Meeting, Planning, Questions. All in One.

Posted on Sat Feb 18th, 2023 @ 5:03am by Captain Ethan De Havilland & Lieutenant Acacia Thomas

1,739 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Ethics, Morals & The Prime Directive.
Location: Ready Room.
Timeline: MD:1, 07:19Hrs

Being summoned back to the Dreadnought had been the last thing that Acacia had expected, and she'd thought she'd never see the ship that she considered home again. Her steps were slow, and the lab coat no longer concealed her advanced pregnancy. She'd almost decided to forego it, but it was as much a part of her as Doctor Thomas, as was her dip dyed, pine green curls.

Ethan was still neck deep in updates and reports as he caught himself up on current progress. It was a lot to take in, to absorb and come to terms with but he was here now so there was little point to do anything but get on with it. Absentmindedly he'd been rotating his Coffee cup between finger and thumb on his desk as his eyes racked left to right over and over as he read lines of information. He'd already spent a long time getting to understand the specifications of the ship but what a line of text says often pales against actual experience himself.

She paused for a moment to catch her breath before she pressed the chime. The new captain hadn't wasted any time in the summonses and she was happy enough to oblige.

A silent sigh swept through Ethan as he had hoped for at least some peace from Commander Ola who had spent the last hour sending updates and now preyed for anything but a personal visit. "Come." He placed the PADD down on the desk and turned his chair to face it from its otherwise side on position.

Entering she saw the stacks of paperwork and whistled through her teeth at the sheer volume of it. "I would say good morning but I'm not sure you're having a good morning. "

Informal, casual, Ethan could do that. "Doctor, good is certainly a matter of perspective in this instance, I'm not sure which side of the line I'm on or if I am the line." This was Doctor Acacia, he knew that because he'd read her file, put a face to it though her hair was different. Interesting colour indeed. He stood up from behind his desk. "Doctor Thomas, I'm Captain Ethan De Havilland." He saw her state of pregnancy. "Please, take a seat." Hoping to at least make her comfortable.

"Thank you sir". She settled herself into the couch with the tiniest of winces. Her hips still ached most of the time and she was usually quite stoic about it.

"I hope I didn't call you away from anything important or personal?" He had enough on his plate and being an inconvenience would just serve as garnish to it.

The smile that blossomed on her face was beautiful, and she chuckled a bit. "Contemplating names for the little one. I've started arguing with myself, as my partner isn't here to do so."

"Oh?" Ethan sat, while it was not unusual for couples to sometimes be separated due to the needs of the service it was attempted to keep couples together. He turned his computer towards him. "The partner is, if I may ask?" Ready to run a check of his own.

"On a mission somewhere secret, he's a marine. Duty and all that rot. I hope.." she sighed deeply and traced her fingers over her belly. "I hope he will be able to see the child born but...Im still not sure where he is."

"Name and rank?" Ethan asked seeing that his question had not latched on before.

"Colonel Jason Frost.". She smiled, a bit sadly eyes flickering from her belly to the Captain's face and then to the window.

Ethan already knew, the Colonel would be serving as the Marine Commanding Officer on board, but the way the Doctor mentioned hope, he felt it was perhaps best not to ruin it. "Not much is available but I'm sure you already knew that."

"I exhausted most possible arenas and even got brought up on some trumped up charges from JAG. ". A delighted peal of laughter escaped her lips at the memory of that particular incident.

Ethan had already seen that flag on her record as her new Commanding Officer. "I see." His only reply on the matter. "Your service record indicates that you served on this vessel previously, I understand this vessel is different from what could be considered normal due to her size but I wanted to understand how you found your time on board."

"I had no complaints.". Was the immediate answer. "I served as chief of trauma surgery and I was able to have a specialized team which worked together quite well. The OR was set to my very precise specifications". The green curls trembled as she nodded with satisfaction.

"Did you encounter any problems serving the medical needs of a crew size this ship can carry, including civilians?" Ethan asked, trying to feel out but one department he knew of many.

"Staffing to suit medical needs depends on a great many things. If we go into battle and there are many wounded, and only one of me....you have to prioritize care. I'm a specialist for a reason, and I'm good at my job but I'm still just one person. " Acacia shrugged a bit "for normal day to day medicine it was fine. "

"How many were in the medical department total during her previous service?" He asked.

"I am not certain. I had two doctors that were capable of filling in for me in a pinch. I was in the process of certifying one of them, when we were all reassigned. "

Ethan understood that to ensure the health and medical needs of thousands required medical staff of hundreds and from what the schematics told him of the size of the Sickbay area, he didn't doubt it. "I see. Being a specialist you obviously had a team, how do you think you would feel if the team was much larger not just in the specialist field but general treatment also?"

"I would suspect so. However, specialists will do general rotations to keep our certifications up in the other treatment areas. I can treat a flu, but I'm better at someone with plasma burns. "

"And running a department?" Ethan asked, observing Acacia's reaction.

"Pregnancy has addled my brain". Acacia said after a moment of blinking wordless at her Captain. "I clearly misheard you...."

"I need someone with experience, not just medically but also I understand that the Dreadnought is not a normal ship. She has a medical wing that could rival a hospital, some planetary bases would envy what the Dreadnought has. You have worked aboard the ship before and seen not only what could happen but also the day to day running of the department." Ethan explained. "You have seen the department run first hand, where it struggled, where it excelled and that a perspective I think is needed here."

"I understand your reasoning, but are you sure you want me to do that job?" She gestured to her self while she said it, her voice incredulous that he would offer her such a position

"Is there any reason you can give me why I shouldn't?" Ethan asked. "Do you doubt your ability? Would it compromise your specialisation in some way? Would it put you in a position of discord professionally?" It was not the confident, assuring answer he was expecting. Everything told him from her record she was capable, but maybe he was wrong or expected too much.

"I am capable" she said softly with a smile, running her fingers through her hair softly "I just..." licking her lips she trained her bright blue eyes on the Captain. "I just never suspected that anyone would want me to do so. I've oft not been taken seriously."

"Well, hair colour aside that might shed some light on that consideration I however need someone that's not only capable, but also qualified and willing. This ship leaves in 2 days and I still have shortfalls in my senior staff." Ethan replied, having looked at her hair and then at her.

She raked her fingers through her green curls and then laughed, both at herself and the situation. "I have one request if I may?"

"I'm listening." Ethan spoke leaning into his chair a little more.

"I'll need access to a yeoman or a member of the ships crecge, that can take care of my child in the case of an emergency. I will still be called to surgery, as I don't intend on allowing my qualifications to lapse."

It was not an unreasonable request, it would ensure delivery of duty while ensuring family needs are attended to. "Do your research, select whom you would pick and consent from that person." Considering the responsibility involved it was not something that could just be landed on someone blindly or notice. "I'd ideally like that by tomorrow morning." With everything going on, he had a lot to prepare before departure was to take place.

"I'll do my best to comply of course" Acacia grinned at him "I may have to have more than one, since sometimes emergencies can stretch for longer than a shift."

"I'll leave the selection of whom to you, just present me that list by tomorrow." Ethan didn't have a problem with it since it would in effect keep the operational function of Sickbay and its leadership staff. "I'd also like onboarding physicals to take place, I know there are a few of the previous crew returning to the ship so they might be able to be excused but otherwise I want to make sure everyone on board is fit and healthy."

"Yes of course sir. I expect I'll be seeing you presently then?" Her smile warmed her eyes this time setting them to flicker in between shades of Blue.

"Once I am through with command communications and mission critical updates, perhaps." Ethan replied, having noticed two more had arrived since the start of the conversation. "Some of the other senior staff have arrived however, might be worth chasing them in the mean time."

"Oh I am well familiar with Chase evade and capture.". Acacia giggled, and it was charming."I'll get them done, not to worry."

"Well, I won't keep you. There is much to be done in the meantime while we prepare for departure." Ethan replied. "Once I have your selection I'll make the required duty changes."

"Quite right sir....and thank you "

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