Thank you to everybody who read or review the last Set of messages you're all absolutely wonderful.
Day 30: You Can Do This, By Yourself
From: mental_health_help_desk_Suarez
To: Spock's_cuddlebunny
Subject: Re: How is colony life?
Time sent: 3/20/2260 00:00:01
Hi Jim. I'm glad you found time to write in your busy schedule. Maybe that's one of the advantages to being first officer. You know I don't have favorites, but the fact that I'm not reprimanding you for giving me way too many details about your sex life probably gives you some indication about how I feel about you. It also makes me glad that's Margarita's problem. I'm happy that part of your relationship is healthy, I just don't want to know the details. I'm just kind of glad I don't have to mediate anymore.
New Vulcan life is New Vulcan life. A few nonessentials like restaurants are starting to pop up, so that's nice. It feels like I'm making a difference here so that's good. However, the two-year anniversary of the battle of Vulcan is just weeks away. I know I'm going to get an uptake in patients in the next couple weeks, but that's what happens with anniversaries. I hope you're doing okay with the anniversary of Sam's death. I know it's soon.
I'm not surprised that you were assigned teenagers with special needs because you were a teenager with special needs and who knows them better than you. I think you might be the role model that they need. You're scared, but I don't think you really need my help that much. See below for recommendations of a few books for you to read. Mostly from the Idiots Guide to Life series. There is no one way to work with a traumatized teenager because everybody is different.
The most important thing you have to remember is to be there. Especially for Jo Jo because she is your goddaughter and you're aware of how much her life has changed over the last nine months. That's a lot for a kid to handle. And if she's the well-adjusted one, I think I need to send you chocolate.
Of course, I'm telling you these things as your mother figure and not as a professional because I'm not there to assess in person. Really, you need to work with Margarita to come up with a plan on how to handle the situation. Mandatory counselor time may not be a bad thing but use a light touch if you decide to go this route, due to what some of your charges have gone through.
As for the tutor problem issue, I suggest getting a contractor. I think you need a teacher more than you need a Starfleet officer and outside contracts are allowed in some situations. Actually that's how I ended up on your ship before. I'm not really Starfleet again, I just happen to have an excellent security clearance. I'm a contractor. It's kind of why I ended up on new Vulcan.
So what's going on with you beyond teenager shenanigans? How are you adjusting to your new position? What things do you like and what things do you not like about your new job? How is your relationship with Winona and Kevin now that you're off planet?
Write me back when you have a chance.
From: Spock's_cuddlebunny
To: mental_health_help_desk_Suarez
Subject: Re: How is colony life?
Time sent: 3/20/2260 19:07:31
I'm glad you had a chance to write back. I should've known you were going to say that. And yes, I'm meeting with Margarita to come up with a treatment strategy in a couple of days after she observes everyone in their natural habitat. We kind of have no choice but to intervene directly due to the fact that they drugged a teacher. Thankfully it was just laxatives and not something worse. Of course, that might be because we're tracking drug usage on the ship, due to what was done to Nyota last year.
Things are good on ship and in life. You know, other than the husband who is afraid not to be on all the time because he is worried about the ship. Mom has yet to relapse, so that's good, especially because as you know, we are approaching the anniversary. Kevin and I are emailing each other regularly. I'm planning to send mom a giant cookie basket for the Tarsus Memorial gathering that they're having in a couple of days. Apparently Liz thought it would be interesting to get all the survivors together.
Even though it's been a little under a month, I really do think I made the right decision to step back and do the things I missed by going straight to captain. There is a lot of things I didn't see when I was too busy in the Captain's chair. I missed the conspiracy to hurt Nyota as well as the conspiracy to make me a martyr so we would go to war with the Klingons. People died because I was too busy focusing on the important things to notice the trivial things like the new ship therapist was a traitor to the cause. Now I get to step back and do that. And I think that's good.
Hey, at least this time I caught on to the fact that my people were getting drugged. Yes, it was laxatives this time instead of fertility drugs, but it is still kind of creepy. OK it's creepy that they got caught and did it again. What the hell is wrong with these kids?
Was I this awful? I could have never been that awful even though I was acting out because my step father molested me. See I'm getting better. I can actually say it or rather type it. Aren't you proud?
I realize that I must be a grown-up and can't depend on you for everything, but I still would like to bounce ideas off you occasionally. Margarita's a great doctor, but she doesn't know me like you do. She's not familiar with all of my baggage. She's starting to get there. I'm opening a little, but I'm in a good place. So I'm not going into 50 minute rants about wicked step dad and trying to keep Winona's drinking from Kevin. I'm worried that it's all going to fall apart at some point, but I'm okay.
Carol just texted me and told me to go get my husband because he is interfering with her experiments. Has a Captain ever worn two hats before, such as functioning as their own science officer? That's probably a question for Pike even if she is not technically my Admiral. Rodrigues is okay, but Pike is better.
Anyway, most of the science team are betting on how long Carol will last. Okay there is also betting on whether Spock will fire her, or she will resign. Should I be happy that I now know about the ship gambling and the fact that they're not betting on my sex life? A few of our friends made a small fortune when Spock and I got together.
Anyway, I'm glad things are going well on New Vulcan. Maybe the second year anniversary will be better than the first. You know new babies being born in life going on.
I'll take a look at the list you sent. I'll look into the possibility of going with a contractor, if we can't find someone suitable. Chris arranged you for me last time so I have to read up on how that works. Anyway, I hope to hear from you again soon.
To be continued