—- Flight Control Office, USS Luna —-

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert looked at the Vulcan, not sure what was on her mind. That was, he had always thought, the issue with Vulcans they played their cards close to their chest. Not that Pr’Nor would accept that analogy, she would simply point out that games of chance were illogical and that Vulcans were merely more refined and elevated than the base emotional species. 

Given that there was no longer a Navigation Officer position in Starfleet, he was being shunted from one department to another as they tried to find where he fit into a twenty-fifth century starship like the USS Luna. His current status as a Stellar Cartographer was proving to be a disappointing career choice, and more theoretical than he had hoped for. This was, at least as far as Lambert understood more hands on and like a pilot. Lieutenant Pr’Nor however seemed to have her doubts about him still, though he was not sure if that just her Vulcan nature.

”I’ve never had a superior officer who was a Vulcan before,” he said trying to make conversation. 

“We are the second most populous species within Starfleet after humans,” she noted, “Your previous interactions are not indicative of a more diverse modern Starfleet.”

He nodded, “I see.”

”Your simulator scores are acceptable, but your test scores need improvement. For example here where it asks ‘What class of ship is 1,062 meters in length?’ you wrote, ‘Impossible. Trick question.’ The correct answer is Odyssey-class.“

Lambert whistled, “Wow, that’s big.”

”Indded. It also does not require a musical interlude,” Pr’Nor said then continued, “I am putting you in the duty roster and informing Commander Carrillo. However I will be testing you again and I will wish to see improvement in your scores.”

Lambert nodded, “Yes ma’am, thank you ma’am.”

”Report for bridge duty at 18:00 hours.”

—- Sickbay——

Lieutenant Pierre Lambert walked into sickbay for something to help him sleep. His duty shift had ended not too long before but his attempt to sleep had been short lived and fitful. The ship was quiet, warping at warp seven from one point to another, most of the crew was in their quarters save for the last shift of the night putting in the final few hours until the main crew awoke.

A blonde man with no rank pips nodded as he entered, “Please state the nature of your medical emergency.”

Lambert smiled, “Hello, I am looking for something to help me sleep.”

The doctor, or who Lambert assumed was a doctor, looked annoyed, “I was activated and all you have for me is you need a sedative? I’m a walking medical encyclopedia and this is what I’m given to do? I’m not a pharmacist.”

“Sorry doctor,“ Lambert felt he should apologize.

”Is it because I’m a hologram?” the doctor asked.

”You’re a hologram?” Lambert said, not quite understanding that. He’d been impressed with the Luna’s holodeck technology. It was clear how that would help crew who were feeling cramped and short of entertainment options while off-duty, but he had not understood that the technology extended to the entire ship. Unlike most in Starfleet he had not grown up knowing the tale of Voyager and the ship’s reliance on a medical hologram who had become a member of the crew. 

The hologram seemed visibly annoyed at the question, rolling his eyes, “I just said that, keep up. Unless you’ve suffered a head injury. I should scan for that.”

Lambert held up his hands as the hologram came at him with a medical tricorder, dissuading the robot or whatever you’d classify him as from doing a scan. He was not suffering from a concussion, he just was not fully aware of all the modern technology that was used by ships in Starfleet these days.

”So the previous doctor I saw was also a hologram?” Lambert asked, meaning Doctor Elordi the Acting Chief Medical Officer.

”No, we are just short staffed as our CMO traipses around with Romulans,” the hologram said, “So they utilize me to cover this shift. I’m really only meant for medical emergencies.”

”Well I just want a sedative, no brain scan or anything,” Lambert insisted.

There was a sense of ennui that had gone with being posted on a long term deep space assignment. Lambert had not experienced it as he’d been well within Federation space but clearly the Luna was meant to boldly go where no man (or woman) had gone before. He was light years away from where the USS Boston had gone missing, and centuries away from his old life. He felt he had done fairly well rolling with the punches, as it were, but every now and then it weighed on him. The heavy burden of being alive long past when you were meant to.

His room was large, much larger than the bunk rooms that he’d shared back on the Boston. He had his own bed, and wash closet, and even a small living room area. Taking the sedative he read a bit, studying up on the ship classes that Pr’Nor had lectured him on. There was a new Constitution-class, perhaps because clearly the Enterprise had won a lot of affection that they’d made it up to ‘F’. He then tucked himself into bed, knowing that they’d reach their destination in the morning while he slept.

—- Hours Later, Bridge, USS Luna —-

“Fire a probe, letting Starfleet know we’ve reached the quardenets Miss Jara,” Commander Olivia Carrillo said. The action was perhaps overly cautious but they’d lost contact with both a Starbase and a California-class ship which had required the USS Luna leaving behind its captain and some senior staff to investigate.

“Shields up,” Carrillo said as they dropped out of warp. The ship’s view screen showed the system, including both a floating husk of a California-class ship, the USS Del Rey Oaks, and a powerless Starbase. 

Lieutenant Jara at tactical scanned both, “The Del Rey Oaks has no atmosphere, several hull punctures. No like signs, the station has pockets of atmosphere, we’re getting life signs.”

Carrillo nodded and tapped a button on the arm rest of the captain’s chair, “Rebecca Avila assemble the Hazard Team, beam half onto the Del Rey Oaks and lead the other half onto the station. Bring engineering support to restore systems.”

Turning to the science office on the bridge the Commander said, “Launch another probe, scanning towards the border. If anyone approaches I want to know early.”

The science officer nodded and began to work. The Commander opened another internal channel, this time to sickbay, “Doctor Eldori please join the Hazard Team aboard the station, provide whatever medical assistance you can.”

The request like the one of Avila was met in the affirmative. After directing the ship to come along side the California-class vessel Carrillo sat back down in the captain’s chair and watched, listening as the crew carried out her orders.