Arrivals Welcomed and Not So Welcomed

April rose from his chair.  "Doctor, welcome back...."

"You had a hand in this, didn't you, Captain.  Couldn't let me slip back into the reserves, and thank you," Kwyn said, a smile on his face as he shook the hand of Stephen April, handing April another PADD.  "My orders confirming my reassignment and return to active duty as chief medical officer...."

"What can I say," April said with a mock-innocent shrug.  "I have friends in high places."  He tossed the PADD on the desk and went to the replicator.  "Need anything?  Salted herb tea," he told the device and took the cup that materialized.  "I didn't want a new doctor, I wanted a doctor I knew."

Ordalani glanced sidelong at him from the command chair; April was one of the few people who could get away with calling her by her personal name on duty.  "Ensign Fibonacci in Sciences calculates that we must reach the singularity six hours ahead of schedule, or... and I quote... 'Julia will meet Handelbrot but we will not want to meet their offspring'."  She gave him a sheepish look; she didn't quite get it either.  But she assumed it would be bad.

Maguire: "Lieutenant Ringo.  Ah am goan to forget you said what you just did.  And you oughtta be thankful.  Becauhse if Ah evah heah you do it again... Ah will personally see to it that you spend the rest of your tour on this ship as a waste disposal specialist."  She walked in front of Ringo and looked him in the eye.  "Mah personal life is just that.  Mahn.  None of your business.  If you evah make an insinuation lahk that again... Ah'm gonna make you regret it.  Do we understand each other, Mistah Ringo?"

Ringo stared at the XO, plainly confused, hurt in fact by her animus outburst.

"Uh... yes... ma'am...."

He blinked and scratched his head, totally bewildered, watching her exit the counselor's office.  Beyond bewildered.  Sometimes his mouth moved faster than his brain, but he couldn't figure out what he said wrong.  Try to be friendly, and she bites your head off?  Maybe she didn't like cologne.

Regardless, that was a piss-poor way to greet someone you just met.  He ought to be 'thankful'?  What for?  'Waste disposal'?  'Personal life'?!?  Maybe she was sensitive to the date remark.  Maybe she couldn't get a date.  No surprise.  What a bitch, he thought.  Ringo was one of the few people on this ship who actually did not have a shit list.  Nevertheless, this woman had handed him pen and paper.

He turned and caught the counselor watching, an expression of subtle satisfaction at his getting chewed out.  She quickly tried to appear neutral, but it was too late; Ringo saw it.  He grunted.  This was one counselor he wouldn't be coming to, then.  He turned and marched out after Maguire.

"Commander," he called out.  She turned and gave him an evil stare.  He stopped, jaw moving, nothing coming out.  Two for two, it seemed: an insensitive XO on top of an insensitive counselor?  One who had no sympathy for those under her?  Miss Goody Two Shoes?  What the hell was the matter with this Maguire, anyway?  Must have been one of the types who thought their shit didn't stink.  Ringo took a deep breath and said, "Your quarters are this way," and started off down the corridor.  He ignored the difficult kind; he'd do it with this one too... and talk to Captain April later about her.  April knew Ringo.  April didn't know Maguire.  He would listen to Ringo.  He would.

"Lieutenant Ringo," she said, and he didn't know what she was going to say, but he cut her off.