Posted by Cadet Alex McCall, MD (Doctor) in Counsellors Office - McCall checks in

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Vanessa Lofton (Counselor) in Counsellors Office - McCall checks in

Posted by Cadet Alex McCall, MD (Doctor) in Counsellors Office - McCall checks in

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“It would be strange if I did not recognise it, being an Edinburgh man myself…. I think it was more unusual at one point to see student accommodation that didn’t feature a print of the Singing Butler when I was at the university.”

“Well then, to students with good taste,” she raised her cocoa mug in a mock salute with a smile. “I imagine he would be pretty popular in Edinburgh.”

Alex took the offered mug with a smile and settled himself on to the sofa, his posture relaxed.

“So, Vanessa, what exactly would you like to get to know about me?”

Cadet Alex McCall, MD

She rolled the cup between her palms as he spoke. “The kinds of things I won’t find in your files,” she replied, gesturing toward her desk terminal with her head. “I have reams of data on your psychological profile, your scores in every class you’ve taken, projections on scores in classes you didn’t take… but I’m more interested in what’s not there.”

She sipped the cocoa. “So let’s start with the easy stuff - what do you like to do when you’re not in class, or working? Any hobbies, interests?”

CNS Lofton

Alex cradled the mug in his hands, feeling the warmth of the chocolate as he considered the last few years of his life.

“Hobbies… to be honest I haven’t really had time for much outside of work and my studies the last few years… medical school….residency…the academy….” Alex paused, and glanced down, inspecting the carpet of the office

“I’m sure you, as a fellow medical professional, can understand how all consuming it can be? Studying, shift work, constantly needed to keep up with the latest developments and research? Doesn’t leave a lot of time for macramé or learning to surf does it?”

Cadet Alex McCall, MD

Vanessa nodded in commiseration, recalling sleepless nights studying at the Academy. “Yes, but having free time, making sure we get in that time away from work, is critical to our well being,” she responded, adding slightly more force at the end of the statement. “We risk burnout, cracking under pressure - things we don’t need light years away from a planet or starbase.”

“I’ll make sure with Dr. Frankenstein that you have some free time - and time which you are to spend on yourself.” She eyed Alex momentarily. “Before you entered the Academy, did you have anything you liked to do? Any sports, instruments, genres that captured your attention?”

Vanessa sipped her cocoa, focusing on the cadet. Burnout was real, and the fleet lost too many good officers from it. It was one of the main reasons the ship’s counselor role had been made a staple of deep space ships fifty years before.

CNS Lofton