Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor

Posted by Civilian Luana Iolani Kaili (Director of Mental Health - Sacred Heart Hospital) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor

Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in The Wild Fork Restaurant - Dinner with the Governor
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Flipping the PaDD over so it couldn’t be seen, Kenzo said “Busy. Very busy. But I am hoping the fanfare of my arrival slows soon so I can get some work done.” and he laughed softly. “I actually came to the city two weeks early. I wanted to get a feel for the people and the city without the accompanying filter of my position. It was… interesting… to say the least.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“I can imaging,” Kaili exclaimed with a gentle laugh. “Being able to be somewhere, get a feel for the place and the people without drawing attention to oneself is always nice. Though not a luxury I’m granted very often unless I use my people’s special abilities,” she added with a small wink. With one eyebrow raised and leaning forward ever so slightly, she asked, “Tell me, what have you found out during those two weeks and what it you find most … interesting?”

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo looked at her a long moment and then said in a manner most blunt “The people have no hope. They don’t hope for… more. The spend their lives under this dome and....” and he shook his head, “… and they don’t hope for better.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

Her face betrayed very little of what she was feeling and thinking while listening to that dire assessment. “It sounds like we both have our work cut out for us,” Kaili replied simply, her tone matter-of-fact. Blinking once with her inner eyelids, she fell silent, watching the Governor as she waited for him to say or do something else.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo allowed her emotions to come to him as she spoke. She was apprehensive… concerned, maybe?… about what he had said… and as she was a mental health professional, he was not surprised. What did surprise him slightly was the level of happiness and intrigue she felt at the moment. The fact that more than some of that was directed at him personally made him sigh a bit before he spoke.

Kaili’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she caught his sigh, but she decided not to ask and to wait for Kenzo to say something instead.

“We do… and I was wondering what you saw as to how that work would take shape? I know the hospital caters to those who seek help or are deemed as needing assistance by the authorities… but what about the rest of the people? How would you recommend making mental health a priority within the dome community, Doctor?”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“There are different ways I see that going to happen and I’d suggest a multi-layered approach,” Kaili replied without hesitation. “On the one hand talking openly about mental health is always important. I also think that offering workshops that can help support the mental health of the people here. Like Yoga, meditation, music and art or journalling to name just a few. The problem with those is that it requires people to want to do something for their mental health and not everyone does or feels like there is something missing. So I’d also suggest other things that would boost the moral and mental well-being of people. Like concerts, art exhibitions, fairs, plays and similar events.” While she kept her face mostly straight, there was a glimmer of excitement in her chocolate brown eyes and Kenzo would be able to sense the joy she felt by simply thinking about organising those kinds of things.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo nodded slightly and steepled his fingertips in front of him. “For that…” and he thought for a moment, “… we would want a venue. A convention center of sorts, yes? A multi-use space that could hold some thousands of people, provide infrastructure for such activities… maybe accommodations for visiting celebrities and such.” and he nodded more emphatically. “I like it. It creates infrastructure, jobs, and gives the colony the ability to host events that will attract outside interest.” and he smiled at Luana.

“Exactly,” Kaili nodded. “Something with perfect acoustics that can be easily altered to fit whatever event is going to happen. And yes, apart from being beneficial for the people’s mental health, it will create infrastructure and jobs.”

“Well done, Doctor. I am impressed.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“Thank you, Governor,” Kaili replied with a smile and a small bow of her head. “In the short term I would focus solely on local artists, musicians and the like. Make it something from the people for the people. If later on we end up creating outside interest: wonderful! If not, that’s okay too. I’m sure there is enough talent on Oed V to fill the venues calendar for a long time. And we can also work with local cafés and bars. have small exhibitions or concerts there. That’s not only good for artists who might feel intimidated by a large space, but would also promote existing businesses,” she continued, clearly not shy of making suggestions and voicing ideas.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo’s mind ws moving quickly, but he was listening to the doctor as the waiter came back with a bottle and presented it to the Governor for approval. Kenzo looked at the label and smiled, nodding his approval. As the glasses were poured, he said “I am thinking of creating another department with the Oed governmental structure… a kind of Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Celebrate what Oed has to offer outside of mining and a plentiful work force.” and he took a sip of wine.

Kaili nodded as she reached for her glass of wine and took a sip.

“I believe it is time for Oed to begin to make it’s own way… it’s own mark on the sector.”

Hyrushi, Gov.

“That is a wonderful idea. I have been here only a few days, but I think that you are right and that Oed V has a lot of unused potential. Including in the area of culture and tourism,” Kaili replied, her expression pensive as she looked into her wine glass. Looking up again, she smiled widely at Kenzo and said, “I like your way of thinking, Governor, and your openness for new things, for change and innovation. Neither is a quality everyone posseses.”

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo gave her a sort of terse smile and said “I would disagree with you on that point, Doctor. I believe most beings have the same capacity within them, but fear… or comfort… or laziness in some instances… keep them from utilizing that capacity. After all… if most didn’t possess something akin to it… we wouldn’t be sitting here, in a domed city on colony world hundreds of light years away from the core of the Federation. Indeed, there probably wouldn’t even be a Federation if beings didn’t possess the desire for change and innovation.”

Hyrushi, Gov

“Oh, I didn’t mean that people don’t posses the desire for change and innovation. I agree with you that everyone does,” Kaili countered gently. “In my experience few people act on that desire for a billion different reasons. So your willingness to listen and implement changes … they aren’t the rule, but the exceptions. At least in what I have seen and experienced of this galaxy so far.” She gave a small shrug and leaned back in her chair as she took another sip of her wine.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili

Kenzo nodded. “There was a musician on Earth in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. She said ‘Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action.’ Those words served me well during… well… let us say in my past life.” and he chuckled and took a drink. “Joan Baez. My father, for all of his traditional trappings, did find inspiration in some non-traditional places. Baez was one of them.”

Hyrushi, Governor

“They are very true words,” Kaili nodded. “I don’t think I have heard about that musician before. I’ll have to look her up when I get back to my apartment,” she continued before taking another sip of wine and falling silent again; her eyes still resting on Kenzo as she took in every gesture and expression.

~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili