Home Again

Posted on Sun Sep 30th, 2012 @ 5:48pm by Lieutenant Commander Terrell Kona

Mission: Sections of the Delta Quadrant
Location: Starbase

So here Terrell was again, his tread echoing down the steel corridors of Starbase 900, duffle bag swinging lightly from his shoulder. Surprisingly, not much seems to have changed since the last time he had the pleasure to stride through these hallowed halls. What had it been, he thought, two, three years? He wasn't the sentimental type that would feel like someplace was 'home', but the irony of the current situation was not lost on his nine life-timed self, symbiont and all.

He stopped to wait for the turbolift and let out a deep sigh. "Sentimentality is not something we are overly fond of," stated Mastin, one of the former personalities of the Kona host. Mastin was the first host of the Kona symbiont, so his memories were far older than any of the others. He had been an Architect, and a damn good one, which he had no qualms about pointing out as often as possible. Mastin was one of the quieter of Terrell's roommates, which was how Terrell referred to the previous hosts of the Kona symbiont.

Terrell ignored the comment and continued to reminisce as he entered the turbolift, stating the deck the shuttle pilot had told him that his assigned quarters were located on. "Deck 14," he said out loud. As luck would have it, this was his third duty posting aboard this station. His first posting here was as the assistant Chief Medical Officer after his recovery from what could only be referred to as a mental breakdown caused by his joining. That first posting had lasted for about six months until he received an offer to transfer to the USS Berkeley as her Chief Medical Officer. Oddly enough, many of the crew of the Berkeley transferred back to this station less than a year later when the Berkeley was 'decommissioned' or rather given a new, somewhat secret assignment. So his second posting here was as the Chief Medical Officer of the station. Then about a year after rejoining this crew, Starfleet Medical had sent for him in a rather suspicious way and informed him that he was being transferred back to Earth for what turned out to be a less than stellar assignment.

Now here he was again, a couple years older, though probably not any wiser. After nine life times, the increase in wisdom takes a little longer than a few years, he thought with a smile. This time he held the position of Assistant Chief Medical Officer for the station. Some would probably feel slighted by the slight demotion, but that didn't bother Terrell at all. It made a certain kind of sense. By the time Terrell had finished his Starfleet Medical assignment that had pulled him away from this station, he didn't have many posting options available. This Station was one of the few places where he really did feel like he was making a difference. Of course the base would not have survived without a CMO for the two plus years he had been away, so someone would have been needed to fill his vacated position. From everything Terrell had heard, William Harding was an exceptional CMO and Terrell was lucky to be able to serve under him and lucky that at least the ACMO spot was open here and he didn't have to go back to being an intern or something possibly worse.

"Like we would ever be an intern again," stated Myra sarcastically. Myra was another of the former personalities of the Kona host. Unlike Mastin, Myra was one of the most outspoken of his roommates and always seemed to have something to say, both positive and quite a bit negative. Myra had been an entrepreneur while she lived and her insight had helped Terrell through a great many things.

He ignored her comments as well, preferring the semi solitude of his personal memories of the station. The turbolift finally arrived at Deck 14 so Terrell exited and touched the control panel in the corridor. "Computer," he started, "directions to the quarters assigned to Lieutenant commander Terrell Kona please." Terrell always found the need to be polite, even to the AI of the computer. Another thing nine life times had taught the Kona symbiont, you never knew when someone was listening and no one ever got upset because you were polite to a computer or anything else, inanimate or not.

"Please follow the directional arrows," stated the computer voice that was identical to the voice on every other Starfleet ship or station. The lighted arrows moved along the control panels running down the corridor headed to the right, so Terrell followed obediently. Coming to his quarters, he entered and whistled, pleasantly surprised. Compared to what Starfleet Medical had provided him with during his last posting, this was a luxury suite. He had forgotten that starbase life had some major advantages over the crowded confines of Earth.

"Well, I may as well get settled in and then get this show on the road," he said out loud. He wanted to unpack his meager belongings and then head down to the medical center and formally introduce himself to CMO Harding. Terrell had also been told by his shuttle pilot while they were on approach to the station, that there was a Trill Symbiosis Commission ship docked with the station as well. It had been quite a while since he had talked with anyone from the TSC, so it would be good to make an appearance with them as well. All in all, he was looking forward to serving again on this station. Regardless of sentimentality or not, this place did feel like Home.

Lieutenant Commander Terrell Kona
new Assistant Chief Medical Officer
Ready and Raring!