Not Stepping On Toes

Posted on Tue Jun 22nd, 2021 @ 9:09am by Lieutenant Emily Coleman

Mission: The Thorion Conundrum Mission Brief
Location: Counseling Office
Timeline: TBD (Possible backsim?)

The office had barely been unpacked. There was a Persian rug on the floor and a replicated painting on the wall of a farmhouse in the woods. She also had a statue of Marc Antony from Magna Roma on the wall. There was a desk and a leather couch for patients to sit on. There were also boxes upon boxes still yet to be unpacked.

Alessa sat there at the desk looking frantic and haggard. She pressed on the intercom then spoke, "Lieutenant Coleman please come to my office. I need to meet with you for a few moments and go over some case files. You are the only other counselor on record here. We need to talk."

"I am on my way to you." Emily replied and then picked up her PADD and headed to Herria's office.

She stood up and walked over to Emily and gave her a friendly hug.

"I am so glad to meet you! I'm Alessa the new head of Counseling. Forgive the mess.. replicator is over there if you want to move that box of books?" Alessa said her voice cracking a little.

"I wanted to talk to you about the Commander Blake case, without breaking too much HIPPA, What can you tell me about his stability? Also who hasn't been psych evaled and who has?" She motioned at the leather sofa.

"I am happy to meet you as well." Emily replied. "I will say that Blake has more to deal with and get out in the open, but he is rather stable and I released him to light duty."

"For that matter I don't want to swoop in and take all the cases so I figure since we are the counseling department we will be in this together. I am not sure why you weren't made head of counseling other then I requested this assignment specifically because I thought it would be good way to cut my teeth. Get yourself something please, or else I think I might start to feel more awful then I already am." Alessa said, asked and questioned all at once.

"I am happy to have you here, my love is languages so that will be fine to have you overseeing the department."

"Languages well alright. I need somebody to print out the pamphlets for Counseling services we provide, For non standard things like coming out, family counseling and depression screenings in Vulcan, Andorian and Tellarite. I also am going to ask you to work with the marines and security on sensitivity training when it comes to handling prisoners. You can act with my authority and if any of them give you grief I will try to deal with things?" Alessa offered.

"I am okay with that as I got my doctorate in Xenolinguistics first then I pursued my psychology degree to get more work options and counseling just sort of came to me as an empath." Emily replied. "I would be happy to help out with the marine detail on the ship. I am happy they filled the position of chief counselor."

"Between you and I, I am kind of scared of doing this. Everybody I have met seems so hard lined, I think its going to be like pulling teeth no matter what approach I take. But you have been here longer then me what advice can you give?" Alessa asked.

"I would say that you need to be yourself. I think I can sort of get on their good sides as I am only half Betazoid and so they know I can't see all of their mind. But being yourself seems to be the best advise I can give you." Emily stated.

Alessa gave the junior counselor a funny look and then said, "You aren't telling me everything are you?" She gave a smirk to indicate she was kidding.

"Sometimes you feel like your shadows casting you. That's me most of the time. But I feel like I walked into a situation that's half baked, Officers seem good enough but I feel like I am not being given the whole story by a lot of folks. I really don't want that sort of distrust to be between you and I. There has been a beating, and worse then that everybody seems to be sizing me up before I can figure out what is even going on."

"I think it goes with being a counselor. I was not feeling as welcome when I arrived onboard either." Emily replied. "I am certain you will be more comfortable after a few sessions with some of the crew. I also know many people felt I was reading their minds when they saw Betazoid in my file, but I am only half Betazoid and that still did not make them as comfortable as I hoped until after I saw a few of the crew in a few sessions."

Emily then smiled at Alessa oO I think she will be a great asset to this crew and I hope she has different tastes in men. Oo

"I am full blooded, I can read minds and I never do it unless the person consents, I can't gamble at casinos.. I can't get drunk because I can project thoughts to folks, So coffee, pastries and trying to find somebody to call Imzadi is my hobbies. That and I paint. Weird habbits I know but we are after all creatures of our vices." Alessa said with a smile.
(tags)

"Well, I am glad to have you here, and I hope that our relationship can be that of friendship and crewmates." Emily replied as she stepped in for a hug as Emily is hugger with likeminded people and Alessa seemed the sort.

"Well Counselor Coleman, lets say we meet for drinks in the lounge tonight. I need somebody to show me around. Where to get the good drinks?" She said with Alessa said with a smile.

"I can do that and would be honored to do so." Emily replied. "I could use the downtime and a drink as well. So is 1900 good with you?"

"That sounds like an absolute plan!" Alessa said excitedly.

"Great, I have some paperwork to file and then will take off and see you in the lounge." Emily replied.

"That sounds like a great plan, give us a chance to just be out of the bloody office!" Alessa said.

"I think we may just be more than colleagues, so see you later." Emily replied.



Lieutenant Alessa Herria
Chief Counselor

&

Lieutenant Emily Coleman
Counselor / Linguist