The Doctor Is In

Posted on Sat Feb 20, 2021 @ 5:52pm by Captain Larisna Koralova

Mission: Mission 2 - "Drawing Deeply From The Well"
Location: Ship's Lounge "Hornet's Nest", USS Hornet
Timeline: 1 Week Prior To Mission 2

As much as Larisna had no issue to use her Ready Room for introductions, she was starting to spend more time in there than she liked. After being notified that the runabout from the Kincaid was on board, she left instructions to have their new arrival and Malloy meet her in the Ship's Lounge instead.

Currently, the lounge looked...standard issue. Pleasant enough, but nothing to distinguish it yet from the rest of the Fleet. In fact, it could have been mistaken from the Enterprise-E's lounge from some images if the uniforms and crew were changed. That bugged her, they needed to make it theirs. And they would. Just a matter of time.

But for the moment, dinner was more important, and so was meeting their new doctor. As soon as they entered the lounge, she waved them over to the back corner table, standing.

"Doctor, welcome aboard the Hornet. I'm Captain Larisna Koralova." She said, and gestured to the other two chairs, "Please, take a seat. I wanted a change of scenery, I seem to have met everyone in my Ready Room and this feels a little more apt. Also, I don't know about you two, but I'm ready to start chewing on my Captain's Chair." She added with a chuckle.

A civilian worker, a young Andorian woman, approached the table, holding a PADD and with a polite smile.

"What can I get for you all?" She asked.

"I'm in the mood for some hasperat, my usual variation, and a tall glass of iced sweet tea." Larisna said, and looked to her XO and the newly arrived Doctor, as did the civilian.

"I'm curious Captain, do you like your hasperate especially hot and spicy? Amanda asked curiously.

"Quite, actually, XO. Developed a taste for it that way, my mother says I clearly got that from one of the Segen symbiote's past hosts, because no one else in my family can stand it even mild. Plus I prefer to add shredded meat to it, occasionally fish." Larisna commented with a chuckle.

Calvin had felt relaxed around Captain Koralova and Commander Malloy. He was enjoying the relaxed dinner atmosphere, and having the chance to sit down and break bread with them both. "Thank You Captain for the warm, gracious welcome." He had smiled genuinely. Since he had boarded the USS Hornet he had felt like it seemed more of a home to him, moreover, than other ships. One would feel intimidated sitting down with both the two commanding officers, yet Dr. Hirsch was more seasoned in his career now, confident, and rather than be anxious, he was rather appreciative of the relaxing dinner.

"One would be jealous, to be sitting here to dinner with two fantastic Commanding Officers of the Hornet, let alone. Very endearing ones at that." Calvin had winked. Taking a drink from his glass of water already set out at the table. "Thank you." He had turned to the Andorian waitress. "I will have a serving of egg foo young, with a cold glass of vitamin seltzer." He ordered. "We don't want to be chewing our chairs now." Dr. Hirsch chuckled, hungry himself.

"I will Pad Thai Chicken Hot and spicy with chilled green tea, please." Amanda ordered.

The Andorian waitress nodded and left. Larisna just chuckled to herself.

"Easy on the flattery, Doctor. Runabout is still in the hangar." Larisna commented playfully. It wasn't to the point of being out of line, some people went on the proverbial offensive when faced with new situations. And more than a few Cadets had already run that line by her already, so it was not anything new.

"Welcome aboard Doctor, We have been without an organic physician for a while now. Is this your first time aboard a century class starship?" Amanda asked.

"Yes. I have read in the files regarding your prior EMH. I am glad to be here to relieve the crew of the simulation." Cal grinned. "Flattery, that is just in my nature, I guess." He shrugged, and then took a drink from the nice cool glass of water set out on the table. "Tell me, has there been any prior major medical emergencies involving the EMH? I have yet to review the past logs." Hirsch inquired.

"As for the Century Class starship I have not. It is an entirely new class, am I correct?" He was not always up to the latest in Fleet characteristics and development, yet the ship had an incredible new and flashy feeling to it. He rather enjoyed it. "It is quite impressive."

Larisna waited for the dishes to be delivered before continuing.

"Our primary medical emergency was six weeks ago. Messy business, neural parasites infested a research outpost. But then Starfleet Medical recalled our CMO for consultations against my requests not to. I respect Admiral Sorek, but she tends to just do without asking." Larisna commented before taking a bite. A satisfying crunch of the vegtables, some fire and the smokiness of the shredded meat. Rounded off with the coolness of the cream cheese. Perfect.

"Also correct, Doctor. The USS Century was launched in 2388 and Starfleet approved production...with some issues...in 2390. That's when the Hornet was laid down, but she was among those that nearly got broken up for parts for the Inquiry class production. It took another 2 years for the class to hit full scale productions, under threat of mass resignations. I was among those that threatened to resign from Starfleet if they didn't stop letting fear guide us." Larisna sighed, "I fought in the Dominion War, Doctor, it was a terrible thing. But we are not going to move past it if we learned only fear from it. Starfleet's mandate is exploration and discovery, and I intend to keep us looking forward. Learn from yesterday, live in the moment, but look to the future."

Then she chuckled to herself, "I apologize, normally I don't go on like that on the first meeting. I think this is what they call being hangry."

“I concur,” Hirsch replied. “I find it rather refreshing to sit with a Captain who values the Federation’s original core mandate. One of peaceful exploration.” Calvin had waited for the Captain and Commander to begin their meals before he had started to address his plate.

Taking a bite, he enjoyed the familiar taste of the comforting meal. There were many dishes offered within Starfleet, countless races, and foods all not unfamiliar. However, he enjoyed classic oriental whenever he had the choice.

Taking a pause, and another drink from his glass, setting it back down. “The Dominion War. I had started as a Freshman at Starfleet Academy.” Hirsch thoughtfully remembered. “Dr. Maximus, my Clinical Professor... Fascinating character. She reminded us that we would be entering not a world of war but a world of newfound peace and exploration. I take her words at heart.” Calin replied before returning to his meal.

My first assignment after graduation was the Daystrom Institute of Technology. The Dominion war was before my time, but I grew up with the danger all around us. My first starship duty was the USS Farragut where I served as an Ops officer. We saw plenty of action on that ship, civil disturbances unusual phenomenon (Temporal, spacial and trans-dimensional) lots of space monsters, piracy, civil unrest, political intrigue. I thought I'd seen it all until the Neural parasites we encountered a month ago. My first assignment on a brand new ship and 10 minutes into it the first officer is killed and the team is under attack. I took command and and led the team to a mission success. After that I was promote to First Officer and Lt. Commander.
Sometimes the powers that be put us into positions we are best suited for at the right times." Amanda said.

Calvin had paused. The Commander certainly did prove herself to be in the current position she was. He shook his head. "That is a lot." He stated truthful. "I honestly don't think I could handle command decisions like that. But then." He he grinned. "That is why fortune favors the bold. And why you are in a red uniform, and I am in a comfortable green." He had chuckled. It was rather comforting to know that the XO was not simply a character that had charmed themselves into the chosen position of XO. Starfleet usually had good reasons for their decisions, let alone Captain's choosing their own Commanders. "Captain, did you have a choice in choosing your Commander?" He asked, not to be cheeky, but because he often found it interesting. While some Captain's were offered a choice, others were a matter of roster and scheduling.

"Cheers. To the Commanders and Captains of the fleet. Decisions that many of us, like me, would have a hard time making in split seconds." While he was a Doctor, he had to make triage decisions, of life and death, yet medical facts often dictated those choices.

Larisna hesitated to answer. As much as Malloy had come into the role, it hadn't been her original post. It reminded her of the Evacuation of Betazed...a split second had been all that had decided between her and a Saurian Crewman, who would have their next of kin sent a folded flag and condolences and the other would continue on. It also bugged her she had followed protocol and stayed on the ship.

"I'd rather not discuss that any further, Doctor, Commander. That loss is still particularly fresh in my mind." Larisna said. "That was a difficult situation, and one we had to react quickly to, though."

"You are quite correct Captain it is not polite to speak of the dead". Amanda said solenmly.

"But to quote Ambassador Spock, we all will handle each situation as presented as living things; to each to our respective gifts." She said, putting on a smile, "We have a good ship, she just needs us to pick the course and do our part. We carry some good history as well. The last ocean going ship that bore the name fought in Earth's Second World War, but she played a part also in Humanity's quest to the stars - she was the vessel that recovered the Apollo 11 and 12 astronauts upon their return from Luna."

"I've considered asking the Smithsonian for replicas of those missions to decorate the lounge, see if we can also get some from early spaceflights made by the various Federation members." She said, changing the subject, "Might make it look like the 602 back in San Francisco, but that's not a bad thing. Give us a reminder of those who came before us and blazed the path."

"Good idea, Captain." Amanda said agreeably.

“Captain, that would be fascinating.” Replied Dr. Hirsch. “I am quite a history buff regarding the Earth’s lunar missions of early. The Apollo Mission was extreme for the time. Considering they had a computer not much powerful than a calculator for the time. That power alone with the drive to succeed.”

“That would be great to honor the Hornet on board.” Calvin was interested.

"They had a great amount of heart and courage, which is why they are revered in our society." Amanda replied.