"Right Answer, Wrong Question"
[Previous post: "Questions and Actions", written by our newest member Brian Matthews]
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Setting: USS HATHOR, Sickbay
The argument between Lea and Liz had been going on for quite a while
now. The CMO and aCMO had been standing in front of a screen pointing
out various sections of a strange DNA strand. Susan had also been in the
room, but the CNS had decided to just watch the ongoing drama. Since
the ship and crew where not doing anything in particular, this had been
the best show in town.
"Listen," Lea said to her assistant tapping her finger on the screen
without even looking at it. "Splicing DNA like that won't work. The
odds are that you will end up with an non-viable strand that will do
nothing. If you are really lucky, it might give whoever gets it an annoying
rash. I would not hold my breath though because it won't work."
"With all due respect," Ensign Halliwell replied, not having back down
from her position since this had started. "The science behind the
method is sound and I would be more than happy to ask for Lt. Cmdr. Maya's
opinion. I am sure that she will concur that the strand would be
viable and possibly even dangerous."
Lea cringed at the idea of dragging the CSciO into this argument. The
CMO greatly respected the Shillian and all of her knowledge, but the
woman did have a habit of talking too much. Way too much. Especially
when it came down to any subject that dealt with her expertises.
"I don't think it will be necessary to bring the ExO into this," Susan
chimed in while grinning to her friend. Seeing Lea on the defensive
like this had been very interesting not to mention educational. As the
ship's CNS, Susan took advantage of any and all chances to see the
members of the crew interact. This allowed her to evaluate their personal
state as well as possibly catch a problem before it got out of hand.
As Lea and Liz resumed their medical argument, Susan's thoughts went
onto a specific member of the crew. Thinking of interpersonal problems
had brought one name up in Susan's mind, that of David Dawson. The aCEO
was a very complex individual, one that Susan considered to be a
friend. The problem had been that David's history had also made him into a
very unique patient of hers.
Looking at the CMO and aCMO continuing their banter, Susan decided to
check up on David. The way Lea and Elizabeth were going at it, the CNS
doubted that either one would notice that she had left.
"It's not working," Susan said as she stared at the door which had not
opened.
"See!" Lea said pointing to her friend. "She agrees! That viral
strand does not work."
"That is not what I meant," Susan said as she turned around to face the
two arguing women.
"So you agree that my methods and research would work?" Liz asked,
hoping finally that the CNS had taken a side in this conflict.
"No," the CNS replied. "It’s the door."
"What does the door have to do with a strand of DNA that was first
meant to be a medical breakthrough? Only to have it turn out to be an
ineffective viral mess," the CMO said with her hands on her hips. Lea had
been so caught up in her debate with her assistant that the CMO had not
picked up on the problem at hand.
"Lea," Susan forcefully said as if telling her friend to drop it. "The
door to Sickbay won't open."
"What do you mean it won't open?" The CMO asked, leaving Liz behind and
joining her friend at the sealed door.
"I stand here and it doesn't go whoosh!" Susan explained gesturing what
the door should have been doing.
"I'm going to have to ask David is *whoosh* is an engineering term,"
Lea laughed. The humour quickly vanished though as the CMO came to the
grave realisation that the door would not open. "Great, stuck inside my
own Sickbay."
"Ens. Halliwell to bridge," the aCMO said as she tapped her comm.
badge. All three women waited for a reply that never came.
"Lt. Summers to Lt. Dawson, please respond," Lea followed up with after
several seconds of complete silence.
"Maybe there is something wrong with the comm. system," Susan said,
looking a little worried.
"Well it would not be the first thing not to work," Lea sighed. "That
doesn't explain the door though. Could we force it open?"
"I'm sure we could," Liz replied as she reached down for a magnetic
handle. Those were normally used to open hatches to the crawlspaces, but
given the situation Lea vigorously agreed.
Someone like David, Elan, Nico or Uxtar would have been able to open the door with a hand tied behind their back. Since none of them had been in Sickbay, it had taken all three women to get the door to open just a little.
When the door had finally been slid wide enough to let someone through, Lea popped her head out. Within a split second the CMO had returned into the room and pushed the CNS and aCMO back. Lea looked like she had seen a ghost, something that Susan immediately picked up on. "What's wrong?"
"Breen!" Lea stuttered.
"Bree? Bree who? There is no one on the ship named Bree," Susan said.
Had her friend lost it?
"Not BREE!" The CMO whispered as she tried to close the door. "BREEN!
There are BREEN soldiers in the corridor."
Liz and Susan looked at one other for a second or so before joining Lea
in her efforts to close the door.
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Lt. J.G. Lea Summers
And
Chief Medical Officer 2005 post #567
Stardate: 60331.2000
Tiffany Rose {lady_tiffany_rose@mail.com}
Chief Medical Officer
USS ANUBIS
USS HATHOR
