Moires

Posted on Fri Nov 4th, 2022 @ 4:25am by Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Captain Samuel Woolheater

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Deck 14 - Counseling Offices
Timeline: MD4: 0945
2585 words - 5.2 OF Standard Post Measure

[ON:]

Sam promised himself a tall, frosty cold one at the Arcadia Bar if he would just do this.

He arrived on Deck Fourteen and walked to the main counseling office where he checked in and waited. There was a poster on the wall for visiting Pacifica. For some people, it was a tourist attraction. For him, it was home. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Counseling sessions, a necessary evil of life in the service, were about as fun as waiting in line for the Transporter. Sam heard a door swish open and looked up.

Alicia smiled warmly as she walked out and looked towards Samuel. “Captain, would you like to follow me please.” She motioned him to her office.

Rising to his feet and acknowledging the Lieutenant Commander and Chief Counselor for the ship, "Counselor" he said after a moments hesitation. He had forgotten if she preferred her rank or title but he pretended as if he knew. He nodded and followed her into the office. He stepped inside after her and remained standing he said, "Thank you for seeing me. You probably don't recall, it was months ago now, you saw me when I first reported for duty to the ship. I saw you in the medical offices at that time. Just before I saw Commander Sthilg" he said casually.

“Of course I remember you” Alicia smiled warmly as they entered her office. “Please call me Alicia, no need for rank in this office.” She motioned him to any of the comfortable seats. “I’m glad you came to see me, you’d be surprised how many people I have to chase after when it’s evaluation time.”

"Yes ma'am. I can only imagine" he replied. Sam waited until she had seated and then he chose one of the chairs. He sat down and she was right, it was comfy. All puffy and soft. He wasn't expecting it to be so comfy and he righted himself and sat more forward. So as not to be in such a recline position. He smiled, ~~ Anyone ever been swallowed up in the chair? ~~ he thought to himself but said nothing. Proper military etiquette dictated that junior officers did not lead the conversation. And Sam was trying to show the proper respect.

Alicia smiled warmly. “If you’d like anything there’s fresh chilled water right there..” She motioned to a jug and glasses on the coffee table. “Either that or the replicator is available, so how are you getting on? Are you settled in and happy in your duties?”

Sam nodded at the beverage offer, "Thank you" and listened to the rest before speaking. "Yes ma'am, I am getting along here OK. I think? What I mean to say is that I am not aware from those under my command or from my superiors of any...issues? I have spoken to the platoon about the open door policy and some have made use of it. Mostly to complain. But that's the way it goes" he said pleasantly. "There have been a few incidents of fighting, more like people letting off steam and venting. Some personality issues, too many 'alphas' in too tight a space. But we're getting through it." He paused and took a breath.

Alicia nodded and smiled. “It sounds like you’ve got everything well in hand, if you should need any help with the personality clashes let me know, I’m sure we can work something out to help. Do you have any particular questions you’d like to ask?”

"Well, yes, actually. I do. You could probably really help with some insight." He said, "I have one fire team that isn't working well together. So, that's four marines. The fire team consists of four Marines, one fire team leader along with three subordinate members. Two of them, the Corporal, the lead and one of the three are heavy hitters. Really active and they tend to step right up and get the job done. The other two...err...don't. They seem to be content to just sit back and let the first two take the lead. These two don't take the lead in addressing a problem. no solutions, they're late, they don't contribute. They follow orders but nothing more. There's nothing else in them that makes them...effective that I can see. And I don't know what to do about it. I don't want their laziness and idle nature to spread. They are doin the least possible. What am I going to do?"

Alicia smiled. “Well to start you are the senior officer where these two are concerned. Have you sat down with them to discuss your concerns? Ask if there’s a reason why they don’t put effort into their duties? Perhaps they don’t enjoy their current assignment, in which case you could suggest a new area for them to work in?”

Sam answered, "Yes ma'am. They say that they don't get a chance to excel because their other two do it before they can act. Sometimes, that is true. It depends. Let me see if I can explain so you can understand. We ran a simulation on the holodeck. It's a basic SAR, that's search and rescue. Along the way, the computer can randomly vary the parameters to account for different skill sets. So, a higher performing team will get challenged more and one that isn't performing well gets not too many curves thrown at them if they are faltering. In this SAR simulation, the first two marines are busy attending to the primary mission op. The other two, the poor performers are holding back watching the perimeter. They see another casualty - that one of them could go and do a number of things. They could agree to one goes looking and one watches the field. They could call it in, 'Hey...I see another casualty' they could go to their CO and say, I know you're busy, there is another casualty over there. Can I take over here, do you want me to go over there...you know? Something. But they don't. For two minutes...they are aware of the problem and they don't do anything. After we're done, I ask them if they saw the other casualty. Why didn't thy do something? They both say they didn't know that they were supposed to do something else other than their orders to watch the perimeter. And, Counselor, I'm about to lose my shit here...but I hold it together and I say, you know....what do you think 'watch the perimeter means' anyway?" Sam stops talking, exhales and shakes his head, "What do I do?"

“Have you thought about separating the teams? Pairing our two non workers each with one of the good workers? Encourage them to get to work that way? If that doesn’t work then I’d suggest a word with each with regards reassignment to another department.”

Sam thought about it. "Yeah, I could try that. I didn't think about doing it that way. They're a team of two. And I don't know how they've made it this far being a duo. Anyway, thanks, I'll try it and get back to you on it. It's been a great help. I don't want to wash people out - but - there are no free rides. Pull your weight and be part of the team or out the airlock." Then he grinned and corrected himself, "Figuratively, of course."

Alicia couldn’t help but grin. “Indeed. We can’t be using airlocks to scare people now, can we?”

Sam laughed, "Well, just on two" he smirked. His eyes light and merry. After a moment, his gaze directed downward, he said, "Is it permitted that we can have these sessions anywhere?" He looked up, "Could we not walk-about the arboretum? And just talk?" he asked.

“Sure we could” Alicia smiled warmly. “Actually it’s a nice idea, thank you for suggesting it. I take it my office is less appealing? I try to make it cosy and comfortable for those who come here.”

Sam looked at the office, "Its...y'know...'Counselory'. Not bad. But I think better on my feet and walking helps...free me up?" Grateful that she understood and would permit a walk-about. He got to his feet when she did.

Alicia smiled as she stood up and started for the door. “This’ll make a nice change for me too, holding a counselling session in the Arboretum.”


DECK SIX - ARBORETUM GROUND FLOOR

The turbolift opened and they stepped out and into the arboretum. "Thank you for meeting outside the office" Sam said. "The walking around just helps. It...I don't know, is more like, two friends rather than doctor and patient. Or, I mean, Counselor and Patient."

“It gets me out of my office so I’ve no complaints” Alicia smiled warmly.

They walked through some of the grounds, "Do you have a favorite spot?"

“Anywhere is fine with me” Alicia smiled. “I usually come here either to relax, or enjoy time with my husband and children. We like picnics.”

Sam said, "I like coming here in the mornings, for a jog, y'know? Helps me get ready for the day...which is night for me, I'm on the Gamma shift. Let's just walk that route huh? I wind through all the levels up to the top." He then asked, "So, why'd you become a Counselor/Therapist on a starship? That seems like you're asking for a tough duty assignment?"

“Not at all” Alicia smiled warmly as they walked. “I followed in my mother’s footsteps, that and being half Betazoid it seemed logical to become a Counsellor. I’ve had my own problems, which makes me a better counsellor. I understand how it feels.”

"Ah, yes, of course. Well, there it is" he said as they walked along. The sound of the creek now came into hearing. There was a little Japanese style bridge, that was downstream a bit from the flowing creek. It formed a large pond and the water was quite clear and still here. Only the large goldfish and the pond lilies at the edges broke the smooth surface. The sculptured landscape and the birch and oak park bench here were inviting. They had to cross over the little bridge and pond to continue. Sam said, "Look how...smooth the surface is."

Alicia nodded. “It’s beautiful isn’t it? I love how relaxing it is here.”

He nodded, slowed his pace and then stopped somewhere close to middle of the bridge. "Yeah...I like it here too. Maybe my favorite part of the morning jog." He then said, "Counselor? My fiancé...Emily Hope...she died a week? A few days before I got my assignment to Elysium. " He looked away and hesitantly said, "Sometimes...I can still hear her voice. I can...still smell her hair, feel the touch of her hand on mine. I can feel her close to me. But I'm sometimes...I forget what she looked like. Sometimes, I don’t wake up with her first thing on my mind or...last person I think about when I go to sleep. I know that I'm letting her go..." he said. His vocal tone sounded like there was yet more to come. But he didn't say anything. He placed his hands on the bridge rail. The cool wood, sanded smooth and a warm, woody, yellow felt solid against the palms of his hands.

Alicia nodded. “You dream of her, hear her voice and wake up expecting to find her at your side. It’s then that you remember she’s gone...” she sighed. “I know it isn’t easy, but I promise you you’ll never forget her. It may feel like it sometimes, but you won’t. Trust me I know. I lost someone who meant the universe to me, he's gone but he’ll never be forgotten.”

He nodded and looked back on the pond. "So, you know how it feels. Not the loss, although that I don't know if that will ever feel whole again. I mean the forgetting. The slow, letting go. Everyday. A little bit more. And a little bit more. Until, what? How do you, how did you manage to..." Here he turned back to her, "...the word I want is survive. But maybe I mean endure it? How do you live without this person?"

“You just remember that she wouldn’t want you to mourn her, to not live your life. She would want you to move on.” Alicia offered a comforting smile. “I tried to follow Kal, I lost him and I lost our baby, I couldn’t see my life continuing without him. Now I have a wonderful husband, and two wonderful children. You just ... have to accept that she’s gone.”

"Yeah", he nodded and said softly. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Lots for me to think about then. Losing your spouse and child; that's even more difficult to keep on with. And yet you do it."

“I didn’t to begin with” Alicia offered a melancholy gaze. “I tried to take my own life. I tried cutting my wrists, I just couldn’t finish the job.” She paused. “It takes time Samuel, don’t be scared that you’ll forget her because I promise you, you won’t. In time memories will make you smile, instead of making you sad.”

Sam was quiet but he turned to listen to her. "It's good, very good that you did not 'finish the job'. I am sorry if my own problems have reminded you of your past pain. I am...worried...that I'll forget her. I'm looking forward to when those memories turn happy again."

“You haven’t brought back bad memories.” Alicia smiled. “Don’t worry, as I said you won’t forget her. Letting go is a part of healing, you’ll still have your memories.”

After a while, he said, "Shall we walk back to your office? I think we've both done enough for today? I've got some more thinking to do and some healing to do too."

“Of course” Alicia nodded in agreement. “If you need to talk my door is always open.”

They left the bridge and returned the way they came. Sam commented, "I really appreciate getting out of doors. Could we do this again? I mean, walk about here in the Arboretum? It feels...I don't know...freer?" he asked as they walked back to her offices on deck fourteen.

“Sure we can” Alicia nodded. “I’ll admit it’s been nice getting out of my office. Just let me know when.”

He nodded, "I will."

When they arrived on deck fourteen, he stepped off the turbolift with her to allow it to continue. He said, "Well, thank you again. I'm glad you are here Counselor. Thank you for helping with my 'employee' issue. But, thank you for also telling me something about you. For the change of venue. For meeting me where I'm at...not where I'm supposed to be."

Alicia smiled warmly. “It’s my pleasure, and remember what I said my door is always open.” With that she headed back into her office with ideas to make trips to the Arboretum, or holodeck more often during counselling sessions.

[OFF]