Mess Hall

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

The Crew Dining Area

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

She led the way in, picking up a tray at the head of the line and looking over the choices on the daily menu.

She choose a bowl of vegetable soup, some casserole that looked to be a type of lasagna and some bread.

"I can't tell what some of these dishes are, but they all smell delicious."

She picked up a pot of tea and poured herself a cup. "Would you like some? If I'm not mistaken, it's jasmine."

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

::he smiled back to Kiele making his selections then a grin when she mentioned Jasmine tea:: does the earth rotate? Of course I would like some jasmine tea

::he grabbed a hamburger and fries. Yes, despite how unhealthy it was he honestly didn't care. 1) it tastes good and 2) he doesn't have it all the time::




To be continued....

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

She poured him the tea and handed him the cup, then led the way to a quiet table off to one side.

"Last time we talked you said you wanted to get to know more about me. Suppose we continue that conversation, and if you don't mind, you can tell me something about yourself as well."

She added a little honey to the tea and took a sip.

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

::he joined her at the table and before speaking he'd take a sip from his tea:: That would be nice, though I'm afraid theres not much to me. Obviously, I'm brunali as are my parents. I was born on Earth both of my parents are physicians; my dad was a medical professor at starfleet medical academy - he's on deep space 9 right now... My mom however is a civilian surgeon and chief of medicine.

::it just dawned on him on how involved in medicine his family really is:: What about you, what do your parents do?

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

"My parents were vulcanologists. Both were killed in the field when I was a child. I was raised by my Grandmother in Kauai, one of the Hawaiian islands on Earth. She was a very spiritual woman and it was because of her influence that I chose to study psychology."

She took the bread and dipped it in her soup, tasted it and smiled her approval.

"What about you? How did your parents come to live on Earth and what inspired you to study medicine?"

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

He thought for a momant trying to remember and figure out why his family moved to Earth, his mom and dad always talked about how life was great in space... No real rhyme or reason on why they located to Earth "Come to think of it, I have no idea why they did. I never really asked either. As for myself going in to medicine... I guess you could say my parents hardwired it into me. Basically, everyday at dinner time they talked about how amazing their jobs where, to be right there saving someones life and knowing at the end of the day that-you, did that"

He started to eat a few of his fries but wouldn't speak again until he washed everything down "Thats when I knew I wanted to be a doctor as well. I've always wanted to help save lives and what better why to do that then during that hour that someone needs you the most?"

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

"Saving lives is a wonderful thing but so is improving the quality of someone's life. There is great joy in giving others a new lease on life by providing them with the medicines or tools they need to make their lives better."

"Somehow you always manage to make me slip back into Counselor mode." She laughed and pointed the multi-purpose utensile she was using, a cross between a fork and a sp00n, at him in emphasis. "Though my job hasn't changed that much really. It's still my responsibility to see to the well-being of the crew, but now it's done less directly and more administratively."

She sipped her tea thoughtfully "Do you suppose it might have been because of the Borg that your parents chose to leave? It may have been difficult for them, if it became necessary to use a lower level of technology, to practice as they wished to."

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

He nods listening to her carefully. He then actually finds himself impressed that Kiele is familier with the encounters of the Borg and the Brunali "yes, I suppose that could have played a role in it, though you yourself was formerally a councellor so we both know that people have a tendancy to follow those before them. And thus could conclude that they would just process that as their way of life, is that not also a possibility." He said somewhat challenging her, though he should probably stay away from psychology, he's handy with a knife but maybe not so handy with the mind. Though she did strike the nail on the head as per why his parents left, he was also curious in what she thought.

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

"Your culture or your upbringing can certainly provide you with a foundation for your interests, but true passion can't be manufactured. To fight for what you love, to risk your life to hold onto what is dear to you is not simply a function of adherence to an accustomed way of life."

"You followed your parents, not because you believed it was expected of you but because you felt passionately about it." She smiled. "And I think that was something you inherited from them. No one could mistake what you do here as being done for the sake of duty alone. The downside of it is that you can become too closely defined by your love and neglect other areas of you life that can bring you joy. Personal relationships for example. They can be difficult to cultivate when you rarely find your way out of Sickbay."

She sipped the tea with a mischievous grin and watched his reaction as she tossed his challenge back to him.

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

"perhaps then maybe my love for my career is the only one that can define me, is that also not a possibility? Besides, my job is to provide medical care to the crew of the USS Ayres; how would I be doing my job if I wasn't there to do it? He paused for a momant "if that where the case then starfleet would be paying me to 'cultivate personal relationships' when they're supposed to be paying me to provide medical aid. Besides, I find being detached to be the best way to provide the best care and my judgement to not be clouded by personal thoughts, emotions or feelings"

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

She poured herself a fresh cup of hot tea from a carafe on the table.

" I wasn't speaking of those things that we are paid to do or obligated to do either by law or morality and I wasn't suggesting that you put your duties and patients on hold to pursue a relationship, but there are other things in life that can provide you with satisfaction and the opportunity to learn and grow, either through interaction with others or personal achievement. Your purpose is to "live", to do it fully and without fear and become everything you can be.

"Detachment is an excellent tool but it shouldn't replace feelings. Both have their place and uses. Do you doubt your ability to keep them separate?"

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

"like what? What other achievements are there? And perhaps more importantly, what if being the best physician I can be is all that I am capable of achieving? Is that not also a possibility?" he wasn't really being serious, or at least not that he's aware of

"when performing surgery you cannot have feelings, emotions or thought. You cannot care if the patient lives or dies. Its at that moment that a surgeon makes the right decision at the right time to save a life. Then, and only after wards can a physician feel something... I realize that may sound some what morbid, but that's what it can be like."

He paused for a moment before speaking again....

"think about it this way, I'm Brunali, that's obvious... My species has been known to genetically engineer our children to carry anti-borg pathogens, send our youth to the borg to be assimilated; kill the borg then when our children come back home to us... We do it again. A species that can do that, must be pretty used to being detached and know whats in the best interest survival"

[LtCol Kiele Christienne]

" Well for one thing, you're good at proposing possibilities, however unlikely the outcome and there's no denying that you are very good at detaching yourself emotionally from a situation when needed, but not every situation is best served by a purely logical response. Controlled emotion is a powerful ally"

"I'm reminded of scientists a few centuries ago who tried to explain art as a function of evolution. Not everything is developed as a means of survival, some things are an expression of our higher selves. Beauty is not simply the symmetrical or aesthetic arrangement of the parts. Love is not just a chemical reaction intended to promote success in finding and keeping a mate. That which sets us apart as sentient beings is the ability to transcend our physical selves."

"I want to see you be able to take advantage of all the opportunities available to you. There's a concert being held in the Lounge this evening. would you care to attend with me? Music is universally considered to be one of the strongest and most beautiful expressions of the heart."

[Dr. Robert Devoroh, MD (LT)]

"if its important enough to put my research on hold, then I'll do it; speaking of research though, its about time for me to return to medlabs... If I wait too long then my samples could give me inaccurate readings" He stood up taking care of his tray and cup.

"come on down and find me at the appropriate time... Thank you"