Posted by Lieutenant Priscilla Simms (Chief Science Officer) in Of sound mind? Priscilla checks in with the Counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Renveer (Executive Officer) in Of sound mind? Priscilla checks in with the Counselor

Posted by Lieutenant Priscilla Simms (Chief Science Officer) in Of sound mind? Priscilla checks in with the Counselor
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

Well, she had all her limbs in the right place. At least, medical hadn’t told her otherwise. So with a smile on her face, she headed for the Counselor to see if her head was straight now. As a Department Head she would be subject to time in the Captain’s presence. “Guess they wanna make sure only the ‘usual’ crazies slip by,” she said to herself as she came up to the office and tapped the chime. She tugged down the front of her uniform and wondered if this was someone she was going to befriend, or give a wide berth to. She hoped it was the former.

Lt Priscilla Simms
Chief Science Officer (CSO)

OOC: Hi Melissa, sorry it took me a minute to respond to this! Welcome aboard!

The door to the counselor’s office slid open as a warm voice called “Come in!” from inside. As Priscilla entered, a plain-looking trill man rose from an armchair and stashed a PaDD under one arm, using the other to extend a handshake to the new chief science officer in greeting. “Lieutenant Simms,” he said with a welcoming smile, “it’s good to meet you. I’m Counselor Renveer. Please, make yourself at home.” The counselor pivoted to move back toward his chair, motioning with an outstretched palm to the loveseat that sat opposite of his perch.

The office was inviting in atmosphere, colored with earth tones and warm lighting. Renveer’s armchair was made of a similar fabric to the loveseat, both of which were designed for comfort when sitting for extended periods. There were end tables at either side of the loveseat and one next to Renveer’s chair, as well as a half-bookshelf along one wall and a small desk pushed up against the opposite wall from the loveseat. Two potted ferns decorated corners of the room, and there were a couple abstract paintings on the walls that seemed to be mostly color studies. A nondescript rug bridged the gap between the two seating options.

As Renveer settled back down into his chair, he looked up and smiled again at Priscilla. He took the PaDD out from under his arm and stuck it in the crack between the chair’s cushion and arm instead. “This is your first starship assignment, right? I saw that you were stationed on Starbase Magellan previously. I imagine it’ll be a different kind of lifestyle on a ship as opposed to a station. How are you feeling about that change in scenery?”

(Lt. Comm. Renveer, Counselor)

“Yes, Sir. A pleasure, thank you.” She shook his hand and then moved to the offered love seat. Settling near the right arm rest, she crossed her legs and leaned on the arm getting as comfortable as she could without curling up. “Nice office.” She said smiling.

As the Counselor asked about the ship, Priscilla smiled. “I love it. Looking out the windows to see different stars, or moving stars, it reminds me there is more than what we see out there at first glance. I joined the Science Division to explore. From the small to the large.” She laughed lightly, “And most certainly the near and far. So I am actually loving it and looking forward to what the next four years have to offer.”

Priscilla
CSO

Renveer smiled warmly. “Well thank you. And I’m glad to hear that you’re taking the transition in stride. I have a similar reaction to seeing the stars go by. I think of all the people out there, each living their own lives, each on their own path and yet all sharing the same galaxy.” He paused for a moment to glance out the small porthole to his left in thought. The he turned back to Priscilla, mirroring her positioning by crossing his legs as well. “Did you get to go home between your transfer? Eight years would be a long time to go without seeing your family.”

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)

Her smile faltered slightly but returned quick enough that the Counselor would miss it if not looking right at her. “No, I didn’t. But my last station meant we spoke, my parents and I, nearly every other day. Going home just didn’t seem… necessary, I guess. They know my desire to go further and deeper into space. And I’ve been lucky to have their support. Even if it means communications now are fewer and farther between. I would have just been restless to leave again, even if I had gone home. Just didn’t seem important.”

Not wanting to pursue the matter, she cocked her head slightly and smiled. “How often do you get home? I can’t imagine it’s one of those stationings where a weekend every couple months lets you jaunt back to Earth for a few days of Terran food and entertainment.”

Priscilla
CSO

Renveer smiled back, noticing the redirection. “Fair point, Lieutenant. I haven’t been home to Trill in some time.” There was something the counselor wasn’t saying about the matter, probably because this meeting wasn’t supposed to be about him, after all.

“So let me ask you then,” Renveer said as he leaned forward slightly, “What is important to you, Lieutenant? I want to be able to support you as we embark on the Dresden’s next leg of its journey together. How can I best do that?”

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)

Priscilla paused a moment, sensing something was lingering, but chose not to chase it. Smiling at the question posed to her, she shrugged slightly. “That’s easy. Exploration and Discovery. Isn’t that why most of us are out here? I mean, save for the few who are running from something or someone and the ones in it just to ‘finish their time and be done’? I want to see things no other scientist has seen. Be to places others haven’t. And I want do discover something so profound that I can say ‘this is what I came out here for’. And to me, it doesn’t matter if it happens, even, in the next 90 days. It just means there’s even more out there to get at.” She laughed. “Kind of crazy when said out loud. But honestly, other than listening to aimless ramblings when I have occasion to see you, I’m not sure how you can help. But I’m certainly open to suggestions. And I promise I’m not one to dodge evals, check ups and appointments. So no worries there.”

Priscilla
CSO

Renveer shook his head with a small smile. “Not crazy at all, Lieutenant. As you said, that’s why most of us are out here. But thank you for clarifying that your motivations aren’t one of the others that you mentioned.” His grin widened, maybe his attempt at light humor.

“Listening is one of the most important aspects of my position,” Renveer said with a nod, “I’m happy to do that when you would like a listening ear. And I have no doubt that you are quite skilled in your field, so I apologize if I implied that you needed my assistance to achieve your goals of exploration and discovery. I suppose I was asking if there was any way I could assist with your emotional needs, either in the short or long term. Do you anticipate any problems integrating with the crew? Or finding ways to balance work and personal life while on a starship 24/7?”

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)

Her head shake was a bit too much, a bit too fast. But her smile never wavered. “No, I don’t see any problems or issues arising. I’m fairly good at integration. My work life is balanced with a hobby and trainings, so I don’t see any problems there, either.” She didn’t mention a personal life because to her, this was her personal life. “How do you handle being stuck here 24/7? I mean, you have to handle not just your stresses, but everyone else’s as well. Right?” She wasn’t aware of her deflection, and it happened so naturally it didn’t occur to her she had done it.

Priscilla
CSO

Renveer donned a small smile, both as a genuine friendly response to the question and in amusement at the new deflection. Such a habit could be an indication of deception or defensiveness, but Renveer was inclined to believe that it just showed Priscilla’s inquisitive nature and tendency to ask questions. She was a scientist, after all.

“As a counselor, it’s incredibly important for me to maintain boundaries,” Renveer said with a nod. “I never take my work back to my quarters, I always go to the mess hall to eat and I don’t review notes or anything of that sort while I do so. I’m not a different person when I’m off-duty, but I do give myself more permission to prioritize myself.”

The counselor paused. “Speaking of stresses, Lieutenant, I do want to inform you that about a year ago, the crew of the Dresden endured a particularly traumatic mission where several lives were lost. The effects of that incident are still felt by many of the crew, although there has been a significant changing of the guard, as it were. But I advise you to be prepared to work with crewmen under your command if they need emotional support, as many are still processing that loss. Of course I’ll let you know if they need to be excused from duty due to acute distress, but what is more likely is that they will need some time to open up to you and you may find that those that were present for the event could be slightly closed off or bitter to the newer crew. Kindness and compassion for their struggles is likely the best response to such behavior.”

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)

Priscilla smiled. “Leaving work at work is a good thing. I try not to take my ship projects back to my quarters. Though I admit I have a personal project, based in science, that I work on quite a bit.” She laughed, “So I’m not sure if that’s taking work home with me or not.”

She thought about the other things he had spoken of. “I hate to admit, though, I spend most of my time there,” she waved to include the room and the Department. “I eat there,” she laughed softly, “when I remember to. And I sometimes find my crewmembers kicking me out to head to bed long into the next shift. Like you, I’m not different on my off time. Though I admit I’m not sure I prioritize that well when it comes to matters outside of science.”

She listened as he spoke of the last mission and the trauma many would feel. “I have seen it, on their faces sometimes, when they think no one is looking. I haven’t pried since one or two merely claimed ‘day dreaming’. But now that I know, I will be more aware. And they know I have an open door policy and I try to foster a family within family atmosphere around there.” She was glad she knew the reason behind the dark eyes and haunted memories she saw in her crewmen now.

Priscilla
CSO
(Cell made all the ‘there’ into ‘here’ lol… fixed.. I am aware I’m in your office, not mine. So no, not insane (just crazy))

Renveer nodded in gratitude. “Thank you, Lieutenant. It’s a healing process the ship as a whole is going through, and those of us that were spared the pain must do our parts to support those who carry it on their shoulders. I hope your junior officers will return the favor by reminding you to eat and leave your shift on time.” His lips twinged upwards at that. “I appreciate your passion, but it will make both of our jobs easier if you ensure that your physical and emotional needs are a priority.”

“Do you have things to look forward to throughout the week that aren’t science-related? Extra-curricular activities, if you will? Hobbies and the like?”

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)

“Well, if you ever want someone to just unload on, I’m happy to oblige.” She smiled and nodded. “As to extras, I guess just what I said. I work on my project. But honestly,” she half shrugged, “guess I never really considered needing anything else. I’m not one to go to Risa on the holodecks, honestly not a big fan of the place to begin with.” Priscilla laughed softly. “A bit too touristy for me, to be honest. And not a big friend maker so not really invited a lot of places otherwise. I just prefer to do my job and get kicked to my quarters on occasion to recharge and do it again. Done it for so long, I think that’s all I look forward to.” It sounded horribly pathetic coming from her lips. Till then, when spoken out loud, her life had seemed perfectly fine and normal to her.

Priscilla
CSO

Renveer nodded as Priscilla spoke, but let what she said hang in the air for a couple seconds before he started. “What would you like to be different about your routine, if you were given the opportunity to change it?” He didn’t intend to explicitly say that Priscilla’s habits were anti-social, but he hoped the open-ended question might help her voice that conclusion herself. Renveer was rarely one to give advice outright, but he couldn’t help but wonder if the Chief Science Officer needed more than she was letting on in terms of support from peers or friends.

(Lt. Cmdr. Renveer, Counselor)