Posted by Fleet Captain Drudoc Andone (Commanding Officer) in Side Sim - Captain’s Quarters - Fayth Visiting
[snip]

Sensing where she had errored Drudoc nodded slightly brushing back a small lock of her cropped hair behind her left pointed ear. The light in the room seeming to almost sparkle off the faint silver locks mixed among the more evident black dark raven colored hair. “..I stand corrected them, Ensign. My mistake.” She said sipping her tea again.

”..Observing the Federation as an outsider for much of my life through this past century and a good chuck of the 23rd,” Drudoc said showing her age being in the late 140s mark. “..I can say we still have a long way to go. I agree with you whole heartedly. The counseling role if you consider it though is still, in the concept of the Federation’s age, still arguably quite a new one. Having only gained prominence on ships since the 2360s. But we must look at the positives that we jointly as a community offer each other. Find commonality and when encountering prejudice or other more negative aspects call out appropriately those actions for the betterment of our community..” Drudoc said stating her thoughts.

”..Assuming you are right thought, that this counseling officer is doing wrong and harming your friend what do you propose to do about it within your means?” She asked then.

Drudoc Andone CO

Sharah leaned back and thought about it. “Not much really. Not yet. I have my own experiences and opinions. And opinions are not facts. And I have a letter from my distraught friend. Professionally this is not within my purview. And her letter is vague and only one side of the story. For the moment all I can do is contact the chief medical officer, voicing my concerns. I trust him and I know he will do what he thinks is best.” But to be honest with herself, her problem really goes deeper than that.

”..If I can help in some manner let me know ok?” Drudoc said.

“I will, thank you, Captain.”

“I guess I was looking for the counselor because, I feel like every time I board a new ship I get bad news. On Challenger I was deathly ill. When we boarded Europa I found out my uncle’s ship was listed as MIA and hasn’t been found yet, and now my friend is in trouble but…Well I’m not sure you can tell me anything, Captain, but another officer on board, Trax, gave me some very disturbing news about home, and I just find it hard to believe that the government on Betazed would force our people back home and become so doctorial, but I haven’t been home since I joined the academy. So maybe things have changed.”

En Fayth, Science

”..Life is filled with experiences good and bad, Ensign. They each make us stronger in one form or another if you ask me.” She said. Taking up the now empty glasses Drudoc reprocessed them, and ordered each of them a small wafer of chocolate and ice cream on a small plate. Returning it and offering it she added, “..Don’t let Tel’eck know you had this, house rules are she aint allowed dessert until her homework and room is cleaned up and something tells me she isn’t up to finishing the second tonight..” She said conspiratorially.

Sharah grinned and whispered, “Dessert is a serious thing. I won’t tell.”

Unknown to either of the two and unheard by either through the closed off room Tel’eck sneezed a bit rubbing her nose. “..Uff stupid allergies..” She said wrinkling her nose and brow.

Back in the main room Drudoc took her seat again then. “..As for Ensign Sueder, his problems are....difficult. The personal details are his to relate but most of the orders being given by the government is only for him to return or remain in exile. While their wording should apply to all Betazoids almost all are taking it for what it really is as far as I’m aware.” She explained.

Sharah listened thoughtfully as she savored the desert. Ice cream and chocolate. The captain obviously knew about the Betazoid prediliciton for chocolate.

Taking a bite of her dessert Drudoc swallowed it then continued wiping her mouth. “..Unfortunately ever since the Hobus event racked the Alpha and Beta Quadrant, as well as the ban on Synths since the mid 2380s with their attack on Utopia Planitia and Mars it has......been difficult time for everyone around known space in some form. People are scared in many ways, and fear breeds strange bedfellows and actions that might normally be mediated in other forms.” Drudoc explained her thoughts.

“I actually contacted my brother. He’s the CoS on outpost 53. He said there is a small group among the government who is advocating for a ‘pureist’ mindset. To stop the blood from being thinned out. Because of the Dominion occupation, so many died. He said this group is feeding on people’s fears that our people will die out and nothing be left. I guess I can empathize, a little, with them. He said it’s a small handful of the ruling houses. What the ruling houses have forgotten though, is that they are not the only people on Betazed with strong gifts. He said they don’t have a strong standing because they are advocating a strong martial pressence, and that goes against everything our culture believes. We were supposed to take our next shore leave on Betazed. But our plans may need to change.”

Taking another bite then swallowing Drudoc seemed to shift the conversation some. “..Tell me Ensign how do you feel the events of your life have shaped you? Not just in a negative sense but also positive?” She queried.

Drudoc Andone CO

This was a topic Sharah was familiar with, and oddly enough something she and Joseph had discussed in depth on their last leave. “Adversity. Plane and simple, adversity. It’s made me stronger. Nothing is ever easy for me, but I feel like that has made me more determined and more able to recognize the small and large accomplishments. I’m very self reliant. Growing up, after awhile it was very hard to make friends. Even on a telepathic world. The adults feared me, because I was liable to repeat anything I heard, because as a child I didn’t understand discretion. The children were often angry with me because I told secrets and got them in trouble. So I learned to work independently. I learned to appreciate true friendship and meaningful connections. I learned the value of meaningful relationships that take time to form and solidify. I need a lot of down time so I can cope with the input during on duty hours. It makes those meaningful connections more precious to me. I tend to be directly blunt because I know when others are lying to me, or more importantly to themselves. And it made me an excellent doctor, at first. Feeling the pain of those you are helping, tends to do that,” she says light heartedly, making a serious joke at herself. “It has given me the ability to be single minded in whatever I do, especially in my research.”

She pauses taking a bite. “For example, when I was 10 I met my adopted uncle. He was a botanist on the USS Galileo. He taught me all about plants, but that was the first time I knew that plants were used to make medicine. Even then, at 10, I was single minded. I began to research plants that might help me, and others like me. That research grew into the program that I’ve created now.”
En Fayth, Science