"The cost of the Federation eradication of the common cold was approximately 4 billion 1804 British Pounds."

"I consider vaccinating the entire crew to be an extremely small price to pay to keep the common cold eradicated."

Four billion pounds... at just one per cent, that would be forty million per annum. It's more money than Laurence has even imagined before. Possibly more money than exists -- existed, he winces -- in the British empire? He's never had a head for mathematics.

"Was that the vaccination?" If so, he is no longer concerned about the effort to do it to the entire crew. (Perhaps slightly embarrassed to put them to the trouble.)

Quite apart from that, Janeway also named some numbers that were more firmly within his grasp.

163 crew. Smaller than that of the Reliant. Yet, the hallways they walked through were vast. This vessel must take a fraction of the effort to man.

And one other thing caught his attention. "Maquis, and locals? You have pressed men on board?"

"Yes, that was the vaccination, along with a treatment for your cold.'

"No, we don't..."

Hmmm, the Maquis are a lot less "not-impressed" then Janeway was going to reflexively assure Laurence.

She tries again. 

"The locals joined voluntarily. The Maquis situation is complicated. Our original mission was to hunt them down: they're rebels. But after our and their abduction, and the destruction of their ship in the aftermath, they joined our crew."

"They weren't forced. But their alternative was to be stranded, and there's definitely some bad blood on both sides."

(He nods in thanks to the doctor.)

Laurence studies her for a moment. "I have pressed men myself, at need," he remarks. "For my own part, I see no dishonor in it, if the need is indeed great. If I were inclined to think these men ill treated, it would be this Caretaker entity at whose feet I would lay blame, not a captain pressing an enemy crew to help his-- er-- her own survive."

He's unsure why he is offering this reassurance, save that for a moment, in her lack of certainty, she reminded him of Tom Riley, or another of his young officers.

There's a lot to unpack here. 

On the one hand, his approval is surprisingly heartening. On the first day of her first captaincy she got her ship utterly stranded: it's nice to hear "you're doing the best that can be done with the hand you were given" from another captain. 

On the other hand, hearing that you did indeed impress the Maquis, but that that's perfectly acceptable, is not reassuring. The Federation does not look to the British empire for moral guidance.

This sort of hammers home how nice it would be to get coffee with, say, Admiral Paris, and talk about what they've been going through. 

She gives him a tight smile. "Well, I appreciate your support, Mr Laurence."

"Unfortunately, my watch is coming up shortly. I'll be needed on the bridge."

She taps her com badge. 

"Ensign Kim, please report to sickbay."

"On my way, m- Captain."

"Ensign Kim will take you to your quarters and get your settled in."

He nods, unsurprised. "Thank you, Captain." No doubt she is extremely busy.

He walks into the room, doing a double take at Laurence's uniform. 

"Captain?"

Laurence does his own poorly-suppressed double take at the hulking Chinaman who's entered the room.

Kim does not appear to notice the double take, but Janeway does. Under her breath, she mutters to Laurence "150 worlds, in particular including all of Earth."

"Ensign Kim, this is Mr Laurence. He has been taken from his own time of 1804 by the extremely powerful and annoying entity known as Q. You can look Q up on your own time if you're not familiar."

"Mr Laurence will be our guest for the foreseeable future. Find him some quarters and help familiarize him with what he needs to know in the 24th century."

Apparently this is just what Starfleet is like. If the captain is acting like this is normal then he'll treat it as normal.

"Yes captain."

He turns and offers Laurence a smile and a hand to shake.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr Laurence."

Laurence replies automatically "The pleasure is all mine," shaking Kim's hand firmly. Apparently some things stay the same even across 150 planets and 500 years.

"We'll talk soon, Mr Laurence. Good day."

She has a fairly comfortable 19th century dialect developed from all her holodeck time, but it feels very strange to be using it in sickbay.

She pauses right before leaving the room.

"Computer, assign a vacant officers quarters to this man under the name William Laurence."

"Confirmed. Cabin 708 assigned."

"Please, come with me."

He leads them back into the hallway, and starts off towards the turbolift.

"Wait, Ensign!"

He sighs.

"Doesn't anybody know how to deactivate a hologram around here?"