Posted by Lieutenant Commander Thomas McGregor (COS) in Lounge (side sim)
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Thomas raised an eyebrow. “While that’s good to know, I’m actually training my people-reading skills,” he explained. “A lot of ‘drunk and disorderly’ incidents can be prevented if you know what to look for, so you can nip it in the bud, so to speak.”

He gestured towards an NE in Ops yellow at the bar who was slightly wobbly on his barstool.

“Like that one, for instance. He’s definitely already inebriated, as you can see by his loss of equilibrium. The question now is what kind of drunk is he?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

COS

“Life has a way of proving people wrong but I would say he is just a fella that had a wee bit too much. He is drunk at the bar on the starship. The old man is a good guy but don’t mistake good guy for being a good friend. Anyone that would get so drunk they would need to be brigged on the ship probably isn’t going to be a part of the crew for long. Drinking at the lounge is to blow off steam. Drinking on shore leave is when you visit the local hooskal. My guess is he is going to face-plant the bar.” Vanessa had no idea if she was right or wrong but she was right about the outcome if the old yellow shirt decided to start taking swings at people.

“What do you think is going to happen?”

Vanessa Slade CNS

“NLt. Kelvin Redmond has been in the fleet for 20 years and has averaged one write-up for inebriation per year,” Thomas recited, having obviously memorized the man’s record. “For every official write-up, there are four or five unofficial recommendations he see his ship’s counselor for treatment of his alcoholism. The Genesis is his seventeenth ship, and fifth in the last four years.”

Redmond began to totter even more on his barstool, as the barkeep gave the signal that he was being cutoff.

“That said, he’s going to stand up in an attempt to yell at the barback, and pass out from the blood rush,” Thomas concluded.

Seconds later, exactly that happened. Thomas set his own drink down on the table and stood to attend the scene, as none of Redmond’s fellow drinkers so much as looked twice in his direction.

COS

“So why isn’t there a medical order for Redmond to just be served Synthohol in public spaces? Sure it is not going to stop drinking in his quarters. People are going to always find what they need even if it is not in their best interest. Was he in the War with Marius?” The age of the man fit with having been in the Dominion war and while Calvin Marius could have a hard candy coating once you got below the surface he could be positively soft and squishy. Vanessa kept that bit to herself. The crew needed to see the Captian in a specific light. That didn’t mean Calvin didn’t have a caring and compassionate side. The was hard on many and it only stood to reason Calvin would understand and feel the need to take care of those that might have unseen wounds still festering. It would also explain why Marius had a practicing alcoholic on his crew where lives depended on everyone doing their job and a man that could not always trusted to be sober.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“I don’t think he’s old enough to have been in the War,” Thomas said. “But if he’s part of a large enough crew, he can be anonymous enough that a lounge worker isn’t going to ask his name and check the restricted list every night.

There is a restricted list, Vanessa thought to herself. Musing the complications over in her mind, she once again wondered why she ever volunteered to join a shape ship instead of a dirt side placement. Pushing the thoughts from her mind she continued to listen to the COS talk.

“Especially if he doesn’t come in but once a week or so. If he’s clever enough, he only runs into the same server once a month, which is plenty of time for them to forget him getting plastered and making an arse of himself.”

Reaching the Lieutenant’s side, Thomas quickly checked to make sure he had simply passed out, not hit his head or anything, and hefted him up to his feet, putting one limp arm around his shoulder.

“Counselor, would you like to help me get him out of here?” he asked.

COS

“Sure, where are we talking him,” she put the man’s other arm around her neck but the height difference was going to make walking more like a three-legged race instead of a simple stroll. MacGregor was going to have to half-hold him up and Vanessa just balance him.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“As luck would have it, his quarters are on this same deck,” Thomas said, leading the group towards the door. “Easier to drop him there and let him sleep it off than haul him up to Deck 5 and my brig for the same purpose. I’ll still be writing him up, and it’ll go on his file, but I’d rather not have to haul 100 kilos of mostly-deadweight any further than I absolutely have to.”

COS

“Why because he fell off a bar stool,” she let out a small chuckle almost dropping her half of the passed-out man they were transporting to his quarters. “People drink for all sorts of reasons. For fun, to blow off steam, to hide the fact you have told your parents your current posting is on Vulcan and not the Genesis and they keep trying to find a time that is convenient to visit,” Vanessa’s last reason was oddly specific but she continued talking.

“Besides if you write a report it will end up on my desk and then I will have to schedule a meeting and then file a report to go with your report. Can’t we just go with a stern warning and not generate a report?” Vanessa said it in a humorous tone but with a hint of seriousness.

Vanessa Slade CNS

“Gee, I thought you wanted him to get help for his drinking problem,” Thomas replied. “Unless you plan to unofficially drop in on him in the morning?”

COS

“Of course, I will,” she looked at MacGregor like he had just said something crazy. “Well, maybe not at 0630 but before 1000 hours.” She waited until the COS opened the door assuming he had to have a master override to general crew quarters locks with his clearance and job responsibilities.

“I can work with 1000,” Thomas said, thinking already of programming Redmond’s door to not open before then.

“Before the Genny, I worked in Starfleet Veterans Affairs in Boston. A lot of people go through more than anyone can imagine. Most of my clients were from the Dominion War. They joined with some crazy patriotic fervor at eighteen or twenty. Spent a couple of years in the war and came back but didn’t seek out treatment. Instead, they hid it through alcohol or drugs, sex, gambling,” she ran off the normal list of vices. “This caused interpersonal problems, marriages collapsing, health issues, and then usually due to some legal issues they end up on my doorstep twenty years too late. Now I use what I learned the past ten years with the vets on the current staff which involves showing up before breakfast, attending PT, going to religious services, paintball, horticulture, jujitsu,” she nodded down at her leg she was favoring with a limp. “Apparently throwing a counselor across the room is Ensigns Waltick’s preferred form of therapy. I mean technically we call it lessons but hitting a mat is hitting a mat,” Vanessa let out a laugh. “To be fair I don’t know his issue but I do know there is something this man does well so I just need to find whatever that niche skill is and use that for his therapy.”

Thomas shrugged. “I couldn’t tell you that, but if that’s what works for you and them, more power to you both,” he said. “I’ll admit, my preferred way of working through things also involves hitting things, I just go out of my way to make sure they’re things that a) can’t hit back or b) are socially acceptable to hit, like punching bags or holographic Klingons.”

He took full control of Redmond at this point and deposited the insensate NLt. on his bed, not bothering to divest him of his uniform or even take off his boots.

Vanessa moved to the end of the bed and began to pull one shoe off and then the other. She wasn’t going further than that but no one wanted to sleep in shoes.

Standing up she looked around the room. “Well he is single. Maybe he is going through a break up?” Looking at MacGregor she let out a sigh. “Why do single men not have a single throw blanket anywhere.”

Looking back at the bed she stifled a laugh. The drunken sailor had a dopey look complete with the half open mouth and a spot of drool forming. “Help me roll him up like a sausage,” she commented pulling her side of the bedding out and tossing it over the man’s body.

Vanessa Slade CNS

COS