JP: Lt JG Alyndra Syrex and Ensign Renaie Shortrith: Back Together in Boredom
H M
(( UFoP Bi-annual Medical Conference, London, Earth))
Although Alyndra understood the need for conferences, ever since the early days of her career she’d hated them. Hate may actually have been a strong word, rather, she found them dull. She’d always preferred the hands-on, practical approach to learning, a cadaver lab for example, over the Victorian-esque classroom setting, stuck in a stuffy underventilated room that was so often chosen.
However, since the escapades and controversies that came out after she left a conference held on Deep Space Nine early with Dr’s Beck (also of the USS Ronin) and Ohnari (Of the USS Khitomer), she knew that she needed to see this one out. With the additional responsibility of being the USS Ronin’s representative at this conference, more weight was held on her shoulders now that she had to bring back knowledge to share with the medical and science departments. As the Ronins' eyes and ears, she acted alone. She took a deep breath, as she took a seat on the third of many rows of blue-cushioned seats. The stage lighting hummed, as the podium was lit, simply waiting for a speaker to show up.
Renaie entered the building with wide, inquisitive eyes. They’d never been a representative at one of these conferences before, and there was an added responsibility that came along with being a representative of Starfleet's USS Astraeus. They’d only been a participant when it (infrequently) came around to either Sydney or Melbourne. It rarely went to any other cities in Australia, which was a both blessing and a curse in and of itself.
Looking towards the stage, they noticed a blonde-haired Trill near the seats. oO Another representative? Oo
Renaie cautiously approached and noticed she was wearing Starfleet uniform, which hopefully was a good sign.
Shortrith: Hi, um, is this where the representatives sit?
Alyndra shuddered awake, having begun drifting into slumber. Scratching her face slightly, she looked up to see a Klingon, wearing the same starfleet uniform as herself.
Syrex: ::Yawn:: Oh, err.. Sorry. Yeah, well… It is now.
Renaie hesitated. They could have sworn they knew that face from… somewhere. Where was it, though? Where was it that they had seen that face?
Shortrith: Thanks!
Alyndra nodded slightly, still half-asleep, as her eye flickered and she tried to sit upright in her seat.
Syrex: You’re welcome to join me if you wish… ::Gazes at collar:: Ensign
Shortrith: I might as well, we appear to be the only Starfleet reps here so far… ::notices the tiredness of Syrex:: Are you okay, ::gazes at pips:: Lieutenant?
Alyndra smiled. Still rubbing her eye and yawning.
Syrex: Oh yes thanks, I’m fine. It’s just a bit stuffy in here. It never fails to send me to sleep!
Shortrith: Yeah, I can relate to the stuffiness. It reminds me of when I grew up in Australia a bit…
Alyndra’s eye drifted towards the officer, before clicking back into place. She made a mental note to check her own prejudices, having assumed they were raised on a Klingon world.
Syrex: Australia huh? I don’t think that’s too different of an environment from where I grew up…
Alyndra performatively gestured to her spots
Syrex: Trillius Prime
Shortrith: Oh that’s awesome! Haven’t been there before, to be honest.
Syrex: ::Chuckling:: Well, I’m glad you’re being honest!
Alyndra paused for a moment, comfortably gazing back towards the stage, before her head snapped back towards the ensign next to her, double taking who she’d seen sit down.
Syrex: Dr Shortrith?
Shortrith: ::caught off guard:: How’d you know?
Renaie was surprised at the use of their name. How did the girl… Renaie took a moment to analyse the face, and then it clicked that it was Alyndra Syrex, their mentor in the academy.
Syrex: ::Places her hand on her chest:: Remember me? Doctor Syrex?
Shortrith: It’s you! I could have sworn I recognised your face!
((Flashback Circa. 2400 Pediatrics Department, San Francisco Training Hospital))
Renaie smiled as they entered the room. A day of helping people was not a day wasted.
They looked up at the second class Cadet that walked in not too long before they did.
Shortrith: Hi! Is this the training spot?
Alyndra looked up from her PADD. She knew she was expecting to meet her first mentee today at around this time. But looking around in all corners of the room, there were other mentors lying in wait. She knew nothing about her mentee, except from their name: “Renaie Shortrith”. The fact that Alyndra had been chosen as a mentor at all astounded her, as a newbie herself. But, however much she didn’t like it, she was a newbie with a reputation, a good one at that..
Syrex: It is! What’s your name? I know quite a few mentors choose this as a meeting point.
Shortrith: Shortrith. Renaie Shortrith. Yours?
Alyndra smiled. Clearly this was her medically assigned fresh meat for the grinder.
Syrex: Syrex, Alyndra Syrex. I believe you are my mentee?
Renaie smiled at the girl. oO So she's my mentor. She looks really nice. Oo
Shortrith: Think so!
Alyndra slapped her knees, getting up from the sofa she’d nested on.
Syrex: So, want to get started with some rounds?
Shortrith: Yeah sure!
Renaie smiled again at how nice their mentor was. Admittedly, because of their differences, they were usually… treated with respectful caution? But Syrex appeared to be a lot nicer than a fair few of the others that mentored them.
Syrex: Come on then! Let’s go and introduce you to the wonderful world of paedeatrics!
Alyndra gestured for Renaie to follow her out of the room. Although the Klingon Cadet was a slight deal taller than her, making her feel like a child herself, she hoped that they would find the same satisfaction in treating sick children as she did.
Shortrith: Let's go!
((Present Day - UFoP Bi-annual Medical Conference, London, Earth))
Renaie smiled at Alyndra, happy to see her again.
Shortrith: How’ve you been?
Syrex: I’ve been alright thanks, well… apart from the eye ::gestures to her eye implant::. Sorry I didn’t recognise you! I was a tad sleep deprived. How are you?!
Alyndra tried to contain her voice, although as far as she was aware they were the only two in the hall, but someone may have covertly snuck in.
Shortrith: Your eyes are different… I'm assuming something happened? I won't pry too much. And it's all good, I only sort of recognised the face before realising it was you. I've been… alright, I think?
Alyndra snorted.
Syrex: Yeah, I lost it. and no, it’s not down the sofa. But I have to ask…
Alyndra readjusted her sitting position, crossing her arms and leaning towards her former mentee.
Syrex: What do you mean “You think”?
Shortrith: Just… mentally processing people leaving and transferring. Especially when one of the people transferring is like a brother to you. I'm okay other than that, though, don't worry.
Syrex: ::sighs:: Yeah, I get that… Although you know most people are only a sub-space call away, right? Besides, I have to worry, once a mentor, always a mentor.
Alyndra lightly jabbed Renaie with her elbow.
Shortrith: Yeah, fair point. ::pause:: If you don't mind me asking, where are you stationed at the moment?
Syrex: The Akira Class USS Ronin, yourself?
Renaie paused. They could have sworn they'd seen that ship's name in someone's records recently.
Shortrith: USS Astraeus. Galaxy class.
Alyndra smiled softly
Syrex: Oh nice! I have a friend who was actually born in your sickbay. Besides, I’ve been meaning to look it up, we’ve had a few transfers in from there recently.
Shortrith: Oh really? That's so cool! If you don't mind me asking, who were the transfers? I might recognise a name or two.
Syrex: Off of the top of my head? Lt JG August Winslett.
Renaie paused. oO August. I knew he transferred to the Ronin a while ago, but why does it feel like he only transferred yesterday? Oo
Truth be told, there were a lot of positive memories between the two. August was their first friend on the Astraeus, and Renaie cherished every memory they had of him. oO I need to message him next week to see how he's doing. Oo
Shortrith: ::happy:: You know August? ::smiles:: When you get back to the Ronin, could you tell him I said hello?
Syrex: Well, I did his physical and he seemed nice enough, but I wouldn’t say I know him. But sure, I’ll let him know you said hi
Alyndra smiled, as an announcer walked onto the stage and across the podium.
Announcer: Is this it? Two people?
Shortrith: Hopefully there's more… when are we scheduled to start, again?
Syrex: Oh, I’m sure it’s not for a while yet.
The announcer checked his watch.
Announcer: Five minutes ago
Alyndra cringed. This was a worse turnout that she’d anticipated.
Shortrith: Well… if we're running behind and there's only two of us… would it be worth just starting anyway and seeing how it goes?
Renaie frowned. oO I know I can be fashionably late at times, but a whole other panel of medical people being this late? Oh stars… Oo
The announcer cleared his throat, as the lights dimmed and the projection started behind him.
Syrex: :: Sarcastically:: Strap in, it’s going to be a fun one
Shortrith: ::sarcastic:: Yeah… so ready… for quiet…
Alyndra chuckled, as she slid into her seat, her eye drooping once again.
((Timeskip - Three Hours later))
Announcer: ..and that is why the Klowakan physiology is more like a mango, than a grape.
The lights came back on, as the announcer hurried off of the stage, clearly they were taking no questions.
Syrex: I don’t know about you, but I’m glad that tangent only lasted for the last fifty minutes of the lecture.
Shortrith: ...It was fifty minutes? And we were the only two people who bothered to show up?
Renaie was, admittedly, a tad disappointed. They'd hoped for more people, and discussions, instead of the same person monologuing for long periods of time.
Syrex: Nah, I’m… I’m sure I heard someone choking at the back around the one-hour mark.
Shortrith: … choking???
Syrex: Yeah.. On their own spit though. Nothing that needed our attention.
Shortrith: Ah. ::nods::
Renaie turned to Alyndra.
Shortrith: Would you like to get a hot drink at a Cafe nearby?
Alyndra smiled. Hot chocolate and old friends was always a winning combination in her PADD.
Syrex: Sure! Let’s go!
[[END of JP]]
============================
Lieutenant JG Dr Alyndra Syrex MD
Medical Officer
USS Ronin (NCC-34523)
R240107AS3
&
Medical Officer (Ensign)
USS Astraeus
A240204RS3