"Asking A Few Questions Doesn't Hurt"
[Previous post: "Training", written by the talented Sabrina Jones]
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Setting: USS HATHOR, Corridor outside Sickbay
Lunch with David had gone well despite a few glitches. At least that
was what Lea tried to tell herself. Garrity had gotten under David's
skin and it bugged him. Seeing David the way he was because of the
Ensign bugged her. As a Lieutenant Junior Grade Lea could have confronted
Brian and demanded an explanation. Although that might have worked, the
CMO feared that confronting the engineer like this would make things
worse. If Garrity had it in for David for one reason or another Lea
confronting him would add fuel to the fire. On the other hand if David
learned about what she had done, he would likely not forgive Lea. So the
CMO had to find another way to figure out what Garrity's problem was.
"Lea? USS HATHOR to Doctor Summers, come in Doctor." The ship's Cns
said to the woman who had stopped right in the middle of the corridor.
"What?" Lea replied, looking around and realising where she was. It
was clear to see that the CMO had been deeply thinking about something.
As a friend and Cns, it became Susan's job to find out what.
"What's on your mind," Susan asked of her friend who still seemed to be
light-years away.
"It's David,' Lea replied absentmindedly.
"The aCEO?" Elizabeth wondered out loud, the aCMO having been by
Susan's side all this time.
"Actually its not about him directly," Lea said trying to clarify the
situation. "It's about one of the engineers working with David.
"Does David have a problem with Elan?" Susan asked, unable to believe
that anyone could have a problem with the Oltharian. Elan was the type
to, if you stepped on his toes, to apologise for having had his foot
under yours. Still that had been the first person to pop in the Cns'
head, so Susan had asked the question.
"Of course not," the CMO replied, glaring at her friend for even having
thought of such a ridiculous possibility. "It's an ensign by the name
of Brian Garrity. He has displayed an odd interest towards David and
it bugs him."
"Maybe it's only because he heard about Lt. Dawson having been dead at
one point," Elizabeth said. The aCMO seemed equally interested in the
story, but because of her duties Liz had not had the time to indulge in
her curiosity.
"Maybe," Lea agreed. "Still even I noticed that there was something
odd about the man. I just can't put my finger on it."
"This thing must have you pretty shaken up," Susan teased, taking her
friend by the shoulders.
"Why do you say that?" The CMO replied, looking completely lost.
"Because," Susan said explaining the idea that had popped in her head.
"You are head of the medical department and as such you can *order* me
and Liz to do some investigating. You could have found something in
his medical record that you wish to review."
"And because I would not be the one doing the examination there would
not be any risk of my being accused of anything wrong," Lea continued.
"See," Susan said turning to Elizabeth. "Just like I was saying, she
can be quick, if you give her time."
Lea scowled, not having found the joke all that amusing. Still the CMO
knew that it had not been meant in a malicious way, so Lea continued
with their plan. "It's perfect too because my shift will be over in half
an hour. All we need to do is have Ensign Garrity report to Sickbay
after that. This will justify why I am not doing the physical exam."
"Maybe we have been working in Intel too long," Susan said looking pensive.
"Why do you say that?' the aCMO asked, worried that maybe she had
missed something.
"Because," the CNS replied with a smile, "we are starting to get
devious in our ways of thinking."
Lea laughed. "We still need to find *something* in Garrity's medical
file to justify our calling him in for an exam. I just hope that David
will not be made at us for doing this."
"Somehow I doubt that he would," Susan said looking confident. "Of all
the people on this ship, I am sure that you are the one who could get
away with the most."
"Maybe so," the CMO replied, not looking overly convinced. "But that
doesn't mean that I have to try."
"Stop second guessing yourself," Susan firmly said. "You need to be
more assertive now that you are a Lt. JG. So let's get in there and find
what we need," the Cns added in a commanding way.
Lea grinned and looked at her friend for a minute before saluting, "Yes
*Sir*!" Lea then turned to her assistant, "Just imagine how she'll be
when she actually becomes a Lieutenant."
Chuckling, the three women walked into sickbay ready to work on the
completion of their plan.
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Lt. J.G. Lea Summers
And
Chief Medical Officer 2005 post #556
Stardate: 60331.1330
Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
USS HATHOR
