Chapter 2

Kirk sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He was waiting in Transporter Room 2 for Commander Spock as well as the new addition, Counselor Sela. Bones, in typical fashion, had not taken the news of having an addition last second in his department (especially one that would be second-in-command essentially) in the best way. Kirk had left him muttering about Admiralty bullshit in the medical bay to meet up with Commander Spock.

Commander Spock entered the transporter room and stood next to the Captain with his hands behind his back. "The crew has been alerted to the presence of the new ship counselor and her rooms are ready, Captain."

"Excellent Spock. Now she just needs to get here so we can get on our way already."

At that moment the transporter pad lit up and the tell-tale white swirls began to materialize a young woman.

Carina blinked as the last of the transporter beams finished materializing her on board the U.S.S. Enterprise. She looked down at the two men her looked to be expecting her. One was a blond haired, blue-eyed man who she immediately recognized as Captain Kirk. The other was slightly taller with dark brown hair and the pointed ears of a Vulcan. So this was Commander Spock. She nodded at both men and stepped off the transporter pad. An ensign collected her small amount of luggage and informed her they would be in her rooms.

As she nodded at the ensign, Kirk noticed pointed ears poke out of Counselor Sela's dark wavy hair. The Admiralty Board sure as hell didn't mention they were sending a Vulcan on board to be the ship's counselor none the less. With a quick glance at Spock, Kirk raised his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute gesture and said "Live Long and Prosper."

With a quirk of what Kirk now noticed was not a pointed eyebrow but rather a normal human eyebrow, Counselor Sela turned to Kirk and Spock. "Captain Kirk that will not be necessary as I am not Vulcan." She raised her hand in a traditional human gesture for a handshake. "This will be sufficient."

Kirk lowered his hand and grasped hers, slightly embarrassed at his assumption now. "I apologize Counselor Sela. I assumed when I saw your ears that you were Vulcan."

"She is Romulan." Spock finally spoke up. He eyed the new ship's counselor in an inquisitive way.

"I prefer Counselor Carina if that is okay with you Captain," Carina responded to Kirk while glancing at the First Officer. "And Commander Spock is correct. I have Romulan heritage. However, in a similar sense of your First Officer, I am only half Romulan."

"Romulan? You are part of Starfleet?" Kirk was now uneasy with what the Admiralty Board had left out of his briefing earlier.

"Indeed Captain. I graduated with honors from the academy five years ago and have been stationed at Space Station 47 for the last three years providing assistance to ship crews who have been in battles. If you are questioning my allegiance, it lies with Starfleet and the Federation. I have no desire to flaunt my Romulan heritage nor return to Romulus." Looking each of the men in the eye with a directness she continued, "As you are the Captain and the First Officer I trust you will keep my Romulan heritage between yourselves as I know the history of this ship and its crew in recent years has not been friendly toward them. I am here to help Captain. Not hinder."

Kirk nodded. "I understand. Welcome aboard the Enterprise Counselor Carina."

The beeping of Spock's communicator had Kirk turning to look at his first officer. Spock flipped the Communicator open and Scotty's voice greeted them. "Commander Spock. Would you mind coming to Engineering?"

"On my way Mr. Scott." Spock closed the communicator and turned to take his leave of Kirk and Carina. Kirk nodded at Spock and turned back to Carina.

"Counselor Carina, shall I show you to your rooms and give you a quick tour?"

Carina gave Captain Kirk a small smile. "If you could show me to my rooms that would be wonderful but I have studied the layout of the Enterprise before arriving. I think I'll be able to find my way around. Thank you for the offer, Captain."

As they made their way out of the Transporter Room, Kirk decided to make the best out of the situation.

"You know, since you've requested a name change I think I will as well. As long as I'm not on the bridge and we aren't in a life or death situation I prefer to be called Jim or Kirk. Especially with my bridge officers." He turned and gave her a smile.

"So informal with your crew?" Kirk regretted his decision instantly. Of course! This woman was here to be mental support which meant she read in to everything going on.

Reading the look on his face (it was her job after all) she backtracked. "Captain...Jim. Unless you are in my office for an appointment or specifically search me out for advice, I hope I am not seen as a Starfleet psychologist. In the same sense you wish to be Jim or Kirk off the bridge and off-duty. I feel as if you were ambushed with my presence here, as I was with my reassignment, and I don't want to start off on the wrong foot-so to speak." She stopped near the end of the hallway at the turbolift and turned to her Captain. She gave him a small smile and looked at him expectantly.

Kirk stopped and looked at her as well. He hadn't really taken in her appearance yet besides the ears. She had dark brown wavy hair just bordering on curly. She was shorter, but not too short. Maybe about 5'6. She was athletically built and fit with a round face, full lips and dark brown eyes. It was her eyes that had Kirk stopping his evaluation however. While she couldn't have been more than 27, her eyes had that haunted look of seeing a thousand horrors. When she smiled, it didn't reach her eyes.

Kirk nodded at her and returned her small smile. "Counselor Carina, I think you'll fit in here just fine."

The turbolift opened and they stepped in. Kirk directed the lift to take them to the crew's deck. As the turbolift door opened, Bones was standing outside it.

"Ahh, Bones. Good I can formally introduce you two."

Kirk and Carina stepped out of the turbolift to a grumpy looking Bones. With posture as straight as Spock's, Carina turned to look at Bones with her hands behind her back. Bones turned to her as well and looked down at her with scowl.

"Counselor Carina, this is our CMO Dr. Leonard McCoy. Bones, this is Counselor Carina our new ship counselor."

Carina was the first to break the awkward silence that ensued. "Dr. McCoy." She held out a hand for a handshake. Bones glanced down at it.

"Counselor Carina." He took her hand and shook it but pulled his hand away almost as if shocked. Clearing his throat he glanced at Kirk then back to Carina. Kirk watched this interaction with a small smile on his face. "Counselor, you are expected in the medical bay tomorrow at 0800 for a full physical and then to report for duty," Bones said gruffly.

Carina looked at Bones for a second before nodding. "I understand Dr. McCoy." She turned to Kirk. "Captain?"

"Right. This way Counselor Carina." Kirk smiled at Bones, gave the man a slap on the shoulder and then led Carina down the hall to her rooms. Bones turned to look at the new ship counselor as she followed Kirk. He couldn't put his finger on it but there was something about Carina. He wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

As Kirk and Carina turned the corner at the end of the hallway, Carina glanced back. Dr. McCoy was still standing in front of the turbolift looking at them with a puzzled look.