The Next Steps

Posted on Fri Nov 15, 2019 @ 8:45pm by Lieutenant Elleese Elloyia & Commander Caleb Ryan

1,923 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Timeline: MD14 - 1230

[ON]

Elleese approached the door of Commander Caleb Ryan. She came to a stop before it and took a moment to center herself. She had arrived on Deep Space 5 that morning, and had already settled all the matters regarding her quarters and her belongings. Now it was time to report in, because she was never one to -- as some of her Human classmates at the Academy had said -- let the grass grow.

After that moment, the unusual Betazoid took a slow breath and lifted her hand to ring the chime.

The doors swished open. “Come on in,” a baritone voice drawled. The room seemed a typical Starfleet office, though maybe bigger because it was on a station. The large desk was actually wood, though. A leather couch sat on the wall opposite the desk, with two chairs in front of the desk. Over the couch was a large, panoramic holopic of some kind of ranch, big sky and wide open spaces, flanked by pictures of some horses. A sidebar near the replicator contained an old-style coffee maker, a bottle of whiskey, and a couple glasses. On the desk was a wooden box with a glass top, a display case of some kind. Inside was a pair of ancient pearl-handled Colt Peacemakers.

The man behind the desk was leaning back in a high-backed leather chair, reading a padd. He was tall and lanky, handsome in a rough, outdoors way, with chiseled jaw and keen blue eyes. His black hair was short, in an economic style that didn’t require much in the way of maintenance.

Finally the man put down the padd and turned those blue eyes on Elleese. “What can Ah do ta help ya?” he offered with a smile.

The station's new counselor walked in with her hands lightly held in front of her. She afforded herself a quick, curious glance around to take in her environs before focusing on the man behind the desk. Her pale skin, silver-grey eyes, and silver-grey hair gave a somewhat ethereal appearance, but the uniform and teal collar made it clear why she was there.

"Commander Ryan," Ell greeted, with a small inclination of her head and a polite smile. "Lieutenant Elleese Elloyia, reporting for duty as the station's chief counselor."

“Oh, yes,” Caleb said, reaching for another padd from the stack on his desk. “Ah have your transfer orders. Ah trust your trip hear was comfortable?” he asked, indicating one of the chairs in front of the desk. “Can Ah get ya anything to drink?” he offered as he stood up to go to the replicator.

Elleese sat down, somewhat perched at the edge with her hands in her lap. Her pale eyes followed him as he moved, observing and taking things in. "A glass of water, thank you," she said simply. "My trip was uneventful, which I took no issue with. I am glad to have arrived, and I look forward to beginning my work here."

Caleb ordered the water and came over to hand it to Elleese. Then he went and refilled his mug with coffee from the old fashioned pot behind his desk. “How are ya settling in?” Caleb asked, picking up the padd that contained her personnel file again.

"Well enough," Ell said with a small smile. "Although I have not been here long. I have my quarters assigned, however, and briefly seen my new office. I received a...very succinct briefing regarding what I could expect here." Her eyes drifted off as she considered what she'd read, the text and the perceived sub-text together. "It seems that I come at an...eventful time."

“What’s that the Chinese say to curse someone? May you live in interesting times?” Caleb chuckled. “So who’s been tellin’ tales?” Caleb wondered. “But, yes, things are happening.” He sipped his coffee.

“Do you have any questions for me before ya begin your duties?” he asked Elleese.

This was always such a broad question, she found, that encompassed so much, and was thrown about so easily. And yet it was one of those questions that had to be treated like that. It needed to be a broad invitation that was handed out frequently and without effort. No, the burden of effort certainly fell on the recipient, and she let her pale eyes lose focus for a moment as she considered it.

Then, having given time to her thoughts, she re-focused on the commander and shook her head slightly. "Not at this time, Commander. I believe I am, as the Humans say, ready to dive in."

“That is excellent,” Caleb said. “Certainly, mah door is always open if ya have any needs or concerns,” he told her.

Caleb tapped the padd he held as he surveyed her file. He seemed to radiate some concern about something to her empathic senses, as if something was troubling him.

Naturally, she sensed he was concerned, and she could tell that it was directed at her. Without reading his thoughts, however, she could not tell what those thoughts were exactly, but she had an idea. "Thank you, sir," she said simply, then paused for a beat. "Is there anything else? Or any questions that you have for me?"

“May I speak with you privately a moment?” Caleb asked. “In your capacity as the new chief counselor?” The concern was there, but he was forcing himself through it.

"Of course, Commander," she replied easily, encouraging gently.

Caleb tapped his fingers on his desk. “How much can Ah trust ya, Counselor?” he asked. “It’s about mah daughter.”

Elleese took a moment to consider his question, as well as this change in topic and further what she could feel just from a surface sense of him. The topic of one's children with the parent was always delicate, but she was also brand new here. "I am afraid that I cannot truly answer that question, because a matter of trust can only be determined by you.

"However, I can tell you that I have been in my role for a long while now, and I am good at it. To be good at this job requires the utmost consideration for privacy, and boundaries. It requires discretion and delicacy. I would say that you can trust me, but only you can decide if that is true."

Caleb considered. “What are your reporting obligations?” he asked her. “What Ah am considerin’ to reveal is likely classified beyond your clearance, but Ah feel it might be important ta do so,” Caleb admitted. Then he pressed a button on his computer. The lighting in the room changed, and there was a noticeable hum. Behind her, she also heard the door seal.

Arching one silver-grey brow ever-so-slightly, Ell noticed the sudden changes, and her curiosity was piqued, with a tinge of alarm. She didn't let it color her too much, however, as she considered what he asked. "I am only under obligation to report dangers to a person or persons' physical or emotional wellbeing. If you were to tell me something that I determined a credible threat of harm to another person, I would be obligated to report that. Otherwise, it is my discretion."

Caleb scowled. “No specific danger or threat,” he said. “This may be a more...political danger, though it could greatly harm mah daughter,” Caleb said quietly. “What do ya know about Trill psychology?” He was still being vague and evasive.

"That is a rather broad question to answer, sir," Ell said carefully. Fortunately, the counselor was used to both vague and evasive, given what she did for a profession. She did hope he would come to a point soon, though, since she would eventually need to meet other people on the station. "I have thoroughly studied Trill neurology, however, and counseled many crewmates who were Trill, both joined and not."

Caleb interlaced his fingers and leaned his elbows on his desk, chin on his fingers. His dark eyes studied Elleese intently. “That’s just the thing, Lieutenant,” he said. He took a breath. “Ah guess Ah’m forced ta trust ya.” He got up and paced out from behind his desk. “What Ah say cain’t leave this room, an’ you cain’t tell anyone.”

He picked up a photograph of two women from his desk. One was a beautiful blonde Trill. The other was younger, but obviously the woman’s daughter, the same blonde hair and blue eyes. Her Trill markings were irregular and spotty, indicated her hybrid nature.

“Mah daughter is sixteen. Ah illegally Joined her when she was fourteen, without the proper psychological evaluations an’ testin’, an’ without any knowledge or approval of the Symbiosis council. Ah reported her symbiote as dead, along with mah wife, ta the Council. It wasn’t supposed ta be permanent, just ta save the symbiont, but Ah didn’t get Zandy out o’ that damn jungle in time,” Caleb said, his eyes distant, obviously reliving some deep tragedy in the past. He absently rubbed his left thigh, feeling the phantom pains there he had felt for all these years.

Ell listened closely and nodded slowly. "I see, sir," she said. "That sounds like a difficult situation to be in. How is your daughter now?" She stepped carefully with her words, taking in and trying to comprehend the intense surface emotions she felt from the XO.

“In...difficulties,” Caleb had to admit. “Ah thought she was fine, that we had worked through the problems. But recently she admitted t’ me that she has been...losing time,” he said.

"I see," Ell repeated thoughtfully. Her mind raced through various case studies that she had read, and a few came to mind, although none of them were patients she had worked with directly. "Shall I presume that you would like me to speak with her? I know of a few possible causes for that in Trill-specific biology, as well some Human-specific causes."

Caleb nodded. “Ah have the CMO and the initial treating physician involved, but Ah might need a shrink, Ah’m guessin’. We trusted the previous counselor, but since he left, we didn’t want ta trust anyone else with our secret.”

She also nodded her understanding. "My primary concern is for the emotional welfare of your daughter," she assured him.

“That’s why Ah’m bringin’ it up,” Caleb said with a sigh. It was clear he had been carrying this weight for some time. “It’s too dangerous for people ta know, given the Symbiosis Council’s views on illegal Joinings. But Ah’m worried for mah Zandy.”

"As any father would be," Ell said with a kind smile. "I will help, and your secret will be safe with me. Unless it should somehow risk another person's life directly, or the safety of the station, but I see both of those as highly unlikely, and I would speak with you first. Those are the boundaries of my obligation in this sort of matter. But your daughter's welfare is paramount to me."

“Thank you, Counselor,” Caleb said, standing and offering his hand. "It’s good ta meet someone Ah can trust with this.”

Sensing a dismissal heading her way, Elleese also rose gracefully to her feet and shook the commander's hand. "I look forward to working with you and meeting your daughter, sir. I will be at your disposal once you are both ready for that to happen."

[OFF]

Cdr. Caleb Ryan
Executive Officer

Lieutenant Elleese Elloyia
Chief Counselor
Deep Space Five

 

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