PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION - SHARPE
 

* While sitting in the officer’s mess chatting with Commander Deling and other members of the Chronos, Lt. Terry Sharpe received a comm beep. *

[Talt] %Communicator% "Lt. Sharpe?  This is Lieutenant Talt.  I've been assigned as the ship's counselor for the Chronos.  An-nd I was wondering, if you get an opportunity anytime soon - could I see you in my office?  At your convenience, of course."

* Talt's voice is a low alto and she sounds a little distracted. *

[Sharpe]%Communicator% “Dr. Talt.  I would be exuberantly overjoyed to meet with you in your office within a reasonable temporal parameter concurrent with the consumption of my beverage and the culmination of my conversation with our dubious Commander Deling.”
 
* The mess hall fell silent as people began to stare at Lt. Sharpe’s exhaustive use of verbiage. *

[Talt]%Communicator% :: chuckling :: “I greatly appreciate your alacrity, Lt. Sharpe, but I have no desire to unnaturally shorten your discourse with our dubious Commander.  Please feel free to engage in communication with myself at any convenient temporal designation of the morrow.  I, too, truly look forward to interfacing with you.”

*********************************************************

:: Lt. Sharpe arrives outside of the Counselor's temporary office aboard the drydock.  Terry takes a moment to comb his hair, adjust his uniform and stroke his facial hair before stepping up to the Doctor's door. ::

* Office door sounds *

[Talt]"Come in."

:: Lt. Terry Sharpe hesitantly enters the room and tries to seem like he isn't nervous. ::

[Sharpe] ~~I hope she doesn't ask too many questions about my Mother...I wonder how Deling scored on his Psych Eval...How in the world do Klingons bring themselves to eat Gaukh...I wonder how Dr. Talt scored on her Eval...How do some Humans bring themselves to eat steamed spinach...WAIT! Dr. Talt is a Betazoid, she has probably been reading every thought I have just had...This could get VERY embarrassing VERY quickly.~~

:: Lieutenant Talt looks up, a momentary look of distraction clouding her gray eyes.  With a quick shake of her head, she focuses on the young man before her.  A smile warms her face. ::

[Sharpe]"Dr. Talt, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.  I am Lt. Terry Sharpe, impending Chief Science Officer of the USS Chronos.  You have a lovely office here.  I have brought you a gift."

:: Terry reaches into his duffel bag and draws out a philosophical text written by Dr. Alora Dane, a historical Betazed Philosopher and presents it to Dr. Talt. ::

"I don't know if you have read any of her works, but I have found them to be quite enlightening.  I am ready to begin whenever you are, Doctor."

:: Lt. Talt gets up from behind an immensely cluttered makeshift desk and walks over to stand near Lt. Sharpe.  Her expression is one of pleasant surprise. ::

[Talt]“Why, Lieutenant, how sweet.  I’ve read a few of her smaller pieces in other collections but have never had the opportunity to read more of her work.  Thank you very much.”

[Talt] %Telepathically% “Yes, Lieutenant.  Betazed are telepathic, but I assure you, we do not READ other peoples’ minds.  We hear them - the same way you would hear any noises around yourself - regardless of whether you wanted to or not.  Consequently, we have become somewhat used to disregarding the random thoughts of any non-telepathic peoples around us.  Don’t worry about it at all, Lieutenant.  Your thoughts are very much your own private affair.  And this is the last time I will interrupt their course.  I promise.”
 
:: Lt. Talt turns around and places the book gently on a pile of brightly colored scarves(?) near the center of her desk.  Then she turns back to Sharpe, gently chuckling. ::

[Talt] “I’m afraid that you’ve caught me quite unprepared, Lieutenant Sharpe.” :: Talt laughs gently at herself. ::  “I was planning on scheduling your evaluation for some time tomorrow.  But as long as you are here, there is a question I’ve been meaning to ask you.  I understand that you speak many historical human languages from the Twentieth Century.  I’m a bit of a history buff myself and I was hoping that we’d have a chance to get together and discuss some language versus cultural development issues.  But first, I have something for you too.”

:: Lt. Talt turns away before Sharpe can respond and starts rooting around on her makeshift desk.  A quick survey of her office paints quite a picture.  There are a number of various sized packing crates stacked up in the corner of the office.  Some of them are half-open and spilling out a wide variety of items.  Datapads, antiques, holo-cubes and a large number of brightly colored fabric somethings drape over the crates. ::

:: Lt. Talt's desk is likewise cluttered and jumbled with things teetering dangerously near the desk edge.  Among the datapads and scarves on her desk, Lieutenant Sharpe can spot a Klingon D'K Tahg, 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.  There are a number of other items too obscured by the general clutter to make out. ::

[Talt] “Where are they?  Where are they?”

:: Lieutenant Talt mutters to herself as she searches through the clutter.  Her actions disturb the jumble and several items drop off her desk onto the gray carpeted floor.  Mirifice glances briefly at the fallen junk, shrugs, and continues with her search.  After a few seconds, she finds what she’s looking for and turns back to Lieutenant Sharpe. Proudly displayed in her hands is a medium blue sized plate holding 6 large cookies. ::

[Talt] “Would you like a cookie, Lieutenant?  I replicated them from my own recipe.”

:: Lieutenant Talt smiles up at Sharpe cheerfully. ::

:: Lieutenant Sharpe smiles as well and gladly takes an offered cookie from the plate and gives it a taste. ::

[Sharpe] "Please, call me Terry.  I am ashamed to admit that I have never seriously considered the ramifications of Language on a telepathic culture such as the one on Betazed..."
~~ ...but it seems to me that verbiage would be a bit antiquated comparatively...then again my exposure to this medium of communication is considerably limited...I believe that the probability of several of those objects falling off of her desk during our conversation is at least 37.58462%...I can hardly believe this cookie was replicated, then again it has been a VERY long time since I have eaten food prepared any other way. ~~

:: Sharpe begins to concentrate very hard in a feeble (by Betazed standards) attempt to project his thoughts. ::
~~ WOULD YOU RATHER CONTINUE THIS INTERVIEW USING TELEPATHIC COMMUNICATION?  I AM RATHER INTRIGUED AT THE PROSPECT OF COMMUNICATING IN THIS MANNER, SINCE COMMUNICATION OR MORE SPECIFICLY LANGUAGE IS A HOBBY OF MINE~~
"Did you get that Doctor?"

* Talt smiles widely. *

[Talt] “I certainly did, Lieutenant.  You’re a very clear thinker.  But for the rest of the conversation, why don’t we just talk?  It’s just possible that if you start concentrating on thinking too much, you might find yourself subject to the centipede’s dilemma.  And really, I’d hate for you to have to work so hard just to talk to me.  But, I tell you what, after we’re settled on the Chronos I’d be glad to give you some pointers on telepathic protocols.”

* Lt. Talt puts the plate of cookies down carefully in the center of her desk, near but not on top of the book of philosophical treatises.  Then she leans back against the edge of the desk, upsetting nothing.  Talt then picks up a cookie herself and nibbles on it gently between her next few sentences. *

[Talt] “I’m thrilled to hear that you’re interested in Language, Lt. Sharpe.  I did my undergraduate work in Language and Cognitive Development.  It’s a fascinating field - one I don’t think I’ll ever tire of.  What studies have you engaged in in pursuit of your hobby?”

[Sharpe] " Once I composed a thesis concerning the cultural solidarity that language brings, but I never submitted it.  I also cling to the belief that loss of language is a loss of cultural and personal identity.  I would not have been in favor of designating a standard Starfleet vocabulary.  To me, it seems dull to be so verbally narrow.   This idea permeates most of my thought processes in fact.  I find it difficult to find a field of study capable of retaining my undivided attention for more than a few weeks.  Engineering was interesting enough and it was always a new and different challenge to be sure, but I eventually got bored with it and moved into scientific studies.
 ~~Am I rambling, I think I'm rambling...does she realize how close that potted fern is to toppling over the edge of her desk?...Her desk reminds me of the philosophical puzzle: How many angels could dance on the head of a pin?...I can still taste that cookie, best I've had in months...would it be rude of me to ask for another...AAAK  well, I might just as well ASK for another now, she's just heard everything I was thinking...note to self:  Call Admiral Hanstrom at Starfleet Academy and suggest a telepathic etiquette curriculum for cadets.~~
* After a long pause * "What was I talking about, Doctor?  My train of thought seems to have de-railed, so to speak."

[Talt] * smiling * “We-ell, the “Sharpe Unlimited” went from Language and Cultural Solidarity to Starfleet Language Protocols to the Difficulty of Finding Long-Term Fields of Study to your change from Engineering to Scientific Studies before it jumped track.  I think I have that about right but you may have to spot me on it.”

:: Talt crosses her arms, cocks her head slightly, and chuckles to herself. ::

[Talt] “I’m afraid I’m quite weak in the more technical areas myself.  And there does seem to be a preponderance of technical specialists on the crew.  Sometime later, would you mind helping me brush up on Warp Core Theory and Sub-space/Temporal Thought.  I mean, I really should be able to understand SOME of things that are bound to be discussed on a ship like this?”

[Sharpe] "The Chronos is a diminutive ship, I am positive that we will frequently
cross paths and as a former Starfleet instructor, I always have a spare bit of wind to expound upon the virtues of Temporal Physics and science in general."
::shows a slight reluctance to speak (a rarity I assure you)::
"I came into this interview the tiniest bit apprehensive, I often have trouble communicating because my thoughts betray my speech.  I often lose track of my verbiage because my thought processes are spinning out of control.  I have found you to be delightful and refreshing company, due to your ability to understand my harried speech patterns and your inquisitive nature.  That said, are there any particular questions that you need to ask me to make this appointment official?  The hour is growing late and I have an important meeting tomorrow."
~~I hope that wasn't too abrupt.  I hate to leave, but I don't want to look the fool for my meeting with most of the staff tomorrow...I am sure that she is underestimating her ability to comprehend the impending conversations on the Chronos.~~

:: Talt straightens up.  She is still smiling but there is a look of friendly concern in her eyes. ::

[Talt] “Oh, Lieutenant.  Don’t let me keep you from anything important.  Like I said, I’m a little underprepared for the evaluations just yet.  I was just enjoying our discussion.  Tell you what, I need to get my things” :: Talt gives an airy wave toward the cluttered desk. :: “settled aboard the Chronos.  How about we re-schedule that psych eval for a later time . . .” :: Talt laughs quietly. :: “when we both have more time.
 “And maybe later, we could get together and trade viewpoints of foreign tongues.”

:: Talt then blushes, her eyes get comically large and she raises her hand to her cheek.::

[Talt] “Oh, my.  That sounded like a pick-up line, which is not what I meant at all.  Excuse me, Lieutenant.  I guess even counselors are subject to Freudian slips.  I’m sorry!”

:: Talt begins to laugh at herself again.::

[Sharpe] :: Terry smiles, showing his dimple and blushes slightly. ::
"No problem at all Doctor.  As a matter of fact, if you hadn't pointed it out I probably wouldn't have even realized your remark had such implications.  Perhaps we could conduct this evaluation in a more relaxed and neutral environment then.  It seems that we will all be scheduled Alpha shift work schedules for the next week at least.  Perhaps we could meet in the lounge after our shift sometime this week and finish this meeting over dessert and coffee."

[Talt] “Why, Lieutenant, I’d enjoy that quite a bit.  Thank you very much for the invitation.  My schedule right now is a bit hectic.  But I promise to take you up on that offer.”

[Sharpe] ::Stands up and brushes off the cookie crumbs in his lap before turning to the office door. ::
"Just let me know when your schedule allows an opening Doctor and I will coordinate my schedule accordingly.  Good evening, it has been a thorough pleasure to make your acquaintance."

:: Terry walks through the door and departs.  Just as the door is closing, Terry pops his head back in. ::

[Sharpe] "Incidentally Dr. Talt.  Please call me Terry.  I'm not one for the formality of ranks and military hierarchy."

:: With that Terry smiles and departs.  As he walks the lonely corridors of the drydock he thinks to himself. ::

[Sharpe] ~~ I wonder if all Betazoids are as charming as our fair Counselor...Great cook and not bad on the eyes either...I wonder what her Telepathic range is?...Should I contact her or wait for her to contact me?...I sound like a heartsick schoolboy...Well no time for that now, I must concentrate on the meeting tomorrow...~~