The Face Of God

Posted on Wed Nov 21st, 2018 @ 7:28pm by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Asa Dael & Ensign Avendar Jurot & Baroness 2nd Class Schwein von Alcott

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: USS Hera, Deck 12, Sickbay
Timeline: 2395, en route to the Galactic Core

"So that's the story," Commander Paris explained to the trio she'd gathered in Sickbay. "The crew are liable... well, likely to be dealing with actual factual mythological figures come to life and striding large across the universe. So with that said, she wants an action plan. And to that end, while you are both brilliant in your fields, I am assigning the Baroness to this particular think tank, because she understands the enlisted man, the regular crewman, in a way I'm not so sure you two do, and I certainly don't. Think of her as your greek chorus for the everyman."

"A Terran meeting a 'god' from their past could possibly be psychologically devastating. I would guess, not so much for an Andorian or Vulcan. How did you cope with it, Commander?" Avendar asked.

Unprepared to be put on the spot, the easygoing earthling took a moment to think it over. “Well, I started by hoping for the best in the face of the worst. Despite all the horrible things she had done, according to the legends, all of the gods were somewhat given to whimsy and mood swings. So I approached the situation imagining that there might be some spark of decency in there, and that maybe I could encourage that. Otherwise, I treated Hera like a foreign dignitary to whom I was under no obligation to be diplomatic, given the whole genocidal tyrant thing. I’d like to think maybe I made a difference with her, but who knows. She’s alive, and that’s more than Starfleet expected. Does that help at all? Don’t the Betazoids have god, Counselor?”

"We have four, actually," Avendar said "I've been trying to handle the enormity of the scope of our mission. Hera and Gaia were never worshiped on Betazed, at least not by those names. I've been meditating on the question 'what if I were to meet one of the Four?' You've now MET a 'god' of your planet. The theological ramifications of this are breathtaking."

The Baroness cleared her throat and spoke next, her germanic accent showing through just a bit. "Ja, as a mortal that has met messengers of the one she worships, Huginn and Muninn, I can confirm that it is indeed breathtaking. I still praise the day that my Lord Odin chose me to act as a messenger to deliver information to the Prinzessin."

“Does anyone else find it curious how we are meeting Terran gods?” Asa asked, carefully not putting emphasis on the g in gods, implying the lower case by tone alone.

“One would wonder if whatever force was summoning these beings back into our realm was focusing on gods from the home world of Starfleet by choice. Or if this being has a particular interest in Terrans?” they continued. “If Hera taught us anything, these beings are not necessarily what their press has made them out to be. They are complex individuals. From a higher realm, or more advanced in evolution yes, but just….beings. With desires, heartaches, joy, sadness, ambition, intelligence, and fallacies, like most other conscious life forms. I would urge everyone to keep that in mind, and not place them on a pedestal unduly.”

"What if they took the form of a currently worshipped deity?" The counselor asked.

“Okay, let’s refocus,” Paris saw this conversation was spinning its wheels in the mud and going nowhere. A philosophical discussion was going to be thoroughly unproductive to her mind. ”You are both asking a lot of hypothetical questions to which there are no real answers, and that is not the focus of this meeting of the minds. The idea is how to prepare the crew for dealing with these beings, not to get bogged down in hypotheticals. ‘What do you do when faced with god’ in whatever form is the question, be it yours or one you’ve never heard of. So perhaps we could apply ourselves to the psychological ramifications it could have on the crew and how best to counsel them to deal with that. As the Baroness pointed out, she’s met one she does revere. So we have some resource- let’s move forward constructively, shall we?”

“Right you are, “ Dael replied, “I posit that the psychological impact is likely to vary greatly on if the being representing a god venerated by the crew member. For a god not currently worshiped, it will be simpler to encourage the crew to view these beings as advanced life forms, such as the Q, thereby relating the experience to something known. Demystifying something is an important first step to dealing with it rationally. As for beings representing themselves as gods currently being worshiped…Baroness, how would you describe your first experience? That will give us a lot of great feedback.”

Schwein leaned back in her chair and thought about it for a moment before replying. "I knew that they were just more advanced. Not quite to the level of Organians, but maybe close and maybe a bit more in some ways. But even so. To actually meet a being like that and watch them transform from a pair of ravens into two little girls and for them to each speak a few words at a time and to almost know what I was thinking... When they handed me the scroll I was to deliver, it felt electric. It was a moment of pure emotional bliss when their feathers brushed against my fingers. Then in the next moment, they had transformed back and were flying away, straight through the ship's window."

"So, there you have the everyman's perspective on an encounter. Mine was... martial. Even after I captured her Hera and I always seemed to be at odds in some way. I hope I convinced her to turn things around, but... it was a mission, she was a powerful alien despot and we captured her, took a shot at rehabilitating her and turned her over to the authorities with a request for lenience. That's standard Starfleet operating procedure. Well, except handing her over to other gods, but no, a policing body of peers to the being- nope, still Starfleet S.O.P." The blonde in the red dress ran her fingers through her hair, pushing her bangs out of her eyes.

"I'm not so sure I count as an 'everyman' in this respect," Paris rolled her eyes. "I've done this sort of thing a few times. But, keeping to my duty and following orders and sticking to the mission did see me through. Might there be something to that for the crew?"

"You're probably right. In most cases, the crew would react to them as they would typically react to an advanced being. That said, each one is individual. Unless they encounter a physical trauma in some way, or have their minds manipulated, encounters would not cause permanent psychological damage," Avendar said. "That's my dispassionate professional opinion."

The counselor shifted in her chair. "Having been on the receiving end of the power of one of these beings, my personal opinion is that the damage they inflict can be life changing."

“With respect, Counselor, I must disagree,” Doctor Dael interjected. “We have decades, if not centuries, of Terran research on a phenomenon known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder- PTSD for short. I am sure you are familiar with this, but please allow me to elaborate for everyone in the room.”

As Asa spoke, they turned to make eye contact with each person there, making sure everyone felt included in the discussion, especially as the doctor suspected at least one occupant of the room was currently suffering from the affliction.

“PTSD can be acquired any number of ways. Yes, suffering physical harm is definitely one, as is overt mind tampering. However, we now know that when individuals are put in situations where they are forced to act against their own moral code, even if no imminent danger is posed to their person, they can develop PTSD. It can happen in an instant, or it can take years- any way about it, the damage is done.

Furthermore, physical trauma is not the only indicator of PTSD for combat. If a person feels they are about to die- even if there was no risk and it was a complex hallucination, or they misunderstood circumstances- PTSD is possible to develop. Fear is at the core of it, not the reason behind the fear. And every single person on this ship lives with great amounts of fear at times- it’s what we do.

While I agree, we have every reason to believe the crew will perform admirably and keep to the SOP in terms of what is expected of them, I will not discount the distinct possibility that as we continue to serve, the crew will suffer psychological consequence. If you look at the studies, it’s only a matter of time. Starfleet has not yet found a way to circumvent development of a trauma reaction- only found ways to insulate against them and mitigate their damage when formed.

From that perspective, regardless of if a so-called-deity we face is one the crew believes in or not, the outcome may well be the same. Either they are forced to act against their beliefs in taking on a being they worship, or they face extreme fear and peril from facing down a more evolved life form. So to me, that clarifies our course of action.

The first step is exposure therapy. We need to get the crew comfortable with the idea of what we are facing. They may have heard things through the grapevine about what went down on Meroset, and those kinds of stories tend to have legs and wings. And turn into some pretty tall tales. So, we tell them the unvarnished truth. I want a Holodek simulation of our combat and infiltration experiences mocked up and adapted to reflect the underlings and minions of different pantheons we have on record instead of only Hera’s Amazons and Minotaurs. I want security and away-team personnel to go through at least three of these simulations before deployment. The better they have an idea on what they are facing, the better they can plan their attacks, and the less likely they are to freeze on the spot. Also, I want to see who starts to crack under the pressure, and I want their away-team readiness re-evaluated by Counselor Jurot, myself, and their CO before deployment.

The second step insulation- We have to make clear to this crew that we care. That we want to know what they are going through, that it’s ok to experience fear, and that it’s ok to not know how to feel. The only way to truly recover from PTSD is to fully process the emotions that get ‘stuck’ during extreme periods. A way to stop PTSD from developing is by cultivating healthy emotional patterns ahead of time. I want workshops on dealing with fear, dealing with loss, and dealing with injury available to every single crew member. Counselor Jurot, I would request you lead these seminars after we agree upon the presentation. Commander Paris, do I have your support on this?"

"You do- make it happen, Doctor Dael," Paris offered, keeping it brief because it was clear the young physician was quite passionate on this subject, and this was what the commander had wanted to see out of this meeting.

The third step is recovery. People on the Hera are going to get PTSD. It’s going to happen. It probably already has. So, we make ourselves available. This crew needs to know that command wants to know what’s going on with them, and that we are going to help them heal. I know everyone in this room feels that way. I know you are all wanting to see this work out, and I’m so glad for that. I will write a dossier on spotting PTSD symptoms to disseminate to all senior staff. It needs to be the responsibility of the senior staff to watch for symptoms in others. If there is reason for concern, I would request a report be submitted to me to review and discuss with the counselor on our best next steps. Our first duty is to care for them. Or, at least, that’s my view point.”

After such a long speech, Doctor Dael slumped back in their seat slightly. It was uncharacteristic of them to be so firm, but this was not a topic they took lightly.

“So, to summarize- we plan to succeed. And then we plan to fix what we break. Holodeck simulations will stop the crew from being overawed, seminars to prepare on how to deal with emotions to provide tools for the mental battle, and oversight to ensure no one suffers alone. The only other factor I foresee is devotion to a deity causing someone to turn on us- but I have no reason to think that will happen here. This is a well-trained, well-disciplined crew, and we can help them find greatness. Sorry to hog the floor, but I feel- strongly- on this. Thoughts?” The Doctor, normally so small in stature, appeared to be about ten feet tall standing firm on their convictions.

The Chief Counselor smiled nodded toward the Doctor. "What they said," she said and laughed. "However, it's possible that one of these beings can possess a member of the crew, as my own experience has proven. So we must be alert for personality changes. From what I've seen from the records, Gaia was insufferably arrogant. Hera exhibits a similar arrogance. It's possible, but not certain, that this could be a common trait among these beings."

She turned toward Asa. "Doctor, according to the psychiatric evaluations I've seen, and the few I've conducted since coming aboard, almost every member of this crew has PTSD in one form or another, including myself. This information is not general knowledge. As you said, we'll have to check their combat readiness."

Avendar turned to Commander Paris. "How much time do we have until we reach the core?"

"Approximately four standard days at our current speed- not all the time in the world, but some. Also, keep in mind, Counselor, there is a difference between the 'gods' we are encountering, and their more powerful progenitors, the titans. Your experience was with a titan, and apparently that is an entirely different level of power than the gods of myth and antiquity that seem to be cropping up in New Texas at the moment. So let us not be alarmist and ascribe possibilities to the incorrect classifications of lifeforms," Paris cautioned, sounding a bit like her logical spouse. "For now, we need workable stratagems for the short term as well as long-term care plans."

"With that said, I was in every meeting that was held with Hera, and I'll be happy to submit myself to whatever tests you devise to insure that I'm the original model and not a co-opted puppet of a deranged galactic tyrant." While she said it half-jokingly, Paris was still quite serious. No one was exempt, and fomenting suspicion of potential possession could tear the crew apart and divide loyalties, which could prove disastrous.

"Understood- we will conduct brain scans on you Commander Paris, and I can ask for the computer to set up monitoring on crew patterns and alert me if anyone is going too far outside their normal behavior. It's a bit of an invasion of privacy though, so we need to be sure it's eyes only information. Myself, I have been scanned seven ways to Sunday and I am working with Lieutenant Sonak to ascertain any mental changes of my own."

"So, simulations should be the easiest thing to program. While the crew is completing those, we can plan the processing seminar. Who do you think would be best equipped to help us get the Holodeck sims up and running?" Asa inquired

"I'm... always passively scanning the emotions of those around me," Avendar said. "It's something I can't 'turn off.' Hopefully I could quietly spot any major personality shifts."

"Ok, that's good to know," the doctor replied, "That will come in handy during the seminars especially. If you sense panic or extreme remorse from someone attending. Those would both by signs that the individual needs further combat readiness testing."

"Commander Paris, can you please recommend someone to help liaise with us to get the Holodeck up and running within a day for desensitization drills?" Asa inquired.

"Lieutenant Commander sh'Zoarhi woud be the logical choice to help set up the holodeck simulations, Doc- she has a few things on her plate, but she also has a rather large department, and I'm certain she has an expert or two on hand if she isn't wanting to be 'hands on' about it," Paris replied, refocusing on the counselor. "Miss Jurot, you say you passively scan the emotions around you- how is your recovery coming along, since it has come up?"

"Thank you for asking, Commander. After finally sleeping, my empathic abilities are slowly returning. I've been doing some mental exercises, but my other abilities are still not working."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you're sleeping- I can imagine that would help. I'll admit I was worried about you, but you know what you would tell a patient, so I assume I don't have to tell you to hunt down a doctor, or someone, to get some help. Are you seeing a counselor yourself? Healer heal thyself and such? And do we have a medical plan to help foster the Counselor's recovery, Doctor?"

"I saw the doctor for a sedative after visiting Hera," Avendar said. "And I've been in touch with my counselor on Betazed." She smiled. "As the old saying goes: 'counselors are the worst patients.'"

The big blue eyes narrowed a touch and a perfunctorily polite smile settled on Paris' face. Slowly she turned to regard the chief medical officer. "Doctor? Am I to understand that you have had a woman literally waking up to a life that isn't hers after fourteen months- awakened, I might add, by having her extrasensory abilities blown out like an overloaded fuse. You gave her a sedative, sent her to quarters and never followed up on her. No medical recovery program for any possible synaptic damage? No diet and medication workups to assist her recovery? No counseling arrangement?"

Throughout the diatribe, Rita Paris never raised her voice. She did not shout, she did not say harsh words. Instead, she was honest, which meant that there was no way that she could hide the disappointment in every word. When she was finished, the left eyebrow of the executive began to slowly creep upward in an unasked yet clearly anticipated response.

Asa looked abashed, realizing their utter failing in thinking the counselor would come to them with any difficulties.

"Yes ma'am. I apologize to you both, this was an oversight on my part, and one I will do my best to remedy. I am sorry, Counselor. I have done you a disservice. When we are finished here, are you available for a medical work up? You and I have both been through the wringer. Perhaps we can work to heal one another?"

The words were soft. Life had been going at such a hectic pace lately that Asa had simply dropped the ball. With any luck there would still be time to rectify their error.

“I look forward to this. On the same topic,” Paris turned to regard the battered Betazoid. “You yourself knew that you needed all of these things, yet you waited until now to bring it up, Counselor? You are a mental health professional, you knew that you treatment was clearly indicated, yet you never reached out to the medical team to remind them of your plight? I understand that you have been through a lot, and I have considerable sympathy for your plight. Miss Jurot. But you are also a grown woman, an expert counselor and a Starfleet officer, and you should know how to voice your needs if they are not being met. Your office is in Sickbay, so I am reasonably certain that you know the way.”

"Mia culpa," the Betazoid said. "My apologies to you both. I thought that they were too busy to worry about me."

That elicited a sigh from the chronally challenged commander. "Ensing Jurot... Avendar," Paris added, hoping the unconventional familiarity might help convey her sincerity. "You're one of us, part of the same crew. We're a city inspace, and everyone has their jobs, and we support one another and work wonders. We're all important to one another. You don't leave a shipmate behind, and you don't forget about them, and you don't assume they won't come back for you because they're too busy."

"We're Starfleet. We're in this together. So I have to apologize as well, because I didn't follow up either, and it's clear that I should have. So we've all screwed up. Everyone's taken responsibility. Now as I recall, the healthy thing to do is to move forward in a positive direction... right?" Paris looked around, those bright blue eyes searching the faces of her shipmates.

Nodding, Asa replied, “Absolutely. We can all learn and grow together. If you are available after this meeting, Counselor, we can do a thorough once over and you and begin writing seminar curriculum.”

"I'm available when you are, Doctor," Avendar said.

"Then that's my cue to leave you two alone to get started," Paris declared as she rose from her seat. Moving to the door, she paused to half-turn back to regard both of them. "I expect daily progress reports from both of you in regard to this, because the next time a situation like this comes up with a crew member, both of you will most definitely know better, from personal experience. So if it happens again, heads will roll. meanwhile, I expect I won't have to chase down the actrion plans for the crew, because you will have them on my desk by end of Beta shift today."

There were no questions but statements of fact, and the first officer left it hanging in the air for both parties to consider moving forward. Clearly she expected action and results, and Commander Paris expected them rather immediately of both of them.

To be... better.