A Doctor in the House

Posted on Fri Mar 8th, 2019 @ 9:37pm by Grace Winters PhD & Commander Isabella dei`Silvisi

1,115 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Acts of Contrition
Location: XO's Office

ON

Grace Winters wanted to get the measure of the woman who would be her Executive Officer as she was unsure of her reception on the Endeavour. As she hoped, Commander dei'Silvisi was in her office.

She paused, took a deep breath, and rang the door chime.

Isabella had decided to take a few hours and hide from the concerns that surrounded the command staff of the Endeavour. Helping to oversee the repair work the ship was currently going through was demanding, especially when it was doubled with her other duties as both executive and chief science officer. To help her clear her mind, she had the computer play something classical while she stared out of the view-port. The sound of the door chime brought Isabella's attention back from its wandering, and she reached out to tap the control on her desktop, pausing the music. "Enter," she said.

Grace looked around the room as she entered. "I apologize for disturbing you. My name is Grace Winters. I'm your new diplomatic officer."

"I believe I remember seeing that you would be coming aboard, Miss Winters," Isabella said as she frowned thoughtfully for a second or two. Turning towards her desktop, she tapped in a command and brought up the ship's manifest. Scrolling through the list, she finally nodded. "I see where Starfleet informed us that you and at least one, possibly two, aides were to be assigned to the Endeavour, effective immediately." Turning back to her guest, Isabella smiled. "Please, have a seat Miss Winters. I trust you've been assigned quarters and have been able to settle in?"

Grace smiled and sat down opposite the First Officer. "I've been assigned quarters, yes. Thank you." Aides? She wasn't aware there would be more than the one. She would have to take a closer look at what the Endeavour did. "The dossier I was given on my duties here was not clear."

"If I may be completely honest, Miss Winters, I was somewhat surprised at seeing a diplomatic team being assigned to the Endeavour. The majority of our missions tend to end in the opposite of diplomacy, but I for one am pleased to see your presence here because it means that we might get sent to more exploration based missions. It would be a welcomed change," Isabella said as she carefully and politely studied the woman sitting across the desk from her. The diplomatic office gave off an aura of calm, and Isabella couldn't tell if it was natural or something that she had cultivated. Either way, she would indeed be a welcomed addition to the Endeavour. After a moment, she nodded slightly and continued. "Have accommodations for your department already been made?" she asked.

"The Captain is making arrangement, yes. Besides the office, we'll be setting up a conference room and reception area. I'm not sure how much we'll use them, but I'd rather be prepared." She looked at the First Officer for a moment. "So you haven't had much need for a diplomat so far?" She wasn't sure why Starfleet sent her, either.

"That's good," Isabella said as she nodded her head, her mind racing as she tried to think of where they could place a diplomatic conference room and a reception area. She would have to check into any changes that were being made to the ship during the repairs. "Honestly, most of our missions have ended in combat related situations. The captain and I are hoping that we'll be assigned to an exploration mission, but we won't know until the repairs are complete."

"That's what the Captain said. Perhaps my being assigned here is indication that there will be a need for diplomacy?" At least Grace hoped so. Otherwise, she'd have to find something to keep her occupied for the next year or two.

"I certainly hope so," Isabella said, nodding her head. "It would be a welcomed and much need change of pace for everyone, and honestly it would be good for the morale and well being of the crew." Silently, she mentally thought that it would be good for her sanity as well. While some of the other officers and crew were most definitely the warrior type of Starfleet officers, she wasn't. She had seen the darker side of those conflicts, and some of the memories still haunted her. It would be a nice change of pace to simply explore, to push forward and see what else was out there. After a brief moment, Isabella shook herself and pushed her mental wanderings aside. "I imagine that we will be working closely together in the future, so I want to invite you to feel free to come speak to me about any problems you might encounter. I'm usually either here or in the science labs if I'm not on the bridge," she said.

"Thank you. I'm hoping that between diplomacy and counseling I'll have plenty to do. I'm not so good with ship repairs, but I'm happy to help where I can."

"If I may be honest, I think a little counseling is something that everyone on this ship needs right now," Isabella said, trying her best to keep her voice level and calm as several matters of her own came to mind. She shoved the thoughts away quickly, burying them as she focused on her guest.

"I like being busy, and I'm happy to help anyone. Even if they just want to talk." Grace had been watching her face as she spoke. "And if you'd rather talk privately, we can always arrange something."

Isabella hesitated, knowing that the other woman was watching her carefully. Being a trained psychologist, she would been able to pick up on Isabella's shifts in mood and mental setting easily. She quickly thought about the possibility of discussing things with the counselor, and finally concluded that sooner or later, she would need to find closure. "I will have to take you up on that offer, Miss Winters, but I'd prefer if things aboard ship were settled into a more stable routine first," she said.

Grace smiled. "I understand. My door is always open. If you have nothing else for me, I should let you get back to your work."

"I was afraid you were eventually going to say that, Miss Winters," Isabella said with a smile. "If you ever need anything, please feel free to come find me."

"Oh, I will." Grace stood and smiled. "Good luck with the repairs. You can always use my office as a hiding place, if you need one." With a nod she turned and exited the room.

____
OFF


Commander Isabella dei`Silvisi
Executive Officer
Chief Science Officer

Grace Winters
Diplomat & Counselor

 

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