Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Kastarak (Doctor / Counsellor) in Meeting the captain (Taggart/Kastarak)

Posted by Captain Chris Taggart (Captain) in Meeting the captain (Taggart/Kastarak)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Kastarak (Doctor / Counsellor) in Meeting the captain (Taggart/Kastarak)
Posted by… suppressed (12) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Hoping that the captain could spare a few minutes for Kastarak, he ventured to the captain’s office, ready and well prepared…

The doors chimed, and Kastarak waited…

– Lt jg Kastarak (physician / counsellor)

CHris looked up from his desk monitor when he heard the chime and yawned while he stretched. Looking at his wrist cron he noted it was past his time to leave the office and go to his quarters, so this was a welcomed reprieve. “Come in.” Chris said as he poured himself a cup of now cold coffee from the pitcher.

Captain Chris Taggart, CO

Kastarak entered the office, “Good evening, captain. May I have five minutes of your time? If not, perhaps we could schedule it for another time.”

– Lt jg Kastarak (physician / counsellor)

Chris smiled. “Kastarak my friend, you always have my ear. Not only because I consider you a great friend and colleague, but because you also saved my life. I will stay here for as long as you need me to good sir. Now. How can I help you? You want some tea or something? It is cold I think…Like my coffee.”

Captain Chris Taggart, CO

“Thank you,” he said, as he moved towards the empty chair in front of Taggart. “Yes, I should like some tea, thank you.” He agreed, it was cold in this room. Heat was common for Vulcan, but he had almost forgotten the normality of heat. He had become accustomed to the 20 degree Celsius temperature on board the ship. Now it must be lower, maybe 18? He would normally wear an extra undershirt to keep warm, and sometimes longjohns under his trousers. He regretted not wearing them tonight. As such, the captain’s offer of tea was warmly welcome.

– Lt jg Dr Kastarak

“Sure thing.” Chris grabbed another cup off the tray and poured him some warm tea and placed it on a saucer and then slid it over to Kasterak. “There you are my friend. So what do you want to talk about?”

Captain Chris Taggart, CO

The cup clinked as it hit the saucer.

“Thank you, captain”, Kastarak said before taking a sip. “I’d like to request some time off from [date] to [date]. It is for personal reasons, I would like to accompany T’Aria on her visit to her family on New Vulcan. She has requested that I join her. Since coming onboard more than two years ago, I have not taken any time off except for those few days on Risa. I believe I am in the right to request time, as I have days accrued in my time bank.”

He took another sip, while waiting for the captain’s reply.

– Lt jg Dr Kastarak

“I agree. And my dear friend, you never have to justify your action to me let alone to take some time off. I would be more than happy to approve your and Commander T’Aria’s leave requests right now. Just give me a minute please while I do that.” Opening up the computer on his desk again and then going through a bunch of emails and then finding the site he needed, he clicked it and it brought up the LeavePage for Starfleet. Finding both their names he clicked approve and then then went to another site to send out another request then closed everything out.

It surprised Kastarak that he was surprised by how easy this had gone. Why had he doubted the captain? He had never given Kastarak any reason to doubt him before. This reflected badly on Kastarak.

“Thank you, captain,” Kastarak simply said.

“There you go. All done. And I even approved to let you all use one of our shuttles to go in. Anything else my good fellow?”

Captain Chris Taggart, CO

Was the captain joking? Kastarak was confused. While the captain had a habit of joking, he also had a habit of creating surprises. But this would give T’Aria and Kastarak the best way of getting to New Vulcan and back, and they would most likely save time in so doing.

“That is quite the surprise, but an agreeable one. Thank you, again, sir.”

“No problem! My job is to see to it that the Crew of the Chernov is taken care of. It is also my pleasure to see that my friends are taken care of as well. Besides, this will be a great opportunity for you to learn about New Vulcan and the history or story of how they came to be there… minus the planet being destroyed. I meant that why they chose that particular planet.”

As the captain spoke of the destruction of Kastarak’s home planet, Kastarak relived it in his mind. The rush of adrenaline, the intense grief, the anguish, the terror… He looked out of the shuttle’s window, barely escaping the implosion of Vulcan, seeing the planet succumbing to the red matter’s destruction, remembering how he saw the surprise in his family’s faces as the ground below them gave way. So many katras lost, so much pain. Kastarak’s heartbeat rose, his breathing became more shallow, and his face got a greener hue.

Just as Kastarak was about to rise, he noted that his tea was hardly touched. It was a nice tea, and perhaps if he prolonged the conversation, he might enjoy his tea some more – as well as getting to know the captain deeper.

“If you have a few more minutes to spare, captain…?”

— Lt jg Kastarak

“Of course! I enjoy these times. You never know when it will be the last.”

Chris

“Everything that we have in life,” Kastarak said, having brought his heartbeat, breathing and body temperature down, “is fleeting, is borrowed, is a loan to speak. All relationships, all moments, everything can be gone at an instant, without meaning, without…”

Kastarak stopped himself. It was the grief and anguish that the destruction of Vulcan brought in him that spoke.

“That said, I am grateful for the moments that we share in private, sir, as I regard you as a role-model in leadership and morality. Logic and morals do not always go hand in hand, and I have learnt much from you. I should like to learn more about leadership, and in so doing, take on more duties thereto connected on board this ship.”

– Lt jg Kastarak

Seeing that Kastarakdidn’t like talking about the destructionof his homeworld or being reminded of it. “I’m sorry I mentioned a touchy subject my friend. And I am truly grateful for the time we share as well. Thank you again for those kind words. As far as you wanting to learn more about leadership and possibly taking over as a Department Head and maybe getting a command position one day. I will say that I will put you in for command school. I will supplement your studies with real world practices and exercises on the bridge. Is that what you would like?”

Captain Chris Taggart CO

Taggart was the kind of leader who would cut to the chase. He would, in Kastarak’s experience, always get to the point as fast as possible. With one exception: when making an elaborate joke. When Taggart was feeling jocular or jovial, only then would he give a grand preamble to the point. Him coming to the point as quickly and succintly as now was indicative of Taggart’s non-joking nature here. It comforted Kastarak – Taggart’s honesty and validation of Kastarak’s experiences and goals.

OOC: This makes me so happy that you all have learned my quirks and nuances. It really does feel like being with great friends and family on this ship.

OOC: of course <3

“That would indeed be it, sir, thank you,” he replied. “I am ready to start whenever.”

“We will start after I talk with the XO. Most likely within a few days or a week at the most. She will be helping you as well. Maybe even more so as she can provide the Vulcan logic and or reasoning to why some things are done a certain way and why doing things the Vulcan way is not always right. Vice versa, I can show you why doing things the human way is not always right. At the end of the day make the choice that gets everyone home.”

“And perhaps, I could learn to take on a human perspective, too… Most of our crew are human, after all.”

“I would hope that you would or at least know about one and feel it in your own way. The crew on this ship is kind of split in half with humans and Vulcans. But that won’t always be the case. You’ll find yourself on a mostly Vulcan ship later or mostly human or mostly other beings or all three mixed up and you have to be able to balance that and take it all into account, whether it be a first contact meeting, in the heart and heat of battle or just trying to pick food on the menu for your crew. All of it has to be factored in. With your longevity and the fact that you learn really well. I know Starfleet will be in great hands long after I die.”

His thoughts returned to the triggers and Taggart’s apology, which Kastarak had not acknowledged.

“Your apology is accepted but not necessary. We do not need to beat around the bush about such a fact which had repercussions for everyone in the Federation, one way or another. It did happen, and nothing can unchange it. May I ask, sir, where were you on that day? How did you learn of it?”

– Kastarak

“Thank you and that may be true but there is still no need to rip the band-aid off again. Again, I apologize. Now for your last question. I was here Kastarak. On the Chernov. Not here as the Captain, but I was the Acting Chief Medical Officer at the time and we were sent to the Romulan boarder to stop any other Romulan vessels from entering. We had no idea that it was a lone terrorist act. This is the second ship I have ever been on. From CMO all the way to Captain. That is why I love this ship and treat her special just like a member of this beloved crew. Anything else?”

Captain Chris Taggart, CO

“Thank you for sharing that,” said Kastarak. It was the only reparation he needed. Taggart had been on the ship ever since, hardly ever leaving it. Taggart had taken on so many Vulcans on this ship, so that there were far more Vulcans, at every given time on this ship, than most other ships ever had even before the destruction of the planet. Taggart had allowed for a Vulcan safe haven on this ship, his ship, as they ventured through the stars. Kastarak understood much more now, the intense loyalty Taggart had towards his crew. There was something paternal about Taggart that spoke to Kastarak’s heart, that gave Kastarak a sense of warmth and security. There would be no way he could express these experiences to Taggart. He hoped Taggart would know the respect and appreciation deep in Kastarak’s heart for everything Taggart had done – for him and for his people. It pained him – if he allowed an emotion to communicate a direction – that he could not find the words to say so.

“You’re very welcomed Kastarak…” He was about to continue when he spoke again.

“May I shake your hand, sir?” he asked, as he rose from his chair. He would normally refrain from body contact, as was the custom of his people, but now he needed to show his affection and respect to the Chernov’s pater familias, and what better way would there be but not in the classic human way? It was, after all, professionally respectable and dignified too.

– Lt jg Kastarak

Taggart’s smile dropped in amazement and he opened his mouth up to speak but nothing came out for awhile. He rose and took Kastarak’s hand in his and gave him a firm handshake and smiled. Finally he was able to speak. “This. This is a great honor Kastarak. One I will never forget for as long as I live. I know how important and significant this is for myself and you as well. Du ma pudor-tor me greatly kastarak k’ nash gesture. Lau du ma wuh wu heh fulfilling ha’kiv. Du nam-tor wuh shining li-fal heh testament t’ ish-veh sutra.” 

Translated: You have honored me greatly Kastarak with this gesture. May you have a long and fulfilling life. You are a shining example and testament of your people.

He let go of the handshake and rested the urge to hug him but he could not keep from allowing a few years to roll out of his good eye.

Captain Chris Taggart CO