Posted by Captain Molly Holloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Counselor’s Office – Molly Holloway

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For a moment she seemed to find her shoes very interesting. “Colonel Harris made the appointment.” Holloway added in a defeated tone. “He insisted I should come. He’s been worried. I don’t think he has reason to be.”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Katie remained silent, allowing Holloway to work her way through the entire story and then taking a moment to collect her thoughts in an organized fashion. She studied the captain in front of her, feeling frustration at the way Starfleet had handled the woman’s situation. Simultaneously toying with the woman’s career and requiring counseling appointments seemed to be the opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to good mental health.

“Well, I think I agree with your version of the events, Captain,” she said simply when she finally spoke, a small friendly smile turning her lips upward slightly and brightening her blue eyes. “But you have to know that I’m going to ask why you think Colonel Harris is worried and why you don’t think he has a reason to be next. That’s how this always works, after all.” Her eyes sparkled slightly, demonstrating that she was adding a slight dose of humor to the otherwise somewhat stiff situation.

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS

Molly gave Nunn a soft smile. This time there was no doubt about the surprise in Molly’s gaze. But then doubt instilled in her mind. Was she saying so just to make her comfortable? Or was she being truthful but would her mind change once she knew the full story?

“I know.”

Molly knew. In fact, that had been in part why she had said it in the first place. She had never trusted counselors. But she also knew she desperately needed to talk to someone. Holloway would never volunteer any information about herself, but she felt forced to answer if Nunn asked the questions.

Rubbing her eyes, Molly pondered on what to say. There was so much in her mind, she didn’t even know where to start.

Katie gave her an encouraging smile as she watched Holloway try to figure out what to say next. A small flicker of accomplishment danced at the back of her mind, as it was always a relief to get someone talking, even if it was only in response to her questions. There was nothing she hated more than those conversations where it felt like she was trying to get blood from a stone and she’d been concerned this one was going to go that way too – the ones that started with “Starfleet requires this of me” typically do. But it seemed like this Colonel Harris might have had a reasonably good plan to encourage Holloway to talk to her. She seemed to need to talk.

“I have known Colonel Harris for a long time. He was the Marine Commander on my ship. He went trough the Farm as well… I mean, he went through Intelligence training as well.” She clarified. “So he is one of the few people in my life that understands what they do to you while there.” Molly sighed. “They change you, they break you, they kill who you were and make you into someone they can use. And yet… I don’t think he ever thought I was the same person after I lost the Turing, but Intel picked me up a week after and made me into someone different.”

“However, a few months ago… we were involved in a mission…” She started before abruptly pausing, clearly struggling to find words. “It was a mess. Not… not just a bureaucratic mess. A true mess. We almost did not come back.” Emotions were now more evident in the previously constrained Intel officer. It was clearly a hard topic. “And when we did…” She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She gave Nunn a forced smile. “I’m fine. But… I’ve been a little more aggressive in my morning practices in the holodeck, which resulted in me spending some time in Sickbay, two weeks ago. Doctor Bailey was amazing, really. But Cal— Colonel Harris was worried about my behavior. I think he has been worried since the Turing, but has been dismissing it for the past two years. He thinks the mission may have triggered something or made things worse for me. He’s wrong. And I’ve told him several times… I can hold my own. I have held my own so far. Nothing has changed, and nothing will. When something happens, I put it behind me and I move on. And that’s what I did… and so far I can do my job just fine.”

Capt. Holloway, CIO

Katie’s blue eyes carefully watched Holloway as she related the situation to her. Now they were getting somewhere.

“Captain, I think you know that, even without the background information you’ve provided and that I can access in your file, being in a life or death situation is traumatic. It is traumatic… not can be traumatic, it is,” she replied, firmly. “I’m not going to jump on you and force you to discuss the details right now, although I reserve the right to do exactly that later if I feel that it will be helpful for you.” Her tone was still kind. It was clear that she wasn’t upset or annoyed with the CIO, but that she knew when to take an authoritative tact. She stopped herself there, fearing that her speech would soon become too much of a lecture if she continued to harp on how it was impossible to put something of that magnitude simply behind oneself.

Katie thought for a moment, fiddling the pendant on a necklace that hung around her neck. She was dressed in simple civilian apparel, although she was not opposed to wearing her Starfleet uniform. It just had happened that Holloway’s appointment followed a great deal of arranging of her office and she felt more comfortable handling that in casual clothes. In a way, she wished she was in uniform now, feeling that it might inspire a little more respect from the CIO. She tapped her lip as she thought for a few more minutes and then switched gears slightly.

“How would you describe your relationship with Colonel Harris?”

Lt Cmdr Nunn, CNS