Posted by Lieutenant Mykl Najjar (Medical Officer) in Reporting In

Posted by Captain Kastarak (Commanding Officer) in Reporting In

Posted by Lieutenant Mykl Najjar (Medical Officer) in Reporting In
As soon as they left the shuttle bay, Mykl and Pic, her companion, found their way to the Quartermaster to get their assigned rooms. After that, Pic stayed in their quarters to begin unpacking while she attended to her boarding evaluations. Since the Chernov was replacing several of their command crew, she thought the Captain and new First Officer would need more than a few minutes to become aquainted, so she reported to Sickbay first. Surprisingly, the CMO wasn’t there and the other two medical officers on her shuttle wound up making the same decision she had. Taking initiative, Najjar checked them over, got herself signed off and then reported to the CO.

Standing outside the ready room, she palmed the chime and waited for an invitation to enter.

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Medical Officer USS Chernov

The doors parted and Kastarak rose from the desk positioned between himself and Mykl Najjar.

“Lieutenant Najjar,” he said. He had practised the pronunciation using the computer’s models of upper-class Egyptian accents. He had never visited that region of Earth, yet he was aware of Egypt’s deep influence on broader human culture. Even the letters stencilled on the hull, U.S.S. CHERNOV, could be traced back, in their distant ancestry, to Egyptian hieroglyphics. He hoped the coming weeks would give him reason to learn more about Egypt, and about Najjar’s own place within that cultural heritage, as they established a professional relationship.

Only hours earlier, he had understood that this relationship would become more consequential than he had expected. Lieutenant Symar – the Vulcan chief medical officer who had survived extensive Romulan psychological and physiological torture, his DNA altered until he was indistinguishable from a Romulan – had been recalled without notice. He was already en route to Federation Headquarters on the Runabout, along with Lt Dawson (who had been recalled too, the reasons of which Kastarak had a grand hypothesis on) and Captain Maddox. Kastarak had received no explanation to the recall of Symar. Perhaps Starfleet had discovered the extent of Symar’s genetic transformation. Perhaps Symar’s difficulty regulating his emotions, which had worsened over the past year, might have made continued service untenable. His work had suffered. Of that, Kastarak had become aware.

Now Najjar stood before him as the most senior remaining physician aboard. Granted, Kastarak and his first officer, T’Aria, were both trained physicians with extensive experience working in Sickbay, but at this point neither could assume responsibility for Sickbay. The Chernov required both a fully functioning medical department and a fully functional command, especially given the urgency of their mission.

The object of today’s meeting was whether Kastarak could promote Najjar to chief medical officer on her very first day.

From her file, he had noted several parallels between them. Both were drawn to the meeting point of medicine, physiology, and psychology. There were many possible points of connection and many openings for rapport.

“Please, take a seat,” he said. “It is agreeable to meet you. How has your first day been so far?”

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer

Entering the office, Najjar took a suble look around while walking to the chair that had been offered. Once seated, she crossed her legs and folded her hands in her lap. “Since boarding the Chernov not too long ago, I took myself to Sickbay for a boarding physical. I was going to head here once that was done, but the CMO wasn’t there. The others who arrived on the shuttle with me, also showed up for their examinations. I’m afraid only nurses were available so I took it upon myself to step in. Once I was through with their physicals, Sovan ran one on me.” Instead of telling him she thought he would want time with his new XO before checking in the lower ranks, Mykl chose another direction.

Lieutenant Mykl Najjar
Medical Officer USS Chernov

Kastarak hadn’t expected Najjar to be so direct, but her narrative was important. It underscored the necessity of direction in Sickbay.

“I appreciate that you undertook those responsibilities.” Kastarak said. He decided to be as direct as Najjar had been. “As you may have ascertained at this point, Dr Symar, the chief medical officer, has been recalled from his responsibilities aboard the Chernov. You are the most senior active physician aboard. Commander T’Aria and I are also trained physicians, but we are in command. As such, I must ask you whether you are able to take on the responsibilities and duties of chief medical officer.”

Kastarak, Cpt
Commanding Officer