Lt. Jg. Ryden... - Meeting Drex Part 2

[Ryden Kel]

((Hauteur Serene Hotel, San Francisco District, StarBase 118))

Ryden took in Drex’s answer with a small shift of his shoulders, the
kind that signaled interest rather than judgment. The phrasing kindly
encouraged suggested a story he didn’t have the background for, but
the Academy connection placed things neatly enough.

Kel: A refresher isn’t a bad thing. OPS attracts people with every
possible specialty... Astrometry included. You’ll be in good company.

Drex lifted the blue glass slightly, finally taking a cautious sip
before continuing.

Drex: How long have you been assigned to OPS? It must be an
interesting place to work, with so many crews passing through. ::A
brief pause, his eyes lingering on the distant horizon, a quiet
thought of Denali Station slipping through:: Always something
happening, I’m sure.

Ryden followed his gaze for a moment... out toward the edge of the
terrace where the station’s geometry framed the view. Activity was
constant here, sometimes overwhelming, sometimes grounding.

Kel: Just about two years. And yes — there’s never a quiet shift, at
least not one I’ve seen. Medicine stays interesting when half the
patients aren’t residents.

Drex’s attention returned to him, the hint of a smile finding its way
back to his features.

Drex: Do you prefer station assignments, or shipboard life?

Ryden considered the question, not with indecision but because the
answer had recently become more layered than it used to be. Station
life had structure... predictable corridors, familiar wards, a
population he knew well enough to care about. Shipboard life offered
discovery. He had lived both.

Kel: They each have their own kind of momentum. Out here, you get
continuity... you see people grow, recover, leave, return. Ships offer
movement, new problems, new skies. ::placing a gentle hand on his
torso... feeling Sylvax inside of him:: Right now, I’ll take the
stability.

He let that sit without overexplaining, the hum of the venue filling
the space around them as arrivals continued to filter in from the
promenade.

Ryden shifted his stance slightly, letting the thread of the
conversation move at a pace he controlled, curiosity steady rather
than probing.

Kel: So, Drex... you mentioned stability. Does that mean you prefer
postings with less chaos, or are you just being diplomatic?

Drex: ?

Ryden nodded, accepting that as an honest answer.

Kel: Fair. Sickbay has its own version of chaos no matter where you
are. Starships, outposts, stations... medicine never really slows
down.

Drex: ?

Ryden allowed the corner of his mouth to lift.

Kel: Which side do you usually fall on?

Drex: ?

Ryden let that land before steering again.

Kel: And OPS... is it your first station assignment?

Drex: ?

Ryden considered that, then pushed a touch further, not out of
scrutiny but orientation.

Ryden dipped his head in acknowledgment, then let the tone lighten.

Kel: Speaking of not getting lost... who have you actually met so far?
Anyone beyond the training staff?

Drex gave a short exhale that wasn’t quite a laugh.

Drex: ?


-----
Lieutenant JG Ryden...
Medical Officer
StarBase 118 Ops
O240109RK1