One Small Step

Posted on Thu Jun 24th, 2010 @ 4:54pm by Commander Fala Awen & Lieutenant JG Margaret Winchester

Mission: Episode 1.2 - "A House Divided"
Location: USS Pandora, Mess Hall
Timeline: Day 15, 1200

ON:
[[USS Pandora, Mess Hall, Day 15, 1200 hours]]

Awen walked into the mess hall, frowning slightly. She didn't really like to go to the mess hall during busy times, but since there would be a Senior Staff meeting in the afternoon, it was now or wait til dinner. The Bajoran walked up to a replicator and requested, "Hasperat and a large glass of kava juice."

Marget watched as people moved from one point in the mess hall to another, some of them eating, some drinking, some alone, some in a group. Every now and then she liked to just come down to the mess hall and do what her great grandmother had called 'people-watching.'

Taking her tray, Awen glanced around the room quickly. She spotted Margaret and made her way over. Pausing next to the seat across from the surgeon, she asked, "Do you mind if I join you, Doctor?"

Margaret had noticed the Bajoran a few feet away and had decided to wait to say something until she had gotten closer. Smiling, Margaret used her foot to push out the chair next to her. "Not at all, Ma'am." she said, indicating toward the seat that she had pushed out.

Nodding in appreciation, Awen placed her tray on the table, then sat down. She took a sip of her kava juice before asking, "Have you been here long?"

Margaret looked down at the table, trying to think of just when she had gotten to the mess hall. Shrugging, she said, "I don't think so. I've just been enjoying myself, so I'm not really sure just how long I've been here."

The Bajoran raised an eyebrow; it seemed a bit odd that someone would lose track of time, especially in a mess hall. Of course, when she was meditating she'd sometimes lose track of time. Dismissing her initial thought of the doctor losing track of time as odd, Awen asked, "How are the colonists doing? I've not heard anything since the rest of us got back to the ship."

Margaret sighed slightly. Even though they had three doctors on board, they had yet to *really* be able to come up with an explanation for their ailments. "We've ran every test we have, and given them enough fluids to flood deck eleven, but they're still the same. I was hoping that some time away from it might make me think of something we hadn't yet."

"In some cases, that does help. I take it you haven't thought of anything yet, though," Awen said - partly a question, partly a statement. She took a bite of her food, which was just the right amount of spicy for her.

Margaret shook her head. It was actually kind of embarrassing for her that three trained and experienced doctors hadn't been able to figure something like this out yet. They were supposed to be experts, but what should be an open and shut treatment was causing troubles. "Did you notice any others down on the planet with similar conditions?"

Awen considered the question as she took a drink of her kava juice. "Not while the away team was still down there, no." She paused, then continued, "But when the Governor was showing us around more, some kind of Scientist came by...he and the Governor exchanged a glance, which seemed suspicious. When we pressed the Governor for information on what the Scientists were working on, he insisted it was just routine colony-type research and then stopped answering questions."

Margaret nodded slowly. Generally the leader of a colony such as this would be more than willing to provide information to those who might be able to help them, but given that this was a Romulan colony, it was quite possible that they were just being Romulan about it. "Hmm." she said, thinking. "It definitely is suspicious, knowing Romulans, that's nothing out of the ordinary."

"Very true," Awen admitted. "Sooner or later I imagine we'll get to the bottom of it, at least I hope so. Romulan agendas are rarely good...especially for others."

Margaret nodded slightly to the statement and took a drink from her glass. "Anyway, how have you been doing, Lieutenant? I haven't seen you in sickbay for a while."

"Mostly I've been keeping busy with team-building exercises and security/tactical drills," the Bajoran replied after finishing her kava juice. "No offense, Doctor, but I try to stay out of Sickbay if I can. And you?"

Margaret shrugged, it wasn't all that uncommon for people to avoid sickbay if they could help it, it was just one of those things. "Things have been fairly slow. I've been working on some experiments for new drugs in my free time, nothing too advanced just yet, but it keeps the staff busy."

"Anything particularly interesting?" While medicine wasn't Awen's passion, it was still good to learn about what others did and potential new discoveries. Besides, she did have a variety of interests.

Margaret shook her head. "We're working on a new vaccination for Andorian Shingles, and an antidote for Lemaran Mud Fly venom, but they're really just in the preliminary stages right now. We haven't even started computer simulations yet."

Awen nodded, "Still, better to have something to work on than just be sitting around waiting. At least, in my opinion."

Margaret nodded, and looked at the lieutenant. "Well, I suppose I had better get back to sick bay. Evan's is probably going to want to take a break here soon too, and I don't think Tony would enjoy being by himself very much, least of all with patients." she said, the last part of it in a semi joking tone.

Giving Margaret a half smile, Awen replied, "Good day, Doctor. Glad to have the opportunity to talk to you off duty, even if it was about work." She knew that at some point she would have to make an effort to get to know more of the officers...this wasn't the most productive effort, but it was a start.

Margaret returned the smile. She had to be honest with herself, she didn't exactly feel comfortable around security or tactical officers, quite possibly because they reminded her a little too much of when she was a medic in the marine corps. "Maybe next time we can get off that particular subject, eh?" she asked as she stood.

"I'll hold you to it, Doctor," Awen replied. "Until next time."

OFF: JP brought to you by:

Lieutenant JG Margaret Winchester
Chief Surgeon
USS Pandora

and

Lieutenant Commander Awen Fala
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Pandora