I See, I See (Judy/Stryker)

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"Sven, if you want to get along with people, you need to understand them," Judy asserted. "We're like machines, in that regard. It's your prerogative not to like the guy, but you have to consider where he's coming from."

She leaned back, as if to "back off" a little.
"Consider, for example, the possibility that he didn't properly learn the thing you're trying to do, and he's too embarrassed or afraid of the big, muscular officer to ask. Do you think that's possible?"

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters.

Truth be told, he did not consider that. Perhaps the crewmen was intimidated by him, and for a minute he felt empathy, but it was quickly replaced indifference.

"I suppose that could be the case." he admitted. "Okay, next time I'll just flat out ask if if he knows what he is doing."
He sat back and folded his arms. The strain on the fabric of his uniform around his shoulders looked as if it were going to rip any second.

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"I wouldn't recommend that," Judy answered. "It comes off the wrong way. The ideal would be to suggest that he try doing the work, in a neutral tone, and then, if he's stumbling, ask if he needs help."

Judy tapped gently on the table as she let the point seep in.
"Asking anyone if they know what they're doing implies that you think they don't. That may be true, but you don't want people to know it, because that makes you look like a jerk."

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

Sven huffed. "Maybe that's what he needs. A kick in the pants to motivate him to do the job right."

Without meaning to, he sounded just like his father.

"So, I don't really care if he thinks I'm a jerk or not."

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"Sven, you're a complete [spoiler]fucking[/spoiler] mental case," Judy spat quite convincingly. She'd always found anger to be almost as easy to feign as indignation.

She waited a solid minute in complete silence.
"Now, Sven, how did that make you feel?" she asked.

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

Sven furrowed his brows, sat back arms folded. "Are you insinuating that I would cuss at him and belittle him?"

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"Is that not what you just suggested?" Judy asked, sounding rather like one of the many prosecutors in her family tree.
"If not that, what does a 'kick in the pants' mean?"

She tapped against the desk, waiting for Sven's response.

[Stryker]

Sven's Quarters

He leaned forward slightly. It was an expression his father used. What did it really mean? His dad rarely cussed at him, but he had a way of showing him how he is wrong, making him wrong for it, and expecting a correction or else it was the strap.

"It's telling him he's doing it wrong, and how he needs to do it right, and if he can't do it, it teaching him through a thorough beating so that he learns to do it right the first time. Cussing doesn't do squat."

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

Judy gave Sven a perplexed look, as if what he'd said was alien to her.
"Why are you drawing the distinction?" she asked.
"You know those angry New York commuters? The ones people from smaller cities complain about? The ones we from Manhattan call the 'Bridge and Tunnel types'? They cuss, berate, criticize, and beat up others in about equal measure. None of it works, Sven. None of it."

[Stryker]

Svens Quarters

"It worked for me." he said that without thinking. He opened his mouth to continue, but it struck him. What Judy said earlier about how those that raise us, have a significant impact on them. This, didn't work for him.

He gaped for a moment, processing it, then looked into his hands.

"I'm a serious mess. I should probably resign my commission."

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"I can't stop you from doing that, but I wouldn't advise it," Judy replied. "You have your struggles, but so does everyone. We can work through it."

She leaned back in her chair.
"You just have to accept that there are many things you must unlearn and then re-learn."

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

He considered he for a moment and decided that walling in self pity never served anyone any benefit.

"Alright, let's do it your way. Next time I work with him, should I just ask how he was raised?"

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

"Well, you wouldn't ask it that way," Judy explained. "While you're working, you can make small talk, questions like 'where are you from?' But maybe that's not the approach you wanna take. You see, understanding where he comes from can explain why he is the way that he is, but that can't make him work better."

Judy took a sip from the glass of prune juice on her desk, then continued.
"To do that, you should encourage him to take the lead on work, and then, when he stumbles, offer him help."

[Stryker]

Sven's quarters

The one thing that Sven very much disposed, was small talk. He found it disingenuous, and shallow. And to make it harder, he wasn't in the habit of engaging in it, so the idea of making s talk with the crewman seemed like a daunting task.

He could go the route of teaching him, but wondered how long his patience would last. He sighed.

"Okay. So when I'm assigned to work with him tomorrow, I'll try and encourage him."

He didn't feel like it was going to work.

[Judith Eastman]

[Judy's Quarters]

Judy, too, had a feeling this wasn't going to work. Not with Sven's lousy attitude, anyway.

"Maybe we should practice it, so we can make sure you say the right thing in the right way?" Judy suggested. "Here, you'll be you, and I'll be McDonald."