True Grit

Posted on 16 Jan 2022 @ 7:59am by Lieutenant JG Karras & Commander Scarlet Blake

2,416 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: Regula 1 - Level 16, Administration Module
Timeline: MD 02, 1300 hrs

[ON]

Karras walked briskly down the corridor towards the location of Commander Blake's temporary office. He'd been surprised to discover Captain Saalm was no longer on the station, given that Galileo had only arrived the day before, but it was not his place to question the itinerary of his new CO. The crew was on shore leave, after all, and though he planned to reach out and connect with as many of his new shipmates as he could, he also realized he would not meet most of them until they were all back on duty. In the meantime, there were still some official tasks to be completed, including reporting for his new assignment.

Arriving at the office door, Karras brushed a stray strand of hair from his face and pressed the chime.

"Come in," Blake called out, submitting another piece of 'paper' work with a firm tap. She was trying to speed through as much as she could while her daughter was occupied with a tour of the station. She'd probably know more about it than she did by the time she got back to her for the afternoon.

Stepping inside, the counselor offered a warm smile. "Commander Blake? Ensign... um, I mean, Lieutenant Junior Grade Karras," he corrected, still not accustomed to his promotion. He realized he should be probably be standing at attention, and smoothly adjusted his posture. "I hope I haven't caught you at a bad time. I've been assigned to Galileo and was instructed to check in upon my arrival to the station."

"Of course, come and take a seat and you can tell me about yourself," Blake reached out to bring up his file on her screen. She'd taken a look when the records had come through, but she always found it far more enlightening to actually hear it in their own words. And as this was to be their new Chief Counsellor, he was of particular interest to her.

Karras nodded, taking a seat and then taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I am Ba'ku, and until we encountered the Federation seventeen years ago, I was an apprentice sculptor in my village. I suppose that encounter inspired me to see what else there was to see away from home, so after some consideration I decided to leave and attend Starfleet Academy." he relaxed a bit more into the chair. "I imagine my Academy experience was typical of most, and I chose to pursue counseling as my focus. Upon graduation from Starfleet Medical I have had two postings, a starbase and starship, respectively." Another pause as he considered how to conclude his personal summary. "I've most enjoyed meeting so many diverse sentients, and learning something of their cultures. I've gotten to see so much... and it's been meaningful that I've had a way to contribute to those with whom I travel."

Blake nodded as she listened, able to get a good sense of who he was even from the short description. "And what is it that you think you can contribute to our crew, particularly?" she asked lightly as she crossed her legs and rested back against her chair, curious as to what he saw his strengths to be.

"I'm very patient... nonjudgmental," Karras began, chewing his lip. "I'm not very aggressive, personally or professionally, and I hope that will help the crew be comfortable around me, to get to know me and to learn they can trust me." He shifted slightly in his chair. "I know such trust doesn't develop overnight, of course, but it's okay for things to take time. What was the expression I heard at the Academy... ah yes, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. I believe the pace of a Starfleet career conditions one to think otherwise."

"Sometimes," Blake admitted with a soft chuckle, shaking her head as she let out a soft breath. And the twists and turns it could bring. It could be quite the rollercoaster, even for the calmest of souls. "I can assure you it's rarely a dull ride here. Don't be mislead by our crew's stories of the last few months of travel. But that means you learn quickly and work with lots of different kinds of people and circumstances."

The counselor considered her words. "That is the appeal of this work though, isn't it? At least, it was to me. Why did you join Starfleet, if I may ask?"

"I actually joined the Marines," she replied honestly, a small smile coming to her as she shook her head, shifting to get a little more comfortable. "When I transferred to the regular fleet, it was as a counsellor," she motioned to him with a slight nod of the head. "So I know both the challenges and the rewards of the role."

Karras felt his eyebrows lift at her answer. He was certainly intrigued by the unexpected career switch, but he decided to follow up on what they had in common.

"That's good to know," he began. "I'm honestly not entirely sure what to expect in this role, or everything that might be expected of me." He paused, realizing he should clarify. "Not with counseling, mind you. Not that I'd ever say no to any insights or trade secrets you'd have to share. No, it's the whole department-head-senior-officer-authority-figure bit that I'm having some difficulty wrapping my head around. So I am most assuredly open to any and all guidance you can provide."

Blake nodded with understanding, encouraged that he'd identified that it was a new challenge for him. Starfleet was a place that produced skilful leaders, but it was a journey for each officer to learn and grow with it. Very few people were 'natural born' leaders; even instincts had to be honed. "I think the main thing to keep in mind is that you become the mentor of the people in your team. Luckily, as a counsellor, I would imagine that's something you would feel more comfortable with?"

"I think so," Karras said, trying to be as honest as possible. "I am a bit surprised to learn that I will have a team, given the size of the ship." His expression became a touch more serious. "I hope this isn't seen as a lack of preparation or commitment, but I haven't accessed a single staff file or ship log. I saw my trip here as my own shore leave, so to speak. I knew Galileo would be docked here for a couple of weeks, and I've planned to use this time to get my bearings and be ready when the crew was recalled."

"Well, it's a small team," Blake nodded with a chuckle at how he'd put it, motioning to him with a delicate motion of the hand. "But a team is a team, whether that's two people or two hundred. Another layer of being a chief is that you become a member of the senior crew. How do you feel about that part of the role?" she asked as she watched him steadily. She didn't want to put words into his mouth, but she suspected that part might be the bit that felt more of a push to him rather than the mentoring part.

Karras leaned back in his chair. "That I feel less confident about," he admitted, before quickly amending. "Maybe, 'conflicted' would be a more precise word? I mean, I know that I am capable of giving my opinion, personal or professional. Advising is a part of what we counselors do." His eyes dropped towards his hands, which were resting in his lap, fingers interlaced. "I feel less sure of my place among the other senior officers... almost like, there's been some mistake, and soon either you or the Captain or someone else will realize I'm not qualified to be involved in leadership discussions and decisions."

Blake nodded with understanding as she watched him with calm eyes. People sometimes thought of Starfleet's leaders as being so bold and impetuous. The truth was, anyone could feel a little imposter syndrome, everyone had doubts. She'd be more worried with a new officer who thought they knew it all. "What would you say to a patient who had just said that to you?" she asked softly with a small smile.

"I certainly walked into that," Karras remarked with a grin, not entirely surprised by the question. "I suppose I would tell my patient to take a deep breath, trust their training and intuition, and remember that we're all learning along the way."

"Well, I happen to think that's very good advice," Blake arched an eyebrow, chuckling softly as she watched him with honest eyes. "Remember, you've been recommended because someone thought your viewpoint and voice was of value. Don't be afraid to let us hear it."

"Yes, Ma'am," he acknowledged, thinking back to the officer who had recommended him. Dr. Salok was perhaps the embodiment of every Vulcan stereotype Karras had ever heard, and he would not have made the referral if it had not been the logical course of action. "Does this mean you and the Captain would like me on the bridge? When we go to alert status, I mean."

"That would tend to depend on the situation," Blake gave a tilt of her head, shaking it gently. "But be sure that you'll be there when you're needed. There will also be senior staff meetings, and you and I will work on crew evaluations on a regular basis. Well, as soon as you've gotten to know the crew a little better, of course."

"Naturally," Karras concurred. "Speaking of the crew, are there any concerns you feel I should be immediately aware of, or any specific crew members I should prioritize in regards to reaching out?"

"Maybe a few," Blake nodded with a frown as she sat back. "The people that have joined us from the Trial, they've been through a lot. Not all of them made it off the ship. I'd like you to look into their current status, I'll make sure their records are transferred. We had a three month trip here, but it could actually have just provided an unhealthy opportunity to distract from what happened with constant work."

The counselor nodded, making a mental note to retrieve all official reports of the incident. "Of course. Trauma is well, difficult, and confronting it is an easy thing to try and avoid. I will reach out and assess accordingly. Anything else?"

"Not off the top of my head, but I'll be sure to let you know if something comes to me," she assured before motioning to him with a delicate hand. "More importantly though, do you have any other questions for me? Or anything else you think I should know?"

Karras thought the question over, then looked directly at the first officer. "Being Ba'ku, there were a few compromises I had to make when leaving my home, and specifically in joining Starfleet. Accepting the use of all of this technology was the most obvious, but I've also had to wrestle with the potential for violence. I disagree with the use of violence, in any situation, because my people strongly believe that to accept such methods can have negative repercussions for the individual and for their society."

He paused, hopeful his words of explanation were not being taken as words of judgment. "I do understand that in our line of work, violence is sometimes considered unavoidable in the interest of the greater good. And the fact that the Federation has always appeared to lead via diplomacy and the practice of peace has helped me reconcile my own views and concerns. That being said, my only real use to you in combat situations will most likely be to provide first aid, or to assist in escape or even avoidance if possible. I can use a phaser, but much more effectively in a Velocity match than against another living being. I've yet to be placed in such a situation, but to be frank I don't think I could if I had to." His eyes dropped to his lap, not ashamed, just saddened by the topic.

Blake was silent for a long moment, watching him intently. She understood what he was saying, and where it came from. His culture obviously had shaped him. It concerned her, his lack of confidence around fighting if needed, but the fact he recognised it was important. "So...if we were on the bridge, intruders beamed in, and...one of them attacked me, would you shoot?" she asked bluntly.

The counselor closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to visualize the scenario that had been described. Realizing this question likely came with a time limit, he answered as honestly as he could.

"Commander, I... I honestly don't know. I don't think so." Karras felt some color drain from his face, affected by really considering the prospect. "When you factor in adrenaline, who can say for sure? But shoot the attacker directly? No, probably not. I think it more likely I would shoot 'at' him, to provide some distraction, or... I don't know, maybe try to position myself between you, give you a chance to recover, to get away."

Blake took a moment to absorb the words, holding her breath as she watched him. The ex-marine may not be able to relate to his reply, but she respected his honesty. "Would you be willing to work on those skills?" she asked quietly, meeting his eyes. "I want to respect your people's culture, but I also need to know that everyone on this ship is capable of looking out for the person next to them. If you have trouble with the idea of outright assault, then we should at least make sure you are better trained in more defensive action?"

Karras was touched by her respect, and he understood her concerns. "I'm willing to try," he answered softly. "Of course I'd prefer more defensive training, but I..." His voice became a little louder, a little firmer. "I'm willing to try."

She nodded firmly with him; she approved of his response. He wasn't giving false promises, but he was willing to give it a go. Honesty with a dash of grit. "Then, if there's nothing else, you're free to go."

"Thank you, Commander," Karras said while standing. "I look forward to serving with you."

OFF

--

LTJG Karras
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo

CMDR Scarlet Blake
First Officer
USS Galileo

RSS Feed

Comments (1)