Paper Work

Posted on Fri Dec 10th, 2021 @ 2:07pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr

Mission: Sinister Intentions
Location: USS Washington
Timeline: After Dex gets out of sickbay

Shran reviewed the communiques that were directed at him from Command that had come in. It was mundane paperwork but such things couldn't be put off long, and he had already put it off last night to enjoy the company of his old friends. Despite the headache and light sensitivity he was dealing with from that frivolity, he pressed forward in hopes that he could get through with it without further hinderances.

As he reviewed the material he came across something that he had virtually forgotten about. He considered all that had happened since he had initially done this and couldn't help but chuckle at how long it had taken Command to get back to him regarding this. =^=Computer, location of Dex.=^=

"Lt. Dex is in her quarters" replied the computer in its usual placid tone.

Shran got up and grabbed a PaDD and downloaded something from his computer, then walked over to his replicator and briefly put in a small order and watched as it manifested. He stepped out of his ready room and made his way to the turbolift, heading to Dex's quarters.

Dex had just returned from her walk with Puss and was settling down with her morning Dela leaf tea. It had been a rough few days with Callie’s discovery, which she felt responsible for since it was her brother’s meld that had revealed the full horror of it all. She would see her later but now, now she could relax with her Sehlat and tea. Her own stay in sickbay had been a knife edge, it was lucky she had friends aboard now.

Shran approached the door to Dex's quarters and hit the door chime, waiting for her to answer. He took this moment to compose himself. He was on duty after all, and he needed to look it.

“Come” she shouted from the couch thinking it was Callie. The door opened and Captain Shran stood there. She dropped her tea over Puss who complained loudly then tripped over him standing up. “Please come in Captain,” she said knowing full well this must be a dressing down regarding the mess in Sickbay.

Shran stepped inside, his eyes focused on the large beast that even reclined near Dex he knew to be dangerous. "Sorry to disturb you doctor" he said, his eyes remaining focused on the Sehlat. "I trust you are well, recovering. Excuse me for asking, but is everything alright between you and your pet? It appears, vexed, somehow."

“Everything is fine sir, he just doesn’t like being burnt by hot tea or stood on. Please do not be nervous of him he is well trained. Puss T’al-Na’th!” She ordered and he took himself away and rolled over. “He is very soft. What can I do for you captain, may I offer you something?” ‘Here it comes’ she thought.

Shran stepped forward, keeping his hands behind him. "Actually doctor, I'm here to do something for you. It is overdue. You have had a colorful few weeks aboard the ship. A few more eventful weeks than I'm sure you expected."

“I have been tested certainly since I came on board. Despite all my problems I hope I have contributed my share to the wellbeing of the crew and the ship. I have definitely kept Doctor Howard on her toes,” she smiled and wondered why he was keeping his hands behind him. It made him an imposing figure and for the first time she realized just how handsome he was.

"Yes, Samantha has commented that you have done more than your fair share since your arrival, both as a doctor and as a patient. It is my hope that we don't have to keep you or Samantha quite so busy all the time." The Andorians eyes wandered just for a moment as his concentration was temporarily broken by a throbbing pain that was no doubt part of his hangover. He made a mental note to remind himself about drinking with friends when he was on duty the next day. He quickly regained his focus and returned to the task at hand. "Doctor, it came to my attention relatively quickly after you arrived that something was out of place, and it needed to be remedied. Sadly, while I might be quick to address such things, Command is still full of bureaucrats that very much enjoy paperwork, though they take their sweet time going through it and sending back the appropriate replies."

She smiled, “that is one of the things that stopped me from going into bureaucracy as a career choice Sir” she quipped. “Time I find is very short. Captain would you like to sit down, have some water perhaps and maybe an analgesic ?” She noted he looked pale even for an Andorian.

He shook his head gently. "No thank you doctor. I'm here on official business." He stepped forward, coming only a few feet from Dex. "Typically when I do this sort of thing I prefer to have a bit more pomp and circumstance as the humans say, but the ship is dealing with a great many things currently, and you are recovering yourself, so I felt we could handle this in a more one on one situation, and the festivities can be handled at a later date." He brought his right hand from his back, a PaDD in hand and tapped it with his thumb, activating it and bringing up some information that he appeared ready to read.

Shon felt slightly silly standing in her pyjamas as he mention pomp and circumstance and festivities. ‘What in Surak’ was going on’ she thought. She felt she should stand to attention.

"Lieutenant, junior grade Shoniara T'ghann Dex, for outstanding achievement in your new position aboard the Washington as Assistant Chief Medical Officer, as well as your gallant acts while on duty, it is my honor to reward you with the rank of full lieutenant, with all that rank entails." He brought his other hand out from behind him and opened his hand, showing off the new pip. "I'd put it on you, but you aren't currently in uniform."

For once she was speechless and for a moment had to replay what he had said inside her brain. The Risan part of her wanted to throw her arms around his neck and kiss him but thankfully the Vulcan part emerged. “Thank you Captain, I am honored” she said. It is a privilege to serve aboard this ship under your command, I am sorry that I am in my pyjamas and, I suggest pyjamas with pips for everyone going forward,” ‘You idiot’ she told herself, ‘and you were doing so well. She began to blush.

Shran couldn't help but give a slight chuckle. In his mind he attributed it to the after effects of the copious amounts of Andorian ale he had drank the night before. It seemed like a proper enough scapegoat. "Congratulations lieutenant. I trust you'll take the appropriate time adorning it and looking yourself over once you return to duty." He stopped for a moment and thought about what he had just said and considered if it had come out the way he wanted it. "I um, well, congratulations again."

She laughed outright “touché Captain. I will wear it appropriately on duty, that is my uniform and not my pajamas.. thank you again and I hope your Andorian ale hangover gets better soon.”

"Is it that obvious?" he asked, a tad bit embarrassed.

She smiled, “no not really.” She tapped her nose with a finger, “enhanced Vulcan sense of smell, comes with the territory Sir.” Here goes she thought even though it might not be appropriate and rather embarrassing she had to do it. “Captain I erm wondered if you would like to have coffee sometime, I mean if you do drink coffee, I don’t but Vulcan dela leaf tea is very good….” She tailed off and waited for the dressing down.

Shran gave a simple smile. "I don't drink coffee doctor, but I am agreeable to sitting down for a warm beverage at a future date. I have been known to have tea with my breakfast. A couple of Earth teas I became rather fond of through the years go good with a hearty meal in the morning if you are keen to such a thing. I might even be able to regale you with a tale or two associated to the teas if you like." Shran sensed that Dex might be politely flirting with him but he was so out of practice he could hardly tell, and if she wasn't, then he hoped his response would be taken as a simple breakfast invitation between officers.

She smiled, he was such a fascinating man. “I would enjoy that very much Captain, I also have a love for Earth teas, they have the most taste and smell. I hope we will have the opportunity to get to know each other…… better over breakfast.” She hoped he would know she was flirting with him and found him attractive “I will look forward to your invitation hopefully sooner rather than later, and thank you for my promotion.”

Puss stood up yawned wandered over to Shran. “Do not be afraid sir, he just wants to say hello. He has never bitten anyone unless my life has been in danger and if you scratch the top of his head he will be your friend forever.”

Shran ran his hand over the head of the large animal. "You have it remarkably well trained. I encountered one in the wild once while doing desert training on Vulcan in my Academy years. It was larger than yours and quite ferocious. We were lucky to find a cave to get away from it as a storm came up, and we had to wait for two days before it gave up." He considered the situation, "As for breakfast, perhaps in a few days, once you have recovered."

Puss rubbed his cheek on Shran’s leg scenting him as he purred.
Dex was aghast. “I am sorry sir but it means he likes you. He is what on Earth would be called a ‘service animal’ my brother gave him to me with certain qualities to help me meditate and maintain the Vulcan half of my mind.” She looked at his ice blue eyes and wondered who the real man was behind them. She would enjoy trying to find out.

“ I will look forward to breakfast and, thank you again for my promotion Captain.”

Shran considered leaving, but since he was in the presence of a doctor he thought he might inquire, "Do you have anything for this headache?" He was obviously embarrassed to ask, but it was done.

She looked concerned, “of course I have, it would be very remiss of me not to have a medical kit in my quarters. Are you sure you would not like to sit down for a few minutes. You could try then Vulcan dela leaf tea, or I have orange gunpowder, Earl Grey and Lapsang Souchong to hand.” She produced a hypo from her case. “Simple analgesic?” She questioned.

"What medication you think will help will suffice doctor" he replied as he sat down, his hands rubbing his temples. "And a cup of Earl Grey would be acceptable, with one sugar please." He was surprised that she happened to mention one of the teas he had been thinking of when he mentioned breakfast. "How were you introduced to Earl Grey tea?" he inquired.

She depressed the analgesic hypo into his neck. “There that should help” she said. “The tea will take a couple of minutes as I have to boil the water and steep the tea, I take it you do not take it with milk?

He felt the throbbing pain in his head melt away. "Much better, thank you doctor. And no, no milk necessary." He looked at her, "I'm surprised you do it the old fashioned way. Most people simply input the order into the replicator."

She put the water on to boil and placed two small teaspoons of Earl Grey into a fluted China strainer. She scaled the cup with some of the boiling water and placed enough water for two cups into the tea. “In answer to your question My father is Vulcan and my mother Risan, the two heritages do not go very well together. My bother Telvan used to call it ‘the pleasure and the pain’.

I was extremely wild as a child, refused to go to school, ran away and got into all kinds of trouble.” She strained the tea and poured it into two delicate fluted cups with vivid blue and gold sigils embossed on each side. She placed a small jar of real sugar on a tray with the cups and a small silver teaspoon. “When Telvan was sent to school on Vulcan My behavior I am afraid to say got much worse. I ended up being arrested for stealing from the market near our home.”

She placed the tray in front of him, please help yourself to sugar the analgesia should be working by now.”

By the time she sat down opposite him she had put on a plush blue coat with the same sigils as the cups in scarlet, gold and blue. She took a cup and sat crossing her legs. “My rather long and boring story continues. The behavior reflected badly mostly on my father as he was Ambassador to Risa. They sent me to my maternal grandfather who had relocated to Earth many years before. He lived in what was then a place called Yellowstone National Park, a beautiful wild and unspoiled wilderness. The nearest town was 12 kilometers away so getting in to trouble stopped. She took another sip, “is the tea acceptable?” She asked.

Shran sipped the tea and allowed the hot flavorful liquid to leisurely flow down him while the aroma filled his nostrils. "The tea is quite good, thank you. A perfect way to help rid myself of this embarrassing hangover." He placed the cup down. "Yellowstone you say? I've been there. The humans do have many splendid natural areas on their world. Please continue your tale"

In order to get water we had a spring half a km away and it was my job every day to draw the water. It became a pleasant ritual. One day my grandfather produced Earl Grey tea and proceeded to make it just as I have done now. I fell in love with the process and the taste, as I have done with a few teas since.

Shran gave a small smile. "A good memory. I was introduced to the tea by a fellow captain, Jean-Luc Picard of the Enterprise. It was before the war while I was XO of the Jupiter. Our ship and the Enterprise were sent on a joint mission to a remote sector. Ours ships met at Deep Space 5 before heading out and the captain and I were invited aboard the Enterprise to discuss mission details in person. It was obvious to me from the moment I came aboard that most of his senior officers had little experience with my race. Only his 2XO, a Lt Cmdr Data who was an android seemed to have any real experience. I got along well with Data and his security chief, a Klingon named Worf, who I'm sure you have heard of with his exploits during the war, and while on the mission I got better acquainted with his other senior officers, particularly his XO Will Riker, who now captains the Titan. Picard drank this tea on every occasion it seemed, and I grew to appreciate it during that mission, and I suppose it simply stuck with me over the years." The Andorian once again took a large sip of the tea and seemed to close his eyes and take in all the tea had to offer.

“ I have certainly heard of Captain Picard and Captain Riker. I met his wife Deanna once at a medical conference on Cestus iii. She is a beautiful woman and an excellent raconteur we shared a few evenings of talk and, I am afraid rather a lot of alcohol. Not synthehol, I mean what is the point…” she realized she was running on. She returned to the subject of tea.

"Each tea has a different ritual to it, replicated tea will do at a pinch but to enjoy the full experience it has to be done properly.” She took another sip and savored the aroma and taste as it slipped down her throat and was quiet for a minute as it looked like he might nod off.

She clinked the cup back on her saucer. “If we do have breakfast together I will make our tea.” She found herself to be enjoying his company in this little diversion in what was turning out to be a good day. Would you like some more tea?”

"I'd agree that each tea has a ritual behind it. But if we do have breakfast, I'd like to make the whole meal, including the tea. I have a whole breakfast spread that you might enjoy, and a tea that ties right into it. I assume you are not vegetarian?" He sipped his tea, "No, this is fine."

“It was in Yellowstone where I developed my love of medicine. We came across an injured doe who had broken her leg, she had a faun with her and we took them both home where I reduced her fracture, made a rudimentary splint and we kept them through the winter. We let them go in the spring, as they ran off back into their lives I knew I wanted to be a Doctor. Surprisingly not a Veterinarian.” She smiled seeing the tension his face had eased considerably.

"Quite a way to gain the knowledge of becoming a doctor. Being of service, militarily or something along those lines was always in my destiny. Seems everyone in my family serves Andoria or the Federation in some way for generations."

“Most Vulcans are Vegetarian but then I am half Risan so that part is not. It is a strange dichotomy I know but it is what it is. As you are making the breakfast I will of course bow to your preferences and just enjoy.

So, may I ask when you were a boy was there not something else you wanted to do other than the military?” She sipped more tea. She had to admit this chat was fascinating, finding out more about the man behind the Captain. He was becoming more interesting by the minute and she hoped he felt that she found him attractive.

"To be honest I always wanted to be in StarFleet and serve the Federation, though how I would do that was not always certain. For a time I thought I might be a scientist or an engineer. I've always had a knack for physics and quantum mechanics. I actually got top marks in those classes at the Academy. I also love history and considered being an historian early in my adolescence. But from the first time I ever stepped foot on a starship, I knew I wanted to command one day. I'm best sitting in control, making the tactical decisions living with the consequences. This became most clear to me during the war. StarFleet honored me on multiple occasions, and I am proud of each instance, but the greatest honor ever given to me was the command of a ship and the ability to lead those under my command into the unknown."

She smiled softly, “I can imagine the 10 year old Shran looking up at the stars like most little boys do all over the universe and wishing to be ‘up there’. It seems to me that you picked the right career but I think it can be a lonely one. Being the Captain with all the responsibility to the ship, it’s crew, StarFleet and the Federation it does not allow time for family matters or romance.” She realized she had called him Shran and hoped he had not noticed or if he had he did not mind.

He nodded. "It is a difficult life to be sure, though I have managed. I have two mates and children. They all understand what my duty is and that it keeps me away from them more than I would like. I actually planned on taking leave soon to visit Andoria and to be with them all. I could of course have them on the ship, but I never felt that was wise or proper. On a station perhaps, but not on a ship. I know others might disagree, but that is how I feel." He took one final swallow from his tea and placed the empty cup down. "I should be getting back to the bridge." He stood up, "I thank you for your assistance with my headache doctor, and for the tea. And, congratulations again on the promotion." He turned and began making his way towards the door before stopping and looking back at Dex, "Perhaps breakfast Friday morning, my quarters, say 0700?"

She stood and walked to the door. “Thank you for the promotion Sir. I look forward to breakfast with you on Friday at 0700. Have a good day Captain.”

The door closed behind him. She took the pip and turned it over in her hand holding it up to her neck. “What do you think Puss?” She asked. There was no answer and she sat down and finished her tea.

Shran made his way slowly down the corridor. He wondered if he was right that Dex was lightly flirting with him. It would be something he would talk to Celes about. She always had a way of clearing things up for him.