Two straight shooters

Posted on Mon Jan 26th, 2026 @ 1:52am by Commander Aleshanee & Technical Sergeant Josi Baro

876 words; about a 4 minute read

The door slid shut behind Loren with a soft hiss, leaving the room suddenly quieter.

Josi exhaled, then turned toward Aleshanee, her expression calm but intent. "I won’t take much of your time," she said evenly. "I’m not here on a whim, and I’m not looking for shelter."

She shifted her weight, hands relaxed at her sides. "If joining the Ada Lovelace means questions or conditions, that’s fair. I just wanted to say it to you directly...before anything gets assumed."

A brief pause. "Where would you like to start?"

Aleshanee gave Loren a quick nod as Loren left the bridge.

Aleshanee looked up from what she was doing when she heard the voice, "...Josi, please have a seat," Aleshanee said softly.

"As for joining, the Lovelace could always use another engineer. I am still figuring out how to accept new crew, so please bear with me. As for questions, I do have some, and they might come off as concerns, nothing that'll bar you from joining, just concerns. As for conditions, none, truthfully," Aleshanee said as she continued to learn this part of her responsibilities. "...I do have one concern, and that is how you have dealt with surviving the final battle? Have you been able to speak with anyone? I know that options are very limited, especially if you do not want someone from Starfleet, and then to also just potentially relive what you went through."

Josi eased into the chair, hands folding loosely in her lap. For a moment, she didn’t answer right away, not out of avoidance, but because the question deserved more than a reflex. “That’s… a fair concern,” she said quietly. Her gaze lowered briefly, then returned steady. “I survived by doing what everyone did at the end: moving, staying useful, not stopping long enough to feel it.” A faint, humorless smile touched her mouth. “When the battle was over, there wasn’t really anyone left to debrief with. Just… silence. People scattering.”

She drew in a slow breath. “I’ve spoken to my family...a little. I haven’t sat across from a counselor, if that’s what you mean. Not Starfleet, not Bajoran, not anyone official.” She paused. “Not because I’m opposed. Mostly because I didn’t know where to put it all without making it worse.” Her shoulders lifted slightly, then settled. “But I’m not falling apart, Commander. I’m here. I’m functioning. And I know the difference between carrying something and letting it drive the ship.” A small nod. “If joining the Lovelace means I should talk to someone eventually… I won’t refuse. I just needed time to stop running first.”

"For the time being, you seem to have it under control. Our chief medical officer also has training in counseling, so whenever you need to or feel you need to, you can speak with him. Right now, the only requirement is a physical," Aleshanee said.

Josi’s expression softened at that moment, and a quiet relief washed over her features. “Thank you,” she said simply. “For asking it the way you did.” She then let out a small, almost amused exhale. “A checkup, I can handle. That’s a lot easier than… talking in circles.” Her mouth quirked faintly. “And I appreciate knowing the option is there, if I need it. In my own time.”

"You are welcome, like I said, I am still figuring this out, and unlike Starfleet, we have no regulations as of right now, but if I notice something, or if any of the crew notices that you are losing control, or you are struggling, I'll need to make you do some mandatory counseling sessions with our doctor, is that acceptable?"

Josi’s smile faded into something more serious, though not defensive. She held Aleshanee’s gaze without flinching. “That’s acceptable,” she said plainly. “If I become a risk to the crew, then it stops being just my burden to carry.” Then she wondered, "Would this be a good time to check in with the doc?"

"Excellent, and yes, I think it's a perfect time, and after that, feel free to explore your bunk, and engineering," Aleshanee said with a soft smile, knowing they could use a few more crewmembers, but what they had would suffice, she has been used to less.

Josi gave a small nod, the tension easing from her shoulders as the path forward became clear. “Understood,” she said quietly. “Thank you… for making this straightforward.” She rose from the chair, pausing just long enough to meet Aleshanee’s eyes again. “I know you don’t owe me space on your crew. I won’t waste it.” Then a faint, wry smile returned. “I’ll report to Sickbay, get the unpleasant part over with, and then try not to get lost finding my bunk. With all that said, am I dismissed?”

'Yes, of course, and if you need anything, do not hesitate to call me, or find me," Aleshanee said, keeping her soft smile.

Josi returned her smile, looking as grateful as she felt. She inclined her head in a respectful gesture, “Commander,” and turned toward the door, ready to take the next step without looking back.

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