80728.18
...continued from part one
-=Sickbay, USS Alchemy=-
The computer indicated that the results of her blood analysis were ready and Hubbard's eyes grew wide as he read them.
"Captain, how much caffeine have you had today?"
Zanh Liis groaned, thinking that she had a good idea what his first life-style modification tip would be.
Hubbard smirked, "Ease off on the coffee just a bit sir. You might try the Bajoran tea. You'll get the same results you want with less effects on your body." Hubbard pulled up a chair, "Now...physical exam aside...this is a critical part of my health maintenance for a crew I've never met."
He pulled the chair closer, "You have sixty seconds to tell me the highlights of Senior Officer activities in the last month. Omit nothing...spare no one. You have to trust me on this, it's like a litmus test for those I'll be working closest with. Should you not complete this, I have to enter that you haven't complied with medical requests." Hubbard was smiling so it wasn't a threat, but it was a damn fine tactic.
Hubbard sprang up, "While you do that, I'll get us both a cup of that Jumja tea I mentioned."
Zanh did not flinch. "When does my time begin?"
"On my mark," he said, moving to the replicator. "Ready, set, go."
"Salvek, First Officer, juggling the demands of family, work and conscience while I have been unwell. Blane, steady as a rock and twice as hard headed, but in a good way. Blakeslee, young, idealistic, just had his workload doubled and had to cancel his family vacation. Tryst, recently assaulted by a visiting dignitary but recovered with remarkable speed- now getting ready to take on the challenge of his life by adding a marriage to his responsibilities in this life.
"Rada Dengar has handled multiple promotions, crisis, and chaos with grace and skill. Vedek Jariel," She paused only slightly as she rattled off the words as quickly as her tongue could twist around them, "Has recently been through Hell due to our encounter with the aliens, but I believe he's going to be all right.
"Dabin Reece, Chief of Science is simply insane, but it works for him. He's married to my senior flight controller, February Grace and the two of them eloped this year despite the opposition of their culture that the two of them should not Reassociate. It seems to be a perfect match.
"Lair Kellyn is not technically on the senior staff but still merits mention. As wife of Salvek and our research engineer you will find she gets in everyone's way all the time and seems to be just fine with that. Dane Cristiane, our primary bridge communications officer, is a brat with a lot to learn who has been put into my care by the Admiral, and who will learn something before he leaves here if it kills us both. I think that's..."
"Times up."
"...everyone," Zanh concluded her sentence, folding her arms and grinning at Hubbard as if to say 'so there'.
"Nicely done Captain, with one exception. What about you? What do I need to know about you?" Hubbard sat down after giving the Captain her tea.
She sniffed at it, grimaced, and then set it aside. "How about I switch to decaf every now and then instead of this?"
Undeterred, Hubbard would not be sidetracked from his previous tack. He was no stranger to the strong Captain profiles, and thus her attempt to divert the conversation away from herself did not faze him in the least.
"Forget the tea. I'll extend your time another thirty seconds," with that Dr Hubbard took a sip from his own cup.
Zanh Liis stared at him, dumbfounded. She could literally talk all day about her crew, but when asked to describe herself, her ability to speak deserted her, utterly.
"Time starts...now."
She continued in silence, her lips parted, but formed no words.
"Ten seconds gone," Hubbard warned.
Her brow furrowed as she tried to conceive of a way to distill her recent experiences down into simple sentences.
"Twenty," Jack taunted. "Come on, Captain Zanh. You're not going to fail your test on the autobiographical questions, are you now?"
"Zanh Liis has gone through the looking glass," She blurted, speaking of herself as if of someone she knew; not of her own identity. She began twisting the chain of her earring fiercely. "And she is in the process of finding her way home."
Hubbard smiled, "Wasn't it Alice who said, "I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see' ?" Hubbard took another sip.
"Clean cup, move down." Zanh replied, showing off her knowledge of the story in question. "You'll find I'm mad as the Hatter, Doctor Hubbard. I'm sure that was what Dalton wanted to tell you before my arrival prevented him from doing so. Of course, the White Rabbit would concur."
"You know...you're not the first Captain I've had who refused to delve into their innermost issues. it usually sets up an adverse relationship, one we need to confront each time there's a critical issue at hand. It's really very tedious."
Dr Hubbard thought for a moment, "Classic Kirk Syndrome."
"I am no James Kirk." Zanh muttered. "Doctor, I regret to inform you of this but when a Commanding Officer purposely omits details of their life from discussions with their doctors and counselors, there is usually a reason and that reason is usually classified."
Zanh sighed, folding her arms as she did so. "I am not trying to be difficult. But I lead a very... complicated existence. You're going to find though that I try very hard not to inconvenience my people with it. I try to keep their worries limited to their duties, and not to anything going on in the head of their CO."
"Captain," Hubbard objected, pausing to drain the last of his tea from the cup. "It is my duty to care for the Commanding Officer. I can't do that if I don't have all the relevant information. And in my limited, although diverse, experience, captains generally think they're above this kind of detailed scrutiny. I know this based on experience and based on the fact that no one exemplifies Kirk Syndrome more than...me." He smiled.
"You want relevant information?" Zanh was growing tired and since he would not relent, figured that it was time to end the game. "All right. Fine. I'll give you relevant information. Provided that doctor/patient privilege in full effect and you do not put this in your report or my chart. What I am about to say starts and ends here. With you, and I."
"Of course Captain," Dr Hubbard conceded.
"I used to work as a Jumper for Temporal Investigations. They resequenced the bejesus out of my brain over the course of my tenure, but my engrams were always resistant. Apparently not so resistant as I thought, because they managed to block out entire alternate lives that I have lived." She drew a breath and released it slowly.
"In particular, an alternate life where I knew our friend O'Sullivan. When the aliens pried into his brain and mine, they thought it would be a great idea to reunite us through memories of those events. Unfortunately, they didn't realize that those events occurred in an alternate branch of space-time and were never supposed to have happened, let alone be remembered.
"So, dear doctor, I am currently all over the map. The Sylph nearly killed me outright with their telepathic parlor tricks, but since I'm still around, now I get to try to adjust to the fact that when it comes to knowing who I am, I don't have a goddamned clue."
Liis jumped up from the table. From her viewpoint, this meeting was adjourned. "I hope that's relevant and informative enough for you. As for me, I have to be going."
*It's always hardest for the command types* Hubbard thought to himself. "Captain, thank you for your candor. I know that must have been difficult. I know someone of your ability can realize what a profound effect your well-being can have on those you care most about...your crew. "
He set his cup down on a nearby table. "Again, thank you sir."
As she reached the door, she realized that there really wasn't enough going on aboard the Alchemy to keep Hubbard couped up on it, especially given they had the LMH at their disposal.
"Vol Tryst is getting married in a day or so," She volunteered. "With a few exceptions, most of the Senior Staff will be present at the affair. Vol has already told me the more the merrier, so if you'd like to join us, I am sure he and his family would be delighted. I would be happy to make the formal introductions in that informal setting."
"Thank you sir. I'll endeavor to be there. Work calendar allowing, of course."
"I'll have the relevant information forwarded to you as to time and location." She nodded to him. "Welcome aboard."
LT. Commander Jack Hubbard
Chief Medical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC 2012
and
-=/\=-Zanh Liis
Commanding Pain in the Ass
USS Serendipity/Alchemy