PNPC Provisional Crewman Vhysa'lia - Stranger on the Ship
Lich
(( Crewman's Quarters – Deck 6, USS Artemis-A ))
With a click, Vhysa’lia fastened the little barred lozenge to the fabric around her neck. A wry smile crossed her face - here she was, always the model of Kobali re-integration efforts, wearing the uniform of her kyn'steya. It spoke to how well her family and her people trusted her to remain true that she had been given this order, but she’d always been a little fond of the Federation, despite the frosty relations that they’d had initially with her people.
She blamed that fondness on a fragment of her past life lurking around in her mind, not that she put much thought to it. Her patients back home, when she had ones that needed a bit more of a personal touch, had always been far more burdened with memories. She was thankful that all she had been left with was a bit of naive idealism about making alliances with the Federation she’d presumably come from. A naive idealism that had been increasingly popular amongst the Kobali as a whole, hence her arrival here on Earth.
With her background in counseling new Kobali, Starfleet had seen it better to assign her as a counselor, rather than to supplement some ship’s medical staff. The ceremony had been short, almost as soon as she had stepped foot in the enlistment office, or at least that’s how she told it to people when they asked. One moment, she was packing up what she had brought with her on the Kitty Hawk (or what was left of the ship), and the next she was on a shuttle to the Artemis. In reality, being provisionally enlisted had taken a little longer, despite any fast-tracking.
They took one final look in the mirror at their bunk, trying to make sure that they looked at least somewhat presentable. Her shoulders felt bare without her protective coat, but she wasn’t headed to the lab today. Nor would she be, for some time, it seemed.
(( Counselor’s Office – Deck 7, USS Artemis-A ))
The journey between her quarters and the counseling office was quick, and she got to the door far earlier than requested. All planned, of course. Waiting was for fools, life was for living! They rang the doorbell, a light smile across their lips. Whoever this officer that had offered to brief her on the crew was, she’d seemed a bit overly formal in the communique, to the point of amusement.
Sadar: ::shrilly:: E- ::coughs:: Enter.
The door whooshed open, and Vhysa’lia stepped in, smile widening into a grin. They nodded their head at the doctor, letting the doors slide shut behind them.
Vhysa’lia: Provisional Crewman Vhysa’lia, here for my briefing.
The grin barely faltered, just a little dulling of the shine, as they saw that same hesitant concern in the lieutenant’s eyes. She was doing a far better job of hiding the reaction than most, but Vhysa’lia had plenty of experience being one of the first Kobali that someone saw to be able to spot it. Apparently, they’d developed a bit of the same morbid reputation in this quadrant as well.
Sadar: Welcome aboard the Artemis, Crewman. I’m Doctor Sadar, and I’m here to assist you with acclimatizing to the vessel, as well as answer any questions your might have concerning the counseling program.
Vhysa’lia: Fan-tastic! It’s a pleasure to meet you. Thank you, again, for squeezing me into your schedule, despite how much work you’re likely dealing with in sickbay.
Sadar: Of course. Uhh... ::gestures to the armchair before the desk:: Have a seat.
With a fluid motion, Vhysa’lia sat themself down in the chair opposite Dr. Sadar, who took their standard seat behind the desk, crossing one leg over the other. The flipped script was intriguing. As was the good doctor’s nerves. One could have easily mistaken her for the new blood aboard the ship.
Sadar: Anything in particular you want to start with?
Vhysa’lia: Of course. So. ::she folds her hands together in her lap:: I presume someone above me is dealing with the counseling assignments? I doubt you want me running around the ship abducting people to pick their brains. ::pause, then a laugh::
Maybe not in the best taste, but Dr. Sadar could do with a little laughter, she thought. Something to get her out of her comfort zone, so that they could better understand who she was.
Vhysa’lia: Sorry, bad joke. ::putting on a more professional tone:: In all seriousness, I’m not exactly sure how the administrative side of all this works here in Starfleet - from how I understood it, I’ll be assigned patients, and then I’ll have to work with them to sort out all the scheduling of their actual appointments? Or is that done for me already?
Sadar: Response
They nodded, glad to not have to go chase down patients, as they’d joked. Being assigned to an established ship that had developed all sorts of complex interpersonal relationships already… it would have been optimistic to assume that they could have slotted in seamlessly such that patients would seek them out. Not at first, at least.
Vhysa’lia: I understand. ::little shrug:: In time, I hope that they’ll actually come find me to help, rather than just be assigned to me. But that’ll take time.
Sadar: Response
Vhysa’lia: Now, ::she leaned forwards slightly, smiling a bit again:: patients. Can you tell me a bit more about them? I know that my provisional assignment here is entirely caused by a need to heal the trauma of the Borg… infiltration. Can you tell me if I’ll be working with former drones, the unassimilated, or both?
She’d worked with former drones before, actually, albeit rarely. Those had been… tougher than the other cases. When they remembered their kyn'steya, they remembered both of them. But, in a way, the ex-Borg had ended up doing better than most. The disconnect that the Collective caused made leaving their pasts behind a bit easier.
As had memories of being shot at by former crewmates and friends. Not that driving a rift between a new Kobali and their previous relationships was good practice. All that did was cause resentment.
Sadar: Response
Tags/TBC :)