Posted by Cadet Wiles Osten (Security Officer) in CNS Office: Cadet Wiles Osten psychological evaluation

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Janusz Korczak (Counselor) in CNS Office: Cadet Wiles Osten psychological evaluation

Posted by Cadet Wiles Osten (Security Officer) in CNS Office: Cadet Wiles Osten psychological evaluation
Posted by… suppressed (24) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Wiles liked counselors. In fact, he had regularly sought the services of therapists throughout his life of his own volition, unintimidated by professionals he knew to be well-intentioned. Wiles was a listener by nature, which meant that therapists provided a much needed outlet for him to just talk. Additionally, Wiles had found his psychology courses the most interesting, and took the opportunity to visit with a therapist as an excuse to witness the discipline in practice.

However, Lieutenant Commander Korczak’s reputation made Wiles uneasy. Wiles was not in the habit of deceiving counselors, but the idea that he would be talking with a “biological lie detector” made him second guess his tendency for honesty. The last thing he wanted to do was unintentionally lie to the ship’s counselor on their first meeting… but it was this exact thought that made him most sure that he inevitably would.

All these thoughts crossed Wiles’ mind as he stood outside the counselor’s office, when he realized that he had been standing there staring at the nameplate for a few seconds too long. Cadet Osten glanced to either side, checking to see if anyone had noticed his awkward loitering, before dinging the door to ask permission to enter.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

An extremely odd accent came from the other side of the door and said “Do come in, please.” As the door slid open, it revealed a space unlike any other on the ship.

The office was lit in a more subdued manner than the rest of the ship, with the light coming from wall lamps rather than the typical overhead lighting. Multiple bookcases with glass enclosed shelves lined one wall, filled with copies and originals of many texts on many different subjects, and a quick glance would show multiple languages as well. The desk was set at an angle against the opposite wall to the door in the corner, allowing for a large open space in the middle. Here there was a couch and a few chairs, one of which sat in front of and facing away from the desk. Pictures hung on the walls, some were even old photographs. Each depicted either places, individuals, or groups of people, and many were in black and white.

Seated at the desk was a plain looking human male with brown hair and brown eyes. He average looking; the kind of person that would be lost in a crowd of more than four or five people. He wore the blue uniform of the Science and Medical Sections, and Lieutenant Commander pips showed on his collar. There was one distinguishing feature about the man, however. Actual glasses were perched on his nose. He looked up, and the strange accent issued forth again. “Hello, Cadet. May I help you?”

Lt. Cmdr. Korczac, CNS

Wiles’ mouth parted ever so slightly as he stepped into the counselor’s office, eyes sweeping the room in an arc from one side up to the ceiling and then to the other wall. He blinked at the bookshelf and his eyes darted rapidly to a couple of the pictures, feeling as if he had stepped into a different world (and time) altogether.

Prompted by the whoosh of the door closing behind him, Wiles snapped out of his awe and settled his attention on Korczac. “Hello Lieutenant Commander, my name is Wiles Osten. I’m a new cadet, and I was told to meet with you for a duty evaluation. I apologize for not making an appointment… I suppose I’ve thrown formalities to the wind for the moment as I try to get accustomed to my first assignment.” Wiles spoke evenly, personable but still appropriately formal, straddling the line between friendly and professional.

Wiles took a couple light-footed steps towards one of the couches in the center of the room, opposite from the chair in front of Korczac’s desk, which he assumed to be the counselor’s favorite. “May I?” Wiles asked with a slight raise of his eyebrows, seemingly knowing the drill for a therapist’s office pretty well. If given permission, Wiles would settle back into the corner of one side of the couch, crossing one leg over the other and placing both hands folded in his lap. His green eyes watched Korczac with curiosity, but also apprehension, as is normal for someone meeting a new therapist for the first time.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

“Of course, Cadet. Please make yourself comfortable.” Korczak responded evenly. He then stood up and made his way to the replicator on the wall. Looking back at the Cadet. “Would you care for something to drink? I was about to get myself a cup of tea.” he asked, his accent again giving his speech an extremely odd sound. Fortunately, it did not interfere with the clarity of his speech.

Korczak, CNS

Wiles waved his hand and shook his head lightly. “Oh, no thank you. I’ve never enjoyed tea or caf, myself. Makes me feel too on edge, I prefer to maintain some mild fogginess to my reality.” He paused. “I’ve always enjoyed clouds for a similar reason. I just don’t function as well when stimuli are too harsh. Unfortunately that means these lights have always given me problems.” He motioned to the florescent overheads.

Wiles smiled sheepishly. “In summary, no thank you.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak nodded once in acknowledgement and retrieved his tea. Taking a seat opposite the Cadet, he sat the cup on the low table and leaned back. Unlike other Counselors, Korczak had no PaDD for taking notes, no recording apparatus to be seen. He looked at Osten and said “How was your trip to our fair vessel? Uneventful, I hope.”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles nodded in affirmation. “But I’ve only been off of Earth a handful of times, and this is the furthest out I’ve traveled into the cosmos, so it’s exciting.” He paused for a moment to look out the window at the stars. “The simulations don’t quite do it justice.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

“Indeed they do not.” the Liutenant Commander agreed. “Did you do many simulations to prepare? Or simply as they were scheduled for your class?” Korczak asked nonchalantly. He took a sip of his tea and looked at the Cadet, his face expressionless but not in a fashion as to make Osten uncomfortable.

Korczak, CNS

Wiles’ inspected Korczak from the corner of his eye, his face still turned slightly towards the window. Wiles was not uncomfortable with the counselor’s expressionlessness, but he was suspicious of it. Perhaps the Lieutenant Commander was attempting to remain impartial and detached. But to this extent… Wiles wondered if it was a defense mechanism for Korczak. Perhaps he had allowed himself to get too attached to clients in the past.

Unabated, Wiles refused to allow himself to change his body language to match Korczak’s stoicism. He turned back to the counselor fully and placed one ankle horizontally on the opposite knee, leaning back and spreading his arms across the top of the couch, a more relaxed and informal stance than he had previously assumed.

“I do my best to ensure that I’m well prepared. I used a good amount of my personal holosuite time running through different scenarios on a starship. Attending common social events, interacting with senior officers, responding to everyday operational changes. I wanted to get a feel for what a starship could be like before I got here.” Wiles shrugged with a small smile. “I tried to avoid over-preparing for the worst case scenario though. I have confidence in my ability to adapt during emergencies. Moreso just wanted to try and make the transition as seamless as possible.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak nodded once and said “Commendable. I have not yet met a Cadet who did that. I trust you feel that those efforts helped prepare you, at least somewhat, for what is to come?”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles raised an eyebrow. “’What is to come’? That sounds so ominous, Lieutenant Commander. Should I have been more concerned about those worst case scenarios? My understanding was that the Challenger is a rather sleepy vessel.” Wiles paused. “But if you’re referring to the normal day to day comings and goings of a starship, I do feel pretty solidly prepared. Although again, the simulations don’t quite do those parts of this experience justice either.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak’s head tilted slightly to the side, the only indication of anything resembling an internal dialogue. He looked intently at the Cadet for a moment, and then said “I feel I should clarify something for you, Cadet. Something that I know from my time at the Academy is not always emphasized in the appropriate fashion. There is no such thing as a ‘sleepy vessel’. One should always be at least cognizant of the possibility that at any time something may go awry. We cannot anticipate such things, of course. But they do occur, even on Academy ships. There was an incident during a mission not too long ago on this very vessel where a Cadet was killed during an Away Team mission. So don’t harbor the belief that this environment isn’t as serious as it is in the main fleet. The risk is not as great, true. But there is still risk. I would recommend making any extra training time you utilize to focus on those situations.” His tone steady and even. Not judgmental or critical, simply speaking from one individual to another. His head returning to it’s normal orientation, he did add in a somewhat more familiar manner “You have plenty of time to learn the daily interactions. Interactions which will vary on a far greater scale than any holodeck can prepare you for. And I think you will find those a bit more rewarding in various ways, as well.”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles’ face paled slightly as Korczak spoke. The cadet straightened his posture and clasped his hands in his lap, placing both feet flat on the ground as he listened, eyes trained on Korczak’s chin. He was embarrassed that he might have come across as overconfident or flippant about the dangers of his position as a Starfleet officer. The last thing he wanted to do was give a senior officer the impression that he did not understand the risks involved on any starship, especially considering his assignment as a security officer.

Cadet Osten’s gaze shifted upwards to meet Korczak’s eyes as the counselor finished speaking. “I understand, Lieutenant Commander. I appreciate the recommendation, and I will ensure that I am as equally prepared for emergencies as I am for normalcy. I know that I have a lot to learn, and that experience is the best teacher. Generally, I believe that preventative measures are the best defense against tragedy, so I will be diligent with ensuring that the ship and its crew, myself included, are prepared for anything.” He spoke more formally now, more measured and calculated, but still sincere.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak pushed the glasses up on his nose and leaned back in his chair a bit. “I am quite certain you will, Mr. Osten. And the fact that you are conscious and accepting of your role and it’s inherent difficulties is commendable. And not common amongst many Cadets.” and the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corners of the man’s mouth. “So feel free to relax a bit. You are doing fine. I know this first series of check-in’s can be… intimidating. But trust me. In less than a year you will look at them as the vast majority of Star Fleet personnel do: a pain in the aft section at worst, a minor inconvenience at best.”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles blinked a couple times in rapid succession, trying to keep up with what he perceived to be rapid shifts in Korczak’s mood, even if his tone and body language were not changing much. Wiles offered a sheepish smile at the counselor’s reassurances while sinking down slightly into the couch. “Do you share that opinion, Lieutenant Commander? I didn’t intend to take up your valuable time with an inconvenience… if there are objectives to be achieved here, I am happy to do my best to meet them promptly.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak remained impassive, no expression crossing his face and nothing remotely readable in his body language. When he spoke, he voice retained it’s inherent flatness. “I do not, Cadet. I believe that such interactions between those designated as necessary are a very good thing. It allows for a mostly seamless integration of new personnel with minimizing the amount of… surprises… that could crop up if such things were not done upon arrival. So your concern for taking up my time, while appreciated, is not necessary. I believe that this is not only a necessary regulation, but a well-designed one as well. What do you think, Cadet? Do you believe that check in’s should be done in this manner?”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles allowed himself a small half-grin on the right side of his mouth. “I suppose my opinion might be different if I had to be the one administering the check-ins to every new cadet, but I see the benefit of this process as well. Just as you are able to evaluate me, I am able to get a read on some of the senior officers as well.” He looked up to the ceiling for a moment. “Even if I’m not typically the one asking the questions, many of my own queries about the ship and its environment are being answered nonetheless.” Cadet Osten hesitated for a second before adding, “I also believe that as a security officer, it is important for me to feel confident in the Challenger’s leadership personnel and trust that their judgement is sound, when following their orders could mean putting myself and others in danger. I’m anticipating my first meeting with the captain for that reason.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak said simply “I see. And what have you assessed from your previous meetings so far? About the Command, the ship, the crew? Anything of note pique your interest?”

Korczak, CNS

Cadet Osten shifted slightly in his corner of the couch, unsure about how comfortable he felt disclosing his first impressions to the ship’s counselor. But he answered the question warily. “Lieutenant Tavim seems insightful. I can tell she has a critical eye, as I would expect for a chief security officer. The medbay staff are friendly, though perhaps a bit high-energy for my taste.” Wiles trained his eyes on Korczak, emboldened now, “And you… are perplexing. I’ve never met a counselor with your demeanor.”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak didn’t flinch or indicate any kind of reaction to the Cadet’s statement. He simply said “Have you dealt with many Counselors? And what about my demeanor perplexes you?” The first question was said with the same flat tone, but the second had a slight tinge of curiosity to it.

Korczak, CNS

Wiles waved his hand lightly. “You tend to become pretty familiar with counselors after you’re diagnosed with depression.” He dropped his hand back into his lap. “And I meant no offense, Lieutenant Commander. I know there’s value to remaining detached from your clients and impartial in your evaluations. However, I find your flat affect slightly… disconcerting. I haven’t encountered anything like it in my previous experiences. But I did my research on the senior officers, so I’m not surprised by your stoic nature. Given your prior postings.” Cadet Osten crossed one leg over the other, a physical indication of his anticipation of ridicule.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak remained flat but replied in his oddly accented voice “I do apologize if I have made this an uncomfortable process, Cadet. Unfortunately, and as my record can attest, it is not a simple affectation for professional reasons. I believe that it is one of the reasons I am considered… successful… in my professional encounters.” Korczak knew that his record was only partially redacted. And he held no embarrassment or concern as to his time with FedSec. There was a need, he filled it. It was a s simple as that.

“Your depression. Let us discuss that. Your diagnosis. Is it chemical or situational?”

Korczak, CNS

Wiles displayed an involuntary, awkward smile as his gaze flickered. The expression quickly faded and Wiles’ head tilted slightly as he spoke, the cadet’s tone becoming terser. “If you’re asking if I have adjustment disorder with depressed mood or major depressive disorder, I was diagnosed with the latter four years ago. I’ve been managing it with medication and therapy ever since.” He raised his chin slightly and met Korczak’s gaze. “It hasn’t impacted my professional capacities before, nor will it in the future.”

Perhaps Korczak could deduce that this was only partially true: Wiles had obviously been high functioning throughout his time at the academy, but to say that he had not experienced occasional distress from the disorder would be dishonest. The distinction Wiles used to emphasize that his professional capacities in specific had not been impacted likely gave some hint to the half-truth of his statement.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Korczak listened, still not making any notes or expressing any kind of reaction. When Osten finished, he remained silent for several moments, then put his fingertips together and rested his hands on his lap. “You do know, of course, that such a diagnosis is… problematic… for individuals who wish to be stationed on a Star Fleet vessel, of course. Not that it is a disqualifying condition, per se, but it does require additional attention. Isolated duty aboard a vessel can exacerbate depression. That, coupled with the fact that not all vessels have Counselors aboard, could severely limit your options as to duty stations, Cadet. Would that bother you, after your time on the Challenger is done?”

Korczak, CNS

OOC: I have a suggestion for you. If you are going to have something of note like that for your character (which is OUTSTANDING, by the way. Many Cadets try to be perfect examples of everthing!), try to put it in biography so other people, specifically those who would need to know something like that, can see it and prepare ahead of time. Helps make everyone’s post smooth and seamless when the issue comes up.

You are doing a great job. Keep it up!

James

Cadet Osten did not waver during the moments of silence. Nor during the counselor’s words of caution. Wiles had, of course, heard these warnings before. He had been diagnosed during his first year at the academy, and the question had immediately been raised of whether he should continue his education. Wiles had been adamant that he complete his training. He knew that the academy did not cause his depression. Instead, he saw Star Fleet as a way out of it.

“I understand, counselor.” He paused and softened a bit, deflating a little back into the couch. “I earned my placement here. But, I understand that I cannot allow myself to be a weak link in any starship’s chain. I’m thankful for the Challenger, for giving me an opportunity to see if I am able to live up to the potential that I know I have. If my time here does not prove that I am capable of being a valued member of a starship’s crew, I will not fight any recommendation you may give in light of my condition.” His tone was steady and sincere, resigned but passionate.

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

OOC: Yes you are right, my apologies! I’ve forgotten to continue updating the character’s biography, I will be sure to do that in the future! I’m still trying to figure out who exactly this person is so some things are still coming to me about personality and whatnot, but I will do a better job of keeping that information documented when I do finalize something. These intro threads have been doing a good job of getting me to flesh out the character!

Thank you for this thread, I’m enjoying it a lot!

• Ben

Korczak replied “My position is not one of making recommendations, Cadet. I am here to assess and observe, suggest courses of action, assist in the transition from Academy to the Fleet… that is all. It would have to be an extreme case for me to have to recommend that a Cadet to continue… or not. My advice to you would be to simply do as you previously stated… earn your place among your peers. If you feel that you possess the potential to be successful, then utilize that potential at every opportunity. And ensure that your mental health is made a priority for you, regardless of whether you are on a ship, a station, or a planet-based assignment.”

Korczak, CNS

Cadet Osten uncrossed his legs, then crossed the opposite leg over the other. His hands returned to being folded in his lap, mirroring the sitting position he had first assumed when he first sat down in the corner of the couch. He listened attentively as the counselor spoke, maintaining eye contact. Wiles nodded in agreement as the lieutenant commander finished speaking. “Of course, Counselor. Should we set up regular appointments so I can check in with you consistently while I’m on the Challenger?”

(Wiles Osten, Security Cadet)

Koczak shook his head. “I do not believe that is necessary, but if you feel it would be beneficial, then we can do so. As long as you are utilizing your medication as needed and there are no incidents that arise from your diagnosis, then you should be fine. Your time on board the Challenger is quite valuable, and very limited. You should focus on learning your duties in a practical application and setting. You will have for regular counseling once you reach your permanent duty station. Is that reasonable to you?”

Korczak, CNS