Owens The Saint goes Marching In (Backpost)

Posted on Sat Jun 17, 2017 @ 11:09am by Lieutenant Nicole Anderson

777 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Silence
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Before the Landing Party

On: [[Sickbay, USS Victory, Stardate 65791.429]]

There were those who avoided doctors and Sickbay at all costs, but Amy didn't quite feel that strongly. It wasn't always the most thrilling part of her day, but it was something that needed to be done. That's why she didn't hesitate to accept the summons from the CMO, and at 0800 sharp she was stepping through the doors into Sickbay.

Nicole was in what was possibly one of her more undignified positions, slumped over a biobed like a sack of flour, one of the medtechs next to her in the same position, and the two of them fussing over a panel.

"Engineering could take a look at it," Crewman B'tal said.

"And I could kick your Benzite butt," Nicole groused. "We should know these machines inside and out, and I'd like to know why this one won't calibrate."

"Yes, Doctor," B'tal sighed and continued checking circuits.

Nicole worked from her side of the under mounted panel until she sensed a presence in front of her and looked up. "Yes?" she said, craning her neck. "Hm, another Terran," she noted, then rolled onto her back and flipped backwards onto her feet. She smoothed out her uniform and turned to the newcomer. "You must be Lieutenant Owens, yes?" she said.

"Yes, that's me," Amy said. "Doctor Anderson, right? You said I should stop by for my boarding physical and . . . well, here I am." Amy wasn't exactly startled by the CMO's appearance, but she was immediately aware of the doctor's unique bearing. This was a woman accustomed to giving orders to her patients and having those orders followed. I'm glad I didn't ignore that summons, Amy thought to herself.

Nicole looked at the other woman like she'd grown a second head. "I asked you to report in...and you did?" She glanced over at B'tal who wisely was just returning his attention to his diagnostics. "Wonders never cease," she said, gesturing to another biobed nearby. "Hop on."

"Not everyone has to hate Sickbay," Amy said with a smile as she slid up onto the indicated biobed. "Besides, no point in delaying the inevitable, right?"

"You'd be surprised the effort some go to," Nicole said, flipping open her tricorder. She scanned Owens slowly, focusing on her head. She looked down at her and said, "what is the opening of Commander Hubbard's Academy Orientation speech?"

"Oh, um," Amy said, slightly thrown off by the question. "He said, 'Before you lapse into the vague disinterest customary of recipients of a welcoming speech, let me make something clear. To reach this academy you had to be an exemplary student, and you've no doubt become used to being the smartest in your class. That is not the case here. Here you are among equals and betters. Here there will be no coasting along in aloof satisfaction, showing off how smart you are to the class. Here you will struggle. Here you will learn that the only worthwhile use of your time is to receive and process useful knowledge from your instructors.'" Amy felt her face flush slightly as she realized she'd given quite more than a line or two, but she remembered that speech with great clarity and had enjoyed the stark reminder of their purpose at the Academy.

"Impressive," Nicole said. "Even had the intonation down." She closed her tricorder and sat down on a chair next to the biobed. "True eidetic memory is rare. I've only met one other person who had such a gift naturally. Does it run in your family?"

"It's hard to say," Amy said. "My twin brother comes close, but I don't think his memory is truly eidetic. Neither my parents nor my grandparents have extremely good memory." She shrugged. "I enjoy it for the most part, but there are certainly times I envy people who can more easily forget."

"I can understand the sentiment," Nicole said. "Well, on this ship I would say keep your eyes and ears open, and put that memory to use. You never know when a random detail will come in handy."

"You never know," Amy agreed. "Am I all good to go?"

Nicole closed her tricorder with a snap. "Almost," she said. She reached for her sub-dermal hypo and withdrew a blood sample, pulling out the vial and placing it with her tricorder. "I'll see you around, Lieutenant."

"Thank you, Doctor," Amy said, rising and heading for the door. "Have a great day!"

"We'll let the biobed determine that," Nicole grumbled, flipping back onto it.

OFF

A Post By

Lt. Nicole Anderson
CMO
USS Victory

Lieutenant Amy Owens
Strategic Operations Officer
USS Victory

 

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