Yes, But........ Part 1/2

Posted on 29 Jan 2026 @ 11:45am by Commander Krea Rh'Vareth & Lieutenant Commander Raviran Dattek-Winters
Edited on on 29 Jan 2026 @ 12:21pm

1,372 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Shakedown
Location: Sickbay, U.S.S. Cynus
Timeline: Concurrent

Ravi had spent literally hours studying the plans and restructure proposals that the Romulan 'Mission Advisor' had put forward. It was hard to shake off the overall impression she'd first had which had been a horrified and very loud "NO".

She had realised that she needed to take the time to get down to the details to see if that was really a fair assumption. She had picked it all apart, 'bone by bone' as it were.

The whole thing needed some discussion so she invited Commander Rh'areth to Sickbay to run through the ideas and questions she was coming up with. Unsure as to whether it was more appropriate to discuss this further with Senior Officers for a more 'local' response, rather than a somewhat clinical overview from incoming fresh eyes but she had tried that and was frankly more confused than ever by the result of her attempt to get back-up as she saw it at first.

It had been a cooling and 'breathe' feeling that Ravi had come away with and she had kicked herself for her own reactive immediate reflex.

Now it was time to face the practicalities without her initial emotional reaction.

Rh'Vareth had received the very polite invitation to Sickbay from the CMO and had curiously allowed herself to be 'summoned' in this way, mellowed by the politeness of the request.

As she entered, she headed straight for the Ravi's office and closed the door firmly behind her as she entered. "What's this about Dr Winters?" she went straight to the point, not allowing any attempt from the CMO to get the first word in. It was a tactical advantage to take the starting point as if it were your own idea to have a discussion.

"Commander, thank you for coming down to see me, I know you're very busy" Ravi hoped to head off any posturing contest and avoid confrontation, from the off. "I just wanted to run through your review and ask some operating queries if that's okay? I have looked through the plans very carefully and I have a couple of little matters that I'm confused about". It was a very conciliatory start, but Ravi knew the Romulan had the rank advantage and had flattened both herself and the XO in the Senior Staff Meeting.

Clearly this woman was powerful and dangerous so straight up confrontation was ill-advised. It had been quite a shock to Ravi to witness the Romulan Commander's disrespectful dismissal of Bast and not to see the CO deal with it instantly as she had expected him to. It had confused her and now she was treading on eggshells as a result of not knowing what sinkholes she might also step into in her turn.

"Would you care to sit down, Ma'am?" Ravi asked. "May I offer you something to drink?"

So far, Rh'Vareth could offer no complaint even though she was aware that this level or careful politeness and correctness to the letter wasn't a natural or relaxed manner of having a chat or raising some clarity to eliminate confusion but she would take it for now. "Yes, I think I'll have Sparkling Mineral Water." she responded and when Ravi rose to collect this for her 'guest', the Commander sat herself into Ravi's chair at her desk.

Ravi returned with the water and a Terran Tea for herself and pulled over a chair to the side of the desk so she could demonstrate the details of the Rostas she had been sent. She put down the drinks and sat on the chair she had brought over. "May I turn this. Ma'am?" she asked, but risked already pulling gently at the screen to turn it to an angle they could both view across the corner of Ravi's desk.

"I take it you have a question?" Rh'Vareth" stated bluntly and folded her arms. This body language and approach gave Ravi clear messages. She took it to mean that no matter how nice and conciliatory she was being, the Romulan was staking out her lines for battle.

Ravi was careful to stifle the sigh she felt and smile. She was a doctor and people who mattered and knew what they were talking about had confirmed and qualified this so she had no doubts. She knew her staff and her duty to them as well as to the patients who benefitted from the smooth running and effectiveness of this Sickbay and Medical Department. She could be a bit of a push over, she had to admit, but she prided her leadership in how it made everyone as happy as possible which in turn made them more likely to 'go the extra mile' if it was asked of them during emergencies.

"I could begin with individual queries about each point that I need practical details on or I could..... and would prefer to, frankly... start with an overall explanation of WHY we do things the way we do and how this improvement plan would topple that balance.... if I may?" She sat back from the Monitor and drew her spine straight.

"Are you sure you won't have a little snack with your mineral water?" she added in a quick deflection as the Commander began to pull her own self up to full height as well.

"That will not be necessary" Rh'Vareth declined crisply. It wasn't a snap exactly but it whiplashed around like one.

"As you wish, Ma'am" Ravi responded with a smile.

The next move should in theory have been for Ravi to ask permission to continue but that would have been too tempting an invitation for the Romulan to say no and dismiss all of Ravi's arguments with one sweep. Instead Ravi shortcut around that, arguing silently to herself (and saving the argument for later if she might need it) that the Mission Advisor had already asked her - the CMO - if she had a question. She did, so she went for it.

Ravi didn't do a 'charge of the Light Brigade' from Terran History, ie head on into an undefeatable barrage of gunfire, but slowly and quietly reasonable in her explanation (or so she had hoped).

"Your very efficient plan to streamline the rotas for Sickbay is very impressive, Ma'am. In that....." (she went straight on without allowing pause for cut off or distraction). "it manages to make it possible for the staff we have to function in three-quarters of the time they currently do - which therefore leaves - as you know - a need for fewer staff to cover the duties involved."

"I'm the one who put it together, doctor" the Romulan Commander wasn't going to be put aside and lectured as she saw it, she was keeping her defensive position strong and active to make sure the CMO didn't start to think she had even the slightest chance of wasting both of their time with too long a spiel about why she thought ill of the excellent plan, so Rh'Vareth stamped her authority into place by insisting on interrupting with what she saw as 'grounding' comments.

The Mission Advisor felt that by doing this she was keeping the more junior officer to a timely exit, leaving things as they already had been decided by her senior officer and "this little rebellion" quashed without too much delay to the gym sesion that the Romulan had booked for half an hour's time, unbeknown to Ravi of course!.

However it was clear to the CMO that, even without this information, there as an atmosphere of a set amount of tolerance of her questions and that it was a short period at best. She went on steadfastly.

"Yes Ma'am, and I want to explain to you that I DO understand how this might seem like a better use of 'time and motion' in other departments, but....

"I HOPE you're not going to suggest that I don't have the appropriate qualifications, Lieutenant Commander." the Romulan growled, moving as if to stand up.



TBC...... (Medic??) ;-)



A JP by

Commander Krea Rh'Varek
Mission Advisor - USS Cygnus

and

Lt. Cmdr. Raviran Dattek-Winters MD
CMO - USS Cygnus

 

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