Lieutenant Alyndra Syrex and Ensign Renaie Shortrith - What are you doing here? (Part 1)

[Alyndra Syrex]

((CMO’s Office, Sickbay Complex, Deck 10, USS Ronin))

It had been several days since the incident on the USS Compass Rose. Despite the initial prognosis, most of the crew had responded positively to the treatment. 

Alyndra sat in Beck’s office. Since he didn’t get the chance to visit his lady-friend, Alyndra felt the least she could do was cover him so he could complete his R&R on his own terms. 

Syrex: oO There seems to be more PADDword in being CMO than I thought Oo

The first of tasks was going over the medical duty roster, making reassignments where necessary, recommending promotions, approving transfers, denying transfers.

Syrex: ::Mumbles to herself:: We’ll need a new pharmacist of course…

Alyndra near-mindlessly scrolled down the roster, looking for someone to recommend for replacement, when one particular individual caught her eye.

Syrex: oO YOU!!!!!! Oo

Alyndra slapped her fist onto the desk, slamming her other hand onto the comm-panel. 

Syrex: =/\= Bring them to me =/\=

((Counsellor's Office, Deck 10, USS Ronin))

Renaie was slowly working through the records of the Ronin Crew, with the intention of having some background knowledge of them before starting counselling sessions. They also had made a point of reading the records of the still-alive Rose crew. Inevitably she'd have to provide therapy for them too.

Computer: Ensign Renaie Shortrith, please report to the CMOs office for disciplinary action. 

Renaie paused for a second. oO Wait what? What did I do? Oo

Shortrith: Um… Okay, I'm on my way.

Renaie took a moment to take a deep breath, before admitting defeat and walking across the deck to the CMO's office.

((CMO’s Office, Sickbay Complex, Deck 10, USS Ronin))

Once they arrived, Renaie had to do a double take of who was in the CMO chair. oO I know that face. Oo They had to suppress a smile, for this seemed to be a serious matter.

oO Did I annoy Alyndra? Oo

Shortrith: Doctor Syrex? You wanted to see me?

Alyndra had pressed her fingers together, wiping her teeth with her tongue as she looked up at the Klingon Ensign, before she gestured to one of the seats on the other side of the desk. 

Syrex: Indeed, please take a seat, ensign. This is a very serious matter. 

Shortrith: Oh?

Alyndra stood up, gesturing for the ensign to stay seated. She held her hands behind her back as she paced in the office. Her head swirled slightly, but she needed to stay upright. She knew she could sit down in a moment. 

Syrex: I assume you remember our time together in the academy? Do you remember what our relationship was?

Shortrith: Yes, you were my mentor.

Alyndra nodded.

Syrex: That’s right. But I like to think more than that, I was your friend. 

Renaie smiled a little, but they were still unsure. 

Shortrith: Thank you? I did consider you as a friend…

Alyndra slid onto her desk, casually taking a seat on its surface. 

Syrex: So I shall ask you, and I want a serious answer. What are you thinking?

Shortrith: … What do you mean?

Alyndra burst into the widest smile. As fun as she found the torment of ensigns, the charade had gone on long enough. 

Syrex: Thinking you could walk around on this ship without saying hi! 

Alyndra pulled Renaie into a tight hug, playfully shaking them around in their chair. 

Syrex: How is my mentee?! How long have you been on the ship?!

Shortrith: I'm… alright? That last mission was intense, I only arrived… ::serious:: when the other ship's warp core exploded. And the baryon sweep happened. 

Alyndra smiled awkwardly as they slipped back behind the desk. She held her hands close to her mouth, before she opened her palms towards Renaie.

Syrex: Welcome to the Alpha Isles. 

Shortrith: Thank you! I don't think I've been over this way before now. 

Syrex: Well we’re glad you could join us. If there’s anything we need around here it’s a good counsellor.

Shortrith: ::Chuckling a little:: you guys seem to need lots of counselling, from what I've seen of you. But then again, that's why I'm here. It's good to see you, my friend.

Alyndra smiled softly.

Syrex: It’s good to see you too. Especially since you’ve yet to have a proper check-up. 

Alyndra proudly revealed a button on the desk. She wasn’t sure what Beck had programmed it for initially, but she had managed to slightly reprogramme it.

As she pressed it down, a large holographic banner appeared over the desk. In an overly stylised font, it read out “I got you now”.

Syrex: There’s no escaping medical, not even for you. 

Shortrith: I was gonna do it myself, so I didn't have to bother you!

Syrex: There are other doctors available! Besides, it isn’t a bother!

Shortrith: I suppose so… Isn't it protocol for medical officers to have someone else do it?

Syrex: You’re damned right it is. 

Renaie smiled a bit. 

Shortrith: Okay, okay, I concede. You can do the checkup.

Alyndra clapped her hands together, it was nice when her patients went willingly, but experience had warned her to expect resistance. 

Syrex: Excellent, would you care to follow me out?

Alyndra stood up from behind the desk. Gesturing the Klingon Counsellor out of the office and into the main medical bullpen. 

Shortrith: Whatever you wish, doc. You're in charge.

Renaie stood up and followed Alyndra out.

Syrex: I’m sure you had a preference of medical bed on the Astraeus? We all have them…. Sometimes secretly. Please don’t take it badly that my favourite right now is Ward C, straight next to the morgue.  

Shortrith: I'll be honest, I haven't thought about it. I've been crazy busy with everything… ::shrugs:: I dunno. 

Alyndra’s expression changed to concern.

Syrex: Is everything alright, Renaie? I’m asking as a friend as well as a doctor. 

Shortrith: It's… I don't know how to explain it…

Alyndra gestured Renaie onto the medical bed

Syrex: Well… I’m no counsellor, I’ll make no sense of hiding that. But I am here for you, even if it’s just to listen.

Shortrith: Everything, for me at least, feels like it's been so chaotic since the news of the Astraeus came to the crew.

Renaie looked at Alyndra for a moment.

Shortrith: Have you heard?

Syrex: You may have to elaborate, I hear many things around the fleet. 

Shortrith: About the Astraeus? ::pause:: or have you not?

Alyndra took a deep breath.

Syrex: It was decommissioned, right?

Shortrith: Technically. It was brought back to Earth, I can't remember why. All the crew was dispersed through the fleet, except for Commodore Mei’konda, who went back to teach at the Academy for a while. ::pause:: None of us knew for weeks where we were going.

Syrex: I think you should talk to Commander Raga

Shortrith: What do you mean?

Syrex: He served on the USS Astraeus before he came to the Ronin. He was the second officer there if my memory serves me correctly. Maybe you can grieve your loss with him? I’m sure he has a lot to say about the ship. 

Renaie shrugged wordlessly for a moment. 

Shortrith: I'll think about it. ::pause:: May I have a hug?

Alyndra’s lip tugged upwards. She hoped that they’d take her advice, but wasn’t convinced that they would follow through. Alyndra embraced her friend in a hug, before she hopped up to take a seat on the medical bed next to them. Her arm firmly planted on their shoulder.

Syrex: Always Renaie. That you can depend on. 

Shortrith: ::smiling softly:: Thank you.

TBC in Part 2

Lieutenant Dr Alyndra Syrex MD

(Acting Chief) Medical Officer

USS Ronin (NCC-34523)

R240107AS3

&

Ensign Renaie Shortrith

Assistant Counsellor

USS Ronin

They/Them (Player) They/She (Character)

A240204RS3