All rights on "Star Trek" remain by Paramount. Copyright of this story by me.

Thanks to NebulaClash for proof reading!

Enjoy and review!

Preface

When Valery Alba had finished her medical studies, she is assigned to the Enterprise for a part of her clinical practice. There she learns something new about Vulcans from Dr. Crusher and also meets Taurik, an old classmate. Will she be able to use her knowledge correctly and not only in her job? (Romance/Humor)

Chapter 1: Newbies

"Stardate 48515.6, Dr. Crusher, medical log: We'll have a series of medical routine missions in the next months and I got the order from Starfleet to introduce four assistant doctors into the clinical practice. Counselor Troi and I will supervise them in their daily practical tasks and deepen their medical knowledge. They shall especially improve their bedside manners and learn how to do diagnoses and treatments in difficult situations."

Dr. Crusher was watching her screen intensely.

"Doctor, are you already a bit edgy?" teased nurse Ogawa in her usual good-natured tone.

"I have given Wesley a lot of speeches, but this is surely something different," came the Doctor's answer, not looking away from her screen.

"What's their first lecture?"

"After the general introduction I have to complete their general medical knowledge with confined information, things they didn't learn at the academy."

"Hmm...then they'll be all ears without any help. On the other hand...some species keep things secret which are barely worth bothering."

"Yes, I remember the mess with Lt. Kalu's gastronomic syndrome!" Dr. Crusher told her laughingly. "Which species is first?"

"Vulcans," she answered in a more serious tone.

"Oh, I have some big knowledge holes there, too."

"I also have to fill some of mine, there have been some discoveries lately." She touched the screen. "Computer, transfer this program to holodeck three...I have to watch this diagnosis exercise program before I let the students deal with it."

"In one hour there are three physicals, Dr.," the nurse reminded her, "Lt. Heiser, En. Uhego and Lt. Barclay."

Dr. Crusher tried to block the uncomfortable thoughts of Lt. Barclay and left sickbay with the words: "One hour will suffice, till later!"

"I'm already fond of this place here," said a blue-skinned tall young man with antennae on his head who stretched himself comfortably. Four young people were sitting at a table in Ten Forward.

"You're surely not in a dry desert here, but if you get everything you're heart is longing for...I'm not sure," said a woman with brown hair tucked into a bun, and took a strand out of her face, laughing.

"It's of advantage to do three months of the clinical practice in the diversity on board of this vessel." T'Pkara took a sip out of her drink in the usual Vulcan way.

"The program for the next few days looks rather boring," a young man with messy blonde hair said, "after the introduction today, we'll have another diagnosis exercise on the holodeck, we already had a lot of them at the academy. I guess they are fearful for their patients."

"Uh oh, you can't wait, Charlie, to feel the pulse of real ladies...hehe...that's the right spirit, I can't, too," cut the Andorian in.

"Shrinal, be a bit more quiet, everyone is looking at us!" urged him the brunette woman.

But too late, a woman in a lilac costume with long dark curly hair was already smiling at them and coming over to their table. "Good afternoon, I'm Counselor Deanna Troi. If I'm not mistaken, you are the assistants."

"Yes, your hypothesis is correct," answered T'Pkara and gave her a hand diplomatically, "I'm T'Pkara and my main subject is neurology. I want to specialize on telepathy and I'm already informed that you'll be my tutor."

"I'm Shrinal and I study general medicine!" said the Andorian and gave her a blue hand grinning luckily.

"Your tutor is Dr. Crusher. You'll also meet her shortly."

The Andorian tried not to show his disappointment.

"I'm Charles Glaser and study psychology, I'm lucky to get an experienced Counselor as tutor."

"The luck is on my side," Troi responded and turned to the woman with the brown hair.

"I'm Valery Alba and study also general medicine."

"You'll also be supervised by Dr. Crusher. For questions about psychology or if you wish a general counseling, I'm always there for all of you."

Shrinal grinned across the whole face.

"vsh" When Troi entered the turbolift, she met Dr. Crusher. "Hello Beverly, I've already seen our four newbies," she began smiling, "Deck three."

"I'll fetch all four of them right now, show them around a bit and introduce them into the practice with some usual physicals," Dr. Crusher answered and blocked a comment about Lt. Barclay forming in her head. "Tomorrow they'll get a holographic diagnosis exercise. I just watched it and I must say that it's quite shocking."

"That shouldn't be bad at all for those students. When they learn to cope with holographic blood now, they'll do much easier in an emergency with real one," advised the counselor in a deep thoughtful tone.

"Hmm...true...also the medical section at headquarters has to know what they can trust their students to cope with," the doctor responded.

"I would like to be at the first lection so I can talk better with them about it, if they should have problems," said Troi.

"Tomorrow at eight o'clock on holodeck three," Crusher told her and left the turbolift smiling.