Everything Moves Save For Me

Posted on 04 Jun 2013 @ 6:22am by Commander Andreus Kohl & Captain Jonathan Holliday
Edited on on 04 Jun 2013 @ 6:58am

1,660 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Deck 4, Sickbay
Timeline: MD 07 - 0815 hours

[ON]

Had it been five minutes, or was it ten? Don't ask Andreus Kohl. He doesn't know.

Midway into the Intensive Care Unit, Kohl was leaning against the row of cabinets protruding from the bulkhead. He was waving his hands in and out of the sterilizer unit on the countertop. He watched the pulsating green radiation illuminate patterns on his hands, as it sterilized his skin to a standard acceptable for treating patients. Kohl couldn't be sure if he had been washing his hands for only five minutes; perhaps it had been longer? It was his rule, his own personal promise, that he only drank synthehol while during a tour of duty aboard a starship. Stark and Rice had had other plans for Kohl last night, and the throbbing in his head was a testament to that fact.

With Saalm off the ship, John's downtime was slowly becoming more and more reduced, especially now that he was effectively covering both Alpha and Beta shifts in the big chair. A proportion of the work was essentially removed - Galileo had remained basically in the same spot since they had begun their investigation of this system, and the Venture, or at least the part of her that had been left behind, was patrolling the system to keep an eye out for anything untoward.

That had meant that the bulk of Holliday's shifts had been filled with approving scientific reports, managing resources amongst different departments on both the Galileo and the Venture, and occasionally finding time to get something to eat and enjoy some degree of sleep.

With a stifled yawn, Holliday turned the corner and ducked into Sickbay, conciously trying to hold back yet another yawn.

"Mr Kohl. CMO's office, now."

John called out about the hubbub of Sickbay, not waiting for a response but instead tapping his hand against the Chief Medical Officer's office doors, and stepping inside, before waiting for the Lieutenant to follow.

Startled by John's sudden declaration, Kohl muttered a disjointed, "guh," and spun towards the barking voice. Kohl passively watched John cross towards the office, and he remained stood there watching him go. Only when John's hand slapped against transparent aluminum doors did Kohl come following. At first, Kohl broke out into a sprint, but he scaled it back to a purposeful stride. "Is there uhm?" Kohl said as he approached the office. Once he crossed the threshold, he rephrased the thought: "There's nobody hurt, is there, sir?"

"What? No of course not Mr Kohl - I could do with a few more hours sleep in future but as far as I am aware the entire crew is ship shape. And Sickbay? It's prepared in case we need it?"

John replied, heading towards the CMO's desk and allowing one hand to rest on it's surface, studying the various readouts and monitors lit up behind it showing a myriad of data for the inhabitant of this particular office.

"Yes, it is, sir..." said Kohl. Only his tone of voice asked the question, why, has something changed?. Kohl waited at the threshold and he leaned against the door frame. He didn't give voice his worry that their peaceful, scientific mission was taking a turn for the violent. Instead, he spoke of Sickbay's readiness. "The diagnostics on the equipment is all coming back green," Kohl said. "You've staffed Sickbay with individuals of diligence and conviction. We're always ready. Pola prepares us well." Kohl's voice caught on the word Pola --her name-- because of the gossip between the nurses.

"Yes Lieutenant Commander Ni Dhuinn was always an asset to the Galileo....her recent promotion however has caught the eyes of my superiors...she's being transferred - apparently a higher ranking member of Medical shouldn't be hidden away on a Nova-class starship out in the middle of nowhere."

John clenched his fist as he relayed the news to the ACMO. He had never liked it when senior officers decided to meddle in the affairs of his ship, and no matter how much he and Saalm had fought to protect one of their senior officers, it seemed that Starfleet's word on the matter was final.

"She has transferred to the Venture for redeployment. Needless to say, we have lost an asset."

Kohl stayed right where he was, his shoulder against the doorframe. The doorframe was practically holding him upright. His posture visibly deflated, as he muttered, "So it's true..." The news of Pola's redeployment wasn't entirely new to Kohl, but it was more of a gut-punch coming official from the Executive Officer. There was no denying it now; nowhere to hide. Kohl cleared his throat and he set his jaw. The focus in his sapphire eyes sharpened onto John. "Now, you're telling me this," Kohl said with some hesitancy. "Sir, Should I inform the department before 'Commander Ni Dhuinn's replacement is transferred over?"

"Transferred over? Mr Kohl, Pola's replacement is already aboard. Start getting used to your new office."

John replied with a smug grin, before removing a small PADD that had been concealed on his hip and handing it over to the newly-promoted Chief Medical officer.



USS Galileo - Transfer of Chief Medical Officer - Lt Cmdr Pola Ni Dhuinn

--Lieutenant Andreus Kohl is promoted to the role of Chief Medical Officer, USS Galileo effective immediately. --

Captain Lirha Saalm - Commanding Officer, USS Galileo - APPROVED
Commander Jonathan Holliday - Executive Officer, USS Galileo - APPROVED



"I trust you're up to filling the gap left in the department? We will of course be obtaining additional medical staff upon our return to Federation space to replace you as a member of our general medical team."

"What?" Kohl blurted out, his voice heated with panic and even some anger. His conversation with Maenad the day before came to mind. She had assumed Kohl would be promoted to Chief Medical Officer and Kohl had countered with a list of objections. Those same objections, and more, thundered through his head for the sake of the crew's well-being. Sputtering a little, he said, "But, sir? But what about space plagues?"

"Space plagues? Well Lieutenant I assume if one comes along you'll be the man saving us all from death. If not I won't be around to regret my decision to promote you. Get comfortable."

John chuckled, turning the chair around to be in the line of sight of the young Kohl, before sweeping his hand towards it as if gesturing to him to take a seat.

Breathing deeply, Kohl stepped into his new office and dropped himself into the chair. John's laughter and levity managed to diffuse the fight factor in Kohl's fight-or-flight reaction, but his blood continued to pump through his system at a panicked rate. "You, uhm," Kohl said in a fluster, "But, sir, you know I'm not a doctor, yeah? I keep telling everyone I'm not a doctor, but everyone keeps referring to me as a doctor..."

John had to chuckle once more as the newly promoted CMO once again referred to his lack of full qualifications. John had never had himself down as a First Officer when he was given this command - he was a CTO at best, but had learned new skills to better fill his role.

"If I recall the position is called Chief Medical Officer - doesn't say Doctor in there anywhere if I'm correct?"

"Oh, I can do the job," Kohl said assuredly, thinking aloud as he came to understand John's point. "The kind of leadership and coordination involved to manage a Sickbay of this size --despite our little ship-- would hardly leave me time to spend on the surgeries I'm not qualified to perform. Don't mistake me, sir. What I'm worried about is perception. What I'm worried about is my career. I made more than a few missteps early on. I'm not... I'm not where I thought I would be by now... I don't want to be passed over for promotion because the next Executive Officer believes the Chief Medical Officer should probably be a doctor."

The next XO...those were the words that ran through John's mind more than any other - did the crew have an idea about the post that had been offered to John elsewhere in the fleet? Or indeed was Kohl just thinking further ahead and making blind comments?

"Well..that..that's good to hear Mr Kohl. If you need anything else, contact me immediately understood?"

Sitting there wide-eyed, almost vacantly, Kohl didn't respond to John's question immediately. He heard the man's words, he understood them even, but there was another voice in his head. Kohl could still remember Pola's words to him, mere moments after Kohl had first stepped aboard Galileo. Pola had said to him, "Honestly...I was ACMO up until a number of days ago so I'm still readjusting myself. I expect of my nurses the same I expect of my doctors and medical officers. To do your absolute best. To not be afraid to ask questions or to take me to the side if you have any concerns. A nurse's job is just as important as a Doctor, if not more so. A Doctor repairs and treats, a nurse cares and looks after. One can't work without the other."

Kohl straightened his back in his chair and he laid a determined look at John. "I understand, sir," Kohl said. As he watched John go, Kohl sat there staring at the empty chair that had once belonged to Pola. Despite her chair being empty, she managed to cast a long, long shadow over him. And Kohl just sat there, staring at the chair.


[OFF]

CMDR Jonathan Holliday
Executive Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Andreus Kohl
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

(with an excerpt from "When the sun runs out and there is no one to save you" by Pola Ni Dhuinn)

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