Professor, Doctor; Captain, Orion?

Posted on Thu Feb 19th, 2026 @ 8:18am by Captain Nigi Latar & Lieutenant Commander K'Shren

1,122 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Chapter One - Arrivals
Location: Orbital Ship Yard 2 - Observation Offices
Timeline: 240002.16, 07:00

Nigi looked out onto the ship below, she couldn't get enough of the view. She looked down at a Nova class with a fresh batch of paint where her old name used to be, indicating two things; she was used, and she was still fighting the good fight. In her usual curved lettering, the name was spelled out as USS Lenora with the registry, NCC-79015, matching the same curve below the ship's name. Nigi brought a cup to her lips and began to take a sip of the Bajoran sweet tea that filled the cup. It was part of her newly developed habit of trying a new tea every week until she was bored with it. Her personal replicator was filled with nearly a million different varieties, keeping it always interesting in her cup. She looked up to see the shadow of someone in her office door's window. It wasn't long after that she heard the chime of the door and responded in kind, "It's open."

K'Shren stepped into the office when she heard the voice of her new CO. Adjusting her uniform slightly, she saluted. "Captain, Lieutenant Commander K'Shren... I'm your new CMO..." She followed the captain's gaze to the viewport. "Beautiful ship... It'll be nice to be on something smaller for a change, and I am feeling... Caught... In Earth's gravity well, no?"

Her voice was soft, yet accent distinct, betraying her being a Klingon as clearly as her forehead ridges. Yet, there she stood, three-and-a-half rank pips at her collar. She studied the Orion woman before her. She'd read the captain's bio, of course, her service record, but what struck her was the woman's... Vibrancy, despite her hardships. There was a fire there, a synergy of purpose...

Nigi smiled and turned to K'Shren, "Glad to know someone feels the same as I do. Big ships are too...well, too heavy for what our task is." She raised her tea, pointing it toward the ship below. "Small like a scalpel to help cut out the necrotic tissue that is stunting the growth of a healthy Federation. But where are my manners? I am Captain Nigi Latar but I am sure you already knew that. Not many Orion women in Starfleet yet," she let out a touch of a softhearted chuckle. "Can I get you anything to drink? Oh and yes please do have a seat." She said, motioning to the couch near the observation window.

K'Shren sat, chuckling a bit herself. "Not many Orions, period... Nor Klingons... As for the offer of a drink, I regrettably will have to pass--I stopped by the extension for Rose's they put up here once I was off the shuttle. Best damned raktajino this side of the border, barring my own recipe." She grinned.

"As to the ship, I like the metaphor. It reminds me of my first posting, the Azetbur. Scalpel it is, and scalpel we are." She looked at the other woman frankly. "What do you think our chances are, realistically, Captain? Will we remove the fungus, or will it merely cloak itself in guile and deceit more than it already has?"

Nigi pursed her lips together. That was a good question, and one she had been asking herself as of late. "Hard to say. Nearly every empire has their own version of Section 31. Romulans have the Tal Shiar, Orions have their clans and dirty little secrets. No one is innocent by any means. I just believe we have to do something rather than nothing. Starfleet Intelligence feels the same way." She paused for a moment and then added, "Still, we will do what we can."

"Indeed..." The Klingon cocked an eyebrow. "I noted our engineer is an oddity in her own right... I've worked with her before--I don't think there will be any problems, and I'm working on a faster-acting version of that Grethor-blasted wite substitute... Unfortunately, I haven't had much of a chance to look over much else besides my own department--I was finishing up some last-minute marks before my cadets move on to someone else's domain."

"We have a very interesting layout of crew and feel that we will be getting even more diverse as time progresses. Part of the reason for the diversity is because of the unknowns we will be facing out there. I believe we will thrive where others might not have in the past." Nigi took a deep draw from her tea. "Our first mission is a standard tour from here to Rigel II. It will give us a chance to make any adjustments to what we need prior to the full mission profile."

"So, standard operating procedure for a shakedown cruise..." K'Shren paused a moment, then continued, "One question more, and unless you have anything else, I had best see to Sickbay... Tell me, Captain, what was this ship's name before you took command? I've noticed she has been repainted, and the name Lenora seems a little to apt to be coincidence."

"That section should be cleared in the next hour from the baryon sweep, then everything can be restocked. If I am not mistaken, her former name was the USS Normandy. She had been a very heavy science vessel with mostly navigational research done. The bridge quote is still being decided upon for the plaque. I haven't quite made up my mind on it so if you have any suggestions, please make them known." Nigi said with a nod.

K'Shren rose from her chair, nodding. "Of course, Captain... Do you have anything else for me?"

"Nothing at this time. Welcome aboard, and if you need anything, I am just a chime away. I will be here until they finish my office," Nigi said, standing from her own chair and smiling. "Humans usually shake hands at this juncture, but I am not sure that fits our kind of bill, as they say."

K'Shren let out a jovial laugh. "Ha, a warrior does not turn down the comradery of someone true of heart, no matter the profession." She moved forward and clasped the captain's forearm companionably. "If my memory does not fail me, that is acceptable to Orions, yes?"

Nigi grinned with a sense of satisfaction, returning the grasp. "It is. I will be in for my physical when time permits. Starfleet and their wonderful paperwork," she let out a chuckle.

K'Shren smiled slightly. "The Academy is worse." She saluted sharply, then turned to go. "Captain, I'm looking forward to this, and if you happen to see anything from the captain of the Hawk, give her my best."

"Absolutely. Dismissed," Kelly said, returning the salute before going back to watching the work being done and awaiting the next visitor.

 

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