A long needed talk

Posted on Tuesday, 6 July 2021 - 8:28pm by Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Lieutenant T'Lanna Vali

Mission: Operation: Neu Reich
Location: Sickbay

{ON}

T’Lanna needed to talk and she knew it, to air her feelings on a professional level and without any other Counselling staff Ryan was the logical person to talk to. Making her way to Sickbay she peered around his office door, “knock, knock, may I come in?”

"Hey." Ryan smiled and waved her in. "Of course. I'll get us some tea. Make yourself comfortable."

T’Lanna nodded and smiled, taking a seat she made herself as comfortable as she could given she felt emotionally unbalanced by everything of late.

Ryan brought over the tea and sat as well. "Do you want anything else?" He asked, wanting to make sure she was comfortable.

“No, thank you” T’Lanna offered a polite smile. “I appreciate that you came to check on me at the meeting, with everything that’s happened of late the news about Barret leaving...” she sighed. “It feels like I’m slowly losing everyone I care about Ryan! First my mum’s confirmed death, then my father, and now Barret is leaving!!” She paused. “I want to get this inhibitor off, but when I was in that briefing today I felt like I did when my father died... I wanted to explode!!”

"Which is a perfectly valid emotion." Ryan coaxed her to realize what she already knew. "You've had a lot of abrupt changes very close together, and it's ok to be overwhelmed. How can I help?"

T’Lanna nodded. “You already are, by being my counsellor and friend.” She offered a brief smile. “Ryan I’m not coping, i can cry at the drop of a hat. If I’m not feeling upset then I’m short tempered. I’m not me! There’s been times I’ve considered removing the inhibitor to feel more like the old me.”

Ryan considered. "Alright. Let's discuss it professionally. If you were seeing you, as a patient, how would you judge the risk versus reward on taking off the inhibitor."

“The risk... would be far too great. Given how unsettled I feel, I’d run the risk of projecting my thoughts and emotions into others. In that scenario there’d be little reward.” T’Lanna sighed. “I need to work on sorting myself out, if that means learning control all over again then that’s what I’ll have to do.”

Ryan gave her a small smile. He knew she'd reach the right conclusion. "We'll continue to work with Soral, and I think it would be worth it to get consult from Betazed. It can't hurt, and a specialist there might have some ideas."

T’Lanna nodded. “I don’t suppose you have anyone in mind?” She gave Ryan a curious look.

"No, but I can ask around. I have friends in some very low places." He smirked. "I'll check back in with Doctor Selin as well, we've been keeping in touch, but I'll send her the latest sets of data and see if she has any insight as well.

T’Lanna nodded. “Thank you Ryan, I don’t know what I’d do without you. I’ve always been a strong person, after my time with the Borg I had to be. Now it’s all changed, with Jayce’s birth coming early and then my father...” she paused. “I know as a Counsellor that I have to move on I’m just... struggling.”

"You're welcome, but you know it's not as simple as just 'moving on'. You'll get there, just be patient with yourself. I'll help however I can. If you just want to talk, or need a baby sitter." Ryan grinned at that.

T’Lanna grinned. “I would love that! Uncle Ryan is always welcome to babysit!” She looked at Ryan curiously. “I hear that you’ve found yourself a certain love interest, I just wanted to say I hope you’re both very happy together.”

Ryan chuckled. "There is no privacy on this sardine can. I am happy. Not looking forward to going to Prairie though. Talk about awkward..."

“Of course!” T’Lanna nodded understandingly. “To be honest I just want to get back to being normal again! Whatever that will be in the future.”

Ryan nodded. "You'll get there. I have every confidence. Just be patient with yourself. "

"I will Ryan" T'Lanna offered a smile. "At least I'll do my upmost!"

"And you know where to find me if you need me." He smiled.