Chat with the Doc

Posted on Wed Mar 25th, 2026 @ 8:39am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Sthilg

Mission: Interlude
Location: Sthilg family quarters.
890 words - 1.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Stilg let out a sigh as he leaned back in his chair. He was tired. The tiredness you could feel in your bones, yet his body wasn't letting him sleep. The effort of far to many hours working in sickbay.

Not that even if he could sleep, he would. Not with the small newborns sleeping in the basket at his feet. His white eyes didn't look away from his newborn son and daughter. The family he never thought he'd have.

From the doorway came the wafting smell of his favourite hot beverage. It was being held out by the ships commanding officer. "Hey doc" Phoenix said as she entered the office.

Sthilg smiled. " Come to check on your new crewmen captain." he jokily said as he took the coffee and took a long draft.

She nodded. "Congratulations" She stepped up and looked down at the basinet. "very cute. Take after their mother" she shot him a grin. "How are things here?"

" There doing well. " He replied proudly, the smile staying on his face as he looked over his children. " Better than well."

"Thats good." Phoenix replied. "I know things have been very busy in Medical. Do you have the supplies you need?" the operations officer in her never seemed to die.

"Medical replicatorsss are working around the clock to make sssure we have a decent stockpile. What happens if any of them breaksss is another question. " He sighed.

" My team need a break Phonix. There tired. There are only so many emergenciesss they can take before they all sssuffer from burnout."

Phoenix nodded. She understood. "When the wounded are clear, put your team on skeleton for a week. Give and take days off. I will allocate two days of holodeck use for all medical staff."

" Thank you captain i'm sssure they will appreciate it. " Sthilg replied looking down at his children as one ofthe them cooed slightly though both remained firmly asleep. " A dad again at two hundred and ssseventeen." He said quietly

"You're been a dad a lot longer. To many of us here." Phoenix said with a smile. "But its lovely to see you happy and they are very cute."

" Thank you Phoniex." The old lizard said softly " What about you how are you holding up."

"Am going ok. Tired but thats going around." Phoenix smiled. "That and having two toddlers is making life pretty hectic. I am just glad we got through the past few days."

" We're going to make it home captain." Sthilg replied with a ressuring smile.

"I hope so. But there are days I need to be realistic. The odds are against that." Phoenix said softly.

The gorn chukled slightly. Part of him was tempted to pull the cylinder with the photo from the future around his neck, but the fewer people who knew about that, the better. " We're going to make it home captain." He said in his reassuring grandfather voice. " After all we have Commodore Phoniex leading usss."

Phoenix gave a small smile at that. "I just hope your confidence is not misplaced." She perched on a chair and took a breath. "Things are going to get messy."

" Have they never not been messsssy?" Sthilg added with a slight grin on his face.

Phoenix nodded slowly. "You know that world we found. The one with the beaches and clear water? I came very close to choosing to stay there. Have the crew put down roots there. Build a colony."

" We'd have never sssettled Phoenix. Home callsss us all home." the lizard replied softly.

"I know." She said honestly. "But it was tempting. So tempting." Phoenix looked at him. "We could end up being a generational ship."

" I hope not. Knowing my luck i'd ssstill be chief MD when we got home." Sthilg replied with a slight chukle.

"Well think of the tales you would be able to tell" Phoenix said with a smile. "Tales of Arrianna blowing herself up, of Gary and Lia's fighting and me throwing security officers in the brig. Great story telling"

" I'd prefer telling them the tale of how our brave captain got the ssship home. Which we will. Trussst your doctor." came the lizards reply.

Phoenix had to smile more then. "Oh believe me I trust you. After everything we have been through as a crew, You are one of the most trusted crew I have."

" You'll have my ssscaple Phoniex. Alwaysss." The old lizard replied as honestly as he could.

She smiled a bit more. He had been the first person other than the then captain who had known about her disguise during the mission where she had found Tristi. He was, probably more trusted than Gary at times. "You know having a Gorn as a Chief Medical Officer is something I gloat about? People have their... opinions but we know they are wrong and I have never been more glad that your file came across my desk My friend."

" I'm glad you did." Sthilg replied before stoping and looking down at his daughter, who had started softly cooing slightly. " Asss isss thisss little girl i bet." he added, reaching down and softly stroking his daughter's cheek.

With a warm smile Phoenix touched his shoulder. "I will leave you to spend this time with them. Good Luck" She kissed his cheek and headed for the door.