Fingers Crossed
Posted on Tue Dec 24th, 2024 @ 10:23am by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant Erin Cussen & Petty Officer 2nd Class Sizia Sh'velihr [Baas]
2,419 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
A New Beginning
Location: Various
Sizia entered the ready room to see the Captain enjoying a coffee while looking over the whatever was on his holo-terminal. "Captain, do you have a minute?"
"Thanks to you getting everything organized I have several, what is it."
She took several steps in and began, she have a new officer interested in the Chief Medical Officers post."
Daegan breathed out thankfully. "Whoever it is put them on the schedule and send me their record. Odin knows I those that have applied thus far have not sat well."
Sizia chuckled, "You are really getting into the mythology huh?"
Daegan nodded. "I guess I have been reading up on it, the Norse mythology had been ignored by the rest of Earth for some time but made a huge resurgence in the 20th and 21st century. Not as a religion but in popular culture"
"Well sir, I will leave you to your swords and spears and get the newest applicant worked into your schedule."
Daegan grinned as she left and no sooner had the door close than the Doctor's personnel file hit his database.
USS Tripoli (Sickbay)
As her PADD beeped, signaling an incoming message, Erin's hand instinctively reached for it, her eyes still fixed on the medical report she was finalizing for her own replacement as Chief Medical Officer on the USS Tripoli. The decision to resign had not been taken lightly, but she knew she had to escape the ship that had once been her sanctuary.
After the tragic loss of her husband and little daughter, the familiar surroundings and faces had provided comfort, but over the past few months, the same familiarity had begun to feel suffocating. The ship that had once helped her heal now felt like a prison. So, when she stumbled upon an open position on the USS Valkyrie, she had applied on impulse, drawn to the ship's name and the mythological connotations of strength and rebirth. What had started as a spontaneous decision had evolved into a genuine desire to join the Valkyrie's crew and embark on a new chapter in her life. Also the Valkyrie also happened to be at Utopia Planitia where the Tripoli was docked.
As she finally read the message, Erin's face lit up with a radiant smile, and a soft squeal of delight escaped her lips. She jumped up from her seat, her eyes shining with excitement. The empty sickbay seemed to fade into the background as she savored the moment. The message from Captain Daegan Baas, inviting her for an interview, sparked a sense of hope and possibility that she hadn't felt in a long time.
For a moment, the familiar ache in her heart resurfaced, a poignant reminder that Trento wasn't there to share in her joy. But this time, something felt different. The thrill of this new opportunity, the promise of a fresh start, and the possibility of rediscovering herself outweighed the pain of her loss.
[USS Valkyrie - 1625]
It was getting close to calling it a day, not that a Captain was ever off duty, and he had one more officer to meet. Looking at the time again as he turned in his chair while he waited, "Five minutes to go."
"Am I late? " Erin asked as she peaked around the corner. She was sure she was not, but maybe she got the time wrong.
Having read her file and given the situation she had faced Daegan had thought the less formal environment of the bridge observation lounge would be less stressful than the ready room. Waiving her in as he stood, "Not at all Doctor please," gesturing to the couch opposite his. "I saw that you had resigned, then applied to the Valkyrie, what made you decide to remain in Starfleet?"
Straight to the point Erin thought as she acknowledged the invite and sat down. "The thought of leaving Starfleet never crossed my mind. I meant only to leave the Tripoli, not Starfleet," Erin explained. She remembered that she had to explain that to the personnel officer as well.
He nodded with the clarification. "Well that's fortunate, Starfleet would have been at a loss to lose someone with your credentials." He left out that no one would have blamed her if she had, given the circumstances, but he was sure she had heard it already over the last year or so.
The Captain's statement brought the faintest of smiles to her lips as she allowed herself to humbly accept the compliment. She worked damn hard, but she took nothing for granted.
"Well on your record alone anyone would be foolish to turn down an officer with your resume, but the reason I asked you her is so I could see and get a feel for you as a person. The medical welfare of the crew is a given, but any EMH can do that. In many ways the medical staff is seen as the.... conscience of the ship. Wouldn't you agree?"
The faint smile from before widened slightly. Most Captains would never acknowledge it explicitly, but this one did. "I like your question because I absolutely agree, but that means that I speak my mind," she said. "I will challenge decisions that contradict Starfleet values. That being said, I am not a 'rule' person, more a 'situation' person. I know this may be detrimental to say in an interview, but there are situations when rules should not be applied indiscriminately. That should be the exception rather than the rule," she stated." No pun intended," she added.
"If there is one thing the previous lives of my symbiote has taught me is that life is not something that can be bound by a rule book. And having been a security officer earlier in my career that wasn't an easy lesson to learn. That said I don't want officers that simply follow me, or Starfleet, blindly. I read in your file that you disobeyed an order and put your life at risk to save another, that you were reprimanded for it, and it appears even held up a promotion. I haven't had the time to read the full report, so I won't say that those consequences were appropriate, nor would I second guess another Captain's decision, but on the surface one would think that excessive given we are expected to risk our lives for others from time to time.
"So tell me about yourself. Why medicine?"
Erin had been asked that question before, but she did not have a rehearsed answer. Obviously, this Captain was interested in what was not in her records. "I don't have an amazing heart rendering story to tell, Captain. My mom is a theoretical physicist and my dad a archeologist. They were great parents, but neither were very practical. With four brothers who knew no boundaries in sport or adventures, and medical facilities far from where we lived, somebody had to deal with their cuts and bruises and other injuries. It fell to me and I just happened to be good at it. I tried natural remedies, learned to use medical tools we could get hold of. I obtained a few and learned how to use them." The way she said obtained, implied that she was probably creative in acquiring such regulated equipment. "First kids from the settlement came to me, later the parents too. And now I am here."
He listened to her story and was pleasantly surprised, " 'Heart rending' or not it was telling anyway, you are a self-made person and those tend to but the persons to hold the strongest convictions. And be the type to stand up to a commanding officer when the time comes."
He paused for a moment, "What about you, when not wearing the white coat, any hobbies, interests?"
This certainly felt more like a conversation than an interview, but the symbiont had probably seen it all and could quickly see what he wanted. The host was also not young, so experienced then. "Interesting question," she remarked. "I like food so I cook, I dabble in triathlons, and well, being Irish, we were all grew up making music and dance. I kept it up." She passed for a moment. Should she tell him or not? She shrugged inwardly and grinned. "We also learned the ancient art of forging with fire, making knives and swords. I kept that up too... On the holodeck. I won't do that in my quarters now. It gets kinda hot..."
His eyebrows shot up at her last. "Forging?? Well that was unexpected. I would say we could get engineering to set you up but ud probably end up doing more blade smithing than doctoring. However, the running and the music is something we have in common. I done several marathons in my time and still run. When my Jules, my wife, and I started seeing each other we were in a group on the USS Thunderbird. She sang while I played the guitar and later the the piano."
"Is it your talents or Baas's?" she asked without thinking. "Captain", she added lamely, when she realized she might have been too forward.
He replied without concern for her framing of the question. "A bit of both actually. One of my previous hosts was a well-known musician in her day. Anyway, was I was joined that past and Daegan's existing interest made it quite easy to pick up. I'm rather eclectic when it comes to music but when it comes to the guitar...I gotta go with Earth's late 20th and 21st century rock. So many good guitar riffs."
"I don't know that era's electric guitar's players that well. I do know of Eric Klampon, or Eric Clapton, Jimmy Hendrix, and somebody Urban. But agreed, there were some good music then. Which are your favourites?"
"There were so many good guitarists from that time. Clampton and Hendrix to be sure, Brian May, Slash, Carlos Santana, Keith Richards, Eddie Van Hale, Gene Simmons and that's just to start. Sometimes I will pluck away on my acoustic to some Jim Croce. But I think we've gotten a bit off topic. How about I take you to your new medical center?"
Erin couldn't suppress how relieved she was. Regardless of what she could deduct from the interview itself, she didn't take success for granted. "I will be very pleased, Captain. I must say you made a good choice," she said with mirth.
Standing he motioned to the partition and as the walked out through the conference room he spoke to the computer. "Computer, senior officer appointment. Lieutenant Erin Cussen is here-by designated as Chief Medical Officer of the USS Valkyrie. Authorization Baas, Gamma-91735-Echo."
"Acknowledge. All medical authority and authorizations are now under Lieutenant Erin Cussen."
"Well, it's official now."
"Thank you Captain. I am looking forward to working here," Erin said.
[Deck 11]
After a short ride in the lift they arrived near near sickbay. On the Valkyrie the term 'sickbay' was inaccurate with the consolidation of the various medical resources found on a starship into one area. "Here we are."
"Oh, I wanted to thank you for not calling this a sickbay. I have always found it a negative term. So, Medbay or Medical Centre is a far better description in my view..." she explained as they walked in, but stopped mid-sentence. She expected a new and upgraded version of the medical facilities she was used to, but not this. "This is like a hospital.." she mumbled astonished. Right in front of her was a reception area with a reception area to the right, and to her left she saw what seemed to be two decon rooms and ..."there are sanitation modules?" she expressed her surprise, which led to what must be two surgical bays. She was immediately struck by the sleek, modern design and the hum of advanced medical technology.
A layout on the wall opposite the reception desk shed light on the true size of the centre. "I will need a full tour!" she said. "And a drink ... " she told herself.
"You are really goin' to let me lose in this? You barely know me..." Erin said with a grin.
"Well as the old adage goes, 'you break it you buy it'. But if you're worried about that, I suppose we could add an equipment safe guard subroutine to the EMH."
"I think that will be a good idea," Erin said with a smile, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She turned to the Captain full on, changing her expression to tongue-in-the cheek gravity, arms folded across her chest. "I sincerely hope that the crew quarters are up to this standard," she said.
"Well I have to disappoint, but they are still pretty standard. Nice, but still nothing the write home about."
Erin wrinkled her nose, pulling down the corners of her mouth. "Oh well, I can always move in here..."
He huffed at the good natured humor in her reply, but held an edge of seriousness, "Well I hope you always have the bed space to do so."
"What do you mean?" Erin asked, reacting to the edge in his voice. "Just because it is a comparatively large crew, or because of the type of mission we have?"
"Just a general statement... Unfortunately, I know all too well that it's not only missions that can fill a sickbay, random accidents can do the job all the same.
"Good," Erin said a little relieved. "This is a large facility, I am not complaining, but is this standard for this class of ship, or will all new ships in this size class be equipped like this?"
"Well I'm not involved in starship design but it seems there is a trend to make sure the larger, exploration ships are prepared for anything the crew might need; either for themselves or whatever aid they might need to provide."
"It would be great if more starships are better equipped, but for the moment I am just happy to be on one that is. Is there anything else or can I be let loose here?"
Daegan bobbed his slightly, "True, but there is something to be said about being able to adapt to a situation and overcoming that with only what's at hand... Anyway, I will leave you to it." Daegan turned and made his way out of the medical center heading back to his quarters to see what Jules had planned for the evening.
Captain Daegan Baas
CO
Lt Eron Cussen
CMO
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