Posted by Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist) in [Pre-Sim] Counselor’s Office - Psychological Exam (Tag CNS)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in [Pre-Sim] Counselor’s Office - Psychological Exam (Tag CNS)

Posted by Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist) in [Pre-Sim] Counselor’s Office - Psychological Exam (Tag CNS)
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

[snip]

Korczak looked at him for a brief moment and said “Of course, Cadet. Please be seated.” and he indicated a chair in the seating area. As he did so, he stood and came around the desk, and placed a PaDD in the single seat facing away from the desk. “Would you care for anything to drink, Cadet? I was just about to get myself some tea.” he asked. His accent was odd, as if multiple accents vied for dominance. But his tone was friendly and calm.

Korczak, CNS

“Thank you, sir,” Bowman said, as he sat down in the chair that the Counselor had indicated. He had just had a great Tarkalean tea while meeting with his department head, Lt. T’Kam – the effects of which were, as the Vulcan had said, indeed calming and soothing. Bowman had been watching as the man placed the PaDD into the chair, and was still looking at the PaDD with curiosity when Korczak had posed the question about the tea; so Rhese turned to face the man, smiled, and then responded: “No; but thank you, Commander.” Rhese now also noticed the spectacles the man wore, and found himself curious about them; as well as the man’s unusual accent. Rhese hadn’t ever heard anyone else like him; so it was impossible for Bowman to even venture a guess as to the man’s background; though, it seemed to the young cadet, that at least he looked “normal” enough… just a typical guy. Well, except for the glasses. Rhese was again reminded of an old photograph he’d seen as a young boy, from the scrapbook his mother had shown him. He found the feeling of nostalgia he was feeling, then, to be comforting; like remembering times of himself being wrapped in a warm blanket, sat down in front of the raging fire in the homestead’s wood-burning stove, on those bitter cold Alaska winter nights. “There is definitely something disarming about this man,” Rhese thought to himself.

Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist)

Korczak nodded to the declining of his offer of a drink, but ordered a black currant with lemon tea for himself. Carrying the cup and saucer to the seating area, he sat them down on the small table, picked up the PaDD, and sat down. “Very well.” he said with a very slight smile. “I am Lieutenant Commander Janus Korczak, ship’s Counselor. I, like you, am new to the Challenger, having been here only a few months. Prior to that, I was faculty at the Academy. And prior to that I was stationed at various places. My role on board is to assure that all crew- enlisted, Cadet, and officer alike- are both mentally and emotionally sound for duty aboard a star ship. That, and to make sure everyone has a place where they can speak freely about anything that troubles them.” and he smiled conspiratorially and added “And mediate the occasional argument.” and he gave the Cadet a wink.

“Now, tell me a bit about yourself.

Korczak, CNS

Bowman nodded a time or two as he followed Korczak’s related history. Rhese liked the man’s accent(s) – he really had a hard time nailing down any one in particular, as the more the man spoke the more accents Rhese thought he heard! But he liked the way this man spoke. “Well, I’m a scientist, specializing in botany, zoology, and ecology. I love working with plants; have ever since I was a young boy. We grew a lot of our own food back on the homestead in Alaska where I grew up,” Rhese volunteered. “I also enjoy music and astronomy,” he added. He thought to himself then, for a moment. Rhese didn’t like to brag of himself, so he wouldn’t mention his high marks in his academic courses – it was all a matter of record, anyway. But he did think for a moment about what to add next; finally settling on his ambitions, as he added: “I hope to be able to both expand and develop my skills, as well as provide precise and efficient results for our missions, during my service here.” He looked Korczak in the eye as he spoke, and smiled. There was something about this man… was it that he reminded Rhese of someone? He couldn’t be sure.

Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist)

Korczak’s face remained expressionless while Rhese spoke. When he was done, Korczak said “Tell me more about your home life, before the Academy. What of your family? Any siblings? And how did your family feel about your joining Star Fleet?”

Korczak, CNS

“Oh, they weren’t at all surprised when I told them I wanted to apply to the Academy,” Rhese said with a friendly chuckle. “Mom actually said, ‘Well, we saw this coming!’ They knew me pretty well, and knew how fascinated I was about other worlds, and the animal, plant, and insect life – or possibilities thereof – that I’d ‘discover.’ Growing up, I used to pretend I was on a science vessel, and would go ‘exploring other worlds’ as I used to go about the homestead doing my chores.” Rhese was very happy to relate these experiences; they were always pleasant memories, and he fondly recalled them often. Little things about his day-to-day life – even some from today, Rhese recalled – would conjure up memories from home. In some ways, it almost felt as if he’d never left; or like he was just away on a sort of extended vacation. Indeed, Bowman kept in regular contact with his family, as often as his studies and duties would permit. Feeling nostalgic again, Bowman realized he’d almost become lost in thought – so he continued: “I was named after my father; though rather than calling me ‘Junior’ they called me by my middle name, Rhese. I still keep in touch with Mom and Dad pretty regularly; oh, and my little brother, Josh, too. He’s the one that always liked to go on the hunting and fishing trips when Dad would go, when he got old enough, anyway. I would always prefer to stay back at the homestead to keep an eye on the place, and our greenhouses – and on Mom. We grew a lot of our own food there; and during really good harvest years, we’d also have plenty to bring to the markets for our neighbors, or anyone else who needed them. And Mom always needed an extra hand tending to the house,” Rhese concluded with a reminiscing smile.

Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist)

Korczak nodded encouragingly and listened as the young Cadet spoke of home. The talk of home sparked memories of Korczak’s home, but they were brief and he didn’t miss a word of what the young Cadet said. Looking at him as Bowman spoke, Korczak noted the look of nostalgia crossing his features. When he finished, Korczak said “Do you feel homesick much? With such close ties to your family and to the land, it would be completely normal to have those moments.”

Korczak, CNS

Bowman thought for a moment. He knew that, in some company, the ‘right’ thing to say might be a dishonest one, to avoid having to wonder what people might think of the truth, or perhaps even to spare their feelings; but this wasn’t one of those moments. Besides, it was important to Rhese that he always be honest. He’d always found it difficult to lie simply to spare someone else’s feelings anyway. “Well, not too much, really. But from time to time I do miss being there. Sometimes I feel like my family is missing out on things that happen in my life; but I try to keep mental notes about the stuff I think they’d be interested in, or find amusing, or otherwise important. That way, I can tell them about my day when we talk on the comm. It’s not the same as being there, though… but it is the next best thing. Though… being posted on a ship is going to be very different,” Rhese began. “Up until now, home wasn’t much more than just a transporter hop away. But now…” Rhese thought for a moment as he trailed off. He’d considered this before, that being deployed on a ship almost guaranteed that he’d be taken far from home – and oftentimes would mean that there could also be a delay involved – that real-time communication might not be possible, were the ship to be sent on a mission far enough that subspace communications would be required. And this seemed almost to be an absolute certainty. Though, Rhese had always thought, it’d be like ‘letters from home’ at those times – as if he were living in the past, having to write letters on paper and send them in ‘the post’ like people used to do so long ago. “… Now, it’ll be different,” Bowman continued. “I’ll be out of touch from them at times. They know this, and understand what it means. I imagine it’s a bit difficult for them, as much as it would be for me; but they wouldn’t have been able to support my decision to join Starfleet had they not also accepted that we’d be out of touch at times.”

“Nor would they have supported my decision if they hadn’t also considered that my service might also mean my death,” Rhese thought to himself. He knew that there could indeed come the time when he’d have to give his life for the mission, and he’d accepted that. He also knew that it was hard for his mother to come to terms with that; but she had, over time. It was something they’d talked about at length. It would be like the hunting trips he’d go on with his father as a child – hard living in nature, with no other human contact for days… and literally braving the elements in the struggle to survive. Those trips, like this one, could mean serious injury – or even death. Rhese had ensured that they knew the risks involved in his service, and that they – as well as he himself – had come to a place of being at peace with the possibility. If they couldn’t have done that, Rhese would not have applied to the Academy. He’d have made himself content to stay at home. But his parents had told him that they wanted him to be happy, and to have a fulfilled life full of purpose – which, they’d said, was more than even they could provide for him at home. Rhese smiled, then; it was a bittersweet feeling.

Cadet Rhese Bowman (Scientist)

Without pause, and almost as if he could see what the young man was thinking, he asked flatly “And how do they… and you… address the fact that your service in Star Fleet could lead to your demise?”

Korczak, CNS