Zeral, Nora

Personal log reflections regarding events during missions or shoreleave

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Zeral
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Zeral, Nora

Post: # 1961Post Zeral
Sun Nov 11, 2007 12:44 am

<<USS Malinche ? 1140, Day 3 >>

Personal Log

I have just a few moments before I must leave the comfort of my new quarters and go ?once more unto the breach,? as Henry V would say. I?ve arrived safely on the Malinche, and I?ve already had the pleasure of meeting CMO Doctor Lovestreet and my Commanding Officer, Captain Kersare. Doctor Lovestreet is especially interesting, certainly possessing a unique sense of humor, and the Captain seems to me a very able leader. Having a CO that you can respect makes quite a difference, and I?m looking forward to serving under her command.

One last observation before I give into the call of duty: I?ve been sensing some extreme emotions since my arrival here, especially feelings of unrest or uncertainty. My best guess is that these emotions stem from the current mission we are undertaking, although I can?t help but wonder if they?re emotions from a smaller group of individuals rather than the entire crew in general. As I begin my work as Chief Counselor, I hope I?ll get to the bottom of these emotions. For all I know they?re trivial and fleeting, perhaps just a fluke on a particularly difficult day. Knowing me, I?m looking too much into this.

I can?t put it off any longer. Duty calls.

Computer, End Log.
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Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

Zeral
Senior Staff
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:17 pm
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Post: # 2294Post Zeral
Sat Nov 01, 2008 11:55 pm

<<Lost and Found Shoreleave--USS Malinche, Zeral?s Quarters, Day 4, 16:48>>


Personal Log ON

Shoreleave continues, but I find that I can?t concentrate on any sort of relaxing activity. I?ve tried everything that I love?meditation, reading, bubble baths, walks along the base's Promenade, time spent in the holodeck. I've even been in contact with both of my brothers, but nothing seems to work. All of my thoughts have been focused on the Borg drone, or, more specifically, Captain Kersare?s husband. I keep asking myself, can he be rehabilitated?

Rehabilitated. For some reason, the word sounds too cold to me, but there?s no other term I can come up for it. At first I was completely optimistic, sure that it was entirely possible, but now I?m not so certain. I?ve contacted several other doctors with experience in this sort of thing, and while they?ve given me some excellent advice, none of them have any definitive answers for me. Not the kind of answers I?m looking for, anyway. ?Prepare yourself for failure,? one doctor told me. I know that she meant well, but I can?t help feeling that she doesn?t know what she?s talking about. Just because she didn?t succeed doesn?t mean?

All right. There's no reason to get upset. I?m meeting Talia for drinks soon. If anyone can help me sort through my thoughts, it?s Talia. I can?t believe so much time has passed since we were at the Academy together. She helped me remain focused and realistic then, and I know she?ll do the same now. Right now, that?s exactly what I need.

Personal Log OFF
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Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

Zeral
Senior Staff
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:17 pm
Contact:

Re: Zeral, Nora

Post: # 4205Post Zeral
Tue Jul 31, 2012 11:12 pm

<<Another Voyager Home--USS Malinche, Zeral’s Quarters, Day 5, 1330>>

I’m due at the Transporter Room in just a few minutes, but there’s time enough for a quick log, I think. We’ve gone back in time in pursuit of the Romulan Warbird—‘slingshotting around the sun,’ they call it. I won’t take the time to describe the sensation of being propelled hundreds of years into the past. Suffice it to say that I’m glad it’s over.

I interrogated the Romulan prisoner today. I, Nora Zeral, former Chief Counselor and recently promoted Executive Officer, interrogated a man. It did not go well. I was successful, but I acted…ruthlessly. I threatened him in a way that’s grave indeed, especially for a telepath such as myself. I’m not proud of what I did, and I hope to never meet that side of myself again. All that I know is that if it were between him and the rest of my crew…

I don’t want to answer that thought. I’m changing. I can feel it, and I’m not sure if it’s for the better or for the worse. Worse, if you judge by my empty but calculated and cold-hearted threat against the saboteur. Better, if you look at all the other things that I’ve accomplished or helped accomplish. I feel stronger and more self-confident than I have in ages, but I mourn the loss of the sweet, unassuming, peace-loving counselor that I’ve always thought of myself as.

I shouldn’t let myself get so carried away. I’m still me, of course. And I’m still peace-loving. That, I hope, will never change. At any rate, for better or worse, the saboteur did reveal the location of a tracking device he’d planted aboard the ship. We’ve been able to use that to our advantage, and I’m grateful for that. Now, I’m set to lead my own away team to the surface of 20th century Earth. We’re to follow Captain Kirk and his crew, discreetly, of course, and protect them from the Romulans, who appear to be trying to thwart their historical efforts. My first away team as the Executive Officer, and the future of Earth and Starfleet literally hang in the balance.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—there’s never a dull moment aboard the Malinche.

My time’s running short. It would take too long to describe the ridiculous dress that I’m wearing as part of my disguise, and even if I did have time to describe my hair and makeup, I wouldn’t. All that I’ll say is that I really don’t think this is the look for me.

Must run. If I think about what I’m about to do much loner, I’m going to lock myself in my quarters and never leave. But destiny awaits, and I’m not about to cower here when so much is at stake. Here’s to modern fashion choices—and here’s hoping I never have to wear this mousse and sticky aerosol product in my hair ever again.

Personal Log OFF
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Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

Zeral
Senior Staff
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:17 pm
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Re: Zeral, Nora

Post: # 4423Post Zeral
Sun Nov 24, 2013 9:21 pm

<<Bad Medicine--USS Malinche, XO’s Office, Day 3, 1125>>

Personal Log ON:

It’s strange how in the wake of Dr. Keel’s (NPC) unexpected passing, it still seems to be business as usual in most parts of the ship. We’re continuing on our course to Betazed, and some of the doctors have even already returned to their research, though with considerably less focus and enthusiasm, as one might expect following the death of an apparently much beloved colleague. Even those who didn’t know him very well, like Darius (NPC), are keenly feeling his loss.

I spoke with Darius—well, Dr. Xerx, that is, though we are already on a first name basis. He is, after all, an old friend of Gel’s (PNPC), and a very likable man, besides. Anyway, after finally tracking him down in his quarters, I was surprised to see the depth of his emotions concerning Dr. Keel’s passing. He really is taking it very hard. But then, so is Dr. Hansen (NPC). I’ve already crossed paths twice with him today, and each time he’s asked to hear what is being done to investigate Janor’s death. I understand that they were good friends, so I do appreciate Dr. Hansen’s concerns.

The thing is, though, Dr. Hansen really is convinced that Janor’s death couldn’t have been a natural one. I don’t know what to believe there. Who would try to harm a vibrant young man just starting his career, and more to the point, why? Even if we leave motive aside, why on earth would anyone seek to harm him aboard a Federation starship? Not that I’ve ever contemplated committing a crime, but it seems to me that I’d try very hard not to hurt a VIP aboard a ship filled with highly trained Starfleet officers. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Well, hopefully Security and Medical are having an easier time making heads or tails of any of this. I’ve had a headache all morning trying to come to terms with it, and it only seems to be getting worse. It just goes to show that I would have made a terrible Security or Intelligence Officer. I think I’m going to go to the makeshift neurology lab to check in on the rest of our guests. I hope that they’re all coping with their colleague’s death as best as they can. In the meantime, perhaps there’s even more I can be doing to help in the investigation. I’ll make it a point to check in with Isabel on that.

I only hope, as I know everyone else is hoping, that we’re able to find some answers and, even more importantly, some closure soon. Poor Janor. I’m at least comforted by the fact that he’s sure to be remembered for the good he’s already done in his field and for a life well lived. It’s cold comfort, but comfort all the same.

Personal Log OFF:
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Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

Zeral
Senior Staff
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2007 1:17 pm
Contact:

Re: Zeral, Nora

Post: # 4434Post Zeral
Thu Feb 27, 2014 12:04 am

<<Bad Medicine – XO’s Office, Day 3, 1410>>

Personal Log: ON

Normally I don’t make a habit of recording more than one personal log per day, but it’s just that Gel (PNPC) and I had our first argument today and I’m really not sure what to think. Everything was going perfectly, really, and I have loved almost everything about Gel that I’ve seen so far. True, we’ve only been dating, engaged—even I’m not sure what to call it exactly—for a short while now, but the way we hit it off from the start… I had hoped that the honeymoon phase of our relationship would last a little longer.

It all started when I went to Sickbay late this morning. I’ve had a headache that I can’t seem to shake, and even worse, I had a nosebleed at lunch, right in front of some of our visitors. Gel was kind enough to escort me to Sickbay, but if I had realized what would come of it, I would have insisted on escorting myself.

How to explain what happened next… Well, suffice to say, I saw a side of him that, quite frankly, I didn’t like at all. Gel is… Proud. Arrogant, even. From everything I’ve heard, he is a very talented neurosurgeon, which I can well believe. But he went out of his way to belittle Setak, asserting at every possible opportunity that he was a great doctor and knew everything there was to know, and I was very, very annoyed with him about it, to say the least.

If Gel feels the need to brag about his knowledge of neurology and the like every now and again, that’s one thing. But the way he treated Setak, and on Setak’s own ground—he was only doing his job and trying to help me, after all—was simply beyond the pale. I told him as much after we left Sickbay, and, as one might expect, he didn’t take it well. We had words—telepathically, of course, but words all the same—and then he left, ostensibly having something he needed to work on.

I feel terrible about the whole thing. I don’t want to fight or argue with Gel. We’re learning so much about each other in such a short period of time, and that requires a good amount of patience on both of our parts. But I will never stand idly by while one of my friends is poorly treated, either.

In hindsight, I suppose this is one of the reasons I’ve avoided a seriously relationship for so long. I gave professional advice on love and relationships for years, so I am well aware that they’re…messy. Unpredictable. Difficult, even. I like my world tidy whenever possible, and this is…well, it’s not very tidy at all, is it? But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth it.

I should get back to work. After Gel and I have had some time apart, I’m sure that we can talk things over again, with a much happier resolution this time. I can’t forget that Gel has essentially put his life on hold to spend time with me here on the Malinche. There’s a lot to be said for that, and it can’t be easy for him to leave his practice on Betazed behind like this. Perhaps I should be a little more understanding.

Right then, work. Away I go.

Personal Log: OFF
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Commander Nora Zeral
Executive Officer
USS Malinche NCC-38997-A

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