not only how to function as a Starfleet officer, but also how to function better as a person." She gives a sadder laugh now, raises her brow for a moment. "That's the goal, anyway."
"Oh," Genesis says. When Nahla pulls away, her eyes shift to the floor, a dejected stance.
"Look," Nahla continues, giving a gentle nod, "you're hero material, cadet. I believe in you. You have what it takes. You have an impressive mind. I know we can work on calming it down."
"Thank you," Genesis replies, sinking into herself. "That means a lot."
Nahla smiles at her. "And... once you finish the last of your menial labor hours, come see me." A wink. Genesis seems to shiver when she catches it. "I can't teach you how to stop being afraid, but I can certainly teach you how to relax."
