Posted by Cadet T’Mor (Scientist) in Check In - Cadet T’Mor to CNS Office, Reporting for Phycological Exam

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Hilo (Counselor) in Check In - Cadet T’Mor to CNS Office, Reporting for Phycological Exam

Posted by Cadet T’Mor (Scientist) in Check In - Cadet T’Mor to CNS Office, Reporting for Phycological Exam
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Next was to report for a Physiological Exam. She was certain, considering her species, the counselor would find her physiology abnormal. This was not going to be good. Therefore, the goal was to appear as typical as possible. Just like on Vulcan. Though it was a hard facade to keep up, it was something she had do. It should be easier to maintain for what was optimally going to take less than a few hours. Then again, this was a trained ships counselor.

Rather than going directly to the counselor then, she found a quite spot in in one of the docking bays. She spent some time to meditated, eventuating her emotions, using logic to bring them to nothing. Then she was ready. She went to the CNS office, again, avoiding any distraction.

The door to the counselor’s office slid open automatically when T’Mor approached it, obviously expecting her arrival for her appointment. The room inside was of decent size by dimension, but was filled with an assortment of furniture, art, and lots and lots of plants. In the primary space, a high-backed armchair sat facing a loveseat couch, both adorned with a warm brown cloth fabric and designed for comfort when sitting for extended periods. The loveseat was flanked by two intricate end tables made of mahogany wood, each of which had an arrangement of little statues, candles, and a tissue box. A hemp rug bridged the space between the two seating options.

There was a desk pushed up against the far wall, but it was almost obscured by an indoor jungle’s worth of potted plants on that side of the room that hung from the ceiling, stood in large vases, or sat on shelves with dozens of other specimens. The plants, in combination with the earth tones of the furniture and the slightly yellowed lighting in the office gave the space a tropical atmosphere. Indeed, the plant life might even make the air feel be a bit more fresh, to those with keen senses.

Among the plants, a tall man with tanned skin and pushed-back brown hair turned to peered through the foliage as the door to his office opened. A small circular symbol sat on his forehead, indicating that he was from Risa. He grinned as he maneuvered through the organic maze. “Cadet T’Mor! Welcome! I’m counselor Hilo.” He continued smiling as he held up his hand in a practiced vulcan salute. “Live long and prosper. Please, come in! In fact, come over here,” Hilo said as he motioned toward the jungle, leaving the seating area ignored for now. “I was just in the middle of pruning some of my plants. I saw that you’re a botanist, so if you would help me out I’d greatly appreciate it!”

Hilo stopped in front of a shelf that had three plants sitting in plate-sized pots. One housed a Christmas cactus that was spilling over the edges of its container. Another, a hydrangea that seemed to be at the end of its blooming cycle. And the last, a sage plant that had grown too big for its allotted soil. Hilo looked over his shoulder and offered a pair of clippers to T’Mor. The man’s face was friendly and inviting, encouraging her to take her pick of plant to preen.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

OOC: Welcome aboard Ava! We’re happy to have you! I saw that you wrote a bio for your character, that’s great! Often times, the CNS (counselor), your DH (department head), and medical characters will read character bios before doing intro threads, because character bios have background information that might be included in your character’s “file” in Starfleet. Of course character bios are also always changing, so feel free to continue to add to it whenever you’d like! This thread is an opportunity (as all threads are, really) to develop your character’s backstory and personality further, if you so wish. Please let me know if you have any questions, I’m Zenbe10 on the Discord challenges. I look forward to writing with you!

Ben

It was almost if T’Mor had been put completely at ease. For the first time something familiar. The scent of plants, of organic materials. Like the parks she would visit on Earth. It reminded her of the quieter times, the better times in her life when she actual felt in control, but without the exhaustion of having to violently push something down.

“Of course.” she replied, taking the clippers. She began first with the Christmas cactus. She was certain she had read about every singel plant in the room, but this is one of the few she had never seen in person. She began to delicately prod and snip, so as to do as little damage to the main body of the plant as possible. As she did so, she quitely admired the plant. It’s broad succulent leaves efficiently stored what moisture it needed, while spines acted as a defense against those creatures that would take it. It did so with no malice, but with biological constructs even more basic than instinct. In that way plants seemed perfect.

“They very beautiful,” she said bluntly, “It seems you take very good care of them.”

The counselor worked beside her on the sage plant, nodding in appreciation at her compliment. “Thank you! On my homeworld, Risa, natural beauty is an incredibly important part of our culture. I had to have some kind of garden onboard, I figured I might as well have it in a place that can be easily shared.”

She held the clippings in her hand. Gently, cradling them as if holding a baby bird.

“Would you perhaps let me keep these?” T’Mor asked.

“I have read that they are very easy to grow from such clippings. I would like to see for myself.” She paused.

“Sometimes, I find you can learn more just from simply being surrounded by your subjects of study. It allows you to notice things you might not have.”

-Cadet T’Mor, Science Dept.

Hilo blinked, then grinned. “You seem to have read my mind, cadet! I was about to offer them to you as a housewarming gift, of sorts.” He set his own clippings down on the shelf and walked over to the replicator. “Computer, replicate a small plastic container.” Once it was done, Hilo brought the tupperware over to T’Mor and offered it as a way for her to store the plant parts until she repotted them. “I’m sure they will flourish under your care as well.”

The counselor then extended an arm back toward the front area of the office, inviting T’Mor to join him as he sat down in his chair. From the loveseat, it almost appeared as if Hilo was sitting outside, an illusion that maybe they were meeting in a tropical forest rather than on a cold starship.

Once T’Mor had settled, Hilo spoke brightly. “Thanks for being so prompt about our check-in, some people are nervous about this sort of thing, but don’t worry, this isn’t some sort of evaluation. If you’ve made it this far, you’ve already been cleared for service by my colleagues back at the academy. Really, I think of myself more as a… guidance counselor, than a psychologist. I’m here to support your interpersonal and intrapersonal needs while you learn what life is like aboard a real Starfleet ship!”

“So,” he countinued, “I need to know a little bit about you so I can do my job to the best of my ability. I apologize if this question is tired, but what are some of your goals while you’re aboard? Anything you want to accomplish or any skills you want to hone, for example?” Hilo gave T’Mor a friendly, expectant look.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo)

T’Mor sat down, fighting the temptation to assume a more comfortable position on the plushy loveseat. She found a happen medium crossing her lower legs but still maintaining posture.

“I simply wanted to continue my research. Being abroad a starship offers opportunities to do so in a way that is not possible when bound to a signal planet. I have come to the conclusion that studying any form of life, but especially plant life, in its natural habitat is one of the best ways to understand it.”

She was no longer as concerned as before. Of course on Vulcan she could never keep up appearances for this long. The effort made thus far to make her comfortable had also earned a cautious level of trust. Having someone to assist in interpersonal relationships seemed most useful, though she may be reluctant to ask for help. Then again he was a professional, bound by nondisclosure. Perhaps a little practice was in order, and now seemed a good opportunity.

“You are Risian, correct? I once participated in a survey of Risa’s plant ecology. Seeing the intricacies of what made the planet’s flora so diverse and distinctive was a most fascinating experience. Being able to observe this life in it’s natural habitat informed me of how much an environment can effect plant growth and development.”

-Cadet T’Mor, Science Dept.

Hilo nodded enthusiastically and tapped the emblem on his forehead. “Indeed I am! And I’m pleased to hear that you had a pleasant experience on my homeworld, even if your activities were more academic than most who visit Risa. Not many think of Risa as much more than a vacation destination, so I’m proud that our little system was able to contribute to your scientific pursuits as well.” He beamed genuinely at that.

“But forgive me, Cadet T’Mor, if I say that what you’ve described so far sounds like an overarching career goal. Maybe even your reason for joining Starfleet, which is admirable and I’m glad that you are so passionate about your field!” The counselor motioned to the walls and ceiling of the room. “I suppose I was moreso asking what you hope to gain specifically from your time on the Challenger… your cadet cruise is a unique experience. You learn so much both about the operations of your department, but also about yourself. There will be plenty of time for study once you reach the main fleet, after all. What about goals for here and now, in this particular circumstance? Many cadets find that this is a great time to get a feel for their place among their peers and with other crew members who you may share a ship with for years on end eventually. Do you have any concerns about fitting in, so to speak, with the other cadets?” The question wasn’t meant to be unkind, and the counselor’s voice softened as he attempted to convey through tone that it was totally normal for cadets to feel nervous about becoming an integrated member of a starship crew.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

“Yes, of course,” T’Mor started, unsure how to articulate herself. Talking about what she perceived as a personal failing was very difficult. She place her hands on her knees, leaning forward a bit as she thought.

“Vulcans are typically not well know to be sociable, at least in the way most others species are. Most of us are not taught about relationships from an emotional standpoint. The focus is on cooperation and giving respect to those deserving it. Perhaps too, many others did not think I was deserving of respect.”

She took a deep breath, focusing on the sweet aroma of the plant life. For a moment T’Mor sat quietly, pushing down the feeling of distress. She want to just be able to say it, “I don’t want to feel that way anymore, and I don’t want anyone to have to feel that way around me.” But she couldn’t. She couldn’t feel anything about any way.

“I want to learn to be able to work with others, and learn to respect others who are different from myself.

“There are so many different people here and I would like to know more about them. Their styles of communication, their thoughts, the way they look at the world, what they enjoy…”

T’Mor realized she was rambling again, with noticeable excitement, like she did while talking with her DH. So all at once she resumed her former upright posture and concluded in a calm monotone,

“This understanding will assist me in becoming a capable crew member, regardless of what ship I am assigned to, and allow me to develop relationships that could prove beneficial in the future. That is my goal while aboard the Challenger.”

-Cadet T’Mor, Science Dept.

Counselor Hilo nodded encouragingly. “A worthy goal. Of course the Federation values diversity and cultural exchange very highly, so I think you’ll find that other crew members are excited to get to know you and hear your unique perspectives as well. It sounds like you’re going into this with an open mind, which is always important.”

“Have you had many deeper interactions with members of other cultures?” Hilo continued. “I know you grew up on Vulcan, but maybe a classmate in the Academy that you were fond of, who was different than you in the ways you describe? What have you learned from your interactions with members of other species in the past?”

The counselor’s body language was relaxed, sitting in an open stance with his hands placed nonchalantly in his lap. His attention never wavered from T’Mor, although a subtle blink here and there as her positioning changed might signify that the adjustments did not go unnoticed.

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)

It took T’Mor a moment to think. She was not inherently social, but somehow had acquired a group of acquaintances at the Academy. She was unsure though if she could consider any close friends, but they often included her in their activities, perhaps even out of pity.

“For one I had a classmate of Klingon heritage by the name of Diskec. He was planning on entering the engineering department and often spoke about how disappointed his parents were with the decision. It was an interesting perspective, given how much my own parents approved of me joining Starfleet and encouraged my scientific pursuits. Another on of my acquaintances was Annette. She has a stutter so many people lose patience while she was trying to speak. I did not mind so I suppose that is why she chose to speak to me. We normally only met on our leisure time, as she was entering the field of security. While Annette wasn’t the most intelligent, as most people would think of as intelligent, she was very aware of body language and speech. I found her observations very useful.”

These are the two she most likely considered friends. She wondered what did happen to them. Did they even realize how much she learned from them? Or did they know how much it helped her to know she had people that wouldn’t criticize her every action, but genuinely help her? T’Mor reasoned, if they were to meet again, perhaps she should thank them.

-Cadet T’Mor, Science Dept.

Hilo nodded encouragingly. “I’m glad to hear it! They sound like wonderful acquaintances. I’m certain that you’ll be able to find other individuals onboard to connect with, and I suggest that you try to maintain those relationships in some way! Both with Diskec, Annette, and whoever you meet here that you want to keep up with once you graduate. Having good friends outside of the ship to communicate with when your work gets stressful can be very helpful.”

“Sorry,” Hilo said with a small smile and a shake of his head, “I’ll get off my soapbox. Again, my goal is to support you, so is there anything about you I should know to best help me do that? Any important aspects of your personality that you’d like to share, or formative moments from your upbringing that inform who you are, for example?”

(Lt. Cmdr. Hilo, Counselor)