ON:

LOCATION: {Shuttle}

:: CDR Ford and I have been traveling for over six hours, in complete 
silence. ::

Ford: "Computer, auto pilot." :: He turns around in the pilots seat 
to look at me. I was sitting in the back of the 
shuttle. :: "Counselor, can we talk?"

Jade: :: I look up at him. :: "Please, call me Crystal, we are not 
on board any ship, we are alone, no need for formalities."

Ford: "Thank you Crystal. You know, you have a beautiful name, it 
suits you well."

Jade: :: Blushes. :: "Thank you sir."

Ford: "Hey, remember no formalities, call me Jonathan."

Jade: "Thank you _Jonathan_."

Ford: "You know, I don't know what happened back on board the 
Excalibur for you to just up and resign, but I think you are wrong in 
your decision."

Jade: "Why is that?"

Ford: "I think you would have been a great Counselor, if you would 
have given yourself a chance."

Jade: "I am scared that I am not a good counselor."

Ford: "Scared? Crystal, do you think that you are the first person 
to ever get scared and to have doubts when they finally get their 
first assignment? Do you think that no one else knows how you feel? 
All of us get scared when we are 'ensigns', we all have doubts about 
whether we are doing the right thing, if we are doing our job right, 
and if we will be able to help others. I did alot of stupid things 
the first year I served on a ship, but my Captain understood, because 
everyone goes through it the first year of service. And I still get 
scared about stuff, and I still make mistakes, but I handle them 
because I have to in order to be the best person I can be. Crystal, 
_everyone_ gets scared and has doubts, _everyone_, but the only way 
to over come it, is to face your fear head on, to take it on and beat 
it down. Be a warrior, and don't let your fear get the better of 
you. What would you tell someone, in your situation, if they came to 
see you?"

Jade: "Well, hmmm....I never thought of it that away."

Ford: "Maybe you should have before you took such extreme measures. 
So, what would you say to them?"

Jade: "I would say, to look at the situation from another point of 
view, to not jump to conclusions, to take a step back and look at the 
whole picture, and then to approach it step by step and to not jump 
steps, because jumping steps to reach the goal will only result in a 
failure. To go to the person you have wronged, or has wronged you, 
or the person that you are having a situation with and sit down and 
talk with them, and try to resolve the situation. When things seem 
to be at the lowest point, and they seem to be at an end, that is 
when you make the situation turn around to make it the highest point, 
and a new beginning. If you run from the situation, as I am, then 
you are failing yourself and others, and nothing will ever be 
resolved, and it will never get better until you face it head on."

Ford: "What do you think about what you just said?"

Jade: "I think, that I jumped to conclusions, and let my emotions 
and fear of failure get the better of me. I should of taken what I 
learned at Starfleet Medical, and applied to myself. I was wrong, 
how could I be a good counselor, if I can't even follow my own 
knowledge of counseling?"

Ford: "Like you said, you were scared, and sometimes fear can get 
the better of us, but that is when we go see someone, thats why we 
have you."

Jade: "I should have went to the First Officer for her opinion, but 
I didn't I ran instead."

Ford: "So, what do you want to do now?"

Jade: "I want to take my own advice in consideration, and I want to 
make things right, I want to be the ships counselor, it is a great 
honor, I want to help people, I want to be the one that they turn 
too."

Ford: "Then come back to the ship, and talk to the First Officer, 
explain that you made a terrible mistake, and that you want her to 
forgive you and to take you back."

:: The CDR stands up and walks over towards me, he sits down beside 
me, and reaches for my hand to hold it. ::

Ford: "You know, I knew that you were something special the first 
time I saw you in Ten Forward. I wanted to get to know you, and for 
you to get to know me."

Jade: "You must understand that I just got out of a relationship and 
that I...."

Ford: "Crystal, you left that relationship back on Earth. When you 
joined the Excalibur you started a new beginning. You left your past 
back on Earth to start a new life. I would like for you to get to 
know me, but I won't pressure you, but I want you to know how I feel 
about you."

Jade: "How you feel about me? Explain."

Ford: "If you don't mind, I would like to explain that back on the 
Excalibur, in the holodeck. I would like to take you to a special 
place, but the hologram is only in my personal files, and that is 
where I would like to express my feelings. And if you want to take 
it slow, or even if you want me to wait for you, I will."

Jade: "Wow, this is all alot to digest."

Ford: "I am sorry for laying all this down on you, but I wanted you 
to know alittle how I feel, and I thought this was the perfect time, 
since we are all alone. So, Crystal, do you want to go back to the 
Excalibur and continue our mission as Counselor?"

Jade: "I think I must! I have to face my fear after all, and I have 
to overcome it. It has always been my dream to be a counselor for a 
starfleet ship. And what kind of person would I be if I didn't 
follow my own advice?"

Ford: "You tell me."

Jade: "I wouldn't be a good counselor, if I couldn't advice myself, 
and if I couldn't take my own advice and apply it to myself."

Ford: "I think you learned something here today!"

Jade: "I think you should become a counselor."

Ford: "Well, when we get back to Excalibur, I'll make an appointment 
and you can show me the ropes." :: He winks at me. ::

:: He stands up and walks over to the pilots seat. ::

Ford: :: Presses some buttons on the console. :: "Course changed to 
rendezvous with the Excalibur, warp six." :: He turns back to 
me. :: "I think that everything will be fine, and that everyone will 
understand, because I am sure that most of us wanted to resign during 
our first year as ensign."

Jade: "I hope the First Officer is forgiving."

Ford: "I think she will be with you, I've noticed that she really 
likes you, and she is a pretty terrific person."

Jade: "Yes, she is, I think that she and I could make wonderful 
friends! I hope she got my flowers."

Ford: "Flowers?"

Jade: "Yeah, I sent her some flowers to say thanks for the espresso 
machine."

Ford: "Oh, I see."

Jade: "So, how long before we get there? I'm a bit nervous, when 
normally I have a stern head on my shoulders!"

Ford: "We have four hours left."

Jade: "Well, if you don't mind, I have some reading I need to do, 
before we get there."

Ford: :: Gets up from the pilots seat, and walks towards 
me. :: "One more thing, Crystal." :: He bends down and gives me a 
small kiss. :: "I have been wanting to do that since we first met, I 
hope you don't mind too much, and you don't have to say anything, 
just think about getting to know me, I would love for you to be my 
princess."

:: I just sat there in total shock, I couldn't believe what just 
happened. ::

:: CDR Ford returns to the pilots seat, and turns to face his 
console. ::

{Excalibur, docking bay}

Jade: "Thank you CDR, for helping me to see the light again, I need 
to go see the First Officer now, wish me luck."

Ford: "I'll talk to you later."

:: I turn and walk away. ::

:: I get on the turbo lift, which I am apprehensive about riding. ::

Jade: "Bridge." (I hope that the First Officer will forgive me, and 
I hope that I can have my same quarters back.)

{First Officers Office}

:: Door Chimes ::

Tolbin: "Enter."

:: I walk in, and she is turned facing the computer console. ::

Tolbin: "What do you need?"

Jade: "First Officer, I would like to speak with you?"

:: Tolbin turns to face me, in shock to hear my voice. ::

OFF: I want everyone to know that I have had a really hard weekend, 
alot of things went wrong in my life, and I took it out on some of 
you. I really do consider this crew, my friends and family now. I 
really do love you guys, and the Excalibur. Its great to have such a 
wonderful friend like our First Officer who, I explained things too 
in depth, and she understood my reactions to stuff. I wish I could 
explain it to all you in depth as well, but some of it is real 
personal. You know what they say, you alway hurt the people you care 
about the most. I am sorry to everyone, especially you Ingoldo, 
First Officer, and Captain. I hope you will forgive me and give me a 
second chance. 

Ensign Crystal Jade
Ships Counselor
USS Excalibur, NCC-2997