New Staff

Posted on 03/11/2020 @ 10:59am by
Edited on on 03/11/2020 @ 1:42pm

Mission: S1E2: The Plomeek Soup Conundrum
Location: Deck 7, Counselor’s Office
Timeline: Day 5 at 1410

Lieutenant junior grade Toran Ilos had everything set up the way he wanted it. The furniture in the main office was laid out perfectly. There was a desk in the corner for paperwork. A pair of sofas were arranged in an L-shape; he could sit next to his patients or on the next seat over, and it could accommodate multiple patients if needed. There were two flowering plants, a small one on the table in front of the sofas and a larger one by the door. They bloomed pink. Art had been replicated, framed, and hung on the walls; now the bulkheads were coloured brightly with images of landscapes from six different worlds, including Earth, Trill, and Bajor.

Ilos’s office was attached to a small annex, which featured a desk for an administrative assistant. Another door led to a smaller office, which would be shared by his two junior counselors. They were decorating their office now.

He had met his two juniors and both were ready and eager to serve. The last person he needed was the Assistant. And for that, he had an idea.

The door to his office chimed. She was here. “Come in.”

Crewman Apprentice Heather Rios, tall and very slim, entered as ordered and stood at attention, which only served to make her look taller still. You could always tell the ones from lower-G worlds. “You wanted to see me, sir?”

“Please, come take a seat.” Ilos gestured to the sofas. “I’m getting some Tarkalean tea, would you like something?”

“Tarkalean tea sounds wonderful, thank you.” She took the offered seat but was still tense. She wasn’t yet certain what this was about.

Ilos returned with two cups of hot tea and sat on the adjacent sofa. “Where is your accent from, if you don’t mind me asking? It reminds me of Academy friends from England, but not quite.”

She took a sip of her tea and smiled. “Proxima Centauri II. The original colony ship was mostly people from the British Isles. Our accent changed, of course, over three centuries, but it’s not far off.” She took another sip. “What is this about, sir?”

“Straight to the point. Good.” Ilos set his tea down. “I looked over your file. You’re good. Your talents are wasted in Ops, carrying people’s supplies and escorting them around. I need someone to help manage my office, and I think that’s you.”

"Me?" In her surprise, Heather almost spilled her tea, but caught herself in time. "Why, sir? I only just started, there's no way there's anything in my file to suggest I'd be a good fit."

"Why?" Ilos repeated. "When we first met, you opened up to me, without hesitation. Most people wouldn't. With most people, it takes a bit of coaxing before they're comfortable opening up to a mental health professional. But not you. You understand the value my profession brings to the table." He sipped his tea and set the cup down on table in front of him. "I need someone who understands what we're trying to do here, and who also understands Starship Operations. Your training in Ops will be of much greater benefit to me than the training they usually give a Counselor's Assistant."

She paused to consider his words. She did have some training in basic operations. She was familiar with how the ship was run. These skills helped her when she was a personnel specialist. She helped manage quarters and office spaces. She understood how to do most of what the job entailed, and what she didn't, she could learn.

She gave him a warm, gentle smile. "Thank you, sir. I accept."

Ilos smiled back. "Excellent. I'll issue the transfer orders. But in the meantime, I'd like to know a bit more about you. You told me a bit about your father and brother last time we met. Any other family?"

"Yes, sir!" she answered. "Mum was one of three, and one of her mums was also one of three. So Mum was one of seven cousins. They were all raised together though, so practically siblings. I think of them as aunts and uncles more than anything. Auntie Jane joined Starfleet and is a helmswoman on the USS Anastasia. Auntie Lisa was a Captain's Yeoman for a few years, and now is on her own command track. A few of them work at the Proxima Yards."

Heather smiled and sipped her tea again. "Uncle Gabe was a huge influence on me. Got me reading the books he liked, and he really got me into trivia. In school, I was on one of the higher-ranking trivia teams on the planet."

"Oh, really?" That peaked the Counselor's interest. "You know, I've been thinking of something fun to do in the office. Bits of trivia, like a daily fact or a question? Maybe we can see about joining some competitions as a good team building activity?"

Heather's eyes lit up. "Really, Lieutenant! I would love to help with that! Some fun, obscure, useless facts and questions to get the day started!" She finished her tea and set the cup down. "First fact! Um...did you know that avocados can't thrive anymore without people? They co-evolved with very large animals like giant ground sloths and Gomphotheres, which were like elephants. They ate the avocados whole and pooped the needs out kilometers away. But climate change following the last ice age and overhunting by ancient humans drove them to extinction, so now there's nothing to eat the avocados and disperse the seeds. It only thrives because we grow them for yummy guacamole and avocado toast."

Ilos couldn't help but grin and laugh. "I think you'll fit in just fine here, Ms. Rios. Why don't you go get a blue-collared uniform and come back. We'll have a departmental meeting and figure out what we all expect and need of each other."

"Yes, sir!" Heather stood and headed for the door, but stopped short and turned back. "Thank you for the opportunity, Counselor Toran. I won't let you down." She then left the office and returned to her cabin, stopping at the supply office first for a new fitted uniform in blue.

A Post By

Lieutenant JG Toran Ilos
Chief Counselor
USS Crazy Horse

and

Crewman Apprentice Heather Rios
Counselor's Assistant
USS Crazy Horse