Posted by Lieutenant Commander Noah Astor (Chief Medical Officer) in Presim - Doctor Astor, I presume?

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in Presim - Doctor Astor, I presume?

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Noah Astor (Chief Medical Officer) in Presim - Doctor Astor, I presume?
Posted by… suppressed (28) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Noah was tired. His marathon trip had started several days ago, back on Earth, when he had taken a few days to visit his family. The visit had been lukewarm, at best, typical for his family since he had joined Starfleet all those years ago. His parents always nodded politely when he told them of his adventures and missions, but their eyes told the true story of disappointment and lost connection. From there, he had hopped several transports to fly across Federation space and then entered a wormhole which blasted him tens of thousands of light years away from everything he had ever known. Now, he stood, bleary eyed from lack of sleep, on the deck of a shuttle bay in the Event Horizon Station wondering what the heck he was doing here.

“Doctor Astor, I presume?” a young ensign said in greeting as he approached with a smile.

“Yes, that’s me,” Noah replied as he shifted his duffel bag slightly on his back. He really wanted a strong cup of coffee or a nap but severely doubted either of those things would be happening on the small transport shuttle he was about to board.

“I’m Ensign Warren and I’ll be your pilot for the trip to the Manhattan. We are set to rendez-vous with her in about 4 hours,” the ensign said with a bit too much excitement in his voice for Noah’s liking. “May I take your bag?”

Noah nodded and handed his duffel over to the other officer before following him to the shuttle. As he settled in for the last leg of his trip he pondered again how he had ended up here. The promotion had been a slight surprise, but a welcome one. There had been some second thoughts when he saw exactly where he would be going but the opportunity to be on the front line of first contacts and potential medical research had won him over. Plus, there was really nothing keeping him in the Alpha Quadrant.

Ensign Warren had thankfully caught on that Noah was not interested in conversation and left him to his thoughts. He tried for a nap but he had never really been able to sleep well on tiny ships. They finally dropped out of warp and the Manhattan appeared before them.

The ensign stood and gestured toward the small transporter pad, “Apologies, sir, but this is going to be a drop and run type of situation. I have to get back to the Event Horizon as soon as possible so I’ll be needing to transport you over to the Manhattan. They are ready to receive you.”

Noah nodded, slung his duffel bag over his shoulder and stepped onto the transporter pad. “Thank you, ensign. I hope you have a great rest of your day…Energize.”

In an instant the shuttle dematerialized in front of him and was replaced by the transporter room of the USS Manhattan. He took a deep breath of the sterile ship air and readied himself for this new adventure.

Lieutenant Commander Noah Astor
Chief Medical Officer

Standing before him was an Orion woman in command red with the three solid pips on her collar. “Cmdr Astor, welcome aboard the Manhattan. I’m Cmdr Mal’athar. Chief Halcon can take your bag if you like.” She motioned to the chief petty officer behind the controls.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah stepped down from the transporter pad and shrugged off his bag, handing it off to the Chief Halcon with a nod of thanks.

“Thank you, Commander,” he said with a tired but polite smile, placing his hands behind his back. “I’m glad to have finally made it and I’m looking forward to being of service here.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

She motioned to the door and led him down a side corridor. “How as the trip out?” she asked as they walked. They stopped at a door labelled Officer’s mess. “I don’t know about you, but I could use some coffee. And Chef Harv always has real fresh coffee on hand.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah followed after her and pondered her invitation for a moment. While he very much could use some coffee as well, especially the promise of real coffee, the introvert inside him wanted nothing more than to run off to his new quarters and hide there for awhile to get his bearings. A nap would also be welcome. The other part of him realized that he was not the same junior officer who could hide away, he was in charge of a department and needed to be an example. He also was aware that the people on this ship were not going anywhere and he was going to have to spend a good amount of time with them. Even with the wormhole back to Federation space it would probably take weeks to get messages back and forth between his friends back home.

“A real cup of coffee sounds wonderful, ma’am,” he finally replied, relaxing a little bit. “As for the trip, I knew in my head how long the trip was going to be but actually living it was something else. I don’t sleep well on shuttles so I’m running on fumes at the moment.”

He allowed a little bit more of a smile as the doors to the mess opened and the smell of coffee hit his nose.

Doctor Astor - CMO

Not only was the smell of fresh coffee present, but fresh baked bread, and other delicious smells. The mess was fairly empty at this hour. “Now, the chef has a rule that first time in his mess you have to eat. So if you’d rather skip a meal, and you’re missing out on a lot, I’ll grab coffee for us both.” The Commander wasn’t joking. “Chef Harv takes feeding us very seriously.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

The smells wafting out were were very enticing and Noah couldn’t remember when he had last eaten a full meal, the trip beginning to blur in his memory somewhat.

“Honestly, Commander, if you have the time I wouldn’t mind getting acquainted with the chef. We could call it a working breakfast?” he cracked a hint of a smile.

Doctor Astor - CMO

“Of course. Let’s get something for breakfast.” Mal’athar led the way inside and to the counter, where empty mugs and carafes of coffee stood waiting. She poured some from the one marked ‘decaff’. She took her black. Beyond the counter was two swinging double doors. “Chef! I have new customer for you,” she called unnecessarily toward the back. She gathered her cup and headed toward one of the tables.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

“I know!” came a terse reply from somewhere behind the doors. “New doctor. Astor or something! Sit ‘em down and I’ll be out in a minute, dammit!”

Noah followed the commander’s lead and grabbed a mug of his own, filling with with the regular coffee. He added a small dollop of creamer and some sweetener to it and then headed over toward the table the XO had chosen. After taking a seat he took a sip of the coffee, sighing softly as he felt the caffeine and warmth flood through his body.

“I’m impressed,” he said with an approving nod, “Most people are coffee snobs back where I come from… I think they would be pleasantly surprised by this brew.”

He took another sip and then set his mug down, wrapping his hands around it to take in the warmth.

Dr. Astor - CMO

Shedda sipped her coffee with a grin hidden behind the rim, “When I first came on board, I made the mistake of ordering coffee from the replicator. I wasn’t aware that Chef Harv kept real fresh coffee on hand. I inadvertently highly insulted him. To make up for it I only drink his coffee.” She took another sip, “Which is really a benefit to me.”

The doors to the kitchen swung open - Yes, they actually swung, not slid- and a Bajoran male in a white chef’s smock came out carrying a tray. He made his way to the table and set the tray down on a nearby table. From the tray he took plates of pastries, breakfast meats, fresh baked bread, and homemade butter and preserves of varying flavors. He said the plates on the table between the two and looked at the doctor. “So you’re the new doc, huh? Welcome aboard.” He looked at the XO and said “Hey. Im making you some chili. Should be ready in time for dinner.”

Harv - Chef

Mal’athar immediately grabbed some of the fresh bread and fresh made peanut butter. The bread was still warm enough to melt the peanut butter. She looked up, “Thank you Chef. Your chili is always excellent. I’ll be here for dinner.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah looked at the spread before him, wondering if this was a special show on his behalf or if the crew went around eating gigantic meals all the time. He made a mental note to put an emphasis on nutrition during crew physicals. Then he smiled politely back at the Bajoran man.

“Well…um.. Chef, this looks like quite the breakfast. I’ll admit I am normally more of a piece of toast and an egg kind of guy. Fresh made coffee and all of this… you’re spoiling me!” he exclaimed as he picked up his plate and grabbed a few pieces of meat and some bread, preparing to make himself a breakfast sandwich. Turning back to Chef he added, “And yes, I am the new doctor. It’s good to see I won’t have to worry about malnourished crew members.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

Harv looked blankly at the new arrival and said “The only people that go hungry on this ship are the ones that want to. And I make sure that everyone gets at least two freshly prepared meals a week… whether they want them or not.” He looked at Mal’athar and gave her a slight smile before turning around and picking up the tray and heading back towards the kitchen.

Harv - Chef

Shedda smiled, “Thank you chef. It all smells delicious.”

Noah watched the chef walk away and then turned back to the XO. “I guess I can check off meeting the chef?”

Mal’athar chuckled. “Yes. I think Chef Harv takes his role more seriously than the captain takes his own.”

He bit into the breakfast sandwich he had made and savored all of the homemade flavors. It really was nice to have something fresh-made. Scientifically speaking, something from the replicator was the same down to the molecular level, but, emotionally the food was just not the same.

“So what is the general vibe of the crew on the ship? Anything I should know before I jump in?” he asked the Commander in between bites.

Dr. Astor - CMO

“We’re a family. It’s not just lip service. Out here we are all we have. We have to be close; we have to keep an eye on each other. We tend to know more about each other than typical crews, and when something is off with you, nearly all the crew will come ask you about it to make sure you are okay.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah nodded, taking all of that in. On his previous postings he had been able to blend in to a large crew and mostly keep to himself. The thought of a smaller, more tight knit group and people actually coming to check on him gave his inner introvert slight anxiety. It was going to take some adapting, though, he was now a department head and hiding in Sickbay or his quarters all day was likely not going to fly.

“Well Commander, that is good to hear. I imagine most people would appreciate that to stave off loneliness and isolation being so far away from everything they’ve known. The home cooked meals are actually a really good touch for that,” he said in between a few bites. “I will admit, I can be a bit of a loner sometimes so I will make it a personal goal to not do that here.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

Shedda paused in what she was about to say, looking past Astor’s shoulder.

“I sincerely doubt you would be able to even if you tried.” a voice said from behind him. A figure in the red uniform of Command was walking towards the table. A human male, he was striking and seemed to wear the uniform as comfortably as his own skin. Dark black hair, neatly kept, into sofoed the incredibly bright blue eyes that seemed to hold a hint of humor and a great deal of confidence behind them. His voice carried a slight accent reminiscent of the British accent of Earth, and a friendly smile conveyed a sense of genuine warmth. All of this sat above a collar heavy with gold emblems designating the man as a Fleet Captain in Star Fleet.

Captain Cochran approached the table and extended a hand towards Astor. “Doctor. It is truly a pleasure to meet you. I’m Fleet Captain Alexander Cochrane, the Commanding Officer. Welcome to the Manhattan.”

Cochrane, CO

“Captain,” Mal’athar smiled a welcome, “will you join us for breakfast? Chef has brought out more than we can eat ourselves, as usual. There is plenty.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

“Happy to, Commander.” the CO replied with a smile.

Noah could feel his face flush red, for some reason, and cursed his profoundly sun starved complexion which would make the reaction stand out worse. He stood awkwardly and shook the hand offered him.

“Hello, sir, it’s wonderful to meet you as well. I’m glad to be aboard,” he gave a weak smile as he recovered his typical pale coloring. “Good to have the expectations set right from the start, I suppose. I’ve learned about breakfast rules and where to get coffee so we are well underway there.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

Cochrane laughed as he took a seat. “I can say without any reservations that the Manhattan has the best coffee and food in the fleet. Hands down.” He settled back into the chair and said “I hope I’m not making you repeat yourself, Doctor, but tell me a bit about yourself. I’ve read your file, but that doesn’t really give me a sense of the person behind the position.”

Cochrane, CO

Shedda almost snorted and withheld the comment she was about to make. She passed an extra plate to the captain as he spoke with Astor.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah recovered his composure and shook his head at the CO, “No, sir, we’ve mostly been talking about the ship and breakfast so far. I don’t know that I’m all that interesting but I will give it a go.”

He took another sip of coffee and then folded his hands politely on the table, “Let’s see, I grew up on the west coast of the North American continent on Earth, the northern part where its cold and rugged, not the nice warm beaches of California. My whole family were fishermen and I cannot stress enough how much I hate fishing!” He chuckled a little bit at this before continuing on, “My older brothers were out on the fishing boats from about the time they could stand but when they tried the same with me I would pitch a fit and try to hide in one of the cabins. It took me forever to get my sea legs and honestly, the thought of being up to my waist in fish and crabs or whatever we happened to be going for was gross. I don’t know if you understand how long it takes to get those smells off of you. Eventually, they got the hint and started leaving me at home when the boats would go out.”

He smiled softly as he reminisced about those old memories, the exasperated looks on his dad’s face, the teasing from his brothers when he would fall down and go sliding across the deck of their boat, coughing up seawater. He really had been hopeless for the family business.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love the coast. The salty air, the sounds of sea birds… and there is nothing like the sound and the power of the Pacific Ocean waves crashing against those rocky cliffs. I just preferred to take all that in from the shore without the fish guts. I think my parents figured that one day I would come around but…” he gestured around to the ship around them, “Obviously, that was not the case.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

Shedda made a note to let the diplomatic officer know he would have a hard sell with Dr. Astor. The diplomatic officer certainly had a unique idea of recreation.

Cochrane smiled and chuckled softly. “Obviously.” he said. “So how did you decide on medicine? And why Star Fleet?”

Cochrane, CO

“Well, there was this old retired Starfleet doctor that lived in my town. At some point he found me wandering and struck up a conversation about what he used to do. He had all of these stories about finding cures to things and medical experiments, it all sounded a lot more exciting to me than hauling up fish out of the water. I guess he really like fishing though, which is why he had moved there. Anyway, he gave me a few of the papers he had written about his medical cases and I was pretty much hooked. He helped me get into the Academy and here I am, following in those footsteps.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

“Interesting.” Alex said. “And not an uncommon journey to this place. I think you will find you have some things in common with a lot of the individuals on this ship.” He took a sip of coffee and then said “What are you most trepidatious of coming here, Doctor? What makes you the most nervous?”

Cochrane, CO

“Well, I think the most obvious answer is being 70,000 lightyears away from everything that I’ve ever known,” he chuckled a little bit. “There’s a lot that can go wrong when you’re that far from ‘home’ I guess. But, apart from that, this is my first time leading a whole department. I think the fact that we are so remote puts a little more pressure on the position as well. Frontier medicine offers some excitement and challenge, on the other hand it offers risk.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

“It’s true. Despite that, you decided to come out here though. What made you take the position?” Mal’athar asked.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

“I think the biggest factor was timing. I was ready for a promotion and this position was available. If I was going to wait for something closer to home who knows how long that would take? And, if I were a person to say no when things felt a little uncomfortable maybe there wouldn’t be a next time. Ultimately, we are all in the business of exploration so what better place to come do it?

Dr. Astor - CMO

“Then you are in the right place. Being out here I can easily imagine what the first deep space explorers felt like as they left their home systems and began to find out that they were not the only species in the universe,” Mal’athar mused.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Noah nodded, “I think we might have a lot more of the creature comforts in our exploration efforts. Imagine being out here and not being able to pop back to your quarters for a nice sonic shower and a comfy bed. Or having to constantly worry about muscle atrophy after long bouts of zero G conditions. I think that would have made this a little harder to bear. But then again, I suppose there probably are some who would really be down for roughing it. Personally, I don’t think I would last long on dehydrated rations.”

Dr. Astor - CMO

Mal’athar laughed, “I don’t think many of us would, and luckily we do have Chef Harv to make sure we don’t have to suffer through that. But what I’m hearing is if we have a primitive culture to investigate, you’d prefer to send one of your junior officers?”

The XO grinned, “Which is totally fine by the way. Away missions and primitive conditions are not for everyone.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO