Ensign Lisa Nguyen stood frozen, her eyes locked on the spilled coffee streaming across the Starbase’s mess hall table. She had been carrying her breakfast tray with her morning cup of coffee and was lost in thought as she replayed a recent conversation with Commander Aramis Lionel in her mind. The collision with Lieutenant Tom Bradley was inevitable, and the sound of shattering ceramic filled the air.

“I’m so sorry!” Lieutenant Tom Bradley exclaimed, rushing to help Lisa clean up the mess.

Lisa’s face flushed as she apologized, her hands instinctively reaching for the scattered pieces of ceramic. The awkwardness of the moment was amplified by the curious glances from nearby customers that were enjoying themselves at the Starbase’s most popular mess hall.

As they cleaned up the spill, Lisa couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease. She was thinking about an officer’s test for her chance to get promoted. The simulated away mission to a planet’s surface was weighing heavily on her mind. What really weighed on her mind particularly, was the encounter with the mysterious figure in a Starfleet uniform. The woman’s sunken eyes and pale skin lingered in Lisa’s thoughts, stirring up memories she had tried to suppress.

The mess hall’s chatter and clinking dishes receded into the background as Lisa’s thoughts drifted back to her past, when she was in the Academy. She recalled the words of encouragement from her commanding officer, the sense of purpose she felt, the sense of duty, and the thrill of exploring the unknown. However, the image of the young woman haunted her, forcing her to confront the darkness she thought she’d left behind.

As she stood up, Lieutenant Bradley’s concerned expression brought her back to reality.

“Ensign Nguyen, are you okay? You seem a bit shaken,” Bradley asked.

He picked up the tray from the floor and set it on the table. Lisa forced a smile, trying to brush off the concern.

“I’m fine, Lieutenant. Just a bit…preoccupied.”

The words felt hollow, even to her own ears. She knew she needed to confront the turmoil brewing inside her, but the fear of facing it head-on kept her anchored to the familiar routines of her duty.

“Ensign, you don’t look ok. Do you want to talk to me or someone,” Tom asked softly, aware of the many eyes on them.

“No thank you Lieutenant. Please excuse me,” Lisa replied shyly and quickly walked to the exit.

With a quiet determination, Lisa excused herself and headed back to her quarters on the Starbase. The weight of her secrets and fears were lingering, feelings like unseen weights that were waiting to be addressed. The seemingly trivial accident had become a catalyst, forcing her to confront the complexities of her own identity and the shadows of her past. As she walked, the Starbase’s corridors seemed to stretch out before her like an uncertain future, filled with choices that would define her path forward. The question echoed in her mind: Would she find the courage to face her demons, or would they continue to haunt her, lurking in the shadows of her Starfleet uniform?

“Why do they haunt me,” she said to herself softly. “I might need to talk to someone to get help.”

As the day went on, Lisa couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that lingered beneath the surface. She went through the motions of her day…waking up, eating breakfast, and attending junior officer staff meetings with the Starbase command staff. Her mind kept wandering back to the mysterious woman in the Starfleet uniform.

During her break, Lisa decided to visit the Starbase’s counselor, Lieutenant Junior Grade Maria Rodriguez. She had been meaning to talk to someone about her concerns, and Maria’s calm and empathetic demeanor made her the perfect person to confide in. She entered the counselor’s office and informed the assistant that she would like to talk with the counselor. A few minutes later, Counselor Maria Rodriguez stepped out and called Lisa inside her office. Lisa stood and walked into her office and sat down on the comfortable couch. Maria sat opposite her.

“Lisa, what’s on your mind?” Maria asked, her eyes warm with concern.

Lisa hesitated, unsure of where to start, then started talking.

“It’s just…I’ve been having these thoughts, and I don’t know how to process them,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Maria nodded encouragingly.

“Go on.”

Lisa took a deep breath and began to recount her encounter with the mysterious woman, leaving out no details. Maria listened attentively, her expression growing more serious with each passing moment.

When Lisa finished, Maria leaned forward, her eyes locked on hers.

“Lisa, it sounds like you’re struggling with some deep-seated issues. Have you considered the possibility that this woman might be a manifestation of your own fears and anxieties?”

Lisa’s eyes widened as she considered Maria’s words, and silently asked herself questions. Could it be true? Was she projecting her own fears onto this stranger? The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.

“What if this shadowy figure is real?” Lisa asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

Maria’s expression softened.

“Even if she is Lisa, it’s clear that she’s triggering something deep within you. We need to explore this further, okay?”

Lisa nodded slowly to Maria, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. For the first time in a long time, she felt like she might finally be able to confront her demons head-on.

“Thank you Doctor Rodriguez. You have been a tremendous help and comfort. Can we talk again,” Lisa asked.

Maria smiled softly at her.

“Of course Lisa. Would you like to schedule weekly meetings?”

“Yes please,” Lisa replied.

Both Maria and Lisa walked out of her inner office and out to the outer office, where the assistant was located.

“Stephanie, can you book Lisa for weekly meetings with me please,” Maria asked her assistant.

“Of course Doctor.” Stephanie looked at Lisa, “would this same day next week Ensign?”

“Yes please.”

Stephanie tapped in several commands into her workstation. She looked back up and smiled at Lisa.

“All set Ensign. See you next week.”

“Thank you,” Lisa replied.

As she left Maria’s office, Lisa felt a sense of determination wash over her. She was ready to face whatever lay ahead, armed with a newfound understanding of herself and the courage to confront her fears. The mysterious woman in the Starfleet uniform might still be out there, but Lisa was no longer running from her past. She was ready to face it head-on.

Over the next few days, Lisa’s usual enthusiasm and energy began to wane. She found herself becoming increasingly withdrawn, often losing track of conversations and struggling to focus on her temporary duties. The encounter with the mysterious woman lingered in her mind like an open wound, refusing to heal. As she went about her daily routine, Lisa couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the story. She felt an inexplicable connection to the woman, as if their paths had crossed before, but she couldn’t quite grasp the specifics. The woman’s words, ‘You can’t escape who you are,’ echoed in her mind, taunting her with their ambiguity.

Lisa’s colleagues began to notice the change in her demeanor. Her usual smile was replaced with a distant expression, and her laughter was now a rare occurrence. Lieutenant Tom Bradley, who had collided with her in the mess hall, approached her one day, concern etched on his face.

“Hey, Lisa, is everything okay? You seem a bit…off lately and I’ve gotten some concerning reports about you,” he said, his voice gentle with a touch of concern.

“I’m ok Lieutenant, Lisa said, trying to gather up as much confidence as she could.

Lisa forced a smile, trying to reassure him that she was fine. However, the truth was, she wasn’t fine. She was lost in a sea of uncertainty, struggling to make sense of the mysterious woman’s words and the emotions they stirred within her.

As the days passed, Lisa’s introspection deepened. She began to question her own identity, wondering if she had been living a life that wasn’t truly hers. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like she was staring into a mirror, searching for answers that seemed just out of reach. The mysterious woman’s presence lingered in her mind, a constant reminder of the secrets Lisa had kept hidden for so long. She knew she needed to confront her past, to uncover the truth about herself and the woman who seemed to know her so well. The fear of what she might discover held her back, leaving her stuck in a state of limbo, unsure of which way to turn.

One evening, as she was walking back to her quarters, she was notified of a personal message. When she got back to her quarters, she grabbed her PADD. As she accessed her messages, she stumbled upon a hidden personal log entry about an old message from a friend from her academy days thatreee she had lost touch with.

The message was cryptic, but it mentioned a secret that Lisa had shared with her friend, a secret that she had long forgotten. As Lisa started to read the message, her heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, the mysterious woman’s voice came flooding back into her mind, loudly.

“You can’t escape who you are.”

Lisa winced and grabbed her head as if she was in pain. The woman’s voice felt like an ice pick in Lisa’s mind. When the pain subsided, Lisa started to ask herself questions…What did it mean? What secret was she trying to uncover? With newfound determination, Lisa decided to dig deeper. She spent the next few hours scouring through her old records and logs, searching for any mention of the secret she had shared with her friend. It took her a while to remember who her friend was before she managed to start looking for the log entry.

As the hours ticked by, Lisa’s eyes grew tired, but she refused to give up. Then, just as she was about to call it a night, she stumbled upon an old journal entry. The words on the screen brought tears to her eyes as she read about the traumatic event she had experienced during her childhood, an event that she had long suppressed. The mysterious woman’s words made sense now. Lisa realized that she had been running from her past, trying to hide from the pain and the fear that still lingered within her. However, she knew that she couldn’t keep running forever.

With a newfound sense of resolve, Lisa closed her journal and took a deep breath. She knew that she had a long journey ahead of her, but she was ready to face it head-on. She was ready to confront her demons and find a way to heal. As she drifted off to sleep, Lisa felt a sense of peace wash over her. She knew that she still had a long way to go, but for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was on the right path. The mysterious woman might still be out there, but Lisa was no longer afraid. She was ready to face whatever lay ahead, armed with the courage to confront her past and the determination to heal.