Meet and greet

Posted on Wed Apr 12th, 2023 @ 7:58am by 1st Lieutenant Kayleigh London
Edited on on Thu Apr 13th, 2023 @ 11:47am

Mission: Starship Side Quest
Location: Mess hall
Timeline: back post -

Being suddenly trust into the role of acting chief counsellor Kay had not had much time on her hands besides keeping things running smoothly in the department. But she had seen a note about a visiting therapists and something of an audit so she could not put off meeting her any longer. It did not take her long to find out which office the lieutenant was in and when she was sure the other woman was not in a session the rung the chime outside the door.

"Come in!" Tale was in the middle of resetting for the dueling twin ensigns with fresh cushions and larger matching tea cups. She didn't need them screaming about how they wanted each others cups during their first joint session. "The Doctor is in," she beamed.

"Good to know." Kay said. "You seem to be settling in nicely, ma'am. I am Kayleigh London, currently acting chief of counselling. I thought I had better see if you need anything from me."

"Pleased to make your acquaintance!" Tale replied warmly. She finished setting the last of the matching cushions and a few Bajoran throws for good measure. "I'm Doctor Tale Gilohesh, you can call me Tale or Doc Hesh, whichever you prefer. I'm settling in, getting these assessments underway. If you're keen to have a tea session with me, they're 15 minutes of your time at your leisure. You can see, I really go all out for each person for them."

"Are you turning this into a session?" Kay asked laughing. "Hay, I first just want to hear how you are settling in. This is not about me. At least not today. And withtin the counselling department we really never use titles. Both Tony and I are doctors of psychiatry, I don't know about Sky even. I have found that patients usually do not like to use titles with their therapist. Or with some it intimidates them. But you obviously have other experiences? Have you mostly worked on starbases? Do tell, I would love to know." She settled on one of the easy chairs and folded her long legs on the chair with her.

"Haha, it comes off that way when I'm setting up a session. I'm just trying to pack as much in, in a short period of time. You know, I try not to stay long. Anyway...I studied medicine and psychology, actually," Tale replied. "I tend to do these runabouts for the Admiralty doing crew evaluations or assessments, whatever is deemed necessary at the time. I prefer to do this. (She gestured) Because it harkens back to spiritual roots with logic, it's fascinating."

"How come you prefer doing this? Seems kind of lonely to me, hopping around the galaxy. And why the Resolution? I haven't been on board long myself but I haven't seen anything seriously wrong with the crew."

"According to Admiral Brennan, I'm not supposed to reveal the reason for an assessment," Tale said frankly. "But I'm too honest for my own good. Someone on board asked for it. Who? That I won't reveal. They said there was a lot of interpersonal things getting all (Tale gestured wildly) and it needed to be looked at by someone else."

Tale sighed. "As for me, I'm not terribly lonely. I have my assistant, Mosey. She videos in on ensign sessions and is a constant pal. Keeps me company. Eventually, y'all will be friendly with me. It generally happens."

"Sounds like a very nasty snitch and I don't like those. We had a commodore on board just revently a counsellor and she did not see anything wrong with us. And I know she has connections to the top of starfleet counselling HQ. You have someone videoing your sessions? I do hope you make your patients aware of this?" Kay hadn't done that since her student days. "A word of advice, the Resolution seems like a tight knit community, those usually do not do well with subterfuge. Does Ton... commander Stoffels know? And the captain?"

"Not videoing the sessions, she's an assistant that needs hours for her doctorate. I get permission from each patient. I don't know what kind of Doctor you think I am," Tale replied calmly not allowing herself to be affronted in anyway. " Everything is above board on the Resolution and approved by StarFleet. I wouldn't call the person a nasty snitch. They're concerned. You should be taking that with kindness Counselor."

Kay snorted. "I am empathic with patients, any patient, not so much outside of the counselling room. " She said. "I do apologize though. That was mean. You just caught me off guard."

"Fair enough, I understand," Tale said with a smile. "I am sure to hear it was a call from inside the house, sounds like a horror movie. It isn't. It's just a Doctor's visit. Anyway, I'm hungry. Are you hungry? Do you want to get lunch? The twins aren't due for an hour and I'm ahead of schedule."

"I am actually." Kay admitted she said getting to her feet. "It's just that a there are still people out here who do not agree with Sky's lifestyle choices and try to get her back this way. So this timing is a bit weird, I know that commodore Parri vetted Sky only months ago."

Tale stretched as she stood up and hopped over the table. "I was made aware of that, but like I told her, I'm not in the business of reassigning families. I just want to make sure everyone is reasonably happy and not over worked. People in high interpersonal situations have a tendency to work themselves into a lather." Tale followed to the mess hall. "I specifically check in with the ensigns, they generally get dumped on when the upper ranks are busy with 'their' things. I'm sure you've heard some things yourself."

"Sure, it is pretty easy for me as I am one rank above ensign in marine ranks. It is bloody crazy I am acting chief of a ship this size. And I also make sure I check on the ratings and petty officers, for some reason they always find it harder to seek help. They think it is something for officers."

"Exactly. They think they're not allowed. It's like how the replicators in their areas don't have full functionality. Like, we're somehow putting them into place and encouraging extra work for a reward that may or may not come," Tale tutted. "It seems so backward. For a protein redistribution device to have arbitrary classism. Then again, it barely can make coffee that doesn't taste like brown water. Apologies, I'm off on a tangent. How're you liking your reassignment? This ship is ginormous."

"I am totally with you. That shouldn't be the case. I know my dad is all for changing it. And about my reassignment? I am scared shitless. Half a year ago I was a happy combat marine who saw a few patients when needed. And now.... the world has gone crazy."

"That is an enormous burden to bear on your own, I can't imagine," Tale replied sincerely, admiring her acquaintance. "Just Marine life alone is a lot and then you top that with trying to care for others mental health on top of your own. Get thrust into this. I don't envy you."

"I don't envy myself. I hope you are willing to help me out." Kay asked, she was not afraid to ask for help. "It's not been easy for me lately at all so I am wrestling with my own demons as well."

"Of course, happy to help," Tale answered. "Some demons needs Exorcism, but they tend to need Exercise to find out why they're the way they are before they leave us, right?"

At least I love that joke, Tale thought reading Kay's face.

"And I'm here to help as little or as much as you need," Tale said. "If you chose to, my door is open, or we can always just get snacks and complain. I'm easy."

"THank you. That means a lot." Kay said. "I... you know when things are a bit back to normal and you are still around I might take you up on some personal therapy." She had started opening up to a therapist for the first time in her life and right at that moment she was posted to the Resolution and she was not going to talk to her boss or heaven forbid Tony.

"Now, food, what's your flavor?"

"I am easy, I will eat anything." Kay said with a grin. "So surprise me."

Tale returned with Havenian style tea sandwiches and fruit water. "I spent time on Haven, it was a mess of a mission, everyone was so perfect and peaceful," Tale sat the food down. "I swear my Professor sent me as a joke. But, the food. The food was good."

"I'll try anything, and it looks good." Kay took a sandwich. "I enjoy food so much more now that I don't drink so much. Oh I wasn't an alcoholic or anything but I would drink heavily on weekends when I was stationed on a base."

Tale made a mental note of that. "You're doing much better then coping with your stress?"

"Hmmm, yeah a bit. I am still having trouble sleeping to be honest. The last couple of months it's just been too much. I am doing better than Tony is but not brilliant."

"I have a good tea for sleep. I'll mix you up a batch," Tale's offer sounded like a mother taking care of things. She couldn't help it, it happened occasionally. "Couple that with some meditation and call yourself Buddha, you'd be one with the universe."

"I've run out of my medication." Kay admitted with a sigh. "the doctor on my previous ship only wanted to give me sleeping meds for a short period and I never got round to asking Sky before she left. I don't suppose you could do something for me. I get nightmares." Kay admitted.

"Okay, when I get back to my office area, I'm going to see what she recommended," Tale said sipping her water. Surprisingly enough, her dossiers on the crew rarely mentioned medications. She would have everyone's deep rooted trauma that Starfleet caused them laid out in a logical way. Missions. Field notes.
However, she didn't look at other psychological records until necessary. She wanted to make clear opinions without the influence of another psychiatrist rattling in her head. "We'll get you set up so you can sleep soundly."

Kay rattled off the name. "I suggested it. And my CMO on the previous ship went along with it, reluctantly."

Tale raised an eyebrow. "That's incredibly addictive and can actually make your dreams worsen when you come off. I've heard Orion mercenaries use it to create a zombie effect. Kay, why would you want to be on that to sleep?"

Kay fiddled around with her glass. "I would rather not go into the cause right now. You know now that I have to fill in for Sky. But I promise to talk about it later. And the last months it only got worse with my dad having a massive heart attack and nearly dying. My brother was kidnapped and he is still paralyzed, we don't know if he will ever walk again. And then the deaths in Tony's family. I grew up with them and they are like family to me as well. It is all too much to process and stay sane."

"That's a lot for one person to deal with," Tale finished her water. "I cannot breach my code of confidentiality. You don't have to tell Sky anything you do not want to. Your personal business isn't StarFleet business. It's funny how often we forget that. Unless you take Sky on as your Counselor, you're not obligated to report your life to her."

Kay smiled. "Thanks, you are ok, you know. I would like to talk to you, but like I said not now. I need to keep functioning now. Once I start talking... I am afraid I will break down." Or arrested, but she did not add that out loud.

"My door is always open," Tale smiled.

"Thank you for not pushing. Will you give me the meds to tie me over?"

"There's a nonhabit forming, non kickback type, of this drug, it's from the same family," Tale suggested. "I think if I suggested it to Doctor Rutherford, you could have it administered as early as tonight. But Kay, this is a case of you have to pop into sickbay to get it given to you. So we can track the progress. I'm not typically in the habit of giving people medication."

"You are going to laugh but I have a phobia for sickbays. I guess I inherited from my dad, and I don't know the doctor that well yet. So I would rather not."

Tale shook her head. "It's Rutherford or bust. Or I have tea. Like I said. I don't tend to write prescriptions. I'd love to help you. With that, I'm going to be late for the twins. Please consider what you're asking."

"I will tough it out then." Kay said. "With the duty I am pulling I should be tired enough to sleep."

Tale took more mental note of her companion. "Stop by after your shift. I'll have something for you."

"Thank you." Kay stiffled a yawn. "Will do."