Posted by Commander Maxwell Harkness (Executive Officer) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO

Posted by Commander Maxwell Harkness (Executive Officer) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻 Posted by Lt. Cmdr. Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO : Posted by Commander Maxwell Harkness (XO) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO : : Posted by Lt. Cmdr. Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO : : : Posted by Commander Maxwell Harkness (XO) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO : : : : Posted by Lt. Cmdr. Royal Sinclair (Counselor) in CNS Office - Your Turn, TAG XO : : : : Sinclair tapped his combadge. =/\= Sinclair to Commander Harkness. Sir, when you have a moment, please report to my office. Thank you. =/\= Sinclair needed a current psych evaluation for the XO, his last one having been some time ago and there having been several substantive events on board in that time. : : : : : : : : Sinclair, CNS : : : : : : Max chuckled. Give the man some power and it goes straight to his head. : : : : : : =^= Understood Commander. I’ll be there shortly. =^ : : : : : : A few minutes later Max rang the chime for Royal’s office. : : : : : : Cmdr. Harkness - XO : : : : Sinclair opened the door and smiled at Harkness. “I know, I know. Ten minutes as Counselor and all of a sudden I’m calling you in to shrink your head, right?” he said as he extended his hand to the XO. “Thanks for coming, Commander. I’m just trying to get everyone’s records up to speed. We are a bit behind on our fitness evaluations. So… yay, you!”, his brogue adding a sense of warmth and familiarity even though their interactions were about to take a significant shift. : : : : Sinclair, CNS : : Max chuckled as he took Sinclair’s hand. “I guess one of us has to be your guinea pig. So where do you want to start?” : : Cmdr. Harkness - XO “How about we start with a drink and you plopping down in one of these obscenely comfortable chairs? What can I get for you?” he asked as he directed the XO to a chair and he walked over to the replicator. Sinclair, CNS

“How about a coffee,” Max said as he headed over to one of the chairs and sat down. “You know, these are pretty comfy. How come you get all of the comfy chairs? The ones in my office are not even half as good as these.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

Sinclair ordered two coffees and brought them over, setting one down towards Harkness on the small table. “Perks of the job, Commander. People need to be comfortable while I root around in their head. And if you think these are comfortable, try the ones in the Academy Counselor’s office. Two minutes and you’d be asleep, guaranteed.” he said with warm smile. He picked up the mug nearest himself and took a sip. “So.” he said and took a breath. “The ship has seen some significant changes recently. Case in point.” he said and looked around the room briefly. “How are you doing? Any problems adjusting to the changes?”

Sinclair, CNS

“I don’t think I want to fall asleep while I’m visiting the counselor,” Max said laughing. Picking up his cup he took a sip.

“Change is all a part of being in the fleet. And after you have been out here this long, you realize that even the certainty of retirement is not very much a certainty. I’ve seen my fair share of officers get pulled back into the fleet after they thought they retired. Not to mention my own fair share of reassignments. This is actually the longest that I’ve been at one post since I joined Starfleet. Especially since I joined up right before the Dominion War. There was a lot of bouncing around during the aftermath of that.

“Plus, if you don’t adjust to the changes, they are only going to drive you crazy in the end.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

“So in Counseling 101, they taught us that that kind of response is called ‘deflection’. See? All that time I had to spend in training paid off.” he said with a warm smile. “I know change is the only constant we have; but what I asked, Commander, is if you are having any problems with the latest set of changes? Any trouble sleeping? Distractions? Reoccurring thoughts of tribbles? Anything that seems as if it may be impacting how you see yourself or your duties?”

Sinclair, CNS

“No problems that I’m aware of, but I still haven’t had a chance to meet all of the new staff yet. As for troubles sleeping, no more than usual. And there is always distractions, new problems do tend to come up on an Academy ship. The accident rate does tend to be higher.

“No tribbles though thankfully, and the only thing impacting my duties is having to check in with the new staff,” he said chuckling.

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

Sinclair chuckled as well. “I’ll not the absence of tribbles in your permanent file, then.” he said with a grin. He then set the PaDD aside and leaned forward and looked at Harkness. “Anything you need to get off your chest off the record? Not an opportunity I provide to most, so take it while you can.” he said with a small smile.

Sinclair, CNS

Max leaned back in his chair and looked over his clasped hands at Sinclair. It definitely was a unique opportunity.

“Not so much as something to get off my chest, but a question for you. Why the change to counseling? It is a bit of a jump for you from security.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

Sinclair grinned. “Well, I will say it was not what I had planned, that’s for certain. I loved my job in Security. But as I was exposed to the more advanced academic areas of security with regards to psychology and mediation… I found I liked that very much as well. When the Captain proposed that Casen be made Security Chief and I fill the Counselor role that had been left vacant for far too long, I accepted after a bit of thought. At the end of the day the priority is what is best for the crew, not my personal preference. I will do my best no matter what role I need to take on. We needed a Counselor. I was trained, qualified, and already here. It just made sense, don’t you think?”

Sinclair, CNS

Max nodded. “It makes sense in the broadest sense, the whole needs of the many out weigh the needs of the few idea. But at the same time it is your career.

“I’m sure Casey will make a find Security Chief, but don’t you miss it? There is quite a bit less of shoot first and ask questions later, and a lot more of just asking questions.” Not that Max had much to say. He had come up through the ranks as a pilot, first of fighters before moving to the command track. He still missed flying, but the oppportunity has been there.

Cmdr Harkness - XO

“Of course I miss it. Security will always be my passion.” and he paused as he reflected for a few moments. “I think anyone in the position I find myself in now who said they didn’t miss it would either be lying or delusional… or both.” he added with a chuckle. He then shrugged his broad shoulders and said “But it is what it is. And as far as my career goes, well… now I have a lot more options for future postings, right?” he said with a grin. “Hey, it might even make me more appealing for Command School selection. See, Commander? Silver linings and all that.”

Sinclair, CNS

Max grinned back, “Definitely got keep your eyes on the silver linings, and command is also a great goal if that is what you want. Plus, there is no rush to grow up, it’s an officers prerogative to change there mind.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

Sinclair chuckled. “If you ever said that in front of my grandfather, he would have taken no small amount of exception to that. He was a Marine. Gunnery Sergeant.” and he smiled a somewhat melancholy smile, and then shook his head.

Max laughed. “He would probably agree! Every Marine I ever met assumed it was just a given that an officer would change their mind at a whim.”

“Do you have any other concerns or issues that I should be aware of, Commander? Or would you like me to let you off the proverbial hook and say you are officially fit for duty?”

Sinclair, CNS

“Nothing that I can think of. Just a few check boxes and I can get out of your hair, I’m sure you have a bit of catching up with crew to do.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

Sinclair picked up the PaDD and made a few notes and then said “Commander Harkness, you are cleared for duty. Should you find yourself in need of my services, please don’t hesitate to contact my office and set up an appointment with the receptionist. Also, I would like a receptionist.” he said with a grin.

Sinclair, CNS

“Put in a request and I’ll file it with HQ,” Max said laughing. “Thanks for the chat Commander. I’ll be sure to stop by if I ever need your help.”

Cmdr. Harkness - XO

“Stop by even if you don’t, Commander. My door is always open for you.” Sinclair said and stood, offering his hand to the XO.

Sinclair, CNS