STF

Counselor' Check-In for Caelian Weir

Posted Sept. 20, 2020, 5:05 p.m. by Cadet Caelian Weir (Engineer) (Jason Wolfe)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Hilo (Counselor) in Counselor’ Check-In for Caelian Weir

Posted by Cadet Caelian Weir (Engineer) in Counselor’ Check-In for Caelian Weir

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Hilo (Counselor) in Counselor’ Check-In for Caelian Weir
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>

Hilo narrowed his eyes, inspecting the arrangement critically. The risian symbol on his forehead shifted atop a wrinkled forehead. Then, the counselor burst into a giant smile, and clapped his hands together once. “Perfect!” he exclaimed and then slapped Caelian on the shoulder in a friendly manner. “Looks great! Glad you can be decisive, because that’s not one of my strong suits.” He stood back a couple feet and again appraised the display, arms crossed. Then he nodded once in approval and spun to walk back toward the seating area, motioning for Cadet Weir to follow.

The counselor settled into the high-back seat, crossing one leg over the other at the knee and letting Weir get situated before continuing. “Well welcome to the Challenger! I’m the ship’s counselor, and really I consider myself more of a ‘guidance’ counselor, rather than a ‘psychologist’ counselor. So I’m here to help with any situations that might arise while you’re aboard that cause undue stress. But in in order for me to do my job to the best of my ability, I have to know a bit about you! Of course I’ve read your file, but those tend to be a bland, sanitized version of a real person. So please, tell me about yourself!” The excitement was genuine, and the counselor obviously enjoyed his job and getting to know new cadets. Nethertheless, his eagerness might be a little offputting to some who might have expected a more formal boarding assessment.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

Caelian tipped forward at the friendly gesture, still not sure what to make of the counselor. Certainly, there were people who loved what they did aboard ship, but the man seemed downright bred for the job. Or, he supposed, the Risian possessed the therapist version of bedside manner. He watched, bemused, as Hilo flitted between the curtain of foliage before settling on his seat. Caelian had a little less luck avoiding a few playful slaps from the hanging plants, but sat opposite of Hilo. After adjusting his uniform, he leaned forward and propped his elbows on his knees, crossing his fingers in front of him. While a bit worn from all the running around he’d done that day, Caelian seemed at-ease.

“I’m not exactly sure what would interest you, sir,” Caelian shrugged. He lowered his gaze for a moment while he thought, then back up.

“I like to joke that I’m a Starfleet baby, since I was born on a Federation science vessel. My father was a career engineer, third-generation Weir to serve. Probably thought he’d die in the uniform if my mother hadn’t sweet-talked him into retiring. She’s a civilian—xenoarchaeology—but you’d think she was a captain the way she carries herself on a dig. But it works for them, made for a nice home even though we wouldn’t much be planetside when we weren’t digging in the dirt.

“It wasn’t the easiest childhood, mind. Not a lot of kids my age—or at all sometimes—on the Venture, so I guess I got to grow up a little faster than I probably would have liked. It was interesting if nothing else, what with all the scientists to talk to about this and that. Most didn’t even talk down to me, which was nice. I think Mamma was a little sad when I didn’t take to it as much as she did. I was always better with the more technical aspects of life.”

That was a lie. Well, not quite. While it was true that he had a keen mind for facts and figures, he’d also inherited his mother’s love of art and music. As he had mentioned to Hilo before, it was all math to him—the variety was in the expression. When he was young, he would listen to his mother and sister play the piano together for hours, wrapping himself in the melody and exploring the different compositions from across the quadrant. There had been something universal, magickal, about music that stuck with him. He’d even dabbled with it himself, though it was nothing more to him than a hobby.

That had all changed when Kendra died. His mother would still play, but even a light Chopin tune carried a hint of sorrow. Still, it kept her connected to Kendra’s memory and allowed her to grieve. His father, however, had no such means and nearly lost himself in his work. It was only Caelian’s technical curiosity that had pulled him back from a very dark place, gave them the opportunity to bond and grieve together. It eventually became his own coping tool, a way to understand the world around him.

A way to keep the people he cared about safe.

Caelian realized that he’d been quiet for longer than he’d meant to. He scrubbed a hand across his chin and gave a sheepish laugh. “I think that’s what made me apply to Starfleet, to become an engineer—it runs in the family.”
—Caelian Weir, Cadet—

Hilo nodded along in understanding as Caelian spoke, his dark eyes never flickering away from the cadet in front of him. The risian’s bright demeanor had dimmed as the conversation turned more serious, and his boisterous personality had similarly quieted to allow for Caelian to speak for as long as he’d like.

The counselor shifted slightly in his chair to lean more into one corner as Cadet Weir finished. He allowed for a couple seconds of silence, although a perceptive ear would hear that there was some some of miniature, desk-top fountain gurgling somewhere back on the jungle side of the room. “Forgive me if this sounds like a challenge,” Hilo started carefully, “I certainly don’t intend for it to be. But family legacy, in my experience, isn’t usually the most compelling source of motivation. At least, not in isolation. Surely, there’s an additional layer to that, no? What do you want to get out of your career in Starfleet? What drives you?” The counselor was asking for internal motivation, whereas Caelian had (from Hilo’s perspective) described two external sources of motivation: family and being a Starfleet baby.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

With a faint smile, Caelian waved away Hilo’s concerns. “There’s nothing to forgive, sir. While challenges to my way of thinking aren’t always fun to listen to, they keep me grounded. Learning. Adapting. As my father says, ‘Complacency is an engineer’s worst enemy.’“

He took a moment to consider the question. Lieutenant Sapeth had asked him an almost-identical question during his engineering interview earlier, and it had been rattling around in his mind ever since. He had to admit that some of his choice to enter Starfleet was purely based on Weir tradition—his father had been an engineer, as had his grandfather and great-grandfather. Mikal Weir had always been proud of the accomplishments he’d made in his own career, and those of his son as Caelian had progressed through the Academy. A formidable portion of his childhood had been spent with a spanner in his hands, following his father’s instructions and advice. Much of the initial push towards engineering had been sparked by Kendra’s death, with his need to know what had gone wrong. Or had that simply been reflected in him from his father? That made him frown.

Caelian had also grown up observing how much respect his father had earned plying his trade. Much of the Venture‘s crew gave Mikal’s opinions and thoughts considerable weight, even the captain. It had been awe-inspiring. Of course, as an adult, Caelian was beginning to realize that such a relationship had been built over Mikal’s decades of service. Part of Caelian had wanted to earn that for himself, to make his father proud of him. A legacy was a heavy shadow to walk in.

“I don’t think I’ve considered that, sir,” he replied finally. “I’ve just… walked the path I thought I was meant to walk to the best of my ability. It’s not that I feel forced into an engineering career. I enjoy understanding the universe, picking it apart and seeing how it works. In many ways, I seem almost built for it. I’m good at the math and the technical aspects. I can almost hear a phase variance in the deck plating. Small spaces don’t bother me. These things help make me who I am, make me good at my work.”

He shrugged. “That’s what drives me, I suppose: the desire to help people and understand the world around me. Is engineering something I was meant to do? Maybe, maybe not. Am I good at it? Sure. Will I end up retiring as an engineer? I guess that depends on Starfleet and where life takes me. Who knows, maybe future-Caelian is a security officer or a scientist!”
—Caelian Weir, Cadet—

Hilo raised a bushy eyebrow in amusement at that. “Or a captain,” he said with a hint of a teasing tone, but with also equal parts seriousness. “I know I don’t need to remind you, but an open mind is one of the key predictors of a successful Starfleet officer… and it sounds like that’s a quality you possess, given that you’re willing to consider a wider variety of paths forward than most.” The counselor held up a hand as if making a ‘stop’ motion to himself. “But I did not mean to imply that you shouldn’t be an engineer. I just wanted to understand what about the work makes it fulfilling for you.”

The counselor paused to mull. “How about this then: you have told me a lot about your strengths or natural affinities for engineering and Starfleet in general. What are some of your areas for improvement? What are skills or aptitudes that you hope to improve upon, both during your time on the Challenger and once you move on to the main fleet? How will being an engineer in Starfleet help you improve as a person?” Hilo knew it was a rather flouncy question, but how the cadet reacted to the mushy stuff would help confirm whether Hilo was right about the open-mindedness Weir had communicated thus far.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

Caelian listened carefully to what the counselor was asking, nodding his understanding and taking a moment to process. He hadn’t anticipated anyone probing his motives quite this quickly. He shrugged it off internally. Things aboard a Starfleet vessel were obviously very different than a typical Federation civilian ship, and it was something he’d have to get used to.

“I think the biggest hurdle for me is going to be the transition between civilian and officerial life,” he said finally, leaning back in his seat thoughtfully. “I grew up seeing what it was like to be in Starfleet through the lens of my father, but it’s different experiencing it all. I had more liberties before entering the Academy, both as a child and a civilian. I grew up with responsibilities and expectations, but this is again different. Disappointing your superior officer is different than disappointing your parents.”

Caelian chuckled at the thought. “Although I think I’d prefer a court marshal over one of Mamma’s disapproving stares, oi!”

“Working with and around other people will be another challenge, I suppose. I’m used to having the time and freedom to complete a task to my own satisfaction. I feel that I work better on my own, but I recognize that it’s not always going to be possible. The Academy showed me how to integrate with a team to fulfill an objective but it’s… not always easy.”

He sighed thoughtfully, let his eyes drift off to the plants dangling just behind Hilo’s head. It had been a rude awakening in its own way, coming to terms with the difference between his personal standards and Starfleet’s. He’d struggled a lot personally raising expectations in one area while also slackening a bit in regards to others. He pushed aside reflections of a biology experiment that had almost come to blows. It hadn’t been his most shining moment as an Academy student.

“While I’m pretty comfortable as an engineer, I think I’d like to spend some time around other aspects of the Challenger,” he continued slowly. “Even if I don’t end up as a doctor or a security officer—or a captain—I think at least entertaining token interests would help me find my own career path. If nothing else, it might give me insight into the crew’s needs and help me do my job better. The more experiences that I can draw from, both here aboard the Challenger and later in the fleet, the more prepared I’ll be for when I meet my future self.”

He had to pause again to consider Hilo’s final question. It was certainly one that he’d not considered, had always seen himself separate from his work. Thankfully the counselor seemed content to let him formulate his thoughts. Patience in reflection was something he definitely respected.

“I’m not sure what I expect to personally take away from being an engineer.” He struggled with a few protean thoughts, shaking his head to dispel each one in turn. “Right now, it’s a course rather than an identity. I’m Caelian who happens to be an engineer rather than Caelian the Engineer. Does that make sense? I don’t know how better to clarify, I’m sorry. I can see that being an engineer will teach me skills like patience and teamwork, the ability to focus on a task, or give me the discipline to stick with a frustrating project. But… I think with the right motivation, a nurse could develop the same skills. I do believe that being an engineer is an important, almost vital position and I think that it gives me a deeper respect for what it means to be in Starfleet.”

He sighed again, leaning forward and scrubbing a hand across his face. Looking back to Hilo, Caelian smiled faintly. “I’m sorry if I’m not making much sense, sir. It’s been a hell of a day.”


Posts on USS Challenger

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9