JP- Ensign Yael & Counselor Raymond Lassiter - Redacted Truths (P2)
Amanda Nordstrom
((Starbase 118 - Counselor Yael’s Office))
Yael: =/\= That… explains a few things, and brings up *many* more questions. Though I think you wouldn’t be able to answer most of them for me. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=You’re welcome to try me. I’ll answer what I can.=/\=
Yael: =/\= So her cells, they’re in temporal flux… *not* degenerating, precisely? Is there a medical treatment to stabilize the cells? =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=Temporal regression is the term that was used, I believe. And oh yes. They put her in stasis until they could produce something that would be effective. It’s temporary, though, and she has to take regular injections. As of yet, there’s no way to reverse it.=/\=
Yael: =/\= Has anyone attempted to treat her, previously…? Tell me she at least received proper counsel for the loss of her husband. =/\=
Ashley could hardly believe Starfleet would just let that *hang* there, not following up or researching solutions. Did they abandon DeVeau to her fate? Or did she refuse to cooperate? But couldn’t the upper brass have forced her to cooperate? So many possibilities were running through his imagination.
Lassiter: =/\=That was my job.=/\=
At that, Raymond ran a hand over his face and sighed, his arm dropping to drape over the side of his chair.
Lassiter: =/\=I’m sure you can imagine she was...well, to put it indelicately - a mess. We’d known each other before, had become friends, so of course, I wanted to help her. I was there when they brought her out of stasis - and I was the one who told her about Kalin. She received daily sessions with me for two months. After that, I suggested she take a leave of absence from Starfleet. She called me a month later, and...well, we had some long talks. I officially marked her as ready for duty. Not working was actually causing her to regress.=/\=
Yael: =/\= ::his expression more stern now:: How long ago was this. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=Kalin died on 239703.15. Two weeks after they were married.=/\=
Yael: =/\= Is she still assigned to classified projects of this nature? =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=No, not currently, though she still holds the clearance.=/\=
Yael: =/\= Okay… ::he paused to think, rubbing a hand over his eyes shortly::... What else can you tell me? Also, I couldn’t convince you to send me the full file, could I? =/\=
Lassiter offered a rueful half smile and glanced off to the side, as if looking at someone. That would make things easier, wouldn’t it? To have all the information at Yael’s disposal as he’d had? But Raymond had been a part of the project from the beginning - and had known Alora from the beginning of her time there as well. He knew everything - whereas Ensign Yael was just walking into it blindfolded. At least he’d been able to allow Yael a peek. That might get him into trouble, but what was more important? The classification of the information? Or his patient? Raymond didn’t have to think about that, but he also knew there was only so far he could go.
Lassiter: =/\=I can at least put in a request.=/\=
Nodding, Ashley was sure he would… but was also sure it would go nowhere. When Starfleet wanted to be tight-lipped about something, they didn’t open the door again very easily.
Yael: =/\= Even… if not the full file, a redacted file, just pertaining to her treatment… even that little would be very helpful. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=That much I can do. Is there anything else I can help you with?=/\=
Yael: =/\= You’ve already been far more helpful than I expected. I appreciate that. I’ve been groping in the dark, and a misstep could be detrimental rather than beneficial for her. I’d hate to do more harm for a lack of information. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=Yes, and I’m glad you contacted me. I’ve been meeting with her over a comlink every week, but I’ve also encouraged her to seek someone out there. I’m glad she’s actually done so. Alora had said she’d had, but I wasn’t sure how consistent she’s been.=/\=
Yael: ::Ashley hesitated slightly:: =/\= That… may still be in question. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=How has her progress been?=/\=
Yael: =/\= That’s the issue. There isn’t any that I can see at the moment. She is functional, there’s no issue with her staying on duty… don’t get me wrong there, she *appears* to be doing well. But she gives no real hint as to how she really is. It’s been a bit like running headlong into a brick wall, honestly. That’s why I went digging for clues, and reached out to you. =/\=
Lassiters mouth quirked up and down, as if he couldn’t quite decide whether to be amused or concerned. Shaking his head, he did allow a soft chuckle.
Lassiter: =/\=She’s stubborn.=/\=
Yael: =/\= Mm. ::nodding in agreement:: Can I contact you again, if needed? I’m sure I can think of at least a hundred good questions if you give me ten minutes. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=Of course. I want to help her as much as possible, and if by helping you do that, then I’m all for it. =/\=
Ashley gave a very Denobulan smile at that. He knew, despite having found out quite the unexpected, this had been an important call… and he was glad he’d taken the chance of reaching out.
Yael: =/\= That’s good to hear. Thank you, Commander. ::pausing:: And if *you* think of anything you might like to share, please do contact me as well. My comm. line is always open. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=I will certainly do that. =/\= ::Lassiter paused a moment.:: =/\=She’s not easy, counselor. She’s been through a lot, even before this. But she’s a good officer, and I know as long as she has people who are willing to come alongside her, she’ll make it through this too.=/\=
Yael: =/\= I’ll make sure she isn’t alone. ::pausing:: We’ve become friends, I think. I want to do my best for her. She has many good friends here.=/\=
Perhaps not people she could confide confidential information in, but she did have strong friends. He would count himself among them.
Lassiter: =/\=If Alora could, she would be friends with the entire universe.=/\= ::Lassiter chuckled again. =/\=But I’m glad to hear that. I think she’ll respond better to you as a friend, than as a counselor. That’s how it was with me.=/\=
Yael: =/\= We can hope. Thank you for answering my questions. I’m sure I’ll speak with you again. =/\=
Lassiter: =/\=Thank /you/ counselor, for caring enough to reach out.=/\=
The comm line cut out, leaving him with his thoughts and curiosities Should he approach Alora directly about this? Would she be offended he’d gone behind her back, despite having good intentions? Or would it open a floodgate and allow her to actually invest in her counseling… or at the very least, talk to him as a friend when she needed to. Or, if he kept it to himself, what he knew, could he craft a treatment plan that wouldn’t result in explosive psionic glitter bombs?
He would need to think on it before taking his next action.
*******
Ensign Ashley Yael
Counselor
Starbase 118 Ops
C238211TZ0
&
Counselor Raymond Lassiter
as simmed byLt. Cmdr. Alora DeVeau
Science Officer
Starbase 118 Ops
M239008AD0