Maeve meets Syvar

Posted on 25 Nov 2019 @ 12:28am by Lieutenant Syvar MD

Mission: Mission 2 - The Agora crossroads
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD4 PM
2037 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Maeve practically run out of the Captain's ready room and into the nearest lift. "Sickbay" she told the computer then walked out of the lift doors and into the nearest lab where she completely failed to see the other person in the room and proceeded to lean and bang her head against the wall.

"Why" *thump* "Oh why" *thump* "Did I have to act like a first year cadet?" *thump thump thump*

Syvar reeled as he was almost bowled over by the bundle of energy that had come crashing in, just as he was on his way out. He crouched beside the other person, eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright?" He asked, offering a hand up as he moved a little closer.

Maeve looked up at the stranger first in shock then growing embarrassment. The green tone of her cheeks grew decidedly darker as she accepted the hand up. "Umm... Yes... I must have tripped coming through the door" she said, winning this weeks award for the lamest excuse ever. She stared at him a moment longer, biting her lower lip, then decided to try to regain some of her dignity. Finally she straightened her uniform and then extended her hand. "I'm Doctor Maeve, your new CMO."

Decidedly ignoring her clumsiness, the young Vulcan smiled as he accepted the offered hand in greeting, touching hers with his own gloved hand. "Syvar," he replied, relief touching his eyes. "And I'm glad you're here ma'am... I was acting CMO for now.". He beckoned her towards the office. "I assume you've just arrived?"

Maeve brightened when she realized this was one of her fellow doctors, her somewhat constipated expression melting into her more usual broad, infectious smile. "Yes," she replied and continued "Yes, I just transferred from the hospital ship Yatomi."

Maeve looked around the bare but beautiful office and realized that Syvar and brought her to the CMO's office - her office. She took a moment to examine the room, burning it into her memory. "Her" office. She had never expected it to come so soon. Finally she turned back to Syvar. "If you have time, Dr Syvar, maybe you could show me around and introduce me to the rest of our staff?"

"Sure," Syvar smiled, "though there isn't much staff here. I'm the one other doctor aside from the EMH. A handful of nurses. I'm glad you're here to take over though. I don't have enough experience to be the boss." He watched her smile and relax. "I'll have time to show you around later, I was just going for a quick lunch. Have you met anyone else.yet?"

"Just the Captain" Maeve answered. "Just two doctors seems understaffed for such a big ship. Or are we operating on a reduced crew?"

"Not that I'm aware of ma'am," the Vulcan replied, "but I haven't seen any other doctors here even before your predecessor fell ill." He arched an eyebrow at her. "You don't have any plans on falling ill soon, have you?"

Maeve raised an eyebrow at Syvar and replied with mock coolness "I heal illness, doctor, not fall prey to it." Then she paused and, with a grin, added "except for love sickness - I tend to be the cause of that."

"You are huh? I'm afraid I've fallen to several illnesses in my life and I've recently discovered I'm severely allergic to cats." He grinned back. "Must be a good feeling then to never get sick?"

Maeve struck a pose called "Lascivious Dominion" in her eighth grade seduction textbook (a pose known to cause some men, and some women to fall to their knees and pledge their undying love) and replied "physical perfection is such a burden but we carry on."

"Physical perfection..." Syvar didn't seem convinced. "So... do you need your boarding physical? We might as well while we're here right?"

Maeve had to restrain herself from slapping her own forehead. What was she thinking trying to make a joke in a conversation with a Vulcan, let alone using sexual innuendo. Suppressing a groan she said "No, no, we can take care of that later. I wouldn't want to keep you from your lunch. Besides, I should take some time to acquaint myself with my new office and look over the staff personnel files."

"Well you're welcome to join me for lunch. I reckon the mess is probably one of the most important places on the ship?" He arched a single eyebrow at her, smiling somewhat mischievously. "And you do need food, don't you?"

Maeve chewed her lower lip for a minute before answering "I really should get to grips with my job but the food on the runabout was pretty sparse." Straightening herself, Maeve made her decisions. "Alright, but just a short lunch."

"I can probably get you up to speed while we eat," the Vulcan suggested. "So... have you always wanted to be a doctor?"

As she followed her Vulcan colleague, Maeve replied "Oh no. When I was younger I trained in business, espionage, assassination and seduction but before I could join the family business our old tahedri sold me into slavery. After a Starfleet crew helped me escape I decided I wanted to do something to help other people and my aunt Ember suggested I join Starfleet." Maeve paused to give Syvar one of her bright smiles and then finished "Mother approved and so here I am."

Not at all very familiar with Orions, Syvar frowned. "That must've been awful, being sold as a slave," he offered, "what is a tahedri?" He was very curious, obviously.

Maeve's expression become more sombre as she contemplated her reply. She was still contemplating when they arrived at the officer's mess and got their food. She waited until they'd sat down before answering him. "I think the best human word for tahedri would be patriarch. An Orion family has two leaders, the patriarch and the matriarch. My mother is our family matriarch and there was a rift between my mother and the old tahedri. It's not unusual to be sold as a pleasure slave but usually the sale is for the good of the family and the girl volunteers. In this case, though, the old tahedri had me kidnapped and sold to a scientist who wanted one of our species for... experimentation."

Syvar reached out, a gloved hand touching her hand. "I'm sorry Maeve, I truly am. I can't possibly understand how this feels, but I do know how it feels to be alone and not understood. But you're here now, and you're free and that's all that matters, right?"

Maeve's smile was a little weaker this time, but just as sincere. "It's alright, he didn't have time to do too much to me before I was rescued and the George had a very good counselor." She didn't feel it necessary to add that she still had nightmares about it sometimes and the details about what he did manage to do weren't something she was going to discuss, particularly not at the table.

"So, what about you? How long have you been in Starfleet?" She asked, with a nearly convincing brightness.

"I graduated Starfleet medical about a year ago," Syvar answered, "Wandered a little as an intern first before coming here. I still have a lot to learn and I definitely wasn't ready to be acting chief before your arrival, but I had little choice." He could tell her brightness was a farçe, but he let it go. He figured if she wanted to talk, she'd do it on her own terms. "I wanted to be a doctor since I was very young. I lost both my parents to illness and it nearly took me too when was a child. After doctors saved me, and I was adopted by a lovely Human couple, I knew I wanted to help people."

With a softer but more genuine smile Maeve replied "I'm sure you did an excellent job. It sounds like we both have good reasons to be devoted to our careers." Maeve looked down and realized she was forgetting about her lunch. After a few bites and a sip of her tea she asked "what is your specialty, Doctor Syvar?"

"Ah, I don't have one yet," Syvar smiled, "what about you? And please, just Syvar when we're not in sickbay."

Maeve smiled again and replied "Well, officially, I'm a GP, but I've spent quite a bit of time studying alternative medicines and advanced medical technologies. In fact, the Captain has authorized me to setup a special botanical lab just for medicinal plants. I'm really looking forward to that. I have quite a few samples of different unusual but very effective medicines in my personal effects. I'd be delighted to show you once I've unpacked."

The Vulcan's green eyes lit up. "Medicinal plants?" He queried, "you have medicinal plants? I love to go scavenge for them whenever we visit a planet. That's how I got lost into a Romulan camp once...the weather was bad and somehow I got lost while looking for plants."

Maeve's lips quivered as she tried not to laugh. "You got lost into a Romulan camp?"

"Walked right into their territory." Syvar grinned at her. "Imagine a very muddy and wet and miserable Vulcan encountering two Romulan guards. It was a joined planet...Starfleet had an Outpost there, as did the Romulans. Their Commander was very friendly though and after a brief interrogation had me returned to my home base. I just got lost, I didn't take any equipment."

Shaking her head Maeve replied "It sounds to me like you got very lucky. The Romulans I've encountered haven't been nearly so understanding." Maeve took another bite and chewed thoughtfully for a moment before continuing "maybe once I get settled in you could introduce me to the chief engineer and pick a good spot for the botanical lab?"

"Probably helped that I'm Vulcan," Syvar mused. "I can't remember having met the chief engineer, I might've but I've been so busy...but sure we can do that."

Maeve put her fork down and finished her tea. "Well, I supposed I had better find my quarters and get unpacked. I'll look at the duty roster tonight and tomorrow we can sit down and plan how best to arrange out schedules. What time do you start duty tomorrow?"

"Whenever you need me to. You're the boss lady, whenever you need me most, I'm flexible ma'am, I don't have a family to keep in mind with me." He finished his own meal and stacked up his plate and cup. "But I've been starting at 0800 the past few days."

Maeve was picking up her own plate and cup and standing to take them to the recycler when Syvar mentioned her family which caused her to pause in surprise. "You have family aboard?"

"No, I don't," Syvar said, surprise d as well. Hadn't he just said he didn't? "The only family I have are my parents. I don't have a mate or children. Do you?"

Maeve stood and looked blankly at Syvar for a moment. "Huh?" was the best response she could manage.

"You asked me if I have a family with me," the young man explained patiently, "I don't. I don't even have a mate or children just yet. Do you have a family with you?" She struck him as young too, but that certainly didn't mean anything. In some cultures they had families at a young age, right?

Putting her hands over her face, Maeve started to giggle. "I'm sorry, I totally misheard you the first time," she said and then paused to stifle another giggle. "And, no, I don't have any family aboard either, but I do have lots back home plus one in Starfleet." Smiling brightly again she said "thank you so much, Syvar. I feel like I've already made a friend here."

"Happy to help ma'am," Syvar smiled in return, "shall we return to sickbay?"

"Sounds like a good plan," Maeve replied, nodding to him as they headed for the door.

OFF:

● Doctor Maeve
Chief Medical Officer
USS Andromeda


Ensign Syvar
Medical Officer
pnpc Aidan