Temporary Changes
Posted on Fri Jun 22nd, 2018 @ 12:08pm by Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke
Edited on on Fri Jun 22nd, 2018 @ 12:39pm
1,728 words; about a 9 minute read
Mission:
Episode 3 - Weary Travellers
Location: Sickbay, CMO's office
Timeline: MD002 0900 hrs
Richard drew in a deep breath as he entered his office and and glanced around as he reviewed his after action report from boarding the station.
He shook his head pressing his lips together as if trying to sort something out the offered a faint smile, "better talk to the new ACMO about all of this."
Hermia had just finished reviewing the surgical supplies. "Best to be prepared." She thought to herself. The Sickbay was similar to that of the Jonathan Swift. Her first assignment and were an improvement on SFMCB - Patton's facilities.
Richard looked up from the COM station in his office and walked out towards the woman, "need some help with that Doctor?"
"No, thanks, just getting myself reacquainted with an Intrepid Class Sickbay." Hermia said. "Is there anything I can help you with sir?"
"No need for the formality," Richard replied with a smile, "I take it you have been on a ship like this before then?" His eyes twinkled glad to see the woman, "I'm Doctor Richard Ballston, the Chief Medical officer. He extended his hand in greet hoping he was making the right decision to do so.
"Doctor Hermia O'Rourke and yes my first assignment was the Jonathan Swift, an Intrepid Class." Hermia said. "Sorry, about the formality, I've spent too much time among Marines." She added with a smile.
Richard chuckled as he heard her explanation, "well that explains things." He offered her a broad smile as he moved further into sickbay, "I've seen my share of combat but not so much with the Marines." He tilted his head, "would you like a tour Doctor?" "I could show you around if you like?"
"Sure, I'd be delighted, Doctor." She replied with a smile.
The man gave her a broad smile, "then let's start with sickbay where you're at right now." Richard used his arms to gesture to the space they were standing in, "two standard biobeds and one enhanced surgical unit." He grinned big as he continued, "we just had the COM displays update."
"I was checking out the surgical unit as that is my specialty." Hermia said.
"I see," Richard said with a grin, "we certainly can use your expertise." He drew in a deep breath, "was there anything you would like changed about the sugary areas?" The man raised an eyebrow playfully, "it's not my specialty but I know some surgeons that are really finicky about their areas."
"I'm not that finicky, I once performed surgery in the field with alcohol, a k-bar, thread and cloth." Hermia said.
The man smiled at her retelling, "well doctor you certain must have skill to be able to do it successfully with those limited supplies." He tilted his head looking at the woman who didn't look old enough to have served in any war faced by the Federation, "was this while under attack doctor?"
"No, it was during a hike with friends, one of them was injured in a fall and we were a long way from civilization." Hermia explained.
Richard nodded his understanding and began to move, "I'm glad to hear that actually." He smiled and asked questioningly, "shall we look at the medical labs then?"
"Lead on." Hermia said. "Begging your pardon, Doctor, but you're not human, are you?" She asked. The emotions she was detecting from the man didn't match the signature, she felt from humans.
I'm Azzian Doctor." Richard replied halting for a moment before heading towards the door into the corridor. He had a broad grin with a hint of mischievousness on his face, "I'd love to show you the biological differences and, if you're interested I have a holodeck program that shows my homeworld."
"Indeed, I'm always willing to learn about different cultures and in the interests of transparency, my mother is Betazoid, so I can read others' emotions." She said returning his smile.
There was a nod of acknowledgment from the man as he heard in reply, "half Betazoid?" Richard's brows furrowed as he recalled that fact from his reading of her information, "let's postpone the tour of the labs for now." he drew in a deep breath and motioned back towards the biobed, "you may need that introduction to Azzians 101 course right sooner rather than later."
"Okay." Hermia said intrigued.
Richard drew in a deep breath though he still was smiling, "It's not that dramatic, really, but it is important." He sat on the edge of one of the beds and offered a smile, "have you heard anything about Azzian's Doctor?"
"I've heard the name, but very little else." Hermia replied.
"Do you have a medical tricorder on you," The man asked?
His nodded as he pondered what she said, "I can give you a good deal of information if you are interested but here is the gist." He layed back on the bed and motioned to the controls, "if you do an anatomical scan of my brain you will see I have what appears to be bifurcated temporal lobes." Taking in another breath and smiling, "now for the part that can't be seen so easily. my DNA is a Quad helix rather the double helix most species uses."
Tilting his head a bit he began again, "we also produce two hormones unique to our species, Follicle-stimulating hormone 184 and Prolactin 23." We also emit some unique pharamones wich for the most part are harmless." He shook his head and offered a faint smile, "i wouldn't mention it but there was a Betazoid hybrid on our ship who had a reaction to these hormones. I don't know if she would be the only one or if you might be affected by them as well."
Hermia listened with great interest, taking in all the information. "Interesting, but I don't appear to be having any adverse effect to you." She said.
"That's good to hear," Richard said with a chuckle. He took in a deep breath and gave a relieved smile, "I did want you to be aware is all."
He sat back up on the bed and swung his legs around as he gazed at the woman, "she is the only one to my knowledge that has ever experienced a reaction to them but she was a hybrid of Vulcan and Betazoid."
"Vulcan physiology can produce unpredictable results when mixed with those of other species." Hermia said.
Richard nodded and offered a smile, "copper based blood is probably the reason for that." He chuckled, "well enough about me and my worries, let's take a look at that lab."
"Let's." Hermia said. "So do you have any children, Richard?"
"I do," Richard said with a smile as he turned slightly in his stride towards the labs, "My daughter Abigail is seven." He chuckled as he looked forward again as he entered the first lab, "she thinks she seventeen though."
Hermia laughed, but then her face fell. "I too have a daughter, Helena, but I haven't seen her in years. Her father has custody and won't let me see her.' She said.
Richard's face contorted slightly as he heard her words, "I am so sorry to hear that Doctor, is there anything I can do?"
"Do you have any friends in organised crime?" Hermia asked as a joke.
"Sorry but no," Richard replies letting a smile cross his face, "I do have some serious enemies but that's another story." He chuckled and added, "I'll have to explain that to you some time."
"Sounds intriguing." Hermia said. "Oh, well, perhaps my ex will have an accident."
Richard laughed as he walked further into the lab and nodded, "so this is lab 1, the only lab actually."
"I like it, very cozy." Hermia said. "Needs colour, what do you think of cranberry for the walls?" She joked having become comfortable around Richard.
The man chuckled at the woman's humor, "well I wonder how we would do on a formal inspection with cranberry walls."
"Maybe, the Command staff will like their walls painted cranberry too." Hermia said.
"I'll have to think about that," Richard replied with a chuckle. He shook his head, "it would certainly make it a unique place on the ship."
"Perhaps we could decorate other parts of the ship too." Hermia said.
"We better get permission from the Captain before we get too carried away," Richard said with a chuckle. His eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief, "should we have the science department do a study on the benefits of cranberry red walls?"
"I'm sure they have more important things to do in the science department." Hermia replied.
"Do they? Richard's eyes sparkled with the mischief he was feeling. He chuckled and drew in a deep breath, "to be honest if you have suggestions for the department I am certainly open to them."
"Really? I hear the Chief Science officer is a Romulan and don't think he'll appreciate us telling him how to run his department. Hermia replied.
"I wasn't referring to Lieutenant tr'Hwersuil's area of expertise." He chuckled slightly, "this is our lab, for specimens and the like, I know far too well not to even make a hint at something."
Hermia laughed. "Not at the moment." She said.
"You planning on something?" Richard tilted his head and offered a broad grin to the woman. He chuckled as he shook his head, "I certainly don't intend to give this area up without a fight."
"Its yours. I just thought it need a little colour." Hermia said prefering to pick her battles.
"I agree," Richard quickly replied, "thought you were implying that the lab was part of the science department."
"I was brought up as a Marine, Doc, I never imply anything."
"I'll tell you what then," Ricahard said with a smile, "pick out a color scheme for the lab and run it by me, I'll probably approve it."
"Will do." Hermia said.
"Good." Richard replied with a nod, "I'm glad to have you in my department Lieutenant, we'll make a great team."
"Thanks, glad to be here, Doc." Hermia said.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Richard Ballston M.D. PsyD
Chief Medical Officer/Second Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Hermia O'Rourke
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
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