Life is the Great Teacher

Posted on Mon Oct 20th, 2025 @ 10:31pm by Petty Officer 1st Class Ember Locksley & Petty Officer 2nd Class Khlynt Medan

2,885 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Prologue: To Boldly Go
Location: Lounge, USS Guinevere
Timeline: MD 12

ON:

Khlynt made his way through the corridors of the USS Fenrir, moving quietly with the grace of someone who had moved in many different scenarios. The ship’s steady hum was ever-present, a reminder of the immense, controlled machinery that carried its crew across the stars. He had a reason for walking, a certain...mission. To seek out Ember Locksley. A fellow counsellor, a member of the same department...and while Khlynt was new at counselling, he was not new to working with others. They would both have different strengths and weaknesses...and he wished to find out, so that he knew which crewmembers would benefit more from her style than his.

The lounge was quiet, its low lighting welcoming yet subdued. As Khlynt entered, his eyes immediately found her. She was sitting near the far end of the lounge, as always, but this time the way she leaned against the bar spoke of a quiet confidence, a relaxed aura that only she seemed to carry effortlessly. She was noticeable in the sense that she was naturally striking, with her long dark red hair, sharp blue eyes. In a crowd, she'd stand out, and for reasons beyond her looks. She had an air of grace, and yet, there was something undeniably arresting in the way she carried herself, like a calm before a storm.

She moves like a Queen, he thought as he watched her take a sip of her drink. It was in a mug. Coffee or tea then. He made his way to the replicator, getting himself some mint tea...just mint leaves with hot water and a touch of sugar. Something refreshing he had found himself liking. He carried it with him towards her.

He stopped at the edge of her space, offering a slight smile as his eyes met hers. "Ember," he said in greeting, his voice calm and measured, like it always was. "Do you mind if I join you for a moment?"

"Khlynt," Ember looked up to him with a small smile, shaking her head lightly before moving a delicate hand to close her real, paper book. She motioned to the seat next to her, crossing her legs as she settled back to watch him. She wore her own clothes as she often did when counselling or on her own time; a dark green rollneck with a grey wool wrap-around skirt over black stockings. "Please do. I was just catching up with Tennyson, hardly essential work," she chuckled softly as she settled lightly clasped hands on her knee.

"And how is good old Alfred doing?" Khlynt said with a small smile as he sat down, watching her. He too wore his own clothes, a collarless light linen shirt with light silver embroidery on the cuffs and throat. The sleeves were pushed up though. Dark blue, almost black trousers and a long waistcoat left open, the lining flashing in a dark purple. No scarf this time, his throat was exposed. He motioned to the book. "Poetry can have useful applications in our work, after all. I'd argue it is practically research."

"It can certainly cast some insight into a person's soul," she chuckled softly in agreement, shaking her head gently as she considered. "Ulysses," she tapped the cover of the book with a fingertip. "A rather cheeky little poem on the quiet, considering Tennyson uses a classic tale and takes it upon himself to write a sequel. But his audacity can be forgiven, considering his thoughtful exploration of getting older."

"Better to have a thoughtful exploration of getting older than an unthoughtful one," Khlynt said with a small smile, sipping his tea as he watched her face. Something he contemplated more often now that he was getting older. Exploring getting older. How apt for him. "How are you settling in here?" he asked the question lightly, not expecting much more than the polite response.

"It's a nice little ship, from what I've seen so far at least," Ember chuckled softly as she glanced around the tranquil lounge thoughtfully. "I enjoy there being a more traditional bar with Valhalla, and then a calmer lounge. I am sure I will be in need of both during any given mission..."

The smile warmed as he nodded, watching her profile for a moment before shifting, folding his hands as he sat back. His gaze followed hers, to the tranquil lounge and the quiet that filled it. "You and the rest of the crew. A chance to catch a breath...socially, or just from being surrounded by others." He let the silence settle comfortably between them. "We'll have a lot of work to do. It's not as large a crew as some ships, so the dynamics will matter even more."

Ember nodded gently, although her features became a shade more serious at the mention of work, as if settling into a different mode. "Nor is it the largest ship. Feelings of claustrophobia can lead to higher friction..." and she couldn't blame anyone for that. She struggled with it herself, the feeling of being couped up in the black for long periods of time.

Khlynt's eyes softened as he met her eyes, the corners of his mouth lifting in something almost like a smile. "That’s likely," he said gently. "And when things get heavy, and they will...it helps to know who you're working alongside. I'd like to understand your way of doing things. So if someone sits with me and I realise they'd do better with your voice, your steadiness...I can guide them there. And I’d hope you’d feel you could do the same in return."

"Sounds good to me," Ember replied honestly, clearly pleased that he'd thought to approach her on the subject. There was nothing better than being on the same page as a colleague, especially in such a small team. "My background was originally in medicine, I was a doctor in a hospital back on Earth. I've always been interested in a holistic approach though, so when I enlisted with Starfleet, I had dual training in medical and counselling. So...I suppose I work well with patients that have an interplay going on between psychological and physical issues. I...have also travelled a lot, I was a wilderness doctor for a while, so...I have experience working with and building trust with people from highly diverse backgrounds."

Khlynt listened intently, his expression thoughtful as she spoke. "A wilderness doctor," he repeated softly, his voice reflecting genuine respect. Even a touch of awe. "That’s no small feat. I imagine it must have shaped your approach to people, taught you to rely on more than just your medical skills, but your instincts as well." He sipped his tea, eyes narrowing just slightly in contemplation. "Building trust in such isolated conditions... I imagine it must require a depth of patience and understanding that most people might not even realise." He set his cup down, fingers lingering a moment at the warmth of it before he met her eyes. "That kind of experience has a weight to it...an invaluable one." His eyes softened, a faint smile touching the corner of his mouth. "I can see how that would serve you well here, among so many different people, each with their own challenges." He paused, as if considering something unspoken. "It's a rare quality to be able to approach people with such openness, regardless of their background. I suspect it's something that’s shaped you, even when you were no longer in those wild places."

"Honestly, it is entirely selfish," Ember assured with a soft laugh, placing a delicate hand on the table to lean in a little closer to him, as if confiding a secret. "I gained..so much from working across those different environments. There was so much to learn and to see. And a sense of freedom like no other."

Khlynt watched her with warmth, a flicker of memory stirring within him...before El Auria’s fall, before the universe grew darker for him. "And made you see beyond the differences between yourself and others," he said softly, matching her tone. His eyes held hers, offering a small nod of recognition.

"Honestly, I've always found much more in common than different," she said softly before giving an apologetic shrug and a soft chuckle. "Apologies, I know that sounds trite, but it is, nevertheless, true."

"No, I..." Khlynt stopped before he gave her a nod. "I understand exactly what you mean," he offered instead. Because he did. He remembered that feeling. Nowadays, it felt further removed, but the memory was still clear.

"So what of you?" Ember asked lightly as she watched him with a small, curious smile. It hadn't gone unnoticed that he was a man who asked a lot of questions but offered a lot less from his side.

"Ah..." he let out a soft breath and met her eyes. "I am afraid that my skills as a counsellor come...from a history of reading people to manipulate them. But it does mean I can spot liars. I might be...a bit more blunt. Sometimes, that works. Other times, not at all. I am still...new to this profession."

"It's certainly an approach that works better with some people," Ember agreed softly. She had a hundred questions simmering inside of her about what he'd said, but if a counsellor knew anything, it was the importance of timing. "I would never have guessed you were new to this, you carry yourself with such authority."

He gave her a small smile, holding her eyes for a moment. "I was a scientist once, an explorer," he said, his voice quiet. "The authority came from my wife's name. She was...what you'd almost call nobility. The name carried me forward in society. After the destruction of El-Auria...I did many different roles. But that stayed with me."

She nodded slowly as she absorbed the words. His wife referred to in past tense. The mention of the destruction of El-Auria. She took it to mean she had been one of the victims in that downfall, but it was too soon to ask. "A name can only carry you so far...science...exploration...those are your own skills."

"Perhaps, once," Khlynt said and lifted his mug to take a sip, the mint strong in his mouth. Soothing. Warming. Slightly sweet. "I was a mercenary for a bit, then...started working in different circles. Planets outside the Federation, weaving myself into their politics. I was good at it and...I wanted to survive, or bury who I had once been." He spoke openly, not seeing any reason not to.

"Or...find a new vocation in life," Ember suggested with a soft, small smile, shaking her head gently at how he had spoken. "That would be a more generous way to look at it."

"I think that came later," he said and gestured to the ship, the room...her. "This is my new vocation. Counsellor in Starfleet. So perhaps one could argue that I am attempting healing not just of patients...but of myself."

"I prefer that way of putting it," she admitted softly, chuckling gently as she reached for her drink. "You are a man of deep experience. And perhaps an edge of steel certain personnel may respond better to."

"Perhaps," he said as his gaze settled on her. He took a moment to regard her, considering his next words. "Some might. Yet I feel your approach might fit the general crew far better than my approach. But we will...figure it out."

"We will know," Ember replied with a small smile, certain of that at least. It didn't take long to tell if a patient needed a softer touch or a firmer one. The key was for the therapist to be honest with themselves about it. "And you'd be surprised...a good deal of serving personnel prefer a more...straight forward approach."

"Depending on their backgrounds and personalities," Khlynt said as he watched her with a small smile. "My instructor at the Academy made the comment that I should...try a softer approach more often."

"Only if it works," Ember gave a half shrug, shaking her head with uncertainty at the observation. "Different doctors suit different patients. Not all doctors can be surgeons, or work in paediatrics. Pretending that psychology is any different is naive."

"That is true. So, if we divide psychology up in such a way...what is your interest?" he asked with a small smile, curious as he watched her. "What sort of case studies have always fascinated you?"

"Anything that has interplay between mental and physical health," she nodded slowly as she thought on it, wanting to be honest about it, regardless of what he might think. "Working with people from other cultures who might struggle adjusting to Federation life. Feelings of isolation or alienation. Some kinds of trauma."

He nodded at that, taking a deeper breath. "Something that has its place in Starfleet more than people think. Not just different species, but also those from colonies outside of Federation's protection."

"Exactly," Ember leant closer to him, her voice softening to a more confidential level. "People join Starfleet from all over the quadrant. Starfleet is as welcoming as it can be, but it can't mitigate all sources of...alienation, for lack of a better term. And then there are the people we meet in our journeys. New people, new cultures...and too often than not, our interactions align with traumatic events that we try to offer aid for."

"And sometimes, we are the cause of the trauma," Khlynt said before he gave a nod. Thinking. "I believe that you have found quite the suitable thing to be drawn to, Ember. And hopefully, you can help enormously."

"I hope so too," Ember admitted quietly, shaking her head with a weak smile to him. Maybe it was true what they said about El-Aurians...he made her feel comfortable. Enough to speak her mind. "Living with the claustrophobia of a ship isn't always easy, but it's worth it if I can do my job."

His eyes softened and he gave her a small smile. "And if you need any support, you will have it," he said, meaning it. He'd make sure she had what she needed, the tools she needed, if things got a bit much. If she let him in that was.

"And what do you need?" she asked with a gentle, warm smile, the question an honest one. "To do your work?"

He let out a breath at the question, his expression shifted. A moment of being unsure of how to say it. "Just space to do it," he said, meeting her eyes. "And someone I can trust."

"Space," Ember repeated softly, nodding gently as she considered that. No one looking over his shoulder. Which posed an interesting question. "Usually, I would work with a peer group, where we bring cases to talk confidentially about, when we need to brainstorm patients and their treatment. Does that mean you would oppose such a situation?"

"Not at all," he said quickly as he looked at her, with a warm smile. "I would welcome discussion and advice. Just in the sessions..." he stopped and chuckled softly. "I did not do very well at the Academy when we had the supervision. Apparently I can be quite...sarcastic."

Ember laughed, unable to help herself as she shook her head gently. "You're a man with centuries of experience behind you. I should imagine that it seemed rather...patronising at times."

"More frustrating when I realised I did not know more than others," he admitted with a small chuckle at himself. "It was a humbling time at the Academy. But...It's important to experience it." He met her eyes, holding them for a moment. "I am still new at this, Ember."

Ember searched his eyes for a moment, trying to work out if he meant it, or if he was just being modest. "Well...I'd very much like to assist you, however I can," she offered honestly.

"And I you," Khlynt said, his face serious as he said it. "If I can. Yet you strike me as someone who...has a good grasp of herself. And where she is going." He chuckled as he sat back, slowly, reaching for the cup to hold. "So if you'd rather have my assistance to you be more social, I would welcome that too."

"Social assistance, that makes you sound like a support animal," Ember laughed softly, unable to help it as she shook her head gently. "All the same, thank you."

His eyes widened at that before he laughed, shaking his head. "I...am glad you took it as it was meant, not how it sounded," he said, eyes softening with it. "I am not always good at getting the...lighter bits across, in one to one situations."

"Heart matters more than words, when it comes down to it," Ember assured with a small smile, shrugging lightly with a gleam in her eyes. "Heart tells."

Khlynt looked at her with surprise at the words before he took a deeper breath. "Heart knows."

OFF:

PO2 Khlynt Medan
Counsellor
USS Fenrir

PO1 Ember Locksley
Counsellor
USS Fenrir

 

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