Career Considerations

Posted on 17 Nov 2012 @ 11:32pm by Commander Andreus Kohl & Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin

1,379 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 2, Senior Officer's Quarters
Timeline: MD 04 - 1640 hours

[ON]

Meandering through the passageways on deck two, Andreus Kohl took his steps slowly enough to inspect the name-plates on each door. He was still clad in his uniform from his last shift in Sickbay. For now, he was searching for something on deck two. Something and someone. He held a PADD in his left hand and he idly drummed it against the palm of his right hand.

"Ah," Kohl said, when he spotted the name-plate he was looking for. Kohl closed the difference between himself and the designated doorway. He raised a hand just high enough to touch the door chime on the bulkhead.

"Enter," Dea called out when she heard the door chime. Since she wasn't expecting any visitors it came as a bit of a surprise to hear someone at the door.
Glancing up from the computer to find out who her visitor happened to be.

With his right hand clasping his left wrist behind his back, Andreus Kohl stepped in through the opening doorway. He entered Dea's quarters, but remained close to the doorway. "Good afternoon, Lieutenant Mialin," Kohl said, and he offered a nod of greeting. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything. If now isn't a good time..."

Dea nodded her head in greeting. "You're not bothering me at all. I was just deciding how I want to spend my shore leave." Gesturing to one of the empty chairs, "Have a seat. What can I do for you?"

Kohl offered a kind smile and a nod to thank Dea for her hospitality. As he continued into her quarters, he lowered himself into the chair. "After what we've been through... With the Klingons I mean, I don't-- I'm not sure I'm in fighting shape anymore," Kohl said. "I haven't found a gym on Galileo and so I'd like to get some sparring time on the holodeck. I'll find a holodeck in Vega Colony if I have to... I discovered you have a wide range of sparring programs in the database, and I'm here to ask, if you don't mind, if I can use one of them.

"I know what you mean. Finding ways to work out is always a challenge," she paused then continued. "You're more than welcome to make use of those programs. And I'm always happy to have a sparring partner."

"That would be even better," Kohl said in excited response to Dea's offer of a sparring partner. He leaned forward in his chair, and he said, "I'm usually motivated by having someone applying just as much effort as me, if not more. Which of your programs is your favourite?"

Considering his question for a moment, "They all vary. Some are designed for an indoor setting. While other take more unusual approach with an out door one. Each has a variety of levels to choose from."

"Oh, I could go for an outdoors setting," Kohl remarked. "Normally, I love life on starships, but I'm starting to feel claustrophobic in here after days in that nebula."

"So am I," Dea admitted, "What kind of out door setting I have some more tropical just for a change of scenery and some more practical or overall training purposes so there's not a lot to be said for the setting."

"Let's make it tropical," Kohl said with a laugh. "Vega should be fun and exciting, but I don't know how beautiful it's going to be. What kind of opponents do you like to face?"

Dea smiled, "Honestly it depends on my mood. Each of my programs can easily be adapted to use a wide variety of opponents. Sometimes I never know for sure until I'm about to spar or I decide to change part way through."

"Tell me something," Kohl asked. He leaned forward in his chair ever so slightly. "How does the department head of Flight Control have such a marvelous collection of sparring programs?"

Considering his question for a moment Dea replied, "Flight Control has not always been my specialty. Sure I'm a capable pilot I've done roles more combat oriented as part of my previous assignments. Whether it was as a combat pilot or Strat Ops its safe to say being able to defend myself goes beyond that. Martial arts is one thing I enjoy on duty or off."

"Oh, I see," Kohl said, and he nodded to convey his understanding. He supposed being a Nurse Practitioner hunting for a better sparring program might be unexpected too. "When did you start learning self defense and martial arts?"

Responding to his question, "I was probably ten when my father thought it would be a good idea for to start training. At first it was just a class twice a week, then I moved onto training more when it became clear that I'd follow my parents footsteps and serve the Federation myself."

"My father," Kohl said, and he only hesitated for a few seconds, "was a diplomat for the Federation. My mother was in planetary operations." He grinned when he found something in common with Mialin, even if that commonality was superficial and probably a stretch. He asked, "What did your parents do?"

"My father was in Security later moved into Intelligence and my mother was a pilot," Dea commented with a smile. "At least that's the easiest way to describe their main duties. As usual the exact nature of their assignments has changed over the years."

"Oh, I know that well enough from my own career-so-far," Kohl replied with a bit of a dry chuckle. "Are you satisfied with your position in Flight Control? Or do you imagine there may be another change arising?"

"I'm happy on the Galileo and I enjoy what I do but I like to keep myself open to new opportunities and keep my skills updated by cross training." At the moment that was the best answer Dea could give Kohl.

"I agree with that entirely," Kohl said and he nodded twice. Tilting his head to one side, he said, "I suppose that's why I'm motivated to refresh my self-defense training."

WIth a nod Dea commented, "Yeah that makes sense. Even as a Flight Control Officer I've had a need to use that training. So what made you choose medicine as a field?"

"I failed at Diplomacy," Kohl answered. There was humour in his tone, and the admission of defeat came surprisingly easily. Perhaps because he didn't know Dea yet, didn't fear her judgement. "Going into Medical was enough of a change I got to run back to the Academy before I had to start anew at another posting." --Kohl shrugged helplessly-- "Turns out I have a knack for it, though."

Dea nodded with a smile, "Sometimes that's the easiest way. I've spent a good portion of my career trying to create my own way. Diplomacy has never been one of my strong areas either."

"I like how I get to make a difference for people. Make peoples lives just that little bit better," Kohl said. He held out his thumb and index finger just a few centimetres apart to make his point. "I'm not a surgeon. Saving lives doesn't interest me. Recover and rehabilitation are what bring me back every day."

Smiling at his reply, "Now that one is nice to hear for a change. Its not often you hear a medical officer say that. Its safe to say have respect for both types in my experience."

"Oh, you're right, I respect the surgeon-types too. There'd be no career advancement for me without the life savers around to do their thing," Kohl said, rather flippantly for such a relatively serious topic. "It's the patient care that fulfills me. Probably why I don't want to be a doctor. Too many distractions from patient care."

"Well I do my best to stay out of sickbay. However even in my line of work that's not always possible," Dea couldn't hide the slight smile that formed. "Safe to say our recent landing is proof of that."

"Hey, we all made it," Kohl said, a little bit reverently, a little bit wistfully. "Thank you for that."


[OFF]

Lieutenant JG Dea Mialin
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant JG Andreus Kohl
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

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