Doctor Alexandra Jade beamed into the transporter room feeling weary to say the least. She had
caught the red-eye from Alpha Centauri Prime and was exhausted. But she was happy that she was
on board when no one else was.
Her usually sparkling dark brown eyes were cracked with red lines. And her medium-length auburn
hair, which she often wore in a loose bob framing her face, was now tied up in a ponytail and knotted
on top of her head. She looked a mess, and she knew it.
Alex stepped off the transporter pad and stretched her limbs. The USS Brutus was still in space
dock. But as her father Alexander Jade so often told her, better to get there before anyone else so
you can learn your way around. There were many times when a starship doctor must navigate the
corridors to get to a patient in need. It wasn't always good to rely on the medical transporter system
because you never know when transporters would go offline.
"Thank you officer," Alex said to the crewman who lifted and carried her bags for her to her new
cabin. It only took two decks on the turbolift and a slight walk down the corridor on deck 5 before
she arrived at her quarters in the back of Sickbay. Alex noted in the ship skematics before she
boarded that most of the medical personnel lived on deck 5, nightside and dayside medical
personnel.
"Thank you again, Eugene," Alex said again smiling, then waited for the would-be porter to leave
before looking around her cabin. "Stark white walls, drab gray furniture, even more drab gray
carpeting," Alex said looking around. "Yep, this is a starfleet room alright!"
Captain Jay Williams and Lt. Cmdr Mitch Williams arrived onboard the USS Brutus not long after
Dr. Jade.
"Well, we have a day to get used to the ship. We're shipping out tommorow morning, 0600." Jay
said, resume the conversation she was having with her husband.
"I thought we were leaving space dock in three days. We have new orders?" Mitch asked.
"Yes, I haven't gotten them yet myself. I was only told that the departure date was moved up to
tommorow morning, that all the crew was ordered to report earily, and that I'll get my orders at 2100
tonight."
The two arrived in their quarters and quickly unpacked. "I'm going to the bridge. Do you want to
come or check the engines?" Asked Jay.
Mitch searched for his engineering kit and made sure that everything was in it. "Well, I figure I better
get those engines in synch, because God knows who's been futzing with them before we came
aboard.
Jelaren laughed. "I expect a full report."
"Oh, you'll get one... captain." Mitch said, kissing his wife and walking down to engineering.
Griff Bundy, the XO, strode onboard carrying the duffel of his items. He was looking forward to serving
with his old pal Jay. after making his way onboard, he did what he knew was the first vital task
onboard a new ship, which was finding his quarters. He did so without much trouble, and dropped his
duffel down. A nice pad, spacious for the XO. He made a mental note to ask Jay permission for a safe,
something his quarters never went without, a throwback to his security days.
Since he had found his quarters, he then set off to do one of the 2 next most important things onboard
a new ship: find the CO, or find the bar. So, he left his quarters to find Jay or the bar, whichever came
first.
On her way up to the bridge, Jay ran into her old friend, Griff. "Hello Commander!" She said
cheerfully.
"Hi Jay! Does this big barge of yours have a bar?" Asked Bundy.
"Yup, on deck six."
"Would you care to join me for a drink?"
"I would love to, but our departure date has been moved up, and I want to make sure all our
department heads get settled in and that the ship is in good shape. Don't drink too much though; I'm
going to have an informal dinner tonight, just so everyone can get to know each other."
Counselor Celeste Sayers boarded the Brutus...she located her quarters and got settled in....now to find her office?? She
loves to take walks...it helps her to think....so decides this would be a good time to stretch her leggs
and see who is around....never know who you might run into.
"Is all this really necessary, Doc?" Bundy asked as he laid down.
"No, Mr. Bundy, we in the medical profession just like tormenting command officers to see their reactions to the hoop-la we put them throught," Alex said deadpan. "Why you got a problem with that?"
"No, not at all, Doc," Griff said smiling. "I was just asking."
Nice smile, Alex noted in her mental data padd while noting a normal brain function in her official medical padd. "You are relatively fit for your age, Mr. Bundy," Alex began as she turned off the scanner. "You can get up now and put your shirt back on."
"What does that mean?" Bundy asked semi-concerned.
"It means you eat too much junk food and don't get enough cardio-vascular exercise," Alex answered. "Your muscle tone is nice." Very nice. "But your internal systems require aerobic exercise as well."
"Alright, Doc, I'll keep that in mind," Bundy said hopping the med bed and climbing back into his shirt.
"See that you do," Alex said, watching Bundy leave with her perripheral vision.
She smiles and leaves her quarters, decides to head to sickbay and meet the doctor. When she arrives a gentlemen is leaving and they exchange smiles and she walks in and sees the doctor, she smiles warming, "Doctor Jade, how are you, I hope this isn't a bad time, I'm Lt Sayers, ship's counselor, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"Ah, yes, you are new, a quick roster change I hear," Alex preparing her tools by switching them to Betazoid. "You are Celeste Sayers?"
"Yes, Doctor," Sayers said.
"What an unusual name for a full Betazoid to have," Alex said as she rant the scans over blonde's body. "Hmmm...you're 25 years old. But I guess you knew that. I would have thought you'd be older. I am 28. I think we are the youngest people on board for our positions."
"Yes, it was a surprise to the other candidates for my position. I wonder why the captain chose me sometimes, but you know the old Betazoid motto, 'Don't look a gift Paigh in the mouth!'" Sayers said smiling.
"Yeah, I think I heard that somewhere," Alex said adding more of her southern drawl than usual. Alex completed her regular scans and asked Sayers to lie down for the brain scans. "I see you have dust allergies...Hmmm..." Alex said talking more to herself than Sayers. "Okay, you're done."
"Thank you, Doctor," Sayers said sitting up. "How long do I have, Doc?"
"Oh, about 80 or 90 years," Alex said smiling, logging her scans and adding information to a data padd. "I'm prescribing some vitamins for you. Mostly Vitamin A from Earth and Vitamin Ich from Betazed. Your pink cell count is kind of low and your eyes seem paler than most Betazoids, they seem almost gray instead of black or dark brown."
"Oh no, that's my eye color," Sayers said hopping off the med bed. "It's a genetic abberation in my family. It's equal to albinoism in Terrans."
"Ah, I haven't read about that," Alex said furrowing her brow. "I will do some research." Celeste then leaned over to whisper in Alex's mind. No need, Doctor, let's just say down the line in my family there were some less than Betazoid ancestors, Celeste projected.
"Ah, I see," Alex said outloud. Alex watched Sayers leave. She did understand what Sayers was saying. Somewhere in her family's past there was another species introduced, perhaps Terran, perhaps Alpha Centauran.
It was an odd sensation having someone mind whisper to her. It was a new experience, but one Alex took in stride. She had read about the Betazoid mental powers, had even studied then in medical school, Exobiology 102.
"Okay, Seaso, now the entire command staff is done!" Alex said walking into her office to drop off her scan logs. "And I am out of here, on break. You know where to reach me." Then Alex left Sickbay.
"Cpt. Williams to Starbase 341, do we have permission to depart?" Cpt. Williams asked.
"Permission granted Brutus. God speed." Came the reply, and Jay momentarily wondered what that Terrian phrase meant.
"Lt. Duff, are we ready to depart?" She asked.
"Yes Sir." Replied Duff.
"Ma'am, you may call me ma'am Lt." Jay said with a smile to show there was no harm done. "Take us out than helm."
The Brutus crept away at impulse until it cleared the station.
"Bring us to the Bajoran wormhole, at maximum warp." Jay turned to Griff. "I'm going to have a meeting in an hour for all department heads." Jay turned to her communications officer, "I want you to inform all of the department heads."
Cpt. Jay Williams was the first to make it to the conference room, but Lt. Kramer came in soon after her.
"Its good to meet you Mr. Kramer." Cpt. Williams said. "As soon as soon as everyone else gets in, we can begin."
Just then, Sayers and Jade entered and took there seats, soon followed by Lt. Cmdr. Williams who shot Jay one of those dashing smiles that made her fall in love with him in the first place (ooc: for you newbies, Cpt. Jay Williams and Lt. Cmdr. Mitch Williams are married). Cmdr Bundy came in with Lt. Duff last, as he was making sure everything was under control on the bridge.
"The USS Newton was taken by Jem'Hadar soldiers. As far as we know, her crew is alive, and still on board." Jay put on a diagram of the Newton. "I need the medical team prepared none the less. And we need an plan to get the crew out of there safely."
"I need the medical team prepared none the less. And we need an plan to get the crew out of there safely." Captain Williams said and Alex's mind was already thinking ahead and planning.
"No problem, Captain," Alex said. "I just need to know how many are estimated injured or worse."
"We don't exactly have the number of casualities or injuries just yet, Doctor, but I wouldn't mind if you were over prepared. It would be worse to be under prepared," the captain said.
"Understood, Sir," Dr. Jade said wondering if she should order Seaso to open up Holodeck 2 as a secondary medical bay. She could activate the blonde, curly-headed mark 2 EMH and then assign the nightshift to the Holodeck, while the day shift works in Sickbay. Better to be over-prepared then under the captain had said.
"Lt. Kramer do you have any ideas on how to safely get the crew of the Newton out of there?" Jelaren asked her new security officer.
"We have to proceed in with caution. The Jem'Hadar would be surrounding the place waiting for someone like us to come in for a sneak attack. That's where I hope we can cause a diverstion. It's all about getting the Jem'Hadar away from the prisioners."
Cpt. Jay nodded her approval. "I want everyone working on this. Mitch, I want this ship in top shape. I also want to test out this new cloaking device before we get there. I also want a report from every department in an hour. I want to make sure we are all ready. We will be there in two hours. This meeting is adjoined."
As Celeste left the meeting she could sense the tension coming from the doctor towards the Captain, she thought to herself, 'The two of them differently have a past.' she leaves with everyone else but she can't help but worry about the two of them. The Doctor and the Captain definitely need to beable to work together, they are the driving force on any ship.
She decides in the hall not to listen in on their conversation, 'I don't make a habbit of listening or sensing everyone or everthing that goes on, only what is necessary or what I am ordered to do.' she walks on to her office.
"Is there something you want, Alex?" Jelaren asked standing up. She was ready to leave.
"Yes, of course I forget, straight and to the point," Alex said druming her fingers before standing up also. "You know you could have at least come to Daddy's funeral last year. You were married to the man for 12 years, before you divorced him for...oh what was his name? Mitch? A little young for you isn't he? Oh, but then again, anyone is a little young for a El-Aurian."
"Doctor, if I were you, I would watch my tone," Jay said. "I may be your former step-mother, but I am also your CO." Jelaren paused and then continued. "And for the record, I didn't find out about Alexander's death until after the funeral. And since no one, namely you, bothered to call ahead and extend an invitation, I don't feel I am accountable for missing his funeral!"
Jelaren glared at Dr. Jade. Alex had lost control and she knew it, so she tried desparately to bring it all back. So, after taking a deep breath, she looked at her captain again. "Just one question, Jelaren. Why did you choose me to be ship's surgeon? I know there were many other available doctors, so why me?"
Jay thinks for a moment. The truth is, she really likes Alex, she watched Alex grow up from a little girl and has started to think of herself, in some ways, like her mother. But instead of saying that, Jay says, "You're the best doctor around, and I only want what is best for my crew."
Jay gets up. "If there isn't anything else, I have to get back to my ship, and I believe you have to make sure sickbay is ready."
Alex went back to Sickbay. She had gotten the answers she wanted for Jelaren, but that still didn't make her feel better. "I'll be in my quarters, Seaso," Alex said to the head nurse. "Call Dr. May and let her know she is on duty as of now."
Alex continued walking through Sickbay to her quarters just off of Sickbay. Since all the primary medical staff were housed on deck five along with Sickbay, Alex knew it was easy for May to just come on duty.
As soon as Alex was within the confined walls of her cabin, she let out a huge sigh. "Computer, Beethoven's Fifth in D Minor," Alex ordered allowing her shoulder to slump for the first time that day. She stripped off her medical jacket and began to unzip her top. "Computer, dim lights to 3 clicks."
"Incoming message," the computer said in its neutral female voice. "Audio only."
"Computer, play message, Federation Standard English," Alex said pulling off her gray undershirt.
"Alex, hi, it's Robert," the message stated and Alex instantly smiled. "I just wanted to congratulate you on your new assignment - chief medical officer is nothing to sneeze at as my mother used to say. Uh...I won't drag this out. I have some bad news. I know you were expecting me to join you in a month for a two-week visit, but the truth is I can't...no, no, I mean I won't."
That caught Alex's attention as she pulled off her left boot and dropped it next to the right one. "I am taking that biochemical assignment on Ba'ku. I know this is a disappointment for you," the recording continued. "But Alex, Honey, the Ba'ku are an isolationist society. They only allow 6 non-Starfleet Feds on their planet every year for scientific study, and I get to be one of those lucky 6! I love you, Alex, and I know you love me, but...I think we are going in different directions. I don't want to say it is over; I just can't bring myself to end this relationship, but I do think we need to take a break. I will be on Ba'Ku for a year. I will try and write you as much as I can, but I don't know how much time I will have. I am truly sorry about disappointing you, but I have to do this. I can't pass this up, and I can't let you talk me out of it. In fact, as you listen to this message, I am already on my way to the Briar Patch. I'll talk to you later. Bye, Robert."
Alex sat on the edge of her bed, paralyze. Robert was her knight in shinning armor at the Academy. Robert was not only her first love, but her only lover. Robert was... "Robert was an ass!" Alex shouted. "Computer, record message to be sent to the Federation Science Institute on Ba'Ku."
"Recording," the computer said as it switched on the voice recorder.
"Robert George Alman, you are an ass! If you honestly think that I would ever stand in the way of your career, then you have no idea what love truly is or how to love someone," Alex said pissed. "Fine! You go to the Briar Patch; I hope you prick your friggin'..."
Inside of Sickbay, Dr. Kachina May had just come on duty. She walked through Sickbay on her way to the replicator, reading the data padd head nurse Seaso gave her when she came in.
"Columbian coffee - black." After the coffee was replicated, Kachina turned around and noticed that some of the nurses and med techs and congregated around the door to Dr. Jade's personal living quarters. They were placing their ears against the door.
"What's going on?" Kachina asked standing behind the medical personnel. They quickly parted from the door and allowed Kachina to walk up and place her ear to listen as well.
"And another thing, you weak-ass bitc..." Alex was saying before Kachina quickly pulled her ear away. "People, you should be ashamed of yourselves. This is Dr. Jade's private quarters. Now, let's all dispurse from her quarters and get to our jobs."
Kachina watched the medical personnel go back to work before leaving the door to Alex's quarters. She stood there guarding the door until she was sure it was safe to go about her business with other things. She was just glad she wasn't in the place of whoever Dr. Jade was talking to.
Kachina was in sickbay sipping her coffee and going over medical records when Dr. Jade came in.
"Hello Dr. Jade." Kachina said with a smile. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"
Dr. Jade stopped short and smiled. "Kachina, how long has it been?"
"Since the academy." The Trill answered and got Alex a cup of coffee. "I still say there was no way I ever would have passed 'Introductions to Astrometric Theories' if it weren't for you. And I still say why did we have to take that course if we're going to be doctors?"
Alex shrugged and accepted the coffee, "I guess they just wanted us to be well rounded. Hey are you still seeing Thomas?"
Kachina's smile turned into a frown. "Thomas died two years ago on the Pheniox."
"Oh, I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"Yeah we were going to get married
"We are approaching the wormhole." Helm informed Captain Jelaren Williams.
"Slow down to impulse as we go through and cloak as soon as we are through."
"Yes sir."
"And Ensign."
"Yes Captain."
"You may call me ma'am."
"Yes ma'am."
Jay turned to Lt. Kramer. "Are you and your men ready?"
"My men are standing by. They're down in the transporter room as we speak. I'll go join them."
A communication comes from starfleet command. "U.S.S. Brutus, your helmsman will be joing you
shortly. Stand by."
The transporters activate and the blue light fades to show a Romulan in starfleet unifroming standing
stiffly at attention. The only thing he brought along is a small duffle that rests at his feet.
"Lt Strategos reporting for duty. Starfleet command apologizes for the sudden transfer but they felt
you could use me." "Lt. Strategos is on board." Duff told Jay from ops as the crew watched the shuttle head back to
DS9.
"Good, good." Cpt. Williams taps her comm. "Lt. Strategos, please make your way to the bridge as
soon as possible." "Acknowledged, sir." The half Romulan takes a few minutes to promptly stow his gear and then
reports promptly to the bridge.
"Acknowledged, sir." The half Romulan takes a few minutes to promptly stow his gear and then
reports promptly to the bridge.
Alex introduced Kachina to the various members of the staff and familiarized her with the crew
physical evaluations. "You have to get their mental evaulations from Counselor Sayers," Alex said.
"Not a problem, I still have to report to her for my own," Kachina said smiling.
"Computer, Activate the Emergency Medical Hologram," Alex said seconds before the Holographic
image of a young, curly blond-haired man appreared before her.
"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," he said.
"Mark 2, this is Dr. Kachina May, she is a new addition to the crew," Alex said still smiling.
"Hello, EMH," Kachina said.
The EMH looked Kachina up and down before sniffing hautely. "This is the medical emergency, a
meet and greet?"
"Friendly, isn't he?" Alex said laughing. And Kachina nodded.
Alex deactivated the EMH and decided to breach a sensitive subject. "So, Kachina, how did
Thomas die?" Alex asked.
"We-the phenoix-were attacked by the Jem'Hadar. Sickbay was swamped with injured people. At
some point, Thomas was brought in. I did everything I could think of to save him, but nothing
worked." Kachina sighed. "That was two years ago though. I try not to think about it much. So, are
you still with Robert?"
Celeste sat at her desk down loading the crew manifest and updating their files with any current
information she came accross.
The Captain may need to know certain things about various crew members on occassion and she
wants to finish before the ship gets to the worm hole.
She sits back in her child while some files are still down loading, thinking, 'I'm not looking forward to
battling the Jem'Hadar, but I have confidence in our Captain, she is wise and cunning.' she sips her
coffee and smiling, 'It feels good to be working....and the first chance I get, I need to check on the
Doc....I don't like what I sensed from her at the meeting, alot of built up frustration in her....hopefully
she will be willing to talk about it.'
Lt. Strategos idly sits at his station simply monitoring the status of the ships propulsion system. He
idly hopes that his records wont be dug too deeply into. But he has little to worry about. Most of it is
of a sensitive and classified nature.
The half-breed then distracts himself from such gloomy thoughts by peering more closely at the
configuration of his station. He frowns at the power set aside for his use. The half-Romulan turns his
chair a little to face the Captain.
"Sir? If it can be spared, could Opps route perahps another 3% of power for ships propulsion? It
would help me in evasive manuevers should the need arise..."
Click here to continue.
