Strong Medicine (Closed, Carthellen and Stafford Only)

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

[Counselor's Office]

Stafford sat at his desk, several open PADDs scattered on the surface, a mug of some untouched once hot drink at his elbow. The lights were dim and the ship's air had been adjusted to just this side of cold, almost too chilly to be tolerated.

The file he was reviewing was that of Carthellen Orcrist, the newest Discovery team member. Team member was a word that Starfleet used. His would have been wholly different, something not so warm and fuzzy. When I was a new boot a man had to earn his right to be part of a team. You fought for it with blood, sweat off your brow and back. According to the new Starfleet everyone is accepted. He sternly reminded himself that it was not Orcrist's fault that Starfleet had gone so soft.

He smiled slightly, just the barest twitches of the corner of his mouth, at some of the memories of those earliest years. The former Gettysburg had not been the most welcoming of places. There had been bizarre initiation rituals, especially among the enlisted. A new boot had a lot to contend with, a lot coming at him at once.

Now that Stafford thought about it, Orcrist reminded him a great deal of Captain Lance Krol, the former commanding officer of the Gettysburg. Both were brilliant men, far beyond their contemporaries when it came to the every-day work in their fields and the mundane day to day tasks of being on a starship. Orcrist's records from Basic Training and anything civilian that Stafford could pull all said as much.

One thing, though... Much like Krol, Orcrist seemed to have trouble socializing. It was that aspect the concerned Stafford slightly. The counselor had seen many officers and crew come and go in his career. While a few of the anti-social ones managed to find their niche, more often than not they'd end up in a bad way. No friends. No fun.

But Stafford was determined to help them all, especially the young man he had scheduled to visit with this afternoon. For the counselor, too, oddly enough for his job, was also anti-social. When Starfleet had sent him to the Discovery as the ship's counselor he had promised himself that no new boot would have to go through what he did on the Gettysburg.

His eyes drifted to the time display on the PADD. Carthellen Orcrist was due to arrive any moment.

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

Carthellen grumbled and fixed his uniform as he made his way down the hallway. He wasn't quite used to all the formality and there was a bit of a learning curve for him here. He was adjusting with a new crew, a new ship, and on top of that the Counsilor had made an appointment. That's just what he needed, somebody else examining him to try and 'figure him out'. He rolled his eyes and sighed a bit as he paused in front of the office door knocking.

"Let's just hope this  isn't just some waste of time." hemuttereed quietly to himself.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

Carthellen grumbled and fixed his uniform as he made his way down the hallway. He wasn't quite used to all the formality and there was a bit of a learning curve for him here. He was adjusting with a new crew, a new ship, and on top of that the Counsilor had made an appointment. That's just what he needed, somebody else examining him to try and 'figure him out'. He rolled his eyes and sighed a bit as he paused in front of the office door knocking.

"Let's just hope this  isn't just some waste of time." hemuttereed quietly to himself.

[Counselor's Office]

"Come in," Stafford replied to the summons. When Carthellen complied the counselor quickly waved him to a seat, or a nearby sofa. "Make yourself comfortable, by all means, crewman."

"First of all, I am Commander Stafford, ship's counselor. Welcome to the Discovery. I try to meet with every new crewmember when I can, explain our mission here, and help them acclimate to their new lives on the vessel." Stafford said. "I've been reviewing your files, Crewman. I think you'll do your job admirably. But, tell me, how have you been fitting in?"

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

With a quick nod he took a seat looking at the man behind the desk. He paused for a moment, the question had caught him slightly off guard. Most of the crew had been rather welcoming for the most part, though he always felt distant at times.

"The crew has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, and I'm glad for that, but I've gotten used to being an outcast really, this takes some getting used to."  He thought for a moment, a thin smile cracking the surface. He wasnt entirely sure if they were completely genuine but the wrlcome was appreciated none the less.

"I'm sure you've seen my psych profile by now, you know this isn't eady for me... But i think i can find a way to get past this given some time."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

With a quick nod he took a seat looking at the man behind the desk. He paused for a moment, the question had caught him slightly off guard. Most of the crew had been rather welcoming for the most part, though he always felt distant at times.

"The crew has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome, and I'm glad for that, but I've gotten used to being an outcast really, this takes some getting used to."  He thought for a moment, a thin smile cracking the surface. He wasnt entirely sure if they were completely genuine but the wrlcome was appreciated none the less.

"I'm sure you've seen my psych profile by now, you know this isn't eady for me... But i think i can find a way to get past this given some time."

"I have indeed." Stafford closed that same file on his PADD with a swipe of the finger and studied the young man before him. He had stated that the crew had gone out of their way to welcome him. He had also said he would do his best to acclimate.

However...

"You should know, Orcrist, that I myself was once in your position. I was a raw crewman on the USS Gettysburg. The old one, not the new G'burg." Stafford wasn't sure how up to date Orcrist was on the Fleet as a whole. "A new nurse in the medical department, an enlisted man like yourself. I, too, was a bookish outcast. I dealt with it, and I changed. But perhaps you shouldn't have to."

The counselor locked his faded blue eyes on his patient. "Your work is brilliant, I've seen that much. You're probably one of the smarter crewmembers in security and tactical. All that it comes down to now for you to be happy and successful here is your attitude. Staying positive about your work and environment. But that doesn't necessarily mean fundamentally changing who you are, does it? In fact, your being a loner might actually contribute to your work being so exemplary."

It had been a long stretch of conversation for Stafford, who was more apt to let his patients do most of the talking.

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

That wasn't quite the response he'd been expecting at all. In fact it was just the opposite.

"I had no intention of changing anything of course. But if my crewmates can trust me i feel i should be able to do the same. Not an easy task for me right now..."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

That wasn't quite the response he'd been expecting at all. In fact it was just the opposite.

"I had no intention of changing anything of course. But if my crewmates can trust me i feel i should be able to do the same. Not an easy task for me right now..."

[Counselor's Office]

The counselor blinked and realized that the man was completely correct. He hadn't said that he intended on changing his habits. For anyone.

Stafford said as much, and then went on to explain, "You shouldn't have to, either, crewman. I meant nothing by it. I merely want you to be as happy and productive as possible while you are onboard."

Hoping that that awkward was smoothed over, Stafford went on to say, "So you have difficulty trusting? Why?"

Normally the counselor would not have been so blunt. Patients often required a bit more easing into a tense subject, but Stafford was betting on Orcrist's straightforward personality appreciating the direct nature of the question. If the crewman didn't trust him enough to say anything, than Stafford would go from there.

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

The young man smirked slightly and shook his head with a slight laugh. Where exactly did his trust issues start?  His first guess would probably be the obvious.

"Children are cruel sir.. Plain and simple. I grew up being made fun of. And those who understood stayed awayvfor fear that they'd be next." He spoke calmyly, there was no fear to his voice, no remorse or pain, "I came to accept that I have no reason to trust anyone without reason. Well, now I've found that reason. I'm not being ostracized here, and among the crew I'm just another part of the team. My successes rely just as much on our crew as it does on me."

The whole time his eyes never left the counseler, he believed every word that he'd spoken then completely. "I won't change, but here... I don't have to. As long as i do my job, nobody can say a thing. My trust comes with a price sure, but every man here trusts their crew with their lives every time we set out."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

The young man smirked slightly and shook his head with a slight laugh. Where exactly did his trust issues start?  His first guess would probably be the obvious.

"Children are cruel sir.. Plain and simple. I grew up being made fun of. And those who understood stayed awayvfor fear that they'd be next." He spoke calmyly, there was no fear to his voice, no remorse or pain, "I came to accept that I have no reason to trust anyone without reason. Well, now I've found that reason. I'm not being ostracized here, and among the crew I'm just another part of the team. My successes rely just as much on our crew as it does on me."

The whole time his eyes never left the counseler, he believed every word that he'd spoken then completely. "I won't change, but here... I don't have to. As long as i do my job, nobody can say a thing. My trust comes with a price sure, but every man here trusts their crew with their lives every time we set out."

"Every team member contributes to one another and the team as a whole," Stafford replied agreeably. "You stated it beautifully, if I may say so. I can see your mindset is already in the right place to be a contributing member of our crew."

"So crewman, tell me about your upbringing, your family, your life before Starfleet. I have read the files but I'd prefer to hear it in your words."

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

He nodded and thought for a moment, his response came a little slower this time.

"I never knew my father, he left us not too long before i was born. My brother barely remembers him, and even then there werent any happy memories really, we didn't speak much of him really. My brother was there for the most part, and we got along fairly well. Most of my academic interests came from his influence, and it wasn't long before I was picking through the bookshelves in his room just as fast as  he was. And i was about 6 years younger than him at this point. I was always being made fun of by local kids, but never let it bother me. I just ignored them and focused on my studies .. My brother nevrr stopped supporting me, in fact he only pushed that much harder when things were at their worst."

He trailed off there and glanced down his voice faltering for a moment. "He left home when i ws 13.. We didn't hear from him for almost 2 years after..."

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

He nodded and thought for a moment, his response came a little slower this time.

"I never knew my father, he left us not too long before i was born. My brother barely remembers him, and even then there werent any happy memories really, we didn't speak much of him really. My brother was there for the most part, and we got along fairly well. Most of my academic interests came from his influence, and it wasn't long before I was picking through the bookshelves in his room just as fast as  he was. And i was about 6 years younger than him at this point. I was always being made fun of by local kids, but never let it bother me. I just ignored them and focused on my studies .. My brother nevrr stopped supporting me, in fact he only pushed that much harder when things were at their worst."

He trailed off there and glanced down his voice faltering for a moment. "He left home when i ws 13.. We didn't hear from him for almost 2 years after..."

"It sounds to me like you put more stock in your brother than you originally let on." Stafford had been practicing what he called his counselor voice for a while. He searched for it and found it.

"Children can be cruel. Especially towards a more intelligent boy, and a sensitive one too." Stafford said. "With that and your brother's departure I can understand you're being bookish and withdrawn. Why did your brother leave, exactly?"

[Carthellen_Orcrist]

"He enlisted in star fleet. Wanted to serve, to see the stars..." He closed his eyes and paused for a moment glancing down.
"We got word a few years after he left... There had been an accident of some kind, they couldnt save him. Mom was never the same... And me? Everywhere i looked i was seeing ghosts in that house... The study where we'd spend days reading, the old chess set lying unused for so long... I couldnt stand seeing it anymore."

He didn't normally open up like this but his brother's service record was out there, it wss bound to come up sooner or later.

[Malcolm Adeyemi]

"He enlisted in star fleet. Wanted to serve, to see the stars..." He closed his eyes and paused for a moment glancing down.
"We got word a few years after he left... There had been an accident of some kind, they couldnt save him. Mom was never the same... And me? Everywhere i looked i was seeing ghosts in that house... The study where we'd spend days reading, the old chess set lying unused for so long... I couldnt stand seeing it anymore."

He didn't normally open up like this but his brother's service record was out there, it wss bound to come up sooner or later.

"We often don't realize how large of an influence someone has on our lives until that influence is lost." Stafford said. Don't I know. "And as a little brother myself...whether they know it or not, older brothers have a tremendous influence on their siblings."

"You said you couldn't stand it any longer," Stafford gently probed, folding his hands in front of his desk. "Is that when you enlisted yourself?"

It was a sad tale, one that he was not wholly unfamiliar with himself. His own father had fought his enlistment tooth and nail The result was a gulf between the two men that had not fully been bridged.