Counselling: Vansen and Slichez

Posted on Mon Jul 20th, 2026 @ 2:45pm by Petty Officer 3rd Class Constantin Vansen & Lieutenant B'Lakkam Slichez

2,635 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Mission 1: Behind the Curtain
Location: Chief Counsellor's Office
Timeline: Enroute

[ON]

Constantin Vansen walked the corridor at an easy pace, long strides carrying him along without any real hurry, dark hair just long enough to push behind the ears, even tied back with a little band. In his childhood it had been shaven. As an adult, he wore it as long as he could without getting told off, or having to commit to properly long hair. His eyes studied what was around him as he walked, quick and observant, always mapping the bulkheads as if he could spot the stresses in them. He wore the jumpsuit with the sleeves pushed up a little, partly to hide the fact they were just slightly too short and exposed his wrists when worn properly. Starfleet clothing sizes were standard unless you specified otherwise. He had never specified.

He had planned this properly because he was never late when it came to things like this. An appointment was an appointment. You showed up on time, you sat down, you did what needed doing, and then you got on with your day. Counselling, medical, it all sat in much the same place as far as he was concerned.

The hypo had been taken that morning, same as always. No missed doses, no stupid mistakes. He liked being able to stand upright without feeling like his own body was trying to fold in on itself, and he intended to keep it that way.

A couple of crewmen passed him and he gave them a brief smile, quick and easy, the sort that sat well on his face and disappeared just as fast, leaving nothing behind that invited conversation. Friendly enough, but not stopping. He had somewhere to be. That was one of the useful things about being enlisted. You walked with purpose and, unless it was a red alert, no one tended to notice you beyond a nod and a smile.

Counselling was not new. New counsellor, new ship, that part was, but the rest of it he knew well enough. Sit down, answer what you felt like answering, dodge what you did not, and see what kind of person was sitting across from you this time.

He turned the last corner and slowed just enough as the door came into view, his gaze flicking over it before settling, taking in the small details without really thinking about them. He came to a stop in front of it, shifting his weight slightly onto one leg, posture relaxed but balanced, like he could move again at any moment without needing to think about it. His hand lifted, hovered for a moment, and then he pressed the chime.

B'Lakkam had just put the finishing touches on his office. Anyone walking into this room should immediately feel calm, but a practiced eye would see that everything in it was placed in the position and location that it was very purposefully. The room itself had no large desk. Nothing would separate B'Lakkam from his patients, which he believed would make patients feel more comfortable, as if they were equals with him in conversation. In fact, nothing indicated where B'Lakkam would sit. The three places to sit in the room were situated in a loose semi-circle. One of them was a sturdy, wooden chair with comfortable cushions and arm rests. There was a comfortable looking, light blue couch that was soft to the touch. Then, there was a navy seat that was slightly reclined and allowed the person sitting in it to lie down if they so chose and use a half arm as a head rest. In between all three of these was a circular table with a deck of cards and some poker tokens.

The room, itself, contained no direct light. It was all diffused and was a warm yellowish-white hue. The floor was made to look and feel like stone and had a matte finish. On a small table near the entrance of the room was a small statue of the Betelgeusian hero/arch-type Slichez. From the left of the entrance on the wall was a sand sculpture that moved slowly and malleably, changing its shape and designs randomly. On the right side of the entrance on the wall were several interstellar art pieces. Discretely built into them were sensor grids that registered micro expressions, vocal patterns, and other biometrics for his further study and use. At the far end of the room, there was a simulated viewscreen that showed the outside universe as the Fenrir flew.

When he heard the chime, he casually responded, "Come in."

Vansen walked in, his hand reaching to tug slightly at his collar, as if he had just remembered it might be askew. He looked at the blue Orion and then around the room, his eyes taking in the art a little bit. Not really as a critic, or even appreciating them. Just taking them in with slightly wide eyes before he shivered, unsure why. He finally remembered he needed to speak. "Constantin Vansen, Petty Officer third class....Operations," he said and lifted a hand in an awkward wave. "Hi."

B'Lakkam wondered about the shiver and the awkward "hi." The chime ring seemed more confident before Vansen walked into his office. "Nice to meet you," B'Lakkam replied warmly. "Should I refer to you as Constaintin? There's no reason to be formal here. It makes things much too stuffy and stifled." He opened up his body so that Vansen could walk in further and select a seat. So much could be told by a seat selection. "By the way, my name is B'Lakkam Slichez. I'm the new Chief Counselor, but don't let that throw you. I'm just another being on this starship."

"Constantin works," Vansen said as he looked at him, then at the seats. "You're a blue Orion, right?" he asked as he took a seat. A chair, but one where he could ease back a little bit. The sofa looked nice though but he was still an enlisted in a room with an officer.

"I am a blue Orion," B'Lakkam confirmed. "What gave it away?" he continued with a warm laugh, as he noticed that Constatin sat in the navy chair. He's a little nervous still, but getting more comfortable. Could it be the difference in being an officer and enlisted, or something more? For his part, B'Lakkam elected to sit on the sofa, keeping up his friendly smile.

"Your accent," Vansen said with a small smile, shaking his head before he tapped his own ear. "Not even the universal translator can hide the base of it....and you know, you're not...the first Orion I've met. Okay, first blue Orion face to face, but I've talked to some before. Well...my Captain did, but I was there. So...I remember how it sounds."

B'Lakkam smirked after Constatin stated that he knew he was an Orion when he heard the accent. "Just make certain that you pronounce it 'OR-ee-un.' Only the green ones say it 'Oh-RYE-on.'" He then chuckled a bit and asked, "So, do you have an Orion fetish? Should I be concerned?"

Vansen looked at him with surprise, an almost innocent shock as he didn't know what to say. He swallowed, a little frown coming to him. "No, I...just grew up with non-Federation species on the other end of the comms," he said, quietly, and held his arms out to the side in a little shrug, the sort you could see if you were wearing a spacesuit.

"You took me seriously...." B'Lakkam answered when Vansen frowned. "I'm sorry. Just my sense of humor. I hope that I did not offend you." His tone was sincere and somewhat saddened. "I thought my giggle would have given it away."

Vansen blinked before he looked down. "I've been told my social antennas a bit off," he said as he looked at him, holding his eyes for a moment. "Not always able to see the joke, or the sarcasm...not all physical or social cues are...readable to me."

"I see..." B'Lakkam answered making a mental note. "If that is something that you want to work on, we certainly can. In the meantime, what brought you to my door today?"

"I'm..." Vansen looked at him with surprise, then unsure. "I am meant to have...reasonably regular check ins. Same with medical, just not as much as with medical." he looked at B'Lakkam, tilting his head a little to the side. "In the past it's mostly been...'oh, how are you,' and 'do you need more zero g time' and 'are you taking your meds' and 'are you depressed'...that sort."

The blue orion just smiled. "It sounds like that you have just been going through the paces because someone thought you should do this, that, or the other. What do you think?"

Vansen looked at him, a slightly thoughtful look coming to him. "I think it's never harmed me," he finally said, because it was a way of looking at him. "And it's good, at times, to talk through things. Emotions. Things that are bothering me or I don't understand...." his eyes met B'Lakkam's for a moment.

"Oh?" B'Lakkam asked. "But has it actually helped you? It certainly is not a ringing endorsement of counseling to say that 'it has never harmed you.' After all, neither does breathing, right?" he asked with a small laugh.

Vansen looked a little confused for a moment before he smiled. "But the alternative to not breathing is...not great," he said with a chuckle, his eyes shining with it. "I find counselling...a lot. But I have gotten good things out of it, an understanding of things. And it's interaction...I like interaction."

B'Lakkam smiled when he saw Vansen lighten up and smile. "Interactions are good. Most beings are social in nature. We are not really meant to be alone. So, why don't you tell me about what you enjoy?"

Vansen looked at him with surprise at being asked, clearly thinking about it. "Just...different input. I like it when people talk, when they're...happy. I like the jokes, the...sense of belonging that comes with it. It's why I like Starfleet. We're all...we all got the same goal."

"It sounds like you're defining your enjoyment by others. Is there anything that you like to do independent of others?"

"I..." Vansen looked at him, somewhat surprised at the question before he looked down. "Zero g time, usually," he finally said and shrugged. "Not real EVA stuff...more holodeck and disabling the gravity."

"That sounds like an experience," B'Lakkam replied with a warm smile. "Why do you enjoy that so much?"

Vansen met his eyes, his own smile fading a little, to...something smaller. "Because it's the state I was born into, brought up in," he said, meaning it as he studied him. Taking in the way the light hit the man's blond hair, the way the blue in his eyes was different from the blue of his skin. "It's the one time it feels like the universe isn't squeezing me."

"I'm not certain I understand. You were born in space? In zero g?" B'Lakkam asked trying to confirm what Vansen was saying.

"Yes," Vansen said and gave a small nod, before he gave a small smile. "Not always zero g...but no inertial dampeners, so even travelling was low g. I did have somewhere to...lay down and get hooked up to things for when we needed to go faster. But it was...rare."

"How did you learn to walk, then? What gravity did your body eventually acclimate to?" B'Lakkam inquired, becoming more intrigued by the person in front of him.

"I...the mechanics of one foot in front of the other? Magboots..." he looked at B'Lakkam, considering it for a moment. "Exercises my Capt-...my mother would have me do. She did them too, as did my father. Three times a day unless an emergency, the same...exercises. But you mean...walking properly, on ground? Earth gravity. I was sent to Earth. Spend a few years at Starfleet Medical."

"So, 9.8 meters per second is what you would deem your norm, then?" Symathetically B'Lakkam asked, "Did it hurt much?"

Vansen didn't add in 'squared' because his mind was too busy working the problem. The problem which was how to answer that question. He had memories, of course. He remembered it. But one thing was to have felt it, another was to say it. "I adapted," he said, knowing it wasn't what the counsellor had asked. But saying just...yes...seemed silly. Childish even.

"So how long were you pain?" Daltom asked.

Vansen looked at him with surprise at the words before he gave a shrug. "A year before they could take me off the heavy duty pain relief," he said, quietly. "Now it's just standard for when I need it."

"How often would that be?"

"I..." Vansen considered it before he smiled, taking a deeper breath...to show he could, more than anything. His blue eyes shone a little as he looked at B'Lakkam. "I suppose like with most people, when I've spent too long on shoreleave. Like...how often do you use pain relief?"

"I can't say that I recall the last time I was prescribed any," B'Lakkam answered, wondering if Vansen had a larger issue.

"Well..." Vansen smiled as he tilted his head, holding his arms out to the side in a spacesuit shrug. "I'll use it if I am in pain. The classic mild one you get in sickbay. Headache, sometimes. Backache...more often but I do work out to mitigate that."

"Keep me informed if they become anything out of the ordinary. I know that I am not a medical doctor, but I like to keep tabs on all of my favorite people."

"Favourite?" Vansen asked, curious as he sat back, meeting B'Lakkam's eyes and holding them.

"Did I stutter?" B'Lakkam wondered, while Vansen looked at him intently.

Vansen blinked, a blush of embarrassment coming to him. "I...just..." he swallowed, awkwardly. "Is it because I am your patient?"

"No," B'Lakkam answered definitively. "I think that there is a lot more to you than you allow yourself or others to see."

Vansen let out a breath, the blush still there but he shook his head. "Just a spacer who got sent to Earth and then found the best way off that rock...if that makes any sense, Counsellor?"

"Oh, it makes sense. I also think you're still minimizing yourself. I would encourage you to think more positively about yourself. If I could give you a prescription, I would tell you to look into the mirror and say one positive thing to yourself every single day."

Vansen looked at him, eyes widening with slight confusion. "I...I am positive..." he said, carefully, before he stopped to think about it. "It's just...you know...a healthy dollop of realism."

"Is it?" Daltom inquired while slightly raising an eyebrow.

Vansen looked at him, frowning slightly. He reached to tug his sleeve down a little bit, but it slipped up easily enough the second he stopped tugging at him. "I think so? I don't...always know what to expect."

"That, my friend, I can assist with," B'Lakkam replied confidently. "If you would like me to help, that is...."

Vansen looked at him, thinking for a moment before he tilted his head to the side. "I mean...wouldn't be counselling unless we were working on something, right?" he asked, but there was a hint of humour in it.

B'Lakkam simply smiled and told Vansen, "We're all working on something, Vansen. If we are not, then we're lying to ourselves."

OFF:

Lieutenant B'Lakkam Slichez
Chief Counselor
USS Fenrir

PO3 Constantin Vansen
Operations
USS Fenrir
[PNPC Hanlon]

 

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