Two Gold Pips

Posted on Mon Apr 28th, 2025 @ 12:27am by Commander Calvin 'Cal' Maraj & Lieutenant T'Mara

2,000 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Year One: Strange Bedfellows
Location: Ready Room, USS Moore
Timeline: MD033 - 0900 hours

Calvin had been given a run down of recent events, given the who's who of the crew and had been given the evaluations he'd asked for from each department head of their departments and how they feel they were operating. In doing this he'd also given other department heads the task of evaluating another department other than their own for a more impartial view and asked for a report from the XO and 2XO of their thoughts.

Tedious jobs for sure, and an even more tedious read but he found this to be a good source of information and somewhere to dive in from.

There was a recommendation from both Commander Greco, and Lt. Commander Davaris, for a Lieutenant Junior Grade T'Mara. A Vulcan doctor, and their current chief medical officer. He'd slated slots to meet all department heads, or the closest equivalent, but this one was more poignant for reasons T'Mara would soon find out.

He expected the chime to go at precisely 0900 hours. Vulcans were nothing if not very accurate time keepers.

T'Mara had received the summons and immediately prepared for the worst. She quickly dressed in her uniform and made sure that there were no visible wrinkles or pieces of lint to mar the clean lines. Looking into the mirror, she realized that it had been sometime since she had gotten her hair tended to. It had grown out, revealing unruly waves, and the once clean lines were now feathery and somewhat messy. It felt like a rebellion of sorts, to allow her hair's natural texture to simply be instead of styling it into oblivion. Sweet Surak, she was waxing poetic over a grown out hair cut...what was next?

Realizing the time constraint she was under, T'Mara quickly strode to the door and slipped on her boots which she left at the entry and stepped out into the corridor. She had timed her arrival perfectly, and at 0900 the door chime sounded for the captain's ready room.

"Come in, Lieutenant T'Mara." he called as the doors opened to reveal just who he had expected.

Did did so as he would expect anyone to. Cal rose to his feet and moved around his desk, he never believed in greeting someone with an obstacle in the way. As the distance closed he smiled at the woman knowing he may not get a wide grin in response. "Do you prefer 'live long and prosper' as a greeting, or 'jolan tru'?" he asked stopping in front of her as the ready room doors closed. He wanted her to know he knew of the mixed heritage and he that he wanted to be respectful of her wishes/choices.

So this was the new commanding officer...at least he wasn't another Vulcan. T'Mara thought silently as the commander walked around his desk, smiling in their way...humans considered a smile as a friendly expression...but he did have nice, white teeth...

"I would prefer neither." The words were out of T'Mara's mouth before she had the good sense to come up with a far more diplomatic answer. No one had ever asked what her preference was regarding salutations; however, not many knew of her half-breed status. Given the warm reception she had been given by her own people on Vulcan, T'Mara had decided to carefully guard the distasteful truth of her parentage. "The circumstances of my birth is not common knowledge. Appropriate standard greetings will suffice, captain."

"Fair enough, lieutenant." Cal nodded his head to show his understanding. "Please, come in and take a seat." he began to move and waved his hand towards the sofa next to the window of his ready room. Again, he didn't like obstacles in between him and someone unless it was a more formal conversation.

Calvin went to the replicator and asked for a carafe of water and two glasses. He didn't give anyone a choice on what they wanted, he wasn't there to serve up drinks. Instead he always had water, and most drank that.

As he set the carafe and two glasses down on the small table that sat next to the sofa he poured T'Mara a drink and himself. She could choose to drink it, or not.

"So, lieutenant I was looking at your service record and I have a question for you. What prompted you to leave Starfleet Medical and pursue the next stage in your career on a starship?" Cal was genuinely interested in his people and always wanted to know answers to questions that he had. Not that they were odd questions, but so that they stuck out as something potentially interesting or something that would give an insight into a person.

T'Mara looked at the glass of water momentarily with a raised brow. If this were a Vulcan exchange she would be expected to formally acknowledge the offering of water and to take a ritual three swallows before placing the glass back on the table. This was not a Vulcan exchange. Fvadt! She was overthinking things again. She forced her attention away from the water and back to the new captain of the ship.

"It was logical." T'Mara replied but then quickly realized she was meant to elaborate given the period of silence that followed. "Apologies. I will elaborate. I have spent the last 13 years of my life in education and training to be a physician, and have learned in that time to manage not only patients, but the staff and the environment around me. Commander Becker, my mentor, apparently believes that I have been sufficiently trained for the position of Chief Medical Officer and recommended me for this position. He also told me that it would help me...grow up. I did not understand what he was alluding to given that I am already physically mature."

Cal was close to asking the doctor if she was alright. The stare at the water had been intense and longer than he would usually expect. Almost as if she was thinking long and hard about taking up the glass, or maybe the glass would come to her. As he was about to raise this very question T'Mara spoke.

He chuckled. "I think Commander Becker was maybe intimating that this experience would broaden your life experience. Something different, challenging even with potentially more moving parts than Starfleet Medical. Out here anything can happen and he was pushing you outside your comfort zone to expand your horizons a little." Cal surmised. "What's your opinion of the medical department, counselling too as that is under your management until we find a Chief Counsellor? Do you have any improvement ideas, research projects you'd like to run, anything rattling around in your Vulcan imagination?" he asked with genuine interest. He liked to see people do what they enjoy, have something to work for and look forward too.

"The department is adequate. I am still... acclimating myself to the space and the medical staff. A reconfiguration of supply stores are already underway which will improve efficiency. After that I will begin skills assessments, identify individual deficiencies, and formulate continuing education to address those specific needs. On the topic of research projects, I was required to conduct a number research projects while in medical school. I must confess I did not find the process gratifying. I was more focused how I should approach a procedure and then management of the patient afterwards. My skills align more within the realm of practical application, sir."

Cal nodded as he listened to her speak. T'Mara was nothing of not very precise with her words as he'd expect Vulcan's to be. "Well if you need anything from me please don't hesitate to ask. I know Commander Greco is my go between for most of ship matters but my door is always open to my senior officers." he said as he rose from the sofa and headed towards his desk. He'd left one of the main reasons he'd called her here in on of the drawers on the opposite side.

Out of it was a small case, within that case was a golden pip that he would present the good doctor with. He had concealed it so it wasn't visible and he sat back down in front of the doctor to hear her reply to his previous statement.

"Understood, sir. Your gesture is acknowledged." T'Mara responded neutrally as her eyes followed the CO movements until he sat back down. "As I told your predecessor sir, 'I come to serve.' It was an honor to be selected for this position. I shall do my upmost to effectively lead my department."

Calvin smiled at her response. Vulcan replies always sound very rehearsed, very diplomatically to the point you'd have mistaken them for politicians of old. "I have no doubt you'll perform admirably lieutenant. I for one am very glad you are here and know you'll look after us with professionalism and great care." he said sincerely.

"There is another reason I have brought you in here and I am glad it is one of my first acts as the captain of this ship." Cal revealed the small box he had taken from his desk. As he opened it to reveal the singular golden pip he spoke with pride, "It gives me great happiness and pride to present you with this T'Mara. I have heard of your efforts that saved Lieutenant Stewart in recent times but more so your work ethic and knowledge that led to her recovery and those on board that trust you completely with their health and wellbeing. As of now you are promoted to full lieutenant, with the privileges and responsibilities that rank bestows. Congratulations."

T'Mara looked at the small box with the gold pip and blinked at it in an almost owl-eyed manner. A...promotion? Most unexpected. "You honor me, sir." She reached out and rather gingerly took the box from the captain and looked down upon the pip with a sense of awe that managed to show on her normally neutral face.

Cal smiled, "I'm the one who is honoured to have such a fine doctor on board. I very much look forward to seeing where our travels take us here on the Moore and what you will accomplish here." he said sincerely. "Though I will need that one back." he gestured to the small black pip with golden trim.

"Oh. Yes. Of course." T'Mara replied as she quickly supplied the pip in question back to him. "Shall I schedule a time for you to present yourself to sickbay for mandatory medical clearance, sir?"

"Thank you doctor." Cal replied as the small black pip disappeared in his hand as he closed it up and held it tightly as T'Mara enquired about his medical. "Sure, just let me when you'd like me in and I'll be there. Can't have me falling to pieces out here." he joked.

"Indeed. It will also provide the opportunity for...cross examination?" She raised a brow as the punctuation on her attempt at...levity?

Cal chuckled. "Of course, who doesn't love an opportunity for further probing." he smiled and rose to his feet. He liked the doctor, she had an unusual way about her that he found fascinating. This meeting however had run its course and he hoped him standing would signal the doctor to do the same.

T'Mara knew a dismissal when she saw one. With one last longing glance to the glass of water, she stood and pulled at her jacket to ensure all was straight and regarded their new CO with a placid, yet calculating manner. "I will review your schedule and set an appointment at a time that will be convenient, sir."

"I am at your beck and call doctor." Cal quipped as they moved towards the ready room door. As the door itself opened Cal smiled, "Have a good day, Lieutenant.". With a Vulcan nod she was gone, off to poke and prod members of the crew.

 

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