Personal Log

Posted on Thu Oct 2nd, 2025 @ 2:33pm by Lieutenant Aubrie Fox

397 words; about a 2 minute read

It’s strange being back aboard the Montana after a few weeks on leave. For the first time in years, I let myself slow down. Saw my parents. Let my siblings remind me how much they think they still know me. I even ran on the old track at my high school — same place where I thought life was so simple, before Starfleet and before all… this.

Now, I’m back, and everything feels heavier. Not in a bad way — just… significant. I didn’t expect command to move this quickly. I was barely getting my feet under me as Chief of Security when the Captain called me in and told me I’d also be serving as Second Officer. Third in command of a starship at twenty-six. That’s not the sort of responsibility you can just shrug at.

I know some people probably think I’m too young for it. Maybe they’re right. But the Captain wouldn’t have given me this post if they didn’t think I could handle it. And I will handle it.

I’ve already started updating our shipboard drills — the Montana’s going to be sharper than ever. Security readiness isn’t just about phasers and bulkheads; it’s about trust. Every officer, every crewman needs to know that when things go wrong, someone has their back. That’s my job. That’s my promise.

As for the Second Officer title… that one feels different. Being trusted to sit in the center chair, even if only when the Captain and First Officer are away — that’s something I’m still wrapping my head around. I keep thinking about the cadet who nearly washed out of Advanced Tactical because she wouldn’t stop arguing with the instructor. If she could see me now, she’d laugh. And then she’d probably tell me not to screw it up.

I won’t lie — it’s a little isolating. The higher you climb, the fewer people you can really talk to about it. Relationships… well, those haven’t exactly worked out for me so far. Maybe that’s just the price of the uniform. Or maybe I just haven’t found someone stubborn enough to keep up.

Either way, I’m here. I’ve got the Montana, my crew, and a captain who believes in me. That’s enough.

End log.

 

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