The Transfer, Part Two

Posted on Sat Mar 6th, 2021 @ 7:18pm by Ensign T'Varis & Lieutenant Kiam Aax & Lieutenant Commander Peg Davies

Mission: The Relics of Isonzo
Location: USS Ulysses; Transporter Room One; deck Two
Summary:
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 1040

"Standby Zheng He..."

The words were the opening salvo when Doctor Kiam Aax breezed into Transporter Room One. It was a short ride from Sickbay, though one of mixed feelings. Notions of the Captain's "crisis event" of only months prior were faded but there. She and two nurses had met him and the Yeoman on the pad with an antigrav stretcher. By the time they were at the doors of Sickbay, she had a diagnosis. But now, she pushed it away. Hands pushed and pumped into the medical green fabric of her lab coat, underneath being her navy "ULY" shirt, her badge attached to her overcoat.

"What's going on?" Kiam asked the technician. A brow rose on her, face smiling it's slightly too wide for her face smile. "Oh uh," she gestured at the flashing yellow of their alert status, "That I know about. What's the standby?"

The technician had opened her mouth, closed it, and opened again, "There's an ionic disturbance front radiating through the zone of transport at 500 kps, it'll clear in a few seconds. Sorry Ma'am, how can I help?"

Kiam shrugged, hands coming out of her pockets long to do so, to pat her thighs and then push them back into her pockets, "I'm the welcoming committee. We're taking on a few Federation News Network personnel and some new officers. But the Commander is busy in the Deflector Room and the Captain has his hands full on the Bridge. So..." she pivoted to the transporter pad, "Send in the Doctor."

She brushed at her bangs- first down- then decidedly to the side. "Right, uh... so, soon?"

As if on cue, the comm signaled. Ulysses. Zheng He. We are clear to transport six."

The technician nodded. "You have control, Zheng He," she offered. Almost a minute felt like it was passing- but time was relative- before the whine of the emitters began its shrill song. The scattering of sprites coalesced into a coherent beam and six glowing blobs of energy gradually formed into six distinct individuals.

Kiam took in a steadying breath as the last particles of their bodies formed. "Welcome aboard the Ulysses," she greeted. "For our guests from FNN, if you will step outside, a couple of Yeomans will take you to our colleagues." And before she'd finished there was already jostling and motion- people were shouldering things with straps, and picking up things with handles, "I believe, uh, one of you is a transfer. If you could raise your hand?" Kiam spoke up over the murmur.

T'Varis raised her right hand--the left one was carrying her duffle bag. "Here, Ma'm." She studied the officer before her--noting her medical uniform, and her striking black eyes. A Betazoid she thought. Interesting--there aren't many Betazoids in Starfleet. I wonder if she's telepathically scanning for threats. I would be, although I would be sure to keep my mind off private thoughts unless permitted to enter... I should also stop thinking this--it's probably not polite.

The Vulcan focused on the transporter tech, mostly to stop her thoughts from wandering.

The Betazoid shifted herself to let the gaggle of news technicians by and through the swish of the doors. Kiam studied the face of Ulysses' more permanent transfer- and from what little Kiam understood, it had been quite a sudden one. The Vulcan was in the bronze and blue of Operations. "Ensign... T'Varis?" Kiam cheated, pulling a PADD from her coat pocket to look at whom she was picking up. She quickly pushed it back in. The Betazoid raised her hand and- with some effort and a waiver of fingers, she pulled her hand into the Vulcan salute. Behind her, there was a muffled crash. Kiam bit her lip. Her brows popped.

"Sounds like everything is under control..." she muttered, bemused. "I'm Doctor Kiam Aax, Chief Medical Officer. The First officer would normally greet you, but she's in the Deflector Control Room. Readying some scans."

"The storms have been a concern on the Zheng He, Doctor... If it would be permitted, who am I to report to at the first opportunity? I realize we are in a..." She paused a moment. "...tense situation, and while I know it is unusual for new crew to get right to work, that might be advisable... It is, of course, your discretion, Doctor."

Kiam's lips pursed in thought, "Commander Davies, our Chief Security Officer. She is head of mission with Lieutenant Rosk in the Shuttlebay," Kiam apologized with a smile, "Lieutenant Caspian is... probably on the Bridge." The Betazoid steepled fingers in a triangle in front of her, "But I can take you to assigned quarters and the Armory. As soon as we get through the ion storm, I'm sure Commander Davies will want to see you." Kiam gestured for them to walk out the door. She pushed her hands into her lab coat pockets and led the way outside the door. There was indeed chaos outside as one of the technician's satchels had come free and some equipment had spilled out onto the deck. A red-faced Yeoman was on his knees snapping them up while the Tech had a throbbing vein of tension pulsing in his forehead.

T'Varis followed the other woman down the corridor. "I am sure... I would also like to set up a time with you or one of your staff for my routine transferral physical, but not just now..." The Vulcan looked around the chaotic corridor. "It seems we don't really have the time."

A presence of worry flashed in Kiam's mind, a powerful bolt of anxiety that flickered like an old neon light in her consciousness. Kiam's eyes strayed to what they had just passed on their way to the turbo lift but it gave little indicator. "Of course," she said with a moment of distraction, "Yeoman Curtis is in charge of most scheduling for Sickbay that's routine. He's easy to find," Kiam said while she reached to tap the turbo-lift. She sidled into it. "Doctor Guidry or myself can do it... but I'll download your medical file from the Zheng He when I get a moment."

"T'Varis..." her head shook with a curious shake and look, "What part of Vulcan is that native to? Oh uh..." Kiam looked up, "Deck Five. Direct."

"It is... What is the phrase... Not particular to a region. Roughly translated, it is 'Lady of Joy', although considering my mother's state of mind at the time, I am not entirely sure she meant it as such."

The turbolift came to a halt, and they exited into the corridor, crew hurrying around them like bees. T'Varis winced at the comparison if only to herself.

Kiam kept her curiosity restrained. She'd not heard of a Vulcan name applying an emotion to it- and that likely meant it was a very long-standing, enduring man from the pre-Surak eras. As T'Varis observed their surroundings, the bustling of the Ulysses' hive, Kiam's comparison was, again, one of busy fireflies. Minds lit up and passed with vague notions of surface thoughts even her shields couldn't block. There was a lot of anxiety- and excitement. They were exploring, and deeper in frontier space than many of them had been.

Kiam came to a halt before cabin 511. "Have you been aboard Malachowski-class starships before, Ensign? Space is a premium so I imagine you'll have a roommate. Though..." she looked at the nametag and didn't immediately recognize the name. She cleared her voice, "Computer, request access to Cabin 511, authorization Aax-Sigma-1-5-4-1." The computer chirped and the doors slid open.

The Doctor poked her head in, "I think the Chief Stewards informed your roommate but... they don't appear to be in. They're probably on-duty." Kiam touched the doorframe and sidled inside, being extremely respectful. The room was not large, with two desks and two chairs. On opposite sides of the room were long twin beds in an elevated, enclosed structure that could close with privacy shutters.

"I am not familiar with the quarters of this design, no, Doctor. However, I worked my way up through enlisted ranks, so a roommate will be no problem." She set down her duffle on the unoccupied bed, then turned to the doctor. "Between you and me, I hope my roommate is female. I have no prejudice against opposite-gender roommates who are not romantic partners, but there was some... Unpleasantness... aboard the Zheng He."

Kiam smiled pleasantly, "If there's anything you need with a cabin transfer the Chief Steward should be able to make those changes. We had some personnel transfer off and on back on Proxima and again on Starbase 15 so there's a lot of.." she wavered with her hand like a floating boat, "Flux." She looked at the dropped duffel. "If you need to talk about any issues, Sickbay's doors are open. So..." she looked around their surroundings, "Lets see if we can find Commander Davies. She's probably in the Armory checking inventory for the Away Team mission."

"After you..." The ship trembled as the two women exited into the corridor. "The ion storm seems to be getting worse, or is that just my imagination?"

Kiam braced briefly on the bulkhead, "Or we're moving closer for some scans. They're mapping it, I think, to try to give the Helm a chance." Kiam led on, with a pause or two to chew her lip and consider her next angle. "Oh here," she said as she came to reinforced double doors. She tapped the comm key on the poor panel, "Request entry, authorization Aax-Sigma-1-5-4-1."

Peg sealed the crate as the door chimed, and the computer repeated Kiam's request, "Crewman, let the Doctor in, please, and you can go ahead and take that crate down to the shuttle bay. I'll follow along shortly."

When the door whined open with the heave of sturdy hydraulics, Kiam stepped over the blast door's archway and gestured inside. It was a long room, austere, with two banks of detention cells on either side. "Commander Davies?"

The Crewman, crate in hand, stepped around the newcomers. "Pardon me, ma'am," was all the young Human said as he dutifully headed down the corridor.

Peg smiled as she stepped into view. For someone who had just been rummaging through crates, her uniform was surprisingly unruffled, and though she bore a smile, there was an inquisitive look in her eyes as she studied the pair. "Good Morning, Doctor, our new transfer from the Zheng He I presume? Ensign T'Varis?"

The Doctor nodded, folding fingers in front of her lap. "Yes so it seems. Ensign T'Varis, Commander Peg Davies, our Chief of Security." She nodded to them, "I should let you two talk. I need to get back to our medical and protective supplies for the Away Team." She smiled at the Vulcan, "Ensign."

"Thank you, Doctor, for your company, conversation, and your escort..." T'Varis turned to Davies. "Commander Davies, Ensign T'Varis; as you said, a transfer from the Zhen He." She snapped off a sharp salute and waited for the commander's response.

"My pleasure Ensign," Kiam responded. She again tried to bend her fingers into the V-split of a Vulcan greeting and goodbye. She ended up prying them apart with her hand, "There we are," she said. She smiled, "Peg, you must be excited to get down to the planet. But I'll let you two talk," she said more informally.

Peg shot a glance towards the Doctor, "Yes, the weather is lovely this time of year on Ionzo IV. I should have just kept Caspian on the roster." Shaking her head, she nodded to the Doctor, a twinkle in her eye, "But we will have time to discuss that when I return, and uh enjoy working for Timo."

Kiam smiled her too-wide smile, "If I can handle Bach, I can handle Mister Fortune and Glory," the Doctor mused. She touched the Vulcan's arm at the elbow gently, "Welcome aboard Ensign. I'll have Yeoman Curtis get in touch with you for a physical." She took a step back and nodded at the women. She eyed a phaser and was tempted to bring it with her when dealing with the churlish Zakdorn that was her next assigned task. "Good luck," she said to the two before she nodded at the Deputy at the door. The deputy moved, keyed in their passcode and allowed the doors of the Brig to let her out.

As Kiam left, the Security Chief's gaze settled on the new Vulcan. "So, I understand the good Commodore has decided to help us out with our upcoming staffing shortage," she said, referring to her own emanate departure. The skepticism in her delivery was palpable as she continued, "So, to me, that means one of three things really happened. She wanted to get rid of you, and she's a Commodore so she can, or you requested a transfer, or it was both." Peg didn't ask the obvious question, which one was it? It could be considered improper to ask the question, but it was hanging there in the space between them available should T'Varis wish to take it.

"The Commodore, nor Commander, had any difficulties with me; rather, it was I who had difficulties with certain members of the crew... Certain males were... Less than appropriate, one in particular... Unfortunately, he died on an away mission I was part of, along with the Zeng He's chief science officer. I was the only survivor... I never wished death on him, but after that, I felt it prudent if I transferred."

Peg scrutinized the Vulcan, having, of course, read the transferee's personnel jacket, she remembered the incident's notation. The Security Chief made herself a mental note to review that mission in greater detail when she got back from the ice ball that Starfleet had consigned her to, "Alright, well, welcome aboard. I'd give you the nickel tour, but I have to get to the shuttle bay so I can freeze my ass off protecting the Captain from reporters. In my absence, you'll report to Lieutenant Caspian. Introduce yourself, and do it today, Ensign. Any questions for me before I depart?"

"None that I can think of... I look forward to serving with you... I will introduce myself as soon as I can find the Lieutenant... Also, if it isn't too personal, I hope your ass doesn't freeze, Commander. I'm not sure how the doctor would go about treating that."

Peg snorted as a smile crept onto her visage, "Thank you, Ensign. You might just work out around here. Now, on your way. I'll check on your progress when I shuttle back up in a few days."

"Yes Ma'm." Snapping a sharp salute, T'Varis turned to leave.