Appointment

Posted on Fri Oct 10th, 2025 @ 5:15am by Lieutenant JG T'Chiara MD & Captain Sakara

1,146 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 1: Joy is in the journey
Location: Vulcan - City of ShiKahr

ON

The day was moving on and she found that no matter what she did it would not stop. The break had been more than welcome, despite the reason behind the leave of absence but being Vulcan, mostly, she had been able to work through any trauma much more rapidly than some of the Human or Andorian counterparts. Her actions through the event also having generated interest in her future and a promotion. At her core she knew and it was only logical that this free time would be coming to an end. With that ending though came change and a need, as it turned out, to assemble a crew. Her science officer and First Officer was already confirmed and only one other came to mind when she considered who she would want by her side.

Doctor T'Chiara was the daughter of an ally of her family for many years on the political theatre of Vulcan. She would also have considered her a friend growing up, if somewhat distant now after so many years not seeing one another.

"Doctor T'Chiara?" Captain Sakara asked, still adjusting the uniform she had not put on in over five months.

The darker green skinned woman turned around at the sound of her name, her long hair falling forward across her shoulder with the sudden move. Her expression brightened minutely in recognition. "Captain Sakara," she acknowledged her long time, or rather old time friend. "It has been too long, but surely you remember you used to call me Kya? Or Chiara, I suppose though that has not been my name since I was seven years old."

"Indeed... My visit here is functionary rather than social... May I?"
Sakara asked indicating her request to enter the woman's office. Sakara knew that T'Chiara was still in Starfleet but was unsure if the Vulcan/Orion hybrid was interested on return to ship board duty.

"Of course captain." Smoothing down her own uniform dress, she circled around the desk and sat down, gesturing for the other woman to do the same. "If it is functionary, how may I be of assistance? You are not ill, are you? It does not concern a medical matter?"

Sakara slipped down into the offered chair across from her old friend, already feeling a sense of settlement falling around her unease knowing that her bond mate Mo'tek and the possibility of another she knew accompanying her on the journey.
"Starfleet are returning me to active duty after the incident on the USS Sennica and assigning me to the USS Oberth as Commanding Officer... I am seeking your agreement to return to active space assignment as the Chief Medical Officer"

T'Chiara seemed to hesitate but after several long seconds, she nodded slowly. "You require someone you trust," she answered logically, "I accept your offer. When do I report?"

"I am grateful for your agreement" the newly minted Captain shifted in the chair feeling the knowing gaze of the Doctor upon her. She had always been sharp and would pick up on the littlest of indicators and yet again she was correct. Sakara did want T'Chiara as she trusted her without question.

"We are to report to Starbase 1 in orbit within the next thirty six hours. From there the USS Tiananmen will convey us to Starbase four. Oberth is schedule to launch inside of two weeks."

"That is acceptable." The hybrid woman nodded again. "Sufficient time to bid my parents farewell and perhaps even notify S'Kai of my assignment." She had not seen her betrothed in over a decade but she was certain he would notify her when the Time came for her to return home.

"I understand that you are betrothed?" Sakara changed the subject, a more than Human desire to connect with an old friend once again taking over.
Instead of fighting it she had accepted over the years since she had last seen T'Chiara that it was far less difficult to just entertain her Human tendencies.

"Since I was seven, but I have not seen him in over a decade. Our parents chose to bond us so we had someone to return home to. As we are of age I should notify him. He is a good man and I do not intend to challenge. What about you? What happened on the Sennica?"

"Diplomatic talks that changed trajectory unexpectedly. The Captain was killed by a dissident faction of the Argassan Commonwealth... The conflict escalated and under my command the diplomatic talks collapsed and the Sennica was attacked. Over two thirds of the crew in the first salvo".
It was still a very fresh memory and the loss was still very raw but she had to push those feelings aside, holding true to her Vulcan stoicism.

"Under orders from Starfleet we withdrew from the conflict zone which has now escalated to civil war... I failed in my duties to protect my crew and to uphold the peace in my Captains place."

"If the talks failed prior to you being able to do anything because a dissident group attacked, then you are hardly to blame. They killed your crew, how were you to solve anything when you had the remaining crew to think about?" Kya arched a single eyebrow at her. "Where is the logic in believing you failed, when there was no way you could have succeeded?"

"Admiral S'Var summarised the mission in much the same manner" Sakara responded, her Vulcan cool a little more forced than normal. Perhaps the situation had affected her much more deeply than she had initially thought.

"Logically I do agree with the Admirals assessment yet the fact remains that a civil war and the death of a number of my crew befell the situation under my command."

"Your command, but not your orders," Kya corrected her, gently touching her arm now. "They are not your fault. And now you have a second chance at command and you will use your experience to excel at it."

"In fact this would be my first command. I was only the executive officer on board the Sennica" the newly minted Captain corrected.
She took a deep breath before deciding she needed to return home and begin to collect together her personal belongings ready for transport to Starbase 1 in orbit of Vulcan.

"I have intruded on your day, I will not keep you Doctor"
Sakara stood, smoothing out her uniform and feeling conscious that the length of the skirt was not significant enough to maintain any form of feminine dignity.
"Our transport departs Starbase 1 at nineteen hundred hours tomorrow from docking point three."

"I shall endeavour to be on time," the doctor promised. "Good day captain."

"Indeed". Sakara nodded to her friend as she excused herself from the office a sense of achievement. She could now tick of her list one of her major department roles as being filled.

RSS Feed