Post 239: Have We Met?

Stardate: 70620.2000
Title: Have We Met?
Author: Dr. Ashlyn Trind
Scene: Base camp on Bajor: Meeting Commander Salvek before coming aboard USS Independence
Time: Concurrent with "Daybreak"

As she walked over to the familiar face, she wondered if he would recognize her after so many light years and the circumstances that had separated her from him and his wife, two of her very best friends. She walked over and tapped him on the shoulder. As he turned around she was so surprised to see a blood-shot eyed, stress laden, clearly aged face on the Vulcan.

He looked at her rather oddly, as if she were definitely a stranger to him. Ashlyn knew she was dealing with a man who had been carrying the weight of the universe on his shoulders.

"Hello, I am Dr. Trind. I have special orders from Starfleet Command to come aboard the USS Independence to assist your crew, Commander." Ashlyn held out her hand in a gesture of friendship, knowing that Salvek indeed did not recognize her.

"Orders, doctor?" Salvek asked wearily, and she handed him a padd with her profile. He read to himself silently.

*Name: Trind, Ashlyn. Position: Medical Officer. Degrees: MD, PhD. . .Expert in Post Traumatic Stress Disorders.*

He turned the padd off and addressed her again. "Just how are you to be of assistance to us doctor? I have no orders from my Captain, no knowledge of anyone coming aboard or ordered by Starfleet to render assistance. It seems that the assistance is needed right here, on Bajor."

Commander Salvek was out of sorts, not his usual self by any means. He was beyond exhaustion from the search and rescue missions but there was more to it than that. He must have been truly troubled by what he'd seen in order to not recognize the woman who had stood up in his wedding as Kellyn's maid of honor.

He excused himself a moment and hit his combadge. After discussing some other matters with his Captain, Ashlyn overheard him ask about her and the orders she had from Starfleet. It seemed that in all the commotion, understandably, the Captain didn't mention her coming aboard.

Salvek turned back to Ashlyn and said, "It seems we had a bit of an oversight. Your assistance is indeed needed aboard the Independence, as my Captain has just informed me."

"Thank you, Commander."

"Stand by, we are preparing to start beaming the teams back to the ship momentarily."

At that moment a very friendly dog ran up to Ashlyn, "Hello!" Ashlyn said excitedly. "And who are you?" She noticed that the animal was limping a little and knelt beside him. "You have a boo boo on your paw? We will have to fix that right away won't we! That's a priority isn't it! What's his name?"

At that Salvek thought to himself, *Is this a veterinarian or a real doctor?*

"His tags indicated that his name is Sunshine. How are you certain that the animal is male? You have hardly been close enough to determine the dog's gender."

Ashlyn just shook her head, thinking that Salvek should know her by now. She hoped that after he got some much needed food and rest he would remember.

"They talk to me, he told me he was a boy, that's all. You know, he will be excellent therapy for the crew after everything they have gone through. It's proven scientific data. I have it all here in one of my PADD's." Ashlyn was pawing around in one of her bags over her shoulder looking for a particular PADD apparently.

"I'll take your word for it, doctor. Would you just follow me? We will get you all checked in with security, Biggs!" Salvek raised his voice just slightly. Biggs was not very far from the rest of the crew.

"I'm here Commander."

"Please escort Dr. Trind aboard the Independence, she will be staying with us for a while." Salvek seemed relieved to get on with getting the others aboard the ship.

"Well, Biggs is it? Seems like it's you and me and a dog named Sunshine, whose cutie is this anyway?" Ashlyn asked Lt Biggs.

"Lt. Blane rescued him from the water on one of the search and rescue missions. Unfortunately his previous owner didn't make it. He is friendly, isn't he? I think he's a he anyway. We've been calling him Sunshine." Biggs said.

"Oh he's a he all right and he told me that he likes you!" Ashlyn looked over at Biggs with a smile. Biggs looked at her, and after so many deep and dark days, just burst out laughing.

It felt good, he hadn't laughed in a long time.

"You know dogs always know when you need a good laugh or a hug. They're great aren't they?" Ashlyn said to him.

"Yeah, let's sneak him aboard." Biggs said. "I think TC wants to keep him but I don't know what the Captain would say."

"Sneak nothing, this is my new therapy dog. Well not really mine, if he's taken a shine to Lt. Blane I'm sure they'll be great roommates. But if all else fails, we can get him aboard that way!" With that Ashlyn smiled and gave Biggs a wink.

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Dr. Ashlyn Trind
Medical Officer/Therapist
On Special Assignment from Starfleet
USS Independence