Backpost -- A Curious Encounter

Posted on Sun Feb 27th, 2022 @ 12:55pm by Lieutenant JG Briar Kendall & Lieutenant JG Zerin Rolfe

Mission: Episode XX: "These Are Our Voyages"
Timeline: Day 1 at 0000

Out of uniform and dressed in civilian clothing there was almost nothing to indicate that Briar was a Starfleet Officer, let alone that she was an adult. At a mere 4'8", her petite frame would not have appeared at all out of place in the school room, that is, if the ship had had one. Instead, dressed in civilian clothing, hair falling freely down her back, Briar found herself wandering into sickbay, green eyes peering around as she walked through the medical bays, exploring.

Being off busy hours, Zerin was wandering around tidying up while a lot of the staff was taking a break. For as indifferent as he acted about work, he did keep a pretty tidy work space. The movement of another person caught his attention, and he looked over, surprised at what his eyes landed on. "Do you require assistance?" He asked, in an almost formal tone.

Briar picked up a device that had been sitting on the counter that ran along one side of the room she was in. "You have the Type IV Protodynoplaser," she activated the device and listened for a moment. "I see what the fuss is about now, it doesn't have the same reverberation as the Type III." She set it back down and offered a small hand toward him. "I'm Briar."

"We actually have both, some prefer the Type III ergonomics better," Zerin replied, the subtlest hint of suspicion of the person as he took her handshake. "I'm Zerin."

"Zerin," she repeated. "Means 'golden'. Were you your parents favourite child?" She tilted her head sideways slightly, looking up at him with wide, innocent green eyes. She smiled through the hint of uncertainty that washed over her. "I've been assigned to the Vesta as a medical officer. The manifest lists you as another one of the general physicians." The last was a statement more than a question.

"Favorite? Yes. As well as least liked, and the middle of the road child," Zerin replied dryly, only child humor that always amused him. "Welcome to the promised land of Sickbays. You every desire fulfilled. Where did you transfer from? I actually work on the Emergency side of the department normally, but I do tend to float."

"USS Arrowhead," Briar said as she picked up a dermal regenerator and activated it, watching the display light up. "The calibration is out by a few microns, you can feel it," she said as she turned it off and set it back down. "I was there for three months. Before that was the Yarindawa, and the Dalmunda, the Shipton and the Dartlisle." She shrugged slightly and took a step along the counter, tilting her head to one side again as she listened. "Is there an autoclave running?"

Zerin smiled. "Is there? Possibly. Can you hear it?"

She nodded, turning back to him and offering a smile. "They're always noisy." She looked him over carefully, gaze moving slowly from his eyes, down to his toes and back up again, noticing the scar on his face but not asking. "Have you been on the Vesta for long?"

"I've been onboard for a few years now. Still feels new to me some days though," He responded, curious to her nature. "An interesting time for you to transfer onboard. We've got a long trip ahead of us." Zerin leaned against the bio bed in a relaxed posture.

Briar leaned back against the counter behind her, half mimicking his pose. "Delta Quadrant," she replied simply with a nod. She brushed invisible lint from her top. "That's why I took the posting," she said quietly. "I don't have any family or ties, so I was a logical choice to leave on a long term deep space mission."

Zerin arched an eyebrow for a moment, becoming more amused by her. "Logical and choosing what you want aren't always the same. Well at least it won't be a boring trip."

"Oh?" Briar raised an eyebrow slightly as she watched him. "I admit, I am looking forward to it. With the catapult being defunct and travelling to the Delta Quadrant the long way we'll encounter so much unseen territory. I am excited to see what we get to experience. Of course, it would be better if we were able to travel less with the Slipstream Drive, but I understand that right now that our timely arrival in the Delta Quadrant is more important than sight seeing."

"The suspense of what we will see between Slipstream jumps I'm sure will keep those times from being boring. When are you back on shift?" Zerin responded.

"My first official duty shift is tomorrow. For some reason they saw fit to put me on day shifts. I can't say anyone has ever done that before." She paused, picking up a hypospray canister, turning it over in her hand to read the contents before dropping it into a drawer. "On my last assignment I didn't get a lot of day shifts, too busy, too many patients. But night shift is okay, it's quiet. I guess with a starship it makes it easier to sleep too, there's no sun outside to keep you awake."

"It is pretty easy to lose track of time and day onboard, that's for sure," He responded, watching her go through drawers of equipment. He found it amusing and odd at the same time. Endearing he wondered? He guessed time would tell. "What are you up to until then?"

She shrugged slightly. "Trying to memorize my way around the ship I guess? Or at least from my quarters to sickbay, and maybe the mess hall. They can't be that difficult to remember, right?" There was a moment of panic that flashed in her eyes. "I heard the Chief Medical Officer is a bit of a stickler for punctuality, but aren't most Vulcans?"

Zerin shrugged, "Wouldn't know, I've never tested him. He's not a bad guy though, for a Vulcan. Well if you want help with directions to the mess hall, that's where I'm going in about five minutes as my shift is almost done."

"Sure, I could do with a coffee anyway, or maybe a milkshake? Or maybe a float? Or a hot chocolate." She shrugged slightly and closed the drawer. "I'll meet you in the main entrance when you're done?" Without waiting for an answer, Briar started wandering away, randomly opening cupboards and drawers as she walked, looking here and there with abject curiosity as she moved.

Or all, or something else Zerin said inwardly, turning to head back to the back offices to return equipment and prep to leave. "Never a dull day," He said quietly to himself out of earshot of anyone, amused.

OOC: Post?