The New Doctor
Posted on Wed Apr 25th, 2018 @ 2:02am by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke
Edited on on Thu May 31st, 2018 @ 9:25pm
1,779 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 2 - The Enemy Within
Location: Captain's Dining Room
Timeline: MD007 1400 hrs
Tags: SD 71386.1400
Hermia walked into the Lounge, she just got her gear stowed away and decided it was time for a drink and a bite to eat. She wasn't quite in uniform, she still wore the Marine issue boots, that she favoured during travel. She ordered herself a pint of stout, Irish of course, and a chicken burger and chips. Collecting her order she looked around for a place to sit.
Tyler was happy for the bit of downtime after the incident in the Badlands. He wanted to have a moment to himself to clear his thoughts about the mission, about certain members of his crew. But a COs job is never done. There were new crew transfers and his new XO to break in. As well as orders coming through from command.
He walked into the Officer's Mess and was going to bee line into the Captain's dining room, when he noticed one of his new officers in the mess. No time like the present Ty he said to himself. "Lieutenant join me..." He called out to her as he motioned to the door to the Captain's Mess.
"Thank you, Sir." Hermia said. "Nice ship,you have here, I've always had a place in my heart for the Intrepid Class." She added with a smile and followed the Captain into his private dinning room.
"My pleasure, it is always good to take a meal with new officers. The Intrepid Class has been my dream since the Academy." Tyler smiled as he sat at the table, turning to a member of the support staff. "I will have the usual."
"Aye Captain." The yeoman replied with a smile.
"Lieutenant O'Rourke is it? Welcome to the Pioneer. My apologies for the delay in picking you up." He said as he leaned back and sipped the coffee placed in front of him.
"Yes, Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke." Hermia replied as she took a seat and put down her meal tray. "I didn't mind the delay, it gave me some time to get to know some of the other new arrivals. Your new XO is an interesting man."
"Quite so, I have been reading over his record and yours. If I am to confess for a moment. I have never met a Brikarain before so I am looking forward to it. But your record is quite interesting not many officers make the jump from the Corps to the Fleet, I am sure our Marines would love to meet you. So, why Cardassia? I mean this isn't choicest of assignments these days." He smiled and sipped again, she was an interesting woman and if her record was an indication she would make a great foil for Dr Ballston, Tyler thought.
"Well, I could say, it was because I was needed there, but that's not the whole truth, I was also trying to impress my father, he wasn't happy that I entered the Fleet, rather than his beloved Corps." She said. "The Marine Corps is a tradition in my family, a tradition my father values above everything else." She smiled. "You could say I'm the black sheep of the family."
Tyler laughed "If only they could all understand that you cannot have one without the other. The fleet and the corps that is. But Doctor I can't help but notice that you skirted my question. You still have not answered why Cardassia. We are out here with our former enemies, and I have to make sure that my crew is okay with that. That they are here for the right reasons." A plate was placed in front of him which had a cheeseburger with a fried egg and bacon and a side of fries.
"Is there anything that you need Lieutenant?" the Yeoman said turning to Hermia.
"No, thank you, Yeoman." Hermia before returning to the Captain's question. She took a sip of her beer and said. "The Cardassians were victims of the Dominion too and I don't believe people should be blamed for what their leaders did. The unit I was attached to, were there to prevent the pirates and fanatics from picking over the Union's corpse." She stared at Tyler for a few minutes, then added. "They were in need, and I made an oath to help those in need, be they former enemies or not."
It was an impressive answer, expected, but impressive. "So you do not think that the Cardassians did it to themselves. Are a people not responsible for the government that they set into place? It was the Cardassian people that allowed the military coup of their government, and it was the military that allowed the Dominion to come in. Now the Federation is here to pick up the pieces." Tyler laid it on thick this was no where near what he truly felt however, he knew there were people on his ship that felt this way. He wanted to gauge a reaction.
"Should a lack of judgment result in the death of your whole civilization? It was the military that brought them out of near collapse after they expended all the resources of their planet, perhaps the people thought the military could do it again." She said. "I'm not above making mistakes, so why should I blame others for theirs." She popped a chip in her mouth, crewed it and swallowed. "Like I said, they needed my help, so I gave it. Whether they brought things upon themselves, is not for me to say, and make no difference to me anyway."
Tyler took a big honkin bite of his burger. It was delicious and just what the doctor ordered. He swallowed and took a sip of his soda, he closed his eyes for a moment as this lunch always reminded him of home. "Fair enough doc, fair enough. For what it is worth I happen to really like Cardassians and think the Chairman Garak has set them on the right path finally. Oh, I almost forgot have you checked in with our Chief Medical Officer Dr Ballston. I know after the latest events that the ship has been through he is eager to meet you and for the help in Sick Bay. Our EMH is a little gruff shall we say." Tyler smirked as he thought of Bones and what Admiral McCoy must have thought when he was told the would become a hologram.
"There was a Cardassian combat engineer attached to the unit, her and I had some interesting talks, to say the least." Hermia said. "I'll go and meet Dr Ballston straight after lunch." She smiled. "So, tell me about yourself, Skip".
"Me I am just an Oklahoma boy who is living the dream. All I had ever wanted to do was command an Intrepid Class ever since I was a boy. My mom worked for Admiral Paris and the Pathfinder Project. Never thought I would get one but here we are. If I am totally honest it is a little weird to be exploring the galaxy with a team of Marines on board. I guess that is the price you pay for living in the post Dominion War era." He said as he took some more bites of his lunch.
"I grew up around Marines, so seeing on a starship, isn't jarring to me, like it is to some." She said. "They're like fleet, only they know how to make do with less."
"I do not look at as knowing how to make do with less. I look at it as Marines are highly trained for a particular function. That function does not usually go hand in hand with exploring the galaxy. Waging war, sure, defense absolutely, but exploration not so much. However one of my Academy professors was fond of saying the day that your crew cannot teach you anything is the day you should retire. Along that vein my second officer First Lieutenant Cunningham has taught me a lot in the short time that I have known him. I will say this after what we just went through I am more than glad to have Cunningham and his people aboard." Tyler smiled as he thought that it seemed for a doctor this woman had a hard edge to her, it must have come from dealing with Marines for so long.
"Good advice. The Dean of Medicine said to me, 'If you continue to make patients of your fellow students, you'll be out on your ear.' I'd just just fought with a bully and put him in the infirmary, so it fit the situation." She took a bite of her burger, it was delicious. "Perhaps the lesson for my bully that day was 'know your enemy." She smiled.
"Knowing your enemy is sound advice, no matter what department you work in. However, with the New Maquis one does not know who their enemy is anymore. I can only hope that this next mission that the CDF has for us will be quick so the crew can get some R and R at Empok Nor." Tyler rather liked the candor of this doctor she didn't beat around the bush. He decided that Kat and her would get along great.
"We didn't come into contact with the New Maquis when I was I was at SFMCB - Patton, it was mostly True Way and pirates, but I was transferred at the end of 92, so, I'm afraid I don't have any intel on them." Hermia replied.
"Oh they are new the USS Firebird ran into them about a month ago and we were sent to learn as much about them as we could. We stumbled upon the proverbial hornets nest in the Badlands. We dealt them a serious blow but I am sure they will be back, they always are." Tyler smirked as much as he hated the military aspect of his job, he also loved winning.
"Remember, Captain, a wounded enemy is more dangerous than an uninjured one." She downed her beer, grabbed her plate and stood. "It was a pleasure meeting you, but best check in with Dr Ballston, before he sends a search party after me." She said with a smile.
"Indeed the doctor can be a little zealous, but that's why I like him. A pleasure Lieutenant, thanks for the company." Tyler smiled and leaned back in the chair, she will be an excellent addition this crew he thought.
A Joint Post By
Commander Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
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