"Which provides you a, ah, clarity that I may be lacking. ...I intend to return to shipside command." She lets that settle in a moment before continuing.
"My reasoning might be, ah, a little childish, but the result, I think, will be beneficial overall, to myself, to my symbiont, and, at the risk of immodesty, perhaps Starfleet."
Other than a slow blink, Katriel wasn't displaying any other outward reaction. Her expression turned meditative, considering. Then measuring.
"Well. I won't speculate about the potential benefits. I admit I find it a little surprising that starship command continues to appeal to you, considering our relatively recent discussion regarding your reasons for not testing for captaincy."
"But now I realize you weren't stating a lack of interest in command. Just that you wanted to wait until you feel like you've earned it."
"Well. I won't speculate about the potential benefits. I admit I find it a little surprising that starship command continues to appeal to you, considering our relatively recent discussion regarding your reasons for not testing for captaincy."
"But now I realize you weren't stating a lack of interest in command. Just that you wanted to wait until you feel like you've earned it."
That assessment won Katriel a smile; one of those tiny true-blue things carrying an unusual display of warmth from the depths of the bearer's blanketed emotions.
"That, ah, stated... .. I have no idea where to begin with these postings. Aside from, ah, AG-21-8, I've always been assigned, not...requesting."
"That, ah, stated... .. I have no idea where to begin with these postings. Aside from, ah, AG-21-8, I've always been assigned, not...requesting."
Katriel hmmed for a moment. Then, abruptly, she returned the really-very-funny-PADD-about-death back into Chassy's hands and stood, crossing over towards her desk and the display panel on the wall.
"Computer, please display available starship commander postings within the Task Force," Katriel spoke to the air, as she nimbly sidestepped Fairy's attempt to trip her.
"Searching."
"Four matches found."
As the text scrolled onto the screen, Katriel bent down to tickle Fairy's exposed stomach. "Have you looked at these? Did any of them catch your eye?"
"Computer, please display available starship commander postings within the Task Force," Katriel spoke to the air, as she nimbly sidestepped Fairy's attempt to trip her.
"Searching."
"Four matches found."
As the text scrolled onto the screen, Katriel bent down to tickle Fairy's exposed stomach. "Have you looked at these? Did any of them catch your eye?"
It was a marvel, the grace in which Katriel treated the beast- both in step and in forgiveness. The thing had just tried to trip her, and there she was, petting it, rewarding it even. ...each to their own...
"I gave them a peripheral glance, yes...I..ah. ...was not certain if I should limit myself to within the Task Force."
There are two unaired speculations in that admission: that staying within TFA might dampen her chances given her cultivated reputation, and that leaving TFA might be just running from that same reputation.
"In truth, I, ah...only decided to go forward with this in the past few days."
"I gave them a peripheral glance, yes...I..ah. ...was not certain if I should limit myself to within the Task Force."
There are two unaired speculations in that admission: that staying within TFA might dampen her chances given her cultivated reputation, and that leaving TFA might be just running from that same reputation.
"In truth, I, ah...only decided to go forward with this in the past few days."
Katriel was unable to withhold her surprise, maybe even a little dismay. "You'd leave the Task Force?"
But then it becomes obvious why. Katriel's tone became more temporizing. "I suppose that's not an unreasonable thing to consider, in light of previous events. Still."
The counselor cleared her throat and her expression. "I'm afraid it will be challenging for me to remain impartial on this particular point, though for my reputation's sake, I'll certainly try. It's your decision, of course."
But for better or worse, it's pretty clear from her overall reaction that the counselor found it not just to be a mistake, but an altogether unwelcome idea.
But then it becomes obvious why. Katriel's tone became more temporizing. "I suppose that's not an unreasonable thing to consider, in light of previous events. Still."
The counselor cleared her throat and her expression. "I'm afraid it will be challenging for me to remain impartial on this particular point, though for my reputation's sake, I'll certainly try. It's your decision, of course."
But for better or worse, it's pretty clear from her overall reaction that the counselor found it not just to be a mistake, but an altogether unwelcome idea.
"I wasn't asking you as a counselor, Katriel." The smile resurfaced for a breath, once again endeared by the Betazoid's response.
"I'll make do with one of the four options." The matter of the peculiar book PADD was closed- powered down and tucked beneath an elbow as she crossed to review the listed options.
"It wouldn't be, ah, a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality for you to recommend someone based on your evaluations?"
"I'll make do with one of the four options." The matter of the peculiar book PADD was closed- powered down and tucked beneath an elbow as she crossed to review the listed options.
"It wouldn't be, ah, a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality for you to recommend someone based on your evaluations?"
Katriel quirked a brow.
"To recommend someone, no. But I don't believe I know any of them to the degree that I could actually base a recommendation on it. I probably haven't even met them all. Is there something you're looking for in particular?"
"To recommend someone, no. But I don't believe I know any of them to the degree that I could actually base a recommendation on it. I probably haven't even met them all. Is there something you're looking for in particular?"
"I can't fathom I'd do well with a Tellarite, or a Vulcan, for that matter..beyond that, ah.. I'm afraid it's easier to say what I'd like to avoid than what I'm looking for. Or am I looking too much before I leap?"
Katriel seemed bemused as she stood and came over to inspect the list on the panel.
"Personally I try to not to draw any conclusions based on a being's species. Though I'll concede that most people have trouble with Tellarites, including themselves."
"But no Vulcans means Captain Sul'it is out," she pointed to the name on the list and made a striking motion. The display reacted and the listing dissolved, leaving three. Katriel scanned the names, pausing on one.
"I did meet Captain Evaric, actually. Just yesterday, in fact."
"Personally I try to not to draw any conclusions based on a being's species. Though I'll concede that most people have trouble with Tellarites, including themselves."
"But no Vulcans means Captain Sul'it is out," she pointed to the name on the list and made a striking motion. The display reacted and the listing dissolved, leaving three. Katriel scanned the names, pausing on one.
"I did meet Captain Evaric, actually. Just yesterday, in fact."
"Evaric." Her trek in Katriel's footsteps was put to a stop by Fairy, still flopped on the floor with every expectation of continued pettings. Not from this Trill, you monster.
"I'm not familiar with the name." Chassy settled for where she was- well out of the cat's swiping distance- and unfortunately not close enough to make out the afore mentioned Captain's personnel details.
"Your thoughts?"
"I'm not familiar with the name." Chassy settled for where she was- well out of the cat's swiping distance- and unfortunately not close enough to make out the afore mentioned Captain's personnel details.
"Your thoughts?"
"Evaric was..." Katriel considered the word she should use. "Polite. A little impassive, perhaps, and not particular verbose. But very... efficient. Seems like the type to think before acting."
The counselor paused and opened her mouth like she was going to continue, but then shut it again, evidently changing her mind about adding anything more.
The counselor paused and opened her mouth like she was going to continue, but then shut it again, evidently changing her mind about adding anything more.
Katriel's reticence did not go unnoticed but it remained uncommented in favor of Captain Evaric's circumspection. "An endangered virtue, these days." A high-handed declaration. Beat. Thought. Add-on:
"...for the most part."
Whatever internally cited that caveat also churned a sickening wave in the pit of the Trill's stomach; it affected Symbiont and Skyler both- she smiled apologetically and grasped for the next thing to avoid an unpleasant topic.
"...but, ah, you were, ah.. going to say?"
"...for the most part."
Whatever internally cited that caveat also churned a sickening wave in the pit of the Trill's stomach; it affected Symbiont and Skyler both- she smiled apologetically and grasped for the next thing to avoid an unpleasant topic.
"...but, ah, you were, ah.. going to say?"
Katriel's tone was nonchalant and she shrugged. "That's about all I could give you. An hour's not much time to do more than get a basic impression of a person. And I haven't met these other two."
"You know, I'm sure you could set up meetings before deciding. And the Captain has just as much a right to interview you in return."
"You know, I'm sure you could set up meetings before deciding. And the Captain has just as much a right to interview you in return."
The trill's gratitude went (as many things did) unspoken for Katriel's willingness to turn a blind eye to the surge of emotion, now tamped back into place. Ironic, that the very thing that made Skyler so wary of the woman- back when the betazoid came aboard as the acting captain's ships' counselor- now served key in their relationship. Chassy could never say 'thank you for not prodding raw wounds', but...emoting it in the empath's direction, in tandem to the spoken conversation, was manageable.
The far less awkward, telepathic version of Ithiliel's skeet shooting.
"A little irregular, but what is Argo if not, ah, that. I'll make requests to do so, starting with Captain Evaric. Thank you Katriel."
The far less awkward, telepathic version of Ithiliel's skeet shooting.
"A little irregular, but what is Argo if not, ah, that. I'll make requests to do so, starting with Captain Evaric. Thank you Katriel."
"Certainly." Katriel gave the names on the panel another once over, before refocusing on Chassy and the PADD in her hands.
"So what are you going to tell Major Svenson, when you see him again?"
"So what are you going to tell Major Svenson, when you see him again?"
"'Thank you, that was very kind.' ... I'll even resist the urge to educate him on the difficulties of, ah, relaying cross-species humor."