Mind over Matter [Finished]

[Deleted]

Luminareth walked into the waiting area of the Counselor's offices and took a look around. It seemed as though no one had shown up yet, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't. She noticed the receptionist at the desk and nodded to her as she stepped into the back.

She made her way to her office and as she entered, she noticed everything was the same as how she had left it when she had cleaned it up earlier the day before. She walked over to her desk and took seat, spinning the chair to face her computer. She also pulled her PADD, that she had left on the desk, over to her so that Luminareth could make sure everything was in sync with both of them.

She began to go through the information of the computer, looking through the files that she had already in the system, and seeing if there was anything that she could do while she waited on any clients that would show up to see her. Since they didn't have a Chief Counselor, it would be up to her to help with the influx of people who needed mental and emotional help.

Hopefully there would be some clients that came to her for help with everything that was going on right now. As she sat there, she began to let her mind drift back to Luis and the time that they shared, almost brief, it was nice. And she couldn't wait to do it again.

Luminareth sighed and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts so that she could get back to work. There would be more time for getting together and relationships later, when there wasn't work to be done.

"Lets get rolling..." She said to herself as she walked out to one of the outer desks with her PADD and stood over by the counter, by the receptionist, eager to have someone come in so that she could help them.

Tag ANY

[Deleted]

Things had slowed down in sickbay in a short time. Luis was thankful there was no seriously injured, just a lot at one time. Sitting down at the shift doctor's desk he shared with the other doctors he thought of Luminareth back in his quarters.He hated having to leave her just as they were both beginning to relax and get to know each other on a personal level.

Pulling out his PADD he sent her a message. "Finally got caught up. So sorry I had to leave you alone. Am preparing to head back. Ready for some coffee. Want to share a cup with me? See you in five minutes. Luis."

Washing his hands he looked at the other doctor. "Matt," he spoke to Darkstar. "I'm handing the keys back to you, hombre. I left a lady waiting for me back in my quarters. If you need me you know where I will be. See ya' wouldn't wanna be ya," he joked with a chuckle and a grin.

[Deleted]

As Luminareth stood there, awaiting some people to show up, her PADD buzzed in her arms. She looked down and smiled when she saw the message was from Luis.

"Finally got caught up. So sorry I had to leave you alone. Am preparing to head back. Ready for some coffee. Want to share a cup with me? See you in five minutes. Luis."

She grinned, and then remembered that she forgot to tell Luis that she was in her office. She immediately tapped her combadge and said,

//"Lt. Diego, You're needed in the Assistant Counselor's Office."//

Then she started to walk back towards her office, definitely much more eager to see Luis than she should be, especially since she knew that people were going to start coming in, looking to her for help.

Luminareth stopped for a moment and turned towards the receptionist before she rounded the corner and said, "Page me if anyone comes in."

"Yes ma'am." The receptionist said.

She then rounded the corner around the front desks and walked into her office. Luminareth took a seat at her desk, not sure what she should do, so she decided just to sit back and wait.

[Deleted]

Luis was walking down the corridor, almost to his quarters when he got the call.

//"Lt. Diego, You're needed in the Assistant Counselor's Office."//

He knew who that was. Smiling, he stopped in his tracks and tapped him commbadge.

//"Lt. Diego here. On my way."// He replied and changed direction towards the counselor's office where Areth shared an office with the Chief Counselor. He hadn't met the Chief Counselor yet and wasn't sure who it was but figured eventually he meet the person.

Finding his way to the Counselor's office he was met by the receptionist.

"Ah, yes," he cleared his as he put his hands behind his back in an at ease stance. "May I speak with Assistant Counselor Starla?" he asked and waited.

"Might I have your name, please?" she asked him.

"Lieutenant Diego," he told her.

"Please have a seat and I will let her know you are here," she pointed to some chairs lining the wall.

As he took a seat she went into Areth's office and closed the door behind her. Luis looked the area over. It was neat and tidy, not looking at all like his quarters looked like. Of course there had been someone here to straighten things up. There had been no one in his quarters.

The receptionist returned. "You may go in now, Lieutenant Diego. Counselor Starla is expecting you."

"Thank you," Luis stood and went into the office where he found Areth.
"Hey you," he smiled at her as he closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry I abandoned you. Wow! You have a great office. I had no idea this was even here."

TAG Luminareth, Any

[Deleted]

//"Lt. Diego here. On my way."//

Luminareth smiled as she heard him answer. She was definitely getting too exited by the minute. She wasn't sure how long it would take him to get here because she wasn't sure where he had been when she paged him. She hoped he hadn't been too far because she didn't want to inconveinence him.

Just as she was finishing reading something on her PADD, the door to her office opened. It was her receptionist.

"Ma'am, you told me to let you know if anyone came in. There is a Lieutenant Diego here to see you." She replied, standing in a calm stance with her arms behind her back.

Luminareth grinned, and replied, "You can send him in. I was expecting him." She smiled again.

The receptionist nodded and left the office.

Only a moment passed and Luminaerth heard footsteps and when she looked up she saw Luis walk into her office.

"Hey you, I'm sorry I abandoned you."

"It's alright. I needed to come here anyway and see about setting everything up so that when I get clients I can help them in the best possible way." She said, smiling, but she wasn't going to tell him that the other reason she left was that she had a fear of being alone. She hated being alone with her thoughts and the silence. It was the silence she hated the most. And it seemed dark and depression and so very quiet when Luis had left, so she decided to come to her office.

"Wow! You have a great office. I had no idea this was even here.

Luminareth took a look around her office when he made that comment. "Yes, I didn't even know I was going to have an office. I actually thought I would be at one of those little desks in the front. But when I came here while I took that little break in Sickbay, I straightened up a bit. It was only me yesterday. I don't when the receptionist got here, but I'm glad she's here." She said, and with a smile she replied, "And I'm glad you're here too."

[Deleted]

Having finally finished putting the cargo bay back in order after the chaos following the impact of the ship with the debris, Adam was told to go get some rest, and that was exactly what he planned on doing. He went to his quarters and sprawled out on the couch, but was distracted by the luminescent oyster that rested, unopened, on the nearby table. He had been putting off opening it, but now, after so much turmoil during the red alert, he wondered if it contained some sort of skill that might have been helpful to the crew had he known it already.

Sitting up, he reached for it and held it for a second before wrestling with it and eventually getting it open. For some reason, the pearl inside reminded him of Ziana, but he knew she was way out of his league, especially after their last encounter. His finger hesitated for a second over the pearl. What if it wasn't a skill? What if it was some memory, some vision, that would drive him off of the Talon like so many had done already? Shaking his head, he knew that wouldn't happen. He was devoted to the Talon and he wouldn't want to disappoint his father. With determination, he jammed his finger onto the pearl and waited.

His eyes opened wide, as did his mouth, and the oyster slipped from his hand, falling to hit his boot-covered toes. With glazed eyes, he looked down at his foot. "No no no no," he muttered.

~~~

Minutes later, Adam was standing in the reception area of the Counselor's office.

"The Chief Counselor is out on another call," the receptionist said. "And Lieutenant Starla is in a meeting with Doctor Diego."

"I'll wait," Adam said. "A doctor might be a good person to see, too," he said. He couldn't meet the eyes of the receptionist. Instead, he kept his head lowered slightly and pretended to examine an entertainment PADD that he had picked up from the pile at the desk.

"I will let them know," she said. Tapping her comm, she was as good as her word. "Sorry to interrupt, but Ensign Cross says he needs to see someone. He claims he wouldn't mind a doctor in the room."

Tag Either

[Deleted]

"I don't when the receptionist got here, but I'm glad she's here. And I'm glad you're here too."

Luis smiled at her comment but blushed, despite feeling flattered under her accepting gaze. "I'm glad you called for me," he told her. "After you're off duty would you care to have a drink?" He knew the alcohol wasn't really alcohol but it still tasted good and helped to relax the person imbibing. "And perhaps dinner? I know you haven't been to your quarters as of yet so maybe we could meet there later."

"Sorry to interrupt, but Ensign Cross says he needs to see someone. He claims he wouldn't mind a doctor in the room."

Luis heard the comm to Areth and instinctively changed his frame of mind to doctor mode but wondered what the Ensign wanted that he would need both a medical doctor and a counselor. With out asking he moved over to a chair in the corner of the room and, sitting down, crossed his legs and waited.

TAG Adam, Areth, Open

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"I'm glad you called for me. After you're off duty would you care to have a drink? And perhaps dinner? I know you haven't been to your quarters as of yet so maybe we could meet there later."

Luminareth smiled at him. She was enjoying getting to know him more and more. She sighed in content and said, "A drink sounds great, and dinner..." She grinned, "Even better." Then she thought about the comment of her quarters. She thought to herself, 'Yes...it might be nice to see them...'

She was just about say something else when her comm badge went off with the familiar voice of her receptionist,

//"Sorry to interrupt, but Ensign Cross says he needs to see someone. He claims he wouldn't mind a doctor in the room."//

All of sudden, Luminareth began to get excited. Her first client. She wasn't sure why the Ensign had come, but she was ready to help him. Her mind instantly switched from the nonchalant flirtative attitude to her calm and collected Counselor state of mind.

Luminareth tapped her comm badge and with a bit of a smirk, said,

//"You may send him in. And Lt. Diego will stay in here and assist me."//

She turned to Luis and smiled, "Here we go. My first client. I hope I can assist him as much as possible. I can't wait to start helping more people and learning new knowledge." And with a big of a grin she replied, "I'm also glad you are you with me to experience it."

Then with a business-like tone she said, "And after this session, I want your personal opinion on my approach and technique. It would help with a 3rd person's point of view who is seeing my work for the first time to give me some constructive criticism. Anyway."

[Deleted]

He knew his dad would have a fit if he found out he was going to see a 'shrink' and, for a moment while waiting, he almost considered backing out and leaving before they called for him. As he waited, he fiddled with the controls of the entertainment PADD that he held. Someone before him had mucked with the settings and every article was magnified over three-hundred percent. As he fixed it, he wondered if the counselors monitored the patients out in the waiting room. Maybe fixing the display properties was somehow linked to how the patients viewed their own life. Or something. Adam cleared his throat and put the PADD down.

"This way, Ensign," the assistant said with a smile.

Adam stood up and followed meekly behind the woman, feeling somewhat like the proverbial lamb to the slaughter. As the door opened, Adam stood awkwardly in the doorway until the receptionist pointed him toward a chair, which he quickly took. He eyed the couch with uncertainty. Would they make him lie down like in the holovids? He wasn't so sure he wanted to talk to someone about this while lying down.

"Lieutenants," he said. Wait. Was he supposed to call her 'counselor'? Adam's flight instinct was trying to assert control, but he pushed it away. He needed help. What he had seen in the oyster... Suddenly, his face reddened and he smiled from one to the other nervously. Was he expected to just blurt out his problems, or was there a procedure? Why didn't they have a "what to expect" pamphlet in the waiting room?!

Tag Either

[Deleted]

Seeing the young Ensign come into the room he wanted to put him at ease immediately and come across as a friend. Smiling he stood up and shook his hand.

"Hello there, Ensign Cross. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Lieutenant Diego," he spoke softly but with a friendly tone. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to introduce Areth or not but he decided it would most likely make Cross more comfortable to know they were there to help him. "And this is Lieutenant Starla," he motioned to Areth.

Backing off he sat back down and waited as it was Areth's office and her domain, so to speak. But he did wonder why Adam wanted to see both of them. Sometimes health ailments had their roots in mental or emotional problems. Or it could just be something as simple as not wanting to be alone with a female, but from the looks of him, he doubted Cross had any problems in that department.

[Deleted]

Luminareth watched as Luis warmed up to the Ensign. She smiled and thought to herself, 'I bet he's good with children as well. That would be a sight to see.' She imagined for moment of seeing Luis with children around him with a smile on his face. She grinned and shook her head to clear it and turned back to the business at hand.

"Hello there, Ensign Cross. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Lieutenant Diego, and this is Lieutenant Starla,"

Luminaerth nodded to Luis's introduction on her. She smiled and stood up to shake the Ensign's hand as well. "Nice to meet you, Ensign Cross. I'm looking forward to our session. I'm here to help you in any way that I can."

She was really getting excited to have her first client in office and surely didn't want to blow it. She wasn't sure what he wanted from the both of them, but she was here to help him to the best of her ability and since Luis was here as well, that could be a plus.

It would be interesting to see what all was wrong with him. Even though he wasn't much younger than herself, she hoped that her age wouldn't make him think that she couldn't help him. A lot of people thought she wasn't wise since she wasn't aged. Age didn't matter. Experiences did. She grew up with an exceptional set of parents who made sure she was knowledgeable and turned that knowledge into wisdom to use later on in life. She was half-Vulcan after all, a bit of wisdom was natural.

Luminareth sat back down in her chair and gestured her arm to the couch next to Luis's chair. "If you please, you can have a seat there, and we get get started." She said in a reassuring voice, her smile bright and comforting to Ensign Cross.

Tag Adam, Luis

OOC: Sorry guys, for the big break between posts. I apologize.

[Deleted]

"Hello there, Ensign Cross. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Lieutenant Diego."

Adam shook the man's hand and said a brief, "Thank you, Sir," before turning toward Lieutenant Starla who had just entered.

"Nice to meet you, Ensign Cross. I'm looking forward to our session. I'm here to help you in any way that I can."

"Ma'am."

"If you please, you can have a seat there, and we get get started."

The couch? Adam swallowed. She said 'a seat', he remonstrated himself. She hadn't said to lie down. Nervously, he sat, with his butt on the very edge of the couch, his hands wrung together in his lap. He looked from one to the other and back again. Was he expected to just start talking? The silence spread out before them, as thick as jam.

"Um."

A shaky hand raised up and ran through is blonde hair, ruffling it more than usual. He had faced the Salorri, so why was this so difficult?

He cleared his throat and fiddled with the edge of his uniform. Why did the counselor have to be female? Why were all the counselors female? He had inquired beforehand, discretely. Swallowing, he turned slightly toward Diego. "Is there a way to unlearn something," he asked. Maybe if he did it that way he wouldn't have to give out the details. "I mean, if you have something in your brain, can just that thought be removed?"

Tag Either

[Deleted]

Luis tried to take the subordinate position. This was, after all, Areth's office and he would take his cues from her. Scooting further back in his seat he crossed his legs and folded his hands on his lap, waiting to see where this would go. Looking down at the floor, trying to not make Adam feel uncomfortable, he was taken back a bit when he asked him a question.

"Is there a way to unlearn something, I mean, if you have something in your brain, can just that thought be removed?"

Luis frowned for a moment and cleared his throat. "Well, that depends, Adam," he used his first name to make the Ensign feel comfortable. "Sometimes talking about what's bothering you can take away the power the thought has over you. When you dwell on something it can become bigger than it actually is but sharing something with another, in this case a counselor," he motioned towards Areth, "you can gain tools to help you to see the thought in a different light and learn to handle it.

"And it can help us to understand if the problem is psychological, emotional or medical. My advice to you is to talk to Counselor Starla and allow her to help you. And I want to remind you that anything you say here will be held in strictest confidence. No one else will know anything but us three," he told him hoping this would help Adam to feel secure enough to talk openly.

((ooc: I accidently deleted the wrong post when I transferred a post to a new thread so I will sign out of this one . Sorry for the mix up.))

End Luis

[Deleted]

Lieutenant Starla seemed awfully quiet, so Adam just assumed she was letting Luis take point in the conversation. Odd, though, since it was her office.

"Sometimes talking about what's bothering you can take away the power the thought has over you."

Adam highly doubted that.

"When you dwell on something it can become bigger than it actually is but sharing something with another, in this case a counselor, you can gain tools to help you to see the thought in a different light and learn to handle it."

Adam blushed at the unintentional double entendres that came from such an innocent statement. In that moment, he rose slightly, thinking it would be better for all of them if he just left.

"And it can help us to understand if the problem is psychological, emotional or medical."

The color in his cheeks deepened even further.

"My advice to you is to talk to Counselor Starla and allow her to help you. And I want to remind you that anything you say here will be held in strictest confidence. No one else will know anything but us three."

He realized then and there that this was definitely not something he could voice out loud to a woman. Never in a million years. Why didn't they have male counselors?! Sighing, he looked down at his hands. "It's... something the oyster gave me. I don't want it. But I can't forget it. I..." Squeezing his eyes shut, he squirmed in his seat. "I don't want to know it!" He fairly shouted the last part. Opening his eyes, he looked from Luminareth to Luis. "It's-" He couldn't. Smashing his hands together in frustration, he took a deep breath, then stood, moved over to Diego, and leaned over to whisper in his ear. His words were rapid so as to get it over with as quickly as he could. Hurrying back to his chair, he put his elbows on his knees and buried his embarrassed face in his hands.

Tag Either
PM to you, Luis

[Deleted]

"Is there a way to unlearn something. I mean, if you have something in your brain, can just that thought be removed?"

Luminareth looked at Adam, tilting her head to the side. Unlearn something? 'Hmmm...' She thought. 'She wasn't sure about that.

"Well, that depends, Adam. Sometimes talking about what's bothering you can take away the power the thought has over you. When you dwell on something it can become bigger than it actually is but sharing something with another, in this case a counselor, you can gain tools to help you to see the thought in a different light and learn to handle it."

"And it can help us to understand if the problem is psychological, emotional or medical. My advice to you is to talk to Counselor Starla and allow her to help you. And I want to remind you that anything you say here will be held in strictest confidence. No one else will know anything but us three."

She watched as Luis took point and decided to give his perspective on the whole matter. It was interesting to hear what he had to say anyway. She decided it was better to sit back and listen.

"It's... something the oyster gave me. I don't want it. But I can't forget it. I...I don't want to know it! It's-"

Luminareth's eyebrows furrowed and she looked from Luis to Adam with a look of confusion. 'What were they talking about?' She wondered.

"Ah, now I understand. Yes well, Areth, this is something - how shall I put this - extremely delicate. Ensign Cross doesn't feel comfortable speaking with a woman and so, with or without your permission, I am going to take him to a private room and talk with him alone. I know you'll understand. Ensign, I am in need of a cup of coffee. I heard they serve a mean cup in the conference room. Would you care to join me?"

Suddenly Luminareth understood somewhat of what they were talking about. She was sure it had something to do with guy to guy and that wasn't something she could help him with no matter how hard she tried. She sighed to herself. Her first client and she couldn't even help him. That made her upset, but she kept her smile on her face, even though you could see it in her eyes.

She nodded to Luis and Adam. "You are welcome to use the conference room. Let me know if you need my help. I'll be right here." She said.