Catching up with Counceling
Posted on Tue Mar 26th, 2024 @ 12:43pm by Lieutenant Njalia Sayffier & Lieutenant Scott Hayes
Mission:
Shakedown Shake-Up
Location: Njalia's Quarters / Counseling Office
Timeline: MD5?
1215 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure
Njalia ran through the communication protocols making sure the connection was stable and secure. "Lieutenant Njalia Sayffier to Counselor Haynes, are you still available for our session?"
She could tell from the telltale she had set up that both her and her room were projecting properly. Now it was up to the Counselor. She had not cleaned up, much, her room was still fairly Spartan. The only decoration on the wall was a watercolor of the coastal ice fields nearby to where she had grown up.
Onboard the station, Scott stood in a small holosuite that had been reserved for him to carry out a few remote check-ins with any of the crew who had requested it. Who has he to deny anyone reaching out, even if these more indirect forms of communication lacked the certain nuances of meeting in person? As far as he could tell when the connection was established he would appear in a location of the Lieutenant's choosing. Tapping his comm badge in reply =/\=" Hayes here, I'm all set up and the link should begin on your command", =/\= Not knowing why, he closed his eyes and braced himself like it was going through the transporters.
"Are you alright, Counselor? Is the projection coming across as too bright?" asked Njalia, leaning forward on the edge of her bed, a concerned expression on her face. Njalia is a young Andorian in good health, her white hair severely braided back, her uniform, and quarters, are both neat and orderly. There is a datpad set on the bed beside her and she rests a hand on it, ready to make adjustments as needed.
"All good here Lieutenant," Scott said cheerfully, "how is my projection coming in? Anything needing adjusting?" He was still fussing with his uniform and looking around him, trying to make sure things were working properly and none of the cold, harsh background of a near-empty holodeck was coming through. Slowly the quarters he was being beamed into were being replicated on the holodeck so that he could interact with and sit down if needed.
"Your eyes were shut, I was worried that something was wrong with the holo emitters," said Njalia. "I have learned more about hologram in the last few days . . . But that is not what we are here for. I just thought I should check in with Counseling. it has been a while and, well, it has been an interesting few months."
"Oh, forgive me, I was bracing myself like it was a transport or something," he shrugged off, "wasn't aware what it would be like so I instinctually clenched I guess." He took a few moments to look around before asking, "May I sit down? And, interesting few months, from what I've read and been informed about on your last few missions, it certainly seems so. Would you like to talk about any of the specifics that happened with yourself?"
"Please, be comfortable," said Njalia. "Eventful months indeed, including a promotion." She paused thinking. "But good. I feel that I really proved that I belong here, well, not here," she gestured, "but on the Vesta. Though I have done good work here on the Nelson too." She sighed. "I am not being very clear I fear."
Scott took a seat, "Don't worry about being clear, that is my job," he smiled warmly, openly. "With the trials you faced, you feel that you proved your worth at your station is what I think you are getting at? If so, quite the accomplishment, something that I know even some Admirals the feeling of. Is there a specific moment you can recall that caused this? Or is it more of a general sense looking back at everything you have overcome?"
"There were two on the last Venta mission," she glanced over to her datapad to confirm that the privacy and security seals were in place, "It was . . . you know the saying about the path not taken? I was able to see a bit of my life if I had not completed a critical task. People would have been hurt. It was . . . good to know that I had done something important, something that helped people. And maybe I was able to help the me that had not been able to complete that task and blamed herself for what happened." She smiled sadly, thinking of that other Njalia.
"You can see that fills you with pride," he nodded along, "so tell me more about yourself, your role, the ship. Almost the elevator pitch of life onboard the Vesta."
"Well, to start with, there is never time for ice to form, we have always had tasks to do," said Njalia. "That is how I like it, a constant flow of work. I admit, there is a sense of excitement to work with the best technology Starfleet has to offer. Finding way to use the systems in better and more efficient ways is challenging but also something that benefits the fleet as a whole so it is very gratifying when you achieve that."
"I do not like to talk about myself. I consider myself just another Andorian in Starfleet doing her duty for home and Federation," she said. "We do our job and keep Starfleet running, not seeking praise or awards, but the satisfaction of a job well done and the knowledge that we have kept people safe."
"All be it for me to judge cultural norms, I would say the crew, yourself included, are just as important, if not more important than any piece of technology or equipment on the ship," Scott began, "If they weren't Starfleet would just be sending out drone ships to do all the work. So if anything, allow me to give you this little bit of praise, not only for work that you do, but the bit of yourself you have seen in these challenging months that has made you happy and on top of that the promotion as well." He continued to smile warmly, openly and continued on, "So not enough time for ice to form, I may be stealing that phrase for the future. What does a typical day look like for you? What do you do to look after yourself in your off hours?"
"People are indeed what makes Starfleet," agreed Njalia. "I imagine my day is much like any other officer, get up and get ready for the day, shower and breakfast, check in at Ops, see what tasks need to be done, assign duties to Operations personnel -myself included-, set to getting those tasks done. Beak from lunch and some light exercise. Finish tasks, hopefully, non-priority can be finished the next day, priority must be finished. Afterward, dinner, hopefully with friends. Rarely something on the holodeck but usually reading before bed. I try to catch up with my cousin, she serves on the Athena, at least weekly, via subspace."
There was a chime in Njalia's room. "Sorry, Counsellor. There is something I need to handle for Operations. We can get back to this soon. Thank you for your time." She made an apologetic wave and broke the connection, the hologram of the Counselor fading away.
"Just as I was getting into the flow of things too," said Njalia. "Maiden, call up the problem . . ."
