Moving On
Posted on Sat Apr 1st, 2023 @ 5:40pm by Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Commander Lakhi Bakshi-Williams MD & Lieutenant Williamina Pierce
Edited on on Sat Apr 1st, 2023 @ 6:12pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Carthage Rises
Location: Empok Nor
Timeline: MD001 0900 hrs
"So, are you excited about your new assignment?" Lieutenant Williamina 'Billie' Pierce asked her friend and colleague.
Lakhi sat with a cup of coffee, getting her stuff ready to go for the day. "Yes, I am looking forward to it!! How about you? Nervous?"
"Yeah, I'm a little nervous." Billie said. "I've kinda got used to this place." She said. "I'll miss this place."
Lakhi nodded. "That's understandable. I'll miss it, too, but we're moving on to new adventures about the galaxy. That's got to excite you a little?!" The Betazoid woman laughed lightly. That's what they were here for, right?! She sent calming waves into the air around them. "Wish boss would hurry up; I'd like to get our stuff over and set up before dark." She sipped some coffee, and looked to Billie. "You all packed?"
"Pretty much, just have a personal items, I like to keep close, to go." Billie said.
Lakhi nodded. "Besides my stuff for MedBay, same here. My kids think I am crazy, traveling so lightly. They worry too much." She laughed a little. Still, it was nice that they still cared so much.
"Well. its better that way, it shows they care." Billie said. "My brother said, if I get lost out there, then he'd be our parents' favourite. He loves me, you can tell." She said with a laugh.
Lakhi laughed. "My brother would say something like that, yeah. And yes, they're great kids. Both look too much like their father, but personality wise, are very ME," she said. "My oldest is in the Fleet, too. At the USS Hastings. He's an Engineer." She was very proud of him, his father would've been, too. "Do you have any children? A family besides a brother?"
"No, children, I haven't met the right person yet." Billie said. "I had a long term boyfriend, but his parents didn't approve of me and I wasn't ready to runaway with him." She said. "I've had a few other relationships, but some how I manage to scare them off."
Lakhi laughed a little. "Marriage is a little overrated, if you ask me. The kids are worth it, but consider doing it on your own, maybe. You seem intelligent and driven, you can handle it." She wouldn't be here if she weren't both of those things. "And yeah, my ex husbands parents weren't super keen on him marrying an alien, but it DID work out for fifteen years so I suppose that's something. Don't give up. Maybe you'll even meet that special person here." She shrugged.
"Perhaps, but I'm not getting my hopes up." Billie said. "Maybe I should just become an old cat lady, and be done with it."
Lakhi laughed again. "I have considered the same for myself!! My kids tell me that I need to keep an open mind, but I don't know if I have the energy for another man at this point in my life. Besides, being the CMO keeps me quite busy." She hadn't wanted to be married in the FIRST place; it just seemed like a good idea at the time, and she figured she was getting older so why not. Stupid.
"Though I'm not as busy as you, a man seems like more of a hindrance than a help." Billie said. "Besides I need all the 'beauty' sleep I can get."
Changing subjects, Billie said. "The Medbay on the Carthage is going to be smaller than the one here on Empok Nor, though we will have a smaller patient pool as well."
Lakhi nodded. "I expected that. It's a nice break from Empok, though. I was up to my ears in people, and the ability to do a bit of research in my off time will be a welcome change. As you know, we didn't have much down time here."
"Yeah, I've got bit behind in my research too." Billie said. "Those Berzonia slime moulds are not going to test themselves."
Lakhi nodded. "I have no idea what that means, but I don't doubt it." She chuckled. "Science wasn't my strongest subject in school. I always daydreamed through it, you know? But interestingly, my ex husband was in science. Engineering. Knew how to build things just from a picture in his head." She had always admired that in him. "So what IS Berzonia slime mould?"
"A slime mould is a multicellular member of Kingdom Protista, that's where biologist put anything that doesn't fit in the other Kingdoms. Slime moulds resemble, but is not related to moulds, they require a moist environment and reproduce by way of spores." Billie said. "The Berzonia species produces some compounds that may have medicinal uses."
Lakhi nodded. "I see. That sounds interesting!! And I am all about plants with medicinal uses! So many of them from other planets are so useful, and we've only begun to scratch the surface of it, I am afraid. I'd love to be able to use things that aren't synthetic!"
"A lot of synthetic medications are based on natural ones." Billie said. "And my research might lead to nothing."
Lakhi nodded. "Absolutely they are!! Aspirin is from a tree on Earth!" She stated. She smiled again. "I am sure it will at least be an interesting venture, if nothing else!!" She tried to sound encouraging.
"Yeah." Billie said. "Let's hope you're right."
Before either could say anything further Lakhi's comm. badge chirped.
==/\==LCdr Bakshi, please report. The Carthage is onboarding crew immediately.==/\== She smiled. "Guess that's our cue to go!!" She stood up, gathering the box she'd tugged along with her, and with a deep breath, prepared herself.
"Yeah, onward and upward." Billie said with a smile, but inside she was still a little apprehensive about this new chapter in her life.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Williamina Pierce
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Carthage
Lieutenant Commander Lakhi Bakshi-Williams
Chief Medical Officer, USS Carthage
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