Hera Arrival Pt 1

Posted on Sun Dec 22nd, 2019 @ 2:30am by Lieutenant JG Tovanna Mah

Mission: Neutral Zone Neutrality
Location: Longrange Shuttle Perseus
Tags: CMO, Starbase 241, USS Gorkon, Tovanna

The orders Tovanna waited on for over 60 years, finally arrived. She was finally on her way to her first long commission off world. There had been various symposiums and conferences over the last few decades but her agreement with her parents kept her bound to Starfleet Command for 67 years. She was ready for her career to truly begin, without the restraints of her family duty weighing her down. Her ship was called the USS Hera, she was to report as the Chief Medical Officer.

It was hard to say goodbye to her family but with the arrival of her brother they were focused on his future. She was happy Cyprianos was doing so well, her brother was a delight to the entire family. She was hoping her parents might not wait so long to have another child this time. Rian needed a sibling that was able to spend more time with him. She always felt guilty about her inability to spend more time with him, but knew he was proud of her.

Her fellow officers were a different matter. While she felt a comradery with them, she aged differently than many humans and already had lost many of her closest friends to retirement or reassignment. Her time at Starfleet had become extremely routine, she longed for exploration and something more than forms. When her transfer came through she gathered her belongings, packed away any extras she would be leaving behind and was ready to go in short order.

It took some sweet talking but she managed to get permission to take a shuttle to her ship alone. There were advantages to being older than many of her peers, shuttle privileges were apparently one of them. She couldn’t help but feel a quickening of her heart as the long-range shuttle left the hanger; it was if she knew in that moment her life was going to change forever. Space was spread before her, the course was set in and she was heading toward the nebula that surrounded Gildebron to intercept the Hera.
Her first stop was going to be the USS Gorkon as she joined them on her journey to Starbase 241. She saw the glow of the stars around her and the busy traffic of Starfleet around the shuttle she would be piloting after leaving the Starbase. In the meantime, she was going to use up some of her unused leave and relax during the voyage and revisit a few old friends from Starfleet. She landed in the shuttle hanger eager to see be on her first leave in over two decades.

When she stepped onto the Gorkon she was greeted by her old friend her Starfleet days, Nurse Katherine Cambridge. She had aged a great deal after 30 years compared to Tovanna, but was no less lovely in her own way. Kat’s once brunette tresses were now more silvered than Tovanna remembered.

Kat shook her head looking a Tovanna as she watched her friend disembark, “How the hell do keep looking so good?”
“I only look human remember? That’s why you have been out here having the time of your life and I’ve been stuck back at the Academy. I’m a mere teen in my people’s eyes.” teased Tovanna with her dry wit.

“Well that explains why you’re such a smartass. Get off the damn shuttle you whippersnapper, If you don’t behave I’ll see to it you are banned from all the synthehol in the replicators kid.” Kat smirked with crossed arms.

Tovanna smiled as she came out of the shuttle with her bag, “Okay mom.”

Kat’s eyes shot open, “Too far you little shit, you’re older than me!”

Tovanna sashayed past the indignant nurse, “True but I look so much better…..MOM.”

Kat came up behind Tovanna shaking her head laughing, “Still the same sassy doctor I know and love.”

“Only because it’s an established banter with you and I. Anyone else and you realize I would never be so bold.” Tovanna blushed.
Katherine bumped her hip, “You need to break out of your shell a bit and it’s good to see you have some fight in you. You’ll need it out here Tova.” She looked at her quiet friend with a gentle smile. In all the years she knew her, Tova was always quiet and at times distant from others. Kat worried for her on a ship with a crew that would dictate the experience of Tova’s assignment. “Let’s get you some guest quarters and food.”

“Sounds good, thank you for being a pain.” smiled Tova, “So what’s on the menu?”

Kat smirked at Tova with a gleam as they made their way to her room, “Well it can be what or who, which would prefer?”
“KATHERINE!” Squeaked Tovanna while blushing deeply.

Katherine roared laughing, “That’s the bookmouse I know. You have me for tonight but I return to duty in the morning. You have two days all alone before we get to the Starbase, after you are on your own until the Hera.” The girls finished their way to Tova’s quarters. “Private dinner or 10 Forward?”

“10 Forward sounds good. It will be good to look out into the stars while we eat. “ Tova requested while looking out her window with appreciation. They both appreciated a good meal and remembering past times. Too soon Tova had to say goodnight to Kat, leaving Tova to think over what the future held. She thought over the lives lost during the Raid on San Francisco, the sense of responsibility she felt for the wounded she cared for and how she was now taking on the mental and physical well-being of an entire crew she would come to know and consider her own charges.

She took the next two days loading every medical book and study piece she thought she might want to read. She also did a final review of all of the personnel files for the crew, checking over the details of their medical and dietary requirements logged by the prior doctor. Her consumption of all of the data meant her leave with Kat was over before Tova realized what happened. Her alarm went off letting her know that she had to get to bed so she would be ready to depart for Starbase 241 in 8 hours. Tova was shocked she missed so much time in what felt was mere moments.

She packed up, sent her final note to Kat and was ready to launch her shuttle in the morning. When she awoke she was ready to go. She knew the last leg of her journey would be much slower than the Gorkon had been. It was time for her to meet the Hera and her crew.