Getting To Know You

Posted on Tue Jun 23rd, 2020 @ 12:14am by Lieutenant John Sandoval & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri-Smith
Edited on on Fri Jul 10th, 2020 @ 5:17pm

Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Chief Counselor's Office

A Mission Post by Lieutenant John Sandoval & Lieutenant Krysia Kaleri
Mission: Death in Paradise
Location: Chief Counselor's Office
Timeline:
Fri Oct 19th, 2018 @ 10:29pm

Krysia had spent the last couple of hours busily organising her office to look warm and inviting, little nik naks here and there, cushions, even a throw and of course the odd few boxes of tissues neatly stacked in a pile. With PADDs stacked up on her desk full of personnel files she also had spare PADDs for note taking as well., now she was ready to start her new role as ship’s Counsellor. No sooner had she finished then the door chime rang.

Earlier in the day, Sandoval had met with the Captain, had his first briefing, and unpacked the bags that the kind Yeoman had brought to his room. It wasn't home yet, but it was getting there. Before getting to know his admittedly small staff, he needed to get a few more introductions out of the way. He needed to visit sickbay and he needed to meet the Counsellor. The former could help with his leg pain, which seemed to get worse after the long shuttle ride, but the latter would undoubtedly help him in his work. Counsellor Kaleri needed to be an ally and ideally a friend. So Sandoval grabbed his cane, straightened his uniform -- he was off-duty, but wanted to look presentable -- and walked to the Counsellor's office, chiming the door.

Krysia called whoever it was to enter smiling as a man she hadn’t seen or met before walked into the office. “Please come in....I don’t believe we’ve met before I’m Krysia Kaleri” she smiled warmly.

“John Sandoval,” replied John. “I’m the new Chief Diplomatic Officer, and I just arrived early this morning. Pleasure to meet you.” He extended his hand towards Krysia for a handshake. He hadn’t read the Counsellor’s file yet, except for her name on the crew roster. “I’m here to check in, talk a bit, and I’ll admit I also have ulterior motives,” he said with a cheeky smile.

Krysia shook John’s hand before motioning him to take a seat, “Please make yourself at home” she smiled warmly, “Can I get you anything to drink before you tell me your alterior motive” she grinned as she looked at him.

John took a seat on the offered sofa. He set his cane against the armrest. "I'd love something, thank you. Ginger tea, please." His wife introduced him to the drink when they were still dating, and it became a favourite of his.

"As for my motives, they're two-fold," he added. "First, I want to ask for your help when it comes to future negotiations. If I'm trying to work something out with a particularly difficult interlocutor, it will be useful to have someone by my side who can read and understand people and can provide advice." His eyes opened wide a moment as he became aware of a potential faux pas. "I mean, of course, because of your skills as a psychologist and counsellor primarily. I'd be asking this of any Counsellor." He smiled. "Any telepathy you bring is icing on the cake."

John also remembered the advantageous distraction effect a beautiful woman on his side of the table could bring in a negotiation, but quickly buried that thought. That factor did save the mission that time on Ardana though, he thought ruefully.

Krysia returned from the replicator with his Ginger tea placing it on the coffee table as she sat down as well. “I would love to be of service either as a Counsellor, a telepathic & empathic watchdog or simply as a distraction!” She grinned.

John smiled, having temporarily forgotten his own point about her telepathy. He reached for the tea and took a sip. "Thank you. The other motive is a more personal one," he said, softening his voice a bit. "I...could use a friend. I've just spent the best few months of my life on shore leave with my wife, but now I'm further from home than I've ever been. I've not seen much of the crew yet, but what I have seen shows how close you all are. I'd like someone to talk to, not just in your professional capacity but also in a personal one. Maybe you can show me what's fun to do around here when off-duty?"

“By all means” Krysia smiled and nodded, “If you’re ever lost & lonely just drop by and see me, why don’t you join my fiancé James & I for dinner one night? I know what it’s like to feel alone I know I’d be lost without James especially after recent events.”

"Thank you, I'd love that," John replied. "We'll set something up once I'm settled in. I met James earlier in a briefing. But what do you mean by 'recent events'?"

“Well most of the bridge crew recently got back from a ‘bubble’ our consciousness were stuck in the bubble & while time here ran normally for the rest of us we lived a lifetime. I had two children & a grandchild before dying of old age!” She shrugged her shoulders, “It was a...difficult transition back from that. It felt like we lost everything but James & I have had better news since then, events in the bubble weren’t too far off...I’m pregnant.” She smiled warmly.

"Congratulations!" said John with a big smile. Kids were never a big part of his life, but he understood feelings of those who came from big families, or who wanted families of their own. He and Katherine had talked about it, but always deferred children in favour of their careers. It was the right choice for them, and could always be revisited. And who knows? Maybe his friend's little baby would change his feelings on the subject.

"It's good to have good news after a harrowing experience," John added. "If you don't mind me asking, how far along are you? Would you know the sex by now?"

"Indeed it is" she smiled. "I'm only just over a month I won't know much for another couple of months yet unfortunately except for the downside of morning sickness which has yet to kick in!" She grinned. "I have a whole eight or nine months to go yet."

"Well, I wish you and your fiancé all the best in this new phase of your lives," John said. He wasn't sure exactly what to say, which annoyed him because it was his job to know what to say, but he knew from old classmates who had kids that their lives were profoundly changes, but always for the better.

"So do you & your wife have any plans to have children?" She looked at him curiously. "Not everyone wants children & I can understand that."

"We've talked about it," John replied. "Honestly, though, it hasn't been the biggest priority for us. She's a civilian instructor at Starfleet Academy, and wanted to stay on Earth. She can do more good there, while I can go more good out here." He let out a bit of a sigh. "One day our career paths may facilitate parenthood, but right now it isn't for us. Maybe one day. We're both in our early thirties. Still a lot of time to go."

"Well I hope you get to see her often it must be hard for both of you being apart so much, it would drive me crazy!" she grinned. "Anyway...I'm getting off track, I'm perfectly happy to help you with diplomatic duties when needs be, I'm a little rusty so I'll need to brush up so just give me plenty of warning,"

"Of course," said John. "I'll send you over some files once I'm back in my quarters. And to answer your other question, she and I try and talk via subspace as often as we can. And we take our shore leave together. I spent three months on Earth with her before coming this way. She took time off as well, visited around Earth and took a three-week sublight cruise around the system. Saw a lot of the solar system's most amazing sights together." And a lot of the interior of our stateroom! The thought entered his head just a moment before he remembered he was with a telepath. "Sorry," he said with a smile. "I miss her a lot, but we do our best. If she didn't stay and do what she was passionate about, she wouldn't be the woman I fell in love with. And I like to think she thinks the same of me."

"I get the impression that you seem to think I'm picking up on your thoughts?" She smiled warmly, "Don't worry I don't pry into people's minds the only thing I do pick up all the time is your emotions."

“It’s not a problem,” said John a bit shyly. “I’ve just always been a private person. I shut people out after my injury. That was a long time ago, and my Counsellors back then helped me through it, but it took a while to get used to sharing with people. Katherine’s been great help, too. I’ve always worked with telepaths, and I always get used to it once I get to know the person. But thank you for your reassurance.”

John dipped his tea again. The two continued talking for a while. What started as an initial meeting just to set up a new working relationship ended up leading to a great conversation and the start of John’s first friend aboard the Pandora.

**