Posted by Cadet Dael Stadi (Engineer) in CNS’s Office- Cadet Stadi Psych Eval
After what he’d call a successful settling in, Dael picked up a PADD in his quarters to see what was next on his agenda. The briefing before being sent to the Challenger had brought up the fact that alongside reporting for duty to his immediate superior, a psych and medical evaluation were required whenever coming aboard a new vessel. Dael had already made his introductions with his Chief by this point, and hoped he had made a good impression. Vulcans can be so hard to read, even for Betazoids. Gazing at his PADD, he noted that he should probably see if the ship’s counselor was available. To his surprise, upon opening the planner file on the PADD, he already had an appointment scheduled in a few hours. Things move fast on a starship he thought as he checked the time. *Not enough time to swing by Sickbay first, so I’ll make sure to do that after. Maybe a little time to go over the Challenger’s specs though.” With that final thought, he turned to the replicator.

“Computer, Jestral tea, hot.” The hum filled the room, followed by the familiar and warm scent of the tea. Dael sat down in a nearby chair, cup and PADD in hand. “Computer, play music mix, classical, ‘Largo al factotum’ then… well just shuffle after that. Maybe something Andorian.” He leaned back, breathing in the tea as the sounds of the baritone came through the room, singing how much his work is needed.

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An hour later, Dael made his way out of the turbolift and proceeded down the hall. He wondered if others felt anxious going to discuss their interior lives with someone. It was much of a non-issue among his species. When most can read your mind, or at least your thoughts on the surface of your mind, discussing your personal feelings and struggles came easy. Though he did admit himself to be not completely at ease, after all, this wasn’t a family member or friend, but a superior officer he was going to potentially open up to. Great, just find reasons to make yourself nervous Dael, that always works. He passed a few crewmen on his way to his destination, their calm surface emotions piercing through the cloud that was forming in his own mind. Breathing in deep, he pressed the door chime and awaited the signal to enter.

The door to the counselor’s office slid open automatically, obviously expecting Dael’s arrival for his appointment. The room inside was of decent size by dimension, but was filled with an assortment of furniture, art, and lots and lots of plants. In the primary space, a high-backed armchair sat facing a loveseat couch, both adorned with a warm brown cloth fabric and designed for comfort when sitting for extended periods. The loveseat was flanked by two intricate end tables made of dark wood, each of which had an arrangement of little statues, candles, and a tissue box. A hemp rug bridged the space between the two seating options.

There was a desk pushed up against the far wall, but it was almost obscured by an indoor jungle’s worth of potted plants on that side of the room that hung from the ceiling, stood in large vases, or sat on shelves with dozens of other specimens. The plants, in combination with the earth tones of the furniture and the slightly yellowed lighting in the office gave the space a tropical atmosphere. Indeed, the plant life might even make the air feel be a bit more fresh, to those with keen senses.

Among the plants, a tall man with tanned skin and pushed-back brown hair turned to peered through the foliage as the door to his office opened. A small circular symbol sat on his forehead, indicating that he was from Risa. He grinned as he maneuvered through the organic maze. “Cadet Stadi! Welcome! I’m counselor Hilo. Please, come in! In fact, come over here,” Hilo said as he motioned toward the jungle, leaving the seating area ignored for now. “I was just in the middle of pruning some of my plants. Would you mind lending a hand for a moment before we begin?”

Hilo stopped in front of a shelf that had three plants sitting in plate-sized pots. One housed a Christmas cactus that was spilling over the edges of its container. Another, a hydrangea that seemed to be at the end of its blooming cycle. And the last, a sage plant that had grown too big for its allotted soil. Hilo looked over his shoulder and offered a pair of clippers to Dael. The man’s face was friendly and inviting, encouraging him to take his pick of plant to preen.

The counselor’s surface-level thoughts were congruent with his welcoming personality. He was genuinely excited to meet Dael, and was naturally friendly and upbeat. If he pushed a little further, Dael might be able to sense that Hilo’s invitation to prune the plants wasn’t quite as spontaneous as he was indicating. Likely, Hilo was using it as an excuse to do something other than immediately sit and talk to help the cadet feel more relaxed.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

OOC: Welcome, Griffin! Sorry this took me a bit to get to, I’ve been getting settled into a new job! I’m excited to write with you! I’m looking forward to learning more about your character. In this thread, we’ll discuss your character’s personality and backstory. It looks like you already have a detailed bio, which is great! Cheers!

Ben