Doctor On Deck

Posted on Tue Mar 21st, 2023 @ 3:13am by Commander Patricia Cooke & Lieutenant Commander Lahki Bakshi Dr
Edited on on Sun Oct 8th, 2023 @ 2:29am

1,464 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Auld Lang Syne
Location: Camp Khitomer

Patricia had been wandering around the event space at Camp Khitomer, casually chatting with various groups. She was hoping that more of her senior staff members would present themselves, like Lieutenant Yeager.

At the moment, Patricia was chatting with a couple of women from Starfleet Medical over a new kind of biobed.

"No way, a biobed that can graft skin faster than existing models?" Patricia gasped.

"The future is now, Commander. Of course, right now, the cradle is still in testing, but once we prove that it's safe for use, I imagine we'll be seeing it rolled out across the fleet. Who knows? Maybe that Missouri of yours might in a few years get retrofitted with these cradles."

"I don't know; the Missouri's sickbay is pretty advanced as it is." Patricia remarked. "Of course, I only met a few members of my senior staff so far, and none of them have been from Medical."

"Well, I'm sure you'll run into folks eventually. An occasion like this is always fun for Commanders to meet their senior staff."

The Betazoid woman reappeared from the ladies' room. She headed for the group of women-other doctors she knew from the Fleet, and another she didn't recognize had joined the the group. She took a spot at the stranger's right flank, and looked questioningly to her friend Vila, who is a Romulan doctor on the Mercy hospital ship. Vila stopped talking, and introduced her quickly to the stranger. "Commander Patricia Cooke, LCdr Lahki Bakshi." Lahki smiled, and extended her hand for a handshake. SO this was her new CO! Cool. "Yes, your new Chief medical officer."

"I see." Patricia said. "Well, I suppose all I've been left to say is that it seems like the MO's sickbay will be in good hands, if the word of your colleagues here is anything to go off."

Lahki smiled a little, and blushed lightly. "Thank you. I am looking forward to it. I promise to bring the best technology to the Missouri; I understand it's been retrofitted to be the best in the Fleet, but does it have a biobed with these capabilities?" For emphasis, she gestured wildly.

"Unfortunately not, Doctor." One of the women from Starfleet Medical spoke up. "The cradle is still in its early testing stages, but if it proves successful, we're hoping to have ships across the fleet retrofitted to accommodate biobeds like it."

"Yeah, and you could really only consider the Missouri a retrofit in the same sense that an Armitage is a retrofit of an Akira." Patricia pointed out. "Sure, they share the same basic profile, but that's where the similarities end. Same thing with the MO; she bears a striking resemblance to the class she was originally supposed to be, but other than that, she's a brand new ship underneath."

Lahki listened carefully to her friend's banter with the Captain. "Ladies, it's OK, I was kidding, anyway. It's still in prototypes; the Fleet is testing them on a couple of hospital ships out in the DQ. The Missouri didn't qualify, unfortunately." She turned then, and spoke to the others. "Excuse me, girls, I'll catch you later." She stepped forward. "Coffee, Captain Cooke? My treat. Or some Synthale? The best in the Universe at the Fleet Medical Conference." She said with a laugh. The Fleet didn't provide the BEST of anything if it was too costly.

"Coffee will be fine." Patricia replied. "I've not been a huge fan of alcohol and synthehol."

Lahki led the way. "I don't blame you; I am not a big drinker myself. I hope the ladies didn't give you too many problems; the female CMOs all tend to stick together and we can sometimes be a bit...much." She paused for a minute at the replimat, and then handed Patricia her coffee. "Last year, Vila's husband nearly forbade her from attending our annual get together because the PREVIOUS year, she got a bit spicy with Kanar and a male Orion."

"That sounds like quite the story, probably not one to have at a public gathering like this one." Patricia responded. "So, Dr. Bakshi; what brings you to the Missouri? Was this a voluntary assignment or orders from Starfleet?"

Lahki sighed. "Voluntary. I needed to get away from the Starbase. It's too big. And my passion is in research; I can't do that with hundreds of people to see daily, you know? Plus, I needed the change. I've been in the Fleet since I was 21 years old, and I am in my fifties now. There's only so much more I can do before retirement, but I haven't seen enough of the Universe yet!!" She was always hungry to learn more about the races she served and what made them tick. "Plus, now that my ex-husband is gone, and the kids are grown, there's no need for stability anymore. I can drift around if I like." She had done as a lot of mothers had-dedicated her life to it, and somehow, she'd lost parts of herself and wanted to find them again.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find the Missouri to be the step down you're looking for." Patricia said. "Though I've never served on a starbase myself, so I wouldn't be able to tell you for sure. I've been on starships my whole Starfleet career. Granted, my career's not been nearly as long as yours; I've only been at this since I was about 18, thereabouts, and I'll be turning 30 this upcoming April."

Lahki laughed. "Very few people have been around as long as me!! I am one of those personalities that goes "all-in" when I decide something. This is my career and also my other great love. The things I've seen, I would never have had the opportunity to see if I stayed on Betazed." She smiled. "And you're lucky; I definitely prefer ship duty; it's FAR less busy. Starbases and substations serve a necessary function, but it's not for me." She finished her coffee.

"Sounds to me like I've been living the good life, then." Patricia chuckled. "But yeah, a life in Starfleet has been more fruitful to me in my opinion than it would have been if I'd stayed in Chicagoland and gotten an education. My family weren't too thrilled when I dropped out and ran off to join Starfleet, but they've come around to respect my decision, and they're especially proud of me now, knowing that I'll be in command of the ship bearing the name of those that my grandmother and ancestor served aboard."

Lahki smiled. "I was supposed to stay on Betazed and be a wife. I understand. My heart took me to different places. I wasn't happy just doing one thing. I wanted to see as much of the Universe as possible, as I said...and I met so many new people and views. It's really been a good thing. I am glad your family came around. And a storied history, even!! What did your grandmother do in the Fleet?"

"She was a Major in the Starfleet Marine Corps." Patricia responded. "She saw some pretty intense fighting during the war. My only regret is that she's not here to celebrate with me..." Patricia's mood noticeably darkened. "It's been over 7 years since she passed away."

Lahki smiled again, sadly. "I am sorry to hear that. It never gets easier, that's for sure." Even though she and her exhusband had been divorced for a few years before he passed, she had been upset at that-mostly for her children's sake, though. "I am not fully aware of Human/Earth customs but I have heard that some of you believe that your dead watch over you. I hope she is, and blessing us all."

"Oh, I know she is." Patricia said. "If you ever find yourself at the Jonathan Archer Federation Cemetery in New York on Earth, she's buried there along with her first husband. Beautiful place, and honestly, I couldn't think of a more fitting final resting place for someone who sacrificed so much for our Federation."

"Anywho," Patricia said, smiling to erase her previous grim expression. "It's been a pleasure meeting you, Commander, however, I must be getting back to mingling. There's a lot of people here, and there's probably more folks from the Missouri here too."
Patricia offered Lahki her hand for the other woman to shake.

Lahki nodded. "I may head up to the medical center and see if they need a hand. Good luck out there. It was nice to meet you." She shook the other woman's hand, and stood up. The medical officer stretched her already long, lanky body and then smiled. "See you tomorrow!"

"Same to you, Commander." Patricia nodded.

Posting by

Commander Patricia Cooke
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Commander Lahki Bakshi
Chief Medical Officer

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