An Apple a Day...

Posted on Wed Oct 30, 2019 @ 3:00pm by Fleet Captain Rhea Kennit & Lieutenant Nicole Anderson

754 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Nibiru
Location: Sickbay

After breakfast, on her way out of the officers dining room, scooping up a fresh apple from a fruit display - the Captain decided it was time to take a stroll through her new command. She’d already seen the ships enormous bridge, her Ready Room and her quarters. Some areas of the ship were still considered in work, with ship's forces and spacedock teams working on fine tuning and tweaking various systems. Those areas she’d avoid for the time being, having no interest at all really in what was being done. That was Commander Torres’ problem to oversee, not hers.

She paused, saw where she was standing, and decided ‘what the hell’.

Turning to her left, the Captain approached the doors and stepped into Sickbay. The polished tile floors gleamed under the lights; it smelled like new ships do. Paint and faintly of plastics. And antiseptic cleaners. Strolling slowly, she took in the larger space thinking that Dr. Anderson was probably driving engineering and medical staff nuts with demands to see that her new domain was just right..

"And I said I want three per section, no arguments," Nicole said, her voice hard as a diamond as she walked out of one of the side rooms.

The ensign at her heels "Ma'am, regulations state--"

"The people who wrote those regulations are not going to be the ones bleeding on the deck when things get critical," Nicole said. "I don't care what some bureaucrat supply sergeant says; get your ass over to the station and requisition more emergency kits until my quota is filled. If they have an issue, take it up with the Admiral." She stopped as she saw the Captain waiting for her. She nodded towards her office, then glared at the ensign. "Go."

The underling ran and Nicole stalked into her office, her boots clacking all the way.

Kennit strolled toward the Chief Medical Officer’s office suite, noting that while her own boots made no sound at all on the polished tile, Anderson’s seemed to echo loudly across the medical bay.

Entering the doctors office suite, the Captain said “It must take quite a bit of effort to make so much noise when you walk. Doesn’t it make your legs tired, stomping around everywhere?”

Reaching the desk, the Captain settled herself into one of the chairs with lazy grace, scooping up a small laser scalpel from the doctors desk and then using it to neatly core and slice her apple into quarters.

Nicole briefly pictured shoving the scalpel into Rhea's leg, but put it aside and sat down. "No, but my back hurts from carrying this staff of First Years around all day," she groused. "Two of my doctors are fresh out of residency, three of my nurses are barely out of primary school it seems. Thank Providence I kept Maggie."

She sat back and crossed her legs. "One of the first things we learn in Medical is 'heavy step, safe prep.' None of those light footfalls you sneak around with. We have to step confidently and hard so that we don't risk tripping or slipping as we move around patients." She shook her head. "What idiot thought polished tile was appropriate for a Sickbay? No noise cancellation from voices and machinery, a constant slip risk if something spills, and that color is just plain atrocious." She shook her head. "Sometimes I think the people who design these ships are completely color blind. I'll be relieved when the starbase engineers finally reach me on the list."

She shook her head, putting the thoughts aside. "Anyway, what is it you need, Captain?"

“Just exploring.” Kennit answered. “I see you are congenial as ever .”

"Yes, I'm so mellow these days, it's unnerving," Nicole said, dryly. "Camille says I'm getting downright 'sweet'."

“So you’re both losing your minds..” Kennit answered.

Nicole made a rude gesture. "Rest assured, my acerbic attitude won't diminish so long as I'm serving under you," she promised. She paused and glanced down at her lap, then back up. "In point of fact...why are you here? I had the impression you wanted to say 'sod off' to a few admirals and go retire."

Kennit stood. “Have no fear Doctor. I won’t be here for any longer than I must. Good day..”

With that, she turned and walked away, crossing Sickbay heading toward the exit.

Nicole raised an eyebrow and watched her go and then shook her head. "The more things change," she said.

 

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