Previous Post: "A Pact With The Devil"
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Stardate: 60313.1100
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Walking through the corridors of the ship the Romulan/Terran hybrid cold feel a charge floating in the air brought on by the CO's general announcement that there would a senior staff meeting at 1300. Having been inactive for what had felt like an eternity, the entire crew jumped to the conclusion that the meeting had been in regards to their next mission, a conclusion that had been welcomed by the greater majority of officers serving onboard the ANUBIS.
Stepping into Sickbay, the COO came face-to-face with a singing aCMO who was literally floating from one biobed to the next. Hiding her surprise at the spectacle, the Romulan/Terran hybrid approached the overly happy woman. "Ensign Summers, you seem to be in an exceptional mood today."
Smiling like the fabled Cheshire cat the aCMO bounced around the still COO as if possessed by some sort of mischievous imp. The sight had been so unexpected that the Romulan/Terran hybrid had been seconds away from reaching for her comm. Badge and summoning both security and the Cns into the room. Returning to what the Ops officer considered to be a safer distance, the aCMO explained the euphoria. "Why should I not be in a good mood? Although I was never officially confirmed as being assigned to the ANUBIS since my rescue, Capt. Simmons contacted me to insure that I would be present at this meeting. This means that not only am I going another mission, but it will be as part of this crew."
Looking at Ens. Summers with an increasing concern for her sanity, the COO gradually conceded to the idea that the ANUBIS was a unique ship with an equally unique crew and that it was fortunate for them all to be part of that particular team. "Glad to see that you are looking on the brighter side of things, but until the captain actually welcomes you on board, your presence at the meeting might only be as a consultant."
Stopping in mid-stride the aCMO turned and glared at the Romulan/Terran hybrid for a brief moment. "And you seemed bent on not looking at the positive side of anything. Tell me honestly, would you prefer to have the ship docked inside this floating rock or be out there amongst the stars?"
Refusing to fall into the trap set by the Ensign, the COO kept her reply to herself, a reply that would have been well in favor of the second option given by the aCMO. "I came to see if Sickbay was ready since I suspect that Dr. Nguma will not be attending, but since you will be there, I will leave the task of reporting this department's readiness to you."
Watching the Romulan/Terran hybrid leave sickbay, the aCMO understood why the CO had specifically requested for her to be resent at the meeting of senior officers. Looking back at the way the ship's CMO had been behaving it was not hard to imagine that the man had requested a transfer off the Intel ship. This realisation dampened the mood of Ens. Summers enough that she stopped dancing around the room while remembering the CO's call and trying to figure out if there had been any indication in the man's voice that would hint to her being there for a reason other than to simply report on the department's readiness.
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Stardate: 60313.1120
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Having returned to her station on the bridge, the COO reviewed the status of the ship and its personnel in preparation for the meeting and the report that she would be asked to give. The weeks of inactivity had made it so that the ANUBIS had been as ready as could be making the report being built by the Romulan/Terran hybrid a simplistic one.
Looking down at the PADD which contained her final report, the thoughts of the Romulan/Terran hybrid returned to the encounter she had with the aCMO. The COO had not wanted to burst the ensign's bubble but the fact was that there still had been no entry in the ship's personnel log that indicated that Summers had been officially assigned to the ANUBIS. This of course could have been an innocent omission or a way to keep the assignment a surprise to the ensign, but the Ops officer could not wonder if maybe Ens. Summers had been a little premature in her celebrating.
Glancing at the door leading to the CO's Ready Room, the Romulan/Terran hybrid debated for a short period of time about inquiring from Capt. Simmons about the status of the ship's medical staff. As COO this information was well within her reach but the Ops Officer decided against presenting the captain with the question as personnel issues officially fell within the jurisdiction of the XO who at that moment seemed preoccupied with her own work. Curious or not, the COO would have to wait until the meeting like everyone else.
Taking the PADD into her hand, the Romulan/Terran hybrid secured her station and prepared to leave the bridge in order to perform last minute checks on some of the ship's less accessible systems. Walking next to the XO's station, the COO's attention was diverted downward to the ILO's child who had been clinging to her adoptive mother's leg. "Bina, I'm hungry."
Looking a little exasperated by the child's tone, the Romulan/Terran hybrid offered assistance as best she could. "Commander, if you are too busy I would be happy to take Talia to the base's cafeteria. I was going to perform a few scans on the secondary systems but these can wait."
The smiling glow of the child as she looked up at the COO spoke volumes. The Romulan/Terran hybrid could not understand why, but it was clear to see that Talia had not been at all against the idea of having Serenna become her escort. Not wanting to read more into this than there was, the COO told herself that this willingness had been caused by the child's hunger.
After some hesitation the XO glanced at her instruments before kneeling next to her adoptive daughter. "Would you like to go for lunch with aunty Serenna? With all that we have been doing I have not had the time to prepare all that I needed to and I could use the time here, but I promise to join you both as soon as I am done."
Looking at the Romulan/Terran hybrid, the child appeared more than willing to go with the COO and released her grasp of her mother's leg accepting the offered hand of the Ops officer instead. Taking Talia's hand into her own, Serenna gave the XO a reassuring smile as she spoke, "Do not worry Commander, I will insure that nothing happens to her."
Appearing most grateful for the chance to get some real work done, the XO simply replied, "Thank you."
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Serena Switt {serena1141@yahoo.com.au}
Lieutenant Serenna 2005 post #107
Chief of Operations / Second Officer
USS ANUBIS
