Posted by Ensign Karina Niles (Doctor) in Meanwhile… on the Station (for those awaiting the ship)

Posted by Lieutenant Ky’Laria (Scientist) in Meanwhile… on the Station (for those awaiting the ship)

Posted by Ensign Karina Niles (Doctor) in Meanwhile… on the Station (for those awaiting the ship)
Posted by… suppressed (1) by the Post Ghost! 👻

“It is natural, to wish that one could do more to influence a situation,” Ky’Laria replied sagely over her shoulder. “And one who wishes to have power beyond their present limits, is most likely to find opportunity make it so.”

Karina gave a half laugh. “While I admire your beliefs, Ma’am… I doubt I can find a ship that isn’t there. No matter what my determination level.”

After issuing an ‘of course not’ chuckle, Ky’Laria quickly replied with a wave of her hand, “I’m not suggesting that you could… will a ship into existence. I mean only that… those who always seek to… master their surroundings, control their situation… those who retain that desire, and keep it deep within themselves, will find themselves achieving it in some small ways. I suppose it’s an attitude of constant self-improvement, through the lens of my people’s culture,” she explained.

Never one to shirk when her mind hit a moment of query, she spoke up as she moved in the direction the woman beckoned. She wasn’t sure why, but she wasn’t ready to merely give up and walk away. “You said our ship… I take it you will be joining the Athena when they get back? The punctuated word held a conviction of certainty any seer would have been proud of. “In what capacity?” She moved up in slightly exaggerated strides till she was beside the woman. She was suddenly thrilled beyond words that she would get to see the medical records of the woman. Before being equal in pace, Karina had taken another study of the woman. It had been a long time since something… or in this case, someone had taken her notice. And she wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

Karina
Doctor

Unseen, Ky’Laria spared a brief smile at the sound of the young Ensign’s purposeful footfalls in pursuit. “I will be joining the Athena when they get back,” she repeated as her smile slowly faded.

Pausing until the human had caught up, she looked over at her, and briefly again looked her over, before continuing, “I am a science officer… at least, in Starfleet.” Pausing to reflect on something which seemed to amuse her, she soon added, “I had the opportunity to study the Federation’s outlooks on astrophysics and biochemistry, at the Academy. I even obtained some of those quaint, four-year degrees!”

She held out her hand, gesturing at the terminal which Karina was holding. “On the subject of astrophysics, that is the foundation of my inquiry into Athena’s disappearance.”

They came upon an intersection, and Ky’Laria quickly rounded the corner to the right, stopping a few paces later at a turbolift. “Are you well versed in astrophysics, Ensign..?” she trailed off, making unspoken inquiry as to her unlikely research partner’s - intern’s? Draftee’s? - name.

Lt. Ky’Laria (Sci)

A science officer. That explained her sense of the ‘impossible’. It was an admirable quality that ocassionally the technical minded doctor wished she could share. “Quaint four year degrees?” She laughed at that. “You make it sound like it was a walk in the park. If it was, for you, then I applaud you. I know bodies, not stars. I fear I barely managed to pass my basic astro classes at the Academy. Probably would have failed if not for Ja.. just having a friend to help.” She bit back the momentary slip. He was someone she wanted to forget… not remember. And certainly not with fondness.

Ky’Laria observed the woman for a moment; unfortunately for the young doctor’s attempts at concealment, her body gave away still more. Subtle changes in skin temperature and capillary dilation, respiratory rhythm, even chemical signals betrayed, to the Kuras’ understanding of humans, a wound perhaps slightly re-opened.

She pressed the call button for the turbolift, resolving to regale the human with all the details of how easily she could read her. It would be worth trying to avoid the context, however. Perhaps focusing on the capabilities of her spots… “I wasn’t referring to the difficulty,” Ky’Laria stated, bringing her tone down a touch to better align with the changes in the Ensign’s body language. “But the longevity. My people seldom obtain any kind of… certification? Until at least… r-r-r-r…” The odd trilling noise which she issued seemed, by her expression, to be a simple filler sound - a Kuras ‘hmm.’ “Twenty-one years is the shortest degree-like… thing, that we have. Twenty-five Earth years, in fact.”

Karina nodded. “We have such lengthy studies in some fields. And even in medicine, knowing enough and never knowing it all is a constant reason for learning. So I guess I will be learning for another 25 yrs as well. Though, sadly, life and knowledge are the only things we get. Not additional educational accolades.”

At the hanging of her name, Karina chided herself mentally. “Niles… Ensign Karina Niles. Call me Karina. Seems silly to be worrying about rank and position right now with the ship’s fate still unknown.” She quickly realized this woman’s rank was no trifling thing and found herself nearly stammering to correct herself. “I mean, my rank, anyway, Ma’am. Just call me Karina, or Doctor if you wish. I’m not the Chief of the Athena medical, but Doctor will suffice anyway.” She hadn’t gotten a multitude of degrees, but she had studied her backside off to get where she was.

She just hoped she hadn’t just offended someone who could snip that short in a heartbeat.

Karina
Doctor

The lift doors hissed open; the car was empty. Ky’Laria, who had been watching Karina unravel a little before her, glanced to the waiting lift and silently gestured for the doctor to enter first.

With a stoic expression, Ky’Laria stepped with ever-graceful motion into the lift, and the door hissed shut behind her. “Is it Starfleet that would have me reprimand you now for… being too informal? Or is that a facet of human culture?” For all the imposing presence, her voice had a genuine air of curiosity about it. Surely, ‘at home,’ a subordinate would simply have been better trained than to disrespect the hierarchy of command so, but this was not her home fleets and certainly not the same culture. For Ky’Laria, it was a strangely refreshing opportunity to learn again - and why could one not learn from someone a hundredth one’s age?

-Lt. Ky’Laria (Sci)

The Doctor stepped in and off to the side. She was learning to handle another species and culture she was unfamiliar at the same time she was being studied. It was a bit of an ‘under the magnifying glass’ type of situation she had been used to under the Heads of every hospital and location she had been in. So when she thought of it that way, she managed to calm down a bit.

When Ky asked about Fleet punishing her for informality, she let loose a soft laugh that at least seemed genuine and natural, even if just for a second. “I suppose they would. But only because we don’t know one another well enough for me to make such a suggestion.” She made the admission like only a true goody goody would do. Most would say no and save their skin, but Karina was honest and apparently willing to accept whatever came from such an admission. “May I ask, Ma’am, what should I call you? Perhaps the best course of action. Then I will know your rank and name and no need to worry about missteps in professionalism.”

“Quite,” Ky’Laria replied quickly; she had actually not intended to withhold her own identity for so long. She turned to face Karina, and with her ever-confident air stated, “I am Ky’Laria.” It was spoken as a single word, lightly as though with a lilt, just touching at the hard consonants between the melodious vowel sounds. “A standard of professionalism is sensible, especially when it seems we have some unplanned work to do.” At that, she gave a curt, affirming nod before facing forward again in the lift. “I have not specified a destination,” she muttered and quickly declared, “Crew lounge. Nearest.”

Being this close to Ky, Karina had the sensation of being close to a power of more than just rank. There was an aire about the woman that spoke of strength, control and the ability to handle anything that came her way. She had sensed it, in at least some degree, around most Command positional folks of nearly any race. It came with practice at being lead, leading and also making choices that left marks of strength on the person doing the choosing.

This woman had the aire of Command, even if she wasn’t Karina’s Commanding Officer.

Karina
Doctor

“You are obviously not part of my chain of command, and I see no reason to report your informality to your own. It would accomplish nothing, especially in the context of whatever perils they are experiencing in this very moment,” she offered, a hint of authoritative staccato to her voice. “I… won’t tell your boss, if you don’t tell mine,” she added much more softly, clearly sounding as though she were trying out the turn of phrase for the first time.

“I believe it is custom to address medical doctors in Starfleet by the title of ‘Doctor,’ rather than rank. That will make it Doctor Niles, then, since at least one of us is in uniform…” As she trailed off, Ky’Laria wore the tiniest smirk.

-Lt. Ky’Laria (Sci)