Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in Songz’s Office- Calloway’s Appointment

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Counter-Intelligence Officer) in Songz’s Office- Calloway’s Appointment

Posted by Civilian Sair Songz (Counselor) in Songz’s Office- Calloway’s Appointment
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Faye’s stormy grey-green eyes studied the tree with curiosity and stepped closer to it. The counsellor’s gesture was almost a silent invocation, as much as it was perhaps a repetitive and ceremonial gesture. “A my-ka tree? Mee-ka?” Faye asked, not sure of the pronunciation. She, of course, had done a ton of research into the new counsellor and her new therapist. It was as much a natural part of her job as counter-intelligence as it was satisfying her personal curiosity and easing some of her anxieties. The more she knew about the incoming person, the easier it would be (hypothetically) to deal with a new therapist, even for the limited amount of time left. “May I?” she said, reaching out, her fingertips hovering over a leaf.

~Faye Calloway, Counter-Intelligence

“It’s pronounced mee-ka, yes,” Sair said. “And by all means you can touch it. It’s not fragile.” She was secretly impressed even as she had expected the intelligence officer to have done her research. Even without being involved in intelligence gathering, Faye was a sponge. Everything in her record told Sair about a person who needed info and felt off-kilter when she didn’t have it.

Faye touched the leaf, feeling the textures imbedded. Leaning in, she studied the structure of the sculpture, seeing the nuances of the design and painstaking way the details were created. It was something else, that was for sure.

She left Faye to explore the mika tree statue as she took a seat in one of the chairs. “And when you’re ready, why don’t you come over and tell me how you managed to get away with it.”

Was she being intentionally provocative? Absolutely. But while a part of her was testing Faye, another knew that they were going to have to deal with difficult things in quick succession and she needed the woman focused.

~Sair Songz, CNS

Calloway’s head snapped to Sair, eyes narrowing. “Get away with what?” She tried to keep the edge out of her voice but she had yet to meet a mental health practitioner who couldn’t see through her. It really did make her a terrible Intelligence agent, but good things she wasn’t trying to be one of the sneaky kinds (anymore).

~Faye Calloway, Counter-Intelligence

Sair couldn’t help the smile that appeared. It wasn’t so much that Faye took the bait, so much as the woman knew that Sair wasn’t necessarily going to do things the way others had in the past. “Well, according to your file you have been through quite a lot in the last year. And a crisis no less. In the aftermath I would have thought you’d have done more sessions, not less. And I know there had been a gap since the last counsellor left, but you didn’t reach out to get an interim counsellor. So… what gives? With the things you’re dealing with, I have to say I was surprised.” She gestured to the seats.

Faye stared at Songz, well, shocked. Seems she was the blunt kind, which was fine. Faye was blunt herself. With a sigh, Faye sat down, hands on the edge of the seat of the sofa and chewed on her cheek a little. “It was’t intentional, exactly. In the aftermath of everything, it was just chaos and things got a bit complicated after Zef left. But I was relying on my support network and they helped me through some stuff. That and finally Dag and I got to be together.”

“He’s the one you’re getting married to, right?” Songz asked.

Calloway sat back, brows raised. “How did… where did you hear that?”

Sair smirked. “Oh Faye, you’re not the only observant one collecting information around here,” she said with a smirk. “Besides, your former therapist knew and noted it in her notes.”

“Oh.” Of course it was in her notes. Faye imagined that her file was a beast to read and the thought made her smirk slightly.

The Kobliad leaned forward and met Calloway’s gaze. “Tell me about this upcoming marriage and what that looks like for you two. You have a long distance relationship, don’t you?”

Faye nodded and set about filling Songz in about how her and Dag met, got together and her plans to transfer to the Athena.

~Faye & Sair

“So have you worked out a plan for when you get there? What will your support system look like?” Sair asked.

Faye’s lips tipped downwards as she thought about it, knowing it would all be in flux. “Well, Dag is super supportive and being together instead of having to rely on subspace will make a lot of things easier. And of course when I get there I will have to check in with the counsellor, so business as usual. And I have Tess.”

Sair glanced at her PADD. “Tess is your service animal, yes?” A nod from Faye confirmed her recollection. More than anything Sair just wanted Faye to be aware that she had a system in place even when everything else was in flux. A lot was going to change for the woman, so it was important for Faye to have that knowledge sitting in the back of her mind. “How is Tess handling your anticipation?”

She laughed. “Poor cat is going bonkers. She knows something is up and even if she can’t understand my exact words when I tell her, she’s been mirroring my mixed feelings,” Faye said.

“Tell me more.”

“Well, it’s sort of bittersweet, you know? I mean, I feel like the Manhattan is home and it’s hard to go somewhere new, even if it’s for the best possible reason. But I’m not at all in the same place I was when I first came here, so I think it maybe won’t be as scary, even if it’s not always easy.”

Sair couldn’t help but smile. “It sounds like you have very reasonable expectations of yourself and the transition. Are you still doing the journalling?”

Faye nodded, her fingers still gripped over the edge of the couch. “Yeah. It’s one of my tools and it’s pretty useful. That and yoga.”

By all accounts it sounded like Faye had things well in hand. There was only so much planning they could do and only so much they could anticipate. The rest she and her partner would have to figure out together. “Do you have a plan or process in place if you get too overwhelmed and start to spiral?”

Faye had to force her fingers to relax. She wasn’t exactly planning on having a breakdown on the Athena and she didn’t want to worry about it, but she also knew the high highs could be just as much a problem as really low lows. “I… don’t really know. Dag, counsellor, rely on the cat. Do my self-care. Not sure what else I can do. I haven’t really thought about it actually.”

Sair tilted her head slightly and gazed long and hard at Faye, taking her time before replying. “You’re not at all worried about a relapse?” It was important that she gauged Faye correctly and didn’t instil a worry that wasn’t there, but by everything she had read and so far seen, she didn’t buy it.

Eyes shifting to gaze at the carpet, her fingers tapped. “Worried? Not precisely. I guess I’m just aware that when everything is in flux, my coping mechanisms don’t work as well and I sometimes need more help. I guess just knowing that helps, right?” It irritated her how hopeful she sounded. She didn’t need this stranger’s validation, did she? Uggh. It’s not like Songz could block her transfer or anything.

For a moment Sar just gazed at Faye, but unlike the hardness before, there was a beaming smile. “Faye, do you hear yourself? Do you see how measured and thoughtful it was? That to me is huge progress.” She held up a fist and one by one extended a finger. “You’re self-aware, you have a support network, you have regular self-care practices, and you know how to ask for help if you need it. To me that sounds like a person who has done the hard work and is prepared for these big changes. Not everything will be smooth or go to plan, but I am confident in your ability to handle whatever comes your way. And if you get stuck before you leave, well, you know where I am.”

That was it? Really? But as Faye gazed at the Kobliad, she grinned. “Okay.” There was an understanding between them.

Sair gestured with her head to wards the door. “Go on. I’m sure you have plenty to do.”

Faye wasted no time bouncing to her feet and nodded. “Yep, sure do! Bye doc,” she said, as she headed for the door. It swished open and Faye turned, bracing a hand on the frame. “Thanks,” she said before disappearing into the corridor.

Sitting alone in her office, Sair chuckled. She wished the woman well and hoped things went even more smoothly than she anticipated. But if not, well, she felt confident Faye would find her way.

~Sair Songz, CNS & Faye Calloway, Counter-Intelligence