The Worst Vise is Advise

Posted on 10/01/2020 @ 5:17am by Lieutenant JG Siobhan Richards PhD

Mission: S2E2: The Auction House
Location: Chief Councilor's Office Deck 5
Timeline: Day 40 at 1125

"I wish you'd help me look into a more interesting problem-namely, my sanity."
-Kurt Vonnegut-

ON:

Petty Officer 1st Class Graal "Pig Boy" Krit was on his way for yet another scheduled, yet uncomfortable, appointment. People seemed to think he had problems. He didn't know why. Sure, he loved to fight now and then. Like the time he took on 2 angry Klingons and won. What a fight that was. But that doesn't mean it was a problem. The problem was with anyone who thinks he has a problem. And to be perfectly honest, It was starting to make him a little angry. "Councilor" He whispered under his breath while walking to her office. I mean, she didn't know him. With her fancy PhD....whatever that means. It just made him happy he didn't go officer. With their Hoity Toity, Holier then Thou attitudes. Makes any sane person want to puke. And by sane people, I he meant the people who do the REAL work....the Enlisted.

Graal came to the Councilor's Officer door. He took a deep breath. "Remember, you have no problem here." He whispered softly before walking in. "Hello?" He said.

Seeing Graal coming in her office, Siobhan was not surprised. Last meeting did very poorly. Looking at the Tellarite, Siobhan noticed that he seemed to be agitated. He didn't spot her as she took the sofa instead of her usual chair behind the desk on the opposite side of the door. The door technically were closed but Siobhan kept the open door policy when on duty and in the office she set up the sensor that if someone would be walking with a direct desire to enter, they would open. Otherwise, they would allow for ringing the bell. The setting itself was already working for her, giving her an indication of the state of the mind of the person that was coming in.

"Petty Officer 1st Class Krit." Siobhan said softly, lowering the PADD she was reading to her crossed legs. "How can I help you?"

"I was asked how our first appointment went. And they asked when my next appointment was. I did'nt know. So, they sent me down to see you." Said Gaal.

Siobhan nodded slightly. She was not surprised, and in fact, she was amused, but she kept her neutral and professional face.
"So, how can I help you?" She asked softly and raised from her seat. She walked across the room, and then around the desk. As she did so, she put her hand on the top of it, letting her fingers slide over the desk. She stopped next to her chair and placed the PADD she had in the other hand on the stack of other PADDs. "Do you want to schedule an appointment?"

"Well, I don't know if that's really necessary." Said Graal. "We both agreed i'm fine and there is nothing wrong, remember?"

"We agreed that based on what you told me you are fine and there is nothing wrong." Siobhan corrected the man with a slight shake of her head. "I am not with you all the time. I was not present in the situation that prompted them to send you down to see me. I can only rely on what you say to me.”

"So.........You trust me to make my own diagnosis then?" Asked Graal.

"Probably to the same degree you would trust me making a diagnosis of the damage we would suffer fighting a Romulan warbird." Siobhan said with a straight face.

"Ohhhhh." Said Graal. "Not very much then, hu?" He said hanging his head low.

It seemed that Siobhan finally managed to hit it and reach at least past Krit's outer defense mechanism.
"Yeah." She nodded. "So, do you want to talk about it? Or would you rather not today and meet at another time?"

"Well, there is nothing to talk about. I think I'm fine. I don't know what everyone else's problem is." He said.

"All right." Siobhan acknowledged. "What events prompted them to send you to me?" She asked and indicated the sofa in the corner. "Please sit down."

Graal sat down gingerly in the chair. "Well, today nothing." He said matter of factly.

Siobhan seeing him sit down in the chair in front of the desk, she didn't sit on her side, but walked around and sat in the chair next to him.
"What about earlier. What prompted them to send you to me?"

"I dunno. Maybe it's because I may like to......well, I don't do it all the time." He said.

"Of course. If you did, it would come up earlier. This however is recent..." Siobhan agreed and her voice trailed off invitingly for Graal to explain.

"Well, kinda. I mean, It wasn't my fault. And it was not like it wasn't warranted." Said Graal.

Siobhan remained silent with a friendly inviting smile.

"Mean, he had it coming to him is what I mean." Graal said.

Siobhan still remained silent, not changing her facial expression.

"Wow, you really helped. I feel great." Said Graal.

"I wish I could say the same." Siobhan replied with the straight face though internally she was finding this situation hilariously funny. "You haven't said anything to me. No details, no context even. You do realize that you still internalize everything, right? That again the conclusion you reached are yours and yours alone." She made short pause before adding. "So excuse me if I won't trust you in making your own diagnosis again."

Graal looked surprised. "diagwhat? I was just telling you how I was feeling." He said.

"Yes, but without a proper context." Siobhan countered patiently. "I still don't know what exactly happened, when, and why. It is as if I was coming to you and explaining you insides of a device without showing it to you, just describing and expect you to help me. I would constantly refuse to show the device to you, and wouldn't even properly describe it. How would you feel?"

"My first question would be does the device work?" Asked Graal. "I think I work."

"Yes you do, but apparently there is some friction between you and the rest of the team. Much like with a device that is working but negatively affects working of other components." Siobhan replied. "Question is do you repair or replace such device? How would you assess that? I would guess that by checking the device in question first. Learn as much as you can about it. That seems like a logical first step to me. Problem is that all you can't do it and instead you have to rely on someone else who is insisting that the device is working well." She pointed at Graal. "That is my problem with you. You are telling me and not talking to me and I can't force you to talk to me."

"Well, I'd preform a diagnostic and scan the device. Can't you just scan me?" Asked Graal.

"I am. In a sense. But this is not a medical issue. The equivalent of scanning here is talking. It is listening to how you feel, how you perceive the situation, and hearing you describing the situation itself." " Siobhan explained before she repeated. "The talk. It is... the talk. Can you do that?"

"You mean talking?" Asked Graal. "I can talk. Talking is no problem. Some people want me to stop talking sometimes. But I like to talk. Do you like to talk? Talking is great. What do you want to talk about?"

"That is fantastic." Siobhan replied with a big smile. "I'd love to talk about the events leading to you being sent to me for the first time."

"Ok, I was told to come see you. And here I am" Said Graal with a smile. "Ok, It MIGHT be because people think that I MIGHT have anger issues. I mean, I don't. But, who does'nt like a good fight." Said Graal. "I mean, I can remember once, I actually took on 3 Klingons. and won. Of course, they got in some good shots. I would not call it an easy victory. They sure got in their fair share of hits. But, well worth it." Said Graal proudly.

"Congratulations." Siobhan nodded. "Now, can we go back to the anger issues within the crew. Did you pick a fight with anyone?"

"Pick a fight, no. have a fight.....I NEVER picked it." Graal said

"Talk to me about this fight." Siobhan encouraged her quest with a gentle nod.

"Well, we were all in the brig. This was when we were reporting in. Apparently, they get their uni's in a twist when you do that slightly pickled. Well, we was in the brig. We just wanted to know when we was getting getting chow. The security guy was out of line. He came in the cell and tried beating on me. But It got broken up. Don't worry, we kissed and made nicey nice after. He's not a bad guy. But he DID deserve it." Said Graal. "Oh, we didn't really kiss. That was just metoforical."

"You were in the brig? Why?" Siobhan asked deciding that she needed to go piece by piece through this entire situation, as Graal was too chaotic.

"Well, when we all got here, It was kinda crazy. and we all reported in.....lets say not exactly ready to work." Said Graal.

"Graal. Details are important as you know in analyzing things." Siobhan prompted the Tellarite. "So, please, don't omit details. Why were you in the brig?"

"Not just me. It was all 6 of us." Said Graal.

"What was the reason?" Siobhan asked patiently.

"We were all drunk." Said Graal.

"And that was the reason you were put in the brig? Because you were all drunk?"

"That is what will happen when you report in that way to the Captain." Graal said.

Siobahn didn't move or say anything this time. This looked again like an interrogation where Graal offered nothing and it was just her trying to force him to say things. So she decided to change the tactics. This was going to be a long session...

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Lieutenant JG Siobhan Richards PhD
Counselor