LtCmdr Salkath - Same Same. Different, But Same

[Salkath]

((Main Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Artemis-A))

Lieutenant Commander Salkath had what could be construed as a lengthy service record, especially if one considered his Vulcan service prior to joining Starfleet. As an engineer with his experience, he could pursue a more theoretical study or teaching post, but there was something about serving in the stars, irrational as it may be.

Adea: You’ve moved around a lot then?

Salkath: As you know, we serve where we are asked or needed. I do respect those officers with the fortitude and opportunity to serve the majority or entirety of their careers in one location, but that is not always an option.

Or not always a desire, truth be told. Salkath had already admitted that he sought transfers more often than necessary for irrational reasons, but it was easier to convince himself that he did so in the service of others than in the service of himself.

Adea: I understand entirely.

Salkath: Can I assume from your demeanour that you have a lengthy list of commissions as well?

Not always the best judge of character, or really anything to do with deciphering the emotional state of others, Salkath nonetheless felt that Genkos had a wearied traveler aura about him. There were several possible cues for this, not least of which was the presence of a walking aid. In this day and age of medical and prosthetic advances, the choice to augment a physical detriment with archaic or rudimentary assistance aids was almost always a conscious affectation. Salkath would never deign to rudely probe into it further, however.

Adea: I am also on my fifth ship, although the last three have been a continuous service with the same crew - we moved from the Resolution when it blew up, and most of us shifted here from the Excalibur when their mission brief was shifted.

Salkath: A fascinating set of circumstances, I am certain.

This was a hypothetical statement, not requiring elaboration, and the knowing glance between officers confirmed this. Salkath, exercising due diligence, had studied the Artemis' service history prior to arriving aboard. This rabbit hole of a story exposed the details behind the good doctor's statement, and Salkath couldn't help but start to believe that the whispered omens of the lower decks about this being a cursed crew and/or ship were not entirely fabricated.

Adea: And yourself, have your commission changes been voluntary or necessary?

Salkath: All voluntary. I have striven to place myself where I could be challenged and fulfil a need. The Artemis, for example. There are unique engineering demands required for a ship to operate successfully in a region of space such as the Borderlands. The technical challenges seemed like a logical use of my skills. Certainly, as an engineer of the biomechanical form, you can relate?

One should not assume the determinations of others, but the medical field as a whole tended towards compassionate individuals who strove to better themselves for the betterment of their patients.

Adea: response

Salkath: If nothing else, the demands of our theater of operations likely means that sickbay sees a challenge or two. If shore leave is anything to gauge by, that is.

They weren't even in the Borderlands, and haven't been since Salkath came aboard. One could only imagine what the ship was like during a 'normal' tour of duty.

Adea: response

The Vulcan nodded deferentially, acutely aware that the chronometer had run on longer than he had intended when he visited sickbay. As pleasant as their discourse was, they were both still on duty.

Salkath: It has been amenable making your acquaintance, Doctor Adea. Thank you for assistance with updating my file.

Adea: response

And with that, Salkath turned on his heels and exited sickbay. The Betazoid doctor was a fascinating colleague, and he was looking forward to working with him going forward, but for now, that EPS oscillation he was originally tracking was not going to find itself.

TAG/END

--

Lieutenant Commander Salkath

Engineer, USS Artemis-A

A239111MT0