Subject: FRONTIER: More arrivals

SD 70621
 
FRONTIER 
Captain's Ready Room (or should that be cupboard ) 
 
[Captain, the Chief Engineer and Counselor have been beamed aboard.]  
reported Caroline. 
 
"Excellent. Have them report here as soon as they've settled in." 
 
[Aye sir.] 
 
He couldn't quite fathom out how she dealt with calling her husband  
'sir' and 'Captain'. But then some people could switch between being  
an officer and being a friend, even a spouse, with little difficulty.  
It was something he could never quite master, and he could see now  
why Starfleet had kept them split up - to avoid such confusions. So  
why now was she assigned as his First Officer? 
 
Questions with barely-formed answers. They would have to wait. 
 
<tweedle-beep> 
 
"Come." 
 
Sarah Elliot entered the Ready Room with something of an apprehensive  
look. 
 
Ramsay noted she still was wearing standard-issue Starfleet uniform.  
"Haven't you had time to change yet?" he asked. 
 
She looked at him curiously, then back at her uniform. "I never use  
the replicators for clothing... Captain." As Will watched, her  
uniform seemed to liquify, changing colour as he watched. After about  
thirty seconds, it was identical in all respects to the standard dark  
blue jumpsuits. Except... 
 
"I think you'll find that you'll be wearing four pips not six. I take  
it you're some sort of shapechanger then?" 
 
Two of the pips submerged themsleves into nothingness. "Yes, sir. It  
takes me a while to get the uniforms right." Her tone was reminiscent  
of Houston's, conveying an aura of strangeness. Outwardly a very good  
imitation of a human. "This whole affair seems to confuse me a great  
deal. But I'm confident that I'll be able to do my job to the  
letter." 
 
Ramsay had numerous questions to ask. "I'm afraid I don't have very  
much experience with your particular species. Would you care to tell  
me more?" 
 
"I cannot give you any more than I already know." A smile tugged at  
her lips. "But I believe that should be sufficient." 
 
For the next half hour Ramsay listened attentively to the engineer's  
account of her life so far. He learned that she was in fact female,  
although it was quite possible for her to take on masculine forms.  
She had been raised with humans and after a time had learned many of  
their behavioural traits as well as working on a particular human  
form she found herself to be comfortable with. Her natural form was a  
puddle of slushy goo, and she had to return to that state for a  
'sleep cycle' every 16 to 18 hours. 
 
"Well, that was very informative. Thank you, LtCmdr Elliot." 
 
She left and almost a minute later the chime rang again. 
 
<tweedle-beep> 
 
"Come." He looked up and saw a Klingon woman striding in. 
 
Will was not sure what to say. A Klingon counselor? 
 
"Captain." she said formally. "I have been assigned as ship's  
counselor. Also you will note my additional role of Tactical  
Advisor." 
 
Ramsay checked the files and yes, she was absolutely correct. Not  
only that, she was highly recommended as Counselor. Granted her  
approach would be perhaps a little different, but he could see the  
logic. He noted that although she had changed into a standard  
jumpsuit, it was adorned with itmes of clearly Kilgon origin. Now  
there wasn't really a problem with this, since guidelines  
specifically allowed Klingons to wear such items as long as it didn't  
interfere with their work. 
 
He began tenatively. "Counselor K'Ich Pa, I'd be interested to know what
kind of technique you use in treating people's problems. However, since  
it's not an official concern, an informal report would be a nice  
proposition. As long as you help them, I don't see what difference it  
makes. You might also be interested to know we have a Betazoid doctor  
on board, who may be of some assistance to you." He paused, looked at  
her expression, then added, "I apologise. I'm just not used to this  
at all. Any questions before you go on duty?" 
 
"None, Captain." she said smoothly. "I'm sure you'll find my report  
rather... interesting." 
 
"Thank you. Dismissed." replied Will, his mind still reeling a  
little. Now, if someone would just send them a flight control  
officer, things could be underway in no time. 
 
Respectfully submitted, 
 
[Captain] William Ramsay, CO FRONTIER 
 
Sam M. Edwards