Dangling Participles

Posted on 02/25/2020 @ 9:32pm by Captain Cian D'Anvers
Edited on on 02/28/2020 @ 7:08pm

Mission: S1E1: Out of the Barn
Location: Captain’s Ready Room
Timeline: Day 2 at 1330

Lieutenant jg Toran Ilos had been shown his quarters, his office, and had been given the opportunity to give some advice to a young woman who needed his help. In theory, he should have checked in with the Captain first, but the job and helping someone in need had to take priority. He hoped the Captain would understand.

Once Crewman Rios left, Ilos made his way to the Captain’s Ready Room. He stood patiently at the door, chimed it, and waited to be summoned.

"Enter," Sidonie called out as she turned from the replicator and made her way back to her desk, tea in hand. Lips pursed slightly, she made a mental review of the chiefs that had reported in and realized that she was nearly done. Enough, she thought, with greetings. Time to get to work ... or nearly so. She set the cup down, settled in her seat, and looked up as an officer entered.

The door slid open and Ilos stepped in while prompted. He saw his Captain at her desk with some tea and smiled politely. He had never met anyone from her species before, but he'd traveled enough to not be surprised by the extremely pale woman in command red. "Lieutenant junior grade Toran Ilos, reporting for duty, Captain." He stood to attention as he spoke, not yet knowing how this CO handled such matters.

"Relax, Lieutenant," she said as she gestured toward one of the two chairs facing her desk. "Counselor, was it?"

"Thank you," he said, taking the seat. "And yes, Counselor. I've been on Leave for the past two and a half years, but I kept my certifications up. I reactivated a few weeks ago."

"Two and a half years is a long time," Sidonie said. "What made you decide to return to active service?"

He couldn’t help but smile. “My sister. She and I weren’t close, but she was badly injured after an attack on New Bajor. The entire Colony was devastated. I went to do some humanitarian work and we reconnected. But eventually the work was done, and I was getting reckless. She pushed me to speak with the Starfleet attaché. Encouraged me to go back to my life.”

"It is not an easy thing, is it? To be family to someone in Starfleet. They want to hold you close but at the same time, if you are lucky, understand that your journey takes you elsewhere. It is good that your sister accepts this."

“I am lucky, in that regard,” Ilos said, nodding. “What role do you envision for your Chief Counselor, Captain? Aside from being in charge of keeping your crew’s mental health in check, of course.”

"I'd like to take advantage of your experience, get your psychological input. Say, for example, we are sent to do a wellness check on a colonized world. I would send you down with the away team. I'm not asking you to counsel everyone individually; more, that you would use your unique perspective and notice things other might not."

“Understood,” Ilos replied. “I’ve done similar work as a junior or mid-level counselor on USS Queen Katherine and USS Saturn, respectively, and my time on New Bajor I kept my eyes peeled for broad, community-wide psych evals. I’m also trained as a medic, so in an emergency I’m happy to help out in sickbay. Or wherever you or the CMO may need me.”

Sidonie paused for a moment, chin angled to the left, as she considered his words. "Do you consider this as being something not worthy of a Chief Counselor, Lieutenant. If you do, I'd rather know that now than later on when the feelings have had a chance to pile up."

“Oh, no,” Ilos said, his tone reassuring. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that. I just meant that I’ve experience in this. And my superior officers on those assignments were involved too. No, there’s no such thing as work not worthy of a Department Head. If I’m not willing to do it, too, I shouldn’t be ordering others instead.”

"Good then. I am of the same opinion myself. Did you have any questions for me," Sidonie asked.

“Actually, one.” Ilos opened his left palm, which had been closed this entire time around his traditional earring. He held it up, so she could see the silver emblem and chain. “I understand it is largely to a Captain’s discretion as to whether to allow uniform variations. I will accept your ruling either way, but I request permission to wear this while on duty.”

"With respect to Bajoran traditions," Sidonie said quietly, "it presents a problem. Anything that dangles is a problem. In some cases, it being metal and dangling can present a different sort of a problem. So yes, there are times when it would be fine but there are also times when it would not. So what do I do? I say 'yes' and leave it to you to decide, to delay performing a necessary action, while you figure out whether you should be wearing your earring or not? Or forget it's there and get injured, possibly severely? I'm sorry, Counselor. Wear it when you're off duty. Otherwise, permission denied."

Ilos was disappointed, but he understood. In the Academy, he was denied for reasons of discipline and uniformity. His first CO on the Saturn denied it for similar reasons, though the Queen Katherine CO and second Saturn CO allowed it. This Captain’s logic was different, but also entirely reasonable, if a bit unpredictable. “Understood, Captain. You’ll never see it unless I’m off duty.”

"Good to hear. Some day, I will tell you about the impassioned arguments I had when I first went to the Academy. Among my people, wearing any color other than white is ... unacceptable." She chuckled. "I lost that fight based on a uniformity argument." She shrugged. "In any case, if there is nothing else, I will let you go. Welcome aboard, Lieutenant. You are dismissed."

“Thank you, Captain.” With a polite smile and small bow, he turned and left the Ready Room. Only a few hours on board and he was already confident this assignment would go well. He could work well with this Captain. And he would do good things for those who needed it.

A Post by

Cmdr. Sidonie Ysayne
Commanding Officer
USS Crazy Horse

(and)

Lieutenant JG Toran Ilos
Chief Counselor
USS Crazy Horse