Making Friends Part 1

Posted on Saturday 6 July 2024 @ 13:23 by Commander Caroline Miller & Lieutenant Commander Theodore Walker Theo

Mission: The Search
Location: On route to sickbay
Timeline: After "Mission Briefing"
674 words - 1.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

"So how are you finding setting in?" The blond counselor asked the new CMO as they left the conference room.

"Fine counsellor, thank you for asking" she didn't slow his pace or even look at her. He just wanted away from the meeting. "Well it was lovely catching up with you" he strode into the turbolift praying he had been moving fast enough to out pace her and the turbolift doors would close before she could reach it.

Unfortunately his luck wasn't in and Caroline was determined he wasn't freezing her out of that turbo lift. She knew a man making a run for it when she saw one.

"Deck 8 I assume," she smiled broadly at him. "Hardly a catch up though more like you were trying to make a break for it. Does my company make you uncomfortable? cause we will have to work on that if its the case."

"Not at all. I just do not desire your company" he offered with a smile, only his lacked any of the warmth hers had. "In a nut shell, I made a mistake, I'm now being punished for it and instead of heading up medical research at Starfleet or going back to command my own Medical ship I'm here, reduced in rank two fold and I'm expected to become a veterinarian rather than a well respected surgeon and Doctor". The bitterness in his words was palpable but more a reflection of his own troubles than they were directed at her.

He dropped silent, his eyes pointed directly forward boring a hole through the bulkhead in front of him, how long did it take for a turbolift to deposit him on deck eight so he could once again attempt to shake her presence.

"Everyone makes mistakes Lieutenant. Instead of looking at it as you lost things, perhaps take it as a new opportunity to explore something new, carve out some new experiences," she smiled gently. "We are a nice crew and I can say with absolute fact, Life really doesn't always pan out the way you plan. If you let it this opportunity could be better than that future you had carved out in your head."

"Being here is nothing more than a reminder of my own short comings, my failings and a reflection of my life. You may all be nice enough but I do not want to play nice. I'm here because I have nowhere else to go!"

The turbolift doors slipped open and he was out the door quickly.

"Actually that's not true. You had a choice. You could have turned down the assignment. You could have quit. You could even have requested a hiatus if you were really that unhappy about things," the blond said catching up with him.

"When Admiral Crusher calls you to her office and tells you this is your only option and your last chance, one doesn't just turn it down Counsellor" he spat back with more venom than even he was prepared for. "Maybe you need to do your job and review my personnel file before you start making wild assumptions".

"No you had a choice. Admiral Crusher does not rule your life. You are responsible for your own life. And you have a choice now. You can continue to act like a gigantic ass like you are doing or you can stop lashing out at people for your own perceived shortcomings," Caroline turned and faced him and informed him very firmly. "All I have done is welcome you and try be supportive and positive. That was unwarranted. And unbecoming of someone who's a lower rank to me and on equal standing as a senior department chief. If you really feel that this is your last chance you might want to think twice about alienating your new colleagues."

He continued on his course, and as much as she had a point he had no intention of letting on that he knew that. Instead he darted into sickbay, hoping he could escape her...

TO BE CONTINUED.....