Oh, how the mighty have...dusted themselves off

[knlwtchr 0]

Lt. Franklin Greer shifted in his seat and began to wring his hands. The sweat that had formed in his palms seemed to be pooling quicker with each passing moment. Pressing his hands into his pant uniform, he leaned forward and looked up at a calm and poised Counselor seated before him. She returned his glance with a warm smile.

 

Franklin turned away quickly and jumped to his feet.

 

"Well, I am sure you read my report. It was terrible. We couldnt communicate with them. We couldnt resist them. We fired our weapons, and nothing. Nothing at all! I have never been on a mission like that. Its keeping me up at night. I cant eat. I cant go into the holodeck."

 

Greer began to pace. He rounded the couch in which the ships Counselor was seated. She compensated by turning towards him.

 

Then he continued.

 

"I talked to the security Chief about it and she suggested I come see you. I mean, if I cant do my job, Im pretty useless, right?"

 

Franklin furrowed his brow. He had made his way back to face Counselor Knlwtchr now and was returning to a seated position. He looked down to see he had also returned to nearly rubbing the veins closed in his hands.

 

Andrea Knlwtchr waited another full couple of seconds to make sure he had finished his thought. Then she reached over and held his hands still.

 

"I know you were freightened and that was perfectly natural. But, now you are safe. You did complete what you were assigned to do. Colonel Quest had nothing negative to say about your performance."

 

Andrea paused to let her statement fully sink in. She wasnt sure he believed what she had just said, but only time would confirm it. She released his hands and clasped her own.

 

"Frank, your experiences with the Squids will remain with you for as long as you live. Its not what you remember about them, but how you handle those memories that will dictate how you will continue from now on."

 

Another pause.

 

The Counselor considered her patient for a moment. Here was an established Security Officer conditioned by Starfleets Military for most of his life to protect his crewmates from injury. He had been on countless dangerous missions, encountered his enemies on home and away turfs, and had served exponentially well on many away teams. Yet, here he was, nearly broken from his encounter with the Squids.

 

Andrea remembered his words from his report. Greer had stated that he and his fellow crewmates had fired upon them, but nothing happened. Their defenses were useless. They could do nothing to stop anything the Squids had in mind. Franklin had spent years in training for combat, and otherwise, defenses. And now he was up against a force that he could not rekon with. It must have been devistating to be out of options, out of ideas, and out of his element, all in one point in time. It only made sense that the Leuitenant would lose his composure.

 

"Leuitenant, do you think that all your military conditioning would prepare you for every encounter you would experience with Starfleet?"

 

Greer considered the Counselors words before he answered.

 

"Well, I suppose not EVERY encounter, but 99.9%"

 

Andrea nodded. "And now you have experienced some of the other .1%. You helped make it through a nearly impossible mission. You should be very happy with your performance."

 

Andrea noticed he had stopped shifting in his seat and wringing his hands so much. She released a quiet sigh of relief. Franklin thought a moment and blinked.

 

"I never thought about it that way. But, it makes sense, I guess."

 

"Leuitenant, I want you to try to focus on relaxing for the next few days. This has taken quite a toll on you, mentally and physically. I will inform the Security Chief of your down time."

 

Franklin nodded.

 

"Dictate a hololetter to your sister. Enjoy some ice cream in Ten Forward. Visit the holodeck. Do something that will reward the fact that you were handed an impossible mission...and passed."

 

Andrea smiled and stood as Greer did. "Thank you, Counselor. I will."

 

The Junior Leuitenant watched as he exited. Then, she turned towards the replicator.

 

"Speaking of ice cream..."

 

 

LtJg Andrea Knwltchr

Counselor

USS Arcadia NCC 1742 E