Captain James Kirk and Commander Deanna Troi each assumed the same position in the Counselor's Office that they had for weeks. One sat in the chair, and one on the couch. With cheer and an encouraging smile, the one on the chair spoke first.

"Just start anywhere you like."

The one on the couch frowned.

"How can I do that? My life tells me where to start, and where I end up, too."

"What about people's expectations of you? Do you find them stifling?"

"How can I not? My history of some few accomplishments has raised me up in people's eyes. They expect me to pop in, and make everything right. But it just doesn't work that way. When I try to tell them that, though---it doesn't go down very well. Then they resent me and start picking apart how I did what I did."

"You are, by virtue of your Title, a central figure in shipboard life. Its only natural that they want you to be more than human. Granted, that can be annoying, as I well know. But when you do your job as consistently well as you do, the reputation you earn is both anchor and sail. You just may have to accept that. Besides, there's something more--is this date important?"

"Yes. My son died on this day. I knew him for so short a time. Despite all this time -- the pain is still fresh."

"I sympathize with you, of course--my own son's loss is a pain I've never completely shaken off. I really don't think I ever will."

"Sometimes I ask--where does this all lead to? The Constitution's Flagship-- again-- Another superior crew-- where am I in all this? Where am I when its all over? Am I moving up? Am I alone? Again?"

"Where do you want to be? Where do you want it all to lead? There's a galaxy's worth of possibilities--especially in this century. As to being alone--you are intelligent, attractive, and almost achtypically the kind of person that people both want and want to be like."

"That part---is probably the biggest pain of all. Why can't they just want to be like themselves?"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. You don't want the legend--don't build one in the first place. But I somehow don't see you as accepting mediocre."

"You're right, of course. I never have. But trudging through it all--you begin to lose enthusiasm. The sameness dries you up. Then there are those days when I just come up against the simplest of all facts-- Try As I Might--I'm Going To Lose Some Battles. Try As I Might--I Can't Save Everyone."

"Yes. Fail to recognize that fact, and you'll be crushed by your next failure. Accept it, though---and you'll suddenly find you have a lot more failures. In both our jobs, the thing that's on the line is just too precious not to give our all--even when that leaves us with little for ourselves."

"Thanks. You've been a big help. Are we out of time?"

"Yes. I have to go."

Captain Kirk got up from the Counselor's Chair, and left. Deanna continued to lay on the couch, taking in all of Jim's advice.

"He's a good friend, and he will again be a great Captain. Eventually, I'll even have to return the favor and analyze him. Though this couch is quite comfortable."

So Deanna Troi lay back, trying to figure out just when it was Jim Kirk changed the rules on her.