<< this takes place a few days between the senior staff meeting and the arrival to the Kzenti system.>> =/\= Begin Log =/\= Athena looked at the screen in front of her with all the requests for counseling appointments and was curious how many of the request had been made on one's behalf by the medical department. At the moment though the one that concerned her most was that of the Andorian from engineering. Athena knew that department already had enough problems and if the young man was in need of someone to listen she was more than happy to lighten his load. She made his appointment for the upcoming hour and sent him notification. Gaalen had just returned to his office, in engineering that there was a personal message from him, from the ... counselor. "Oh, God, not already." He said to himself. He read the notice and checked his own day's schedule. The warpcore was back online and all systems where go. He did not see the need to delay the inevitable. He chose to proceed. When the engineering deputy chief showed up Athena said, "Please make yourself comfortable." She watched as he sat down with an unenthusiastic __expression. "Can I get you something to drink," she offered to help lighten the mood. "I'll just have a big glass of water with ice, please." He replied, half turning in her direction near the replicator. Athena retrieved the drinks and set Gaalen's down in front of him. She sat across from him and took a sip of her water. "I noticed that the request from your appointment came from the medical department. But, you should know that we don't share confidences. I have read your file though." She looked at the less then thrilled look sitting across from her. "You can start where ever you want or if it would make you feel more comfortable we can talk about the artwork on my wall," she made the suggestion and she pointed up to the enlarged ink blots on the wall as she waited for Gaalen's answer. "Well..." He started to say, his gaze starring at the big blots on the canvas, trying to find a way to call it art. He then turned to the ship's clock, he had other things to do so he chose to get to the point. "I'm here cause of the brilliant idea of one Doctor Griffin, who is not on this ship, and Doctor Summer's suggestion because of the hallucinations I am still experiencing. Since it brought to the surface our worst aspects, he said it would be a good way to start to see a counselor to come to terms with one's demons, since the hallucinations would eventually come to an end ... eventually." He repeated, as he sipped his glass, enjoying the cold water on his lips and feeling it go down his throat. Athena was listening carefully to what Gaalen was saying and watching him. She gave him an encouraging smile and asked, "And what are you hallucinating about?" "I've been hallucinating about people I knew, loved ones. About my wife, Ph'ell and both Ghalev and Lilen, who was the other couple in my quartet..." Athena sipped her water and remained attentive even during the pause in the Lt.'s speech. Her patience paid off and he continued. She remain a silent, empathetic and comforting listener. "I don't understand, counselor. I don't get it why I'm seeing them, now, after the supposed effects when I've come to terms with my past." He renewed his monologue with emotional intensity bordering on anger aimed at the situation. "This was years ago!. Some five years, six even. Besides remembering them once in a while, because of what we shared and what it meant to me, their images have never bothered me so much, now they are disturbing. Not disturbing as in annoying, but rather they scare the shit out of me." Athena sat thoughtful for another moment or two before asking, "Is there something else that is remotely related that might be bring them more into your conscious memory?" Gaalen sighed loudly. Looking in his opened hands for the answer. "I don't know, maybe the fact of seeing the apparition of Ph'ell on Kinsi initiated a whole cascade of visual hallucinations." As Athena listened; she also was thinking about what might help and the best way to continue. She noticed that although he hadn't said much he did seem to be distressed about something. "Gaalen," she started softly, "I don't want to push memories that are sensitive, but I want you to continue to think of any thing that is remotely related that might help us. Maybe even something else with your family or friends that is bothering you might have triggered these memories. Plus, I want to look into a couple of things myself." She gave him a comforting smile. He looked at her, and tried to say something but somehow it stopped. He was not quite sure it the trigger to all these was indeed the guilt of being banned from his clan, unjustly. He wanted to give the thought more time before advancing anything, what ever the state he was in, emotionally. "Your department is quite busy right now; let's just take this a little bit at a time," she said with a smile. "Let's meet again in a couple of days, however if you find that you need to talk to somebody, I'm always available." He agreed, a second appointment in a few days. Maybe they would follow on the same days, her and the doctor's he thought. He stood, knowing his time was over for this appointment, no doubt the counselor a very busy person these days. He wished her a good day, and after parting pleasantries, he left to return to engineering, where the upcoming mission was growing nearer by the day. =/\= End Log =/\= Ltjg Gaalen Idrani Deputy Chief Engineer USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Helps protect you from nasty viruses. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail