Poster Child for Poverty, Part 2

Posted on Fri 3rd Jan, 2020 @ 9:17pm by Elizabeth Anderson M.D. & Lieutenant Commander Alora Baro
Edited on on Fri 3rd Jan, 2020 @ 9:27pm

991 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Tram, Brown Sector, Deck 2445
Timeline: MD -15, 0935

Previously, on the tram ... Once they were seated on the tram, it would be a few minutes before they got off at their stop. "So, you're already doing what you can to help them. Maybe it will be serendipitous that I invited you along. Some people might come in, based on being familiar with you," Elizabeth said. "That would be a good thing."

... and now part two.

Changing the subject slightly, the doctor asked, "Have you seen any evidence of drug dependence as you've wandered around? That's one thing that worries me, because it isn't much of a problem in modern societies, but statistics show there are problems in refugee neighborhoods. I don't blame them for looking for whatever relief they can find, but it isn't really a solution to anything." Her hands fisted in her lap and she looked down at them. "I can't understand how the Federation lets this happen to displaced people." Though she didn't say it, it also made her worry more about how they would eventually deal with her.

Alora looked thoughtful a moment before replying, "I suppose it could be a combination of things, too few resources, some people are stubborn and don't want help, though that last is a minority, it still happens. It could also be they don't know, for one reason or another, how bad it is." She paused, "There may be other reasons, to be honest I don't know." She tried to reply as frankly as possible.

"I suppose you're right. It seems as if no one really wants to know, though." The counselor shook her head. "Today, we're going to be interested in anything people need to share. Here, let me show you my system for keeping track of people."

In the time it took the tram to get to deck 2500, Elizabeth shared her record keeping with Alora, and as they exited the tram to walk toward the turbolift, she finished by saying, "So if they don't want to tell you where they live or contact information, that's alright, but try to get some way of telling one from another. I don't know that they will mind, only that they might."

They boarded the 'lift and there was no other traffic going up, so the doors closed as Anderson asked, "Any questions? Sometimes I forget vital steps because they are so ingrained in me."

"Perhaps we should go over the computer systems you are using to keep their information secure. I know some of these people, and if they trust you, they may not trust your equipment. If I could do that before you open, that'd be best. Besides that, if you could let me know exactly what you need from me as you need it that'll help, alright?" Baro smiled, it was a nice smile. And she tended to give the impression of someone to be relied upon.

"What I need is for you to record as much information as you can get from each person who comes in," the counselor explained, "and if there's more than one at a time, then keep an orderly schedule. I will try to keep initial contact to no more than 20 minutes, but it may go longer if there aren't many there. As for the computer system ... " she paused. She couldn't, or didn't want to, tell anyone how she kept her records. It would freak some people out ... maybe not this engineer, but many. What could she say?

"I guess just tell them that it is a proprietary system which no one else can access, and that their privacy is preserved from Starfleet or other official channels. That's a guarantee. No one will ever hear anything they tell me. It's a bit of a conundrum. If they don't trust me, they won't believe it's safe, no matter what we say.

"You can demonstrate to them that the PADD is not connected to any system. Show them the systems page. Maybe they'll believe that. Even the PADD I've given you won't connect to this one," Elizabeth held up the one she would use to record intake sessions. "And, they're both encrypted with my own personal coding that I've shared with no one. As soon as you submit a document, it becomes unintelligible to anyone but me. You can show them that, too."

Alora nodded taking mental notes, "You know, I got a few security programs I could run by you, if you want ones not in use elsewhere. It would take me a little to work up something new, but the bones are likely to be Federation code or Bajoran. We can run through that later if you are interested. I do know a couple of security consultants who'd be willing to pop over, but I'm getting ahead of myself..." she said, trying to reign in her brain. It had already started down the rabbit hole of 'solving the problem'.

"For your purposes today, this should be fine, just let me know if you want to step things up," she said trying to refocus.

"Let's see how this works. I have every confidence in my skills, but there's always someone out there who can hack anything, if there's motivation enough. I think we're low priority, low motivation, but who knows what we'll run across today ... presuming anyone comes in at all," Anderson said, grateful that Alora was willing to be on board with the day's activity.

They were quiet for a few minutes until the tram came to a stop at their station. "Well, here goes something, I hope," the counselor said, rising and waiting for an older woman to step off in front of her. As the two of them walked out of the station toward the lift that would bring them up the last few floors, Elizabeth smiled and said, "We've got this, right?"

"With us two how could we not?" Alora smiled and replied gamely.

 

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