Mental Chess

Posted on Sunday June 5th, 2022 @ 10:55pm by Lieutenant Commander Niali Deval Dr

Mission: EPISODE 1: SHAKEDOWN
Location: Intelligence Offices
Timeline: (TBD)

On:

Jason was in his office, the lighting was low. He was still shaking off the effects of radiation poisoning, the strong smell of excessively strong coffee hung everywhere as he plowed through the latest piles of intelligence dispatches making his own notes on the side. To the untrained he would almost looked as if he was in some form of trance or meditation. that was far from the truth, he'd seen a report with a heading that would have been only remotely glimpsed at and then dismissed. The revolving door of coffee cups had slowed as there were more cups than those that had been taken away, since intelligence had only three current staff two of which were technical analysts a shadow at the window next too the office he knew he had a visitor, he was half hoping it was the cute nurse from sick bay pausing at a proper moment in the report "Can I help you?" without changing his gaze.

“Lieutenant Elliot, my name is Niali Korial, I am the Chief Counsellor for the ship. I have been trying to contact you but have found it difficult so, forgive me if I ‘beard you in your den’ so to speak. I need to perform your yearly mental evaluation.” She stood and smiled at him.

Jason sat back for a moment, hoping she wasn't an empath or telepath he kept his actual thoughts too himself, "I'm a bit behind on some of my work after a mishap during our last mission, so I haven't exactly been paying attention to non-intelligence requests, but since you're here I guess this is a good time, please take a seat." gesturing too the visitor chair on the opposite side of his desk.

She sat crossed her legs and put her paDD on her knee. She noted that there was nothing relaxing about the Lt or the environment he inhabited and that immediately threw a warning sign up for her. She had of course read his records including the murder of his wife, the rumors of substance addiction and then his disappearance with Deep Space 3. “I need to ask you some questions that should give me an insight into you mental state in that I need to make sure you are fit for duty and your ability to work well with others. Is there anything you would like to tell me or discuss before we begin?” She smiled.

Jason looked across the desk he saw the body markings on her head, "Before you ask if you've looked at my records then you know the story, the official one." Jason knew he was deflecting. "Unfortunately there are details that sound too outrageous to be on the official record," pausing "Coffee? Ensign Eulean found this interesting supply during our last stop over."

“Yes, thank you I would love one.” She sighed inwardly, *deflecting before we have even begun, but he was interesting*

He reached for the pot, a left over relic from another time, "It's interesting that I'm on your list, I did a full evaluation prior to departing on this assignment, but then again, they seem too be making large numbers of footnotes about things like rumors and other concerns, but I'll give you this, I don't remember the events surrounding the disappearance of Deep Space Three, you'll run into that with all of us who were there, now before you think I'm being confrontational I'll give you this, I'm not one hundred percent over Darleen's murder, that's gonna take some time." Pausing *throw her a line, let's see what happens* "Black, sugar, creamer?" holding the mug.

“Black please, no cream, no sugar, thank you. I am not here to ask you any specific questions about those events Lieutenant and it is not because you are considered unfit for duty in any way. This is purely as I said to evaluate your mental fitness. Every member of the crew is going through it so, please let me do my job.

"Good point" passing the cup over "So what would you like to know?" trying to not call up her personal file and the fact she was actually quite attractive effect this meeting.

She sipped the coffee, “this is…different,” she sipped again and smiled. “I like it. Lieutenant what are you feeling right now?”

Jason sat down "I won't deny I'm still feeling the effects of radiation poisoning from a few days ago, outside of the revolving door of crewmen and the one nurse from sick bay I see it's it's fairly quiet down here, reminds me of working in the archives on earth." *hopefully that didn't sound too pathetic*

Not realizing he didn't have a uniform coat on the ugly gash on his arm was very visible, he did his best to hide it as he continued "The previous Captain had me tracking down one of those spacer legends about a group that for a lack of a better term fights the boogey man."

“You like the quiet then? This would be her only non open ended question. She knew he was hiding a lot and she would not dig it out of him, there was no reason too unless it reflected on how he did his job. She felt compassion for him, this was a broken man who needed her help.

"Most of the time, I've only been out in the field for eight months, so trying to build relationships is difficult, at the moment." Raising the cup up seeing where this goes.

“You feel good relationships are important to you professionally?

"It can be called healthy too not be a loner, but having moved around so much the last eight month it's not easy right now, I was hoping that things would settle down for the moment so I can find a normalcy I haven't had in years." pausing to take a sip of the coffee "I have very few family I speak too anymore especially since my wife's death, and fewer I want too speak too because of those events."

She sipped more coffee. “Staying in one place can certainly produce some sort of normalcy, it might be good thing if you started mixing a little bit more. Having a drink with your fellow crew members for example.

"I'll be honest, I've never been too the crew lounge."

“Well there is also the gym, movie night or even the mess hall. In fact if you would like company you can come with me? I do not know many people yet either.

Jason laughed, "Why not." he closed the data files he was looking at "it might start something else."

“That’s a date then! Well not a date but, well you know what I mean.” She laughed and snorted her coffee. “Well there goes my professionalism.”

Jason stood up, "I think professionalism can take the rest of the day off" he said with a smile "I think rank can take break too Niali." he said with a crooked smile.

Still trying to mop the split coffee up she smiled. “I have to agree with you there Jason. Just one more question and we are done. What do you think your best quality is?”

Jason smiled "I know who I can trust and when." winking

“Then would you be happy to see me on a regular basis?” She asked.

"I think that can be arranged." Jason said as he turned off his office light.

She stood, smoothing her uniform. “Well that’s all for now Jason. I will be in touch soon about meeting others and also about a follow up. Also, I note you have a healing wound on your arm, perhaps you should have medical take a look?”

"That's an..." Jason paused "it's an older scar."

Se leant forward and touched it gently. “May I ask how you go it Jason?”

Jason started too tell the story of what really happened that night, "I came home early that night, as I was coming through the door I heard glass shattering followed by a scream, as I ran too the kitchen where I saw something attacking my wife, barely humanoid I struggled with it but I was over powered, it threw me across the room tearing the spot on my arm as I got thrown, I woke up about an hour later the authorities and paramedics at the house, my wife was dead." Jason paused "Despite what the home security system showed the local authorities blamed it on a group of Nausicans that had been committing several robberies in the area, but I knew there was more too it."

“And you, have you been performing your own investigations ever since. The unfairness and grief you must feel would be overwhelming, how do you cope?” She asked softly.

"I've chased a number of dead end leads for about four months, when I couldn't find the obvious answers I dug into my father journals" pausing as he pulled a tattered leather note book bulging with scraps of paper "The creature wasn't in any conventional database."

“Jason, perhaps I can help you. My symbiont Felek Korial is many years older then me and was an operative in Trill intelligence for many years. Show me what you have…” she paused “that is if you want to?”

"Another time perhaps, having this journal has been a source of conflict with my family over the years and I don't like opening it because of some notes that are personal in nature." Jason said as he put the book back in the safe.

“I am sorry, Korial has met a good few creatures over the years. If you feel I can be of help any time then please let me know. Well I have everything I need so I will leave to to it. Movie night is on Friday so perhaps you would like to attend. I think it is called ‘Tombstone’ something to do with cowboys, whatever they are.” She smiled.

Jason smirked "I bring the popcorn and beverages.”

She stood, “until Friday then, I will also contact you regarding counseling sessions. Thank you for the ‘interesting’ coffee."

END

Lt Jason Elliot
Intelligence officer
&
Lt(jg) Niali Korial
Chief Counselor.