Grief Counseling

Posted on Fri Sep 18th, 2026 @ 11:00pm by 2nd Lieutenant John Dallas & Lieutenant Lireh Vin & Lieutenant Salem & Ensign Sovan

Mission: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 09/26
Location: Starbase M-69
Timeline: 2402/07

On

< Counseling Office / Sick Bay >

Someone had over booked Ensign Sovan today which normally didn't occur but this did avail Sovan to greet his new peer Lieutenant Lireh Vin.

Ringing the Counselors chime Sovan awaited Lireh Vins reply.

Lireh was moving a potted artificial plant for the third time that morning, in her office. She hoped this time it would look and feel right. As she appraised the plant's new position, the door chime sounded.

"Come in" she announced.

Sovan was a young Vulcan but carried his age well.

" Greetings, I am Sovan from the Counseling department. It would seem scheduling has assigned 2 patients at my 9:00. As Lt Salem is new and 2nd Lieutenant Dallas is established would you be free to meet with either?" Sovan requested.

"Oh, hello Sovan. I would be happy to help and take one of your patients. "

Lireh replied.

" Thank you. I will send Lieutenant Salem in to see you." Sovan replied.

"Great, give me about 5 minutes and I will be ready."

Lireh replied.

" Lieutenant Salem is Trill, which may be a good fit for you," Sovan replied.

"Quite possibly, yes. " Lireh replied.

< 5 minutes later >

Lieutenant Salem found his way into the counselling room and waited to be seen. His duties of late had been very tiring as he was part of the set-up of a listening station.

Lireh stepped out of her office into the counselling room.

"Lieutenant Salem, would you like to come in? "

" If I could help myself I wouldn't have to be here. Atleast you are Trill." Salem replied.

"Yes, of course. Please come into my office and take a seat "

Salem entered but paced for a moment before sitting down as his nerves were shot. He had heard a Trill counselor was aboard but figured he would be seeing Isabella, the Commodores daughter.

" I am a good communication officer and I love being in Starfleet but yet again I was turned down to be a host. Sorry I don't handle rejection very well."

"Oh I see. Let me get something out in them open so it's not an issue later on. I am a joined Trill. Fourth host to Vin. Rejection is often a difficult situation to deal with. For some it's made more difficult by a condition called Rejection Sensitive Disphoria. I'm not suggesting that you have it but it is a common condition for various different species."

" It not so much I want to be joined as it seems to be a theme. I was rejected from my last promotion, I was rejected for the recent joining and a woman I was interested in left the station before I could tell her how I felt." Salem replied.

Lireh sat back in her chair. The young man had been through a sequence of unfortunate events, one after the other.

" Rejection can be demoralising if you let it and focus on it. But equally it can be a great learning experience and a way to reflect on the here and now. Things happen for a reason and knowing it can be a catalyst for improvement and eventually success."

" You sound like my mother. When she died, my cousin was given her symbiont. That's why I joined Starfleet. " Salem replied.

" Hmm, that's a first. I've never been told I sound like someone's mother before. I'm curious as to what you meant by that."

" Sorry, my mother always had an excuse as to why things were as they are. Could get annoying. I thought maybe if I unloaded some of my anxiety would ease. I think I just need some R&R," Salem replied.

" Well, relaxation certainly can help in a lot of situations. So is talking about things. "

" Don't fret, Soval said "I had mother issues, so I ran with it. So next vacation I will sort all this out." Salem replied.

"OK. Sooner rather than later on the vacation. Never a wise thing to let things that are bothering us fester. You seem to have come to a good conclusion on how to go forward. I hope I was some help."

" You did. I appreciate it, Counsellor." Salem replied.

"I am glad. It was also nice to meet another Trill on the station. On my previous posting, I was only one of four other Trill on the ship. We got together to chat, and apparently, some of the crew nicknamed us the Spotted Gang."

" That's funny. Thanks again Counselor." Salem replied as he prepared to leave.

" Yeah. Take care of yourself, Salem. If you need me, let me know."

Salem exited with some relief after getting to speak to a fellow Trill and not the dull ear of the Vulcan Sovan. His petty issue of not telling Commander
Shauna Vehn his interest in her still lingered but for the moment his other issues were calmed.

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