Cautious Counselling

Posted on Fri Oct 31st, 2008 @ 11:40pm by Captain Vorn Krace & Lieutenant Bradley Openhouse

Mission: Dark Discoveries
Location: USS Iapetus - Various
Timeline: Current

Marie stepped into sickbay, briefly, looking for the ACMO, and upon being informed by the Nurse that he wasn't present as it was still Alpha shift, sighed and quickly left again.

As she wandered the corridors, she wondered idly where this Lt Openhouse would be - he wasn't in his quarters, she'd already checked there, even though that was where her feet were once again taking her, in the absense of any other destination.

As she walked along though, she saw one of the younger members of the medical and counselling department, a female Ensign, in her early twenties. Marie recognised her, remembering the pleasant conversations the two of them had.

"Hey Emily! You haven't seen Lieutenant Openhouse around today, have you?" she asked pleasantly as she approached.

"No, but I can tell you're still used to the Lincoln's old systems." Emily replied, winking. "Computer; please direct Lieutenant Junior Grade Marie Duvall to Lieutenant Junior Grade Bradley Openhouse."

The computer chirped a response, before displaying a glowing trail for Marie to follow. "Lieutenant JG Openhouse is currently in Holodeck 2."

Marie chuckled. "Thanks. Guess I don't get the Vulcan adaptivity along with their old age." She then headed off down the corridors, following the glowing lights.

Bradley was in the middle of walking on a sunny beach on Japan's Western Shore when he heard the holodeck doors open and close.

He stopped and turned around to see who had disturbed his leisure time on the holodeck after his ususal night shift in sickbay.

"Can I help you?" he asked the woman who had walked in.

"Bradley Openhouse?" Marie asked, as she walked down the beach, holding out her hand. "Marie Duvall." she tried to avoid the proffesionalisations in way of salutes or rank titles - she knew that this particular man would not want to be psych eval'ed - that much was clear from the records sent over to her - and so she didn't want him to think that she was here on official business. At least not yet.

Bradley still did not know why Marie was interuping his time alone but held out his own hand to shake hers.

"Nice to meet you. So what can I do for you Ms. Duvall?" Bradley said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"I just wanted to come down and say 'hi'" Marie responded. "I like to get to know the people that I work with." she said, pointing to her teal uniform. "Mind if I join you?"

"Not at all." said Bradley. "So what department are you in? Sciences?" he asked curiously.

"Medical." Marie cheerfully replied. It was a half-truth, at least.

"Really. I haven't seen you around sickbay but then I am on Gamma shift." he said as they both walked along the beach.

"Well actually I'm part of the counselling side of medical." Marie said, dropping the bombshell. "Most of my time is spent on comfy couches rather than around sickbay."

Finding out that Bradley was walking with a counselor made him flinch inwardly. "I am guessing you are here to check on my mental status to see if I am fit for duty huh?"

"That.... would be the official reason why I should be here. To be honest though, I kindof liked being able to walk with someone for at least a short time without them being on the defensive from the mean old counsellor." Marie replied, smiling slightly. What she said was true - people noticably act different around a counsellor than they would around, say, a Nurse or a pilot. It's just people's defensive nature, Marie knew, but it had been nice to escape it for a short while.

"You are always welcome to join me. I always take a walk after my shift." said Brad.

That comment caught Marie almost by surprise. Normally for her to get an open invite for a casual walk when that person knew she was a counsellor, she'd have had to spend a great length of time working up a genuine friendship bond between them. Bradley's service record had also made her suspect that he would attempt to stay away from counsellors. "I'd love to." she said, genuine friendliness and content present in her voice.

=/\= End Transmission =/\=

-------------------------------
Lieutenant Jg Bradley Openhouse
Assistant Chief Medical Officer

NPC Lieutenant JG Marie Duvall
Chief Counsellor
Played by Captain Vorn Krace