Previously…
Catapulted to the edge of known space by an incident in the Mutara Nebula, the USS Farraday is now under the command of the ship’s untested former first officer, Anthony Lennox. With limited supplies and uncertainty among the crew, Lennox has made it his first priority to find a planet that can provide enough supplies to give them a decent start on their journey home.
Author’s Note: I’ve had to cut my time writing this portion short. I apologize for the delay in finishing section “b” but it should be up around this time next week.
Doctor Sonora Fairchild was used to dealing with the unknown. While she wasn’t a space explorer, and had only ended up on the Farraday by sheer accident of fate, the opportunity to explore the minds of the ship’s crew and help them overcome their fears & doubts was an appealing one. Despite the dire nature of the situation, she was looking forward to her first appointment.
She sat in the front room of what was formerly the first officer’s cabin, where she’d rearranged the furniture and changed some of the decorations. A long, plush couch was moved under the windows, and a matching chair faced it while being next to the door. Sonora was arranging some of the faux planters she’d found when the door chimed.
“Please, come in,” she said.
The door opened and Ecaterina Skirov stepped inside, smiling a little nervously.
“Doctor? Captain Lennox told us that if we had personal concerns, we should come see you.”
“I assume if your concerns were professional, you’d be talking to him,” Sonora said with a smile, gesturing to the couch. “Have a seat, Lieutenant.”
Skirov walked over to the couch as Sonora took her seat across from her. The doctor picked up an electronic notebook and crossed her legs, prepared to begin. Ecaterina found herself looking at the way Sonora was dressed. Her high heels, pencil skirt and low-cut wrap-around top were definitely not Starfleet regulation. Sonora noticed the lieutenant’s look and smiled a bit.
“Were this an official Starfleet meeting, I might be wearing a uniform,” she said, “but since this is a less formal occasion and in my cabin, I’m choosing to be comfortable.”
“I don’t see how wearing that is comfortable,” Ecaterina replied, “especially those shoes.”
Fairchild laughed a little. “It’s not the shoes themselves that give me comfort, my dear, it’s how they make me feel. When I wear something like this, something like what I’d wear back on Earth, I feel more at home, more like myself. What about you? What makes you feel comfortable?”
Skirov gave the question a moment’s thought. “I like having a problem in front of me. A chemical equation or an astrogational chart… something that appeals to my intellect. In fact I probably wouldn’t be here if the captain hadn’t told me to get some rest. I’d likely still be trying to plot a course home through the Beta Quadrant. Some of it, at least, we’ve explored and have updated charts for.”
“So why are you here, Ecaterina?”
“I’m a bit worried. Not for myself, but for D’Sarl.”
“Your friend, the Orion helmswoman?”
Ecaterina nodded. “She works really hard to be more than just another Orion female. There were a lot of assumptions at the Academy. There have only been a couple Orions interested in breaking from their families and culture to join Starfleet, but people have preconceptions about a race of ruthless merchant slave-traders.”
“They’re not all like that, obviously,” Fairchild observed.
“You and I know that,” Skirov agreed, “but try telling that to a class of horny self-confident Academy cadets. At least the ones she’d bring back to the room would try to act polite.”
“So, you were roommates,” the doctor said, jotting down a note. “Did you bring boys back yourself?”
“Just one,” Ecaterina said, smiling a little. “Kyle was a year ahead of me. Last I heard he was serving on the Exeter.”
“How often do you get to see him?”
“Every month or so. Our ships will come in close proximity or we’ll manage to get leave together. It’s not easy.”
“Military romances never are,” Sonora agreed. “As much as you might wish it so sometimes, it’s probably good that you’re on different ships. You don’t want personal feelings to get in the way of duty.”
“I know. I’ve just been dealing with the fact that I might not be seeing him for a very long time. Focusing on work helps, but I knew I had to tell someone and I didn’t think I should burden Captain Lennox with my personal problems.”
“From what I understand,” Sonora began, leaning forward, “Captain Lennox is a good and compassionate leader. You shouldn’t feel you’d be burdening him, especially if you’re afraid your hang-ups about Kyle will interfere with your duty. It’s his job, after all, to make sure the crew is in good working order, and that includes accounting for their fears, doubts and struggles.”
Ecaterina nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“In the meantime, I recommend taking some time to relax with your friend. I’m sure D’Sarl would be willing to listen to what you have to say just as much as I am, and she’s known you for much longer.”
“I would, but she’s out on a mission. She’s due to be off-duty afterwards, however.”
“In that case,” Fairchild said with a smile, “we’ll just look forward to her safe return.”
STAR TREK and all associated technology and concepts are copyright Paramount Studios. No intention of credit or profit is intended. The USS Farraday and her crew are original creations of Joshua E Loomis and are protected under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. Some rights reserved.
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