Posted by Ensign Cara Daniels (Doctor) in Cara Check in with C.O.

Posted by Fleet Captain Ghubari Koraia (Captain) in Cara Check in with C.O.

Posted by Ensign Cara Daniels (Doctor) in Cara Check in with C.O.
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

Stark never hesitated for a second in his answer, “Honesty Cara, she values it above all else and tends to get a little miffed when people aren’t forthcoming. I can tell you now that she’ll understand instinctively where you are coming from and more than that she’ll know exactly what in time you’ll be capable of as part of the team, plus she will be infinitely patient with you in the process. This I can attest to personally”. He gave a rueful smile at that pronouncement.

“Your fresh start begins today, we specialise in that here because we genuinely care. I walked alone for many years and it took me many years to be insinuated into the Athena family. I still have trust issues and I still have rough edges and I still have secrets” He paused reflecting on how the woman’s honesty had forced some of his own. “However for some bizarre reason members of this crew are hell bent on helping me with all of it. If you’re struggling with having faith that people here will care for you, borrow some of mine for a while. Speak to the Captain as you have to me, honestly, and your own faith will start to grow as you discover who she is as well”.

Stark Nightstalker CIO

Cara was a little surprised by Stark’s answer. Could it really be so easy? Cara had never been one to keep many secrets, even if she did tend to not trust that others would stick around and accept her for who she was. Listening to Stark describe how the crew stood by him was a bit comforting as well as a forign concept to Cara who’s own family always had their conditions for thier support.
‘I value honesty as well, and I give it to the best of my ability,” Cara replied, “and I’ll do my very best to be who the crew needs me to be,” Cara added as she twisted the end of her braid with her finger and as contemplated. She figured meeting expectations of the Captain and the crew was going to be a lot easier since the crew wouldn’t expect her to change her beliefs to suit them. At least so far no one in star-fleet had ever expected such a thing from her.
“It would be nice sir, to have a true family,” Cara admitted , and she thought about what stark said about borrowing is own faith in the crew. She wasn’t sure how to do that but she was willing to try. She looked at Stark and gave him a smile.
“I’m glad you stayed as part of the crew , it’s nice to have someone to talk to who understands,” Cara said and was pretty sure Stark knew what it was they understood about each other. They needed a place to belong and to be accepted.

Ensign Cara Daniels- Doctor

In her ready room, the inevitable chaos brought by returning to base had washed over the working space Ghubari preferred was kept as orderly as possible. But as often happened in her life, Fate laughed and tossed multiple bagfuls at her while laughing and saying, ‘Here, catch.” For this exact reason, her desk was covered in sets of reports and transfer files and requisitions, and she herself was over at the sitting area with the stack she had committed herself to working through today. The fallout over their mission to the Harkness-Reese nebula had brought many ups and downs and they still weighed on her mind, the heaviest of course being the loss of Kallen Reese and the infuriating escape by Commander Israel Price. Even thinking his name drew tension back into her body and she had to force her mind to push it back out.

Outside her door, an exchange was going on. It was not the first, nor would it be the last. And as Stark had so rightly conveyed, she was waiting. The empath could feel the shift in emotions as it progressed and all the while she was signing off on another request for supplies that the starbase Quartermaster would need to fill.

“Enter,” she said at last, her richly accented voice communicating an ease as well as focus.

Inside the ready room, Cara would find the captain deeply focused on the work sitting on the coffee table. Her space, despite the whirlwind of PADDs was otherwise tidy. A floating shelf on one wall held a carved mask, a statue, a deep purple African violet with ruffled petals and a photo of her and Konral at their surprise wedding on the ship. The only other objects of note were a couple potted leafy plants in corners.

Cara sucked in a breath as she heard the summons to enter. It was time to meet her Captain. She was both excited and nervous to meet the woman who had looked at her file and history and chose Cara for the Athena. She fidgeted with her hair and uniform a moment to make sure they were tidy and then with a nod to Stark she walked inside. As Cara approached she looked around her at the lovely plants and statues, and picture on the desk. She thought ready room looked amazing and wondered if the Athena would ever feel so warm and like home to her. The ready room felt a bit warmer and softer than she expected, but of course in her imagination it had been just a cold office not really occupied by a living, breathing and feeling Captain.

Glancing up, Ghubari’s pale amber eyes kept an appraising gaze as she too in the newcomer. “Jambo, what can I do for you?” she asked. Her tone was not curt, but it was, perhaps expectedly, clipped.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO
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Cara straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath, “Ensign Cara Daniels reporting for duty,” Cara said, shot and sweet and to the point, at least for now she had the feeling the Captain would prefer to efficient in their interactions.

Ensign Cara Daniels-Doctor

“Welcome aboard the Athena, Ensign,” Koraia replied with a light smile. “Forgive me, but with such a large crew and people coming and going all the time, I don’t know everybody by name.” She waved Cara over, inviting her to join her on the sofa. “Remind me which department you’re in?”

The one downside to the wonderfully large ship was that it was impossible to know everyone by face and name. She was lucky if she recognized more than a handful of crew outside of her senior staff and longer serving crew members. St first, it had been yet another difficult transition from their former ship, but now she just worked around it. And since it was rare for a junior officer to check in wit her at all anymore, she was pleasantly surprised by the interruption.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO

Cara relaxed and did as she was told and joined the Captain on the couch her hands in her lap trying not to fidget. The couch was comfortable she had the feeling the Captain did a lot of her thinking and planning right here that kept the ship going. There was a feeling of responsibility in the ready room, but not of brute power and that made Cara feel warm towards the Captain.
“I’m a new doctor. I’m overwhelmed with gratitude for my posting on the Athena. I want to do some good out there and in here on the ship. I want to learn all I can about Xenobiology and I think the Athena is the perfect place to do just that,” Cara said with a reflect smile on her lips and her deep green eyes hopeful. She knew she wouldn’t have long to get to know their Captain so she spoke as frankly as she could.

The half-Napean’s eyes conveyed the hint of a smirk as she listened to the doctor. “Indeed you will. I can guarantee it. The Athena is a diverse ship and there are a lot of people. While you are here, you will learn as much about them as you will anyone outside of the ship.”

Koraia reached forward and set the PADD she had been reading down on the coffee table with the others and focused her attention on Daniels. “Why medicine?” she asked simply.

Fl. Captain Koraia, CO