What's wrong

Posted on Thu Sep 3rd, 2026 @ 12:26am by Lieutenant JG Aiden Poe & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander

1,138 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Blade of Deceit
Location: Counseling Office

ON:

Poe stood in front of the counseling office. He sighed. How did he do this. He never had trouble talking about things with counselors but... "Suck it up buttercup. Be brave." He rang the chime and waited.

Lanna had sensed Poe’s arrival, and his hesitation. As the chime sounded she called out to enter offering a warm smile as the door opened.

Poe entered. He looked at the counselor a moment before speaking. "They kicked me out of sickbay...Commander Walker went back into surgery....he's still in a coma." Every time he said that or thought about it he got so angry, and panicked. He felt like taking a shuttle and flying back to get revenge on the Klingons himself and that's why he was here.

“Take a seat Poe” Lanna motioned him to sit wherever he wanted to. “I’m sorry, but there’s very little you can do while Sab is in surgery. I know it hurts, and I know it makes you angry, but right now all any of us can do is wait.”

"I am angry. If the Captain listened to me and didn't dismiss me Commander Walker would not have been hurt." Poe sat down.

“The Captain has to do what he thinks is best Poe, he can’t just go on feelings or visions” She offered a comforting smile. “If anything you’ve now proven that any future visions should be taken notice of.”

"I doubt it. Anyway. I don't want to talk about the Captain. As far as I'm concerned he's just as guilty as the Klingons." He paused. "I want to talk about the Commander....what happened with him...I...I'm confused."

“Okay” Lanna nodded. “What is it that confuses you?”

"I..." He looked slightly afraid to voice his feelings and not used to it. He talked to his cats about emotions and they never talk back so talking to a person... He sighed. "Why does it hurt so much. We don't know one another that well or that long but...I swear I could feel every mark on his body as if it were my own and when I thought he was dead I felt...hollow."

Lanna offered a caring smile. “Poe since you came onboard you’ve spent a lot of time either with, or helping Sabastian, or he’s been helping you. Tell me how you feel, how you TRULY feel deep down inside.”

He shrugged. "I don't know. I mean he's really kind and he hasn't made me feel dumb like others do...but usually I think I make friends and then they all think I'm weird and they end up just letting me down. I find out that the jokes on me and they only used me...I guess maybe I feel scared that he's going to be like that. Mostly I don't know what I feel...I think that if he were to feel like that, if he were to get sick of me it would hurt more and I don't know why I'm afraid of him thinking I'm a loser."

“It’s because you care about him Poe, he makes you feel special and he makes you laugh, that much I’ve seen.” Lanna smiled. “On the flip side you’ve helped Sabastian to recover from loss and betrayal. I don’t think he’d ever do anything to hurt you.”

"But why do I care more about what he thinks and why do I feel all weird when he's around, like my heart is speeding up and I get sweaty and feel like I can't pull in air. I'm always so nervous around him."

Lanna couldn’t help but smile. “Poe have you ever been in love? Or had feelings for someone in that respect?”

He shook his head. "No....but...that's not possible I just met the Commander."

“That doesn’t mean you aren’t developing romantic feelings for him Poe.” Lanna offered. “It could just be a crush, but it sounds deeper than that to me.”

He shook his head. "No no no. People like him don't like people like me."

Lanna offered a calm and comforting gaze. “Sabastian does like you, he has since the day you came onboard, He’s quite protective of you as well. However don’t let that scare you, he needs a friend now more than ever.”

"Counselor why would he like someone like me?"

“I think at first it was because you reminded him of Zai, but that’s changed.” Lanna added not wanting Poe to feel like a substitute for a lost love. “He enjoys your company, you’ve helped to bring him back from a dark place Poe.”

"Maybe but only until he finds out that I'm not worthy of caring about. Everyone eventually does." He shrugged. "That's how I don't have friends or family. I only rely on myself."

“I can understand that, but don’t put yourself down Poe you are worth caring about.” Lanna offered a smile.

He shrugged. "I wish I could believe that." He sighed. "I hope the Commander will be okay."

“You and me both Poe, he’s been through so much already and so have the crew. We don’t want to lose him.”

He sighed. "Can I tell you something without you laughing at me?"

“By all means, and I wouldn’t laugh at you anyway” Lanna added reassuringly.

He sighed. "I read...card. I did a spread and it showed a storm is coming. No matter how many times I shuffled the same three cards kept coming out. A tower, a death card, and the fool."

“Tarot cards? I’ve always found those interesting.” Lanna responded. “What does the tower card represent? Death is self explanatory, and likewise the fool.”

"The tower is sudden and unexpected change. A storm that will shatter your world beyond anything you imagined. Death is change, death of the old, rebirth, and the Fool, a new and unfamiliar beginning. He paused. Commander Walker has the Fool and the Death card on his wrists tattoos. The reading was for me but since he has their marks I think it involves both of us."

“That’s so uncanny, I’d ask for a reading but I’m not sure I want to know what might happen in the future.” She offered a smile. “So what do you do now? I guess all you can do is wait and see what the future brings?”

He sighed. "Yes but I can smell a change in the air. I'm just not sure if it's good or bad."

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed it’s good for all of us Poe” Lanna smiled warmly.

OFF:


Lieutenant JG Aiden Poe
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist

&

Lieutenant Lanna Alexander
Ship's Counselor

 

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