Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Flashback- Earth, Starfleet Medical (2386)

Posted by Lieutenant Julien Smith (Doctor) in Flashback- Earth, Starfleet Medical (2386)

Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Flashback- Earth, Starfleet Medical (2386)

(snips)

There was a flash of pain that crossed through her features as she lifted the glass. It had been so easy to plaster a smile on her face for the benefit of Stuart and their captain, Terrence Barnes, and believe that she could just knock out the recovery steps in quick succession without much fuss. Even that first prosthetic Stuart had given her hadn’t been too bad. At least she could stand in it. But as her residual limb changed and began to reduce in swelling, everything shifted dramatically and the pain had set in. Unbearable and random pain that made even the most basic actions like sleeping very difficult.

Taking a good swig of the drink, Koraia nodded at the interesting concoction that was hitting exactly right. “I had just applied for and been given my first command,” she said quietly, gazing into the glass as if it might hold some much needed answers. “USS Nike. But… while they could wait months for their new commanding officer, I didn’t see it as a reasonable option. They needed a captain now, and it could no longer be me. I told Admiral Sanchez to give the ship to someone else.” It was simple logistics, but the bitterness in her voice was audible even to her. All those optimistic words in Sickbay spoke to Barnes and their CMO now seemed hollow and simplistic. It all made her feel a bit ill. Yes, another chance would come. Of course it would. But that didn’t make this easier. Nothing could. Not even a glass or two of a finely concocted drink made just for her. At best, it would temporarily dull the pain.

~Commander Koraia, XO on Medical Leave

Julien had taken a deep sip, watching her with his mismatched green eyes over the brim of his glass. He put it down with a thud. “That sucks, so close to the big chair. I want to get there too, but for now I’d already settle happily on returning to the Genesis to my XO position.” he cast his eyes down at his drink and a hard glint entered his left eye. “But that won’t happen, I have to tie up a few loose ends first.” he said darkly, thinking again of the many ways he would kill Balkan.

“I can’t go back to the Cheyenne. Ever. So for now I’m an officer with no assignment and no idea what or if there will be a next one. But one day at a time, isn’t that what they keep telling us?” she said sardonically. She could sense his dark mood and while it seemed contrary, so was glad for it a bit. What was the saying? Misery loves company? For the moment she was grateful she wasn’t the only one having as shitty a time.

He shook it off though, he didn’t want to pull Ghubari down, she was there already after all. He looked at her again, but didn’t want to force a smile. He had a feeling she’d see right through that.
“But first I have to heal up again. Even cybernetic legs don’t take lightly to being ripped away from tissue by a Batleth.” he said and chuckled deep in his throat. “We’re a sorry lot we two.” he added.

• Julien

She snorted. “That we are. And I have no intention of being cheered up either, so don’t even try.” Ghubari knew he wouldn’t. “How does the cybernetics fare? I had hoped for something more… progressive then what I got, but that’s a no go. So I’m curious how well it works for you. Or not, such as the case may be.”

~Commander Koraia, XO on Medical Leave

He raised both hands shortly at her first sentence with a short smile. Then he shrugged upon her question and looked at his right hand.

“They work well with me, but that’s because I have some genetic advantages and heal really fast, not my fault, but that’s why they decided for me 3 years ago that I would be the lucky recipient of their latest android tech. It took a long time to adjust to them and during my last mission I damaged them quite a bit, that’s why I’m here.” he flexed his fingers, then looked up at her again, his left eye had a sad, exhausted expression.

“I know from your angle it looks like I’m lucky, compared to you, but my repercussions are simply different to yours.” he said and took another deep sip. It was probably not hard for her at that point to feel the blast of misery paired with loneliness that wafted off him in that moment.

• Julien Smith