Counselor/Medical Officer's Log #22 - "Expect the Unexpected"

Posted on 30 May 2014 @ 9:23pm by Lieutenant JG Delainey Carlisle

389 words; about a 2 minute read

I've certainly learned over the years that 'Expect the Unexpected' is not just a cheesy slogan on Starfleet recruitment posters. My time aboard the Galileo has definitely lived up to those words, and looking back, I can't believe I was as surprised as I was when things didn't fit my expectations for a science vessel. I can't say I'm thrilled we were boarded by hostile Klingons or attacked by the Borg, of course, but I've also seen the Orion homeworld and met some wonderful friends. None of that would have happened if this assignment had been about PADD work and space surveys that only the lab folks could get excited about.

I'd definitely not have two Tribbles as pets and be drawn into a conversation about reincarnation... More on that for another time.

Even now, when I thought I knew not to be surprised by the unexpected, I've realized I can still be taken off-guard in a wonderful, or in this case, wonderfully awkward, way. Let's just say I never expected to be hit on while interviewing miners to get to the bottom of their mysterious sightings and strange behavior. I think I covered well enough, and the miner in question did not pursue the issue any further, but talk about being rendered deaf, dumb, and blind for what felt like an eternity! I'm not used to thinking of myself as a possible object of any man's interest, let alone while wearing an EVA suit. The fact that he flirted with me just shows how hard up he and his buddies must feel, as I do not look good in an EVA suit.

Adding to my frustration is the fact we seem to be no closer to solving this mystery than we were before we arrived. To hear the miners tell it, the most affected of their colleagues seem to be those who were always a little unusual to begin with. Mine work can be dangerous and quite grueling and solitary, so I suppose eccentricity should be expected, but that doesn't make our jobs any easier. I love a medical mystery, but even I'm feeling more frustrated than challenged at the moment.

On the bright side, I got to collect some green goo for analysis. I guess the lab rats weren't going to have all the fun after all.

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