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Posted on Thu Apr 17th, 2025 @ 1:54pm by Ensign Minato Takahashi & Jo McEntyre

1,503 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Plight of the Pyrithian Bat
Location: Sickbay | USS Warbler
Timeline: Current

ON:

One could not call this a sickbay, it was a med bay. It was well stocked, from what Minato had seen, and it was enough, three bio beds and a small office. The EMH would be an instruction EMH as it had surgical skills and its job was to help, teach, and even instruct Minato during the final year of study. Technically Minato was the CMO but that was neither here nor there.

Minato had already explored the small bay and now, dressed in a med uniform, and a lab coat Minato sat at the tiny desk going over the files of the pre cadets. Minato would need to complete final medical checks on all the students and get a counseling base. That meant appointments. While there were not many students Minato was also in charge of the staff meds and profiles. That meant that a look at the crew roster was next.

Minato's thoughts were interrupted by the hiss of the door.

Jo entered as the doors hiss open, pulling her sweater tighter around her. “Doctor?” She called out as she entered.

Minato stood up walking out of the office. "Hello there!" It took Minato's mind moment to go over the files. Josiah McEntyre?

"Cadet McEntyre right?"

Jo nodded, "I am" she spoke in a soft tone, working on her voice.

"Excellent. I'm Ensign Minato Takahashi, pronouns He/Him and or They/Them, Call me Takahashi."

"I'm Jo. My pronouns are She/Her." She elaborated for the doctor.

Minato smiled. "Wonderful. Welcome to sickbay. Are you here for the onboard medical or just to say hello?"

"Both, and maybe to pick your brain a bit, as they say." Jo replied. "Just tell me where ya need me"

Minato smiled. "Alright bio bed one. Let me get a tricorder." Minato walked over to the small chest with drawers and grabbed a hand held tricorder while Jo hopped up on the bio bed. "Computer medical scan intake one. Jo McEntyre." The computer responded with a set of beeps. "Okay hold still while the scan is in process. While that's going why don't you tell me about yourself." Minato decided that the counseling portion could be done at this time too.

Jo looked up at the ceiling while the scans were being done. She took a few deep breaths. “I'm probably going to ramble.” She warned him. “I’m Jo, just Jo. I know it must still say Josiah in there but my name is Jo. I want to go into the medical field, so I can help others like me be their true selves. Be comfortable in their own skins.” She started and indeed rambled a bit. “I also hope that I can start transitioning myself, if that’s possible. I know that’s a lot but I know who I am and I’m not going to go back home as that… man that my mother wants me to be. I’m not that person anymore.”

Minato sighed. "It's hard when we can't be our true selves around those we love. I can understand that." Minato studied the results. "So I take it your mother was not your biggest supporter? What about the rest of your family?"

“All in Starfleet in one capacity or another. My uncle Elias is captain of the Guinevere. I don’t see him much. My Uncle Clay is a combat officer on the frontier. Truth be told, they may be more supportive than my mother.” Jo elaborated. “The McEntyre’s are one of Starfleet’s oldest families so Starfleet was always in the picture for my life.”

"That was their picture. What about yours?"

“Me?” Jo started. “I want to be a doctor. I want to help people like me be their true selves”

Minato smiled. "Well that's a great starting point. I would say this. Focus on finding who Jo is first. My job as your instructor will be to show you the good and bad in being a medical cadet and then we'll see how you like the department. Helping people is amazing but before we can do that we need to find ourselves."

Minato studied Jo. "I was in your position before and I know how hard it is but I don't want you to put pressure on yourself. Just enjoy the program and along the way find out who you are. Who is Jo? What does Jo like? What's Jo's favourite food or color? The simple stuff. Okay?"

“I can do that. I know one thing for sure, if it’s possible to start, I want to begin transitioning.” Jo said with a confidence she’s grown to find in herself.

Minato sighed. "I can understand you wanting to start things but you are, in my medical opinion, still a bit too young and there are things that must happen first. You start by looking into yourself, who you are, by learning. This is a process. It is something that happens over time. At this time I can sense how upset you are about your family situation, I think you have to heal and confront the demons in your past first. I can bring up your request to the Commander but this is not something that we can do right away. It takes counseling, and medical tests. Right now focus on finding the inner Jo and healing your heart, and just existing in a supportive environment. Gods know I can understand what you see when you look in the mirror; that it doesn't feel quiet right and you will get there but for now take the time you need to breath, to research, to learn the medical aspects and emotional aspects of things. The best Human phrases are to love someone else you must first love yourself. To heal others you must first heal yourself. Let's start with figuring out who Jo is first and we'll take things from there. How about that?"

"I..." She started. "I think I can do that" She replied.

Minato smiled. "Good. Now then. Your scans are good but your cortisol levels are up. That means you are stressed out. A new home, leaving a place that was home for years, all this is stressful. Plus you are dealing with a lot. I'm also the ships counselor so I want you to talk to me when you are having trouble. I will be speaking to each student to do a counseling assessment soon and everyone will get one of these," Minato walked over to a drawer and pulled out a box setting it on the bio bed. "This is a box of journals. I want you to choose one. I'm going to ask everyone to keep a written journal. Write poems, stories, thoughts, fears, anything in here. We'll discuss some things and I will give some homework as guided writing but I want this to be where you all work through stuff."

Minato let Jo look through the box.

Jo took a few moments to go through the box before selecting a soft blue journal from the box and holding it close. She smiled softly at Minato.

“Are we having a counseling session?” She asked curiously.

"Yes, I will be setting something up with everyone staff and students. For now you can get a head start and when you fill up your journal there are more so don't be afraid to ask." Minato sighed. "Well, health wise you are okay just a bit stressed out. I think my orders will be for you to try and rest as much as possible before the ship leaves. Sound good?"

Jo gave a nod, holding the journal close to her chest. “I..I can do that. Though I’d like to ask if I can’t medically transition right now, do you have any recommendations for how to further my social transition?” She looked at Minato with a cat like curiosity.

Minato smiled. "That will be what we work on. Finding the true Jo and how to best express yourself. Sound like a plan?"

“It does.” Jo smiles.

"Alright so how about some early self understanding homework?"

“Homework?” The tone came out like an annoyed teenager, which to be fair she was, a teenager at least.

"Yes, homework but fun homework. Take a few pages and I want you to think about who is Jo. Write down how you see yourself and what you want others to see in you. Also make a list of five things that Josiah liked and why, how is Jo different?"

“I…” she stated, thinking a moment, “ I can do that. Is there a due date?”

"Take as much time as you need for now. We can always make this an ongoing project."

“I will. Thank you, Doctor.” Jo smiled simply. Clinging to the journal as she got off the bio bed and stood.

Minato watched her go and then headed to the small office. Time to make some file notes.

OFF:

 

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