Let the River In

Posted on Thu Feb 10th, 2011 @ 1:33am by Captain Elsie Halliwell & Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl

1,245 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Triad
Location: Main Bridge, USS Ranger
Timeline: Current

ON:

The bridge remained silent as all readout displays were channelling sensor information from the away team. Halliwell knew that the fewer interruptions the team had to contend with, the more focus Drake and his motley crew could lend to their ultimate goal: the recapture of the artifact and the safe return of the Archimedesâ€™ crewmember. With Captain Kerr now resigned to allow the fate of his beloved be decided by lesser gods, Elsie remained up top to monitor on his behalf... and on behalf of the Federation. She accessed her armrest panel for the third time in as many minutes and sighed as pending future of all involved would be played out elsewhere.

A computerized trill announced a communications channel opening from another part of the ship. "Kohl to Captain Halliwell," said the temporary Chief Medical Officer. Andreus Kohl's voice was lightly accented, distinctly Argelian. "May I monopolize three minutes of your time, Captain?" he asked. There was no trace of apology in his question, despite the situation he was interrupting.

Halliwell tapped at the micro-panel before her again, accessing the last sensor update before responding. Nothing. She then smoothly tapped her own combadge and looked out to the middle-distance of the viewscreen. "I'm on the bridge, Commander and a little busy," she replied curtly and with a hard edge that deftly betrayed her preoccupation with the current events unfolding around them. "You have three minutes."

"I understand an away team has been dispatched to the enemy vessel," said Kohl. His combadge picked up the breath he took in, as if he was going to say something significant, but no words immediately followed. He let his breath out through his nose slowly, and then he said, "May I suggest sending medical personnel to support the away team?"

"Too many cooks, Doctor," she quickly retorted, seemingly her mind already cast like iron. "Sending an additional team as support is a good idea, and one I had already considered. But not doctors. Regardless of your field-training." She sighed as the moment between exchanges flooded with a silent pause gently dripped on by the soft hums and beeps of the systems surrounding the woman.

Kohl didn't fumble for words this time. "Sir, you realize the followers of Queen Anne's Revenge use lethal force as a minimum, yes?" said Kohl. He had strung the words together as a question, but they came out as a statement. "First aid for a disruptor strike is only effective within a matter of seconds. Well before transport could be arranged, if our transporters continue to operate at all."

Halliwell scoffed. "My crew have encountered the QAR before, Commander." Her tone was now stern and laced with a venom that Kohl could detect over the comm. "Do not attempt to educate me on their MO." She looked to her hand, flicked the pad of her index finger with the nail of her thumb and then returned her attention back to the readout of her console. "Commander Drake and the other two teams have all the assistance they require. I won't jeapordise this mission on the folly of a 'have-a-go hero' wanting to relive a segment of his service record he no longer can."

"I don't believe I follow your insinuation, Captain," said Kohl quietly, in reaction to her furor. Lecturing the Captain about the efficacy of the QAR as killers had been a mistake, but he wouldn't let that slow him down. He cleared his throat, and spoke up to ensure his voice would carry across the comms. "You are suggesting that providing your own crew with on-site healthcare is a folly?"

"No," Elsie replied immediately yet coolly. "I do not. However, I am also not accustomed to members of my crew, or another's for that matter, questioning my decision, Commander. My mind is made up. Members of the away-team are sufficiently qualified in field medicine to cope with most eventualities." She fell silent for a moment, inhaled, and then reconsidered his proposal in a flash. The term she had just used seemed to haunt the corners of her mind as the bridge fell deathly quiet, allowing it to hang in the air about her ears. 'Most eventualities' was a phrase that Halliwell certainly did not like. And she was determined not to lose any more crew to the QAR or their methods. Her voice dropped to just above a whispers as she said, "In how many seconds did you say a disruptor strike needs to be treated, Commander?"

"Actually, I didn't say," Kohl answered without really answering, "It depends on the distance between the disruptor burn and any vital organs." It sounded as if he were trailing off, the way his words slowed, and then determination returned to his voice very suddenly. "I, uh, Captain, I didn't mean to question your orders before. About keeping your crew safe. But I think it's going to sound as if I'm questioning your orders right now. I have to recommend we offer medical aid to any seriously injured crew of the QAR vessel."

The silence lay thick over the comm. channel as Elsie pondered his words carefully. "Doctor," she spoke after a moment of controlled and silent breathing, now allowing his incorrect title to linger, "I appreciate your concern. It's hypocritically very admirable of you. But to flush in more, non-combat trained personnel into a critical situation could cause more harm than anything else."

"I am combat-trained, Captain," said Kohl with a steely edge to his words, since she had mocked that very fact. "As is Nurse Stetson. We can phaser-stun and bind our patients before attempting treatment --I wouldn't mind at all-- but Starfleet has standing orders about offering medical aid to sentient beings in critical need."

She sighed, uncharacteristically allowing his argument to sway her further. Snapping, she finally shook her head and guffawed. "You have two minutes to get to the transporter room and get your arse over there, Commander. And I will not be held personally responsible for your safety whilst you play this silly game out. Do you hear me, Doctor?"

"I'm not a doctor. I'm your Chief Medical Officer. For now," Kohl said. His exact meaning behind 'for now' was left ambiguous by his timbre. "Also, Captain, I'm standing on the transporter platform with Nurse Stetson and security personnel. I'll remember, Captain, we're my responsibility."

As the order was given to the transporter operator by Kohl, Elsie's eyes quietly smiled with a sense of respect that she would never betray to the 'loose cannon' she had just silently decided would become her next Medical Chief. To argue with her convincingly and to have already set his place to put his plan in action was dangerous to his career beneath her. She recognised this as the gamble it was and, somehow, enjoyed loosing this game of chess to a younger subordinate. As the channel closed and she was left to the bridge alone, for the first time, but in complete isolation, she let out an almighty snigger of pleasure. Round one to you, Commander, she thrillingly thought.

OFF:

Medical Awayness brought to you by

Captain Elsie Halliwell
Commanding Officer
USS Ranger

Lieutenant Commander Andreus Kohl
Chief Medical Officer
USS Ranger

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