Clearance Pending

Posted on Sun Jul 26th, 2026 @ 3:16pm by Lieutenant Vireya Talvaren & Lieutenant Syvar MD

1,379 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Season 1, Episode 1: Ashes of Wolf 359
Location: Medical Annex, Earth Spacedock

Prior to boarding the USS Genesis

Vireya had spent most of her career encouraging other people to report for medical examinations promptly.

That did not mean she enjoyed doing it herself.

The medical annex assigned to the Genesis crew sat along one of Earth Spacedock’s quieter internal corridors, clean and bright in the unmistakable way Starfleet medical facilities always seemed to be. Even this temporary space had already acquired the soft hum of scanners, the scent of antiseptic and the unnerving sense that someone would soon ask questions she’d rather answer with carefully edited truths.

She paused outside the doors long enough to check the appointment on her PADD.

Pre-clearance examination. Doctor Syvar. Chief Medical Officer.

Vulcan.

That, at least, suggested the conversation would be efficient. It also meant there was almost no chance he would be distracted by charm, humour or strategic vagueness. Vireya wasn’t entirely certain whether that was reassuring.

The doors opened at her approach.

She stepped inside in uniform, red hair falling neatly over her shoulders, and let her gaze move across the annex before settling on the young Vulcan doctor within. Blond hair and green eyes made him look strikingly unlike the Vulcans she had known, though the composed bearing was familiar enough.

“Doctor Syvar?”

Vireya tucked the PADD beneath one arm.

The composed bearing didn't last long as the young man's expression brightened into an easy smile. "Yes ma'am," he answered politely as he approached her. His appearance wasn't only unlike the majority of Vulcans, his easy smile and sparkle in his eyes made him look considerably younger too. "I take it you're here for your boarding clearance to the USS Genesis?"

“Lieutenant Vireya Talvaren. I’m here to prove I’m medically fit to keep everyone else out of trouble.” A faint smile touched her mouth. “Or at least fit enough to try.”

"Since when is being fit a requirement to keep others out of trouble?" Syvar queried, genuinely surprised. Arching a single eyebrow in true Vulcan fashion he studied her. "Fit enough?" he prompted.

Vireya’s mouth curved a little further.

“Because if I can’t stay on my feet, Doctor, I’m going to have a difficult time keeping anyone else on theirs.”

She offered him the PADD, amusement still sitting quietly in her eyes.

“And ‘fit enough’ means you put the proper seal on my file so Starfleet will let me report aboard and begin taking responsibility for people who will almost certainly ignore sensible advice the moment something interesting happens.”

A slender but gloved hand accepted the PADD, painstakingly avoiding contact with her hand for the moment. He scanned the contents quickly before setting it aside. "I assume your medical file is up to date? Are there any recent developments that haven't yet been added to it?" he queried, only a touch of curiosity marking his voice. "Isn't it Human nature to avoid sensible advise? Especially if something of interest is going on?"

Vireya noticed how carefully he took the PADD without touching her, but left it alone.

“It’s up to date,” she said. “No new injuries, no strange symptoms, no recent attempts to get myself killed. It’s been a quiet week.”

His comment earned a warmer smile.

“Humans do tend to treat sensible advice like a suggestion they can improve on.”

She glanced towards the biobeds.

“That’s why the rest of us have to keep an eye on them. Preferably before they end up in here.”

"Perhaps make it an order, or tell them rather than advise?" Syvar suggested, smile widening. "Why don't we go over there, and see for ourselves if nothing new needs adding to your file? If there's nothing, you'll be out of here in no-time. Rubber stamped for approval and all."

Vireya started towards the indicated biobed, then slowed.

Her eyes lingered on his widening smile for a beat longer than politeness strictly required.

“You do that rather easily for a Vulcan,” she observed, amusement warming her own expression.

She continued across the room and set herself against the edge of the biobed.

“Not that I’m complaining. It’s considerably less ominous than the eyebrow.”

In return, Syvar did arch a single eyebrow but continued to smile. "My birth parents were V'tosh k'atur," he answered, "my adopted parents are Human. I see no need to hide who I am, no matter the blatant disapproval of my Vulcan peers." He shrugged. "For a species who claim to control emotions, their blatant disdain for me during my time at the academy proved quite the opposite." He gestured towards the bed. "Leaning against it isn't very useful ma'am. I need you on it for the sensors to do their work."

Vireya gave him a small, conceding look and shifted properly onto the biobed.

“I’ve heard of the V’tosh k’atur,” she said, settling back for the sensors. “Not enough to have formed an opinion worth defending.”

Her gaze rested on him for a moment, thoughtful rather than appraising.

“El Aurians feel things deeply. We don’t see emotion as something shameful, but we do learn to live with it rather than let it choose every step for us.” A faint smile returned. “So I can understand not wanting to hide half of yourself just to make other people comfortable.”

She glanced towards the scanner above her.

“And I’ll try to be a more cooperative patient now.”

"Emotions are only shameful if you allow them to be, and mine define who I am. They're part of me and how I was raised." He shrugged as he continued his scans. "If my emotions make someone uncomfortable, how is that my problem? I am who I am and either someone accepts that, or they don't. I've been raised on Earth, by Human parents since I was ten years old. My Vulcan peers accused me of being Human, but who exactly were showing emotional outbursts here, them or me?"

Syvar returned the scanning wand to the niche in the tricorder and closed the device. "You're clear for duty but I suggest you run by the mess first. I'm detecting a slightly lowered level in blood sugar and some essential vitamins. Nothing a good meal won't fix."

Vi let his words settle without trying to pick them apart. It was one way of carrying emotion, certainly, and one that seemed to fit him even if it left little room for anyone standing on the other side of it.

At the clearance, though, her expression brightened.

“Cleared for duty. That’s the part I was hoping for.”

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the biobed, then gave him a look that was equal parts concession and mild guilt.

“And I may have skipped lunch.”

A beat.

“Possibly breakfast as well, depending on how strict we’re being about coffee counting as food.”

She slid down from the bed and reached for her PADD.

“I’ll go and correct that before you decide my first official act aboard the Genesis should be collapsing dramatically in a corridor.”

"That would be your decision, not mine ma'am," Syvar chuckled, "and such an act would only bring you back here. Something you'd rather avoid, I imagine?"

Vireya smiled at the chuckle and tucked the PADD beneath her arm.

“Under those circumstances, yes. I’d rather my next visit didn’t involve being carried through the doors.”

She shifted towards the exit, then glanced back.

“And you can call me Vireya. Vi’s fine too. ‘Ma’am’ makes this feel far more serious than it needs to.”

A trace of amusement returned.

“I’ll go and find some lunch before you’re proved right.”

"Then call me Syvar," the young Vulcan offered, "and I'll try to restrict the ma'am for medical issues. No promises though." He waved her off. "Go, before you faint on me."

Vireya’s smile warmed.

“Celani’mel (peace upon you), Syvar.”

She gave him one last amused look, then turned towards the doors.

“I’m going. Before you get the satisfaction of being right twice in one day.”

Still smiling, she stepped out into the corridor in search of lunch.

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