Keen Observations - Meeting the Chief Counsellor

Posted on Friday August 9th, 2019 @ 1:35pm by Commander Kanaka Shakura & Captain Franklin Johnson

2,728 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Getting to know the XO
Location: Recreational Lounge, Starbase 99
Timeline: Post-Nemesis, Pre-Poseidon Launch
Tags: Drydock, Pre-Launch

Kanaka Shakura found herself in her element in public spaces, such as one of the many popular recreational lounges of Starbase 99. Despite the mass and buzz of the busy crowds, she was always content and at peace, keen to observe all the little nuances of the many different types of people around her. There she sat alone on a solitary table amongst a sea of many others, wrapped in a well-fitting grey overcoat made of Vulcan fabrics, while the collar of her dress uniform shone through with the bright blue and rank of Lieutenant Commander clearly on display. Yet she seemed to draw little attention as others went about their recreational activities.

From the dockworkers who had finished their shifts and were looking to unwind, the interplanetary envoys of many different races and creeds idly passing the time while waiting for the next leg of their journeys, to the young and old of Starfleet alike who were waiting - some with excitement, some with trepidation - for their assignments to begin. Some would be parting from friends they had made at the Academy, if not before, and for some it was hard to imagine how long it'd be until they next saw each other. If ever.

Kanaka - or Kana, as she preferred to be referred to in informal conversation - had never properly experienced that herself. She left everything behind on Betazed a long time ago, and during her time in Starfleet Academy didn't make too many close friends. She was sociable and had friends, but she preferred to keep a distance. That made moving from place to place a lot less hard. It was one of the many things she personally enjoyed about Starfleet; the sense of adventure and endless possibility that could await her. All that aside, it wasn't as if she couldn't appreciate how these star-crossed friends likely were feeling in that moment in time, but she had learnt to avoid allowing herself to fall into that situation a long time ago. Especially in times as tough as this.

She had known about her upcoming assignment for several months, having transferred all the way to Starbase 99 from the U.S.S. Ganymede in the Gamma Quadrant shortly after being promoted to Lieutenant Commander. Word had gotten to her slowly over time that her new assignment - acting as Chief Counsellor aboard the newly retrofitted U.S.S. Poseidon - was to be commanded by a relatively fresh-faced CO and that while there would be some experienced NCOs and Enlisted Officers aboard, most would be new cadets. Quite routine for a by-the-books escort mission of both civilian and military ships to the Federation frontiers in the Alpha Quadrant. Yet if her time in Starfleet thus far had taught Kana anything, it was that very few times did things ever go by the books.

Checking her small datapad which she kept under her coat, she noticed the time was getting closer to when her new CO had agreed to come and meet her. Franklin Johnson was his name. By all accounts an upstanding individual, from what she could learn through others, but the young Betazoid was keen to make her own observations. Her experience taught her that it was vital she took the time to get to know her future comrades - particularly the ones she was most likely to interact with on a regular basis - as in a position like hers, to give effective objective and subjective counselling required a confident understanding of the counselled.

Readjusting herself in her seat, she parted back strands of her black hair as she waited patiently for him to arrive.

======== **** ========

Commander Franklin S. Johnson had just concluded a meeting with his new Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Phoebe Graydon, not ten minutes prior to his arrival to the western-most recreational lounge. It was a small blessing that one of the major food courts on the station was not less than half a kilometre from this lounge, making the travel distance short by comparison to other important locations. In one hand he held a coffee cup, to-go, purchased from one of the eateries before he departed the food court prior. The other hand held his datapad, he gazing down to it briefly before looking back up mid-stride. He approached the lounge area in confidence, assurity, and with an aura of command that seemed approachable by comparison to other commanding officers.

A quiet apology was stated as he passed by an Andorian and their shoulders bumped. A polite glance between the two, a smile, and Franklin was on his way. The change in posture and direction happened to give Franklin the possibility to glance in the appropriate direction, eyes beholding the same face of the individual he had been studying on his datapad. A satisfied smile played his expression as he strode over, careful to slow just near the table.

"Lieutenant Commander Shakura?" Franklin inquired, still seeming unsure about his acquisition of whom he thought this lady to be. She had the pips about right. "I'm Commander Franklin Johnson, your new CO for the USS Poseidon. Mind if I take a seat with you?"

Kana turned her head away from the crowd and looked towards the young man who had approached her. Looking him up and down with one quick glance with her deep black eyes, the Betazoid developed a warm smile as she stood to greet him.

"Commander Johnson, a pleasure." She said, offering him a firm handshake before gesturing for him to sit with her. "Please, do sit. I imagine you will want to ask a few questions of your new Chief Counsellor."

"I do," Franklin said shaking her extended hand, then he sat. He gave a brief exhale as he gazed around shortly. "Busy place. I take it you like crowds?"

"I do, Commander. I enjoy the noise, and how people unwind in settings like this. All it takes is a bit of keen observation and you can learn a lot about people. I like to hone that skill away from my natural telepathic talents. For example, you notice those Andorian's over there?"

She discreetly gestured with her eyes over to a group of Andorian males - three in total - huddled around a small table talking to each other. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first glance, though they were clearly keeping themselves to themselves, eyes occasionally darting around the room. One of them was missing one of his antennae.

"Give it five minutes, they're going to kick off. They've been tense for the past hour." Kana said confidently and without much concern. "So, what do you want to know?"

He gave an appraising nod. He looked back at her. The readings she'd get off of him were, quite frankly, in stark contrast to what he displayed. Only briefly, however. Moments of vulnerability. Unsure of himself. Afraid. Fear. A tense feeling of an anti-social individual. He didn't show it visibly, but it was clear to anyone who could feel that he hated crowds. His smile faded softly.

"Why did you choose to be a Chief Counsellor on an ageing starship?"

The new Chief Counsellor observed her commanding officer as he spoke. She didn't like to use her telepathic ability without a person's express permission - again, one of the reasons why she liked to observe people naturally - but it was impossible to not sense the weight of the pressure he clearly felt on top of him. He handled himself extremely well, she thought, especially for someone who was still quite young for the position he was in. She was much more used to seeing older men and women in his shoes, yet here he was. Unsure of himself, but who wouldn't be in his circumstances?

"To tell you the truth, Commander, I wasn't something I chose. I was recommended by Starfleet to take this post after finishing my assignment on the U.S.S. Ganymede. Despite being a science vessel, the Gamma Quadrant held quite a few...anomalies that the crew weren't prepared for. It was a high stress environment for all involved. The same could likely occur in our escorting mission, what with the galaxy being so on-edge."

"The Ganymede," Franklin mused, gazing down as he thought. His expression lightened and he seemed to look at her in a different light. "You were on the Ganymede? Yeah, I read through that at the Academy. I remember reading up on it on the Tennessee. That was some....serious stuff there."

She glowed with a smile. "Yes, Starfleet does have a habit of getting embroiled in tight situations, especially when venturing into the unknown without hesitation. It's what drew me to her; The bravery. The fearlessness. The selflessness. I think that's what enticed most of us. Of course, people are different--"

Her words were immediately cut off by the sound of an almighty crash and commotion. Almost to exactly five minutes after she had pointed them out, the Andorian's had broken out into a fist-fight amongst themselves, coming to blows over some bitter misunderstanding. Bystanders tried to jump in to restrain them, followed swiftly by the starbase security who descended quickly on the scene like moths to a flame. Within a minute and a half everything settled, and the lounge returned to it's business unphased, as did Kana.

"People are different. We all have our reasons for being where we are now, not always exactly clear to us ourselves. In my short life thus far I've experienced many things both great and terrible, Commander, and if it has taught me anything it's that nobody is ever without need of good counsel or care. In a galaxy as expansive, as awe-inspiring, and as terrifying as our own, it can take a lifetime to properly adjust to it. That's why I'm here."

She allowed her words to sink in for a moment after a brief pause, before continuing. "If I may ask, Commander: what brings you to the Poseidon?"

Commander Johnson thought for a moment, sitting back as he looked far off to his side at the distant walls. This Starbase was massive. He began to see what Kanaka was talking about, if only briefly. The differences in peoples mannerisms, posture, stature. His thinking concluded, he looked back to her.

"A favour for a good friend," he admitted. "I was a young lad, back in the freighter logistics corps. Made decent pay, had a decent crew, did the typical childhood adventuring because I wanted to see what my father saw. One day a year or so in, ship left without me on Alpha Centauri. A man named Gregory Paladin took me in for the duration until the ship could make it back. Through him, I was inspired to join Starfleet, and all he asked in return if I should find success in command was to bring one particular ship back to service."

Franklin chuckled, looking away as he gazed deep into his memories and spoke them aloud. It felt good to tell this story. He hadn't with anyone for a very long time.

"My first tenure was on the U.S.S. Tennessee, a Norway class, simple and straightforward. We mostly did patrols and escorts, nothing fancy, but because I stayed on as the crew rotated off I ranked up rather quick. Wasn't until the Captain recommended me to the Command Academy that I remembered what I promised, began to research the Poseidon, her history, her past crew. Found out Gregory and his descendants had played a huge role in her history. Figured it was a way to say thanks to tend to her."

He sighed, closing his eyes, then looking back. A pleasant expression. "I took my lessons from Starfleet and had her assigned primarily as a training vessel, just like the Tennessee. She'd be mostly out of danger then, maybe get that museum ship recognition she deserves after her service."

Franklin's expression turned sour for a brief moment. "That doesn't sound like wrong motivations, does it?"

Kana listened carefully and calmly to Franklin's story, sharing brief nods to signal to him that she was listening and for him to continue. He clearly wasn't a dishonest man, either: he had no reason to hide who he was or how he felt, but - as it was for a man in his position - it was often the case he obviously didn't feel it was the time or place to say it. Kana was intent on making sure she could provide that space and time, for him and the other members of the crew who needed her and her staff's help.

Upon the Commander asking her opinion, Kana politely shook her head. "Not to me, Commander. It sounds to me like you feel a sense of duty towards your friend, as is often the case in mentor-mentee relationships. Considering what you'd been through and how they were there for you in that moment, it makes perfect sense you would want to repay the favour, so to speak. I imagine it must also be quite empowering for you to have someone like Commodore Paladin believe in you, to effectively carry on his legacy?"

Franklin gave a slight smile. He had allowed himself to slip away from his professional observation and, thankfully, hadn't risked that away for nothing. She was clearly a very experienced - or at the very least, trained - Counsellor. He genuinely felt relaxed in her presence and the time it took for the situation to move from informal to relaxed was extremely quick. He was impressed.

That wasn't to say he wasn't revealing himself truthfully. He had let himself slip, but he did so hoping he'd be caught. He had hoped correctly. He smiled widely to her, nodding in appreciation to her words.

"In a way. My parents are my largest inspiration, but Gregory comes in a close second. If there ever was a father figure in my life besides my own father, it'd be him, which is odd because we're only a few years a part in age. He just gives off this wise and elder vibe, you know? I was fooled for a while until he showed me his records to prove it."

A slight chuckle, then he added, "Yeah I suppose you're right. Poseidon deserves to have her legacy concluded, so does Gregory."

Kana noticed how the Commander's body language had changed ever so slightly. He seemed relaxed, but still well aware of himself. His smile denoted that he liked what she had to say: Perhaps her words had relaxed him. Perhaps he had found something in this conversation that he was looking for. She was well aware she wasn't the only one trying to observe in this situation. Whatever the case, this was only a formal introduction. Her official counselling would begin once the Poseidon got underway.

"Well you know what they say, Commander. As one story ends, another is just beginning; I have a feeling that the Poseidon's swansong has something in store for all of us, including you." She smirked as her eyes flickered with a sense of excitement. "I imagine you have quite a number of meetings still to go; shall we pick this up again in my office once we're aboard?"

"Absolutely, Lieutenant Commander," Franklin stood, smiling. "I appreciate your words. I should be meeting someone on another half of this Starbase shortly, so I'll see you later on this evening on the ship. Welcome aboard, Chief Counsellor!"

"Ready and reporting for duty, Commander." Kana humoured him as she also smiled and stood once more to shake his hand once more and see him off.

With that, he extended his hand for a final shake, departing to another meeting with new crew shortly thereafter.

Kana watched him leave and upon retaking her seat, crossed her legs and got comfortable once again, turning her attention back to the crowds of the lounge. She would leave shortly to prepare for the evening, but she wanted to soak in the atmosphere a little longer. Something in her gut told her that the Poseidon wasn't going to be as routine as was expected. Even so, she looked forward to finding out for herself, the sense of adventure and freedom that had first drawn her to Starfleet taking hold of her once again.

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