Lieutenant Commander Ava Munro - The Old & The New
Luxa Lorana
(( First Officer’s Office - Deck 2, USS Artemis-A ))
Ava had spent much of the last few days unpacking her life. In every way conceivable. There was something about a change of home that made a reflection on the past inevitable. Each item pulled from a box was a memory, something treasured but otherwise left on a shelf to gather dust until you were forced to hastily pack it away and then more carefully unpack.
It was the arduous task of unpacking her office that always seemed far more challenging to Ava and now that she was first officer it had only gotten harder. She had hardly a beat on the inimitable MacKenzie, or the rest of the crew. The furniture had been arranged; a glass desk that curved to the floor on either end, with a carefully placed stack of PADDs that begged for her attention along with two pictures. The first was Harper, when she was a child. She stood in a pink jumpsuit with Ava's parents on a visit to Nauru IV. Ava smiled as she viewed the large structure of the arboretum behind them. Her mother has been delighted to show them the botanical. She had promised they'd make the trip more frequently but they hadn't managed to go back, that was 9 years ago.
The other picture was of herself and Adrian, her husband. He had his arm around her and she held Suzie close to her chest. They looked happy.
She looked at the potted plants, the pictures and wall art that remained to be hung and she sat down.
oO what are you doing here, Ava? Oo
Her reverie was interrupted by the door chime.
Munro: Computer, what time is it?
Computer: Ship Standard Time 1459.
Ava blinked in surprise and picked up the PADD on the top of her pile which contained the details of this meeting.
When she saw the name and rank at the top of the PADD as it blinked into life, the memory came flooding back to her. She had accepted the invitation to meet because quite frankly she was curious on two counts.
Provisional Crewman Vhysa'lia was Kobali and she had never met anyone of the unusual species, first encountered in the Delta Quadrant. Secondly the topic for the meeting intrigued her, which was described as her future in Starfleet which came with a very detailed timeline, and copious amounts of paperwork that Ava had spent several hours the night before reading over.
Munro: Enter.
No sign of her previous melancholy as the counsellor entered her office with a wide grin on her face grinning widely, and nodded a greeting.
Vhysa’lia: Hello, and welcome to the Artemis, commander. ::holding their hand out to shake it:: It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.
Ava stood up and leaned over her desk in order to reciprocate the handshake. She wondered if that was customary for Kobali? Probably not, she tended to find that the humanoid aliens that folded into Starfleet ranks adopted human gestures and customs as a way of ‘fitting in’. It made her slightly uncomfortable and she scolded herself for not taking the time to find out any Kobali customs, she had been too distracted with the unpacking.
Ava remained standing for now.
Munro: Thank you, Crewman, it's been a whirlwind few days :: indicates the state of the office :: I haven't even finished unpacking. You don't know how many things you collect in a life until you have to box it up, and it turns out I'm not as Spartan as I like to think. :: indicates the PADD :: I read over the information packet in your meeting request. It was very detailed.
oO that was an understatement Oo
Ava took her own seat whilst she nodded towards the solitary seat opposite her desk that she had the good sense to place there earlier. Vhysa'lia took the seat offered.
Vhysa’lia: Yes, sir, that’s correct. I’ve been serving as a temporary counselor here since… stardate 240109 point 06 I think?
Munro: And doing an exemplary job from all accounts :: smiles :: I did ask around.
She thought of her own meeting with the Captain only days before this one. Life was a series of parallels.
Vhysa’lia: Yes, I thought it would be best to join up as soon as possible. ::sigh, and then a light laugh:: Of course, now my situation is more complicated, as I'm sure you've seen in the PADDwork I've submitted to you… But it seemed prudent to just roll up my sleeves and help save lives at first, rather than waste time getting this officer exchange PADDwork sorted out.
Ava knitted her brow and nodded.
Munro: Yes, you'll be leaving us without a counsellor - again - but we have recently replaced Lt Commander Jashkaa.
Ava held up her hands to signify that she was just catching up with the revolving door of crew that inevitably occured when docked at a home station such as DS224. Never mind the reality of being new herself.
Vhysa'lia: Response
Ava picked up the PADD as she began to identify parts and read them out, almost absentmindedly to remind herself.
Munro: :: reviews the PADD :: Starfleet Medical have approved of your medical licence :: nods :: and verified your qualifications with the relevant authorities :: Looks to Vhysa'lia briefly :: I can only imagine that wasn't easy :: returns to PADD :: You've passed all your conversion practice as overseen by the Artemis medical team.
Vhysa'lia: Response
Ava nodded to the woman, and took the time to survey her more closely. She returned her attention back to her file and inhaled a breath. There was one file that Ava had yet to open due to its personal nature.
She thought of her own reflections earlier about the life that she had lived and the choices she had made. She couldn't help but wonder what a Kobali would think of this, they were ‘born’ from the ending of a life? To them, what has passed could symbolise renewal. And maybe that is true?
The old gives way to the new.
Munro: :: hesitant :: There's one note on your personnel file, from the Vulcan Science Academy? I imagine it's of a personal nature … given the origins of your :: winces:: birth? I'm sorry if that's not the term?
Vhysa'lia: Response
Tags/TBC
Lieutenant Commander Ava Munro
First Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240004LL2