Reporting In

Posted on Tue May 24th, 2022 @ 6:56am by Lieutenant Anna S. Thesia M.D. & Captain Rhenora Kaylen

Mission: *CD*

Anna was happy as she walked onto the Sunfire. She'd been hoping to be reunited with at least a few of the crew from her Starfleet uniform again for the first time since her departure, last assignment. The moment she came aboard, wearing the she tapped her combadge. "Hey Skipper, I'm back." Of course the captain would be expecting her, there was no way she could possibly spring a surprise on her.

"Doctor Thesia, it's good to hear your voice, your papers came through a short time ago, meet me in my ready room?" The last sentence was punctuated by an eruption of sneezes and a not so muffled curse.

Anna laughed at Rhenora's use of colourful language. "I'm on my way up", she replied, taking the quick lift ride up to the bridge. She'd yet to familiarise herself with the ship's layout, but the lifts knew the way. Since she was expected, Anna pushed the button and walked in, rather than bothering with the doorbell. Weird invention anyway. "Feels good not to be working in an environment that is primarily dust any more", she said, smiling.

"I never did get time to read what you'd gotten up to" Rhenora looked up from the report she was finishing as Ronson appeared with a fresh brewed coffee. "Why don't you have a seat and fill me in on it?" They'd slipped back into the same easy conversation style they'd shared previously almost instantly.

Anna sat down and stretched her legs. "They drafted me to serve in a hospital on Cardassia Prime", she started. "Important work, no doubt. But not my idea of a pleasant posting. There is so much dirt in the air and in the water, it took tree days on my way back here before I felt clean again." Decades of military-industrial exploitation and a devastating war would do that to a planet, Anna should not even have been surprised.

"Very important work. As much as the Cardassians have done wrong in the past they most certainly bore the wrath of the Dominion this round" Rhenora replied sagely as another round of sneezes erupted. "Damnit, when do the sneezes stop?" The question was purely rhetorical but verbalised just the same. "At least they would appreciated the additional aid" she continued turning the conversation back what Anna had been up to.

"Yes, especially the children", Anna said. "Still a horrible place. But I hear it's much worse in the areas under Klingon occupation. We might end up with two separate Cardassian entities at this point." She smirked. "But, long story short, I'm glad to be back. Though, before we get underway, I would like to go to Bajor for a few days, if that's okay?"

Rhenora checked the repair schedule, it would still be a few days until the replacement nacelle was tested and cleared for use now that it had been installed. "Sure, you've probably got 3-4 days before we're needed to ship out" she agreed, adding Thesia's name to the leave roster.

"Wonderful, thank you", Anna smiled. "While I'm on Bajor, would you like me to pick anything up for you? Or deliver something?"

"If you ask Dr Wilson or Remal, some fresh Makara herbs, if you ask me, no thanks" she screwed up her face at the foul tasting herbs. Remal had tried everything from teas to tinctures to improve the taste but there were some things even he could couldn't fix with his culinary genius.

"Where abouts are you heading?" She asked as she sipped the brewed coffee, sneezed, swore and took another sip.

"Jessica is picking out a spot somewhere warm, with lots of wilderness to enjoy", Anna said. "But I also want to stop by Jinkari, in Ruketha province, and say hello to the people I used to work with before being drafted into the wartime service." She smirked. "And no makara herbs, I fully understand your disgust."

"I'm glad we're in agreeance in regard to the herbs" Rhenora chuckled as she regarded Anna across the table. "Take care my friend and enjoy your free days away."

"I'll look into a means of administering it without you having to taste it", Anna said. "Could always make pills with the proper ingredients." She stood. "No use torturing my patients, I want them to come back after all."

"Pills, like the old fashioned highly refined capsule type thing? Sure if you can do it without losing the good bits. If there are such things as good bits in that horrid plant." She snorted as she drained the rest of her coffee and idly wondered if she wanted another.

"You might want to cut back on your caffeine intake a little, though", Anna cautioned. "Your body's natural rhythms are best suited to help your unborn child grow, and stimulants, unless used to correct for a conditions, can be counterproductive." She smiled at Rhenora. "You won't have to go without entirely, though."

"You and Commander Savar have been conspiring" Rhenora joked half heartedly, knowing she should cut back but still loving the delicious brew all the same. Perhaps Ronson could find a good decaf. "I shall have Dr Wilson give you a brief when you return from Bajor, I'm sure she's happy to mind the fort for a few days."

Anna smiled. "That's great, thank you." She headed for the door. "I'll quickly make sure everything's in order down in sickbay, before leaving."

"That would be great, Dr Wilson will be glad to see you I can assure you" There was a lighthearted laugh. The poor ACMO had had more bosses than cups of coffee over the last few years.

Anna wondered how bad things must have got under the other doctor, who had now left again and who she had never met. "I'll try to go easy on her."

"She's tough, but she's tired. Now go enjoy your leave" Rhenora pointed to the door in front of Anna "Before anything goes wrong and you're needed back here."

Anna nodded. "Yes, good idea", she agreed, waved and headed out.