Therapy Sessions and Pockets

Posted on Mon Jan 9th, 2017 @ 3:16am by Captain Tim Williams

Episode: Lost Property
Location: DeSalle
Timeline: MD13 1000hrs

As Tim walked the corridors of the DeSalle, he couldn't help but reflect on how different the ship looked to when he first beamed over. The ship was clearly showing its age - he'd asked the engineering teams not to replace every component on the ship; only those needed to make her spaceworthy again. Holes in the hull and bulkheads had been patched up, but the discolouring of the deck plating from centuries adrift was still present. It would be easy enough to replicate replacements and make the ship look as new, but he wanted to preserve as much of the original ship as possible for when they delivered it to Cestus.

As he made his way, he nodded in passing to members of both his own crew, and the original crew of the DeSalle, some of whom had started to wear the more modern Starfleet uniforms, whilst others had stuck to their original, 22nd century jumpsuits. It was good to see some of them willing to make what on the face of it would seem to be a small adjustment, but which really signified a much larger shift in their personal circumstances. They'd all have to find new places for themselves in the galaxy as they reintegrated. He hoped that most would opt to remain in Starfleet, but he wouldn't be surprised if others decided to leave for civilian life for a time.

He stepped into the turbolift and rode it the short distance up to A Deck, where he then crossed the bridge - a hive of activity as the ship's systems were gradually repaired or replaced - and pressed the chime on the captain's ready room door. When he heard the call to enter from the other side, he hit the control to activate the door servos and stepped over the rim as it slid open to admit him.

"Ah, Captain Williams," Captain Chandrakala said, standing from behind her desk and moving around it to greet him. She had opted to change into a more modern Starfleet uniform, with command red colouring as opposed to the older scheme of command yellow. "Welcome back aboard the DeSalle."

"Thank you," Tim replied, shaking his opposite number's hand as they exchanged pleasantries. "I thought I'd come over and check on the progress of the repairs."

"They're going very well, thanks to your engineering teams," Chandrakala replied, moving back to sit in her chair again as Tim took a place on the couch that had been brought in to replace the previous one, which had virtually disintegrated entirely. "I have to say, some of the equipment you have available to you in this century... your replicators alone are amazing. Whenever we need a part, your chief engineer is able to have it created in a matter of seconds for us, at a far higher quality than anything that ever came out of the manufacturing works at Jupiter Station."

"Not only that," Tim agreed. "But they make a mean chilli con carne." The main thing the DeSalle crew had taken full advantage of on the Highlander were the food replicators. It was easy to forget how different things must have been before replicator technology became commonplace around the Federation. Back when the DeSalle was first launched, the galley had to carry preserved foods, and could just about manage to concoct drinks orders on command. Now not only could starship officers replicate almost any component or spare part they needed, but also food, clothing or synthehol - which in itself had puzzled a few of the DeSalle's crew.

"So I've heard," Chandrakala chuckled.

"How about your crew?" Tim asked. "How are they adjusting to their new reality?"

"Gradually," the captain answered. "It helps a lot to have our own ship to work on, and the personal items we could beam over with. Some are handling it better than others - your ship's counsellor has been a huge help though. I would never have thought of having a psychologist on my ship's staff, but it's definitely a change over the years that has its benefits. Those that are having the hardest time adjusting I've relieved of their duties so that they can spend their time getting their head around things. I believe they've all got regular appointments to see Counsellor Taylor."

"I must admit that having a counsellor around hasn't always been something I've been comfortable with myself over the years, but I've learnt that they can be an enormous asset," Tim said. "The benefits go far beyond providing the crew with therapy; I've seen counsellors bring their training to bear on enough diplomatic situations that could have gone so differently had they not been there."

Chandrakala nodded. "I do have one question myself though, in relation to making the adjustment."

"Oh?"

"When did Starfleet start doing away with pockets?" Chandrakala stood and made a show of pulling at the trousers of her uniform. "How do you manage? Where do you put things?"

Tim chuckled at that. "Yeah, I suppose in comparison to the uniforms of your time, we are a bit lacking in the pocket area. Most of the time, you find that you don't need them so much. Our communicators are in our badges now, so that's one less thing to carry around with you. Our tricorders and phasers both attach to our belts. I do have to admit though, there are times where I'd have dearly loved to have somewhere to shove a PADD rather than walk around holding it all morning."