Please state the nature of...
Posted on Tue Feb 24th, 2026 @ 12:23pm by Lieutenant JG T'Lar & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson
926 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Beholder
Location: Sunfire
0500hrs
T’Lar’s Quarters-Deck 3
T’Lar awoke with a start to the sound of her alarm chime. Her sleep had been deep and restful following 2 hours of meditation. Her stomach rumbled, protesting against the fact that she had skipped dinner the night before, opting to go straight to bed after meditating, but she pulled herself out from the covers and began her morning exercises anyway. 20 minutes worth of rigorous calisthenics later she headed for a cold shower. The icy water served two purposes in her morning ritual: it invigorated her, and helped cool her down given the fact that Vulcans do not perspire. She enjoyed warm showers as well, but nothing got her focused for the day like a cold one.
Following her ablutions she dressed and moved to the replicator where she ordered oatmeal with butter, brown sugar, almond milk, crushed walnuts and dried cranberry raisins. Brian had introduced her to the gruel like hot cereal during their time at the academy and she found the sweet and sour taste of the “craisins” to be most agreeable when paired with the nutty crunch of the walnuts. In need of a stimulant hit to shake off the proverbial cobwebs she ordered a pistachio flavored iced cappucino frappe’. Pistachio flavored anything was a culinary preference of hers; Brian would call it her “weakness”. She definitely had a sweet tooth for Pistachio ice cream, and “Dubai” styled chocolate treats. She felt a wave of euphoria as she sipped the milkshake like concoction, careful to not drink it too fast so as to incur the dreaded brain freeze to which Vulcans were not immune.
Having finished her breakfast and brushed her teeth, T’Lar picked up her PADD, slipped an isolinear chip into her uniform pocket and headed to work.
0555hrs
Counseling Suite-Deck 3
T’Lar was the first to arrive at the Counseling Suite and set about turning on the lights and adjusting the environmental controls to the optimal settings. She then went to her office, sat down behind the computer console, activated it and inserted the isolinear chip.
“Computer, please sync the files on the isolinear chip I’ve inserted into this workstation into the local ACH. Authorization T’Lar Omega Delta 210,” she said.
“File syncronization Confirmed,” came the reply.
“Computer, activate Auxiliary Counseling Hologram”
Instantaneously a figure identical in every way to the Emergency Medical Hologram pioneered on the USS Voyager appeared beside her behind her desk.
“Please state the nature of the … Oh it’s you…” the hologram stated drolly.
“Hello again, Counselor.” T’Lar proffered.
“Ensign…” the hologram protested.
“Actually it’s Lieutenant now,” T’Lar countered
“Perhaps you should have included that in your update… Congratulations.”
“I should think you would have noted the rank on my collar, Counselor”
“Touche’, Lieutenant. Now how pray tell may I be of service?”
“I had another incident of PTSD last night. I nearly lost control,” came her response.
The ACH’s demeanor immediately shifted to one of compassion as he came from around the desk and sat down in the chair opposite T’Lar.
“You are new to the Sunfire. Changes can often stir up memories. Tell me what happened.”
“I…”, she began hesitantly, “I was simply putting my things away in my quarters and I placed his vre-katra on the shelf…”
“Brian’s soul shrine?” the ACH asked gently.
“Yes,” she replied softly.
"Sickbay to Lt T'Lar" the voice of the Sunfire's ACMO echoed through the ship's internal comm network.
T'Lar tapped her combadge.
"T'Lar here. How may I be of assistance?"
"Sorry we had to postpone your physical yesterday, have you got time to drop by this morning?" Came the voice over the comlink once more.
"Of course. I can come down presently if that is agreeable," T'Lar rejoined. "To whom should I report?"
"Plesse report to Dr Wilson upon your arrival" the voice replied pleasantly.
"Understood. I shall be there shortly."
T'Lar sat pensively for a moment.
"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" the ACH asked quietly.
"Yes, Counselor. it seems our session will have to wait as I am needed in sickbay for my on arrival physical..."
"So I heard. Are you sure it would not be better for you to discuss this with one of the ship's regular duty Counselors?"
"They are not familiar with my case history. You are. Besides, the ship's Chief Counselor is Vulcan. You know that complicates things for me."
"Part Vulcan part Betazoid, T'Lar. And a contrarian herself when it comes to Vulcan traditions. Your fear of being judged for what you did in a desperate moment facing for you what was an unimaginable loss is far more likely to be received with compassion than derision," the ACH countered gently.
"I took his Katra, Counselor. I... I did not mean to, but I did."
"And ..."
"And I don't have any more time to discuss this right now."
"Lieutenant, Surely..."
"Computer, Deactivate ACH." T'Lar said flatly, taking a tissue from her desk and dabbed at her eyes so as to not mess up the minimalist eye makeup that she wore; another hold over from her time with Brian. The hologram dissipated mid sentence and she knew from experience he would be unhappy about the manner in which she'd dismissed him but for the moment she was actually relieved to have a reprieve from the subject at hand. She took a moment to center herself, reasserting control over her emotions.
Taking up her PADD T'Lar left the Counseling Suite and reported to Dr. Wilson in Sickbay as ordered.
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