Brain Picked

Posted on 22 Feb 2022 @ 9:06pm by Lieutenant JG Karras & Petty Officer 2nd Class Leon Inaros

2,551 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 18 - Cold Station 31
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 3, Counselor's Office
Timeline: MD03 - 13:00

[ON]

Nurse Leon Inaros looked down at the PADD he was carrying with a slight frown, checking the time and date. The one thing about transferring to another posting meant that there was a mandatory counselling session to get through. Considering that the USS Galileo would be on its way soon, his has been scheduled in during the time that was technically shoreleave. Not that it mattered, Leon had already had enough R&R to last him for months. Twiddling his thumbs on a space station while waiting had not been his idea of a nice time.

He was in uniform though, as if there was no temptation to wear something...less formal. And said uniform was clean, pressed and immaculate. The same with his rank pips, his combadge and his shoes. Everything had been polished to a gleam that spoke of years of experience of making sure he looked a certain way. The hair though...he was still getting used to it being longer. But it had finally reached that stage where it was comfortable, where it obeyed him without sticking up at odd angles. He had gotten there.

He took a deep, grounding breath once he stopped outside the doors and rang the chime to announce himself to Lieutenant Karras, the Counsellor he had been assigned. He had tried with little luck to place the name and given up in the end. He would learn about this person once he met them, trying to dig up information beforehand was a waste of time.

"Come in!" Karras called from behind his desk, not expecting anyone but thankful for the interruption. He'd spent his morning reading through personnel files in an attempt to be at least passingly familiar with the crew. His success with that was put to the test as the doors opened to reveal a man he almost recognized. Yes, this was a face he had come across at some point in the last few hours, but he could not recall the name or department. Standing and stepping in front of his desk, he allowed the visitor personal space and offered a welcoming smile.

"I'm Counselor Karras. How may I be of assistance?"

"Petty Officer Second Class Leon Inaros," Leon introduced himself, stopping just inside the door. He felt them close behind him, that little whoosh of air on the back of his neck. "I've been assigned to the USS Galileo and...as such, need the all clear from the counsellor, Sir," he smiled at the last, clearly finding some humour in it. "Although I always felt people should be assessed, then assigned. Imagine failing someone's psych eval and then having to do the paperwork to replace them? The cramps in the fingers from handling those PADDs."

"Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that," Karras chuckled, extending his right arm to indicate the raised seating area. "Please, make yourself comfortable." The counselor turned back to his desk to make sure no personal information from the last file he'd reviewed was on display. Inaros... the name had triggered his memory, if only slightly. Medical, nurse... and former Marine, if he was recalling correctly. "How was your journey to Regula-1?"

"Long," Leon admitted before he shook his head, taking a seat. He looked around for a moment, just to take in the office and space. "I got a ride on a supply ship, did some work there to...earn my keep even if I wasn't officially part of the crew."

Karras nodded. He appreciated the desire to give back, to contribute. "I just arrived yesterday on a cargo ship myself, though it seems my trip was less eventful." He settled into a spot on the couch opposite from where Leon was seated. "So, I am also a new member of Galileo's crew. How did you feel about being reassigned here?"

"First reaction? Along the lines of 'dear God a science ship'..." Leon admitted, being honest as he held the other man's eyes for a moment before he shook his head. "But it is a deep space mission which in itself is exciting. I've never...been somewhere before where we had no intel on it at all."

The counselor considered the man seated before him, meticulously groomed, open and forthright. "The unknown can certainly be exciting. I take in you're more interested in seeing a little action than, say, analyzing a nebula?"

"I am hardly...the smartest in the bunch. A nebula is pretty...that is all I can assess from them," Leon smiled easily at it but did rub his knee a bit self-conscious. "I am not after...action. I want to ensure that people are healthy. I hope that no one needs my skills apart from the standard achy ear or sprained wrist. I certainly hope and pray I won't need to pull on my...full range of skills. However, the ship has a little bit of a reputation now...as I am sure you have heard as well?" the last, a question, was directed right at the counsellor as he met his eyes and held them, unblinking.

Without realizing it, Karras became momentarily lost in the other man's uninterrupted gaze. It was so earnest, so sincere, so beautifully blue. But he quickly collected himself and cleared his throat. "Um, yes, I have, actually," he answered, regaining his professional demeanor. "Well, I've read more than heard, to be honest. But I think it's safe to say that this ship seems more statically inclined to be involved in adventurous incidents than most."

Inaros' smile was patient and small, almost wicked for a brief moment as something, perhaps a mischievousness, came to him before it settled into a simple warmth of conversation. But if he had noticed Karras' brief lapse of concentration, it didn't really show. Instead it was more the topic of conversation that entertained him now, and a sheer curiosity of the other man's feelings on the subject of the ship. "And how do you feel about that, Counsellor?" he asked him. "That your workload may be more than just ensuring we don't get cabin fever?"

Karras grinned. "I must admit, I would look forward to a challenge. However, like you, I don't necessarily hope that such a situation will arise. I'd rather things stay mundane if it means everyone is safe."

Leon nodded in agreement, looking thoughtful for a moment before he gave the other man a small smile. "I suppose that is what really matters. Within reason. Starfleet's mission about exploration does lend itself to situations one might find...less than safe." He looked thoughtful at that, a slight frown coming to him, knitting his brows together in a way that aged him more than the streaks in his hair. "I worry about going into something blind."

"You prefer being prepared," Karras observed, his tone intentionally neutral. It was the second time Leon had indicated a 'need to know', or perhaps, a need for control. Was that truly the case?

"Just means more people might get through it," Leon said quietly, perhaps even a little distractedly. His eyes focused just over Karras' left shoulder as he thought. "If you prepare for the worst, you might get lucky you know."

"Was there ever a time when you maybe weren't so lucky?" Karras asked gently.

"Was a whole war when I never felt prepared," Leon's voice was soft and he met his eyes, focusing back on him and the moment. "But I was younger back then. Greener. I learned quickly. And that knowledge guided my career in the Marines."

Karras tilted his head a bit, recalling a phrase from one of his Academy courses. "I believe it was the ancient Earth emperor Julius Ceasar who said 'Experience is the teacher of all things'." He shifted a bit in his seat and decided to shift topics as well. "So your professional life seems to be on track - how about your personal life?"

Leon's laugh seemed to have been ripped from him and he covered his mouth with a hand as he looked at him with mirth. "Oh..." he lowered the hand and shook his head. "If you mean romantic life, I can easily tell you. Afraid I was always...too unreliable for that. Ships that pass in the night was more my...thing. As for other personal...I have a good relationship with my parents, although we don't see each other often. It was a half-truth. He had a good relationship with his mother, his father was always a bit more difficult. It was not that he didn't love him or respect him, just that despite having the Marines in common, they never had much to talk about. He blamed the harsh disciplinary hand of his early childhood on that one. "I like swimming. And running. Training in general. I spend a lot of time doing holonovels or, when I really need to wind down...the history of medicine. Well. Human medicine. I am not finished with it yet. After that I might look at Bajoran medicine. I got the volumes on that."

"I like swimming, too," Karras agreed, considering what Leon had said about his family and relationships and getting a sense that he was comfortable with where those stood. "Do you have any favorite holonovels? Or perhaps favorite genres?"

"Historical," Leon admitted as he shifted in his seat, almost looking embarrassed. "I never grew up on a planet, but I hold a strange fascination with Earth history. Not necessarily the biggest battles or conflicts...war gets a bit of an odd taste in your mouth once you've experienced the real thing. But I like the quieter periods, where you get to...immerse yourself in a time. I did this Regency one, where I ended up having to learn a few different dances. I wasn't good at it, but it was fun. I prefer the ones that have a proper plot though, so there's been a few detective ones as well on my list. Not Sherlock Holmes, I tried that once but I felt I butchered the story with my assumptions. But the ones where you have to catch a spy, or solve a murder and you are in the police. Last one I did was set during the Second World War, and I had to find a double agent who had killed a firewatcher."

Karras listened, appreciating the other man's openness. It seemed a cliche, but so many of the crew he'd routinely speak with were usually reluctant, or at least guarded, with him. Officers and enlisted alike. He appreciated someone who answered questions and didn't spend a session trying to divert or talk around an issue.

"I enjoy 'quieter periods' myself. One of my counseling professors suggested I try some mystery holonovels to help gain some experience speaking with individuals who weren't as honest and direct as the Ba'Ku with whom I grew up. All in an effort to make me a bit less naive, I imagine." It had been a lesson he needed. "I never went for anything too violent, I mostly stuck with what were referred to as cozy mysteries. It was interesting, and I believe ultimately helpful. They've helped me have a deeper appreciation for the Cardassian enigma tales I'm currently reading."

Leon looked at him, a wave of emotion, like nausea coming to him. "Shoggoth," he said, after a moment. He remembered a dying Cardassian muttering about it as Leon tried to stabilise him, despite his fellow Marines telling him to black tag the fishhead. It had been his first up-close meeting with the enemy. The man had died under his care, but he had kept asking for his brother to read him the enigma tales. It had made Leon want to turn off his universal translator.

"Yes," Karras answered tentatively, noting the change in Leon's demeanor. "You okay?"

Leon blinked before he let out a soft breath. In therapy, after the war, he had been told about the importance of being honest. "The first time I was close to a Cardassian, it was during the war. He was wounded and I, being...young, did everything I could to try and save him. I couldn't. He kept asking for his brother to tell him the enigma tales. After that, I...suppressed it a bit. I've worked through it, but now and then it comes to me when I don't expect me, that memory."

"I'm sorry," Karras said gently. "The unfortunate reality of triggers is that they can catch us off guard, even if we think we're prepared for them. What's important is how we manage them when they come up." He offered Leon a kind smile. "This was clearly an unexpected moment, but it appears you dealt with it just fine. You weren't thrown into crisis or anything, but it could still indicate there may be more you need to 'work through'. We wouldn't get anything in depth accomplished today, but if you'd like, we can set a future appointment and explore this concern."

"Of course," Leon said, and there was a simple easiness with how he said it. He had years under his belt of therapy, and did not mind it. He was still functioning, still able to work, and so far in his career he had never suffered any flashbacks when working. It was when he wasn't that those triggers came a bit easier. "I do have some good tools in my toolkit to work with it, but continuing counselling on it isn't something I'd turn away. It's not often you hear anyone within Starfleet express an interest in anything Cardassian, so it was...unexpected."

"They were a parting gift from a friend on my last assignment," Karras explained. "Ensign Malor. He's one of the only Cardassians in Starfleet, at least that I know of..." His voice trailed off as he thought about his good friend. He should send Malor a message soon, let him know that he was settling in.

The counselor returned his full focus to Leon. "I'll reach out to schedule our follow-up once shore leave is over. Other than that... anything else you'd like to discuss?"

Leon watched him for a long moment before he shook his head. "Unless I am not cleared for duty," he said, but it was almost playful. "In which case, I think I'll just bunk here while trying to convince you I am sane."

Karras pretended to be undecided for a moment, but then he chuckled. "You are cleared for duty, Mr. Inaros. And you are welcome to stay as long as you like. I don't have anything else scheduled for today. Though fair warning, it could be a little dull. I have a lot of reading to do and wouldn't be much company."

Leon laughed warmly, standing as he watched him. "I am pretty sure I could use my shoreleave to tie up some loose ends. But I do look forward to our next session, Mr. Karras," he admitted as he searched his eyes.

Karras once more met the gaze, wondering if there was something more to it. "Me, too. Enjoy your shore leave."

--

LTJG Karras
Chief Counselor
USS Galileo-A

PO2 Leon Inaros
Nurse
USS Galileo-A
[PNPC Rice]

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