"Open Mind"

Posted on Thu Oct 29th, 2020 @ 4:22pm by

Mission: Welcome Aboard
Location: Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge, Deck 1 USS Resolution

"Open Mind"
Captain Matthew Leonard, Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Commander Antonia 'Tony' Stoffels, Chief Counsellor

*****
Now, 2372
Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge
Deck 1, USS Resolution

The Captain's closest friend and confident of the last eight years had actually been the most surprising member of the ships crew. He hadn't expected that Tony and he would be close. In fact, it couldn't have been further from his initial expectations. Few Officers, particularly Command officers, understood that a Counsellor was an important part of a Starship's correct functionality. Matt had been one such command officer eight years earlier. The Kielce and the Argentina had been smaller vessels, and hadn't had the population capacity to fully require one, but the Resolution had an officer and crew compliment of over a thousand people, in addition to its civilian population. Now though, he knew how crucial they were, and not just because of Tony...

*****
Then, 2364
Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge
Deck 1, USS Resolution

Now that he had reported aboard, and officially taken Command, Matt knew that his next reasonable step would be getting himself cleared for duty. As such, regulations required both a Medical examination, and a Counselling review. To that end, he had invited the ships Chief Counsellor to his office on the Bridge, where she could conduct her examination.

Tony had just come from a workout in the ship's gym and had not bothered to change back into her uniform. She just wore a comfortable jumpsuit but she had taken the time to take a shower and freshen up. So not too much time had past between the new captain's request and her showing up at his door.

"Enter," Matt called out, without looking up at the door.

"Good afternoon, sir." Tony said politely as she walked in.

"Have a seat Counsellor," he said as he gestured to the seat opposite him. He set the Padd he was reading to one side, took a sip from his tea, then set the cup aside as well. He intended to give the Counsellor his full attention.

"Thank you." She took the seat opposite his desk. "You know, my office is a lot more comfortable." She gave him a slight smile. "I wonder what made you ask me to come here so we could have this chat on your terrain."

The Captain offered her a smile of his own, "I don't think I could really call this office 'my terrain', Counsellor." He gestured to the spartan decor of the room, "I've been aboard for less than an hour. I wouldn't have liked to have spent that time sat in your waiting room. At least this way, I could work, and meet you at your convenience."

Now she really laughed. "True, it can do with some decorating. Do you have any ideas about what to do? My office is certainly not this spartan. And I would recommend some easy chairs. These really are not very comfortable at all."

The Captain grinned, "I will take your recommendation under advisement Counsellor." He paused, as if in thought for a moment, before saying, "however, I don't want to encourage visitors. Or people outstaying their welcome."

"You prefer to be on your own?" She asked. A lot of captains were loners in a way and yet they had to be team players as well, a delicate balance.

"It is perhaps more accurate to say that I prefer to be free of distractions when I work Counsellor," he answered. To say he preferred to be on his own was not necessarily true, but it had become the way things had worked out.

"Sounds reasonable." Tony agreed. "But this is a lonely life. We all change ships so often that it is hard to stay in touch with family and friends. And as captain it must be harder to make friends. You are always the highest ranking officer on the ship." She was silent for a few seconds. "Do you have people you can turn to when you get lonely?"

"You are right about this lifestyle 'Commander," the Captain replied nodding. "But it is a life that we choose. If we could not accept the nature of the beast, then we would not continue our duties." He considered her question for some moments in silence, before answering, "I have several old acquantainces, from my previous tours of duty, but it is difficult to communicate with them as often as one would like. When the opportunities to reunite present themselves, burdening them with my problems," he paused then, before adding, "not that I have any at this moment, is furthest from my mind." He recalled the journey to the Resolution aboard the Kumari. Its Captain was an old friend, and the two had spent many hours reminiscing on their shared pasts, and lost friends, than they had talking about much else.

"Good to know, sir." She had been watching him closely. "And as you know, if there is anything bothering you, you can come to me. I hope we will get to know each other."

"Thank you Counsellor," the Captain replied. He appreciated the offer, even if it didn't need to be said. After all, the Counselling department aboard ship was for that very purpose. "I like to operate a relatively open door policy. If you have any concerns, or comments, or suggestions, then by all means Counsellor, I would like to hear them."

She nodded. "You know that I can't share everything I hear though. I take client privacy very seriously but of course I will keep my finger on the pulse of the crew. So do you have any family joining you?"

The Captain shook his head. "No, Counsellor. No family. When I was a younger man, I neglected my personal life at the expense of pursuing my career. As I grew older, I chose not to pursue a family. It wouldn't be fair for me, in my position, to put anyone into the position of receiving bad news about me."

"Doesn't that go for all of us?" Tony questioned him. "And how about civilians. How many people slip and die in their homes every day?" It was a bit ironic as she herself was unmarried and tried to keep herself far from romantic involvements.

"An interesting perspective Counsellor," the Captain replied. "Are you suggesting then, that rather than spare someone the pain of hearing bad news about me as their loved one, that I have actually left them to suffer in different ways without me?"

"Could be." Tony said honestly. "I am just saying, don't hold back if you love someone. We all need relationships and love around us. I don't think Starfleet careers is a reason to hold back the world."

The Captain grinned then. "I'll chalk my poor decision making up to the mistakes of a younger man, Counsellor.”

“Good. As long as you keep an open mind, my job is done.” She grinned back. Tony had a feeling that she would get along with the new captain and they would build a good working relationship.

*****
Now, 2372
Captain's Ready Room, Main Bridge
Deck 1, USS Resolution

She had been right about so many things. He had mixed feelings when she told him that she was taking a teaching position at Starfleet Medical. Of course, he was truly happy for his friend. This was what she had talked about for a number of years. But at the same time, he was bitterly disappointed. He would miss his breakfasts with her. He would miss his friend. Whoever came aboard the Resolution now, had some very big shoes to fill...