New Divide

Posted on 21 Feb 2020 @ 8:09pm by Lieutenant Commander Tivan & Lieutenant Avery Stuart Ph.D.

2,057 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Epilogue
Location: Deck 3 - Forward Observation Lounge
Timeline: December 10, 2389

Avery waited for her lunch companion feeling a mixture of curiosity and anticipation. Lord knew they could use all the support they could get in the counseling department, and professionally, Stuart knew it was good to get a fresh perspective on approaches, especially in light of all the complex trauma they'd experienced.

Stuart would be lying, however, if she said she wasn't unsure how a Vulcan, who most recently focused on applied psychology research, would be received by the crew. Avery was feeling protective of the crew even as she looked forward to doing whatever she could to support the new arrival.

"Punctual." Tivan approached Avery with all the professional aplomb one would expect from a Vulcan. "A mark of distinction for a counselor. Thank you for meeting with me, Doctor Stuart. I look forward to our future collaboration."

Avery resisted the urge to remark she had been showing up to places on time ever since she accepted she was responsible for her welfare. Her mother and father's abusive relationship didn't leave much room for parenting. She had no reason to think Tivan meant to be condescending, however, and she chalked up her knee jerk reaction to being rusty when it came to interacting with Vulcans. Avery smiled. "As do I. I'm glad our schedules aligned and we were able to meet. I recognize the importance of collaboration, particularly when it comes to taking care of a crew that's been through as much as ours, and I figured a meal was the perfect opportunity to engage in a bit of self-care too."

"Of course. I am at a disadvantage here in the mess hall," Tivan said. "What do you recommend?"

This was a moment when Avery wanted to suggest something healthy, but after functioning on very little in recent days, all she really wanted was one thing. "The bacon cheeseburger with tater tots is delicious. The milkshakes aren't half bad either."

"I think I'll stick with the pok-tar," Tivan said, suppressing a grimace. Collecting the dish and a glass of spice tea from the replicator, she took to the nearest empty table but waited for Avery before sitting. That did not stop her from diving straight into her questions. "Tell me, Doctor Stuart, what was it like counseling the crew during the voyage into the Convergence Zone? How did you hold up? Do you predict psychological recovery?"

Avery had barely finished placing the napkin on her lap before questions came at her, one after the other. She appreciated Tivan's desire to hit the ground running and wondered if she was getting a glimpse of the scientist within. "As you might expect, some of the crew accept counseling support more readily than others. Given what we've all been through, particularly given how isolated we've been, every member of the crew has pushed him or herself to the limit just to survive. A certain amount of compartmentalization in those circumstances is understood, but as you might imagine, that is only effective for so long. I expect we are just beginning to see the psychological effects of recent events come to fruition as the crew begins to reflect and process their emotions. As far as how I've held up, I, like everyone else, have focused on doing the best I can. That said, I won't deny I appreciate the additional support within counseling services. Every counselor has a different approach and it is my hope we will work well together. As for my predictions concerning psychological recovery, I have found the crew to be remarkably resilient. Not without its wounds, certainly, but optimistic nevertheless. I don't have any reason to think they can't recover over time."

Taking a moment to reach for a tater tot, she asked, "Are you planning to continue your clinical research?"

"Naturally," Tivan said. "My clinical research is why I'm here, in fact. My oversight of the counseling department is part of my greater mandate to monitor and catalog the long-term effects, recovery, and overall outcome of the crew after the Dolmoqour possession. One couldn't ask for a better study environment. Old crew members interacting side-by-side with new crew members who function as the control quantity." It made her sigh. "The project is like it was meant to be."

Avery had asked the question, she realized, simply to be polite. Research, after all, was what had primarily been in the other woman's background. Hearing the answer, however, she resisted the urge to frown, keeping her practiced counselor's blank countenance. The scientist clinician in her understood the importance of research within clinical psychology and she wasn't so naïve as to think any of it could be done without interacting with vulnerable people. After all, to study psychological abnormalities and effective treatments, one had to interact with those affected by those very abnormalities. That said, Avery was feeling protective of the crew and what they had all just been through. The idea that someone seen as a confidant, someone the crew could trust at their most vulnerable was also studying them, required to do so in a detached way that was even different from the standard therapeutic relationship, concerned her. "Given what the crew has been through, particularly recently, I expect it is going to be difficult to gain their trust for the purposes of scientific study. I am curious, how do you think you will approach gaining their trust as a therapist, while maintaining the necessary objectivity for your research?"

"Proximity and time," Tivan said plainly. "We inevitably come to trust things that stick around long enough. However, therapy is not my objective. While it is a service I shall provide, this ship has a number of capable counselors, yourself included, that releases me from the futile attempt to help anyone who does not wish to be helped."

Avery's unease grew. It appeared she was sitting in front of a counselor who wasn't interested in doing much counseling. Indeed, she had said as much. It wasn't the sort of admission she expected. The fact the woman before her was planning to provide therapy despite her admitted disinterest, at least compared to her research, was also troubling. The crew needed counselors who were committed to ensuring their mental health, no matter how difficult the task, and if Avery had uncovered the Vulcan's questionable motivation this easily, how was the crew going to feel? "I can appreciate your desire to focus on tasks you deem to be worthwhile, but I hope you won't label members of the crew as being disinterested in help too quickly. In my experience, it's rare for anyone to accept counseling support readily, but that doesn't mean they won't. No doubt we have some crewmembers who would rather turn themselves inside out than seek therapy, but given what they've been through just to survive, I hope their resistance to face their emotions is understandable."

"It elates me to know there is such a capable and understanding counselor on staff," Tivan said before nibbling a spoonful of her pok-tar. "I'm sure the resistant patients will do quite well under your care."

Avery took a bite of her burger and took the chewing time to consider what she wanted to say next. If Tivan were human Avery might have thought she was stroking her ego or putting her on. As it was, Avery just needed clarity. "Just to be clear, are you saying you're leaving the counseling to myself and the others primarily? You did say you intended to do some counseling, but I guess I'm wondering, who you intend to work with? At the very least, I think it would help us to divide responsibilities." Stuart took note of the compliment, but she wasn't the sort to be distracted by flattery, especially given what she was discovering.

"Many logged sessions have been conducted during irregular scheduling," Tivan said. "Stability in therapy is a vital component of recovery, particularly with long-term patients. My thought was that you could evaluate how your time is best spent, which would then serve as a template for the other counselors on the ship to do the same." Arching her eyebrow, Tivan asked, "Can I count on you to do that?"

This was proving interesting, Avery thought, noting Tivan's arched brow. Was she trying to put Avery on the defensive? "I'm not suggesting any one of us hand over people we're already working with. We are in agreement stability and continuity is best for all concerned. I was merely asking whether we should coordinate our efforts so we're not attempting to work with the same people at the same time."

"Oh, there will certainly be overlap," Tivan conceded, "but perhaps not in the way that you think." She trailed off and took another bite, her eyes staring inquisitively at Avery. It nearly seemed a game to her.

With the patience only a counselor could muster, Avery prompted, "What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry." Tivan suppressed a knowing smirk. "But that's classified."

Suppressing the urge to roll her eyes, Avery met the other woman's smirk with one of her own. "Don't worry about it. If I have a concern as we work together, I'll be sure to let you know."

Tivan gave a knowing smirk. "I will expect nothing less," she said before diving back into her pok-tar.

Determined to get some sort of clarity concerning how Tivan viewed her role aboard ship, especially in relation to what Avery offered, she pressed forward, "So here's what I've gathered thus far. Feel free to correct me if my assessment is inaccurate. Putting aside your rank and current title aboard the ship, your primary, and nearly exclusive focus will be on your research and observing the crew from a distance in furtherance of that research. You have little interest in actually providing therapy to help the crew heal, so myself and my colleagues should continue to handle the the therapeutic side of things as we have since your arrival. If there appears to be overlap in interactions, I should expect your reason for said interactions is to advance your research and not intended to establish a therapeutic alliance as I understand it for the purposes of treatment. Is that a fair assessment of your intended role and responsibilities?"

Tivan arched her eyebrow ever higher as Avery spoke. "Why, Dr. Stuart, you describe an unfeeling analyst. Do you truly think me such a monster?" Though her face held a solemn expression, Tivan's eyes glimmered in muted delight. Just what would the other woman say?

Avery maintained her gaze. The response struck her as incredibly manipulative and though she wasn't prepared to write the other woman off after a single interaction, thus far it had been an interesting first impression. "I didn't call you a monster or unfeeling. What I did was ask for clarity based on my impressions of what you've shared so far. If my understanding of your intentions and view of your duties is inaccurate, as I said, feel free to clarify. If you choose not to provide clarity, for whatever reason, I'm happy to operate based on my initial assessment."

"I see." Tivan pursed her lips in a suppressed but amused smile. "Rather than acquit myself to you, let us instead embark on a curious case study: you will act upon your best judgment, and I will assess it as your superior officer. In this way, we may both learn much of one another."

"Fair enough," Avery replied plainly. In one sense, the other woman certainly behaved as if she were superior.

Tivan beamed at Avery. "Outstanding. It was adequately pleasant making your acquaintance, Dr. Stuart."

"Thank you," Avery answered without missing a beat. She wasn't sure if the behavior she had witnessed from Tivan was merely indicative of her Vulcan heritage or if the woman thought being deliberately obtuse would prevent her from being truly seen, but whatever the reason, it was clear to Avery Tivan was content to let her take the clinical reins where she saw fit, which only meant Avery was going to be busier than ever. It also meant she was going to have to run interference and look out for the crew even more. Suppressing a sigh of frustration over the fact she was not actually receiving help despite getting more people, she continued to eat.

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