Posted by Commander Jason Harn (Executive Officer) in Couselor’s Appointment… XO

Posted by Lieutenant Trevor Michaels (Counselor) in Couselor’s Appointment… XO

Posted by Commander Jason Harn (Executive Officer) in Couselor’s Appointment… XO
Posted by… suppressed (6) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Jason couldn’t believe that it had been he who had scheduled the counselor’s appointment. On most of the other ships he had served on, the ship’s counselors tended to have him on a regular schedule. He couldn’t blame them. Finding yourself transported into a future where all of his relatives had died over two centuries ago would send up red flags for any licensed therapist. Sharing his insecurities was difficult, for despite assurances of privacy there was always the chance that something he said could affect his chances for promotion. And there was no denying it; little things like pride and hubris tended to breed unwarranted resentment towards mental health professionals. But an incident on the last mission convinced Jason that it wasn’t only his well-being that was at stake, and responsibility was the hallmark of a Starfleet officer.

He strode into the reception lounge outside the counselor’s office holding a PADD. “Is the counselor free?” Jason asked in a voice that suggested that the executive officer wanted to confer with one of his officers rather than announcing the presence of a patient arriving for his scheduled counseling appointment.

Jason Harn, XO creating as many side threads as possible until Kenson Koh returns.

“Commander?” Trevor called out from his office, “I’m surprised to see you here.” The Counselor said, peering his head out from the doorway. The Lieutenant motioned for the XO to join him in the office. The CNS disappeared back into his office and shuffled a few sprawled out PaDDs back into his desk to view later.

CNS

“Yeah, I actually showed up this time,” Jason smiled grimly as he followed Trevor into his office and parked his large frame onto a divan that was just the right height for his long legs. “I must have made six counseling appointments but never showed up to them. You’re probably wondering what made me show up to this one aren’t you?”

Jason Harn, XO

“So I didn’t have to declare you unfit for duty?” The Counselor laughed. In reality, the Lieutenant had many people try and steer clear of him and has yet to actually deem anyone unfit for that reason.

“So what brings you down to my office?” Michaels finally asked.

CNS

“Since my little uh, time skip I’ve had a lot of counselor’s appointments,” Jason admitted as he fidgeted on the couch as he unsuccessfully tried to find a nonchalant sitting position he was comfortable with, “so I’ll cut to the chase. On the Xarantine mission, while I was commanding the Buccaneer…” he paused, knowing what he said next could prevent any further promotions. “I… I think I… I think I might have froze up.”

His time spent in JAG had taught him that it was always better to use terms like “I think I might have” or “maybe I” when making a confession. It left room for a sympathetic interpretation instead of forcing a forgone conclusion. Even so, to Jason’s ears it seemed like a damnable confession.

Jason Harn, XO

“Oh?” Trevor asked. “… and you think it may have something to do with your past?” The Counselor asked. The Lieutenant shifted slightly in his chair, to become more comfortable. He knew that even senior officers froze up at least once in their career, so it wasn’t uncommon… especially in stressful and dangerous situations.

CNS

“I… it must be,” Jason shrugged. “It’s just that I remember being so much more daring and decisive back then. Compared to the Battle of Cheron, our confrontation with the Xarantine pirates was a milk run. There was no reason for me to be so cautious.”

Jason Harn, XO. no longer a maverick
Jason Harn, XO

Trevor nodded at the XO’s response. “You also have to remember that you’re no longer in a time where being daring is a first reaction.” The Counselor stated. “Subconsciously you may want to be gung ho, but you know that by doing so… you’d have a higher chance of making a detrimental mistake.” Michaels added.

“Or maybe… you’ve realized that your old style just doesn’t fit in with the 24th century.” The Lieutenant said. He knew there could be multiple reasons for why the XO was more cautious. It would definitely take some time to figure out, if the XO wanted to move forward.

CNS

“True,” Jason nodded without revealing which of Trevor’s assessments he agreed with. “My last command was a tiny ship compared to his one, the size of a frigate. Even the Klingon ship I served on was just a K’tinga, not a Negh’var. With that many resources at one’s command, who wouldn’t be overwhelmed? I just kind of hoped that serving aboard the USS Galaxy would prepare me for running a bigger ship.”

Jason Harn, XO

The Counselor was hoping the Commander wasn’t losing faith in his own command capabilities. “How are your relationships with those you work with?” Trevor asked, trying a different approach.

CNS