Self-Appointed Pariah

Posted on 29 Jul 2014 @ 7:53pm by Lieutenant JG Wakeham Paul Alasia Ph.D. & Verity Thorne
Edited on on 29 Jul 2014 @ 9:10pm

1,687 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo: Deck 3 - Chaplain's Office
Timeline: MD-08 - 0440 hrs

ON:

Paul approached the door of the Chaplain's office and hesitated. He remembered upon receiving the assignment how relieved he was to learn the ship had had a chaplain and now he had wasted days without speaking to him.

It had been easier on Bajor where the communion with the prophets was the order of the day. That was worship of wormhole aliens, not God. A Bajoran service was undertaken as an object lesson in cultural sensitivity - there was anthropological aloofness from the whole thing and so it felt safe. This was more personal, there was no academic distance to assume.

Finally, Paul rang the chime.

"Come in," Verity called out with a smile, closing the book he'd been reading as he walked across the room. He'd made it more warm and welcoming than an office, as best as he could anyway. He missed having a real chapel, but the holodeck had to do on such a small ship.

Paul meandered in softly, spinning his wedding ring. "Good afternoon, Father..." Paul trailed off. "Sorry about that, I'm not sure what to call you."

Verity chuckled softly at the words, watching him with warm eyes. It had been a while since he'd been called that. "Just Verity is fine. I don't think we've met properly, although I saw you floating around our department head's office..." he offered his hand across with a smile. "Welcome to the Galileo."

"Thank you, Verity." Paul shook the extended hand. May I sit?" Paul gestured to a chair nearby.

"Of course you can, please, make yourself comfortable," Verity smiled warmly, motioning around the room. There was a sofa and chair rather than a desk, but also the corner area held a low, large cushion and a small, single stretcher style bed to lie down on for people who just wanted to use the office for quiet rest rather than interaction. He moved to set a pot of tea brewing, setting it down with the other refreshments already on the small coffee table by the sofa.

"Thank you." Paul fiddled with his wedding ring briefly. "I guess I'll start by... do you mind if I ask what it is that a Starfleet chaplain actually does? Are you, like, just meant to do weddings or deal with certain rituals? I guess I just don't... even on a ship as small as this, there's got be 20 different religions represented on board."

Verity chuckled softly as he nodded knowingly at the question, sitting with him. "In honesty, we do a lot of different things all over the place," he admitted with a smile. "Some chaplains are different, so you might find, on large facilities, chaplains who specialise in a particular religion but a number of them working in the same place. Out on ships though, well, space is limited, and we're sent as multi-faith chaplains. I am well versed in most religions of the Federation, to help people with questions or rituals of faith. However, it doesn't always have to be religious. Spiritual questions in general....life and death....work life balance...just a friendly ear to chat to about a problem rather than having to go to a counsellor. I can do all of those things."

"Were you ever a minister of a particular faith or has it always been this sort of ecumenical, jack-of-trades practice?"

Verity glanced down as he took a gentle breath, smiling softly before looking back up to meet his eyes. "I was a Catholic Priest. England. That's my own faith still. You would be surprised though, having been a minister of any one faith can often go against you when you want to become a chaplain that has to work with all faiths, or those without faith."

"I get that. I was actually raised Catholic as well - we don't always have the best reputation for inclusion. Being English, was it an issue not being Anglican?"

Verity shook his head with a small smile. "Not really. My family is Catholic. For centuries, so I'm told. I have no idea if that's true or not. What about you, though? Did you have challenges?"

"I mean, you know, you get the sideways glances from the enlightened people. People become more sophisticated, technology progresses and religion seems hokier and hokier to them. My community was sort of backwoodsy but I taught a religious ed class in this nearby city called Portland. To a bunch of nine year olds who see half their dinners materialize in front of them, feeding 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish doesn't read as very impressive."

"I know what you mean," Verity assured softly with a chuckle, leaning to pour tea for them. "And neither does walking on water when you can fly the stars," he arched an eyebrow and it was clear he'd had that particular conversation with a child before.

"I mean, I always considered myself more a believer of inclusion than an adherent to any particular religion. I toyed with becoming a minister in an inclusion temple not dissimilar to what you do now. I've just found, over time, that towing the line is harder and harder to do. Whether you believe the black letter teachings of Hairoros, or the Prophets or Jesus or the Chronos Warrior gods or whoever I just don't understand how we can see the endless wonder of this universe and not believe that there's something beyond the horizon of our understanding. The idea that science and, really, all of us: that we're all hurtling toward total omniscience - that we're going to figure this whole thing out and there will be no room left for a Creator - it just seems to me the ultimate hubris.

Verity tilted his head as he watched and listened, able to understand all too well. "You know, for many people it feels that the more science can unveil and do, the more it proves there is nothing out there beyond us. I....have always felt the opposite. The more I see, the more of these impossible, wonderful things I see, and the more complicated it becomes in science, the more I am convinced there must be something more behind it," he said softly, not too shy to nail his colours to the mast on this one. "The more science shows, the more I think something must have laid out one impressive blueprint," he chuckled.

"I completely agree. It's like someone sees more and more of a schematic blueprint and then you ask 'who designed this?' and they say 'it designed itself.'" Paul raised his eyebrows. "You can uncover as much of the machinery as you want but I'm still going to be curious as to who designed it. For that reason, I sometimes feel like a man out of step with time."

"You and me both," Verity assured with a small smile, shaking his head before sipping his tea in thought. "Can I ask what drew you to diplomacy?"

"People. I've always found people to be endlessly fascinating. I genuinely believe in the power of communication and it's ability to help people overcome conflict of interest problems. It's amazing what societies can accomplish when people work together. I guess I want to help bring about that kind of world. What about you? What drew you to the cloth?"

"It felt right," Verity shook his head with a half smile. "It sounds strange, I know, it just....felt right. And I suppose, like you, I'm interested in people. I like working with them. I always had one group or other on the go in London," he chuckled, shaking his head as he thought back. "Or working in one centre or another in the...harder areas."

"Did you ever feel as though God was talking to you about it?"

"I wish He had, I might have been clearer on some things," Verity chuckled softly, glancing down. He might also still be a Priest. "No. I never felt it quite like that. In fact, I worried, in Seminary. It felt right, but...well, some others spoke of a clear, resounding 'call'. One of the Priests who taught me had to reassure me that it made me normal that I hadn't experienced that," he gave him a half smile, shaking his head. "I pray and ask for answers. They often come in many different ways, and others I have to work out for myself."

"That's actually... that's good. The more someone tells me God has directly told them what to do, the more nervous it makes me." Paul chuckled. "There's a line from an old show on Earth - centuries ago. There's this character and the character is strongly implied to be God Him or Herself. The character says 'if I'm doing my job right, no one will be totally sure I've done anything at all.' That always struck me as incredibly insightful. I always imagined God being more subtle than just straight-up telling people what to do."

Verity nodded in agreement, looking to his hands. "It's up to us to shape our own lives. I think He has ways of guiding when we are completely off track, but....you have to be open to it. You have to want it."

"Without trying to be too presumptuous, is there any way you could use some assistance around here? I'm not ordained or anything but... you know, I could help if you ever need it."

Verity shook his head with a warm smile. "I wouldn't think it presumptuous. It's actually all rather casual here...I address things as they need addressing. But if there's anything I need a hand with, I know who to call," he chuckled with a nod.

"Thank you, very much." Paul waved gently and made his way to the door. Hesitating for a moment, he turned back. "Seriously, thank you."

Verity just shook his head with a small smile, sitting back comfortably. "Not at all. Come back whenever you like."

OFF:

Lieutenant JG Wakeham Paul Alasia
Diplomatic Officer
USS Galileo

PO1 Verity Thorne
Chaplain
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

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