Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in CNS Office - Onboarding Exam (TAG Cadet Bennet)

Posted by Cadet Catt Beñnet (Scientist) in CNS Office - Onboarding Exam (TAG Cadet Bennet)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in CNS Office - Onboarding Exam (TAG Cadet Bennet)
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Korczak smiled as he looked at the next file on his desk. The young Cadet from the mess hall on the Science station. She certainly needed to have reported by now, but had not yet graced his office with her presence.

=/\=Cadet Bennet, please come to the Counselor’s office. Thank you.=/\=

Lt. Cmdr. Korczak, CNS

Catt had of course been about to activate the Counselors door chime when the com badge chimed. She paused long enough to wonder if the man was telepathic before she chimed the chime and entered when the door opening before her.
“Cadet Bennet sir.”,,
And paused cause she wasn’t sure what more she could say that hadn’t been said in the mess hall.

Catt Bennet. Sciences

The man the Cadet had met in the mess hall was seated behind a desk set into a corner of the room, one side flanked by a large bookcase filled with actual books, and the other side near the single large window that showed the vastness of space beyond the ship’s exterior. The rest of the room was set up to be warm and inviting, but still held the feel of a professional office. One chair sat facing away from the desk, looking towards a seating area composed of a couch and two chairs surrounding a low table. On the table sat a small plant, probably some type of succulent, and small wooden box with coasters stacked inside. Pictures on the wall depicted different places form Earth, some with people and some simply landscapes or structures. Some places were instantly recognizable: the Academy, Stonehenge, Paris, New York, Africa. Some were less so: A broken plain fractured by craters, a towering gold and green tower in the middle of a great city, a squalid flop-house in a dark and dingy urban landscape.

As Bennet came in, the bespectacled Counselor looked up and said “Hello again, Cadet. Please be seated wherever you feel most comfortable. Would you like something to drink before we begin?” he asked as he stood and went to the replicator.

Korczak, CN

Catt blinked at the counselor. Flicked an ear in confusion and made a move to check on her padd that she didn’t allow to complete as to do so would possibly be read as an attempt to stall.
The truth was that the Caitans at the academy had formed a tight knit grouping for the entirety of her time at the academy. Her species were hyper aware of body language and what was meant by every movement. The Caitan grouping had not wanted her company. But they had never allowed her to be alone with any of the aliens at the academy. They had not trusted Catt to give a proper representation of a civilized being.
After all she wasn’t civilized. She was Feral and every twitch. Every gesture had reminded her of her inferiority.

So she stood there blinking, twitching and fidgeting for what to her was an awkward length of time.

 "If I am honest sir. I can not read your intent or nuance your opinion. It makes me uncomfortable. ",

She said in the quiet whisper of her species.
She had been invited to sit and to not do so might be seen as a slight. So she moved to a chair and wrapping her tail around her waist sat.
So few species in the Frderation had tails that what was designed for comfort in other species
Was often painful to hers. So she sat at an angle on the edge of the chair and looked most likely as if she was ready to flee.

 "We have spoken sir.  I am unsure why you want to speak further. I admit to my inadequacy as fit social company. I am Feral. Is there some reason related to my skills in the sciences you need me for sir?",

And she had barely said it before she regretted it. The proper etiquette would of Been to let her superior officer ask the questions .

 "Sorry sir.".

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences.

Korczak simply looked at her through his glasses for a few moments, and then said “Cadet, I have no opinion or intent save for what regulations dictate. As I am sure you are very well aware, Star Fleet regulations require any transferring personnel arriving at a new duty station to check in with Medical for a physical, their Department Head for a briefing, and the ship or station’s Counselor for a psychological assessment. This is mandatory for all transferring personnel, Cadet or Captain. I am not singling you out. I have to perform an assessment to ensure you are psychologically fit for duty. If this is something that you do not wish to participate in, I will note your file and you can be on your way. Of course, that will require you to be reassigned as a on-boarding assessment is mandatory for all ship-based positions.” and he paused and looked at the Cadet, cocking his head slightly to the side in an inquisitive, but non-judgmental, fashion. “The choice is, of course, up to you Cadet.”

Korczak, CNS

Catt actually smiled in a shy way.

“I chose this assignment sir. It would hardly be logical for me to disqualify myself from service. By refusing a request of a ships officer.”,

And she rather looked embarrassed.

       "However regulations require meeting with The First officer, the ships doctor and your direct supperior.  It no where specifies the ships counselor as the doctor is expected to give a full physical and mental evaluation.",

And she sighed pretty sure he wouldn’t be happy with what she had just said.

    "Is it possible sir that what is now standard practice.  Well that regulations haven't yet caught up to what is being done. ",

Yep there was that Caitan honesty and logic again. She thought wryly. Why was it that the parts of being a Caitan that caused trouble were the ones she was good at? While she was otherwise such a terrible example of her species
And she wilted even before the expected glare and reprimand were given.

Catt Bennet. Sciences.

Korczak’s face remained expressionless as he picked up the PaDD and pulled up the regulations. “Here you go, Cadet. As you can see, reporting to the ship’s Counselor is required, assuming the ship has a Counselor. The field is woefully understaffed at the moment, I’m afraid. I will assume they missed that in your departure briefing. The Cadet Logistics Officer at the Academy and I had some conflict that I assume has carried over to him desiring me to chase down wayward Cadets. Although the task is not nearly as daunting as he probably assumes with Cadet’s magically appearing at my door as soon as I request them.” he said with a slight smile and a indication that her presence at his door had not gone unnoticed.

He then looked at her intently for a moment. “So. Tell me about yourself, Cadet. And tell me how you came to be in the Academy.”

Korczak, CNS

Catt nodded. And looked over the Padd she was offered.

   "it is true that it is a understaffed field sir. I ... Well they try to recruit all Caitans into counseling or diplomatic service. I put myself in a admirals bad books at the academy by refusing her for both services. I very logically explained to her that I was unsuitable. I refused to explain why and she took it personally.  I was rather touchy about  myself and why I am who I am. But anyways sorry. You asked a question.",

And she grabbed hr tail that was starting to twitch before it could start wagging about like a semaphore broadcasting her feelings and tucked it under her leg where trapped it was mostly held in check.
She regulated her breathing keeping her voice under control as well and having enforced a calm exterior continued.
“I joined Starfleet to ensure the the circumstances that created me as I am now. Never happen again. I went to the academy because it is evident that it is impossible to effect change within Starfleet as a enlisted crew being. Because elements of my past render me unsuitable for any position on my home planet.
Starfleet failed in its duty. I’m going to hold everyone responsible up to a glaring light of the ideals and expectations of those who founded the Federation. “,

Her tone rose as she spoke. But was never as loud as a normal conversational tone. Caitans just weren’t built for loud passionate speeches.

She took a deep breath. Calmed herself and unfolded her ears which had lain flat during her statement.

"The Frderation failed me and my colony. Sir.

But while I am cynical about what the Federation and Starfleet are. I think it can be what it is supposed to be.”

And she handed back the padd he had given her.

“Given the lack of counselors and the limiting of their deployment to ships with Civilian populations or full duty diplomatic duties I am rather surprised to find you here on the Challenger sir.”

Catt Bennet. Sciences.

Korczak listened intently as the young Cadet spoke. Unlike most Counselors or mental health professionals, Korczak took no notes as the discussion progressed. He simply listened and watched the speaker. In this case, he took specific mental note of the body language, the cadence of speech, the tone, and the choice of words and phrases. As the Cadet concluded and handed back the PaDD, Korczak took it and, setting aside, said “All Academy ships have Counselors on board full time. That is one of the priorities of the division, actually. Making sure that all of those who seek shipboard assignments are suitable to the task.” And he looked at her again, his face plain and expressionless. “You said that the Federation failed your colony, and you specifically. Can you tell me what happened?”

Korczak, CNS

Catt sighed, as her tail spawned and tried to escape.

      "McHenriys world was a mining colony. Heavy metals and radioactives. It was administrated by the founders family. Like most colonies it was a one way journey in a older ship. On landing the ship because the power, water treatment and administrative headquarters. The McHenries were human but they chose mostly non-humans as colonists.

Old Man Mc Henery thought all groupings of various races would work best for some reason. “,

Jer tail escaped at that moment so she paused long enough to secure it again.

  "The ship was also the warehouse. So when the power supply went there wasn't much left. What was left was toxic coolant and oil contaminated. But our meager farms were intact but the lack of power meant the automated systems failed. We were minors and their children nobody knew how to grow food by hand.",

She whispered getting quieter as she spoke.

“There was a routine Starfleet patrol due in two months. So a rationing plan was devised. We could last that long but there wouldn’t be anything uncontaminated after that.”.

And she paused to clear her tear ducts her tone having gone flat and unemotional.

  "The patrol didn't come. No distress call had been sent ad the only communication gear had been on the ship. The different  broke into  factions. My parents refused to defend themselves. They died like proper Caitans should. Civilized unto death."

And she fell quiet for about 10 heartbeats. Her tail once again loose but hanging limp.

  "I ran. I hid and what was left of the colony burned. By the time it grew quiet there was a handful  of human children and myself alive.",

And she looked up angry eyes locking on a spot on the walls.

“Robotic freighters came beamed up the ore and left. We put messages but there was nobody to read them. Starfleet never came. Two years later we were all sick weak and mostly starved.
A savage pack of feral children living on local fauna and flora. Star fleet never came but the oripns did.

And she sat there and let out a loud bteath.
“I didn’t know Orions could be kind. But they saved us. Tried to fix us then Sold us back to the Federation. I hated the Federaton. But it was a childish hate and unsustainable. So sir I was adopted by a human family and they named me.”

Cadet Catt Bennet. Sciences