I’m Inclined to Say Yes

Posted on Sun Jul 11th, 2021 @ 5:45pm by Captain Solin Edral & Lieutenant Andromeda Nash M.D.

1,734 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: [OS] Tales of Moreau
Location: Ourea Station; Captain's Office
Timeline: MD01 || 0910

Sitting at his desk, going through various reports from the colony, the medical facility on the colony couldn't cope with the number of people in the colony. They had elected to open a new facility, which had taken the CMO of the ground facility, which had in turn taken the CMO of the station to take over the main facility.

Going through the list of replacements Admiral Paka, and Aisha had collated, he had narrowed it down to 2. Lieutenant Miranda Bailes or Lieutenant Andromeda Nash. Miranda had been CMO for a few years on the USS Descartes. But she had a few incidents on her file where she had been a bit too blunt with patients. Though she had tamed that out during the last year or two, it appeared.

The other, Lieutenant Andromeda Nash had been around a lot longer. Being an El Aurian, she had plenty of experience under her belt, they both did, but looking over Andromeda's service record, she certainly took it just over the edge for her.

"Aisha, is Lieutenant Nash on the station yet? Or is she still on board the Eklund?"

"The Lieutenant is currently onboard the Eklund, shall I request she beam over?" The voice replied before she materialised.

"Yes, please. Have her arrive on the pad across the hall." The Captain replied.

[USS Eklund]

The game had gone on longer than either she or the Captain had anticipated but then it was like that sometimes. You got caught up and one or the other would end up saying some version of 'one more'. In the running count of the many games of Springball they had played together, she was up 94 to 93, but that would change. Ever the strategist, Damok was the sort to issue an invitation at two in the morning ostensibly because he couldn't sleep; mostly, because he hoped to catch her off guard. It was part of the game at least the way they played it. "We still on for Wicked Grace, Sir," she asked as she bent over to pick up a towel. She grinned cheerfully. "Pressley wants a second chance at the winnings you collected the last time we all played."

Damok Zaha nodded as he brushed a tangle of silver brown hair off his forehead and reached for his own towel. "Hopefully," he said. "I'll send word later once I see how the rest of my day is shaping out. How's that?"

"All good, Sir," Andromeda answered. "If not today, then one day soon we'll get our chance at the hoard upon which you sit."

Damok laughed and the two separated. She watched him head toward his quarters, saw how the weight of his responsibilities seemed to settle over him, as though a weighted cloak had been dropped over his shoulders. As a student of body language, she saw the rounding but also saw the spring in his stride. Nodding in satisfaction, she went in the opposite direction to her own quarters for a much needed shower and change of uniform.

She was just finishing up when the call came from Ourea Station requesting her presence. "Can you give me an indication of the nature of the emergency," she said as she slipped easily, and from long practice, back into the role of doctor.

"Emergency, Ma'am," the bridge officer repeated, her voice rising on the interrogatory. "Oh no, Ma'am. Not like that. The Captain just wants to meet with you is all. I'll pass the transporter pad coordinates along."

"Thank you then," Andromeda said. "On my way. Nash out."

She left her hair hanging loose, no time for anything fancy, and headed toward the transporter room. She stopped long enough to check with Yeoman Hughes, who had missed his last checkup, and to ask after Petty Officer DeVries' cousin's toddler back on Earth. Hughes had been embarrassed at being caught out and vowed to go at once, especially after being threatened at an impromptu examination right where they stood, and DeVries remarked as how her niece was turning into quite the little terrorist and the two spent a couple of minutes discussing strategies.

With that done, she entered the transporter room and smiled pleasantly at the Chief. "I've been requested on Ourea Station," she said as she stepped up onto the closest pad. "I understand you have the location?"

"Sure thing, Doc," Haskell said. "My brother said to tell you thanks for that cream. Did the trick." He set the controls and nodded. "Energizing."

[Ourea Station, Operations, Captain's Office]

The beam caught her and moments later, she stood (somewhere) on the station. Probably should have asked first, she thought as she stepped down from the pad. Fortunately, someone was there who gave her directions to the Captain's office. Not far, thankfully. While she thoroughly enjoyed getting lost, some really great adventures had begun that way, command didn't generally care for being kept waiting. At the Captain's door, she pressed the chime and waited for whatever came next.

"Lieutenant Nash is here, Captain," Aisha said after the chime.

"Thank you, Aisha." She dematerialised. "Come in Lieutenant." The door opened showing the face of the most likely new Chief Medical Officer.

Andromeda entered and walked up to the captain's desk; she lacked the crisp military precision one would expect from a Marine but then, she was a doctor first and foremost. And doctors throughout Starfleet tended to see the individual before the uniform. In that, she was no exception. "Lieutenant Nash, Sir," she said as she met his gaze, her own framing a question.

"Welcome aboard the station, Lieutenant. I wish it was under better circumstances, though admittedly it's not the worst. Tell me, I've read your record, but I like to know what's not in the record. From what I can see, you spent a lot of time on the Blackwell, before transferring to the Eklund. Have you had much experience running a starbase medical facility?" The captain asked, inviting the officer to sit at his desk. "Would you care for a drink?"

"Tea would be lovely, Sir," Andromeda said as she settled into a chair, legs crossed at the ankles and tucked back. She considered the question for a moment, assessing her skills against the needs of the position. Her answer when it came was honest and to the point; while she might refrain from answering, it wasn't in her nature to lie outright. "I tend toward being in the thick of things rather than the administrative or political side of the equation. Not sure that I have a definitive answer for you. I'm the Chief Medical Officer aboard my ship and I'm more than competent in that position. I did a two-year residency on Beta Antares and a fellowship at Starfleet Medical on Earth so I have some familiarity with operations in a larger facility. Not the same as running one, I know, but I'm at least aware of how it differs."

He leaned over and replicated a cup of tea on his desk, then handed it to her as she spoke. "I know how you feel. I thought running a Starbase would be the same as running a Starship, but there are so many different things to the job. I'll stop beating around the bush though. My CMO is being relocated to the planet, to help run the ground side medical facilities. His replacement was due when the next wave of Starfleet ships arrived, but, we all know what happened there. Your name came up as a potential recruit, so I was wondering how you felt about running the medical facilities on the station?" He took a sip of his apple juice and smiled.

She took a cautious sip of tea as she considered the idea. There was a sort of impermanence built into her life or at least that's how it seemed to her. Without memory of her parents or her childhood, she had never really felt the need to settle in any one place. To her, life, especially a long one, was about adventure and new experiences. Being open to possibilities. Combine that with her need to help, to be of service, and it seemed a good fit. Chief Medical Officer on a starbase in the Delta Quadrant would provide plenty of both. And if not, well, there would always be a ship coming heading off to some other equally fascinating possibility. If needed.

"I'm open to the idea," she said as she set the teacup back on its saucer and folded her hands in her lap. "Not sure how my Captain will feel about it though the Assistant Chief is capable. Dreadful bedside manner but very capable."

A small chuckle escaped the Captain's mouth. "Leave Captain Damok to me. If you want to accept the position, it's yours. Most of the staff is here, but there are still some parts of the medical facilities that aren't completed, though we are hoping to have them at least functional in the next few weeks. There are only 4 surgical suites, the other 6 aren't complete yet, but the facility on the planet can deal with any overflow. And there are a handful of labs that are still non-functional."

"I'm inclined to say yes, Captain," she said and then paused to take another sip of tea. Her glance straying to the side and down as she thought about what he had said. "Provided Captain Damok agrees, of course ... and I'd like to tour the facilities, meet the staff you have here now and all that. So, I know what I'm getting myself into. If that's alright?"

“Of course, take your time on the tour. At a minimum, you’re on temporary detachment to the station for the next day or so, if you choose to accept the offer. If it’s not to your liking, then I can have you transferred back to the Eklund from tomorrow morning. He smiled at her, hoping she would accept the offer.

"Good," she said. "If your Chief Medical Officer is already gone, perhaps I can make use of their quarters tonight?"

"Absolutly. I'll get Aisha to organise it, and have your belongings brought over from the Eklund." He took a sip of his own drink as he stood up. "Welcome to Ourea Station, Lieutenant Nash."

"Thank you, Captain," she said. "With your permission then, I'm off to do some exploring."

“Permission granted. Dismissed.”

 

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