Busy Day In Sickbay 1
Posted on Sun Apr 5th, 2026 @ 4:35am by Captain Adrian Kellan & Lieutenant JG Nathaniel Wolffe & Lieutenant Darla Kennings & Ensign Emily Bowman
Edited on on Sun Apr 5th, 2026 @ 7:35pm
2,375 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
Episode 1: Shadows of Diplomacy
Location: USS Scharnhorst, Sickbay
Location: USS Scharnhorst, Sickbay
Adrian walked into sick Bay, he wasn't going to be one of those captains that waited till the last minute to get checked in for his physical. He wasn't sure if he was going to be greeted by Doctor Kennings or Nurse Bowman; he had approved both of their applications for the Scharnhorst. They're both capable officers he just wish he could be the captain that they needed. He was still not sure if he really wanted to be in Starfleet. After what happened during the Battle of Frontiers day, he was still traumatized by other things he had to experience. Living with the guilt was unbearable for him. Any of that later on he would be meeting with Counselor Winters.
Darla looked up from her padd as she heard footsteps approach and smiled. "Good afternoon, Captain," she said. "How can we be of help?"
"I'm here for my physical." Adrian said, trying to maintain a calm presence. He had no issues with sickbay or the medical staff. It's just what this represented officially, him going back into Starfleet, him being part of something that he thought he left behind him. Being out here, he was back in command of a ship again.
"Admirable," Darla said, nodding approvingly. "I know some captains who could take a lesson from you. Please, follow me."
"That's very generous of you to say, but I want to set a good example for the crew. If I don't come in at a reasonable time and expect to complete my physical, how can I expect my crew to?" Adrian suggested as he followed her.
"A fair point. As I said, other captains could learn from you." She led him to a private exam room, and stepped aside for him as the door opened. She followed him in, closing and locking the door for privacy behind her. A different breed of captain or not, rank had some privileges, and privacy, in this instance, was one of them. "Please get comfortable on the biobed, and we can begin."
"It's been a couple years since I had a physical last, I don't know if you see it on my file but I retired. The admiralty pulled me out of retirement." Adrian simply said hoping she would not ask follow up questions.
Darla nodded. "I noticed." She tapped the computer screen on the side of the biobed. "I have a godfather in the admiralty. I know how persuasive they can be," she said, sympathetically. She picked up a tricorder and flipped it open, setting the biobed to one scan while she conducted another. "Well, we'll make up for that quickly," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
"I would appreciate that Doctor. Have most of the crew, checked in yet for their physicals?" Adrian asked, wondering if he needed to light a fire on his crew, to get them completed. They could not launch til the doctor said everyone was checked.
"Oh yes," Darla said. "Our schedule overfloweth." She scanned slowly, keeping one eye on the tricorder and one on the biobed monitor. "You caught us at a lull, but we've been bustling. It's going to be a long day, but we have all hands going full throttle. We should be able to keep up with it with relative ease."
"If you need any support please reach out." Adrian said with conviction. "I want to complete all physicals before we arrive in the Risa system. Lieutenant Mist needed our help, and I want every able crewman at their post."
"Aye, Captain. We should be on track for this evening," Darla said. "I've already seen most of the senior staff, I believe, and secondary crewmen are still coming in regularly. I've signed off on essential personnel, and we can get underway now while we finish up with the tertiary crew members en route."
"Good to hear. So, what's next on the examination?" Adrian asked, waiting to see how much information she needed for his file.
"Oh just another scan or two, and a blood sample. We've already got most of what we need from your file since it has your medical history." She looked over the data. "I'd say your blood pressure is a tad high. Your stress levels are elevated as well." She looked at him. "Is this launch jitters? Or do we need to schedule some time to relax?"
"I wish, Doctor; what is relax time?" Adrian said with a smile on his face, that did not reach his eyes. He was trying to be warm and sincere. But she was right, his blood pressure was high. He was under a lot of stress, most of it had nothing to do with the crew or even the ship.
Darla hesitated, then stepped behind him so he wouldn't see her. "Take a deep breath," she said, putting a hand on his back as if she were testing his lungs.
Adrian took a deep breath, then let it out. He took another one. His mind tried to stay focused in this moment. But he was starting to recall painful memories. Laying on this bio bed, was reminding him of his former first officer. He took another deep breath, trying to bury that feeling.
The normally bright jewel in her headband darkened slightly and she took a deep breath as well, projecting some calm towards him. As her jewel returned to its normal bright blue, she stepped back around to face him. She put her padd down, leaving her words off the record and pulled over a stool, sitting down next to him, putting on her 'no-nonsense' face. "I don't want to tread too far into Doctor Winters's territory," she said, "but whatever emotional load you're carrying is not going to help you captain this ship. If you are dealing with something we need to address, that's a problem, and if you aren't doing anything to address it, that's another problem."
"How could you tell something was bothering me? Are you telepathic or is it written all over my body?" Adrian asked, not trying to sound confrontational. He was genuinely curious. He knew very little about her race.
Darla gave a small shrug. "Tension and stress are carried in the body," she said. "They affect posture, expression, metabolism, heart rate, blood pressure, even eyesight and hearing. Being under some stress is natural right now; we are all busy with the launch," she said, "but the levels I'm seeing in you indicate something's been working on you longer than that." She took a breath to let that sink in.
"We can launch as soon as you give the word, and then we will have overnight and into tomorrow before we reach the drop point for the shuttle, and you will have the worst task on the ship: waiting. So, instead of continuing to bear this burden, I'd like you to spend that time addressing it. Between now and then, you will get a minimum of six hours of sleep, you will eat at least two balanced meals, and you will schedule some time with Doctor Winters. This is non-negotiable, Doctor's orders. Am I clear?"
"Understood Doctor! I will rest for six hours, and try to sleep. You have my assurances on that." Adrian said, as he sat up and got off the bio bed. He was not sure about the two balanced meals, maybe she would let that go, since he addressed the other important topics.
"There were three things on my list," Darla said, her violet eyes not letting him go. "And I expect all of them addressed. I will check in with Doctor Winters to make sure you've scheduled some time before we arrive." She didn't mean it as a threat, but she wanted it clear, she wasn't just giving offhand advice. "Lieutenant Mist needs you at your best when we arrive. Do it for her, as much as yourself, if that's what you need to motivate you."
"What was the third one, balanced meals, two of them right?" Adrian asked. He took a breath as Darla gave him a hard stare, and then went on. "I will reach out to Counselor Winters," he said, appreciating the fact she was holding her ground.
"Good," Darla said as she stood up and picked up a plasma extractor, loading an empty vial and pressing it to his arm. She gave him a comforting smile as she took the sample and when she was done, patted his shoulder. "Remember to breathe, and relax, and tomorrow the waiting will be over," she said.
"I assume we're done here?" Adrian asked, as he got ready to leave. He had a new found respect for her. He moved towards the door, getting ready to leave.
"Yes. You can return to duty, Captain," Darla said, making some final notes. "Pleasure seeing you." As he nodded and stepped out of the exam room, she took another deep breath, the jewel in her headband flickering again. She marshalled herself and marked the sample for storage, and set the exam room for reset before downloading her notes and clearing her padd for her next patient.
Location: USS Scharnhorst, Sickbay
Shortly after the captain left Nathaniel walked in next. He was a little nervous, he didn't like medical facilities. He had no issues with the doctor or the nurses. It was just the idea of being in a hospital really wasn't his cup of tea. He casually walking, lurking around the bio bad waiting for somebody to address him.
"Are you lost?" Emily said, smiling as she came up behind him, an instrument tray in her hands. "Or are you hiding?"
"I wish I could say yes, but sadly I'm here for my physical." Nathaniel said, as he looked around the room admiring the tapestry. "I'm not sure who decorated this place but you guys have a keen eye." He went on to say as the Diplomatic officer in him came out. But it was true but also has a diplomatic officer he was also more observant about the small details and things like that cuz they keep insight into how people were. He could tell whoever designed this try to make a sterile environment like sick they feel more alive and more welcoming and he appreciated that.
"Doctor Kennings is a believer in color," Emily said, somewhat tongue-in-cheek. "She's tried to add in some hypoallergenic plants and a few pieces of decor. It's not standard issue, but it's something to look at. Gives patients something to focus on instead of their fears. Case in point," she said, eyeing him. "Let me deliver this and I'll get you set. Have a seat over there," she said, pointing her elbow at a free biobed.
Nathaniel took a deep breath, but kept the nervous smile he walked over to the bed. "What am I supposed to call you?" He simply asked, as he tried to get comfortable in the bed.
"Nurse Emily Bowman!" she called over her shoulder. She walked around the corner, heading for one of the exam rooms, and a few moments later came back out, tricorder and padd in hand. "All right, let's start with the easy part: Your name, rank, position?"
"Lieutenant Junior Grade Nathaniel Wolffe, Assistant Chief Diplomatic Officer, and acting chief for the moment," Nathaniel said, with the nervous smile on his face. It was not a big fan of medical facilities. He had no idea why he just thought that; he already thought that. His anxiety was picking up a little bit but he was holding it in. For a man who's supposed to be a diplomat he sure had a real stressful anxiety when it comes to medical facility like a Sickbay.
"And what's your favorite food?" Emily said, making notes on her padd.
"Oh, spaghetti. No cinnamon though. An old roommate I had back in my academy days swore by it." Nathaniel mentioned to her. Even though happened a few years ago. Every time he mentions spaghetti, he can't get the thought of his roommate's preferences.
Emily looked at him like he had three heads. "Cinnamon.....on spaghetti.....ew," she said, shuddering. "All right, lie down and count backwards from fifty-seven by threes until you reach zero. She put down her padd and flipped open a tricorder and began scanning him.
"57, 54, 51, why am i counting backwards? 48..." Nathaniel asked as he continued to count down. He could hear her standing but why did he need to count down?
"Keep going," she said, scanning him. "You're doing great." She continued her scan and as he reached fifteen she smiled. "Perfect. Now, what was the name of your primary school principal?"
42, 39, 36, 33 seriously your going to make me count all the way down? 30, 27, 24..." Nathaniel asked, not hearing anything he continued on. After several seconds he was relieved to call out. "12, 9, 6, 3, zero."
"Okay, next question. Think hard: would you rather date an Andorian who dyed her hair blonde, or a Bolian in a wig?" She adjusted the biobed's sensors and made some notes on a padd."
Nathaniel wondered if this was a prank, he flat out asked her. "Are you messing with me? Andorian with blonde hair," he said, not sure how many more questions she was going to ask.
Emily smiled at him and closed her tricorder, downloading the results and consulting the biobed's remaining baseline scans. "Yeah, I was just effing with you," she said, grinning. "When I was a kid, one of my brothers used to ask me stupid questions to distract me when I was scared. I've found it helps with patients who are nervous in Sickbay."
"Smart." Nathaniel said, he was not sure what to say. He knew that she had a point. She figured him out pretty quickly. He admired how well she had distracted him.
"Thanks," Emily said, grinning. She finished the scans and stepped back. "All right, you're all set. Anything else you want to inform me about?"
"Nothing to inform, but thank you for the distraction." Nathaniel said, as he got off the bio bed, started to head towards the door.
Emily gave a wave and marked the biobed to be reset before going back to her errands.
END
RSS Feed