Keeping It In The Family

Posted on Tue Aug 4th, 2020 @ 11:42pm by Commodore Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke
Edited on on Tue Aug 4th, 2020 @ 11:57pm

1,387 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 10 - New Home, Same Pioneers
Location: Ready Room - Deck 1 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD006 1130 hrs

Tyler stared at the PADD, it contained the information on crew updates for Starfleet Command. At the moment he looked at the part where he informed of the demotion of Richard Ballston, and how that was done at Richard's request. The next line requested an immediate replacement at the Chief Medical Officer's post. Tyler hated that he had to request a new CMO. He would rather keep his crew, his family together. So as he stared at the sentence an idea formed. Impulsively he deleted the request, and put that Richard Ballston would take up the post of Assistant Chief Medical Officer on the Pioneer.

Tyler told the computer to save his message and not to send it just yet. With a tap of his communicator he spoke =/\=Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke please report to my Ready Room.=/\= He leaned back in his chair as he waited a smirk across his face. Tyler Malbrooke loved nothing more than when he beat the system.

The Medbay was rather quiet, and Hermia was updating medical reports and catching up on the latest medical journals.

When her comm. sounded with the message, she replied. "On my way, sir." She then called Kimba over and explained the situation before leaving for the Bridge.

It didn't take her long to reach the Bridge, which she crossed.

Standing outside the Ready Room door, she adjusted her jacket and remembered her non-regulation Marine boots. She wondered if the Captain would notice. Took a deep breath and activated the Captain's door chime.

"Come on in Hermia..." Tyler said to the door and it swished open. As soon as the woman was through the door he motioned to the seat in front of the desk. "Can I get you anything?" He asked her as he needed a refill of his coffee. Tyler had already replicated the necessary items in anticipation of her acceptance of his idea.

Hermia took the seat and said. "Coffee, black, no sugar, please, sir." She looked around the room. "This room is a bit spartan, Captain. You need a large picture on the bulkhead behind your desk displaying your coat of arms, to brighten things up."

Tyler ordered the coffee and set it before Hermia. He laughed a little at her comment. Tyler never thought of his quarters as spartan. "Truth is I do not have a coat of arms. Although sometimes I confess I wish I had one. I will have to talk to Sofia about ways to brighten this place up." He paused to sip his coffee and cross his legs before getting down to business. "Hermia forgive me I do not get down to Sick Bay anywhere near often enough. Tell me how is everything going down there?" From what Richard had told him Hermia had her finger on the pulse of the department. Tyler wanted to see if that assessment was correct.

'Well, at the moment we only have two inpatients; an engineer who fell off a gangway, and a pilot with a chest infection, both are doing well and we are keeping them in for observation. Hopefully they'll be back on duty in a day or two. Dr. Goldberg is a godsend and I've got Dr. Jacobs to grudgingly work with us. Due to Commander Ballston's personal matters, I've been picking up the odd extra shift to help out." Hermia said.

"Hmmm, I have heard that you have been keeping the department running like a well oiled machine. As for Dr Jacobs, you keep him on his toes. He is here to study Azzian DNA however, part of the deal was that he pull regular shifts in Sick Bay. Lord knows we need all the doctors we can get unfortunately." Tyler smiled softly and sipped his own coffee. "You have been with us I think since we launched a few years back. In that time I have seen you grow as an officer, and as a person. What do you think of your service here on the Pioneer?" Tyler was not just going to give her the promotion, he wanted to pick her brain. "Consider permission to speak freely to be granted." He added as an afterthought.

"I enjoy my work and I have made many friends here, I had trouble at the start, getting back into the way the fleet operates, I've spent most of my career as a defacto Marine and they have their own way of doing things. I feel I'm making a real difference, and now I have my daughter, Helena back, I'm a much happier person." Hermia replied taking a sip of her coffee.

"You know that Quinn and I are planning on turning the Pioneer into a family ship. So I am glad that your daughter has been able to join us here. The Pioneer has been assigned a teacher to assist in that plan...." Tyler sipped his coffee again and decided to segue into the matter at hand. "Your experience with the Marines will become invaluable as Captain Tremble incorporates his men into the crew at large. We would like them to take on some of the fleet work. Sort of learn how the other side lives, the hope is that it will help both departments work better together."

"I'm happy to help out wherever I can, Sir." Hermia said. "If my experience aids in bridging the gap between the Corps and the Fleet, more's the better." She added.

"In that vein I have been thinking a lot about the staffing on this vessel and how the crew, and Starfleet can best be suited. I believe the best way going forward is to give you this." Tyler placed a small wooden box that contained a single black pip on his desk.

Hermia opened the box and looked at the pip. "Am I to presume that this promotion comes with a department head position. If so, what about Rich..um...Dr. Ballston?" She said.

"Richard has requested to take a step back from running Sick Bay. He will be acting as your assistant, this way he can concentrate on his family especially his daughter. Dr Ballston, and Commander O Flannagain both speak very highly of you. They seem to think you are up to the task as do I. The question is do you agree?" Tyler said as he leaned back in his chair. Running a department on the Pioneer was no small task. Especially the medical department, with all of the crucial research they do along with keeping the crew fit and safe.

Hermia sat quietly for a moment as she thought things through. At last she said. "I accept the job, Sir and hope to live up to the confidence, you and the others have in me."

"Well then Commander you have a pip to add to your collar, and a staff to go greet." Tyler said with a smile.

Hermia rose from her seat and grabbed the pip. She handed it to Tyler and said. "Captain, I believe its tradition for you to do the honours."

She was right in old military tradition the honor would be his. It was just that up until this moment no one had ever asked him to do it. Tyler smiled at her and stood up as he took the box off his desk. "Very well. It is with great pride that I bestow upon you the rank of Lieutenant Commander with all of the rights and privileges therein. Congratulations Commander." He placed the black pip on her chest next to the two gold ones and smiled while he shook her hand.

"Thank you, sir." Hermia said with a smile.

"Now Commander go greet your staff. I know Richard is waiting to brief you on the experiments that he has been running." Tyler said as he sat back down and watched her leave. He knew that despite the shake up on the crew they would adapt. They are Pioneers, they will go on he thought and sipped his coffee.

"Good day, Captain. " Hermia said as she left.

A Joint Post By

Captain Tyler Malbrooke
Commanding Officer, USS Pioneer

Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke
Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer

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