Posted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore Knox (Chief Medical Officer - Incoming) in Side sim: Knox checks in with Cobb

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Side sim: Knox checks in the Cobb

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore Knox (Chief Medical Officer - Incoming) in Side sim: Knox checks in the Cobb
The journey via shuttle had been uneventful. Theodore Knox wasn’t really one for uneventful but he did have to admit it had given him time to consider his new assignment. He sat quietly deeply enveloped in the crew files as the pilot seemed content to leave him undisturbed.

He finished the final file as the shuttle came into view of the ship and was therefore unsurprised when the pilot cleared his throat. He smiled slightly but didn’t look up. ”Yes, Lieutenant.”

The pilot glanced behind him. ”Sorry to disturb you sir, but I’m ready to request permission from the ship.”

Theo carefully replaced his PaDD in the small carry on he had brought with him. ”Of course, please carry on. Pretend that I am not here.”

The Lieutenant’s eyes widened, as if the request to ignore the dark haired bearded man was an impossibility. But he did his best.

Some fifteen minutes later Theodore exited the shuttle bay having bid goodbye to his chaperone and made his way through the ship, his one small bag slung across his shoulder. He smiled warmly at those he passed, enjoying the brief glances in his direction. He entered a turbo lift, considered briefly sick bay or the captain. His mind made up, he headed towards the ready room. Straightened his uniform and pressed the chime.

Knox

In his ready room, Zachariah Cobb was pacing. The momentum gained by a continual, circular tread around the centre of the room both energised his concentration and also helped to work off some of the cookies and pastries that seemingly most of the women on this ship liked to feed to him. Not that he was complaining one jot!

The door chime caught him on a pass-by of his desk, the old man coming to an abrupt halt and then making a quarter-turn to rest his backside on the highly-polished and, at that moment, piled high with papers and manuscripts, surface.

“Come,” he called out, running a hand through his long hair to quickly regain some measure of decorum to his otherwise chaotic appearance. But as the doors parted to reveal the identity of his visitor, Zachariah adopted a deep and somewhat wary frown.

Theo entered as bid and surveyed the scene before him with a calm stoic sort of expression mostly adopted by Vulcans. “Good afternoon Captain, I do hope I am not disturbing you.”

“Ah, it’s you,” he declared, beckoning for the man to enter while simultaneously moving behind his desk where he could more easily obtain refreshment. “Admiral Roebuck told me you’d set out for our location already. Good trip?”

He then immediately turned his attention to the filling of two large tumblers with whiskey, with such focus that Knox might be left wondering whether the captain actually cared about his trip at all or whether, as Cobb’s tone had suggested, the question was merely a formality.

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

Entering fully he gave a warm smile and decided to answer the question regardless. “Very good, thank you for asking.” He took the opportunity to glance causally around The space then back at the man himself.

Ah… said the voice that lived inside his head. … Zachariah Cobb, Captain. Human, 45 years old. 6 foot 2, roughly…190 lbs… medical retirement having been declared unstable due to an incident with the Breen. An unhealthy obsession I believe. Now back in service, interesting. Right leg injury, slight limp. Stubborn.

Externally the good doctor said, “The Admiral speaks very highly of you Captain.” He smiled again, the sort of welcoming smile that didn’t warm his eyes. The dark pools instead gave of an almost predatory sort of vibe that was concealed rather well with good manners and a charming front.

“Is that right?” Cobb replied, sounding less than convinced. In truth he was continuously surprised that the Admiral had not yet banished the old man from the ARU altogether.

He reached into his travel bag and produced a package, wrapped in silver tissue paper. “Forgive my presumption, but I do believe in the old earth etiquette of giving a gift when meeting someone for the first time. Or indeed stepping aboard their ship, mid mission for the first time.” He carefully placed the package on Cobb’s desk and stepped back.

The captain surveyed the package from a distance, as one might size up an interesting, but potentially primed, weapon.

“An interesting custom, the giving of gifts. It is almost a language in and of itself. A language of symbols, and like any such language there are those who speak it like poetry. They see balance in pairs, endings in time pieces, intimacy or doom in the most innocent of plant life.” He chuckled slightly, “ Of course, they are often correct the best intentions can go badly awry if you give an inappropriate gift. It always pays to check local traditions and personal preferences first with someone who knows the recipient. The Admiral tells me you are a fan of whiskey. So I took the liberty of choosing a single malt from a Scottish distillery in Glengoyne. 25 year old, it’s a warm, fruity and rather intense drink. I hope you will enjoy it.”

Knox

Suspicion drained away like lukewarm water down an antique plughole. At the verbal reveal of the package’s contents, Cobb leaped forward and all but tore the wrapping to shreds in an attempt to reveal the contents within. Holding the bottle up to the light, he surveyed the hue and clarity of the liquid, before carefully uncorking it and bringing it up to his nose.
“Ah. You, Sir, have excellent taste when it comes to whiskeys, it seems.”

Placing the bottle carefully back down on the desktop, Cobb now reached for the already-filled glasses and handed one of them to Knox. “Not quite as fine a vintage, I’m afraid,” he shrugged. “Also, I realise that it’s green. Aldebaran. but it almost measures up to its Scottish inspiration. Almost.”

Raising his own glass in cheers, Cobb swallowed a generous mouthful and then retreated to his chair, nodding for Theodore to take the vacant seat across from him.
“Well, I am sure this assignment has come as a surprise,” he began with a shrug. “An unfortunate…incident found us needing a new Chief Medical Officer in a hurry. Although the former Chief is still around. You might have run into her already…in one or two places?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb