What the future holds

Posted on Fri Aug 15th, 2025 @ 8:31pm by Lieutenant Commander Savin & Jerant van Rijn

Mission: Aeon's End
Location: Counselor's office
Timeline: MD1
708 words - 1.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Savin kept reading as information trickled in. Something has happened earlier and on his way to his office he'd heard junior officers talk excitedly but also worriedly. Something about an older vessel, named Athena.

"So you're reading up on things too?" A gruff voice announced as its owner walked into the office.

Savin looked up and nodded. "And you still do not know how to knock," he retorted before looking back at his computer. "Do you not have duties to attend to?"

"I do, but I thought I'd check in on my favourite counselor." The Betazoid shrugged. "You might not need me anymore, for quite some time now, but I'm still here you know. You need someone to talk to, too. I mean...not like there's anyone else you really lean to is there. And believe it or not, I still care about you, that's never changed."

"What changed is that despite years of reservations, you decided to join Starfleet, and you became an operations officer, with bridge duties to attend to. And if the rumours I keep hearing are true, then this ship is facing some version, probably an older version, of the Athena. Which means we might be running into them, and we have to be extremely careful as to what we tell them. And we may even run internally people we lost or are lost to us right now. I am not certain the crew we still have is ready for that."

Again, the Betazoid shrugged though a flicker of pain, and an old memory flashed across his features, his already dark eyes darkening even further. "I don't know," he confessed, "but we'll do what's necessary, won't we? Like this crew always has done? I trust our commanding officer, and the XO hasn't blown us to smithereens yet so she must be doing something right. Right?"

"Right," Savin agreed, permitting a small smile as he did have fond memories of his past engagements with the prior chief engineer. "It is still beyond me how Kane got her to agree to the first officer position. But so far, she is doing exceptionally well. And I trust that I will be called upon, should my services be needed. Especially if there is a chance we will meet our past selves..."

"Do you want to? Meet your past self I mean. I'm not sure I have any desire to, especially with the open book that we are, my past self will read me in an instant and there's things I don't need him to know. And I'll just be faced with old wounds I'd rather keep closed."

"I do not know," Savin admitted, "I find the idea intriguing but like you I am not certain this will be a good idea. Like your past self, mine will read me in an instant. But....if we are able to return them to their own time, and that is a huge if, then perhaps it is a good thing he will know the future. But we shall see, for all we know our commanding officer issues binding orders not to engage our past selves, and I for one will not have any issues in complying."

Jerant nodded in agreement. "Others might not be as obedient though."

"That is their affair, and their issue to deal with. I can only help where it is desired, or requested. I cannot help those who do not wish to be helped, and you know that. I have tried to do so in the past and we both know how that backfired." Savin sighed to himself. "We just have to have faith," he repeated, "and now you need to return to your station. I will call you if I need you."

"No you won't," the Betazoid smiled as he walked towards the door. "You've changed ever since that surgery, and you're not so dependent anymore. If that's a positive in this entire situation, I suggest you take it. Your past self is likely not to believe that you did this, for the good of the future. Our future."

"I have done my duty, as have you," Savin answered dryly, but the note of regret wasn't lost on his best friend. "We will speak again, later."