Post # 009. First Meeting: The Counsellor and the Scientist

Posted on Tue Jul 20th, 2021 @ 3:21pm by Lieutenant Isabelle Veran-Dallas & Lieutenant Lily Crawford
Edited on on Wed Jul 21st, 2021 @ 10:21am

Mission: Moving Day
Location: Starbase Mercury

Lily had spent a good deal of time working, and was pleased to be relieved of duty. She was hoping to find some place to eat and then do a little unpacking before turning in, but the starbase was larger than any she had ever been in before, at least from where she currently stood. Most of the time, she had gone straight to the promenade, and then back to the ship, whenever they had been at a station. Getting around this one was going to take some used to.

She had seen plenty of crewmen and some officers moving around the station, but what caught her eye was a woman in the uniform of a science officer - although probably medical, in this case - heading toward the habitat area. She decided she might as well introduce herself now. It was always good to know the medical staff. She headed on an intercept course across the space, a smile on her face. "Hello." she said as she got close enough for casual talk.

Isabelle too was looking for somewhere to get a bite to eat. At six months pregnant she was always needing to top up on food to keep her energy levels up. She smiled politely as she turned to look at the woman who had approached her. “Hi”

"I spotted you and thought I might as well introduce myself. I'm Lily Crawford, the chief science officer." she wanted to comment on the woman's pregnancy, but it didn't seem polite.

“It’s nice to meet you Lily. I’m Isabelle Veran, Chief Counsellor and acting Operations Officer at the moment. My father requested I serve in Ops until we get a replacement Officer.” Isabelle smiled.

"It's nice to meet you also Isabelle. Counselling and Ops and... your father?" she sounded rather baffled. "Are you related to someone up the chain of command, and would you like to walk and talk? I'm looking for someplace to eat that isn't my empty quarters."

“You’re not the only one! we’re starving” Isabelle grinned as she rested her hand on her stomach. “Sorry... Sureth is my father.” She tucked her hair behind her pointed ears. “I’m half Vulcan, half Betazoid.”

"Ah, I bet that's going to be interesting. I couldn't imagine serving with my father. Not that it would ever come up. He's not Starfleet." Lily said with a chuckle as she started walking again. "Have you been on board long enough to know where there's a restaurant, or mess hall? I got the directions between my quarters and the bridge - I mean operations down, but that's about it."

“I’ve only just arrived myself” Isabelle looked around. “I believe there’s a restaurant just about to open up on the promenade, I’m hoping that means it’ll already be open! If not it’ll be replicated food as usual.” She pulled a funny face. “I’m only looking for a light snack as I have dinner with my father tonight.”

"Then let's see what the promenade has to offer. If it's replicated, I won't be upset. That's what most of my meals are." Lily replied with a shrug. "I never did have a knack for cooking. Are you not a fan of replicated food?"

“To be honest replicated food is what I eat most of the time!” Isabelle grinned. “I just fancied something fresh, plus I need to buy some fresh ingredients for my meal with my father tonight. I want to cook something nice.”

"Fair enough." Lily said with a nod. "I imagine we're going to have plenty of fresh food to chose from, being on a station. It'll make a change from the little bit of fruit I could get from hydroponics once a month." she sounded amused. "I expect given time we'll even have food and recipes from Savai."

“Hopefully yes” Isabelle nodded as they continued to walk. “It would be nice to have native foods that are grown nearby instead of having to rely on fresh food coming in via ship all the time. Maybe we’ll even get to have some land on Savai and neighbouring worlds where crops can be grown.”

"That would be nice." Lily said thoughtfully. "My biology is very rusty, but perhaps we can do an experiment to see what kind of known Federation foods can be grown in their soils and environments. Once we know, it will make it easier for the diplomats to negotiate."

“Now that is an excellent idea!” Isabelle nodded. “I think my father would find that a logical course of action.” She stopped walking as they found a restaurant business. “Looks like they’re open for business, probably feeding the few crew we have here so far!”

"That is good news." Lily gestured for her to go first. "My last assignment was an Odyssey class. I always thought it was a huge ship - that is, until I stepped on board here and realized I was going to be living in a city. Watching it fill up with people is going to be an experience."

“I know how you feel” Isabelle grinned as they walked inside and found a table to sit at. “I’ve been aboard more ships than stations, this is going to be a whole new education. I’m looking forward to the challenge though. I’ll actually have a full compliment of Counselling staff unlike on a ship where’s there’s only one or two counsellor’s.”

They ordered their food and Lily nodded. "I'm used to dealing with a lot of scientists. My last chief was the kind of woman who preferred to shut herself in her lab and leave the keeping track of everyone else to me. I didn't mind. Astrophysics experiments take a lot of time to run, at least the ones I've been involved with lately. But going from one person under you to several is a big change. Especially with a little one to look after."

Isabelle nodded. “That’s true, so far it’s just me onboard for the Counselling department but we will require more counselling staff especially in a couple of months time when I start maternity leave. I’ll still be working but on reduced hours so I’ll need the help then.”

"In that case, I'll probably be seeing you, until you go on maternity leave." Lily replied. "But I'm sure they'll send someone else soon. They probably just wanted to make sure the station got in place safely before they started reassigning people or something like that."

Isabelle nodded. “I’m currently acting Ops Officer as well until we get a replacement so I’m going to be kept busy.

"You are. If there's anything I can do to help, let me know. I spent a large part of today working on updating the science systems, and I learn fast. I could probably help you out with Ops, especially crawling around those tubes where you can't." she smiled. "You and your father can put me to work, as long as you don't mind questions where I'm not certain what I'm doing."

“If you have the time that would be wonderful” Isabelle nodded enthusiastically, “I could use all the help I can get.” She smiled politely as their food was brought to their table. “Mmm looks delicious.”

"It does." Lily agreed. "I...need to keep busy right now. And there won't be a whole lot I can do in the science department yet. So yes, I will have time." Her unease at having downtime was not obvious, but not entirely buried either.

“You’re not comfortable when you’re not working are you?” Isabelle looked at Lily curiously. “If you want to talk about it I’ll listen.”

"A great many people I had come to know very well were killed on my last ship. Including my fiancé." Lily said quietly. "I have trouble when I'm alone, when I have time to think. I have exercises to do, of course, but I'm still having trouble focusing unless I'm fixed on a problem."

Isabelle nodded. “I’m so sorry! Grief can cause any manor of problems, you can’t rush it and you can’t bury it. I understand how hard this must be for you.”

Lily made a gesture of understanding. "I've gotten over what I try to think is the worst of it, but when I'm alone it sometimes hits me like a huge wave. Working seems to help. I was away from the ship at the time, and my mind goes through all these different scenarios. It's pretty horrible." she gave a closed half-smile, tucking a corner of her mouth up. "Sorry. Not ideal dinner conversation."

Isabelle finished chewing her light salad before speaking. “It’s okay, sometimes it’s easier to talk off the record, rather than in an official counselling session. I completely understand my baby’s father Cal... we weren’t together long before he decided he wasn’t ready to be a father, but even now I find myself feeling so lonely!”

"Loneliness truly is a universal." Lily said thoughtfully. "Maybe we could help each other, at least until your baby is born? It's my experience that mothers and their newborns have eyes only for each other."

Isabelle smiled warmly. “That tends to be true, and I’d like that. We could meet up for lunch breaks and general chat if you’d like?”

"I'd like that." Lily said, smiling back.

“Great!” Isabelle smiled warmly before tucking into more of her light salad. “Anytime you want to meet just let me know.

"I will." Lily replied when she didn't have a bite of food in her mouth. Her plate was more than half empty at this point; she had been hungry. "It will be something to look forward to." she added, pleased that she had found someone she could spend time with so quickly after arriving on the station.

Isabelle nodded and smiled before finishing off her light salad. She didn’t eat a lot just enough to sustain her until her dinner with her father later that evening.

Lily made quick work of her pork tenderloin, rice, and side salad. "As much as I've enjoyed talking with you, we both have things to do." she said, reluctance in her voice. "I have a date with Mozart - one of my favorite composers. I'll listen to music while I unpack."

“Sounds good” Isabelle grinned. “I have a date with Ops as well as sorting my quarters and setting up my office that’ll keep me busy for a while.”

"All right. I guess I'll see you later." Lily said. "It was great to meet you."

“Likewise Lily” Isabelle smiled pleased that she’d made a new friend.

{OFF}