OPEN LOG
SHNYDER: I'm glad you could make time to come see me, Commander. I know you're a very busy person.
VASILYEV: I know these meetings are important. Besides, I do actually enjoy our conversations.
SHNYDER: That's good to hear, because I'm actually very interested in learning about you. I was lucky enough to be given clearance to discuss some of the deeper details of your duties. Can I ask, what's it like to be in a position like your own?
VASILYEV: What do you mean? Could you clarify?
SHNYDER: Well, you had to go through a lot of invasive processes, really hard training, and I've read your record. You've experienced things that put most soldiers out of action. You're stressed? Overwhelmed? How would you describe your...
VASILYEV: I'm entirely capable of continuing service, if that's what you're asking.
SHNYDER: Oh, no of course. I'm not at all questioning that. I'm here to evaluate your psychological state, but I've already decided that you are definitely in shape mentally, and given what I've seen of your performance in the firing range, and from your mission reports, you're definitely capable in the field. I'm just wondering how you're doing. Mostly because of my own inexperience. This is the first assignment I've had that I can actually personally interact with SuVV personnel. I need to know what's to be expected.
VASILYEV: Well, I guess as far as stress goes, I worry about my people.
SHNYDER: Expand on that?
VASILYEV: Riley. He's a tough guy. He's dominating, as a person. He's, I have trouble explaining but he's not someone to take lightly. I've seen him defy death, and he's really just- I respect the man. But, we've had to face our mortality. And I can tell that he's affected by it.
SHNYDER: Why would you say that?
VASILYEV: I'm his superior officer. And, I take it you've seen his personal logs, too. His letters to his family.
SHNYDER: You actually look through his logs? Wait, do you go through all of their logs?
VASILYEV: It's my job, isn't it? Besides, we all have this facade we put up. We all want to look brave to one another. We kind of have to. I have to read what's going on with them off-duty, to know that they're actually okay, and fit for duty.
SHNYDER: Do they know you do this?
VASILYEV: I would never hide it from them. I've disclosed it fully with them, that I read every letter they send home.
SHNYDER: Wouldn't that affect how open they actually are?
VASILYEV: I was concerned about that too, but they've been pretty transparent in their letters and I think it's best that I also be transparent with them. Trust is a powerful factor.
SHNYDER: Alright well, I want to come back to this, I really do. But we're limited on time with these evals. We can come back to this in the future, but I have some things I actually wanted to talk about more specifically about your past. Your own logs, actually.
VASILYEV: Alright, what about them?
SHNYDER: Well, before you were SuVV, and everyone came to know you under the affectionate nickname of Crier, you were known simply as Traverser 3-3 of a planetside survey team.
VASILYEV: We're going back that far? What could you want to know about that? None of that was classified. The records are open.
SHNYDER: Well, you ended up in your position after something pretty serious. You came from being a grunt, to an analyst, to a commander. But, this all sparked with an event where responsibility was put on you pretty abruptly. One second you're just a nameless unit, and the next, you have the weight of, what was it? Twenty soldier's lives?
VASILYEV: Thirty-eight. Fifteen per patrol. Seven were killed. Eleven injured.
SHNYDER: It's been what? Four years since that patrol? How well do you remember the event?
VASILYEV: Traverser Three Eight. Two Four. Two Two. Two Three. One Thirteen. One--
SHNYDER: You remember all of their designations?
VASILYEV: I remember all of their names. Two Four, or Nahyan Qayyum, had two children at home. He was from Kapteyn B.
SHNYDER: This must have really affected you, to know these people so closely.
VASILYEV: Casualties of war, Doctor. It's sad. It's a tragedy. But unavoidable. And we have to just accept it, otherwise we can't do our jobs. And people depend on us.
SHNYDER: That seems sad.
VASILYEV: It's logical.
SHNYDER: What about Lieutenant Ceour? Would you accept her as a casualty?
VASILYEV: I didn't say that I don't care about the casualties. Of course I would accept it. That doesn't mean I'd be okay with it. Watch your tone, Doc.
SHNYDER: Right. Well, I think we're good for today. I think we'll have to put off your eval to finish another time. I actually need to move on to Lieutenant Riley.
CLOSE LOG
SHNYDER: I'm glad you could make time to come see me, Commander. I know you're a very busy person.
VASILYEV: I know these meetings are important. Besides, I do actually enjoy our conversations.
SHNYDER: That's good to hear, because I'm actually very interested in learning about you. I was lucky enough to be given clearance to discuss some of the deeper details of your duties. Can I ask, what's it like to be in a position like your own?
VASILYEV: What do you mean? Could you clarify?
SHNYDER: Well, you had to go through a lot of invasive processes, really hard training, and I've read your record. You've experienced things that put most soldiers out of action. You're stressed? Overwhelmed? How would you describe your...
VASILYEV: I'm entirely capable of continuing service, if that's what you're asking.
SHNYDER: Oh, no of course. I'm not at all questioning that. I'm here to evaluate your psychological state, but I've already decided that you are definitely in shape mentally, and given what I've seen of your performance in the firing range, and from your mission reports, you're definitely capable in the field. I'm just wondering how you're doing. Mostly because of my own inexperience. This is the first assignment I've had that I can actually personally interact with SuVV personnel. I need to know what's to be expected.
VASILYEV: Well, I guess as far as stress goes, I worry about my people.
SHNYDER: Expand on that?
VASILYEV: Riley. He's a tough guy. He's dominating, as a person. He's, I have trouble explaining but he's not someone to take lightly. I've seen him defy death, and he's really just- I respect the man. But, we've had to face our mortality. And I can tell that he's affected by it.
SHNYDER: Why would you say that?
VASILYEV: I'm his superior officer. And, I take it you've seen his personal logs, too. His letters to his family.
SHNYDER: You actually look through his logs? Wait, do you go through all of their logs?
VASILYEV: It's my job, isn't it? Besides, we all have this facade we put up. We all want to look brave to one another. We kind of have to. I have to read what's going on with them off-duty, to know that they're actually okay, and fit for duty.
SHNYDER: Do they know you do this?
VASILYEV: I would never hide it from them. I've disclosed it fully with them, that I read every letter they send home.
SHNYDER: Wouldn't that affect how open they actually are?
VASILYEV: I was concerned about that too, but they've been pretty transparent in their letters and I think it's best that I also be transparent with them. Trust is a powerful factor.
SHNYDER: Alright well, I want to come back to this, I really do. But we're limited on time with these evals. We can come back to this in the future, but I have some things I actually wanted to talk about more specifically about your past. Your own logs, actually.
VASILYEV: Alright, what about them?
SHNYDER: Well, before you were SuVV, and everyone came to know you under the affectionate nickname of Crier, you were known simply as Traverser 3-3 of a planetside survey team.
VASILYEV: We're going back that far? What could you want to know about that? None of that was classified. The records are open.
SHNYDER: Well, you ended up in your position after something pretty serious. You came from being a grunt, to an analyst, to a commander. But, this all sparked with an event where responsibility was put on you pretty abruptly. One second you're just a nameless unit, and the next, you have the weight of, what was it? Twenty soldier's lives?
VASILYEV: Thirty-eight. Fifteen per patrol. Seven were killed. Eleven injured.
SHNYDER: It's been what? Four years since that patrol? How well do you remember the event?
VASILYEV: Traverser Three Eight. Two Four. Two Two. Two Three. One Thirteen. One--
SHNYDER: You remember all of their designations?
VASILYEV: I remember all of their names. Two Four, or Nahyan Qayyum, had two children at home. He was from Kapteyn B.
SHNYDER: This must have really affected you, to know these people so closely.
VASILYEV: Casualties of war, Doctor. It's sad. It's a tragedy. But unavoidable. And we have to just accept it, otherwise we can't do our jobs. And people depend on us.
SHNYDER: That seems sad.
VASILYEV: It's logical.
SHNYDER: What about Lieutenant Ceour? Would you accept her as a casualty?
VASILYEV: I didn't say that I don't care about the casualties. Of course I would accept it. That doesn't mean I'd be okay with it. Watch your tone, Doc.
SHNYDER: Right. Well, I think we're good for today. I think we'll have to put off your eval to finish another time. I actually need to move on to Lieutenant Riley.
CLOSE LOG