"The Bells of Hell"
[Previous post: "Executive Reaction", written by the commanding Serena Switt]
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Stardate: 60324.1035
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Sickbay
Lea with total disbelief as Sickbay was plunged into the red glow of the alert status. The CMO knew that this time would come, but she had never expected it to be so soon. The last time she had checked the ANUBIS had still been over an hour away from its destination. That had meant an hour away from the MERCURY's last known position. It also had meant that they still had about an hour before walking into what could very well be hell itself.
"Sickbay to Bridge," Lea said after having tapped her comm. Badge. "What's going on?"
Since Lea thought that they were still a while away from any sort of trouble, the CMO had wanted to ascertain the situation. Would she need to have her staff be ready to receive casualties or was this only a precautionary alert? The entire medical staff had been ready for action, but Lea hoped that the reason for the red alert had been 'just in case'. The last thing the CMO had wanted was to see her department filled with broken bodies.
=/\= Doctor, Serenna here. We have picked up a modulated frequency coming from the area of space where the MERCURY was last seen. We are simply making sure that we are ready for whatever might be there waiting for us. =/\= The ExO replied as calm and collect as Lea had expected her to be. As different as the two women appeared, the CMO could not help but see the similarities between Enaii and Serenna. As different as they might have been, they sometimes seemed to have been carved out of the same wood.
"I know that I am only an Ensign, and the CMO to boot, but are we possibly heading into a trap? And could it be the same one that lured the MERCURY to its doom?" Lea asked, voicing in a matter of speaking her dislike of the current situation.
=/\= That is why we have gone to red alert Doctor. Knowing that we are heading into a trap greatly reduces it effectiveness. =/\= The hybrid replied, still as calm and collect as could be. If Lea had just been listening to the tone of the ExO's voice, she might have thought this to be normal. The idea of heading into a dangerous region of space where a ship had already been destroyed and its crew abducted seemingly as natural as could be.
**Of course, stepping into a bear trap while knowing that it is there *does* reduce the sting of its bite. Still snaps your leg right off though.** Lea thought to herself knowing better than to question the decision that had already been made. The ANUBIS was going in and everyone needed to be ready for what would happen next. That meant that the CMO and her staff needed to be ready to deal with the atrocities of combat.
"Ready or not, I would appreciate if you could keep the casualties to a bare minimum," Lea said with a sigh. Dealing with injuries had been part of her calling, and as much as she might not have wanted it, she would be ready for it.
=/\= We will do our best, Bridge out. =/\=
"Alright," Lea said turning to face the members of her medical team who had gathered around her waiting for instructions. "I want every biobed prepped and ready to receive casualties. Since some of the crew may not be able to get here after all hell breaks loose, I want at least three teams ready to move out. Be ready for massive trauma."
"Massive trauma?" One of the nurses asked. "Are you aware of something about our opponents that we have not been told?"
"No," Lea replied through clenched teeth. "What I do know is that a ship full of Marines was destroyed and its crew captured. To me this means that they either have a weapon that knocked everyone out, or that they boarded the ship and took control. Nothing we can do about the first, but the second is going to be nasty, so let's get ready."
Lea watched as her staff rushed to every corner of Sickbay. Everyone was either preparing the equipment of picking up whatever they would need. Standard medical field kits were good but not enough to deal with the type of injuries that the CMO had mentioned.
"Kelsey," Lea said, grabbing one of the nurses by the arm. "Take a three techs and head down to Main Engineering. If we get boarded, there will be a lot of casualties there. If we end up in a fire fight, someone down there is bound to get hurt. If we find nothing, someone's temper will make it necessary for you to sedate him. Whatever will happen, your presence there will be needed."
"Lt. Dawson is not going to be happy to see us down there," Kelsey said, looking a little nervous at the idea of going toe-to-toe with the CEO.
"Just stay out from underfoot," Lea grinned. "And if that big ox gives you any problems, tell him that I sent you there. If he doesn't like it, he is welcome to come here and tell me that personally."
"But he outranks you."
"Yeah, but it will give him someone else to be made at. That way you and your team will be able to stay there and save lives. Now get going."
Lea anxiously watched as the team of three medical techs and one nurse left Sickbay. If all went well all four of them would come back without as much as having used a single hypospray. The alternative was too disturbing for the CMO to imagine, so she did not. The bells of hell had summoned them into action, all that had been left to do was hope and pray.
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Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Ensign Lea Summers 2005 post #282
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
