Two Former Marines Meet
Posted on Mon Sep 23rd, 2024 @ 7:11pm by Lieutenant Junior Grade Jordan Spencer & Chief Petty Officer Sara MacCallum
Edited on on Mon Sep 30th, 2024 @ 2:59am
1,600 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 15 - The Evil That Lies Beneath
Location: Sick Bay - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD003 1030 hrs
Sara was preparing things for the next shift. A new Assistant CMO had arrived and she was to help him get acquainted with how they do things aboard the Pioneer.
As Spencer entered Sick Bay, he took a moment to survey the bustling activity around him. A nurse with reddish brown hair was immediately noticeable, her efficient movements catching his attention as she prepared for the upcoming shift.
"Chief Petty Officer MacCallum, I presume?" Spencer greeted, his tone cordial yet professional as he approached her workstation. "Jordan Spencer, the new Assistant Chief Medical Officer."
"You presume correctly, but call me 'Mac' we don't stand on ceremony here." Mac said. "So, Jordan, I hear you were in the Corps?"
"Force of habit," he replied to the concept of dropping the professionalism. "And what if I was the type that 'expected' professionalism and following protocol? What would you say to that," he asked as he smirked as he walked over and tapped a couple command codes into a console before looking back at her.
"Well, I could call you 'Sir', if it makes you happy." Mac replied with a smirk. "I know all about that mind set, I made Sergeant before leaving the Corps. I meet Commander O'Rourke when we were both assigned to SFMB - Diamond, she taught me a lot."
"Yeah the Corps taught me some things as well," he agreed, as he looked over the main console in the room. He tapped his command codes in before looking back up at her. "So did she ask ya to join her on the Pioneer when the took this post?"
"She came aboard as ACMO and requested me when she made CMO." Mac said. "I was able to perform an appendectomy on a passenger on the transport over due to what she taught me."
"Impressive," Jordan replied as he thought for a moment. "So are you in the process of getting your doctorate?"
"I'm qualified as a nurse practitioner." Mac said. "But I've though about getting my doctorate someday."
Jordan nodded thoughtfully at Mac's response. "Sounds like you've got quite the journey ahead of you," he remarked, a hint of admiration in his tone. "It's always good to have goals to strive for, keeps things interesting."
He leaned casually against the console, crossing his arms. "Speaking of interesting, anything I should know about the crew or Sick Bay procedures that might not be in the official handbook?" he asked, curious to hear her insights.
"That depends, how familiar are you with Gorn, Capellan, SerNumi, or Eldoran physiology?" Sara replied.
Spencer's curiosity piqued at Sara's question. "Well, I've read my fair share of medical journals, but I can't say I've had much hands-on experience with those particular species," he admitted, a faint grin playing at the corners of his lips. "Guess I'll have to rely on your expertise in those areas then. Anything specific I should keep in mind when dealing with them?"
"Well to start, our Capellan is a noble woman, and as such may not even allow you to touch her." Sara said. "So you'll have to call me or one of the other female medical personnel."
"SerNumi have a unique neural biology, so many medications that work with most other humanoids are ineffective or have a detrimental effect on them. I suggest consulting Kimba before administering any medication to them."
"With Gorn personnel, don't make any sudden moves and don't touch their snouts without permission, as this can be seen as an attack."
"Lastly Eldoran's are quite lay back and aware of their own physiology, so just ask them."
Spencer listened intently, nodding as Sara explained the nuances of treating the diverse crew. "Got it. Respect cultural protocols, consult specialists, avoid sudden moves with Gorn, and trust Eldorans to know their own bodies," he summarized, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Good." Sara said. "We have a Marine Corpsman that does a few sifts here in Sickbay, Her name is Sergeant Azure Thompson, she also happens to be an artificial Andorian/human hybrid, so treating her is an interesting problem, due to the vast differences between Human and Andorian physiology."
Spencer's eyes widened slightly with curiosity. "An artificial Andorian/human hybrid? That does sound like a unique challenge," he remarked, the hint of amusement still lingering in his voice. "I imagine there are some pretty fascinating medical considerations with her physiology."
He paused for a moment, thinking it over. "I'd love to learn more about her specific needs and any protocols you've developed for her treatment. It sounds like a great opportunity to expand my understanding of hybrid physiology and ensure she gets the best care possible."
"Well her creator, an Andorian medical doctor and geneticist, was looking for for a way to battle the loss of fertility amongst his people, did an excellent job of merging Andorian and human genetics into a viable being." Mac said. "But, it wasn't perfect, and such, Azure has to take certain supplements to replace certain chemicals that her body can't produce or obtain through her diet. There was also a enzyme that she couldn't produce and had to take intramuscular inject weekly, but Dr. O'Rourke was able to repair the biochemical pathway through gene therapy, but she had to petition Starfleet Medical to allow her to attempt it." She added with a roll of her eyes. "Essentially Sergeant Azure Thompson is an female Andorian with a human reproduction system."
""And you say this with a roll of your eyes, as if it's just a minor inconvenience?" He said after listening. His expression growing more incredulous with each detail Mac revealed. He raised an eyebrow and folded his arms, clearly struggling to wrap his head around the story.
"Wait a second," Jordan interjected, his tone sharp. "Let me get this straight. An Andorian medical doctor and geneticist created a hybrid to combat fertility issues, merging Andorian and human genetics. That alone is a huge ethical gray area, to put it mildly."
He paced a few steps. "So, this doctor manages to create a viable being, but it's not perfect. Azure needs supplements and weekly injections just to function properly. And then, gene therapy? Petitioning Starfleet Medical for permission to repair a biochemical pathway?"
Jordan shook his head, clearly skeptical. "How did Starfleet even allow her to join? The medical and ethical implications are staggering. We're talking about potential long-term effects that no one can predict. What if her genetic modifications fail or cause unforeseen complications?"
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "So, Mac, enlighten me. How did she get through Starfleet's rigorous medical screenings and ethical reviews? Because this sounds like something that would have raised every red flag in the book."
'Well, I don't know all the details." Mac began. "But, I do know that she was a juvenile and had to undergo extensive medical and psychological testing before she could even be adopted by the Thompson family, and underwent continued monitoring after that." The Nurse said. "Later when she wished to enlist in the Corps, she had to undergo a new battery of tests, then it was put to a vote, that marginally passed in her favour." Mac paused a moment. "Now she has to undergo regular physicals and pysch evals, and send monthly reports back to Starfleet Medical." "If you want more details, you'll have to ask the Doc, or Azure yourself."
Jordan listened, his expression a mix of disbelief and dry amusement. "So let me get this straight," he began, a hint of sarcasm creeping into his voice. "She had to jump through hoops just to be adopted, then more tests just to enlist, and now she's basically under constant surveillance with regular check-ins like she's some sort of science experiment on loan?"
He shook his head slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Sounds like she’s more scrutinized than half the admirals I’ve met. But sure, if I need more details, I’ll be sure to get the full rundown from the human-Andorian hybrid herself."
"Yeah, I'm sure she had to fight for that little autonomy as well." Mac said. "I can just see a scientist at Starfleet Sciences, crying 'cause he didn't get to lock her away in some lab and subject her to all kinds of weird experiments."
Jordan smirked at Mac's comment, his sarcasm bubbling up as usual. "Oh, I’m sure there’s some Starfleet scientist somewhere, wiping away tears with a lab coat because he couldn’t play mad scientist with her. Poor guy. Denied his chance to poke and prod like she’s some alien artifact."
He shook his head, his tone dry but sharp. "Lucky for her, autonomy's not something you can put in a petri dish."
"Agreed." Sara said. "It was good meeting you, Jordan, I look forward to working with you, but if you'll excuse me, paper work never sleeps."
Jordan gave a mock salute, his expression laced with humor. "Paperwork—the true villain of Starfleet. Good luck with that battle, Sara. I'll be here, fighting the real monsters." He smirked, then added, "But yeah, looking forward to working with you too. Just don’t let the paperwork swallow you whole."
Mac laughed. "Improvise, adapt, overcome, right?" She said.
A Joint Post By
Chief Petty Officer Sara MacCallum
Head Nurse, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Junior Grade Jordan Spencer
Assistant Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
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