Welcoming Dawn

Posted on 08 Mar 2013 @ 3:19am by Lieutenant Dawn Meridian & Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle

1,362 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 3, Delainey's Office
Timeline: MD 1, 1400 hrs.

"How are you settling in thus far?" The steam from Delainey's raktajino hit her skin with sudden warmth as she sat forward to take a sip. She regarded Meridian with a gentle grin, with a touch of amusement in her eyes. Delainey remembered her expectations when she'd first arrived, and now she was always curious to hear those of others.

Dawn couldn't help but be distracted by the steam rising from her fellow counsellor's... drink. She'd seen it before, even been told the name, which she couldn't remember for the life of her. She'd have to try one, sometime. As long as the replicator understands 'Klingon coffee.' She looked up from her own iced tea and smiled. "It's been... something."

She took a sip of her tea, giving a small shrug. "The crew seems nice, for the most part. Although... troubled." She recalled her meeting with Stone. He seemed kind, beneath his distant exterior. "The ship's smaller than I'm used to, but I think that's a good thing. I can keep track of people and actually get to know the crew." Her grey eyes shone. "It's not like that on a Galaxy."

Delainey nodded. "I imagine not. I've no doubt your assessment of the crew is accurate. In a short time, we've been boarded and tested in battle, and our Captain and some of our crew were abducted and tortured. For any crew, this would be difficult, but speaking from my experience, there's a certain expectation of safety that comes with a science ship posting. After what we've been through, the crew is coming to grips with the illusion of safety while still trying to maintain hope and excitement for the unknown."

Dawn spun her glass in her hand, watching the tea swirl around and around. "You're right. At least on a bigger ship - one with more weapons - you expect that kind of thing to happen. On this ship, all that already seems further away." She took a slow sip from her glass. "But I was prepared for anything when I joined Starfleet... at least, that's what I tell myself. Helping others through that kind of pain... that's something else entirely."

"What's been the most difficult part for you so far?"

"Not knowing anyone," she said, glancing around the room. "Starting over again isn't easy. Still, it's a lot of fun, meeting people again, and knowing that I'll bump into them a lot. Although I guess that might not always be a good thing, depending on the person." She hadn't met anyone she didn't really like yet, but there was always that chance.

Delainey smiled and nodded. "I imagine you had a few difficult clients or strained relationships last time around. What can you tell me about them?" As much could be learned from how a counselor handled adversity as could be learned from success. In fact, interpersonal relations was the whole ballgame, naturally.

Dawn couldn't help smiling almost mischievously. "Well, there was Scotto... Captain Scotto, I should say. Former intelligence, arrogant beyond belief, tried to sleep with anything with breasts." Her smile grew. "Also, really claustrophobic. That can be a bit of a problem on a starship. Especially when you skip your meds."

"So, he had a panic attack when the turbolifts stopped working one day for some reason or another." What had Teller said? A power fluctuation? She didn't know much about engineering, anyway. "And I had the job of convincing him that ignoring his medication was a bad idea." She sighed. "He only took me seriously because he was still recovering from the whole thing."

Delainey smiled. Fortunately, she didn't have that kind of relationship with Captain Saalm, but she knew what it was like to work with difficult superiors. "You don't think your interventions made the difference?"

"They might have," Dawn replied with a shrug. "He didn't have any anxiety attacks after that, and I didn't hear anything from the doctor about him skipping any more meds. It's hard to say if he decided to listen to me or if he convinced himself." She paused. "Knowing him, it was probably a bit of both."

Delainey nodded and smiled. "I appreciate a therapist who can see her own value and still give credit to her clients. What sorts of clients or issues do you suppose you work best with? You'll be expected to work with whomever comes your way, don't get me wrong, but it helps to know what everyone's strengths and interests are."

"Hm." Dawn took a long sip of her iced tea. It was still refreshing even though the ice was almost melted. "It's hard to say. It's more fun to work with people that are willing to work with me, I suppose. A lot of the time those are people with self-esteem or anxiety issues that admit there's a problem." She watched the ice swirl around in her glass. "People that think they're above help or can't be helped are... frustrating."

Delainey chuckled. "They are, aren't they? I think you'll find a mixture of those folks here." Delainey paused, then offered, "I've spent a good amount of time asking you questions, do you have any for me?"

Dawn tilted her head. "Hard to say." She thought for a moment, her grey eyes wide. "I guess... how's the Galileo compared to other ships? Crazier? I'm not sure if having a smaller crew makes it easier or harder to be a counsellor."

Delainey smiled. "As with most things in life, I think it's a little of both. On the one hand, a smaller crew means you get an opportunity to know more people well, but the reverse is also true. They know you, and it can be harder to have a life and still maintain the objectivity required to make a difference. All in all though, I like to think of the crew as a family, with all the benefits and challenges that come with the label, if you know what I mean."

"I do," Dawn said, giving a firm nod. Although she still felt like she was on the outside, she could sense the crew's closeness. It was something she yearned to be a part of, but that would take time. And building that - that family, that home - was one of the things she really lived for. "It can be hard to help people you like. You sometimes have to push them to relive things they'd rather forget, or do things they aren't sure about. And if someone doesn't like you..." she lifted her hand. "Then you really have trouble getting through to them."

Delainey nodded and grinned. "Sounds like you speak from experience. Don't be afraid to refer those folks to Scarlet or me. There's no reason, under normal circumstances, you should have to work with someone you're not gelling with or is struggling with something outside your expertise. Of course, when things are abnormal, do the best you can and follow three simple rules: Don't maim your clients, kill them, or have sex with them."

"Some of those can be really hard sometimes." Dawn returned Delainey's grin. "It's good to be reminded that I'm part of a team, sometimes. Beta shift can be lonely. If I end up having a lot of trouble, I'll send some people to you. I'm stubborn, though. It can be hard to admit some people would be better off with another counsellor."

"Stubborn to one is persistence to another," Delainey pointed out with a chuckle. "If you need help determining what's what, we're all here."

That was true. Although Dawn definitely saw herself as more stubborn than persistent, there really wasn't that much difference between the two. "I'll replicate a giant sign to put on my side of the desk that says, in big letters, 'don't be afraid to ask for help, dummy.' That might be a bit long, though."

Delainey's eyes sparkled mischieviously. "DBATAFH, D. I'll needle point it."

***

Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Dawn Meridian
Counselor
USS Galileo

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