A Reintroduction...Or maybe a true introduction

Posted on Sun Apr 6th, 2025 @ 1:40am by Jo McEntyre & T'lari

2,002 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: A Choir by the Bay
Location: Crew Quarters
Timeline: Current

ON:

It was a bit nerve racking for the Caitian. Staring at the mirror in her room. her room, something that Jo never though that she would be allow to use to describe themselves as. The first step, Izzy had told her was to reintroduce herself to her classmates/shipmates individually. Izzy thought it'd be less nerve racking that way. Still the Caitian was a bundle of nerves, and excitement. A sense of relief, maybe, from years of walls being put up, guarding her mind, projecting something that in her heart, she wasn't.

She had replicated new clothes, a new uniform. Having dressed in her uniform for the day, she smoothed down the skirt that she replicated for her particular uniform. She opened the door after she had dressed, allowing a cool breeze in her room for circulation. She tugged her uniform top down, straightening it out, looking herself over absentmindedly. She wanted to look perfect, herself for the first time. Her first time stepping out as "Jo" and not "Josiah". Not that she particularly hated the name "Josiah" but that was someone who lived in died long before she was born, it belonged to the General of the MACO, not to the girl now standing proud before the mirror in her room.

Her first meeting she decided was T’lari. A Vulcan. Jo figured that if anyone would accept her it’d be her, and hopefully she’d have a friend to ask for advice that Izzy might not be able to give her.


She walked across the hall to her door, taking a deep nervous breath and tapped the chime key. Hopefully she’d wouldn’t mind having a visitor and hopefully Jo wouldn’t flub her words.


The morning had started in a daze for T'lari. She'd replicated some clothing but she'd also done some shopping as well. Apparently some more credits made their way to her as a gift from T'Yari and she woke up to a chime with all her items waiting for her. They were all in bags against the wall in her room so that the living area remained clean. She'd also put her replicated items there in a box as well as the small trunk of stuff she brought with her. It was...interesting. Her room was a mess and she would have to do something about that later.

She'd dressed in a crisp new uniform opting for pants and a jacket and was about to head out to lunch when the door chimed for the second time in the day. She raised eyebrow. Who would that be, she wondered. It would not be Izzy as she was in a meeting and she couldn't fathom Izzy coming to see her after T'lari bothered her twice with questions. She sighed and steeled herself. It might be one of the other students. She was, after all, going to be in counseling and she had to learn how to be social really quick; at least that was what T'Yari had told her.

With a sigh she walked over to the door and hit the open button to be met with one of the students she'd seen earlier in the brief room. The Catian, Jo McEntyre...Joshua? Joseph? Josiah? That was the full name but she has noted that the manifest they all had access to had been amended to read Jo. Perhaps a preferred title. T'lari was not sure as she had only her one name. "Hello." She said by way of greeting.

Jo looked up at T’lari. She was tall, and graceful. Jo thought T’lari was everything Jo wanted to be, as graceful and feminine as T’lari was. The Vulcan was confident in herself, knowledgeable, clearly wanting to learn as much as Jo wanted to just be here.

T’lari would see that Jo was trying to muster up at the courage in her.

“Can…we talk a bit…if…you have time of course. I hope I’m not stopping you from anything important. I just wanted to talk and Izzy said it’d be good if I talked to everyone individually about some things about me going forward and…” She had stated to ramble in her nervousness. Clearly important whatever it was that Jo was going to tell T’lari.

T'lari felt herself soften. The nervousness was something she was used to. She had grown good at hiding it but she understood it. "I was about to head to the mess for lunch, would you...be interested in joining me?" She had heard that people liked to speak over lunch so the timing was good.

“I…I would like that” Jo stopped rambling, her ears twitching cat-like. “Lunch would probably be a good idea” She commented as she took a step back to let T’lari step out of her room.

T'lari gave a nod. She studied Jo. She had read a bit about Jo in the bios that they'd filled out, at least in hobbies etc... "May I make an observation?" She asked as they started walking.

“Sure…sure you can” Jo nodded her head. Most of her profile was written by her abusive and dominating mother. “I…I actually was hoping to see if you could give me advice anyhow.”

"I think, perhaps I misread, but I believe you liked to read is that correct?"

“I love books. Real books. The pages under my fingers, the texture and smell. I love fantasy books, escaping from reality” Jo explains excitedly. “You have any recommendations?” Jo tuned, asking excitedly, the first real observation of genuine excitement in their body language”

"Perhaps, but there is a book cafe on the station, since we have some time I thought it might be interesting to eat there. Every meal allows you to pick a book to take with you. It is usually quiet as well might led itself more to conversation if you are okay with that." She was glad to see some of the nervousness had gone from the Caitian.

“That sounds nice” the Caitian actually smiled. Smiled. Before Jo was always in a neutral look. Not betraying anything that could be used to hurt her. Something changed in the Caitian that T’lari would observe, especially with her expression and presentation.

“Lead on, my friend.”

T'lari gave a nod.

They walked in companionable silence until they reached the restaurant. The standard Starfleet door parted and they entered a world that was far from modern. The little shop had what looked like a tree in the middle. A glowing purple bar and wood tables and chairs were spread out making the Cafe full but still giving it an air of privacy. The lunch crowd had started so half of the tables were taken up. Along the walls were thick wood shelves littered with books and movable step ladders. It had been the first place T'lari had stumbled upon when she arrived and she'd loved it. She lead Jo to an able to the side that was close to some shelves, close enough for them to smell the Smokey vanilla scent of some of the books mixed with old leather and sweetness. T'lari inhaled. "This place is ... a world in itself." She motioned for Jo to sit.

Jo looked in wonder. It looked a lot like the library at the ranch back home. Wood and the smell of old books. She absentmindedly twirled around, trying to see everything. She glances at T’lari motioning at a table where she was sitting and went to join her, sitting across from her.

“You’re right. It looks like heaven” Jo observed, before giving her full attention to T’lari.

Before either could speak more a waitress came by and dropped a couple of wood chips on the table. "Good day! I'll be your waitress. Once you are ready to leave take these chips with you and you when you cash out with a book of your choice from any of the shelves."

Jo smiled at the waitress, accepting the offered chip.

T'lari thanked the woman too and turned to Jo. "As I said it is worth it to get to take a book with you." She studied the Catian. "So, you mentioned that Commander suggested you talk to the other students in the program about something?"

Jo got nervous again…not nervous more so as maybe anxious.

“So…I…” She started, trying to find the right words. She know she knew them, but the anxiety of how people would reacted made her the most worried. She still had the disapproval of her mother in the back of her mind. Her thoughts of what Jo, or who used to be Josiah, should be.

“I know that…” she stopped again before she just had to cut to the quick.

“I’m Jo, just Jo. Not Josiah, not the boy who came aboard, but Jo. I’m not sure if Vulcans have a word for it, but I’m a girl in everything but body.” She finally said, as confidently and as proudly as she could.

She stopped talking and waited for what T’lari would say.

T'lari gave a nod. "Indeed. Then I shall address you as Jo." She paused. "Being able to be oneself, ones true self is important." She paused again. "I think that you are also ahead of many of us on the ship. Many of us are still trying to find ourselves apart from our families and their expectations. I believe you speaking to each of us fellow students will give us some hope for ourselves, someone to look up as you are well on your path to living authentically. So I thank you for sharing that with me."

This made Jo smile. Really smile for the first time that the Vulcan had seen of her. It was a good feeling, acceptance from a friend. She was making a friend, and it felt amazing.

“Thank you.” Jo started. “In truth I’m still trying to find a name that really fits me, but for now Jo works.” Jo beams a feline like smile. “I…I was also hoping that you might be willing to share some advice. It’s all sort of new right now, really stepping into being my authentic self. I didn’t have many other female role models apart from my mother and she’s a god awful demon and you’re the only other girl my age on the ship apart from Izzy, but I think I need a perspective from someone close to my age and…” Jo started rambling again. She did that sometimes.

T'lari gave a nod. "It is hard. I must confess I always found it odd, our names I mean. Did you know that a Tribe on Veldar III has two naming ceremonies? One where the parental units give a name to the child and then as part of a coming of age ceremony the child chooses their own name. I can sympathize with wanting to find a name that feels more you. I would suggest making a list and then trying each name out to see how it...feels. When you encounter a name that is truly that of your soul you will know." She took a drink. "As far as being ones authentic self and female role models I may not be the right one. I too never quite fit it with my brothers and family. I just recently went shopping for the first time for outfits." She studied Jo. "Perhaps after lunch we can walk around the promenade shops and see if there are items you would like to try?"

“I’ve…I’ve never been shopping before.” Jo admitted. “I never really got to pick what I wanted for myself. Like I said my mother was quite… controlling . I think that would be fun to go shopping” Jo beams again at the thought.



To Be Continued ...

 

RSS Feed