Back on the job

Posted on Sun Oct 28, 2018 @ 11:42pm by Lieutenant Penelope Naroot & Lieutenant Nicole Anderson

1,277 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Plaga Navis
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: A day after the previous mission

After several days spent unconscious, and a good meal, Nicole was brimming with energy. With the reestablishment of a transwarp corridor to home, new crew and supplies were rapidly coming through, and she had arranged a staff meeting to introduce everyone. She’d put on a crisp, freshly replicated uniform and walked into Sickbay, head held high, confident and poised and ready for anything. Almost anything, as it turned out, because she was not prepared for what was waiting for her.

All three shifts of her staff were there, and they all turned at her arrival and broke out into polite applause, smiling and in a few cases whistling in approval. She felt her eyes water a little and quickly blinked away her tears, forcing her grin back into her customary stern scowl. “All right, enough of this frivolous show of emotion,” she barked, her lips threatening to tweak up again. “Gather around because we have a lot of work to do.”

Everyone stood at attention and pulled into a semi circle. The new members of her staff were standing a bit straighter, not accustomed to her “crunchy on the outside” style. The few seasoned staff she had were alert, but somewhat relaxed, knowing she appreciated the gesture.

“I’m sure you’ve all been slacking off while I’ve been incapacitated,” she said, “so we’re going to have to tighten ship a bit. I need all equipment inspected and calibrated, and all supplies in the storeroom checked. Alpha and Beta teams can handle that.” A few heads nodded in acknowledgement.

“Would our new additions please step forward,” she said. A few nurses, one doctor and a couple of medtechs all filtered out of the crowd and stepped up. “Welcome aboard. You’ll all be performing an EOI for all medical supplies on board.”

One of the younger male nurses looked at her as if she were insane. “You want an eyes-on inspection of the entire inventory?”

“Is there a problem?” Nicole said, one eyebrow raising slowly.

“No, it’s just...I’d think the cargo bays were inspected regularly,” he said.

“They are,” Nicole said. “But I want you to know first-hand where everything is. And that includes all the emergency medkits and aux storage areas as well. I don’t risk anyone on my staff falling short because they don’t know where to find the supplies they need.”

There were a few grumbles and some shifting of feet, but no one else objected. “You’ll take it in shifts,” Nicole said. “Each team of four will go one deck at a time, until you’ve all inspected the whole ship.”

“So you want…” the same male nurse did a head count. “Six independent EOIs?”

“Yes,” Nicole said, her good cheer fading and the snark creeping in. “I’m so pleased Starfleet has graced us with a mathematics expert.”

Perhaps realizing he’d overstepped, or persuaded by the elbow jabbed into him by someone trying to save him, the young man clamped his jaw shut.

“Off you pop,” Nicole said, her eyes glued to the offender as he walked past. He met her gaze and she could already tell she was going to have an issue.

When they’d cleared out, she looked the remainder over and smiled slightly. “All right. Alpha and Beta teams, begin equipment checks here and the surgical bay. Gamma, start on tricorders…” she paused as a few people distracted her trying to cover up a giggle. “Delta team, inventory the labs--” the snickering was now obvious and Nicole folded her arms, looking them over. She realized they weren’t looking at her, so much as past her, and she whirled around to find a blonde, smiling traitor standing behind her, caught in a mocking hand gesture.

"Hi!" Penny chirped.

Nicole pursed her lips and turned back to her staff. "Everyone else is on regular rotation. Thank you especially to those of you who'd rather be in bed right now. Dismissed." The crowd broke up and Nicole passed by them, heading for her office.

As Nicole walked back to her office, Penny followed and stood in front of the desk with her hands behind her back. "I wanted to say, welcome back."

"Thank you, although technically having been in Sickbay the entire time, I haven't left," Nicole said, wryly.

Penny shrugged. "Still, I wanted to say it." She brought her hands around to her front and held out a small, green plant covered in spines. "I got you a gift. It's a cactus."

"What is it?" Nicole said, picking up a stylus and poking the plant gently.

"It's a desert plant covered in pointy needles," she said. "Cass said to get a gift that reflects you."

Nicole looked up at Penny. "Something that stabs and inflicts pain on those who come in contact with it?"

"Something that flourishes in harsh conditions, and doesn't succumb to hardship or dire circumstances," Penny said, somewhat defensively, then nodded her head from side to side. "And...the other thing."

Nicole made a rude gesture and sat back. "How's life on the bridge?"

"I got to run the night shift a few nights ago," Penny said, grinning. "I'm really enjoying it."

Nicole smiled. "I'm glad to see you're having fun. I'm sure you're driving the bridge crew insane."

Penny giggled. "Yeah, but I don't know if I want to do that forever. Truth be told, I'm not sure what I want to do."

"Come back to Medical," Nicole teased. "Are you thinking of leaving Starfleet? What about your observation of humanity?"

"I achieved my goal," she said. "I found a good man. Humanity is safe from my family. So now what? I just stay here?"

"Why not?" Nicole said. "They could use you. Besides, wouldn't you rather be around your friends? I mean, what was the plan once you were done? Go back to your planet and sit with the rest of your people and stare at the walls? You'd go crazy."

"Yeah, true," Penny said. "I mean, if I left here, I'd go back to Earth with my human parents, or ship out elsewhere. I just don't know which choice is right."

Nicole sat back and put her feet up on her desk. "Penny, each of us in life are supposed to find our purpose. Back on my homeworld, you're born into your clan and your purpose is to support it until your matched with someone and you join their clan. It's a simple life, but everyone knows what to do."

"Out here?" She gestured around as if space were in the room with them. "It's more complicated. You make decisions, you suffer the consequences, you go on to the next decision. That's what being organic is all about. You have a choice now: stay here and explore and learn and grow, go be with Thomas and figure out how you two are going to work while you're confined to a Starbase, or go home."

"I don't know which of those I want most," Penny said. "I kind of want all three to some degree."

"Welcome to life," Nicole said. "You have to do what we all have to do: decide what you want to do with yours."

"I guess," Penny said. "Well, at least here I can still surf." She instantly checked her internal chronometer. "But for now, I have to get back to my shift." She got up and came around the desk, leaning over to give Nicole a hug. "See you around! Glad you're back!"

"Never left," Nicole said, shaking her head.


JP

Nicole Anderson
CMO

Penelope Naroot
Operations Officer/CFCO

 

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