Who Counsels the Counsellor?

Posted on Thu Feb 12th, 2026 @ 11:09am by Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Remal Kajun

1,215 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Beholder
Location: Counsellor’s Offices
Timeline: Prior to Batel’s arrival onboard.

Something was bothering Aurora, something she couldn’t put her finger on, something she couldn’t explain so she had decided it was time to talk with someone. Knowing Remal had once been a Chief Counsellor himself she’d requested his presence in her office, a nice quiet and private place to talk.

Remal arrived a few minutes later, unhurried, giving her the courtesy of calm. He paused just inside the doorway, offering a small, reassuring smile that carried no rank and no expectation. “Thank you for asking to see me, Aurora,” he said gently as he stepped in. “This seems like a good place to talk.” He inclined his head toward the seating area, posture open, present. “How have you been?”

“Actually, I was doing okay until recently…” she paused motioning for Remal to take a seat. “Something has been bothering me, more so since our trip to Bajor, there was something someone there said to us. A woman there asked about our son… erm… Sidak?” She gave him a blank look. “We don’t have a son, yet the name…” she shook her head. “I feel I should know it.”

Remal took the seat she indicated, settling in with the quiet care of someone handling something fragile. He didn’t interrupt the pause, letting the name linger in the air as if it needed time to decide whether it belonged there. When he spoke, his voice stayed low and steady.

“I don’t recognize the name Sidak,” he said plainly, without apology, “but I can hear that the name matters to you. Sometimes the mind reacts before it understands why. A sense of absence without a shape. That can be… unsettling.” He folded his hands, his gaze thoughtful rather than probing.

“If someone spoke of a son you don’t remember having, and it stirred something real in you, then the feeling itself deserves respect... even if the facts don’t yet line up. We don’t need to force meaning out of it today. We can start by letting it exist, and seeing what it asks of you next.”

Aurora nodded offering a smile. “It just felt so…real for a minute, if that makes sense? Something in me felt like it was yearning to reach out, to grab a memory that doesn’t exist!” She sighed and shook her head. “I always wanted to be a mother, and now I am, I’m loving every minute of being with N’Vea, yet I feel like there should be more to our family. Not that I’m saying I want another baby!” She grinned and waved off the idea. “At least not for a while yet.”

Remal listened without interruption, the smile touching his eyes but not pushing past the seriousness of what she’d shared. When he spoke, it was with that careful warmth he reserved for things that mattered. “It makes sense,” he said simply. “Sometimes the mind recognizes the shape of a truth before it can reach the memory itself. That tug you felt doesn’t mean something is missing... only that something may be hidden.” He paused, choosing the next words with care. “There are ways to explore that safely, when you’re ready. Gentle ones. Nothing invasive. The important thing is that you don’t chase it alone, and you don’t try to make it speak before it’s ready.”

He let the gravity ease, just a little, as her grin surfaced. “As for more children,” he said, a hint of humor threading through his calm, “it’s wise to let joy settle before inviting more chaos into it.” His expression softened. “N’Vea, how has she been, by the way? I’ve been meaning to ask. Patina’s been full of restless energy lately. A play-date might be good for both of them.” The suggestion landed lightly, an anchor back in the present, where love was already very real.

Aurora smiled. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, N’Vea is the same with her energy, she sleeps well but is pretty demanding when she wants attention and cuddles.” She paused. “As for the memory I’ll let that come in its own time, perhaps it’s just something from the past that’s slipped my mind until now.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I honestly don’t know.”

Remal nodded, accepting her words without contradiction, but not letting them close the door either. “Letting something come in its own time can be wise,” he said quietly. “But sometimes time needs an invitation.” He rested his forearms on his knees, posture open, unthreatening. “What you’re describing doesn’t sound like a simple forgotten detail. It sounds like something that learned how to remain hidden so you could keep going.”

He didn’t press her to answer, only offered the space. “You don’t have to open that box today,” he added gently. “But you might consider acknowledging it’s there. Even saying to yourself, I see you, and I’m not afraid of you yet. When you’re ready, we can choose a way to look inside that keeps you safe. Until then, pay attention to when the feeling shows up, what you’re holding, who you’re with, what you’re protecting. Those patterns tend to point toward the truth sometimes before the memory does.”

“So you’re thinking maybe a trauma that I’ve locked away? Or hidden away to protect myself?” Aurora paused. “Maybe it could be, but I don’t recall…” she paused and grinned. “Like you said I need to acknowledge it, and see where it leads me.”

Remal inclined his head slightly, neither agreeing nor dismissing the idea. “Maybe,” he said, and allowed the word to stand on its own. “There are a number of reasons for a suppressed memory.” His gaze stayed gentle, grounded in the present rather than the theory.

“That’s true” Aurora nodded. “Anyway it feels better having talked about how I feel. I do talk to Savar, he’s my rock I’d be lost without him.” She smiled. “I will endeavor not to let these feelings get the better of me.”

Remal leaned forward and smiled, "You are welcome to come and talk to me anytime. I'm certain Savar can be a solid, understanding rock, but another perspective is sometimes needed. I'm glad I can be that for you. As for feelings, acknowledgement, never dismissal is key. Those feelings are trying to tell you something. It's good you are listening."

Aurora nodded. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned being a Counsellor, it’s never to ignore feelings. Whether they’re mine, or those of a patient. Thank you for helping me to get a better perspective Remal, I appreciate it.”

He stood, "Certainly. And let me know when a good time is, we can chat some more while Patina and N'vea play. I'll even make some Hasperat soup and sandwiches. If you're interested." He smiled invitingly.

“That sounds lovely” Aurora smiled warmly. “Just let me know when is good for you both and we’ll be there.”

"Absolutely." He grinned. "We will." His warm presence and gentle composure radiated positivity even as he turned and exited, leaving Aurora alone with her thoughts.

 

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