"Checkup"

Posted on 02 Nov 2015 @ 4:44am by Lieutenant Avery Stuart Ph.D. & Lieutenant Hictus Dicon

967 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Rude Awakening
Location: Lieutenant Stuart's Office, USS Black Hawk

Avery was slowly getting back to her routine. Like so many of the crew, she was still a bit shaken by the takeover attempt, but she took comfort in being able to provide support to others. It was Stuart's way of moving past things. On the agenda today was a meeting with Lt. Dicon. From reports she'd read, he'd been through a great deal.

He'd agreed to see her, which was a good start.

Dicon had always had an issue with visiting counselors, he had never seen the point. Still regulations called for him to do so; regrettably in his opinion. His progress had led him to Avery's office wherein he clicked his heels. "Lieutenant Dicon reporting as general orders require for psychological evaluation."

Having come around her desk to greet the man, she offered, "At ease, Lieutenant. I don't stand on too many formalities here. Please," and here she gestured to her reception area with a variety of comfortable seating options, "make yourself comfortable."

Dicon proceeded softly to his chair, sinking into it calmly. He turned to Stuart. "I am required to speak with you as per standing orders in order to resolve any post battle stresses that may have built up. I assume you have questions?" The tone was flat, but not unfriendly.

Avery smiled wanly. "Why do I get the feeling you've memorized answers to questions I haven't even asked?" Stuart paused, then asked, "Requirements and regs aside, how do you feel about being here?"

Dicon reclined slightly. "Personally I don't see the point to these discussions, not that I dislike you Lieutenant; quite the reverse. I feel that it is really a poor waste of time, when there are many parts of the ship that require my attention, but alas my time is required here." Dicon thought about her first statement. "Perhaps, though you have to ask them in any case."

Curious about his statement, Stuart asked, "You believe talking to a counselor is a waste of time? I wouldn't expect that coming from an experienced Starfleet officer. Sooner or later, all Starfleet officers experienced a traumatic mission."

Dicon looked slighting miffed. "Yes, and while I understand that some require to be expressive about their 'feelings' I don't have the time to sit and talk needlessly."

"But you acknowledge you've been through some events which you would consider traumatic?"

Hictus nodded slightly. " Of course. I am not unfeeling. I merely think talking about my feelings does not serve much purpose."

"Would you say after a traumatic event, your feelings about that event can sometimes be more intense, perhaps to the point it's difficult to concentrate or to the point you might relive that event when you don't want to?" Avery asked.

Dicon gave Stuart a somewhat cool look. "I am not a mindless drone Councillor. I do feel emotion, however my work is never be comprised by my experiences. If anything, most of my work has been improved by said experiences. As to the second point, my reliving any given event has never come into my work aboard ship."

"I'm not saying you're a mindless drone," Avery offered patiently, "nor am I saying if you were to experience any of these things, I think your work would automatically be compromised. I understand why you may be motivated to minimize or deny the existence of some of what I'm describing. Have you noticed that? That you are quick to offer reassurances that whatever you may be experiencing, to whatever degree, isn't something I should be concerned about, even before we've even talked about what those experiences might be?"

Dicon looked at Stuart flatly before sighing tiredly. " You are right of course. I have always suppressed stressful incidents, its a survival mechanism of mine. I really do loath talking about my 'personal feelings' and well talking to a councilor defeats this wish."

Stuart nodded in understanding. "I get it. You would never be able to survive everything that you've been through if you were constantly stopping to explore your feelings. Also, believe it or not I understand that suppressing feelings is essential at times to survive. That said, let me ask you honestly… Of the people you know that have suppressed their emotions their entire lives, how many of them do you think are truly happy?"

Dicon thought about this, for quite some time... Before answering he looked at Stuart directly, and much of the hostility he had possess previously receded. "Not that many. Ambassador Sarek comes to mind most often. Ambassador Spock. Then again, both of my examples are Vulcans, so perhaps my logic could do with reexamination."

"Fair enough," Avery offered. "So if you were me, how would you re-examine that logic?"

Dicon grinned but there was no humor in it. "I rather do think it would be easier to disuses such things. With you perhaps. Also internalizing everything is not as productive as I had originally thought."

"In what way ha it been counterproductive to you personally?" Avery appreciated he was now open to meeting with her, but she wanted to make sure he wasn't just telling her what she wanted to hear.

"Well, speaking as someone who had to learn that silence mattered more to life then otherwise, I can see why opening up about my experiences would help me in otherwise hither to unknown ways. Though having only come to this path of thought, I could not possibly comment as to what way I could see further improvement."

Avery smiled. "That's okay. You're open to the possibility, which is all I can ask."

Dicon nodded and rose. "I thank you for your time counselor, now I must return to my duties."

Stuart nodded. "Any time. My door is always open to you." With that, she watched him turn and go.

RSS Feed