Lt. Commander V'Lar - Nonlinear Trajectories

[Chris M]

((Aithela Cove, Deluvia IV))

V'Lar: You possess a background in science, yet you place significant value on this subjectivity. Do you find that maintaining this... duality... enhances your operational efficiency as a First Officer?

The Bajoran appeared to possess a keen scientific mind yet her world-view was shaped by subjective interpretation. V'Lar was genuinely intrigued by the apparent conflict.

V'Lar noted the First Officer’s brows contract into a frown, a micro-expression indicating disagreement or complex processing. V'Lar waited patiently, as the Bajoran took a moment before responding. The delay in response suggested that she was formulating a diplomatic rebuttal.

Tahna: Part of my job is to ensure the crew is operating at their best. And since our crew are not made up solely of Vulcans, and therefore are not so rigorously logical… ::She shot a smile at the doctor.:: Yes, I think being able to understand multiple perspectives is a valuable skill.

V'Lar determined that the smile was most likely intended to soften the statement, to prevent offence. She perceived no slight; the assessment was accurate, Vulcans were rigorously logical.

V’Lar: A logical adaptation. To effectively lead a system comprised of variables, one must understand the factors involved.

Tahna: Have you ever considered it? Command? I know it’s a bit different for doctors, but you wouldn’t be the first medical officer or Vulcan to make Captain, if that’s something that interests you.

The question struck a dissonant chord, catching V'Lar off guard. She remembered the doors on Vulcan that had been locked to her, forcing her to carve this alternative path through Starfleet Medical.

oO I did not leave my home and endure the stigma of this uniform to do anything other than succeed where others believed I would fail. Oo

V’Lar: I have not.

She paused for a moment, considering how much was appropriate to share.

V’Lar: My path to this position was... nonlinear. I joined Starfleet to practice medicine when other doors were closed to me.

Tahna: Response

As a Vulcan and a subordinate, she could not offer a falsehood. However, specificity was not mandatory.

oO However, I need not volunteer more information than is strictly necessary in order to respond to a query. Oo

V’Lar: The institutions of my homeworld adhere to strict orthodoxy. Ultimately, the consensus held that my innate capabilities were incongruent with their methodologies, and that my utility would be more effectively realized by directing my focus toward... alternative disciplines.

Satisfied that she had provided sufficient context without inviting further scrutiny, she returned to the topic of command.

V’Lar: If I were to pursue command, I would cease to be a healer. Given the sacrifices required to reach this position, I intend to validate my presence here by achieving excellence in my chosen field.

Tahna: Response

V'Lar considered the trajectory of such a career. It was not that she felt she lacked the capacity for leadership; she simply lacked sufficient data. In the Vulcan tradition, one did not seek to govern a discipline until one had achieved a certain level of mastery of it.

V’Lar: Perhaps, once I have satisfied my own criteria for success within my current field, I may find the challenges of command to be a stimulating progression. But that is a variable for the distant future.

She turned slightly, aligning her posture with the First Officer to signal a shift in the inquiry.

V’Lar: Which leads to the reciprocal query. Had you always intended on joining the command track?

Tahna: Response

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Lieutenant Commander V'Lar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Gorkon, NCC-82293
A240101CC1