Call Me Anger

Posted on 05 Jan 2013 @ 6:15pm by Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle
Edited on on 05 Jan 2013 @ 8:06pm

1,325 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Counselor's Office
Timeline: MD15 0700 HRS

ON:

It had been about twelve days since he'd come on board and since he had a couple of weeks to get his psych evaluation, he seemed to wait just a little longer than normal before he did it. The psychological interview was a reasonable process to determine his eligibility to serve. He would endure it. It was logical. "Counselor." He spoke only to alert her of his presence after he had swept through her office. He assumed she knew the purpose of his visit, since she was the one conducting the interview after all.

"Welcome, Lieutenant Liyar," Delainey greeted from her desk. The counselor stood and offered her hand. "Thank you for being so prompt."

Liyar ignored her hand. "It would be irrational to postpone, Counselor Carlisle." It wasn't an outright thanks are illogical, but it was close enough.

Delainey smiled and added, "You're correct. I would simply come looking for you." She realized that probably wasn't what he meant, but she could no more be someone she wasn't than he could. She gestured for him to take a seat and said, "May I get you something from the replicator?"

"Negative, Counselor." Liyar sat as he was bidden. He waited for her to gather herself silently.

Delainey settled herself opposite him and took a moment to take in his demeanor before opening, "How are you finding life aboard the Galileo so far?"

Liyar appeared taciturn, and sat straight with impeccable posture. Since he was off duty, he wore standard Vulcan regalia. He watched her calculatingly as she arranged herself. "My time is spent productively," was his unforthcoming answer.

"That I don't doubt," Delainey returned easily. "I'm sure you are committed to your work and complete it to the best of your ability. I was more interested in how you would rate the Galileo relative to past postings."

The Vulcan silently stared at a spot beyond her shoulder. Just when it seemed like he wasn't going to answer, he met her eyes. "I have insufficient data to make a determination. My interactions with outworlders yield limited success. It is inaccurate to compare the two." As she watched him, he seemed to do the same in return, tactlessly staring at the shift in her facial expressions and appearance while she spoke.

"Fair enough," Carlisle returned. "You mentioned limited success with interactions with outworlders. Will you elaborate on your struggles? Provide examples of your less successful interactions?"

"Crewman Athlen believes it is a breakdown between psionic and verbal comprehension," Liyar decided on, short and to the point.

"And what do you think it is?"

"That is an exceptionally personal question." Liyar was closed, response cold. He tensed, and held his hands together tightly for a brief second before deliberately relaxing and appearing normal as ever.

His response surprised her. It was an emotion tinged reaction, if she had read his ever so tight body language correctly, that was meant to be disguised as completely flat. "Personal questions are logical for an in-depth psych eval, are they not?"

"Personal questions are not the Vulcan way, Counselor." The reproach was sharp. Maybe because he was starkly reminded that talk-therapy was Very High Up on the list of things that were decidedly not the Vulcan way.

"They aren't the Vulcan way, I agree," Delainey replied amiably. "I wasn't aware you expected this eval to be done the Vulcan way, considering this is not a Vulcan ship."

"You suggest I should compromise being Vulcan because, simply put, I am not surrounded by other Vulcans?" The eyebrow went up. "That rationale cannot provide you with an adequate depiction of my mental status, as my mind will consistently reflect Vulcan characteristics."

"I'm not asking you to change who you are," Delainey replied patiently. "Are you asking me to change how I conduct my evaluations simply because the questions don't suit you?"

Liyar blinked at her. "That is a false syllogism. Declining to answer your question on the basis that it violates the tenets of my people is not an applicable negation of your analytic abilities. The margin of loss/gain is too disparate." He pressed his lips together and considered, "Unless you labor under the assumption that every question you ask, every effort you put forth must receive an answer suitable to your own standards else the effort itself is invalid? That is, this is not a Vulcan ship. Yet, I am Vulcan. My environment does not change this. There can be no distinguishable crossover in applicable mental health without serious violation of either of our cultures. Do you suggest we both compromise who we are? Do you suggest we do nothing at all? Is there a purpose to this evaluation beyond attempting to ascertain a state in me that is antithetical to my entire belief system? What kind of ship is this?" he asked.

Delainey remained still and outwardly calm, though she suspected it was Liyar's hope to exasperate her enough she would simply give up. That wasn't going to happen. "Lieutenant, I have suggested none of what you assume. In fact, I haven't suggested anything at all. What I have done is ask a question that you have refused to answer. Perhaps you'd be more comfortable offering information about yourself and your current struggles on your own? Either way, disclosure of personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings is a necessary part of a psych eval. Surely, you had to answer personal questions in past evaluations?"

"You suggest it by expecting disclosure. As I stated," Liyar repeated himself, "Such questions are not the Vulcan way. I would not discuss my experiences with a stranger." Outworlder was left unsaid, but remained heavy in the air. The sharp drop at the end of the sentence clearly indicated that was the end of that, at least in Vulcan tone expression. "Vulcan psychological evaluations are an evaluation of one's mental capacity. This information is easily ascertained without unnecessary prying." Liyar's ears were drawn back a little. Recognizing the subtle threads of anger running through him, he forced himself to relax again. He tried using one of the techniques from earlier that Athlen had shown him, in how to modulate his voice in a less threatening (he refers to it as less scary, more friendly) way. "You do not possess the ability to fully evaluate me, as you are psi-null. I am fully capable of handling my - struggles, as you refer to them - on my own, as it should be done in any Vulcan over four standard years of age."

"I don't doubt you are quite skilled given your training and experiences," Delainey replied. "However, that doesn't change the psych eval requirement." Carlisle paused, then offered, "I do understand it's difficult to open up to someone you don't know, however, and if you're willing, we could get to know one another over several sessions before I submit the final eval. Keep in mind, however, that until the final eval has been submitted, you will only be cleared for limited duty. As an alternative, I can refer you to another therapist, though I cannot guarantee he or she will meet all of your expectations."

Liyar stood, his face a blank mask without the barest twitch this time. "Do the referral," he agreed coldly, looking down at her desk and her PADDs. He did not wait for her to acknowledge his request. She had offered, he had accepted. There was no more to do. Perhaps the other therapist would not expect him to be something he could not be. He picked up his overcoat off of the back of the chair and wrapped it over his arm, turning and walking out without another word.

OFF:

Lieutenant (JG) Liyar
Diplomatic Officer, VDF/SDD
USS Galileo


Lieutenant (JG) Delainey Carlisle, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

RSS Feed