A meeting with t'Ring, Part1

[Webmaster 20]

Subject: A meeting with t'Ring, Part1

Date: Thu, May 1, 1997 8:54 AM

From: LtHerel

 

 

 

   After finding her temporary quarters at Spacefleet, Herel gratefully showers and dons a fresh uniform.  It is nice to be alone after the cramped trip on board the Marigold.  Not that she didn’t love her colleagues, of course.  And with each one she ran into, she was gratefully aware that they were still in the here and now with her.  But time alone has always been something Herel enjoys.

   She leans forward in her chair and stands:  It is time for her appointment with Doctor t’Ring.  t’Ring.  Herel smiles.  It will be good to see her again.  The old Vulcan woman was probably the closest thing Herel had to a parent.  t’Ring had been head of the team that had resuscitated her from cryogenic freeze seven years ago, and had immediately taken a special interest in her.  Even after her physical recovery, t’Ring worked with her for months, restoring her educational memory, and guiding her

relearning process for what had been lost by the extended time in stasis.  And long after that, t’Ring continued to be both a mentor and a friend.  Herel’s decision to enter Spacefleet Medical was probably due a great deal to t’Ring’s gentle guidance, as was her subsequent decision to specialize in neurology.

 

   She rings the chime to t’Ring’s office door and waits for it to open.  There in the doorway is her old friend.  The only visible sign of recognition on t’Ring’s face is the raising of one finely arched eyebrow.  

   "First Lieutenant Herel.  Punctual as always.  Come in."

   Grinning enough for both of them, Herel gives the reluctant Vulcan a big hug.  t’Ring has long since stopped protesting, and waits for the event to be over.  "Oh, hello, t’Ring!  You look great.  How are you?"

   "I look as any Vulcan over a hundred years old should look.  As for my condition, it is satisfactory.  You will be pleased to know that your upgrade design for the Bran Scanning Device is now standard on all new starships, and is being introduced to all existing medical departments as they come in for repairs or upgrades."

   "Oh, good.  That’s good.  t’, you read my memo, didn’t you?"

   "Yes, I did.  Please sit down.  I have prepared some tea."  She motions to two chairs in her office.  As Herel sits, she hands her a hot tea.  t’Ring sits facing her and for a moment doesn’t speak.  Herel knows enough to wait.

   "Teri, I want you to tell me exactly what happened.  I have reviewed the tricorder logs you brought in today, and set them against your records, but I need to hear your account of the event.  Please include all details."

   Herel sighs and sits back, "Yes, I know the drill, Doc, but I’m usually on the other side of the table.  Okay.  Well, there’s really not much I can tell you that you can’t get from the reports.  Most of what I know is from the tricorder readings, and from Doctor Stewart’s account.  But, here’s what I do remember:  We were fleeing from the Republic.  It was in the final stages of self destruct countdown, and we were loading all of the patients from sickbay into escape pods.  I was in one of the last

pods to go, along with Doctor Stewart, and a patient, Lieutenant Llewellyn.  The pod jettisoned from the ship, and…  we, Ann and I, got Llewellyn as comfortable and secure as we could.  And then…  I remember looking at the back wall of the pod…  That’s it.  That’s all I remember until I woke up in the infirmary of the Marigold hours later."