The Consequences of Hanging Up

Posted on Mon Feb 18th, 2019 @ 11:47pm by Captain Cynthia Jackson & Lieutenant Jane Sinclair MD, DVM

2,184 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Medbay
Timeline: 2261.190 1200

Jane has been up all of last night and throughout the morning treating patients. Though there were many and some serious, she was relieved that there were no fatalities. Alec and the other medical staff had been working as hard as she, but she would not go to bed until she knew everyone was fine.

Cindy felt refreshed after sleeping off the night's events. There were many loopholes to close but overall her crew performed extremely well. She had received clearance from Starfleet regarding her decision to enter the Klingon Neutral zone. The Klingon ship had heavy casualties from the plasma weapon of the Romulans, but having listened to Cindy, albeit late, enough lived to tell the tale and the deceased were hailed as heroes for dying in battle.

Of course, she still had not checked up on her own casualties. The reports showed that there were no deaths and no major injuries, which relieved her. She figured that if anyone remained in the medbay, it would be best to check up on them now. Besides, she needed to have a discussion with her Chief Medical Officer about her performance in the event.

Strolling into the medbay, the Captain's long legs made their way into sight first, followed by her customary standard short yellow miniskirt uniform that left little to the imagination. Cheerfully, she called out, "Jane, are you still here?"

“Over here, Cindy!” Jane called, waving towards the Captain. Jane was performing a scan on a Petty Officer who suffered a broken arm when a hit made her fall off an access ladder. The arm had been set but just needed this one last scan to confirm everything was fine before she could be discharged. Once Cindy was close enough, she smiled and said “How are you holding up? You weren’t injured, I trust?”

"I'll let you know how I'm holding up when the Admirals review my report of our incursion into the Klingon Neutral Zone," Cindy replied with a laugh. "But, no, I'm not injured. How did everyone down here hold up, including you?"

Jane giggled at Cindy’s joke. “Cindy, I’d like the official logs to note how impressed I am with the medical team. They kept their cool under pressure as casualties poured in. Fifty-seven casualties total, only eighteen the least bit severe. No fatalities. Inside twenty-four sickbay will be empty, and inside forty-eight everyone will be back on duty.” She yawned. “As for me, I’m past due for a rest, but I’m okay. I’ll be able to go to bed in the next hour.”

“There are no emergencies, Jane. Time for you to punch out. We can discuss it in your office.” Cindy’s eyes were wavering between a green and hazel color.

Jane nodded. “Thank you, Cindy.” She gestured toward her office and then led the two of them there. The office was still sparsely decorated. A single plant in the corner. Jane’s diplomas, framed, were not yet hanging and simply sat against the wall. She had plans to acquire and display a variety of art pieces portraying health, but hadn’t done so yet. Her goal was for the office to mimic one from an Earth-based GP, and she was on her way.

She walked around her desk and practically fell into her chair. She offered one of the two seats across from her to Cindy.

Cindy sat down, her skirt hiking up as she did so. She gave Jane a pleasant smile and said, "Even I got some sleep after yesterday, Jane. I admire your dedication but you can't burn it at both ends. What if we had a major catastrophe right now? I need you to be conscious and coherent."

“I understand,” said Jane, nodding. “But I’m sure you didn’t ask me in my office to tell me to sleep. You would’ve walked me to the door if that was all.”

"This is true," Cindy admitted. "I like you a lot, Jane. I believe in having a team environment on the ship and I want everyone's input. Ultimately, however, I'm in charge. You recognized that I was a bit snide in my humor when I said something about gassing the Klingons and the Romulans. But you went two steps too far. First, you snipped at me that you would not be a party to something that I had not ordered. Then, you cut me off. I am hoping that your intention was not to be rude or to make me look weak in command. I, really do, Jane. I like you a lot but this has to be addressed."

Jane nodded. “I do. I understand that I went too far. It was disrespectful and I’m sorry. I was not trying to make you look weak, nor was I going for rude. But may I show you something?”

She accessed her computer terminal and did a quick search in their library. She then turned the computer monitor towards Cindy. A video began playing. People running down a street, panicking, coughing. Some fell to the ground convulsing. Many, including small children, were still. “This was the attack by the forces of the Earth nation Iraq against a city in its North populated by an ethnic group the government was purging. Mustard gas and nerve gas were used. Almost 5,000 people died horrible deaths, many women and children, burning from the mustard or suffocating because their lungs wouldn’t work.”

She then switched to another video. This was a building interior. It was being held by a poorly armed militia and filled with civilians. “This is from the end of World War III. The people here are quite ill from the radiological damage of nuclear weapons. Forces loyal to Colonel Green are trying to wipe them out. This holdout is trying to protect about 500 civilians.” Suddenly, canisters broke through two windows and everyone began to scramble and cough. Most would slowly slump to the floor. “The canisters are filled with a variant of the drug Fentanyl. A tranquilizer.” She didn’t raise her voice, but she made a point to punctuate that last thought. Eventually, almost everyone was dead, unconscious, or struggling to stand. Green’s forces then poured in and began shooting. “They actually didn’t need to shoot too many of them. Most overdosed on the drug.” She turned the monitor off. “It’s not just hypothetical either. On USS Pascal our medical team provided aid to a planet in the grips of a terrorist insurgency. They used similar tactics. I’ve seen this type of death first hand.”

“Cindy, I understand that I crossed multiple lines. I truly am sorry and I promise it will never happen again. But please understand that I do not have a sense of humour when it comes to this kind of thing. I love the relationship I’ve come to have with you. We can joke and laugh together about so many things. But that joke cut me deep in a way that was very personal. If there’s was an infinitely small chance that you were serious, or that someone else on the bridge thought it was a good idea, I needed to stop it.”

"I appreciate that, Jane. I do. I also know some of the atrocities of our ancestors or those less scrupulous. But that's not us. If you ever have a worry like this, pull me aside. It should not be done in front of the crew. Nobody wants morale to suffer. I'm sure that you had that kind of training in your psych courses. Let's not put any doubts in front of the crew, OK?" Cindy half asked and half told Jane.

Jane nodded her assent. “Your point about morale makes a lot of sense. I didn’t consider that.” She shifted in her chair. She fought back a couple of tears, partly from exhaustion, but partly because she knew where she had gone wrong. “I really hope this hasn’t negatively affected your view of me, Cindy. I’d like to think we’re still still friends.”

"We are, Jane. There's nothing to worry about there. I just wanted to make sure this sort of thing would not happen again," Cindy replied, her eyes lightening to a solid green.

“If I may,” Jane continued, something still bothering her, “I’d like to ask you a hypothetical. Suppose one day we’re mid battle and I do receive such an order. I know it won’t come from you, but you’re not the only one who might be in command. You might be injured and the crew desperate. Or the order might come from an Admiral who comes aboard and takes command. I trust you, Captain, and I promise that I won’t repeat my behaviour with you. But what would you have me do when someone I don’t trust makes that same comment to me?”

"You have to do as your conscience dictates, Jane." Cindy sighed. "I cannot predict every situation. However, I am pretty certain that Bec would never give that kind of order either. If you're really concerned, perhaps you should talk to her about that. Despite her practical jokes, she is pretty easy to talk to."

“That she is,” Jane replied, smiling at her memory of Bec. That was a good time. “If there’s nothing else, Cindy, I think I’ll go to bed.” She held out her hand. “Help me up please?” she said with a toothy smile.

Cindy provided Jane with an arm. Feeling Jane's dead weight pulling back towards the chair, she pulled hard on Jane, bringing the short blue haired woman towards her.

Jane allowed herself to be pulled up, but lost her balance when she stood and fell a bit into Cindy. She stabilized herself by wrapping an arm around Cindy’s waist, her head stopping a bit awkwardly at the Captain’s shoulder and chest. She took a moment of comfort from Cindy’s warmth.

"That was quite the spill," Cindy said steadying Jane on her feet. "I mean, look at how tired you are to have fallen into me. Let's get you to bed, Jane."

Jane blushed at the idea of Cindy taking her to bed, but cleared her throat and quickly regained her composure. “Thank you,” she said, as the two started to leave sickbay. “I’ll be honest I didn’t realize it had gotten this bad. I’ll never let it get this far again. New standing order for my department: regular rotations after a certain number of hours during a crisis. I’ll need to refine the details, but everyone will need to take a short break to eat and rest.” They reached the corridor and kept walking.

Cindy laughed and said, "So, exhausting you was all that it took to get you to this epiphany?"

“Honestly it hadn’t come up,” answered Jane. “In my last posting I wasn’t in charge. I didn’t put on myself the same pressure to stay until every last patient was okay. I just wanted to make sure the work was done. I wanted to make you see how hard I was working. But I guess that backfired.”

"You're so sweet, Jane." Cindy petted Jane's blue hair. "I know you're putting in 125%. Never you fear. However, I'm not even going to get 50% from you if you're not rested. And I won't settle for less than 100%. K? So, let's get you to your quarters and put you to bed."

Jane closed her eyes as Cindy stroked her hair and blushed again at her suggestion. They approached the turbolift. “Deck 3,” commanded Jane. The turbolift moved quickly and in mere seconds brought them up five decks. Jane’s quarters were around the corner. “I’d invite you in for a nightcap, but it’s only noon. Still, care to come in for an herbal tea or something?”

"I'll be coming in," Cindy confirmed. "If for no other reason than to make sure that you actually get into bed."

The doors to Jane’s quarters opened and the two stepped inside. The small common area was not pristine, but nor would anyone call it messy. A few tablets lay about, and a music notebook was open on the table. Jane slipped out of her boots. “Sure I can’t get you anything, Cindy?” she asked, wondering if the beautiful Captain might stay a bit.

"Not today," Cindy replied with a giggle. "You need to get yourself in bed and to sleep, and that's an order. We can exchange pleasantries another time."

Jane nodded. “Understood. Thank you, Cindy.” She walked toward her bed and lay down, not even bothering to get under the covers. Within moments she was fast asleep, oblivious to the world.

As Jane laid down, Cindy turned off the lights and quietly left Jane's room. She hoped there would be no more super heroism from her doctor and wondered about the remainder of the conversation Cindy had with her.

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