Prompt: Jones- "I'm not telling you so you'll be sorry. I'm telling you because everyone has stuff that no-one else can see." - 'Life UneXpected'
Once again Tuvok found himself in the messhall, staring out at the stars. Thankfully, as helpful as the Talaxian had been, Neelix was nowhere in sight. Tuvok had enough to think about without the help of the well meaning alien.
He'd gotten more than he had bargained for out of his attempt to 'get to know, Mr. Dalby'. Though he hadn't been sure what following Neelix's advice would lead to, even he would have to admit that he never would have anticipated learning what he had about Mr. Dalby. The younger man's brief history, had shocked him and given him a new understanding about the Mauis in general.
No, not all of the Maquis had a personal reason for their retalitaion against the Cardassians. There were some who had been mercenaries, like Mr. Paris. Those who were just out 'looking for a fight'. Some just had no other place to go or just were tired of what they saw as Federation interference of their lives. But many more, perhaps more than he'd even like to admit, had more personal reasons. Reasons that included protecting their homes and their way of lives. Those out for revenge for a personal injustice they had suffered at the hands of the Cardassians, like Mr. Dalby. Those whose world and lives had been destroyed by the Cardassians.
Tuvok had no doubt that Gerron Ral was one of those who had joined the Maquis for a personal reason. It didn't really matter what that reason was, or if it truly was justified, because as a member of a species who hadn't learned to control of their emotions like the Vulcans had, his feelings determined who he was. Just like all the other Maquis who had chosen to fight against the Cardassians.
Which meant that perhaps Janeway had been correct in her reasoning behind this training in the first place. Perhaps it was wrong to expect the Maquis to perform to Starfleet expectations when they hadn't chosen or been taught what those expectations were. As Dalby had pointed out to them, the Maquis were simply doing the best with the situation they had been faced with. Now, they needed to be given other methods to allow them to adapt to their new environment instead of simply make the best of it.
And perhaps his time-honored training methods needed to be tailored to this new type of students.
That didn't mean he had to lower his standards. Doing that would just be showing pity for the hard luck that life had thrown their way, and Tuvok knew pity was the last things the Maquis would want. All changing his methods meant was that he was finding a new way to help his students reach the standards of his previous students.
Wasn't that what a teacher should strive for - each of their students finding their full potential no matter what factors lied beneath the surface?