TO: LTCMDR Konieczko; | SUBJ: Help

Subspace Network Communications
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A handwritten letter appears on Tilly's desk. The name Tilly is written on the envelope in Sam's elegant, thin, cursive hand. The letter is wax sealed and stamped with the Bishop family crest.

Dearest Tilly,

I hope this letter reaches you in the best health.

I would like to turn to you for help. You have offered it time and time again but I have constantly refused, something that has been very selfish of me. This has brought considerable distress on a number of my friends and I feel like I this is something I must do, if not for me, but for them.

We have known each other for a long time, have served alongside each other, I think of you as a good friend of mine. This, coupled with your warmth and kindness, means that I don't know who else to turn to in this dark time apart from you.

As you may well have heard, my Mother passed recently; I am currently sitting on my desk at home on Earth writing this to you. In addition to recent revelations, this has, as I am sure you are aware, has led to a decline in my mental health.

I was wondering if we could meet to talk, although if I may be so bold as to ask for yet another favour, in an informal setting.

I would fully understand if you are busy and I do not want to burden you with even more. DS 13 cannot afford to lose a talented officer such as you.

Give my best to Dmitri.

Yours,

Samuel Alexander Bishop

P.S. I have transferred some credits to your personal account. The amount could pay for an archaeological visit to the Klingon temples tenfold. I had contemplated whether to just send a one way return ticket to Qo'noS but instead, I settled on transferring you the money. I will not accept no for an answer - consider it my way of apology and an early Christmas present. Although you may do with it as you wish, I had hoped you use it when you are in the Las Vagas casinos - better to gamble away a friend's gift than a husband's wage! In this, I hope the odds are ever in your favour!
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Stardate 93818.4
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TO CAPT Bishop
BCC CMDR Isohlah
FROM LCDR Konieczko
SUBJ Therapy Request
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Captain,

First off, I'm very sorry to hear about the death of your mother. These sort of hardships don't take our considerations into account, and often happen at the worst possible times, not that anyone is ever truly ready for such a loss. I hope you take the time you need to grieve the loss in the company of your family, as they will need you as much as you need them.

As for your request, I'm not going to be able to depart the station in a prolonged nature for some time, likely not until the holiday leave period, if even then. Nor would I, even if such a thing were possible, because of my duty to the command and my commitment to my clients. Please don't take this personally, it's not meant as such.

Instead of that, I can offer you a couple options. First, I'd be more than happy to offer you a referral to someone closer to your current location, someone who is a part of Starfleet Counseling, or perhaps a therapist with a private practice. You've taken the first difficult step and have sought out help for your situation, and admitted you feel like you have a problem that needs to be worked on. Anyone I might refer you to would be able to help guide your progress at least as well as I could, and perhaps even better, due to their objectivity. As you say, we've worked together for some time now, and it's clear that it's been a meaningful experience to you, I might not be the best person to open up to, based on that perception.

Conversely, if you feel I can be an objective party to your personal recovery, I am willing to conduct therapy sessions via encrypted subspace transmission. I would schedule you as I would anyone I treat, and our communications would be limited to the sessions themselves, while you're on your bereavement leave, and afterwards during any planned archeological projects you might be engaged in. I'm willing to assist in your recovery this way, and to continue therapy on DS13 once you return, if you require it.

As for the money gift, I will have to insist on returning it in full before I can offer you either of the above mentioned options. Just as a matter of professional ethics, such a gift would not be acceptable. Again, please don't take this personally. I would suggest saving the credits for your own personal needs, or donating it to a charity that upholds your own personal values.

Be well,

//SIGNED//

Lieutenant Commander Mathilda Konieczko
Starbase Counselor, DS-13
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