PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION - LEVIN
 

Stardate:  37310.28
Time:  11:00 hours
Place:  Chronos - Sickbay / Counselor’s Office
People:  Talt / Levin / Solart

[Talt] * standing in the open doorway between the sickbay proper and the smaller Counselor’s office. *  “Hi, Mr. Levin, I was wondering if you could spend little time with me.”  :: Talt addresses Saul as he is in the sickbay.  Mirifice glances up at Dr. Solart mock seriously.  ::  “That is, if your father doesn’t think I’ll be too bad an influence.”

[Saul]  ::Reading his PADD and sitting in a quite corner of sickbay.  FAR AWAY from the EMHP or any one else who might be in sick bay (especially sick people).  Trying very hard to restrain himself from getting into any trouble and stick to his studies.
Fortunately, this lesson is actually interesting to Saul.  He has taken a detour in the subject of health education and is learning about EMHPs.::

%telepathic to Dad% "Another eval, huh??  I suppose I've got to do this, huh?"

* Talt’s eyes are sparkling with good humor and a smile is playing around her lips.  Her emotional state is one of anticipating something fun and she is feeling very playful. *

<>

* Once inside the office, Lt. Talt leaves the door open so that Saul and Adrian will be able to hear each other if they want to.  Lt. Talt’s office is a vast playground of colorful ‘things’.  On every chair, on the desk, even hanging out of the replicator  there is something different and shinning. *

* Lt. Talt's desk is likewise cluttered and jumbled with things.  Among the datapads and scarves on her desk, Saul can spot a small metal flute, a stuffed doll, a miniature of an Excalibur class starship, two silver enameled plates, a copper and silver necklace with a large tear-dropped shaped pendant, a small fern in clay pot, three small books, and a small statue of a wooden horse.  Some of the datapads are obviously games and art programs.  There are a number of other items too obscured by the general clutter to make out. *

:: As Saul looks around, Lt. Talt speaks in a fairly stern voice that still has a hint of a smile in it. ::

[Talt] “Now, Saul.  I only have one rule for you while you are in this office.  And that is - if you play with something, you have to put it back where you got it.  OK?” :: She looks down at Levin, and she is smiling though her eyes show that she means what she says. ::

[Saul]:: Looks around the room with some interest.  It does not look like any other counselor's office that he knows.  He has been though the routine before.  He spies a comfortable looking chair and plops himself down. ::

* Saul, though only 9 years old has been though several of these evaluations before.  On probably more than one occasion he has managed to either read a copy of his evaluation or sense enough information that he has a general idea of what the counselor was thinking about him.  He wants to be polite and get though this but he is thinking
"here we go again".  Right now he is wanting to learn more about EMHP but would take the opportunity to learn about the counselor position.  He is half wondering if an EMHP could be programmed to take on the responsibilities of a ships counselor. *

:: Talt walks over to the replicator.  Draped around the inside of the unit is a colorful series of connecting blocks, coiled up with the end hanging down the wall.  Talt picks it up, and looks back at Saul.  She laughs and rolls her eyes.  Then, holding the toy, she asks. ::

[Talt] “So, what kind of cookies do you like, Saul?”

[Saul] "I prefer shortbread cookies.  How long will these tests take?  How many are you planning on administering or are you just going to do the good old talk about this and that type of assessment where you want me to talk about my Mom and how I feel about my Dad?  Is it true you are Betazoid?  How long have you been with Star Fleet?  Do you like your job?  Why is your desk so cluttered?  All the other counselors that I've been to see had clean desks.  Well, there was one who's desk was messy but it was  just littered with all sorts of PADDS and such."

:: Talt smiles widely, still holding the chain of connecting blocks.  Then, she speaks over her shoulder to the replicator. ::

[Talt] “Cookies, shortbread, Talt 2.” :: As a medium sized blue plate with six large golden cookies on it materializes within the replicator, Lt. Talt draws up deep breath and laughs a little.  Her eyes are sparkling. ::

[Talt] “Well, these tests should only take a couple of minutes.  I was thinking of using a modified version of a test that I designed myself.  You can talk about whatever you like.”

:: Talt turns and picks up the plate of cookies in her free hand and carefully replaces the chain of blocks with her other hand.  Then, she turns back to Saul.  With a warm smile on her face, she walks over to where Saul is sitting and extends the plate. ::

[Talt] “Here, please have a cookie.”

[Saul] ::Takes a cookie off of the plate.:: "Thank you."

:: Lt. Talt places the plate down on her desk.  Then, she leans back and braces her hips against the desk’s edge.  She smiles over at Saul and continues speaking. ::

[Talt] “Yes, I’m a full Betazed.  I’ve been with Starfleet for a little over 15 years, now.  And I LOVE my job.”  :: Talt says this last with a huge grin and a flash in her eyes. ::  “My desk is messy, because I like things.  And I like to have them around me.  Each one of them holds a memory for me.  And I like that.  What about you?”

[Saul] :: Shrugs his shoulders. ::
 
~~ He thinks of his mother and the few memories he has of her.  He has a picture of her that he struggles to keep fresh in his mind. ~~

"I've got some things of my mom's.  Those are important.  "

* These are very important to Saul and while he does not want to downplay their importance he does not feel all that comfortable talking to a stranger about them.  These are things that he would talk to his dad or a trusted adult to in depth.  He would need to know Talt longer before feeling safe in telling her more. *

~~ He searches for a moment while trying to think of something else to say. ~~

:: There is a short pause while Saul looks around the room.  He gestures towards the small flute on her desk. ::

"Do you play the flute?"

:: Talt smiles and picks up the small flute.  She walks over to Saul and holds it out to him. ::

* The flute is approximately six inches long and maybe half an inch in diameter.  It has a reed-cut mouthpiece on one end and proceeds straight down its length to the open other end.  It is made of a silver metal and has 5 finger holes and 1 thumb hole.  While it is not tarnished, it is a bit battered and scratched. *

[Talt] “ No.” :: Talt says a little wistfully and then she laughs gently. ::  “This is my little sister’s Terisha.  She used to play it a great deal when she was younger.  Then, when she was packing to go to the University a few years ago, I saw it in her  discard pile and asked if I could have it as a keepsake.  Would you like to hold it?”

[Saul] :: Shrugs shoulder. ::

"Naw. I never did like music lessons.  I tried for a while but its much harder than computers and stuff.   Do you like having a sister?  I mean didn't she get in the way and things like that?"

:: Talt smiles warmly and looks down at the Terisha. ::

[Talt] “Yes, I like having a little sister.  My sister and I were real close friends even though she was alot younger than me.”

:: Talt looks back up at Saul and smiles, her eyes lit with recollection. ::

[Talt] “And, you bet, there were times when I THOUGHT that she was in the way.  But you know what?  I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  Because even when I was short or impatient with my sister, I was always glad that she was there to share our life together.  I wouldn’t be the person I am today, if my Sotia hadn’t been there for me.”

[Saul] "Yeah I can understand that.  I guess I'm just used to it being me and Dad.  It is hard to imagine what it would be like to have a sister or a brother.  "

:: He pauses a moment and looks around. ::

* Saul is not completely sure where to go next in the conversation.  It feels like he has said all he needs to but it somehow does not feel right to just start asking LOTS more questions as is his usual mode of operation (i.e. when one question is answered follow up with a minimum of ten more either on the current subject or on another one).  He is relatively happy with it just being him and his dad.  In fact he kind of likes it. *

"So did you say you were going to do some tests?"

:: Saul smiles at the doctor as he feels he has finally found a way to move on from that topic. ::

:: Talt crosses her arms casually and leans back against her desk edge with one hip and rest there.  She looks over to Saul smiling and yet also obviously considering something. ::

[Talt] “Actually, I was wondering if you could help me.  You see, so far I’ve mostly only worked with adults.  I’ve never really had the opportunity to work with someone like you.  Someone who is as mature and experienced as you are at this age.”

:: Talt uncrosses her arms and gestures with her hands as she continues. ::

[Talt] “You said that you’ve seen other counselors.  What did they do right?” :: Talt gets a mischievous gleam in her eye. :: “And more importantly, what did they do wrong?” :: Talt’s expression changes to one of sincerity. :: “You see, Saul, I’d really like it if we got along. And I would like your help in figuring out how to do that.”

[Saul] :: Pauses a moment while he thinks about his answer. ::

"Some before I even met them had assumptions about how I should be raised. They would be all concerned about all the time I spend on a star ship. They would ask questions like 'How do you like being on a star ship?' or 'Don't you feel left out of activities with other kids?'  They would also ask things about if I felt lonely because my dad got different assignments.  I think they wanted me stuck on some planet somewhere without my dad so I could have a 'normal' life."

::Saul sighs almost in disgust.  He takes a deep breath and launches into another stream of words.::

"What good is a normal life if you are away from your dad?  Gawds, some of these guys were so short sighted they only saw one way of doing things.  There would be lots of tests where they would try and figure out how lonely I am since I don't hang out with other kids.  They would want to talk about my mom and see if I was still grieving.  As if they really cared.  They just wanted to get their evaluation done so they could okay me to go along with my dad or not."

"You’re definitely not like them.  I mean, at least you’re asking what I think.  They cared mostly about how they thought."

"I guess I got a little side tracked huh?  Did that answer your question?  "

:: Saul hopes he has not insulted her by giving his opinion of others in her line of work.  At the same time he looks uneasy about what he just said but also looks very sure of himself and his feelings. ::

[Talt] :: smiles warmly :: “Yes, it answered my question perfectly.  I believe” :: Talt’s eyes look to the side and she grins and then looks back at Saul :: “you just said that you did not want to prejudged and that you would prefer it if someone cared about you rather than your test scores.  Do I have that right?” :: Talt eyes sparkle with humor. ::

[Talt] “You know, Saul.  I don’t think that’s unreasonable at all.  For anyone.  And I assure you, that I can at least do that much for you.” :: Talt winks. ::

:: Talt rolls her eyes and sighs. ::

[Talt] “Oh, and I know some counselors like the ones you described.  I try to be nice and say that they are concerned with overall psychological theories and that their work is important to sentients as a whole.  But honestly, no, they aren’t very nice in person.” :: Talt scrunches up her nose and looks at Saul conspiratorially.  Then her face straightens out and she beams warmly. ::

[Talt] “So then, Saul.  What did you want to get out of this voyage?  I mean, it’s a great opportunity for you.  What did you want to do or learn anything in particular while you’re on the Chronos?”

[Saul]  "Well I guess, I want to be with my dad.  That is most important.  So far, it has been really cool being here.  People are way friendly and stuff.  And the EMHP is a way WAY way cool thing.  I'm bummed that I'm not supposed to play with it.  This time travel thing sound fun too.  I still can't get anyone to tell me what we are doing.  I mean, I going along as well so I figure that I ought to know these things."  :: Takes a deep breath and tries to think about what else to say. ::  "I guess I want to have fun and learn some stuff along the way."

:: Talt nods and smiles warmly as Saul talks. ::

[Talt] "I think that's pretty much what most of us want to do.  But . . ."

:: Talt stares off into space thinking for a moment. Then she snaps her attention back to Saul with a sparkle in her eye. ::

[Talt] "You know who should ask about what we're doing - Lt. Cmdr. Orestes.  All of the rest of us have big old Classified Mission warnings hanging over our heads.  I think that you're right and that you should know."

:: Talt bounces her head a little. ::

[Talt] "But, just like you said, I am in Starfleet and that means I have to obey orders.  Now Lt. Cmdr. Orestes, he can make decisions about who knows what.  If you can present him with a good enough argument.  You might get an answer from him."

:: Talt leans forward a little conspiratorially. ::

[Talt] "And I happen to know that he is a very nice man." :: She says smiling. ::  "You could even tell him that I suggested you ask him. "

[Saul] "I can?  Cool!  I think I've seen Lt. Cmdr. Orestes around.  I will tell him why I want to know where I am going and so forth.  That sounds like a great idea."

:: Saul smiles excitedly at Dr. Talt.  He has lots of energy and looks like he could explode from the chair at any moment now. ::

:: Talt looks at Saul seriously but trying to repress a smile. ::

[Talt] "Saul, hang on a second.  Think about this a little before you rush out to see Lt. Cmdr. Orestes.  What I want you to think about is not why you should get what you want - but why the Lt. Cmdr. should give it to you.  Do you understand?  Have you ever heard the phrase 'you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar'?"

:: Saul is trying very hard to attend to what Dr. Talt is saying. ::

[Saul] "I've had lots of folks tell me that.  I guess I rush into things way fast some times.  What I think you are saying is that I have to convince Lt. Cmdr Orestes to tell me what I want but to do it in a nice way that makes him want to give me the information.  Kind of sneaky stuff."  :: Saul looks at Dr. Talt to see if he has understood her properly. ::

* He is also realizing that he has several things he need to do before he would have time to approach Lt. Commander Orestes.  He is trying to think of when might be a good time to plot to see him. *

:: Talt makes strong eye contact with Saul as he explains.  And nods periodically.  When he gets to the "sneaky stuff" line, she smiles and leans back in her chair. ::

* Mentally she is laughing out loud with surprised humor.  An "out of the mouths of babes" feeling comes off of her. *

[Talt]  "No, no" :: chuckling :: "not sneaky stuff.  When people think before they act, it's called "polite".  And what I meant  . . . oh don't try to sneak by Lt. Cmdr. Orestes - he's the security chief.  He wouldn't take that well." :: Talt shakes her head chuckling with her eyes sparkling. ::  "What I do when I know that I have to ask someone for something, is to . . . pretend I'm them for a little bit.  And then see what would convince me - if I were them, that is."  :: Talt checks to see if Saul is following her.  She shakes her heads.  Then takes a breath. ::

[Talt] "Like this . . . I'm Lt. Cmdr. Orestes.  I am Chief of Security for the Chronos.  The safety of the crew and the secrecy of the mission are my responsibility.  What would make me tell Saul Levin where we are going? . . . Well, I would only tell him if . . . I TRUSTED him."

:: Talt had been standing up very straight, now she leans back against her desk again and cocks her head at Saul. ::

[Talt] "See, and I'll bet I'm right too.  If you want the Lt. Cmdr. to tell you things, you have to convince him to trust you.  And Lt. Cmdr. Orestes is very smart.  You won't get him to trust you by lying or sneaking around. "  :: Talt shakes her head. :: "Does that make sense?"

::Saul listens quite attentively to Dr. Talt as she talks. ::

[Saul] ~~ Grownup sure do have funny ways of putting things...  Polite just meaning do things the way they want you to not what comes naturally.  I call that sneaky.  She does have a point though.  I will have to figure out a way to get this guy to trust me.  I'm a kid that ought to be good for something in the trust department. ~~

[Saul] "Yeah, I think I do understand.  I will work hard not to scare him off with too many questions too quickly.  I will try and be polite."  :: Saul smiles and hope that he has said what he was supposed to.  For an adult Dr. Talt is pretty nice and dong her best to be helpful.::

:: Talt smiles and stands up. ::

[Talt] "Well, that's a great start.  But if it's important to you, then think about it some more, OK?"

:: Talt picks up the plate of cookies off of her desk and starts across to where Saul is sitting. ::

[Talt] "Well, Saul, that's just about it.  Thank you very much for coming in.  I really enjoyed talking with you.  Did you want to take a cookie with you when you leave?"

:: As Talt brings the plate over, she wobbles a little on one foot and the plate slues a bit.  Two of the cookies fall off the plate and into Saul's lap.  Talt's eyes get wide and she covers her mouth with one hand. ::

[Talt] "Oh, my, Saul.  I'm sorry.  This carpet is still new and oh . . . I apologize."

[Saul] ::Picks up the two cookies in his lap and starts to eat one of them. :: "That's okay.  I do those sorts of things all too often.  They say that it has something to do with getting used to my body as it gets bigger.  I sure hope it does not last to long.  "  :: Saul stands up and brushes the cookies crumbs off of his lap. ::

[Saul] "It was nice chatting with you as well.  You're pretty cool for a doctor.  I guess I will probably be seeing you from time to time seeing as how you're so close to sickbay where my dad works.  Hope you get used to the carpet soon."

:: Saul heads to the door. ::

[Talt] "Thank you, Saul.  You're pretty nice too.  I'm sure we'll be seeing alot of each other.  Take care now."  :: Talt escorts Saul to the door and then turns back to her office. ::

[Saul]  "Later!"

:: Saul leaves her office.  He decided that while he thinks about how he will approach Lt. Commander Orestes he will go see if someone left the EMHP running and go play with it for a while. ::