Patient Transfers, Part 1: Doctor’s Escort

Posted on Mon Apr 26th, 2021 @ 10:03pm by Lieutenant Frederick Carlow

Mission: Heroes of the Hov'hurgh
Location: IKS Hov’Hurgh
Timeline: 2409

As the doors of the turbolift closed, Doctor Thoren looked around and shook his head. Never in his life did he think that he’d be on a Klingon vessel, much less one that greeted them as friends and allies. Or one that looked so... different. He wasn’t so young that he didn’t remember the Alliance, but it had been sundered early on in his career and he’d grown used to fighting with Klingons rather than conversing with them. Of course, his terse, silent guard wasn’t exactly Klingon.

“So, why choose to serve on a Klingon vessel? I mean, I know that you and your crew are from a time that hails to the days of the Alliance, but still. Starfleet is where most Bajorans landed.” The good Doctor gave the stoic tactical officer a small, genuine smile, clearly trying to break the ice with some kind of conversation.

Siva regarded him with a guarded glare, wondering if he was just trying to be polite and make pleasant small talk or if he really wanted to know. There was a vast difference in the available retorts from honest to completely sarcastic that could fill the available silence. He seemed like a somewhat reasonable fellow though, so she decided to respond in kind.

“After the Occupation the Federation didn’t express an interest in my...unique skill set,” She said diplomatically. Quite simply, they didn’t want a mercenary and a loose cannon within their ranks.

“Ah. Maquis?” The Doctor paused, instantly looking apologetic, as he knew that some could be just a wee bit touchy about that particular subject. Thoren cleared his throat, then offered, a touch hurriedly, “I meant no offense. I have to remember that for you, that is much more fresh in mind. For us, it has become a part of history and if I speak of things as such, it is not an attempt to start a fight. I promise.” The tall Andorian gave Siva a lopsided, nervous smile, his eyes a little wary as he watched her. Prolonged war with the Empire had definitely taken its toll on the Medical Chief, and likely just about anyone else that lived through it.

“None taken,” Siva replied honestly. She wasn’t ashamed of where she’d been and what she’d done over the years. She’d survived when many hadn’t, and followed her cause where many had drawn stale with the effects of peace. The wiry Bajoran had merely seen out one occupation and was not hanging around for another, despite the sheep’s clothing. The Cardassians had offered plenty in exchange for Bajor’s riches, the Federation promised peace and rebuilding, but how much of that would actually happened before the wolf revealed its true nature.

“The Maquis offered a way of life that still enabled me to follow my cause,” She explained, giving him the abbreviated version.

The doctor nodded briefly, saying, “There were a few that survived the Dominion’s purge. Managed to adapt to life in the Federation. A good many of them were given pardons after a time.” Thoren’s face darkened a bit and he shook his head, “Besides, these days, the Neo-Maq tend to make you and your brethren seem quite tame by comparison.”

As the lift came to a stop at their destination, Thoren followed the Bajoran woman down the corridors of the massive, brand new ship that had been built over two decades earlier. “I have never seen anything quite like this ship. How did you wind up serving with this crew? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Siva kept her eyes on the corridor ahead, inwardly bristling at the line of conversation but knowing she must at least be civil to this Fleet Doctor. There was no battle going on inside these walls, at least not today - despite her urge to deal with things in the Klingon way. Inwardly calming herself in a way that would make both the Prophets and the old, long-dead Klingon gods proud she mentally paused before explaining the events that lead her to her current location.

“The Maquis were raiding a station, we believed there were… persons of interest and items that could benefit being out of other people's hands,” Kamora started, keeping her eyes ahead and her tone completely neutral. “During that raid, we realised we weren’t the only party there with that intention. Things got a little hectic and somewhere in the crossfire, I bumped into the Captain. We fought side by side for some time. I returned to the Maquis for a while after the raid before becoming disillusioned with their direction. Some time later I found the Captain again, and she accepted me onto her crew.” Siva risked a glance at the mild mannered Federation Doctor to gauge his reaction.

“I’m not certain that I know of many Klingon captains that value their alien crewmembers for much more than phaser fodder. And you’re one of her Chiefs, so she must trust you and value far more than that,” Thoren responded, thoughtfully. He glanced over at Siva and gave her a brief nod. “So you found reason to trust her with your life, in battle. I can respect that, though I have to admit that I would have a difficult time trusting a Klingon captain after fighting with them for so long now. I’ve been told this crew was different. Hand picked for their willingness to work together, top of their fields. It’s kind of hard to fathom, but the Admiral has never lied to me and I don’t expect her to start now. I hope that these talks go well, we could use more allies.”

“Nothing shows one’s true nature like being pinned down by enemy fire,” Siva snorted, suppressing a laugh. “The Captain is indeed an honourable warrior, many should look up to her standards in many things,” The Bajoran stated as they neared the doors of medical bays. “This is not your regular Klingon warship, nor are these regular Klingons.” There was a fierce pride in her final words before stepping through the doors.

“Indeed.” The Andorian doctor nodded again, a slight smile on his lips, and responded, “I’m starting to see that. It gives one reason to hope.” Thoren glanced up at the large med-bay portal as it slid open and he followed the armor clad Bajoran through the doors, then promptly stopped just inside as the door slid shut behind them.

The main medical bay on the Hov’Hurgh was filled with the critically wounded, the tertiary bays filled with those considered stable but serious, and even the state of the art stasis units were being used to house those that were in medically induced comas. The large medical department was a definite departure from the typical Klingon ship, where a couple of beds and a doctor that was missing an eye or a few digits seemed to rule the day. This medical bay would have been absolutely amazing, even by Starfleet standards, twenty years ago, and it was still impressive in this day and age.

The visiting doctor blinked a few times, his antennae moving about as he scanned, just to see if he was actually registering his surroundings properly. Thoren had expected a chaotic mess in an understaffed, ill-equipped medical department, only to find a blending of Klingon and Starfleet uniformed staff working fluidly alongside one another, tending to the wounded in a pristine, well-stocked, and brilliantly outfitted Sickbay that would easily rival a lot of the ones still used to this day. “This is amazing,” Thoren muttered as he seemed to find his forward momentum again.

“Ahhm, this way please,” Siva cleared her throat to tactfully gain his attention. She hadn’t been this polite and courteous in a long time. Spying the ship's doctor working over in one of the adjoining wards the Bajoran steered her charge in that general direction.

“Have the fracture kept at an elevated posssition and inform me if more bleeding occursss.” The Gorn doctor said to the Klingon nurse as he pulled of another pair of surgical gloves which he dropped into the medical hazard bin for recycling.

His reptilian eyes were sinking into their sockets from the ten non stop hours of surgery he’d been in. Even for him it was getting to him. The tired lizard slowly walked over to the food replicator and typed in the code for some water. As he was raising it to his mouth he heard his name being called out.

“Sthilg!” Siva called in a manner that hopefully wasn’t too insulting to the tired creature’s auditory receptors. “You have guests… This is Doctor Thoren.” Surprisingly, she introduced in a somewhat pleasant manner, “He is to receive the Federation wounded.” She stood back a little to enable them to greet.

The Infinite Diversity’s CMO cleared his throat and squared his shoulders, pulling his attention off of the new sights and followed Siva through the bustling Sickbay. When the Bajoran tactical chief called out the name of his counterpart on the Hov’Hurgh he looked the towering Gorn over a bit warily, but approached with his professional demeanor intact. “It is a... pleasure to meet you face to face. It seems we have a lot of work to do here.”

“Indeed. I haven't had thisss much work to do sssince the plague outbreak on Chi Octantisss VII.” The Gorn replied as he downed the glass in one gulp. “ It’sss a pleasssure to meet you Doctor Thoren.” He said as reassuring as his race could as he offered his hand.

After ensuring the Federation Doctor was well met the Bajoran slipped out and headed back to her duty station on the bridge.

TBC

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Doctor Thoren
NPC VaQ’taj