The Future Looks Bright, You've Got To Admit It
Posted on Sat Mar 25th, 2023 @ 6:44am by Lieutenant Commander Lahki Bakshi Dr & Lieutenant Akira Kogami
943 words; about a 5 minute read
Mission:
Auld Lang Syne
Location: Camp Khitomer
Timeline: December 31, 2399
Lahki wandered the base. Well, she supposed it was a CAMP, but whatever. The Betazoid was bored to tears, and this was her interim R&R before her next posting. The older woman sought to bury herself in her work; Betazoid women underwent the "change"-something akin to Terran's menopause-and it was driving her CRAZY not to be chained to her desk or have her head bent over a biobed or something.
She entered the cafeteria area. After she used the replicator to get herself a slice of cheese pizza and a Diet soda, she looked around for a place to sit. She settled in next to a strange (to her) woman.
"LCdr. Lahki Bakshi! Hello," she said, by way of introducing herself.
The strange-looking woman seemed a bit surprised at someone just having a seat at her table, but there was no harm in Lahki just wanting to socialize at a New Years' party.
"Lieutenant Akira Kogami; and, uh... a pleasure to meet you too, I guess," she nodded awkwardly. "What brings you around these parts, other than... well, the festivities?"
"Sorry, there's no other free chairs, they're all saved," she said, rolling her eyes upwards. "Anyway, thank you. I am here because I am joining a new ship, the Missouri. We leave..tomorrow, I think. I was on R&R this past week, though, so I thought I'd get a jump start on things." She was actually here to work, mostly, whenever no one could CATCH her-for the distractions.
Lieutenant Kogami grinned. "Well, you're hardly the first person I've bumped into tonight who's been assigned to the Missouri," she remarked. "Lemme guess- looking for a certain Patricia Cooke?"
Lahki smiled. "Technically, I met her last night at the conference, but yes." Lahki paused. "I was there introducing a new biobed that I helped to create. It can speed up skin grafting by up to 30%-that is, it'll provide enough grafts to cover an adult sized Terran in two days time, with no side effects." She was pretty proud of the contributions she had made-hers were mostly in the research part of it, but still! "It uses a plasma-collagen mix with the biobed technology. A friend of mine, another CMO, Vulcan-it was her idea." Lahki thought it was very important to prop up other women and their successes.
"Two days, you say?" Lieutenant Kogami remarked in evident disbelief. "Huh; and I still remember a decade ago, when a full-body skin graft could put you out of commission for a week; I mean, not that I've ever needed a full-body skin graft, but I knew this one guy who was roughed up pretty badly on an away assignment..."
Lahki laughed. "Yes, really, two days. The four of us are all medical officers and we all experienced at least one patient that was out of duty for a few weeks while undergoing skin graft treatment, and we identified a need. And, like my friend who originally had the idea and is Vulcan said-"Well, I needed to do something during my Pon Farr." She let out a laugh. "It's sadly still in prototyping but we hope to have it rolled it fleet wide in the next ten years!"
"Well, I gotta say, at this pace, the new century's already looking bright," Lieutenant Kogami smiled. "But did you say was the Vulcan or the Cardassian who had the idea...? I get things mixed up."
"I think I said Cardassian but she's Vulcan. My head is in the clouds; I had a synthale last night and it's affecting me. I used to be able to drink like a fish, but as I get older and older, that's not the case anymore." She started in on her meal-Oskoid salad and some Jestrel tea. "What do you do on the Missouri?" Lahki asked.
"You're looking at the Missouri's premier Chief of Security," Akira boasted with a swell of pride. "And not a moment too soon; ,six years to get a fricken' department head position..."
Lahki laughed. "I've been in the Fleet for thirty years; trust me when I say you're not missing much but boring meetings and more paperwork than you thought possible!" She was kidding. "Congrats! That's an amazing achievement." Lahki said. She did always believe in boosting other women's achievements!
"Tell me about it," Akira sighed. "These past few years, I've been working as nothing more than a glorified secretary; now, at least, I get my own office and control over my own destiny... Of course, having an old Academy buddy as your commanding officer certainly helps..."
Lahki laughed. "I bet it does!! You two went to the Academy together? That's so fun!! I went with the same woman who developed the new tech I mentioned; we served together for a bit on the USS Mercy hospital ship, but nothing before or since! Our kids are still quite close, though. And your own office is definitely a perk!! Sometimes I nap in there when I am off duty, but doing research! I hope the ones on the Misou are comfortable."
"Believe me, I'm looking forward to it," Akira smiled, standing up from her chair. "Welp, I just remembered there's somewhere I've gotta to be; I suppose I'll be seeing you around, Commander?"
She nodded as the other woman got up to leave. "Absolutely!! See you around."
Posting by (In Order Of Appearance):
Lieutenant Commander Lahki Bakshi
Chief Medical Officer, USS Missouri (NCC-78316)
Lieutenant Akira Kogami
Chief Security Officer, USS Missouri (NCC-78316)
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