#34 A Quick Meal & Chat

Posted on Tue Oct 22nd, 2024 @ 11:22pm by Lieutenant Sean Loewen & Lieutenant Lenore (Len) Holbrook

Mission: NAZGUL: {CD&MISSION} Reflections of Shadows
Location: USS NAZGUL
Timeline: Current

On:

Len was in her office, working on medical records. It had been a busy few hours and she finally had some time to work on the paperwork.

Once the Nazgul had retreated from the field for a come-about, everything seemed to slow down tremendously. Peel had come back in with a vengeance and took care of the Assul dreadnought. Of course, this caused Captain Green to put them in Yellow alert orbit around M-69, and as she began to have a back and forth with the station CO, Loewen had called up a relief and left his helm post. He had been there from the beginning of the battle and he needed a break from the tension. Reading wounded reports as he began to aimlessly walk the corridors, Sean noted that one of his friends in engineering had been wounded and sent to Sickbay. He made an immediate change in direction, went to deck 7, and entered Sickbay. Going over to his friend they began to chat as the nurse there continued to administer treatment to his arm, which had some minor plasma burns on it.

Len finished signing the reports that needed done and stood up. She walked out of her office to check on the patients that were still in Sickbay. As she was finishing her rounds she noticed Sean was talking to one of the patients.

Catching movement out of the corner of his eyes while speaking and chuckling with his friend, Loewen looked that way and spotted Len, looking as radiant as ever. Giving a final squeeze to his friend's shoulder, and a farewell, he stepped away from the biobed and went over to the Doctor. "Heya, Len. I see we didn't have any serious injuries, luckily."

Len smiled and nodded. 'Nothing too serious. Do you want to grab some chow in my office?"

"Sounds perfect," Sean said with a grin. He had to admit to himself, while at helm and busy, his body ignored his need for food and beverage due to his focus. But, now that she mentioned any kind of meal his belly began to yearn for sustenance. "After you."

She headed back to her office and motioned him toward the replicator. She went to her desk and organized the PADDs in a pile and pulled another chair over to her desk before heading to the replicator herself.

Going to the replicator, Loewen chose to go with a Yankee pot roast stew/broth, in a bowl he could hold while eating even as it kept the food at a reasonable enough heat to remain palatable. His beverage was mountain spring water in a pint glass. Giving her a nod as she stepped up, he went around her and went and sat down on the chair she had provided.

Len ordered chicken lo mein with chopsticks and a cup of water. She grabbed her food and sat down in her chair. She closed her eyes for a moment, praying silently over her food, before opening her eyes again. "Your food looks good."

Sean had already taken a few small dips from his spoon, taste testing. Replicated food was not horrible but sometimes it just needed a little help, like seasoning and such, to give it better flavor. However the beef stew/pot roast broth seemed to be pretty damn good. Loewen had noted her small prayer before eating, something he too did often. "It's not as bad as some of the replicated foods. Pretty tasty, actually. How is yours?" He sipped some water.

Len took a few bites of her food with the chopsticks. "It's not too bad. So how was it up on the Bridge?"

Dabbing his mouth after another spoonful of grub being chewed and swallowed, Loewen responded. "As one could expect. Controlled chaos. We all knew what to do and when, but the enemy doesn't always afford a comparable scenario. With us and the IKS 'Iwgargh, and then the Peel swinging back into action, the Assul dreadnought is no more."

Len took a few more bites and then nodded. "We don't normally know what is going on down here until we get injured personnel."

Giving a chuckle, and having ate all he could of the stew, not as hungry as he thought, Loewen responded. "That has to be somewhat surreal. Feeling the impact tremors from fire and all the alarms and activity, and then sitting and waiting for the aftermath of those events. You medical officers are a cut above when it comes to keeping your cool, Lucky." He decided to use his nickname for her since they were in a more private setting.

Len finished her meal and took a sip of her water. "Keeping cool is kinda in the job description for being a Doctor. I'm sure you have to be pretty calm to fly the ship into battle."

Sean gave a laugh from the belly. It was a short, sweet guffaw-style when caught off-guard by the reality of what was said. "I guess you're right. I mean, I am the guy steering us INTO battle. Never really looked at it that way, nor put much thought into it. I just do what's needed, or ordered." He gave another laugh. "You'd make a fine counselor, Lucky."

Len smiled, "Well, I do have some training in counseling. On my first ship I was the Doctor, counselor and the bartender when needed."

"Stands to reason," Sean said as he gathered his half-eaten bowl of food and his empty glass, carrying them over and depositing them into the refuse chute for the replicator tanks. "I mean, in medical school they teach you folks basic psychology to be able to provide bedside manner and to be able to speak to distraught families and patients. Counselor is a rather new concept to Starfleet, when back in your time, the counselor was the CMO, or ACMO." He came back and sat down.

Len nodded. "It was definitely a big culture shock when I got to Earth after arriving in this time."

Sean gave a thoughtful chuckle. "What I wouldn't do to meet some of the folks from back in that era. Scotty, Sulu, you name 'em. Many good names have forged Starfleet into what it is today, even if we are a bit more pacifistic than before. Kirk's swashbuckler style of command appeals to a guy like me. But, times change with the needs." Another quiet giggle came forth.

Len smiled, "I could tell you stories of their counterparts that I worked with, though they wouldn't be the same people."

Loewen looked at her. "That's right, you said you were from an alternate past, not the direct past for this timeline. Still, I'd like to think that since they aren't the Mirror counterparts, then perhaps they still held to their basic characteristics." He shook that off with another chuckle. "Sorry. It was something to talk about but not really important. Thanks for a the bite and chat, Len." He stood up and smoothed his unifrom shirt before leaning in and down to her seated position, giving her a quick, solid peck on the lips. "I better go see if I'm needed on the Bridge."

Len smiled. "I'll see you later." She said as he walked out. She gathered her tray and took it to the refuse chute. She sat back down and grabbed a PADD and started chartway again.

OFF

Lieutenant Lenore Holbrook
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Nazgul

Lieutenant Sean Loewen
Flight Control/Helm Chief
USS Nazgul