Dropped straight in

Posted on Thursday 22 July 2021 @ 21:34 by Lieutenant Nir’anyar & Captain Melody Jones & Ensign Roger Bumble

Mission: A Cry from the Darkness
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD12 1130
1863 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Roger was a little lost. He had spent a couple of days trying to keep up to Millers schedule. As he was now the only counsellor again on the station he had too. The computer notified him that the CMO was back from the mission. So he decided to go meet her. He had shied away from medical so far knowing the second he walked in there he would likely be subjected to an actual medical. It was usually the case, and he preferred to try get things in order first.

"Ensign Bumble. New counselor. Well only current counselor," he said to the nurse he met by the door. "I wondered if I could have a word with CMO now she's back."

The Nurse politely pointed at a small gathering of teal collars around the main system display within sickbay, a slender Benzite at the center of the gathering. "So Collins, if you could help Doctor Ch'rehron with the diagnostics of all equipment with med lab four, I'm sure she would appreciate the help given the damage sustain after the attack. Doctor T'Var would you take over care for the remaining injured in recovery ward two... I think we are down to around seven the rest are mobile and will call in for scheduled appointments... Finally, I need to get some of you trained in Physiotherapy techniques... I have the joy of assisting Lieutenant Scarlet through his recovery because non of you are up to speed in this area. If I or he survive this then it will be a miracle... Dismissed!"

Anya turned, dropping the PADD into the pocket of her lab coat taking one last look at the main display before tapping a few controls to shut down the duty list she had compiled. Things were starting to get easier with her new job and position but it seemed to have come at a great cost. Commander Miller had gone as had Commander Godding both under very different circumstances. She had heard that two other senior officers had also departed which meant that Captain Jones would be very short staffed. She needed to book time with the Captain to offer her services in plugging any gaps within the duty rosta, after all she was fully trained as a duty officer.

She turned to go when a nurse caught her with another PADD, a requisition list that needed to be forwarded on to Starbase three zero eight ready for their next layover and resupply, she looked it over as she moved through sickbay to her office, handing the devise back once she had authorised the supply request.

"Lieutenant Nir'anyar," Roger stepped out recognising her. How did you not recognise a Benzite? "I'm Ensign Bumble. Commander Miller interviewed me and offered me a position on the Merlin in counselling. I thought it best to come introduce myself."

"Ensign, I'm glad you are here... You are our only operations Counsellor right now and this ship has been through hell... I'm sorry to drop you in it so quickly but needs must!"
She dropped down into the seat behind her desk, her mind still focused on the work before her but able to multi-task effortlessly.

"Well about that ... the Chief Commander Miller. Where is she?" Roger asked.

"She left a day or so ago which means Ensign that you are now out only Counsellor... Here!" Anya handed him a collection of PADD's, nearing the number of ten or eleven of them. "This is Commander Millers calendar of appointments, current medical diagnosis for thirty or so crew members that are in need of your services given our recent problems and the check in reports for the civilian population... I think she has around nintey patients within that group that are now behind on their appointments."

“Well I'm certainly going to be busy then, ” Roger said simply. “What about here, does counselling attend your weekly meetings doctor?”

"I have no idea... I've only been in the job a few days. Until you have a direct line manager I would suggest you attend the meetings and that is if your calendar will permit... I'm sorry to drop you in it like this but needs must!"

Anya was genuine with her apology, this was no way for a Junior Officer to land a new job on such a large vessel.

"Yes Ma'am," Roger nodded. "So what are our priorities at present? Any information on our mission I need to know?"

"We are still picking up the pieces after the trouble on the surface but from a medial point of view we have covered all bases... The psychological recovery of some of the crew is a different matter. The biggest problem we would have been Commander Godding but she has accepted care from a dedicated facility and departed yesterday. It might be worth looking over the recent reports and use your judgment from there".

Anya shifted, wondering if she should turn to this Bumble chap to look over the information that Caroline had sent her.

"To be fair there could be a lot of PTSD from earlier events too. I believe they encountered a puppet master?"

"I was not on the ship during that event so I am flying blind in that regard but I would agree, PTSD could be a strong possibility just from the events of the last few days!"
She handed another PADD to Bumble, deciding that she would rope him in to help with the Caroline situation. "I would like you to look this over as well. It was a mysterious data packet that was sent to me by Commander Miller. We are still trying to ascertain why and what for... Your help would be invaluable but only as a secondary to the care of the crew!"

"I am always happy to help Ma'am. I looked up Commander Miller before I interviewed for the position. Interesting that she used to be a doctor like yourself but chose to change to counselling. But I can understand it with the experiences she had with that horrible virus onboard the Siegfried. No wonder she agreed to participate in the Floxaid research," he commented.

"Come again!" Anya's head snapping round so fast she ran the risk of dislocating something.

“She’s part of a research group ma’am, trying to find a cure for the virus,” he said looking at the Padd. These are different drugs yes? Perhaps it’s her research?” Roger told her.

The Doctor was standing bolt upright and tapping her combadge giving Bumble no clue as to what was going on.

"Anya to Captain Jones and Lieutenant McPhee, please report to my office!"

Roger creased his eyebrow unclear what was going on.

Melody voice came over the comm system. "I'm on my way."

"On my way" Mathias replied, answering right after Melody.

A few minutes later, Melody entered sickbay. "Doctor, your call sounded urgent. Trouble?"

Mathias felt like a nervous cat on a hot tin roof, and arrived into Sickbay he had been lost in thought about that research. He gave a wave when he walked into sick bay, "Doctor, Doctor, Captain." giving a nod towards them each. "Is there more news?" he asked.

"Mr Bumble, would you mind repeating what you told me about Commander Miller!"
The Benzite surrendered the floor to the most junior officer but the only man that seemed to have a grasp on what might actually be going on.

"Okay," Roger said completely bewildered as to why he seemed to be the only person had read Caroline Millers personal file. "Captain, Commander Miller was a member of a research group called Floxaid. When she was a medic she was posted on the Siegfried. The ship that encountered the Flox virus. She witnessed it first hand and has been working with other medics in her own time to try find a cure for Starfleet. It's in her file. I was speculating on if the data she sent to Dr Nir'anyar was files from that."

"That does shed more light on this matter but what is that genetic research there that seemed to be embedded within?" Mathias asked.

"There's no genetic research sir. It's a number of drug trials. The major unsuccessful, some with some results not expected. Like ... " the Ensign said flicking through some of the pages. "This one increases certain neurons as a by-product in Vulcans. In fact in several species."

"That I feel is in some way a bit of genetics. You have to look at that aspect in order for the drugs to take effect." Mathias remarked, not unkindly just an observation on his part.

"I remember reading about that. The drug was successful in treating the virus. Why would Caroline send you information on viral research?" Melody pondered. "You said it increased neuron production? Could the drug be used for other applications?" She asked Anya.

"Quite likely Captain but without a complete and clear understand of the application, uses and the like I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to say with any degree of certainty exactly what that could be!" She looked directly at the Captain. "The only thing that I am certain about... we need Caroline to clue us all in!"

"It's a bit like the chicken and the egg..." Melody replied, more to herself. "She must have sent us this information for a reason," Melody said, look at the scrolling information. Then, a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Can you tell if anyone else has requested hit information from the Federation medial database recently?"

"Computer" Anya had turned back to the streaming display of information. "Track back the data and show any other access to these files from the source within the last six months!"

The computer beeped. "Accessing... Stand by." After a few moments, it beeped again. "Unable to comply. Access logs have been erased."

"What is going on there?" Mathias asked, stunned at this new wrinkle in this research.

"Keep working on it Doc." Melody added, trying to be reassuring. "We're not going to stop until we're got Caroline back."

Just then Melody's communicator beeped. "Bridge to Jones. Captain, the warp trail of the ship we've been following her terminated in an uncharted star system. ETA 15 minutes."

Melody raised an eyebrow. "Maybe we'll find some answers there." she tapped her comm badge. "Acknowledged bridge, I'm on my way." She turned to Mathias "Lieutenant, you're with me. Keep monitoring the bridge Doctor, your services might be required."

"Right, and we'll hopefully find Caroline." giving a bit of a nod. "Will see you later, Anya." Mathias accompanying Melody out of Medical.

All Anya could do was return back to the information before her and hope she could find something of note.

OFF:

●● Lieutenant Mathias McPhee
Chief Operations Officer
USS Merlin

●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin

● Ensign Roger Bumble
Counselor
USS Merlin

●● Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin