Posted by Lieutenant Laural Corynn Witley, Ph.D., M.D. (Chief Counselor) in Meeting with the XO and Chief Counsellor - Captain’s ready room

Posted by Captain Shock (Commanding Officer) in Meeting with the XO and Chief Counsellor - Captain’s ready room

Posted by Lieutenant Laural Corynn Witley, Ph.D., M.D. (Chief Counselor) in Meeting with the XO and Chief Counsellor - Captain’s ready room
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The door chimed.

Shock set down the stylus beside his open hand-written logbook and glanced toward the entrance. He had invited Witley to meet with him. It had been Commander Skogheim’s suggestion. A sensible one. Insight multiplied when sourced from more than one vantage. Moreover, Skogheim’s presence would provide valuable context as well as act as a subtle bridge between Witley and the ship’s new captain, whom Witley had not yet met.

Shock had reviewed Witley’s file twice. It was extensive. Nearly five years aboard Leviathan, a rare length of service on a ship marked by command turnover and episodic trauma likely stemming from recurrent anomalies. She was both clinician and witness, the one having stayed the longest on the ship out of all senior crew. That dual role gave her influence. While it was informal, it was very much real. And while Shock had not yet spoken to her, he understood her significance. He needed her counsel.

Skogheim had described her as “cooperative, open, courteous”. That, too, could mean many things. He would observe. Listen. Establish terms of mutual cooperation.

He rose, hands behind his back. A calm posture.

“Enter,” he said.

The door parted.

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

Commander Skogheim stood behind the now open doorway,

“Apologies, Captain, Dr. Whitley has been delayed.”

Sharp and to the point, as usual.

|Cmdr. Skogheim, XO|
OOC: Consider this a light bump

The slight hum of her grav-chair that always followed Laural somehow seemed just a bit louder as she entered. Despite her experience, she didn’t mind admitting she was filled with anticipation and a touch of nerves as she contemplated this meeting. Meeting a new commanding officer was a significant moment for a counselor, but especially a chief counselor. Tasked with serving as a personal confidante and command advisor, she understood the importance of building positive rapport with members of the command staff, and the commanding offficer in particular. Wit was always professional, but like any other being, some people meshed more easily with her personality than others, and she hoped her luck hadn’t run out in that regard. Despite the turnover she had seen, she was fortunate that past commanding officers had respected her profession generally, and herself in particular.

Wit had no reason to doubt that would change, but like anyone in Starfleet, and anyone on the Leviathan, she knew she had to be prepared for anything.

She smiled as she entered, but made no move to offer her hand just yet. She wanted to show Shock respect in a more formal way until she knew otherwise what was okay with him. “Reporting as ordered, sir. Apologies for running late.”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

Witley hadn’t been much late. On a ship like this, some delays were to be expected. “It is not a failing, there is no need for apologies,” he said, and then greeted her. He lifted his hand in the Vulcan V-like shape, “Peace and long life, Dr Witley. It is agreeable to meet you. May I offer you a drink? I am about to make some tea, but there is also a replicator for anything that should be your liking.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

Skogheim nodded at the Captain’s words. Showing she too did not consider the counselor terribly late. She slipped behind him and slightly to the side. Showing herself present but as more of an observer to the conversation.

|Cmdr. Skogheim, XO|

Kastarak spoke softly but succintly.

“We have asked you to come here to discuss the psychological health of the crew. Beyond that, if there is anything you wish to add to agenda, Commander Skogheim, Dr Witley, please make those items known.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

“Thank you for the offer of refreshment, Captain, but I am fine for now,” Wit replied with a polite nod before addressing the primary purpose of this meeting. “Is there a particular crew wide concern or a specific crewmember you wish to discuss, sir?”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

“Not anyone specific, no,” he said quickly. “I have not been here long, yet I have noticed there is a psychological strain on the crew. I was hoping you might help me understand the crew’s health, contextualize it, and propose how we remedy what can be remedied. Moreover, I am seeking your help in reaching the crew. What do they need? How do they best respond to a commanding officer? After all, many commanding officers have passed them in very short time. “

He paused.

“And you, Dr Witley, has been their sole constant. Ship’s counsellor. Throughout this time.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

Laural paused. Shock had certainly asked a lot of her, and she wanted to choose her words carefully. It was true she had been with the crew for sometime, through many changes, but it was also true she was still earning their trust and didn’t know them as well as she would like. The counselor knew she owed it to him to be honest about that, but she also knew that in doing so, she wouldn’t be helping the new commanding officer as much as he might have hoped. She was experienced and professional enough to know how to speak any truth to power, but in this instance, he wasn’t just acting as a commanding officer, but as one who needed her guidance just as much as any junior member of the crew, and that didn’t stop her from wanting to help him as much as possible.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to stay here, even as Starfleet has seen fit to assign, and then reassign so many people in such a short time. I’m grateful for the chance to remain here because as you noted, we’ve not had the most consistency when it comes to the senior command staff, and I think given the nature of the ship’s unique and stressful mission, it’s imperative the crew has someone they can talk to when they feel overwhelmed. That said, I’d be misrepresenting things to say I’ve been able to build trust amongst the entire crew and that I know them all extremely well. I think to some degree, when you work on a ship like ours, with its unique and particularly proprietary responsibilities, for better or worse, the crew has learned to keep much of their inner turmoil to themselves. Perhaps this is out of fear of being seen as less capable of handling the stress here or a consequence of building coping strategies and personalities that naturally make them a functional fit for what’s expected of them. Perhaps it’s a combination of both.”

She hesitated, then offered, “I don’t wish to sound as if I am diminishing my own responsibilities, but the constant changes in the command staff have certainly not helped people feel like it’s worth it to begin a therapeutic relationship with someone who might not be here for them in the long run. That I have been constant makes this way of thinking illogical, I grant you, but as I’m sure you’re aware, sometimes it’s difficult not to give in to emotional reasoning at times. Perhaps what the crew needs most is for a commanding officer to stick around long enough for them to gel and to feel like a team, but it would be unfair and unkind of me to put that sort of expectation on you.“

Wit paused once again, and offered sincerely, “I am sorry, Captain, I feel as though my words are not sufficient to give you the support you need, and yet, I want to be honest with you about what I’m still working on. I don’t wish to take credit for progress I haven’t made. What I can tell you, is that I’m not going to give up on being the best source of support for you and the rest of the crew.“

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

Shock listened carefully. He noted the hesitance in Witley’s words, but also the precision of her observations. She spoke of insufficiency, yet what he heard was commitment. He considered what he required from her. It was not certainty – he already knew that she could not deliver that. Nor could she deliver an exhaustive familiarity with every crewmember’s state of mind. But what he needed was an interpreter – someone who could take both the within-group perspective at the same time holding an outside perspective grounded in social and organizational psychology. He needed someone who could translate patterns invisible to a commanding officer who would always remain, to some degree, other.

He lifted his gaze to her. Calm. Intent clear.

“You say your words are not sufficient, yet I find them precisely so. What I require from you is not omniscience, but your best assessment and your willingness to refine it with experience. If you will allow me a metaphor: One does not need to master a mountain before beginning the climb. Your role is to chart the slope with me. That is enough.”

He paused, then continued.

“Moreover, I do not seek only individual evaluations. What matters here are also the dynamics of groups. You hold a rare expertise: both inside the crew’s daily life and outside it by training. Perhaps you can help me understand how they speak among themselves, and how they might perceive command, and, what this means for command. Individuals may speak privately to you, but groups act in ways they cannot always describe. I believe I must learn both levels if I am to lead effectively.”

His hands fell loosely behind his back.

“I will ask you, therefore, not only to counsel me on specific cases, but to interpret the ship’s psychology as an organism. What strengthens cohesion? What fractures it? And when am I myself part of the problem? That is insight I cannot gain from reports alone.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

The counselor nodded, understanding what was being asked of her. It was also a relief to know she had been properly heard. Honestly, she felt guilty. She didn’t know them as well as perhaps she should and that made her feel undeserving of his compliments. That didn’t make her unworthy of his belief in her, however, and it was on that basis she vowed to continue to grow. She knew she would not have risen to her position, serendipitously, but she was also not one to rest on her laurels either (no pun intended!)

“I understand what you’re asking of me, sir, and I will continue to provide all the guidance I can, not just on specific individuals, but on crew dynamics as a whole. I promise I’m not trying to be obtuse, but I think it would help further our discussion if you could tell me a bit about your own command style in your own words? I appreciate your willingness to adapt your approach in ways that will most benefit cohesion, but it is also true cohesion is strengthened when a group perceives leaders are behaving authentically, demonstrating a level of comfort ‘ in their own skin‘ as it were.“

~ Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

Shock studied her expression for a moment. She had asked him to be authentic. That meant not only describing his method, but admitting the obstacles.

“What you say about authenticity is well taken. Cohesion cannot be engineered by technique alone. It must include how a crew perceives its captain. For myself, my command style generally rests on freedom under responsibility. I do not seek to micromanage. I aim to trust in competence and intervene only when a task lies beyond what someone can reasonably manage, whether by competence and skill or temporary lack of function. To judge that, I must know my crew.”

He paused, weighing his words next.

“And that is where the difficulty lies. As a Vulcan, I often fail to read cues as intended. Stereotypes amplify the gap. Among non-Vulcans, some expect me to be cold, or unapproachable. Others assume I cannot adapt, or that I dismiss emotion as irrelevant. Such assumptions colour every exchange. They shape how my words are heard before I even speak them. I do not deny this. It is inefficient, but real.”

He paused once more, allowing himself to oxygenate his blood a bit more. He moved his face slightly closer to hers, and lowered the tone of his voice one-tenth of an octave, proportional the lowering of the volume.

“I wonder if I might sometimes bring you situations or impressions – for example, a meeting, a gesture, or an interaction – and hear your view. This is not an order, or a requirement, but a request of using your psychological expertise as a command resource. It would be a way to check my own interpretation against another’s. If you are willing, it could help me avoid missteps, and perhaps build the trust we both agree is essential.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer

Because of the diverse population within Starfleet and the Federation at large, Laural didn’t perceive there to be a unifying single stereotype of disability in the way Shock had because of his Vulcan heritage, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t relate to being under scrutiny. Always feeling pressure to prove (or disprove) something depending on the ever moving target of other people’s expectations, she felt a sense of kinship with Shock and an appreciation for his willingness to be vulnerable with her, especially given this was their first meeting.

Maintaining his gaze, she dipped her head in deference to the moment. “Please don’t hesitate to come to me anytime, Captain, for anything in which you think I may of service. I promise you I will always offer my best counsel, and that includes letting you know when I am out of my depth,” she added with a smile. “I say that because I think it’s worth reminding both of us that I too have my challenges, and no individual is better or worse than another because of a set of strengths we ourselves lack. I may not have all of the answers all of the time, but if that’s the case, I will do all I can to ensure answers are found.”

~Dr. Laural Witley, Chief Counselor

Shock inclined his head, meeting her words with care.

“Acknowledging one’s limits is not weakness. It is clarity. I value that you speak of it so directly. You are correct: your challenges differ from mine, yet scrutiny is something we both understand. For me, it takes the form of rigid expectations of what a Vulcan is supposed to be. For you, it may shift with circumstance. But the pressure is the same. That recognition gives us common ground, and it strengthens my trust in your counsel.”

He let the silence hold a moment longer than usual, allowing her to see he meant it.

“If I fail to see what is before me, I expect you to say so.”

Shock, Captain
Commanding Officer