Audacter Ad Stellas

Posted on Wed Jul 19th, 2023 @ 12:29am by Lieutenant Commander Jassuld Erro M.D.-PhD & Captain James Phoenix

1,720 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Untested
Location: USS Horizon
Timeline: Current

The type 6a shuttle craft arrived aboard the Horizon ready to depart its next batch of crew that were boarding the ship. Silently the entire ride on the shuttle the ship's new Chief Medical Officer took in the young officers who were with him and chatted casually. None had asked who he was officially which was okay with him. It just meant they would be in for a surprise when they came in for their medical clearance.

As he departed the shuttle an operations officer stopped him and checked in with him. “Do you have any luggage coming in sir?”

“Actually it’s Dr. Jassuld. Hopefully, you’ll never need to see me though.” The man winked at the officer and then thought for a moment. “I have several crates both personal and for sickbay coming in. Please ensure the ones for sickbay with my name on them are quarantined and I’m notified immediately upon their arrival.” With that out of the way, he headed through the shuttle bay and then found himself walking through the deck and towards a turbo lift.

Taking a moment to decide what he’d do first the Bajoran doctor didn’t even have to scratch his beard before the decision reached him. “Computer, where is Captain Phoenix currently located?”

“Captain Phoenix is in his Ready Room, located on deck one.” The computer system replied. Jassuld took the answer and entered the turbolift, and then went straight to the bridge. Once there he stepped out onto the bridge and let out a slow whistle. “This is indeed a beautiful ship. Really going to have to get used to being up here and not just in sickbay occasionally.”

Walking down the bridge he took it all in and then found where the Captain's Ready Room was. Walking up he made sure to straighten his uniform and then he pressed the chime button on his door.

Yet again was another large pile of various reports, updated manifests, and personnel records spread out on his desk. Hearing the door chime, James quickly picked up the PADDs and neatly stacked them in a few piles. He set the report he was working on at the top of the stack and rose out of his chair after setting his coffee down on the opposite end.

"Enter" the Horizon's senior-most officer called out.

Stepping inside upon hearing the approval come through from the Captain, Jassuld entered the room and upon entering the room he found his superior officer and came to a stop. “Captain Phoenix, Doctor Jassuld Erro, reporting for duty sir.”

The Captain smiled and extended a hand. "As you were Doctor. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Taking the Captain's hand he offered a firm grip in response before letting go. Contrary to most doctors who had soft and steady hands he had rough but steady hands. The years of combat changed him in many ways. “The pleasure is mine, Sir.”

Next, he retrieved a PADD he had been carrying in his left hand and offered it freely to James. “My orders and transfer to report in as your Chief Medical Officer and Second Officer Captain.”

Thank you" James accepted the PADD and looked it over before setting it down again on his desk and motioning to the replicator. "Would you like a drink?"

“A hot raktajino if you don’t mind please Captain.” the Bajoran replied before moving to find himself a seat by the Captain's desk.

James nodded before moving to the replicator, "Raktajino, hot."

The Klingon coffee appeared seconds later and the Captain picked it up out of the slot and moved back to the desk, where he set the drink down in front of the doctor before moving back to his own seat.

(TAG)

“I have to admit I wasn’t prepared to be accepted in the capacity of your Second Officer. Most people would question having a Doctor take that role seeing that their place is in Sickbay.” Moving towards a chair as the Captain moved back to his seat Jassuld sat down and continued on. “I can assure you though I look forward to watching over Gamma Shift in addition to my normal duties.”

"I can count on your word doctor" he smiled. "I don't personally see an issue with a medical officer as a Second Officer. It does make our crew more diverse than it already is" he chuckled. "After all, I have a Jem'Hadar who separated from the Dominion as my Security Chief, and our Science Chief and myself are both 392 years old and only Human."

“Yes, Starfleet Medical forewarned me that I was in for a unique crew when joining your ship. Thankfully my time in medicine has exposed me to many unique cases.” Picking up his drink the doctor took a sip of the raktajino, enjoying the hot cliffs coffee like subsistence before setting the cup back down.

“When it comes to you and your part…sorry the Chief Science Officer is there anything ongoing from your time displacement I should be aware of? No gene mutation or chronometric anomalies?”

James noted the doctor's response and thought about his response for a moment. "It's quite alright doctor. I don't believe that any of those appeared in either of us. As a result of the time displacement that is."

“Would there be another reason it would show up? Or was that one of those human phrases that pass by me occasionally?” Erro asked with a look of confusion and concern mixed together on his face. Either way, it still was something to be addressed on the side at this point.

“I suppose I truly want to know is, what do you expect of me at this moment besides keeping the crew safe and healthy?”

James already knew the answer to this question given Erro was on his command staff. "Starfleet wants us out on our shakedown soon" he began. "Most of our upgrades are complete but we are running into a time issue. At least right now, since I now have Commander Brack as my XO and you as my 2XO, I have more people to help oversee the final touches. I guess what I'm asking is if you could help oversee things in the next couple of weeks so we can launch on schedule, or even ahead of schedule if we are lucky?"

“A good day then to not mention that I have some unique items coming with me that will require attention from Engineering?” The doctor chuckled at that before sipping on his coffee. “Honestly, it’s minimal Captain. I promise I’ll have my medical staff handling patient exams during boarding unless it’s the senior staff. And in the meantime, I’ll dedicate myself to handling the ship getting ready.”

"Very well Doctor. I'll send our new Engineering Chief a page that you will need to speak with her regarding your new items. If I may ask, what are these items, Doctor?" He asked. He wasn't worried. He just wanted to make sure that they weren't going to be harmful to the ship and crew.

"Nothing overly fancy, just some medical samples I was studying as well as some creatures and plants that I use in my treatment of patients. Things I learned while at the Denobulan Medical University." the Doctor offered, making it seem like a few bats, leeches, and even a virus or two was harmless.

James was a little hesitant at first but then remembered Doctor Phlox from his history classes at the Academy who would have used those items. "Understood" he trailed off.

Reaching into his lab coat pocket he retrieved a medical tricorder. “Speaking of, while we’re heard I can get your exam out of the way and in private.”

"That'd be alright with me. After all, the sooner I get it done the better so you don't have to track me down" he chuckled.

"Ah but will you ever be truly rid of me?" Erro teased as he opened up the tricorder and began to scan the Captain. "Your pulse is fine, cardio rhythm is in sync, pulse ox is normal...hmm your blood pressure could use some work though." The Bajoran folded up the tricorder and looked the man in front of him over carefully.

"Has the pressures of a new ship been getting to you Captain? Or are we simply drinking too much coffee perhaps lately?" he inquired.

"When I first took command of the Horizon officially, they did a little bit as we had just finished a highly intense and emotional mission that nearly killed our former CO, who is now an Admiral. About a year or so after that I had been temporarily transferred to a staff position at Command before returning here. Compared to being the Acting Head of Starfleet Security, I think that this is a similar amount of stress for myself" he trailed off.

James continued speaking. "To answer your question in short form, there have been the pressures of getting the Horizon back into space and new crew but I feel that I can manage just fine" he smiled.

"It certainly seems like your plate has been full Captain. That amount of stress can bare quite a bit on someone, and not just physically mind you." Erro mentioned. He was beginning to see a bigger picture here and an idea of the situation.

"I have no doubt you can manage command just fine Sir, but it is still my responsibility to suggest you at least try and work on lowering your blood pressure. Even if that means listening to some meditation music and doing breathing exercises in your quarters. Or yoga in the ships gym." he said, giving his official recommendation as the Ship's Doctor finally. "Otherwise you're healthy and clear for duty. I can stop nagging and leave you be Sir."

"You weren't nagging me Doctor" he chuckled. "I'll take those under advisement. In any case, if you have nothing else for me, then you're dismissed.

The doctor with arms clasped behind his back nodded to the Captain. “It was a pleasure finally meeting you Sir. I’ll see you soon.” He offered. Afterwards he turned and exited the room, anxious to go and check out Sick Bay.

 

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