A Simple Box, A Significant Moment
Posted on Sun Aug 24th, 2025 @ 3:32pm by Lieutenant Alena Alessa & Commander Hiro Sommers-Yoshida
1,532 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 9: Across Time
Location: Deep Space 21, CO’s Office
Commander Hiro Sommers-Yoshida sat behind his desk, his fingers drumming idly against the smooth surface. The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the station’s life support systems. He had called Lieutenant Junior Grade Elena Alessa to his office but had deliberately left the reason unsaid.
A small, knowing smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He knew that promotions were always one of the more enjoyable duties of command, but he also knew the weight that came with them. Alessa had earned this. She had proven herself time and time again, counseling a crew that faced the unique challenges of life on a Cardassian station in the Briar Patch. If anyone had doubts about her abilities, they were long gone.
He glanced at the small, velvet-lined box on his desk. The single solid pip inside gleamed under the office’s lighting. It was a simple thing, really. And yet, it carried so much meaning.
The door chime sounded.
Hiro straightened, schooling his expression into something neutral. “Enter.”
Alena drew in a breath as she entered Commander Hiro's office. Saluting the man, she said "You called for me, Sir?". She shifted her weight slightly from side to side. She wondered what the Commander wanted to talk to her about.
The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly as Hiro’s expression softened. “I did,” he confirmed, gesturing toward the chair across from his desk. “Have a seat.”
As she settled in, he leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on the desk. “Can I get you something to drink? Tea? Coffee? Or perhaps something else?” His tone was calm, conversational, an intentional contrast to whatever worries might have brought that slight unease to her stance.
Alena smiled to Commander Hiro. "I'd like a glass of water", she said. It was a relief to be able to sit down and breathe after their trip to Lethe. However, she had no idea why the Commander Hiro has asked her to come see him.
“Water it is,” he replied, standing to retrieve a glass from the replicator. As he handed it to her, a thoughtful look passed over his face.
“You’ve had quite a few demanding days lately,” he said, his tone still light but with a trace of sincerity. “Lethe wasn’t exactly gentle with any of us. I thought it was time we checked in…and maybe talk about where things are going from here.”
He returned to his seat, watching her with that same calm, unreadable expression that often preceded something important.
Alena shrugged. "The recent events has certainly been... intense. The trip to Lethe was terrifying. At least we all made it out of that place alive", she said, then she sighed. "I noticed something. The coins i got from the woman who was there to raise me along with my mother... I've looked into old records, and only found that coins are a long-gone currency. It makes me wonder what the heck is going on", Alena admitted.
“I read your report on Lethe and Euryale,” Hiro said, nodding slowly. “It was thorough, clearer than most would manage after an experience like that.”
He leaned back slightly, folding his hands together. “The part about the old coins stood out to me. You mentioned them briefly, but now you’re saying they came from someone tied to your past?” He tilted his head, the curiosity in his eyes sharpening.
“Maybe it’s time someone had a closer look at them. Lieutenant Abrasax has a knack for uncovering the strange and unexplainable. Would you be willing to let him examine them?”
"Mrs. Anderson got my mother and I to the States from Brazil. I vaguely remember that my mother spoke with Mrs. Anderson a few times. Something about being located and needing to move", Alena explained, her tone thoughtful. "We ended up living in a community that was... odd to say it mildly. It was a civilized battlefield with Mrs. Anderson as the main mediator. The day I found her dead was a shock. She left everything to me, including flashlights, coins, books. jewelry. All of her belongings. I've been looking through them for a while now, hoping to find some clue as to who my father is. My mom lying about my genetic heritage was a shock too", she admitted.
"My mom said that I am not the 50% human/50% betazoid. She is. That revelation alone has been a shock", she went on and then addressed the Commander's question. "I'd happily let Abrasax look at the coins. I hope he can find more answers".
Hiro listened carefully, his expression attentive and steady. When Alena finished, he offered a quiet nod.
“That’s a lot to carry, Counselor,” he said gently. “Unraveling family history can be as daunting as any mission, especially when the truths come late and heavy.” A moment passed where Hiro thought about his own parents and the revelation by his old friend, Jean Batiste.
He tapped a finger lightly on the desk. “I’ll speak to Abrasax. He’s juggling a few projects, but I’ll ask when he can make time to analyze the coins. If there’s something to be uncovered, he’s likely to find it.”
A beat passed before Hiro leaned back slightly, his tone shifting.
“Now, speaking of uncovering things… I’ve had something on my desk for some time now, waiting for the right moment.” He reached to his side, lifting the small box and setting it gently on the desk between them. “You’ve grown into your role here, Counselor. Deep Space 21 is better for having you on this crew, and it’s time that’s reflected in your rank.”
He opened the box to reveal the solid pip. “Congratulations, Lieutenant Alessa.”
Alena stared at the Commander, taken aback. She hadn't expected a promotion. She was a diplomat and a counselor. She did what she could, and hadn't ever even thought about a promotion. "That's quite an honor, Sir", she said. "I'll do my best to live up to your expectations".
"You already do," Hiro said with quiet certainty, the faintest smile returning to his face. "This isn't merely about potential, it's recognition of everything you've already brought to the station. Your insight, your stability, your ability to reach people when they need it most."
He closed the box and slid it gently toward her. "That said, with the new rank comes new weight: more trust, more expectations. But I wouldn’t be offering this if I didn’t believe you could carry it."
His tone remained steady, reassuring. "You’ve been through fire lately," he said quietly. "And while I can’t know exactly what it’s cost you, you’re still here, still steady. That matters."
"I admit a lot have been going on lately. While I majored in diplomacy, I find counseling rewarding. Though I might have a session myself", she told Hiro.
"I will likely contact my mother about the the whole identity thing and the things Mrs. Anderson left me when she died", she went on, thinking back to that day she found the elderly woman dead. She shuddered. "Back then I wasn't entirely sure about this, but when I looked at her items now, i think she was murdered", she admitted. ""Why? I don't know. But I'd like the truth from my mom. The entire truth".
Hiro’s eyes narrowed slightly, not in suspicion toward her, but in focus on the weight of her words.
“That’s not something to take lightly,” he said, his voice even but edged with concern. “If you truly believe Mrs. Anderson’s death wasn’t natural, then we may be looking at something bigger than a family mystery.”
He rested his hands on the desk. “Start with your mother. See what she’s willing to share. Sometimes, when people know you’re seeking the full truth, they reveal more than they mean to.” A pause, then his tone softened again. “And if you find yourself needing that counseling session, my door is open to arrange someone for you to talk to. You’ve carried a lot, Alena. No one expects you to shoulder it alone.”
Alena smiled. "Thank you, Sir. I think I'll confront my mother in a few days. Right now, though, I should probably go get some more rest. It has been quite some busy days", she said as she got to her feet.
“Of course,” Hiro said with an approving nod as he rose to his feet as well. “Rest is not optional, it is part of doing the job well. And I need my Chief Counselor at her best.”
He offered her a small, genuine smile, a rare easing of his usual composure. “Consider this meeting officially concluded, Lieutenant. Go and get the rest you’ve more than earned.”
With that, he gave a respectful inclination of his head. “Congratulations again—and sleep well.”
Alena nodded and stood. "Thank you Sir", she said and left the room. She yawned. Time to sleep.
Commander Hiro Sommers-Yoshida
CO Deep Space 21
LT Alena Alessa
Chief Diplomat
Chief Counselor
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