Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in Pre-sim: Psych eval for the CTO

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Harrison Callahan (Chief Tactical Officer) in Pre-sim: Psych eval for the CTO

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Janna Kingston (Counsellor) in Pre-sim: Psych eval for the CTO
Posted by… suppressed (7) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Janna nodded. “Yes, they should. I can’t speak for others and what motivated them to push on a topic. I can only tell you that I am going to go where I am lead through our conversation. If I have a concern or something I want to understand better, I will ask questions around it, though it might not be obvious at first. I’ll be frank, I will be sometimes that stereotypical tricksy therapist. It’s never out of malice. I’m not trying to make you do or feel anything that isn’t true, but sometimes I have to go about things sideways or otherwise to figure something out. In a basic eval where someone has been continually cleared for duty and there are no obvious issues, it’s a pretty basic and quick conversation. My goal is to build a basic rapport and specifically in our case, we’re both senior officers. I’m going to spend a little more time with you because it’s important we get to know one other. We’re going to work more closely together than others and I need to understand the members of the team so I know how best to support everyone when things gets dicey. Because on this ship, things get dicey. A lot,” she said, her grass green eyes glinting as she gave him a lopsided smirk.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Bump

“I appreciate that,” Harrison began. “Really, honestly, even. And I appreciate you being honest with me.”

He took a long sip of his water. “I’m not a counselor, but, you do know that goes both ways. I’ve kinda become an unofficial counselor through the years. Maybe it’s because I just have a trustworthy face? Or I’m a good listener? Maybe I’ll look into bar-tending when I retire.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

Janna smiled. “Some people just have a natural charisma that helps others feel more at ease. Perhaps that is true for you too,”

“As far as the Athena goes, you’ve been placed on this rather interesting assignment. What do you think about that?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Bump

“Honestly?” I’m okay with that. New ship, new crew, a whole new quadrant of space I’ve never operated in before. I’ve got to build up a whole new network of contacts out here, and that’s going to take some time. Starfleet Intel must figure I can do it, or they just needed me to get away from the Alpha Quadrant.”

“Ooorrrr, I’m getting too well known by the criminal element back there, so they sent me here for both our safety?”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

OOC: Didn’t get a reply to my query in Discord, so I’ll do my best to not step on toes here. Let me know if anything Janna says would be something she shouldn’t/couldn’t know. Also, the Athena’s area of operation is in the Beta Quadrant. ;)
IC:
Janna arched her brows. “And so you bring this danger to the Athena, which already has a penchant for getting into trouble. Do you anticipate that causing any issues?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

OOC: Sorry, haven’t been on Discord in a while, so haven’t seen your question. OOOps, I was thinking Manhattan in the Delta Quadrant. And, it’s really hard to step on my toes. I only have three left. (Damn diabetes!!!)

IC: “I’m hoping the exact opposite. That whoever may be looking for me or has a grudge against me for whatever reason, they don’t have the time or the resources to look for me in the Beta Quadrant. So, no, I don’t see that as an issue, at least not until I’ve had a chance to make some enemies.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

A glimmer traipsed through her grass-green eyes. “Are you anticipating making enemies?” Janna asked before taking a couple sips of coffee.

~Janna Kingston, CNS

“Anticipating? No. Planning on it? Definitely not. But, you know what they say ,’the best laid plans of mice and men . . . ‘. You wouldn’t believe how many times my plans have gone awry. Then again, that’s often the fun part–coming up with a plan B on the fly.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

She smiled. “So I’ve dealt with my fair share of people who have been or are involved with Starfleet Intelligence. First, you should know that little fazes me, but also that I am aware of the training it requires and how that can complicate settling into a ship like the Athena. We’re a ship of exploration. We have families aboard, children. And yet we conjure up enough of our own intrigue. So I guess my question now is how do you see that past work complicating or helping you in your role here, potential enemies aside, of course.”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

“I look at all past work as a plus. If something went wrong, you learn from it and try to make sure it doesn’t happen again. For good experiences, you take that and expand on iy. Try to broaden and become better for the next time. I know that’s a pretty standard answer, but I truly believe it.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

Janna grinned. “Standard answers always have the essence of truth of in them. The key is figuring out what is different in them for you. Are there any experiences in particular you think will be important in guiding you as you settle into your role here?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

“No, not any one thing in particular, except maybe the fact I learned early in my career, you need to learn a tactical console, make it become an extension of your mind. You need to learn the nuances and quarks of the console. Are the controls a split-second delayed? Does it have a hairpin trigger? How long does it take a torpedo to leave the tube? You have to learn these things on every ship you serve on. Contrary to the belief that every console is pretty much standard on all ships of the same class, they aren’t and that can make the difference between a successful battle and a disastrous one.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

She nodded as she leaned back into her chair and took a generous sip of her coffee. Janna was a rather petite woman but she took up her space without a shred of obvious self-consciousness. “Subtleties control so much of our lives, even when we might not think so. What do you focus on when you’re not preparing for a potential battle?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Harrison considered that for a moment, his expression easing from the sharp focus he wore on the bridge to something more reflective.

“When I’m not preparing for a potential battle?” He let out a faint breath that might have been a quiet laugh. “I try to prepare for not having one.”

He folded his hands loosely in his lap. “On my last assignment, I learned that the best tactical victories rarely show up in the logs as ‘engagements.’ They show up as incidents that never happened. A tense border that never flared. A pirate cell that decided our patrol pattern wasn’t worth testing. A junior officer who didn’t freeze because someone took the time to run one more drill.”

His gaze drifted briefly, as if seeing the Athena’s corridors in his mind. “So I focus on readiness without paranoia. Training my team until responses are instinctive, but not fear-driven. Reviewing sensor data not because I expect trouble, but because patterns tell stories long before weapons fire does. Intelligence work taught me that the smallest anomalies—the missed shipment, the unusual power fluctuation, the captain who’s just a little too cordial—often matter more than the obvious threats.”

A faint, almost wry smile touched his lips. “And when I can manage it, I focus on the crew. This ship carries families. Children. That changes the equation. Tactical decisions aren’t abstract. They have names and quarters assignments attached to them. So when I’m not studying firing arcs or shield harmonics, I make a point of knowing who we’re protecting.”

He tilted his head slightly toward Janna. “Exploration isn’t the absence of danger. It’s the willingness to face it in pursuit of something better. My job is to ensure that when curiosity leads us into the unknown, fear doesn’t make the decisions.”

A brief pause, then more quietly:

“And if I do my job well, most days will feel… uneventful. I’ve found that’s usually the sign we’re getting it right.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena

Janna was not a mask. She did not conduct therapy that way. She would control her expressions to ensure they didn’t interfere with a person’s introspection and reactions. But she was not one to hide away from her patients. She was as real and fallible as they were. So when the smile tugged at her lips, she allowed it. “I think most of the command crew would agree with you. And we do have uneventful days. The ones that aren’t are often ones handed to us externally. Such is the curious nature of the Athena. A holdover from its previous life as a tactical destroyer. There’s a reputation here, of this crew that has ebbed and flowed. We take on the jobs that others might think unsuitable for a ship like ours, but we do so because we understand what is at stake. It is calculated risk.”

She leaned forward slightly, catching his gaze. “Thank you for sharing your philosophy. I think you will find it very compatible with the rest of the team, and the crew as a whole. But there is one variable that you are missing, Harrison Callahan. Do you have any idea what it is?”

~Janna Kingston, CNS

Harrison raised an eyebrow and sat silent for a moment with a quizzical look on his face.

“I consider myself a pretty observant person, sooooo I’m kind of embarrassed that I have no idea what you’re getting at. So, please, enlighten me.”

Lt. Cmdr. Harrison Callahan
CTO-USS Athena