Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Starfleet Complex- Senior Staff Meeting

Posted by Lieutenant Sharah Fayth (Chief Star Fleet Medical Officer) in Starfleet Complex- Senior Staff Meeting

Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Starfleet Complex- Senior Staff Meeting
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Dasca offered something of a dangerous grin. “Don’t think for a second that that sort of thing is just going to slip on by here. And believe me, I hear all about it. I’m not afraid to have words with the Admirals if I need to. As to the situation that created that feeling Doctor Fayth mentioned, keep in mind that for a long time the Governor of the colony was a Starfleet officer. So what we are dealing with are drastically shifting expectations. What Starfleet’s role was before is not what it is now. On any given day there are twenty-five to thirty thousand officers and crew here. The people in this room are responsible for a lot of lives. But those people are in turn responsible to the people of the colony. ”

She blew out a breath. “My job here is a complicated one but one I am very clear about. I’m helping move forward in whatever direction best helps Oed achieve its goals. We can’t ask the people of Oed to forget some of the transgressions of the past or how they’ve felt let down by Starfleet, but we can decide today that collectively we’re going to do things a bit differently. The Governor and I are here to execute the vision of this colony that the people help us create, and I personally believe that that does still include Starfleet. I will use my extensive experience to help guide me here and Captain McBride and I will work to make sure you all have what you need to be successful. But we can’t do it alone. So here’s my agreement I want to make with all of you: starting today, each of you will approach your role here as one that is collaborative with the civilians. Look carefully at the opportunities available. Go request meetings with the civilians government members that you are supposed to be helping. Talk to them. Let them tell you where things need improvement, what their hopes are for the near and distant future. And then together the group of us here will readjust our own expectations and carve a new path. Cooperation, not conflict. That’s our goal.”

Tiberius thought for a second and then said, “The first place I believe I am going to start is the office of the CCDA and I would like to speak to the lead from that team. I want to understand where we can fit in and help out and show we are available to help them out if needed. I am then just going to get a feel of the land of the colony. See where the major amounts of people like to congregate and just a general understanding of everything and speak with any number of folks, both colony folks as well as members of Star-fleet. I feel the more I can get under my belt, the better I hope I am able to help manage the security going on.” Tiberius was hoping the better people could see the presence of Star-fleet security, the better it might help with the feel of the colony towards Star-fleet people. As cheesy as it may sound, Tiberius wants to talk to the normal folks around the colony to see the general feel of everything, including how they actually feel about Star-fleet. He then waited for some additional information from the Lt. Governor.

Lt Cmdr Cattaneo
SFCOS

Dasca nodded. “Getting to know the people you’re teaming up with is a good idea. General Harris runs the CCDA, but he might not be available so Major general Tenkiller is your next go-to.”

Sharah nodded, she knew bith Harris and Tenkiller. She considered offering Cattaneo advice, but she wasn6sure she would be much help. In her experience security types had their own way of finding common ground. She would not want to taint Cattaneo’s perspective with her unique point of view.

She shifted her attention to McBride. “That’s all I’ve got.” But Eela stayed put sitting on the edge of the table, clearly not intending to leave just yet.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

The captain gave her a nod and a warm smile. “Well then folks, we’ll call that a wrap. I’ll meet with all the departments in the coming days and we’ll go from there. You’re dismissed.”

Jonathan moved over to Dasca and said something softly to her, waiting for her nod before he stepped out of the room.

Captain McBride, Starfleet CO

Sharah stood from her chair, she would schedule a meeting with McBride later. She made her way over to Dasca and leaned a hip against the table and waited for the crowd to thin out. “How are you today, Lt Gov?”

Fayth, SFCMO

Eela gave her a weary grin. “Oh you know, just dragging myself from one place to another.” She leaned towards Sharah a bit and spoke quietly. “I know it’s necessary and Jal’na warned me that a more aggressive approach would make a huge difference by the time I see the orthopaedic surgeon, but…” She sighed. “I don’t think there’s enough terakine today to help, and I’m just tired. My muscles feel weak, hence the cane. I swear I’m going to end up on my ass at some point today.”

~Eela Dasca. Lt. Gov.

Sharah nodded speaking just as softly, “Then perhaps you should sit. We also have things known as ‘transporters’. Amazing technology, point A to point B and you never have to move. Let your assistant set it up and claim you are far too busy waste time in mundane travel modes. Or simply claim it’s for your health.” Sharah glanced around the room, spotted the panel she wanted, walked over and popped it open since everyone else had left. All locations had a stash of at least one medkit. She pulled the kit out and opened it. “What about a muscle rub?” She’d offer a muscle relaxer but if Eela was already feeling unsteady on her feet that wouldn’t help.

Fayth, SFCMO

Eela looked over towards the door where Lieutenant Watts was waiting and doing a damn good job of seeming like she was minding her own business. “Sherri?” Watts looked over. “Give me ten? I’ll meet you at McBride’s office.”

Watts gave a smile and a crips nod. “Yes, ma’am. See you there.” She stepped out, leaving Sharah and Eela alone.

“I’m going to meet Reesa back at my place for a massage during my lunch break. We’ll see if that helps.” Never mind that the massage meant she wasn’t going to have time to eat lunch. Rolling her shoulders back a bit, Eela inhaled deeply. “Look, I know this is going to sound like a classical difficult patient, but I’ve just accepted that today is going to suck. Sitting too long makes me stiff and then it’s hard to get in and out of chairs, even with the brace. So even though it’s not ideal, the bit of movement I do do keeps me from stiffening up entirely. I’ve got a heat pad back in my office and a couch and I will rest when I can. But I have too many meetings that I can’t just reschedule today. I’ve already had my week rescheduled due to other things I’ve been dealing with and…” How did she explain?

Dasca’s gaze shifted off to the side before she looked back at Fayth with resignation. “I know it’s not logical and probably not great for my health just now, but I just got here. How people meet me and see me going about my business is going to determine whether they can have confidence in my ability to do this job.” Her fingers tapped the cane resting next to her. “I’m fine with people knowing I’m not always one hundred percent, but you and I both know appearance do matter for someone in my position. I’m not trying to appear perfect or infallible, but they have to know I’m reliable, that I’m going to do the things I say I’m going to do. A few days in and constantly cancelling all my meeting because all I want to do is be in bed? Not going to bode well for me long term. This is temporary and I just need to push through.”

~Eela Dasca. Lt. Gov.

Sharah waited while Dasca explained and then she did something very uncharacteristic of herself. She set a hand on the woman’s arm. “Dasca…Eela, I am not expecting or suggesting you cancel anything. Simply asking what I can do to help you get through it all.” Sharah nodded, “I understand, I do, how pain is part of our life, and we learn to work and live despite it. Movement does help, and you know better than anyone what your limits of too much and not enough are.” She tapped the tricorder against her palm. “If heat helps, there is an attachment for your brace that is a portable heat pad. It uses its own power cell and you can use it whenever you need. It’s flat and thin and won’t be noticeable under your shirt. I can contact Reesa and tell her to bring one with her to your session today.”

Eela nodded and she forced herself to take a deep breath. Something about the hand on her arm, however brief, settled something in the Haliian and it was a reminder that her intrinsic nature, the physiological need for touch, had been craving even small moments. She was no used to being so isolated, separate.

“I don’t want you to stop doing your work, I just don’t want you forced to bed for days when the week is over. Would an adjustment to the brace help? Turn the strength up a bit to give you extra support for a few days?”

Fayth, SFCMO

She considered this for a moment and then sighed. “It’s sort of the same problem I had when I was on the go with the Corps. If I up the brace then when I take it off, the relative feel of normal gravity makes it harder to move. When I’m really tired in the evening, it can feel like I’m trying to peel myself off the floor. Which could be fine if I don’t take it off until right before I go to bed, but I was always told to give my body time off of it so that my muscles didn’t become one hundred percent dependant on the brace. I don’t know the right answer,” Eela said.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Sharah shook her head with a soft grin. “If you leave it there, yes it can become a crutch. But we can actually set your brace to a rotation. Start and end the day on your normal strength, but let it increase during the day and then gently bring you back. The braces are extremely versatile. And we both know that Jal’na will never let you get away with using your brace as a crutch. You wouldn’t have to use the higher setting unless you need it. Up to you.”

Fayth, SFCMO

The wave of overwhelm was hard to push away. She could make all kinds of difficult decisions and she had. Eela Dasca was not one who shied away from making seemingly impossible decisions when they were external to herself. It wasn’t that they were easy but it always felt clearer to her. Leaning against the table she felt paralyzed by fear. She knew if she didn’t take care of herself she physically wouldn’t be able to do her job, but she was playing the game of appearances too. The last thing she needed was media speculation about her fitness for the job entrusted to her. Which led her right back to that terrible feeling of not being good enough. Uggh, Sharah was right that she’d need to find herself a therapist sooner rather than later.

“I don’t know,” Eela whispered. It was hard to admit, but what else could she say.

~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov.

Sharah waited. She knew Eela’s reservations, they had spoken about them a bit. Sharah felt Eela was being far too hard on herself and using ‘appearances’ to avoid dealing with things she either didn’t want to see or wasn’t ready to deal with. But that was speculation, Sharah was no counselor, nor qualified. Sharah reached out and squeezed Eela’s hand again. “That’s okay, you don’t have to know right now. Just know there are avenues we can explore if you want to. You don’t have to decide now. I’ll have Reesa bring the portable heating pad with her today.” She put the things away in the kit and closed it, returning it to his storage space. “I won’t keep you, I just wanted to see how you were doing.”

Fayth, SFCMO