Posted by Ensign V’Lath (Counselor) in Ship’s Councilor’s Office - Ensign Kesh reporting for onboarding

Posted by Ensign Kesh (Engineer) in Ship’s Councilor’s Office - Ensign Kesh reporting for onboarding

Posted by Ensign V’Lath (Counselor) in Ship’s Councilor’s Office - Ensign Kesh reporting for onboarding
Posted by… suppressed (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻
While Kesh would not say that she had an aversion toward Starfleet counselors, or counseling in general, the experiences she endured while under the microscope of Starfleet Medical following the exposure of her augmented state over two decades ago had not endeared herself to the profession all that well. There are those in the field that genuinely care about their patients, and there are those that seem almost to be there to enjoy judging others. More than one encounter made her want to try to shove the entire department into its own exam chairs to consider how badly it needs to reconsider how it treats those that are deemed ‘unacceptable’.

Near as she is presently aware, those prejudices with augmented individuals have since been expunged, replaced instead by the current intolerance toward synthetic lifeforms, but on-edge remained a valid description for her state when arriving at the Counselor’s office.

Follow formalities, expect the best, steel for the worst, and move forward based on the outcome. These are the directions she has given herself in recent years, and it has worked well thus far.

“Ensign Kesh, reporting for examination, rrrnth.” Right to business after the door shuts behind.

V’Lath stood from behind his desk ,”Please come in and make yourself comfortable, can I get you anything ?” V’Lath looked at his PaDD , “You must be Ens. Kesh, welcome aboard, are you getting settled in?” V’Lath noted the slight slurring that was typical of Caitian speech and that there was a hint of nervousness and perhaps just a bit of antipathy being displayed. Counselors as a rule weren’t the most popular members of a crew, often considered a necessary evil thrust on the crew by Starfleet, and a Vulcan counselor was even more odd. V’Lath gestured to the two chairs in front of the fireplace, “Please, sit down.”

V’Lath CNS

A Vulcan. That’s certainly something. No doubt Kesh’s personality profile contains entries regarding her… difficulties with Vulcan crewmates and previously stated ambivalence toward the species as a whole. Entires she has made efforts to have denoted as being no longer valid, with notes regarding her friendships with Vulcans that shows she is not outright prejudiced, even if said Vulcans are half-Vulcans. As it stands, that kind of shallow, speciesist thoughts were behind her, in favor of uneasiness toward professions.

Gosh, Kesh, maybe try to make a good impression rather than let the bitterness flow?

Breath is drawn in deep then exhaled in that slow, practiced, meditative fashion, that ends in a stiff flutter and small gutteral tone. “So far Genesis has proven quite plentiful and welcoming, thank you. Rrrrnth. I wish to not disrupt your schedule as much as possible.” Good start, sloppy follow-through. One ear twangs sharply prior to gaze shifting to the offered seat, where the Caitian’s hind sinks down, flinging that weighty tail aside so it can drape around her legs one sitting down. Once there, jaws parted slightly enough to expose fang-tips, only to shut again. Nope. No apologizing needlessly. Let the counselor direct the conversation.

-> Kesh, Engineering

V’Lath took the seat opposite and sat his ever present coffee mug on the small table. “Ensign are you sure I can’t get you something, I assure you that you are not disrupting any schedule. “V’Lath took a sip of coffee,

A long breath again pushes out the twanging edges of discord in favor of something more diplomatic. “A glass of five degrees C water would be appreciated.” After all, there might be quite a bit more talking than anticipated.

“Since I am a touch empath I refrain from touching anyone without their express permission, but I am a keen observer of body language and speech tone and inflection, and you seem to be extremely nervous. My job is not to pry or question but to ascertain a crewman’s mental capacity to perform the job to which they’ve been assigned.” V’Lath picked up his PaDD and checked an entry, “I see nothing in your records to give me any reason to doubt your fitness, so if you don’t mind telling me, just why are you so nervous ?”

V’Lath CNS

Was that a… threat? No. Why would a vulcan threaten? That’s stupid. Stop that. Vulcans don’t do that mind-meld thing without permission, or whenever they have to in order to save the crew or all those other reasons that are recorded in Starfleet records. Kesh’s footpaws spread their bare digits out then curl inward as her tongue shifts around in her mouth a moment. Can we not do this, please?

Another long breath and a moment of shuttered eyes steps Kesh into that meditative state she’s pretty well practiced at, from which she emerged markedly calmer, if more willing to be blunt.

“I very much dislike creating a bad impression, which is something my recorded history does a bad job of preventing. Mmmnnrrf. I am a little too accustomed to being judged before I have a chance to prove myself, and, well… a ship’s councelor holds a lot of weight in deciding the fate of her crew. Mmmmnnf. Suffice to say, I have endured a great deal to get where I am right at this moment, and I am so… sure of my ability to ruin it that I am nervous to the point of twitching like a Regalian spice worm. Rrrrnnnf. Despite this being my second time being the freshly commissioned ensign, it is actually worse the second time around.”

Yep. Gonna need that water.

-> Kesh, Engineering

V’Lath stepped to the replicator and ordered a tall glass of water for the Caitian. As he delivered it he thought, “If Caitian’s could sweat this one would be mopping her brow right now.”

The gaps between the bare pads on Kesh’s footpaws were rather moist at the moment, there being most of what few sweat glands her species did have. A sensation that was definitely not helping her comfort level. The offered glass is immediately sipped from, which involves the splaying of whiskers and exposure of fang tips for a moment since her anatomy is much more suited to lapping up liquids, but she manages it without spillage.

V’Lath resumed his seat, “I see you’ve held higher rank before, as have I, do you have any problem with that ?”

“No, sir.” Kesh made sure her reply is quite even and professional, as the weird flood of emotion that it evokes all feels completely unhelpful, though ultimately it does kind of help to know that she is not alone in this state of having to start from scratch.

V’Lath made a note on his PaDD. “Actually as a counselor I can only make recommendations as to fitness for duty, Dr. Brennan and the Captain have the final say. I would also like to say that I don’t pre-judge any one, I wouldn’t be a very effective counselor if I did.” V’Lath made another note on his PaDD and took a sip of his own coffee. “I’ve seen nothing so far that would incline me to think you were not fit to assume your duties, I see you changed from an interest in Botany to Engineering,.... quite the leap there. Should you happen to wander in some of our botanical areas you might be aware that there is a large Tiger running free in one of them.”

Kesh is quiet, both audibly and physically, as the vulcan goes on to explain the things that are expected to be said at this point, all with that even keel of vocal tone that vulcans are so known for. Something that can be soothing and infuriating, sometimes both. “Mmwrr? An actual panthera tigris?” Slight head-tilt and a slight lift of one ear show genuine surprise, but not in any sort of negative fashion. Encountering other felidae is rather pleasing, after all.

V’Lath placed the PaDD on the small table. “Ensign Kesh, I would like to say that this office is open at any time, either professionally or personally, all though I don’t get many personal visits due to the nature of the job, please feel free to drop in for a......, glass of water or a sympathetic ear or whatever.”

V’Lath CNS

A long breath and slow exhale banishes the tension the caitian had managed to form of her own volition, with a light dip of her head following in grateful acceptance. “Thank you, rrrnth. I think I worked myself up for something that does not exist. I shall.. ah… utilize that offer whenever appropriate.” A long, firm blink of those large, golden eyes conveys a more genuine tone of gratitude.

->Kesh, Engineering