Moral Ethics (Part 1/2)

Posted on 02 Apr 2013 @ 12:33am by Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn M.D.
Edited on on 04 Apr 2013 @ 12:20pm

2,842 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Medical
Timeline: MD 3 1000

[ON]

Jeremy stood outside the doors, just outside. Close enough that the door's automatic system reacted to him and remained open. Jeremy watched Medical, carefully watching medical. He flicked his wrist and checked the locator tags again. Wilson wasn't present. Doctor Dhuinn was.

He pulled down his sleeve, making sure that his flesh colored undersleeve covered the bandage but was also covered by his uniform. A glance at Sidi helped to steel him. Doctor Dhuinn was in there. Wilson wasn't. He wouldn't have a confrontation with her - again. He won't risk upsetting Doctor Dhuinn, again.

He armed sweat from his brow as he sighed, checking the locator tags again. Wilson wasn't on the deck. Doctor Dhuinn was in Medical. Wilson wasn't. He closed his eyes and sighed. One day, he said to himself, I had one day without pissing off command. I want two.

Absently patting his thigh he stepped across the threshold, but went in only far enough to allow the door to close and then stepped to the side. He scanned Medical again, making sure that Wilson wasn't there, despite what his locator tags said.

Hopefully he wasn't interrupting Doctor Dhuinn's work too much.

Having only just arrived to sickbay herself, Pola was slightly out of breath as she glanced around the room, trying to ground herself back into the world of medical. Her mind was still on the flowers which Cyrus had given her this morning, one of which she held in her hand as she intended to place is on her desk to remind her of him whenever she saw it.

About to cross to her office, the movement of the sickbay doors caught Pola's attention as she turned to see who had entered. Feeling her smile widen brighter, she caught sight of two individuals whom she hadn't seen in a while. "Jeremy..Sidi. What can I do for you both?"

"Doctor," Jeremy said, both a greeting and a verified relief that it was actually her. He resisted the urge to tug his sleeve down, to make sure the bandages and undersleeve were hidden. "I'm here about the transponders for the senior staff. We should be entering the danger area of the system by evening and I'd like to have things in place before they're needed rather than after."

Sidi stayed at Alpha's side but kept his eyes on Medicine-smell. More specifically the pocket where beef-treats were kept. Still upset that Alpha didn't let him have slimy good-food, he was sure that Medicine-smell would at least give him beef-treat. He cast a quick look at Alpha and the bad-smell from Alpha then back at Medicine-smell.

Indicating towards her office, Pola started to make her way across the room. "Hum...I assume you've had sign off from the Captain in relation to this? Transponders can be a tricky situation, especially where people just consider them an invasion of privacy."

Jeremy frowned as he followed her to the office. "I'm sorry, Doctor, were you not at the briefing where it was discussed and approved?" He entered the office behind her, giving Sidi the sit command hand gesture. "Though, I believe at least Ensign Peers was...reluctant...to the idea. Unfortunately she is on the list of those that need extra protection."

Smiling slightly, Pola indicated to the chair in front of her desk before making her way around to her own. "It's understandable. I'm not certain that individuals like knowing that every step they take is logged by an implant within their body. I can understand it's requirement, particularly after what happened, but even I have to admit that the idea sends shivers through my spine."

Jeremy scowled at that. "That is an irrational fear, Doctor, as your commbadge already has a locator trace included. If I desired, I could access the system and find out where you've gone already. The transponder is merely for protection and I see no reason to activate its trace logs unless something happened to you." Jeremy shook his head and sighed. "I wish people would get over their unreasonable fears and just allow me to do my job of protecting them."

Lowering herself to her chair, Pola pulled her legs up under her in an informal gesture, designed to make them both feel at ease. Despite the fact that this was business, they both had aspects and ways of thinking which needed to be looked over first and foremost. "All though I trust 100% that you would never misuse the information, I think people just feel as if it is too much. As shore leave, someone can unclip their commbadge and leave it behind for their personal time, one can't take out an implanted transponder just as easily without a scalpel and some basic surgical skills."

"Doctor, that is another foolish argument. As the incident with..." he scowled as he looked to the left edge of her desk. "Lieutenant? Ensign?" Frustration became evident as the struggle to recall the information played out in his features and muttering. After several long moments and a slumping of his shoulders, he flicked his wrist and scrolled through several screens before shaking his head, frowning. "The incident with Lieutenant Cho demonstrated, shore leave is no shield from danger. In fact shore leave presents a greater danger as people become too lax, to unwary of the danger to them. They relax and begin to believe they are safe. Relaxing is the symptom of a fool."

He sighed heavily. "Doctor, I don't want to have to use them but I don't want something bad to happen to you." He paused while he blinked. "Or other members of the crew. All I have, Doctor, to keep me here is to do my job excellently. It's not a secret how disliked I am so I have to do my job better than anyone else and I won't be doing that if I don't pursue every avenue of protection available to me. I can't be doing my job well if irrational fears of being 'tracked' are allowed to override very real dangers. As long as it's legal and within regs...and they leave me alone, Doctor, I don't give one damn what anybody on this ship does, so why would I want to go about tracking people without just cause?"

Studying Jeremy for a moment, Pola tried to digest the information he had just given her. She found herself speechless for a moment as thought of the purpose of their meeting left her brain. "You're not disliked by everyone Jeremy...there are people who you don't have to prove yourself too as we realise the man and officer you are. Those are the people who matter as they see you for you."

"No," Jeremy said, "Just the command staff - the ones who'll destroy the career I've been working to build. Doctor, this mission has to go well for me. If we're attacked by Borg, or various mercenaries and pirates, I have to show that I did everything I could to pull this crew through safely. It's the only shot I'll have to get a new posting somewhere or be dropped back to just a security officer again. If that's the case, then I'll live with it, but...Doctor, I'm not going to just sit back and accept it."

He sighed as he rubbed Sidi's head, playing with the dog as he playfully nipped at him. "The transponders are extremely safe and they can be inserted under just the dermis through..." he sighed again as he thought about what the procedure was called. "transporter surgery? There is absolutely no danger to a being and the potential benefits far outweigh any cost. Especially in the cost of lives to my personnel."

Moving one of her legs out from under her, Pola absent mindedly rubbed it as she sought to reduce the cramping in the muscle. "I will back you in the implantation but I cannot authorise making it compulsory. There is too many moral and personal reasons which people would have, causing them to not want one implanted in any situation....You can only do what is in your realm of power, Jeremy, once you do that then command knows that they can trust you. You've introduced this idea, you'll educate people on it, but beyond this your power for the decision diminishes and it is out of your hands."

Jeremy shook his head as he called Sidi to his feet. "You have me wrong, Doctor, I'm not looking to force anything on anyone. I'm looking to protect people, this ship. It's an idea that seems very unpopular around here. I'll get you a list of the people who should be implanted - Captain Saalm, Commander Holliday, Engineer Peers...." here he frowned and spoke the next name as if it were vile poison in his mouth, "Quinn. You. Those are definite, I need to think about others, Lieutenant Panne would be a reasonable choice, but I'm not sure her value as a hostile target is high enough. Doctor Wilson is another on the list - our medical staff is too small and you both possess skills that would be highly prized by privateers and mercenaries. Captain Saalm's sister."

He frowned. "I'm going to add Lieutenant Panne to the list, mainly because she is the chief science officer on a science vessel. That alone could make her target value increase, even if her speciality is relatively useless. Counsellor Blake, she also has medical experience?"

Nodding her head with each of the names, Pola chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip for a moment before taking a PADD from her desk and jotting down a number of notes. "I'll get out a ship wide memo, strongly recommending that people at least speak to me about this. Due to the sensitivity involved, I'll instruct my staff to refer all cases to myself. Some of the names you have put forward I will also approach to discuss it with them."

Smiling slightly, Pola looked across at Jeremy for a moment. "Would you like me to fit yours while you're here?"

He glanced at his PADD and stared at the screen for a few moments. "Doctor, I'm not on my list. I'm not asking for the entire crew to be fitted with a transponder, just important and key members of the crew. Ones who the ship couldn't function without or who might be valuable hostages or targets." Jeremy shook his head. "That, Doctor, is not me. I won't be taken a hostage ever again and..." he let the rest of the words go, they were unnecessary and would just cause him problems down the road.

Studying Jeremy carefully, Pola tried to understand his words. She knew part of his history from a medical perspective, and from what she'd seen at the time of the incident with the phaser, but still he was a mystery in so many ways. "You are important and a key member of this crew Jeremy...You should never lead yourself to believe otherwise."

Jeremy shook his head. He had already made a determination. If his would be hostage-takers couldn't be killed then he -

He sighed. She already mentioned that there would be 'privacy' concerns. People not wanting to be tracked. Afraid of him tracking them. "As you wish, Doctor, but not because I'm valuable but because I'd want people to know that there is no reason to fear." He frowned for several moments while he looked down. "Sidi?" he asked, almost quiet. "He's..." he stopped to swallow. "If he were to get an implant, would it harm him? His physiology is different than most humanoids."

Shaking her head, Pola used her PADD to bring up Sidi's file, scanning to see if the implant was already present. "Definitely not. We would just slip it in under the skin of his neck. Generally most canines would already have an implant present due to their habits of running away and such. I can take care of his also if you'd like."

"Sidi wouldn't run away, that's not his training. He's a professional security officer," Jeremy said, his tone growing sharp for a moment. He wiped his brow as he brought himself back. "Sorry, Doctor, that was...I know you didn't mean anything negative." He knelt down to face Sidi. "Yes, please. I want to make sure he's protected in every way possible. He's very important to..." he stood as he let out a long sigh. "He's very important to the ship."

Watching the man and his companion, Pola smiled as she indicated towards main sickbay. "I can get both of you sorted no problem. While I check you over and insert your chip, I can have the replicator preparing a special canine chip for Sidi so as he is covered off for you also."

"Okay, Doctor," Jeremy said as he brought Sidi from a sitting position. "C'mon, boy, we're gonna do just a little something. It'll be only a moment and won't affect a big, brave boy like you at all," he said as he took Sidi over to a biobed. "Nope, no problems whatsoever. Just a little pinch and that's it."

Sidi followed along happily enough, his tongue lolling as he sniffed and looked around Medical. Jeremy saw an opportunity for more training and gave Sidi the command that caused him to jump up onto the bed. "Then when we're done here, we'll go to the park and let you run for a bit. You'll like that, won't you? Yes you will. Sidi likes to run. Sidi loves running! Good boy!" Jeremy said as Sidi got onto the bed and then lie down. "Good, good boy."

Having made her way over to the replicator, Pola had found the canine programme she required and was easily able to access the chip she would need for Sidi. After setting up the replication, she grabbed another chip she would use for Jeremy before moving across to them both. "If your both very good, there's a biscuit and a lollipop in it for both of you."

"Did you hear that? A biscuit for good Sidi! Yes, very good Sidi!" Jeremy said as he playfully avoided Sidi's nipping. "What do you think of that?"

Sidi looked at Medicine-smell and barked happily, his tail swishing fervently.

"Okay, boy, she's gonna do a good thing now, it may hurt for just a second, but I'll be here for you and it'll be okay. It's just a little bit and then it'll be over and you'll get a biscuit!" Sidi leaned forward and put his head on Jeremy's shoulder. "Just a little bit." he said roughing his neck fur.

"Would you prefer that I took care of you or Sidi first? My way of thinking was that if he saw you being treated by me, he wouldn't be as upset when it came to him." Pola watched man and animal seem to comfort each other, each seemingly worrying as much about the other.

Jeremy thought about that. She should only have to use a local anaesthetic, if any, to insert his transponder, so he won't be 'loopy' and could still be there to make sure Sidi was comfortable and controlled. "Either way, Doctor," Jeremy said, rubbing Sidi's head.

With Jeremy's transponder in her hand, Pola elected that she would look after him first. Moving to the other side, she indicated towards his sleeve as she picked up a tricorder. "If you could just remove your jacket and undershirt from this arm, I can manage to place the transponder under your skin."

Jeremy stopped petting Sidi and stared at the bed. "Remove my shirt?" he asked, almost whispering. "Can't you...just..." he swallowed. "Transporter surgery? That doesn't require I remove any clothing."

Raising an eyebrow, Pola leaned back against biobed behind her, studying the tricorder as she started a scan of Jeremy. "I could, but this would be easier and qu...." Pola trailed off as her forehead furrowed up at the readout her tricorder was giving her.

Uncertain she was reading it correctly, she reset the scan before trying again but still coming up with the same results. "Jeremy had you been experiencing any unusual symptoms recently? Fever, chills, rapid breathing or heartbeat?"

He visibly stiffened as he continued to stare at the surface of the bed. Sidi gave a low whine but Jeremy stopped petting him as he breathed several times. "I..." Closing his eyes he thought about just shaking his head but even that would be dishonest. "Doctor?" he asked instead trying to find some time to think about what she was asking. Fever? Chills? Those were diametrically opposite - but...

He let the silence spin out, choosing to not answer rather than lie.

[TBC]

Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

LTjg Jeremy Stone
Chief Security/Tactical Officer/K9
USS Galileo

Sidious MWD 7223
Canine Security unit
USS Galileo

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