Intervention (Broorn Sabor)

[Doctor Zendu]

Location: Doctor Zendu's Private Practice, Belasco.

Furiously scribbling down some notes from his last patient, a Duros orthodontist who ironically had a bad case of Dentophobia, Doctor Robert Zendu suddenly realized that he had another new patient arriving shortly. He quickly plucked the patient's file from the stack on his desk and, flipping through his notes, looked over the basics.

Name: [member="Broorn Sabor"]
Age: 39
Occupation: Bounty Hunter
Species: Chiss

In the margins of the form, there were a few notes from the preliminary Holo screening. It seemed that Broorn was seeking treatment for possible substance abuse. Robert was excited by the prospect of treating a Chiss since he was fascinated by the cold, aloof demeanor of the race. Plus it might give him a chance to practice his Cheunh. While he lacked the vocal chords to speak the language as fluently as the Csillan humanoids, he spoke enough to get by.

The doctor clutched his patient file tightly to his chest and poked his head outside his office door, looking out into the waiting room.

"Broorn Sabor?"

 

[Broorn Sabor]

Broorn sat in the waiting room, gulping down large qaunities of alcohol, thanks to the stainless steel flask in his hand. Shortly after hearing his name be called, his head shot up, staring in the direction of the doctor. Quickly, he stashed the flask into his vest, forcing a smile at the doctor. "Eh, doc!" He leaped from his seat, his feet touching the ground.

Today, the Chiss wore a White T-Shirt with some Heavy Metal band printed on the front, a blue Jean-Jacket vest, along with a pair of blue jeans and some combat boots. Quite honestly, he expected prejudice from the doctor. Who wouldn't suspect someone with a Heavy Metal T-shirt, jeans, and a jean jacket to be on spice...that's how most people behaved in the galaxy.

Stepping into the doctor's office, he released an authentic smile. "I suppose I should be sayin' good mornin' or somethin'. So, good mornin'." He looked at the doctor and sighed. "Sorry for the liquor, I-I-It's an...just a small, small...well, a large habit, know what I'm sayin'?" He asked casually.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Wrinkling his face at the boozy smell emanating from his patient, the doctor followed Broom into his office, protesting. "Mr. Sabor. Um, Broom, I trust that you've left any weapons that you brought in here with my receptionist." He wasn't accustomed to patients barging right on in, and this one looked to be quite a live wire.

He gave the Chiss a tight-lipped smirk and held out his hand. "I'm also going to have to ask you to hand over the liquor bottle." Doctor Zendu didn't mention that he did share a glass or two of alcohol with his patients sometimes. Only the ones who didn't have substance abuse problems. "I'll give it back to you after our session of course."

The doctor, still clutching the patient file to his chest, gestured to the Hover sofa. "After you give me the bottle, you can have a seat on the Hover sofa and we can get started."

His arm still extended, the psychiatrist wiggled his fingers. "The bottle, please?"

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"A weapon? This is a fethin' therapist session, I ain't bounty-I mean, of course not! Also, here it is..." He said, handing over the flask no problem. "S-so, uh...uhhh...How are you?!" Obviously not accustomed to behaving politely. He slumped down into the hover sofa with a polite nod. He was constantly biting his tongue in order to conceal the disgust he was feeling at the moment. He disliked the idea of speaking to a complete stranger about his problems...especially his spice problems. "So...yeah..." He muttered.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

With a raised eyebrow at the Chiss's surliness, the doctor snatched away the flask and promptly locked it in the front drawer of his desk. "Thank you," he said with a polite, toothy grin. Grabbing a chair, Doctor Zendu sat opposite his patient who was flopped in his Hover sofa like a hobo.

He took out a little black book and a pen from his front pocket and looked at Broorn inquisitively. "It says in my notes that you're here for a possible substance abuse issue. I have to say that talk therapy will definitely help you, but I must caveat our session by saying that I'd like to recommend you also see a substance abuse counselor. In addition to our sessions, of course."

"Now then what kind of substances are you currently abusing? Don't worry about the legalities of telling me am I under a very strict confidentiality agreement not to divulge any patient details to the authorities."

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"Spice...spice only. I used to enjoy the stuff...now, I'm loosing sleep, can't think, and it's just makin' life difficult." He cleared his throat once more. "Also...I may have commited a few crimes...many crimes. Including...tryin' to beat a Jedi to...you know...death..." He grunted quietly. Shaking his head slowly. "Those counselors...too expensive. I ain't got much credits. I spend what I can on my addictions...and most recently on this therapy session. I am currently livin' in a run-down, filthy apartment with a few pounds 'a spice in the closet. I've also spent some time in prison, mostly for possession of spice...and you know...that...that Jedi thing." He shifted uncomfortably in the hover sofa. "Listen to me, Doc. I really need that whiskey, real bad, man."

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

While scribbling down notes in the black book on his lap, the doctor carefully listened to his rambling patient. While the Chiss talked, Doctor Zendu filled a couple pages, then snapped his notebook shut and faced his patient.

"Broorn. Without some kind of physician assisted detox, our therapy sessions are going to be a waste of time, so if you'd like to get the most out of our sessions, I'm afraid that detox is mandatory." He titled his head and gave the Chiss a tight lipped smile. Then he wagged a thin finger at his patient. "It's unethical of me to give you the alcohol back until our session is through." In truth, Doctor Zendu merely didn't want his patient sloshing booze all over his expensive Hover sofa, but in his time of distress, Broorn didn't need to know that.

With his pen poised at his notebook, he barraged his patient with more questions. "Perhaps it would help to start at the beginning. How did you come to be so addicted to the spice? What made you start taking it? Was there one incident in particular or was it a slow, downward spiral?"

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"Well, my family moved to Correlia before I was born. Rather than giving me a traditional Chiss title, they gave me a Correlian-style name. Anyway, spent most of my time with the neighborhood kids, lost my Chiss dialect. Once, I returned home from school as a child, front door was busted in.

Went inside...father was layin' on the floor...blaster wound in his skull...mother was choked to death. I burst into tears and called CorSec. Ran away from the orphanage and got into spice and alcohol at the age of twelve to numb the pain." This was obviously very emotional for the Chiss.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Nodding his head vigorously as Broorn talked of his traumatic childhood, Doctor Zendu continued to scribble in his notebook. The young doctor paused only to look up and give his patient a tight-lipped concerned expression.

"First of all, no child should have to go through what you did. It's no wonder that you're the way you are now. Trauma and chronic spice abuse comorbidity are very closely connected." He made a gesture of crossed-fingers at the last phrase. "You're plainly attempting to self-medicate due to a dysregulated biological stress response to your childhood trauma."

The doctor began involuntarily tap-tap-tapping his pen on his notebook. "In layman's terms, what you need to do is properly deal with the trauma and then move on from it. It's going to be a long, hard road, Broorn, even with years of therapy. I'm afraid you'll never be able to full heal without getting off the spice, which right now is like a monkey-lizard on your back."

"I hate to beat a dead dewback but do you think you can try to detox before we continue with our therapy sessions?"

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

He listened to the doctor carefully, before sighing rather loudly. "I'll...I'll try, Doc...no guarantees." He replied quietly. He glanced to the floor, then back to [member="Doctor Zendu"], depression taking over his facial expressions. Sweat slowly dripped from his forehead as he shifted in his seat once again. "You mind if I...you know...smoke?" He asked nervously.

 

[Doctor Zendu]

The doctor grinned. "Very glad to see you compliant, Broorn. Detox won't be an easy process so I wish you the best of luck. But I think you'll find that once you stop abusing your body, you'll be able to finally experience your emotions without fleeing from them. And you will be able to finally heal from your past traumas." At the man's request to light a cigarette, the doctor paused and crossed to his desk, punching in a few commands. A droid with an ashtray for a head rolled up to the Hover sofa and waited dutifully nearby.

"I have no problems with you smoking in here," said the doctor. He then returned to his seat, adjusted his glasses, and cleared his throat.

"I'd like to ask you a few more questions, Broorn. One, do you live in a safe environment? Two, do you have a support system of people in your life that you can trust?"

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"Thanks..." He muttered, before he removed some cigarette papers. He then proceeded to roll a cigarette, which took quite a while. Once he was finished, he struck a match, and ignited the tobacco. He slowly inhaled the blue smoke, before slowly exhaling. "Support system? Hah! My ass!" He barked, a wide grin on his face. He purposely held the cigarette in a certain position, in an attempt to stop the smoke to go into the direction of the doctor. "Only family I got left is my cousin...and he's in prison for life for murder!" He chuckled loudly. He removed the cigarette from his mouth for a moment, holding it in-between his fingers.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

The doctor nodded and simply muttered, "I see," his eyes downcast as he jotted a few more notes. He had noticed the man's approach to social situations was abrasive and he felt that it was probably time to address that. He waved the blue smoke away with minor irritation.

"Broorn, I don't meant to offend you by saying this, but I have a feeling that your demeanor drives people away. Without friends or family your chances of having a successful detox are much more slim. With no one holding you accountable for your actions, it will be easier for you to slip back into your old ways."

"Perhaps we could work on those social skills, eh?"

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"My demeanor drives people away? What the feth? How?" He asked, finally sitting up straight, rather than the slumped position he was in. He quickly entinguished his cigarette in the ash tray. "There ain't nothin' wrong with my demeanor! No one else seems to fethin' care when I say somethin'. I didn't even fething say fething anythin'!" He protested. He obviously did not comprehend the idea that people were probably not fond of him shouting profanities in nearly every sentence.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

With an almost imperceptible scowl, Doctor Zendu picked up his notebook and hastily jotted in it as he muttered, "anger management issues." Then he adjusted his glasses and gave his patient a tight-lipped weary smile.

"I understand you're upset, Broorn, but this right here is exactly what I'm talking about. You're shouting profanities at me for merely making a helpful suggestion. There's a saying on New Plympto that goes something like, 'You can kill more Bahl flies with M'iiyoom nectar.' Do you know what that means?" The doctor raised an eyebrow at his belligerent patient.

[member="Broorn Sabor"]

 

[Broorn Sabor]

"S-sorry, Doctor." He muttered. "Also, I have no idea what that fet-I mean, I am not aware of the...the...the...the meaning! Yes, I am unaware of the meaning of that phrase, Doctor." He said. "Doctor, I apologize. Maybe I should, you know...leave the session. I can come back some other time. Yes? Is that alright?" He asked. He then extended his hand, offering a handshake. "Best of luck, Doctor." He said with a smile.

[member="Doctor Zendu"]

 

[Doctor Zendu]

Doctor Zendu didn't know why his patient suddenly became so eager to flee his therapy session, but as he glanced at his chrono he noticed that their hour was almost up anyway. The doctor stood up, straightened out his jacket and neatly placed his black book on his desk, turning again to face his patient.

"Yes, of course. You can come back whenever you're ready. We still have so much to talk about Broorn. You have many unresolved issues, but I am confident I can help you heal from them." He shook the Chiss's hand warmly and ushered him out of his office, lastly pointing his pen at the patient.

"And Broorn. Don't forget to detox."

[member="Broorn Sabor"]