"Showing off Sickbay"

Posted on 01 Sep 2025 @ 9:40pm by Commander Adrienne Holt & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD

1,123 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Fractured Accord
Location: Sickbay :: USS Arawyn
Timeline: At Departure of Starbase 369

// Sickbay //

One of the conversations that hadn't taken place yet, was the meeting between the CMO and the XO. Holt didn't have it scheduled and the good doctor hadn't seen fit to report. It was as good excuse as any for Adrienne to check out Sickbay for herself. She hadn't been there yet, had only seen it in the technical specifications, and it was always a place where you could best go yourself. As long as you didn't need a doctor, that is.

"Where can I find Doctor Amberlyn?" Holt asked the first nurse she ran into.

"Good afternoon, Commander Holt. Let me find her here," said the nurse, checking on the small monitor which advised her of everyone whereabouts in the still unfamiliar layout of the Department. She's in the pharmacy. She keyed the intra-departmental comm. "Dr Amberlyn to Reception to see Cmdr Holt, please."

Riah grimaced at a glitch in the pharmaceutical replicator, which provided her with a glass of water, but no medication as requested. She was grateful for the interruption to think about something else. She replied on the comm to the reception desk, an audible but not universal announcement. "Lucy, the Rx replicator is still not working right. I'll be right there." Almost as soon as she finished speaking, she appeared at the entry between the reception and the exam room.

"Welcome to Sickbay, Commander Holt."

Holt turned her head at the greeting and nodded in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Doctor. I've been looking forward to see this unique department for myself."

"Let's go to my office." She led the XO through the department to her office and closed the door behind them. "Again, welcome. Would you like tea or coffee? I know this replicator knows the difference."

"Some coffee would be appreciated," Adrienne spoke, settling in a nearby chair. The winding corridors of Sickbay were a little disorienting at first. Even though she'd studied the floorplan, it was still playing tricks in her mind. It would take some getting used to, for sure. Accepting the coffee, she settled back and crossed her legs. "It's good to meet you, Doctor. How are you settling in to your new assignment? How's Sickbay suiting you?"

"Well, since I've barely left it since arriving, that's a mixed answer," replied Riah. "There were, still are, some glitches in the communications tech. I send messages that never arrive at their destination. I don't get messages for hours after I need the answers they provide. For a few days, we only had one terminal, at reception, working and everyone was having to stand in line to check in to the ship's master system. I've stayed here, sleeping a little in the isolation room when I get a few minutes for a nap, because I am on their asses to get this fixed. All the other systems and equipment test great, so it's not the overall Sickbay wiring, it's just the comms system. But I'm not leaving here in 72 hours with it still glitching. Hence, I did not come knocking on your door with my problems, along with 800 plus others trying to check in and I'm quite sure my message to that effect is lost in some obscure corner of the ship. I apologize that you had to come checking on me, Commander. Other than all that, this is a fabulous department, better equipped than most hospitals, and the people are stellar."

Adrienne was impressed by the answer she was receiving. Maybe not so much about the glitches, but the Doctor seemed to already have a good grasp on her department. "I prefer having to come check on you when you have your department in hand rather than you having check in my office and your department being a mess," she replied smoothly. "Is there anything I can do to help smoothen the process?"

Riah thought for a moment. Scheduling was going well. Her Yeoman and the Department Yeoman were very well trained and had figured that out in short order. She had plenty of help from the Operations people in transferring supplies from storage. Comms and Engineering was hot on the trail of the comm system issue. All her people had shown up and at least reported aboard. "Commander, how do you feel about cross-training? I know Security are cross trained as first responders, but I'd like to extend some training in emergency patient care to non-combat critical personnel. People who are not going to be manning the guns in an emergency situation. There are people in Science and Operations who could volunteer to train for patient care in an emergency. We did that on my former ship and it was very successfully received. I could write up a proposal if you are amenable to that idea."

A slight tilt of her head was the sole indication that Holt was impressed once more. She made mental notes about this woman, her mind making overtime to file everything away that was worthwhile. "It's a very good idea, Doctor. Obviously, I would want to wait with cross department training until basic performance is well above average. But, if you send me your proposal, I promise you I will look into it thoroughly. And make no mistake, Doctor, I don't make promises lightly."

"I appreciate that. I feel likewise. I'll give you a couple or three weeks to get settled as we get our sea-legs under us here and I'll have the proposal on your desk. If you like it, we can implement it when you feel the time is right. If you don't like it and we can't modify or tweak it, we'll scrap it until a better time."

"That works," Adrienne agreed and got to her feet. It was the first department where she had a feeling they had a handle on things. It was very satisfying and she hoped they would live up to the expectations they'd now created for themselves.

Riah stood as Commander Holt did. "I am delighted to be aboard Arawyn. It's a privilege and an honor, and I look forward to serving with you, Commander. If there is any way I can make your job in connection with Medical any easier, or take care of any personal health issues at all, I am here and willing. And again, I do wish I could have come knocking on your door, though I'm always eager to introduce people to a wonderful sickbay and reassure them they will get the best of care."

"beep beep beep" a little alarm sounded on the softly on the computer. "Ah, time to check on the sick cat," Riah chuckled.

~~~
Cmdr Adrienne Holt
Executive Officer
USS Arawyn
&
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Arawyn

 

RSS Feed