Counselling Session

Posted on Saturday January 11th, 2020 @ 11:45pm by Commander Kanaka Shakura & Lieutenant Colonel Phoebe Graydon & Cadet Freshman Grade Chloe Graydon

1,187 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shakedown Cruise
Location: U.S.S. Poseidon; Chief Counsellor's Office, Deck 6
Timeline: Day 003 - 0900 Hours
Tags: Post-Departure, Post-Fighter Incident, Post-Meeting, Counselling

Phoebe was in her quarters, with Chloe, getting ready for their meeting with the Counsellor. They were going to be addressing Chloe's shyness, although Chloe didn't know that yet. She finished getting ready, before looking across at Chloe. "Ready?" She asked.

Chloe nodded. She wasn't sure what the meeting was for, but she hoped it was something good.

Phoebe nodded once, tapping her commbadge. =^= "Graydon to Shakura, are you ready for our meeting?" =^= She asked.

Kana had been preparing her office for the meeting when the call came through. She had rearranged the room slightly to help accommodate this multi-person session. Operations had delivered her a third lounge chair and from there had moved the chairs and the coffee table into a more central position in the room. On the table she had put out a spread of light breakfast foods and refreshments; due to Chloe's shyness, the Chief Counsellor felt it best to make this feel as little like a counselling session as possible. Not that it wouldn't likely be obvious to the young Graydon eventually, but with any luck this kind of informality would make it less of a burden.

Happy that everything was now in order, Kana tapped her commbadge to respond. =^= "Shakura to Graydon: Yes, everything is ready. Please feel free to make your way; looking forward to seeing you both. =^=

== A short while later ==

Phoebe walked up-to the Counsellors door and pressed the buzzer, waiting for a response from inside. She looked to her right and smiled down at Chloe.

"Come!" Came the call of the Chief Counsellor from inside. As they stepped in they would see the spread of breakfast food and refreshments on the table in the centre of the room. Toasted crumpets, continental European bread, cereal, berries and other fruits, as well as an assortment of juice, tea and coffee to choose from. There was plenty for a small feast.

"Good morning Phoebe, Chloe!" Kana welcomed both of them with a warm smile as she kept an informal manner. "I hope you both slept well? Please, lets sit and enjoy a nice hearty breakfast to start the day." She gestured enthusiastically to the lounge chairs around the table.

"Morning Kanaka." Phoebe smiled warmly. "The breakfast looks good, and I must say, I am quite partial to crumpets." She sat, and reached across for a plate, and two toasted crumpets, slathered with melted butter.

Chloe smiled silently, taking a seat, and looking over the food. She wasn't that hungry, so didn't pick anything up.

Kana laughed at Phoebe's remarks about crumpets as she herself sat down and helped herself to a slice of melon and some yoghurt with a cup of her ever reliable green tea. She noticed that Chloe didn't opt to take anything, but did pour her a glass of juice just in case. "I myself am partial to a light breakfast of fruits, sometimes more if I know it's going to be a pretty full-on day."

They spent a few moments eating before Kana decided to try and make conversation. "So, how are you both feeling about the next stage of our journey? Looking forward to getting back under way?"

Phoebe nodded. "It'll be an adventure, as always." She answered, looking across to see Chloe's reaction.

Chloe sat there silently and shrugged. She didn't know how she felt. She knew she felt lonely, and scared, and she wished she could have more time with Phoebe.

Kana tilted her head to the young lady, shooting a glance at her mother. "How are you feeling, Chloe? If you don't mind me saying, you seem very preoccupied with something in your mind. What's wrong?"

Chloe shook her head. "Nothing..." She answered, quietly, in a less than convincing tone.

Phoebe reached over to take Chloe's hand. "Whats up kiddo?" She asked.

Chloe just shook her head. "Nothing!" She said again, in a slightly more aggressive tone, pulling her hand away.

Kana observed the display, taken a little by surprise, though probably not as much as her mother. She raised her hand slightly to Phoebe to dissuade her from insisting as she put her own plate down and cleared her throat. "Forgive me, Chloe, but I don't think that's true. Can you tell us? I assure you that what you share with us here stays here."

"I can't tell you...I can't tell anyone...no one can know." She shouted, becoming more and more agitated as she went on.

Phoebe looked on in surprise. She had always thought that her and Chloe were close, and could talk about anything, but it seemed that there was a void there that she just hadn't seen.

"Why is that?" Kana asked, resolving that if Chloe wasn't going to tell them, it was a start to at least figuring out why she wasn't going to tell them. "Are you in danger? Under threat of speaking?"

"If anyone finds out i'm in trouble..." She answered simply.

"Are they in serious danger if you say anything, or is this trouble as in having broken some rule?" Kana asked, her tone now serious, though her expression communicated to Chloe that she was in no trouble.

Chloe shook her head simply.

Phoebe looked across to Kana, then back to Chloe. She didn't know what to say.

The Chief Counsellor met her First Officer's stare with a mix of concern and sorrow. She knew what this meant. In one sense it was better; nobody was in danger, at least. In another it was much, much worse. What made this a little sensitive for Kana is that she had been in this exact same situation once. She had been Chloe's age once, and she could only empathise with her with what she could foresee about to happen.

With a little hesitation, she eventually dared to ask. "It's your mother, isn't it?"

Chloe nodded. "That's why I can't tell you." She shouted, standing up and storming out of the room.

Phoebe just sat there in shock, tears springing into her eyes. She just wanted to know what was going on.

Kana could do nothing but let Chloe go for now. There was no point in stopping her, no conversation they would have at this moment would help progress things any further. As she left, the Chief Counsellor turned her attention to the distraught mother. "Hey..." she said gently, placing her hand on the First Officer's shoulder, ignoring all usual etiquette and convention between officers.

But there was nothing she could say after that. She knew there were no words that could console that initial pain. So instead she just hugged her, and hugged her tight. Deep down, it was a hug not just for her, but for a mother she never got to have.

Phoebe just sat there, holding onto Kanaka as if she were a lifeline and if she let go she would simply cease to exist. "I don't know what to do..." She said quietly, but still loud enough for Kanaka to hear.

Kana said nothing, and just held her as tight as she could.

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