New Beginnings
Posted on Tue Dec 17th, 2024 @ 7:28pm by Lieutenant Jai & Lieutenant JG Elyssa Kala'myr
1,487 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
Terrorpin
Timeline: Before "Operating on Borrowed Time"
Chief Medical Officer's personal log.
The Starfleet Science Division conference has been a fantastic opportunity. Admiral Crusher was today's keynote speaker, talking about Barclay's protomorphosis syndrome. While I regret that I could not attend the Technology Expo on Esquimalt Station, the opportunity to hear Admiral Crusher speak on such a fascinating case study is not something I would have missed.
In fact, I'm surprised I didn't see Commander Sorenson here. I did run into an old Academy classmate of mine, Doctor T'Lar. She seemed surprised that I had hair. I guess I am, as well, but I think I needed to make some changes.
It turns out that I was not the only one from Haumea attending the conference. I met Lieutenant Kala'myr, our new science officer. We're traveling back to Haumea together so that she can report in.
While I was able to get lots of meditation time on the way to the conference, I think I appreciate having company for the trip back.
The small boy's hands moved over the controls with a confidence that belied years of experience that sharply contrasted his youthful appearance.
Setting the autopilot, the Only made his way from the helm to replicator that was tucked away to one side of the runabout's spacious cabin. "Computer," the boy announced. "Milk tea. Medium sweet. Hot."
As the beverage began to materialize, the boy turned to look at over at the Bajoran officer as he asked, "Can I get you anything while I'm up?"
Elyssa Sat quietly looking at her data slate as a slowly rotating triple helix. The expo had been a measured success, she had enjoyed herself but she had not relaxed as much as she might, thinking about her new posting. Was she ready to be a CSO, she assessed herself as extremely competent and her superiors clearly felt the same, but there was talking aboard the Nelly that She was only offered the position because they couldn't find anyone else more qualified. The Bajoran found that hard to believe considering the size of starfleet, to her it would just be nice to be planet side, able to open a window at her leisure and take in fresh air.
The gentle hum of the nearby warp core translated into whispers in the woman's head that muttered unintelligible things for her to block out. It's why she took a few moments to realise that her new colleague was addressing her.
”It's ok thank you.” she half replied. Then judged herself, he was trying to initiate conversation, she ought to be more polite, he was CMO after all so they would likely be in each other's pockets on this posting.
”Actually, a Bajoran tea would be lovely thank you, no honey." she smiled at him and placed the data pad down. ”I should stop lookikg at this, some techist is trying to get starfleet to adopt this but something about it doesn't look right.” Elyssa laughed and looked out the window at the swirling warp corridor while she waited for the Mirian officer to use the replicator.
”Whats the colony like?” she asked. She had of course read the briefing of the planet and its staff, but that didn't tell you what it was actually like to be there.
Replicating the requested cup, the Tibetan boy offered the tea to the woman as he took a seat across from her. "It's a different experience," he offered. Taking a sip of his tea, he paused a moment before explaining, "The original colony dates back around a hundred years, and didn't include a Starfleet presence. The base is relatively recent, and is actually the wreckage of the USS Io. So you could say Haumea came about by either accident or happenstance."
Taking another sip of tea, the boy took a moment to think of anything to add. "Starfleet makes up just a percentage of the populace, and we wind up relying on them for a lot our services. Half my staff is civilian, for example. It presents some... unique challenges, at times," he mused, being somewhat careful how he framed it.
"Some enjoy the close working relationship with Starfleet. Others came to the frontier to..." The boy paused, his head bobbed from side to side as he gave a slight laugh and tried to think of how to phrase it. "...get away from the bureaucracy," he stated finally, looking back over at the woman.
"Not a bad reason to want a little escape on the frontier, it can be tiresome." She nodded, thanking the boy for her drink and taking a warming slug from the top. She had filled in more evaluation forms and debriefing documents than she cared to think about, it took her a good couple of years to believe she was truly free after it happened.
The idea of integrating with varied locals made her ears prick up, this was interesting. "I look forward to meeting our hosts. I find it so important for people to preserve their cultural distinctiveness and what makes them unique, hopefully that means I'll fit in." She shrugged and raised her mug in a sort of toast. "How do they find coming to a Mirian for their medical treatment? If you don't mind my asking?" Frontiersmen were often not as worldly as your average starfleet officer. She hoped he wouldn't be offended, but as a scientist she couldn't help but indulge her curiosity.
Lowering his tea cup, Jai was amused in as much as it was an easy question to answer. "Other than emergencies or consults, most continue seeing the same civilian doctor that they have for years," the boy described. "My role is more of an administrator, so I guess I'm more a curiosity to the colonists. The only patients I regularly see are the Starfleet personnel."
Not entirely a situation he preferred, but a necessary evil if he was to gain better insight in what it took to actually run a Medical department. And consulting had still provided valuable insights in having a more objective perspective than the treating physician. "I still get some colorful reactions from time to time," the boy noted, referring to how Starfleet reacted to him.
Elyssa's head tilted slightly, colourful? Did he mean that as a positive or negative, she couldn't quite tell. "This my first department head post, I won't be the highest ranked science officer on staff, I'm hoping I can handle them, anyone to watch out for?" She asked inquisitively as she relaxed and let her curiosity over his previous expression fade. From the roster she had read that their archeology expert was a lieutenant commander, but archeology was something that kept someone in the field for months at a time and that was very far away from the more regulated sciences. She was confident that she was taking a position that the higher ranking officer simply didn't want, this was the best way and would prevent much push back.
"I'm sure you'll do fine," the boy noted. It was an awkward, but not uncommon situation in the medical career field as well. Some doctors simply wanted to be doctors and not take on the additional, administrative burdens that came with being a department head. "Respect their expertise or experience in their chosen field and I'm sure they'll respect your authority in turn."
Was he starting to sound like Sofia? As he heard his own voice, it seemed like a very Sofia thing to say.
"Do many of the officers have families there? There wasn't any families on the Nelly." Her old ship was a science vessel with a short term mission profile so it made little sense to drag families along.
"Most of the officers don't, no," Jai noted. "But there are still plenty of families on the colony -- and quite a number of unique fauna as well," he added.
She nodded, "That's good, no unecessary distractions then." She said with a slightly detached warmth.
"I imagine xenobiology could have a number of potential studies going on. It's a fascinating biome. I wish I had more opportunity to study it myself," the boy remarked. "Assuming you have an interest in xenobiology."
This sounded fun, exploring a relatively unchecked biome would be lovely, out in the wilderness with nothing but science and whatever creatures she might find. "Xenobiology is a subject I enjoy, there are so many species out there just waiting be discovered." She was excited and placed down her empty cup. She stood up and stretched her slim frame to crack her back and get more comfortable, she didn't like runabouts, at least one a large starship you could pretend you weren't in a small metal box travelling through space.
"We'll have to get dinner once I have settled in, I'm keen on getting properly acquainted with my new colleagues."
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