Over the head

Posted on Wed Mar 23rd, 2022 @ 11:18am by Captain Xavier Carey & Commander Antonia 'Tony" Stoffels
Edited on on Mon Mar 28th, 2022 @ 2:31am

Mission: Free write
Location: Ready room
Timeline: Current

Xavier sat down in front of the Computer, awaiting a response. He did not like how it went for several reasons. One, he admitted his feelings for her, one that he hadn't planned on ever admitting, second, meant that it meant that she was still thinking as a counsellor not a First officer. He had no idea how things ran with counselling so he contacted the next best thing.

A redheaded woman, going slightly grey at the edges appeared on the screen, she was wearing a very loud summer dress and appeared to be in her bedroom. "Dr Parri here. How can I help you captain? I don't think we have met?" She was certainly curious.

"May not have met, but you may have heard of me, Captain Xavier Carey, Commander Stoffels wrote a book dealing with me."

"Ah." Denise said. In that case she knew a lot about this man as she had already been supervising Tony at the time. It had not been a very easy case for a therapist just out of school. "And what can I do for you, captain?"

"Well she is now my Firtst officer, needless to say, its been, challenging, she can't i feel separate the whole counsellor, and the first officer position." Xavier replied. "Shes stuck in counsellor mode. Which is fine, but shes needing to be first officer mode when I need her to be."

Denise groaned inwardly. Who the hell had come up with this, a very very bad idea. "So fill me in. Is she also your chief counsellor? Is she seeing you as a patient again?"

"I cannot see the chief counsellor, as I am currently in a relationship with said officer, "Shes my first officer, and only my first officer, however since I cannot see the current chief, shes taken me on. She may feel responsible for me due to our history together."

Another inward groan. "Has anybody told either of you that this is a very bad idea, captain. This is a recipe for disaster."

"You can blame Admiral Ross for it. But I think very highly of her as an officer, and as a person. I know she can make this work, if she can get out of counsellor mode some how."

"And what about you?" Denise focussed her attention on him. "I have been her supervisor for a very long time, captain. Can you honestly tell me you can do without a counsellor right now?"

"I jave been doing ok and i have a support system. "

"Tell me a little bit about that. Humour me. Because I will also be talking to your chief counsellor and commander Stoffels."

"Well i hqve my wife and the chief counsellor whom im in a relarionahip with different i know. But it works for us. And although i dont ahare every detail they aupport me the way i feel that incan do my job."

"I will be checking that with your chief counsellor." Tony said. "So what do you want. For Tony to be transferred to another posting? That sounds like the easiest solution."

"I want to know a few things. She is atuck in counsellor mode she aays it forbids her any type of friendship or companionship. Ive contacted you because I'm worried about her. Because it seema like its more scared to me than qnything else."

"She is not wrong." Denise said. "It is an old law for counsellors. And for those in private practice or working on starbases it is still completely adhered to." Denise explained. "It is for patients protection just as much. So a therapist can't take advantage of them. It is usually waved when a ship only has one cousnellor otherwise it would impare their own mental health. On a large ship such as yours it depends on the counsellor. The law says you have to keep strict boundaries. In practice it is still a small environment and most supervisors turn a blind eye. You have found a young woman who is terribly by the book. You know about her family?"

"By reputation. Im just worried, when someone you care deeply for. I know if it wasnt for her i wouldnt be in the apot i am today."

"That is very good to hear. It means she did a good job with you. I also know it was not easy. I will be looking at reports that the counsellors who came after her have left on you. That together with talking to your chief counsellor. Tony has always been pretty levelheaded so I am not going to just take your word for it that she snapped somehow. It may be simply that you are not used to her way of working. Tony does nothing the easy way. She needs to feel sure that she has earned every step in her career. That is where some of your problems come from. She will not bend the rules in her own favour."

"I am not exactly saying that she snapped. But I need an XO, not a counsellor."

"And why can't she be both? Has she said she can't do both jobs?" Denise asked.

"Currently she seems to be stuck in counsellor mode than an XO."

"Has she been faulty at her job? Can you give me examples of that." Denise was willing to listen.

"Majority of her time it seems has been in counsel mode trying to get me into sessions, I agreed, however, the first session did not go as planned, and I walked out. Don't be surprised if you get a call from her as well."

Denise felt utterly amazed. "So you feel as if she is hounding you the whole day long doing nothing else useful?" She rephrased making sure she had this right. So you still feel you will be able to work with her?"

"Shes more concerned with my mental health, which I appreciate, but shes supposed to help with the command of this ship." Xavier stated. "I am fine, or I wouldn't have gotten command during last mission when the Commanding officers career was ended with a shot to the back. He survived, but him returning to active duty, is highly unlikely."

"So why would she doubt you, captain? I don't know Tony the way you describe her. This obsessive."

"I don't know why she would doubt me, I don't think that I would be given my position if it was felt I was in need of help."

"That is if you have been honest about it. From memory I know that it was not very easy for you to open up and you are a very private person. You could have tricked a counsellor. It happens more often than you think. So in an ideal situation, what do you want to happen?"

"Opening up is not my atrong suit. But ive always been able to do my job."

"yes I know and I want to keep it that way."

"I want to know why shes taking my well being personally. Like shes failed. Its like shes obsessing... that may not be the word. But she is highly driven. To the point where im unsure if she can focus on her first officer duries. Not saying she cant. Regarding other people. But with me. Ot seems that way."

"That is very serious, captain." Denise said. "Tell you what. I will talk to your chief cousnellor and to Tony and then I will get back to you."

"Do nottake it that im calling her unfit as im sure she can probably deem me unfit. But at the end of the day cant someone be as worried about who is worried about you
"

"I appreciate your concern, captain. And I will take this serious."