Heads Shrunk & Decor Critiqued

Posted on Sun Jan 5th, 2014 @ 6:35pm by Commander Jordan Gunning

Mission: Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Counselor's Office

[ON]

In the short time that Bert Engels had been aboard Starbase 332, he hadn't managed to get over the vastness of space held within its metal arms. His mornings wold begin with waking up- groggily thinking that he had time- because on board the far smaller ships one's post was never that far away. He'd set the snooze and bask in borrowed time once, twice.. And wake up in a panic half an hour later. There'd be a mad dash for a danish and a coffee, a quick run through the refresher, hurriedly dress an out the door. His close neighbors rarely saw him not racing around- or power walking as Bert termed it- all leggy and lanky, but somehow managing not to careen into anything or anyone between him and the counseling suites.

As usual, the wing's head receptionist fixed Engels with her usual admonishing eye. "Doctor Engels, your first appointment has already arrived.." she began, handing him the patient's information on a slender PADD, "Commander Gunning, Strategic Ops." He tucked it under one arm, set his coffee mug on the counter for a moment and turned to survey the waiting area. As far as he'd known, he'd had the first two morning appointments open for emergencies and departmental minutia- the change wasn't unpleasant, it just took a moment for the psychologist to change gears.

"Commander Gunning?" the doctor asked, watching to see who's eyes lit up at the sound of their name. He gave the briefest upper body bow as an acknowledgement before waving towards the hall that led back to the offices. "I'm Dr. Engels. If you'd follow me, please." He collected his coffee before leading the way back to his office in that same power-walk to conquer worlds fashion that got him to work in the first place.

The door that he opened offered up a simple office: classic and clean with little in the way of personal items, though quite a bit of personality. An old fashioned tiffany lamp adorned the desk that faced the wall. Various stone carved creatures smaller than a child's fist broke up heavy shelving units cluttered with actual books. Then there was the corner dedicated to children's toys and a small selection of scribbled drawings hung low on the wall above it.

"Please take a seat," he said, motioning to one of the two stuffed chairs or the small couch, before taking a seat on a rolling chair himself. "What can I do for you today?"

"I'm just here for my standard Psych Evaluation, Counselor." Andorzai was taken-aback by the surroundings in which he found himself. Opulent while being extremely simple. Supremely tasteful. "This is quite the office, I'll need to take notes for my own. Where did you get the lamp? It can't be an original, surely?"

"No, it's not. I have a very talented sister. Give her a medium to work with and she'll make the most amazing art. Mind you, she hates most of it, but that seems to be the curse of the artist." Bert reached across his desk to collect a data padd for notes and observations. "Why don't we start with the usual then? How are you doing? Is there anything marked that you feel we need to speak about?"

"We should probably deal with the elephant in the room." Gunning stated abruptly, still gazing longingly at the lamp. "I may have to commission your sister. There are some Lalique pieces I've been trying to find someone to imitate."

Bert laughed. "I'm sure Rosalee would be thrilled. It's hard to find clients looking for such aesthetics any more. The idea of metal working and layering actual glass is recognized as beautiful by too few. I'll give you information for her merchant site after the appointment."

"Oh, yes. Of course." The Commander pushed himself further back into the chair, forcing him to sit upright. "No doubt you'll be aware that my brother was the Commanding Officer of this station until he had the misfortune to be blown into space."

The words came out more callously than Jordan had expected. In trying to make himself seem more comfortable with the fate of his brother, he had made it seem like he would have pushed the detonator himself. Psychologists always made him second guess himself.

The counselor's head cocked to the side slightly, eyebrows raised, mouth slightly open for a blink or three. Finally he licked his lips and shook his head. "I really didn't know, I'm sorry. I've not been on the station for very long- certainly not long enough that I had known about your loss. You have my condolences, sir."

"I never fail to acknowledge the elephant in the room, Counselor but thank you." Jordan acknowledged. "I suppose ending up with a massive hole in the side of the station was always bound to come with some casualties. Trust my brother to be the one floating in the vacuum."

[OFF]

Lieutenant (JG) Bertram Engels (Departed)

Commander Jordan Gunning