Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashir th’Qiaqir (Medical Officer) in Starbase 237 Promenade deck - Leviathan medics summoned to meet Captain Cobb

Posted by Captain Zachariah Cobb (Commanding Officer) in Starbase 237 Promenade deck - Leviathan medics summoned to meet Captain Cobb

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Ashir th’Qiaqir (Medical Officer) in Starbase 237 Promenade deck - Leviathan medics summoned to meet Captain Cobb
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snippity doo-dah>
“Doctor Theodore Knox reporting as ordered.”

Dr Knox

Cobb stiffened at the sight of the Leviathan’s Chief Medic. Almost imperceptibly…but not quite. Still, it was fleeting and then the Captain was on his feet and extending a hand to the other.

The Doctor watched the captain carefully, still at attention. Just as imperceptibly as the stiffened spine came a slight curl of the medics mouth. One corner turned up but then it was gone. A trick of the light perhaps. He took the hand and shook it firmly.

“Doctor Knox, good to see you still around. At least someone made it back from the Alini system in one piece! I…”

“And you captain. I trust you are well.” He asked giving the man an appraising look.

Right behind him was Ashir, with also a perfectly ironed uniform along with polished pips and combadge. He had waited in front of the ship for Theodore to come out before following him to the Rendez Vous.

To give a bit of rhythm, Ashir waited for his superior to get to attention before doing the same right after Theodore gave his name. He also copied his sentence to give a better impression of the group.

“Lieutenant Ashir th’Qiaqir reporting as ordered.”

Lieutenant Ashir th’Qiaqir

“Ah,” Zachariah nodded towards the Andorian, cerulean eyes remaining fixed on his CMO “It seems you have yourself a shadow, Dr Knox.”

Theo gave a charming smile as if this was good news.
Ashir stayed formal, although he squinted his eyes a bit, not sure about the Captain’s attitude. Could be humor…

Then to th’Qiaqir directly, he added, “Captain Zachariah Cobb. Welcome to the crew of the Leviathan, Lieutenant. Or, should I say, to my Leviathan.”
His sentence punctuated with a wink, the old man turned to survey the refreshment table.
“Can I offer either of you gentlemen a drink? The Aldebaran whiskey is a particularly fine vintage. Or so I’ve been told.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb

“Tea, perhaps captain.” Knox said calmly.

Dr Knox

“Tea,” Zachariah echoed quietly, eyes scanning the variations on offer before procuring a cup of Vulcan spiced with a sense that it would please the good Doctor most. Hot beverage delivered with care, he remained proximate to the refreshments whilst awaiting the Andorian’s order; the arm’s length distance to the large bowl of strawberries mere coincidence.

Ashir smiled at the Captain and said : “Let’s try your whiskey, Captain. With salt, if you have.” The Andorian deliberately talked in a more eased manner to see Cobb’s reaction. He wanted to see what type of person he was.

The Captain’s reaction, at the unusual drink request, was a raising of the eyebrows paired with wry smile. “Ah, you like to experiment, I see? I have heard adding salt coaxes an additional depth of flavour, although I am yet to try it myself.”
He paused and gazed down at his own, half-empty glass. “Another time for me, perhaps.”
Then with a grin, he handed the Andorian his drink.

“So,” he launched with customary ineptness into chatter, “how have you all fared in my absence, eh? Anything of importance that I’ve missed?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb
  Lieutenant JG Ashir th’Qiaqir

Theodore took the offered tea with a nod of his head “Thank you Captain.” He said and reorganised the cup properly in his hand. He took a sip. “As well as can be expected sir.” He produced three PaDDs and offered them to Cobb. “I took the liberty of preparing a detailed report for you. One of the medical status of the crew, one on the status of our ‘cargo’ and another on the status of both sickbays systems and the medical supply situation.”

He sipped his tea.

Dr Knox

“Efficient as always, Doctor Knox,” Zachariah remarked, taking the PaDD’s and casting on each a skimming glance. A little longer on the one pertaining to ‘cargo’, perhaps.
Then setting them aside, from where Roebuck lifted the one documenting crew, Cobb studied the two medics whilst beginning a leisurely tread.
“You may have read the official briefing on my current status. My exploration of the Alini anomaly was…” Lighting-glance towards the Admiral as Zachariah deliberated his words, “…precarious. Although we hope to find some use for the data harvested at my return. But for me, I am keen to get back into the saddle, as it were. To set out once again into the relative unknown and restore safety to regions wrought by chaos.”

His path led to the perimeter railing, boundary to the obsidian expanse of deep space. Ionised gas clouds made dazzling pyrotechnics, but Cobb’s attention was caught by something else. A tiny, black smudge far off and to the west. The Crow’s Nest. The starbase’s singular outpost, manned continuously by a rotating team of two, could be a lonely and intimidating place. As Zachariah discovered more than once during his custodial sentence.

“I have a fondness for the truth, no matter how unpalatable it might be.” Eyes now locked with Ashir th’Qiaqir, Cobb curious for his reaction to what came next. Theodore Knox, the captain suspected, would remain unruffled. “Many of our crew are going to die. No matter how hard and how skillfully you try to prevent it. I need to know that you both understand that. That you’re…ready for whatever the next few months may bring.”

Theodore waited, listening. As Cobb expected, the good doctors expression didn’t alter at all. “Of course Captain.”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb
  Ashir took the Captain’s question in a personal manner. He certainly liked his quest for truth and could understand this need. An honorable path, thought the Andorian. But he does sound like the kind of man to sacrifice his men for a better cause. I’m still not sure…

While about to answer before getting cut by the arrival of Laural.

Laural forced herself to steady her breathing as she finally managed to get her grav chair to cross the Promenade. She hated being late and was working hard to keep the crimson from her cheeks as she approached while also trying not to disturb ongoing conversation.

It had been some time since she had had to make her way across a busy station and she had forgotten how oblivious some people could be in general to any semblance of a normal flow of traffic. Witley was not above raising her voice if she needed to, but what she really needed was a horn.

Noticing a pause, or what she hoped was a pause in conversation, she offered, “My apologies, sir, for arriving late. It will not happen again.” Long ago, Laural had learned not to use her grav chair as an excuse for anything. It was as much a part of her self-respect as it was a way to show respect for others.

~Doctor Laural Witley, Counselor

OOC Lori: I know Laural isn’t a medic per se, but I figured this group made the most sense for her for a meet and greet.
Ashir took a sip of his whiskey while not leaving the Captain from his sight. This could get interesting…At least, he didn’t lie on the quality !, he thought, taking another sip.

Lieutenant Ashir th’Qiaqir

OOC: Lori, I had made a separate thread for the Counselor, although I then didnt notice that it had dropped off the board. My bad! But I don’t want you to think I’d left you out! I’m more than happy for Laural to join this thread instead though, if you prefer. Or if you’d rather have a thread to yourself then the original one is here: https://www.star-fleet.com/core/stf1/leviathan/posts/176957/

And Adrien, I’m really enjoying your Andorian’s musings on the Captain! Nice work!

IC: The grav-chair was unexpected, although Cobb strived to quarantine his surprise. “Apology accepted, Lieutenant. I am grateful to you all for attending this meeting at such short notice. Starbase loading is one of the most fraught and frenetic periods for the Leviathan, so I know you all have a multitude of other places to be. But it is important to me that we all meet and gain the measure of our fellow crew. We’ll have a good few months in the confines of our vessel with naught but each other for company.”

Returning to the refreshment table, Zachariah refilled his own glass before placing both the whiskey and the salt closer to th’Qiaqir, silent permission for the other to help himself.
“Can I offer you a drink, Counselor?” he enquired of the newest member of their crowd.

But Ashir was not yet free from the Captain’s proverbial hook. “So, Lieutenant th’Qiaqir, tell me, what was it that brought you to the Leviathan? Is your medical interest with the anomalies? Or rather with the rest of the crew?”

• Captain Zachariah Cobb
  (OOC : Thanks ! It’s not that evident to do)

Ashir replied immediately: “The anomalies and their studies were my first reason. As for the crew, I had little information, except that the Captain’s chair was empty. But you must know better than me about that…”
He didn’t like to talk in an indirect way, but it was the best way to gather information. He made a quick look to see if Zach understood where he was going before saying : “I must say that I’m curious about your past. Perhaps you could… enlighten us about it ?”
Gosh, I sound like a Vulcan, thought Ashir with irritation.

Lieutenant Ashir th’Qiaqir

Theo had stood as a measure of respect and welcome when Laural had arrived. He nodded his head to her and resumed his seat when she had been acknowledged. He sipped his tea silently watching the group.

Interesting meeting so far. Theodore thought as he rolled the tea around his mouth. Indeed Theo agreed as he swallowed and surveyed they cup.

Dr Knox