Minding the store

Posted on 24 Aug 2022 @ 8:27am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant JG Roger Harrison Jr

Mission: Through the looking glass
Location: Captains Ready room
Timeline: MD4
1374 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Jon had not met properly the new ACMO yet but as his CMO was now off the ship and the new man had to step up it felt like the right time. So he summoned him.

The psychology literature said that vices were sometimes necessary for one to maintain proper mental health balance. So long as they were "good" vices. He'd learned about psychology in medical school, back on Earth, before he'd joined the Starfleet-and it was going to be his specialty. So he knew a fair bit about it, and he also knew a fair bit about vices. His was coffee. Black, and strong enough to make a spoon on end by itself. His family was of British and Scottish origin, even though Earth is no longer what it was-so while his ancestors likely preferred a hot cup of tea, he chose coffee. His ONLY vice, but it was at least *socially* acceptable, right? Right. Sip, read. Sip, read. Sip, read. And thus went his hour-he was catching up on crew mates' health files. Everyone seemed to the best specimen, both physically and emotionally.

A knock at the door snapped Roger out of his reviere. A yeoman stuck his head in the door, and told him that Captain Reynolds requested his presence. He'd been WAITING for that moment-he'd been here a couple of days already but like most places that involved science or healthcare, they were slammed from jump, and he hadn't time. Guess the Captain was MAKING time. He excused the younger man, and stood up, smoothing the white jacket he wore over his blue uniform shirt. He tugged it off, and hung it up, carefully, along with his stethoscope. He made sure his uniform was ship-shape, and then headed out.

A couple of minutes later, he had found his way to the Captain's office. He knocked once, and waited. He reviewed the protocol in his head-was he supposed to salute? Yeah, of course, he was a captain, duh, Roger. Right-o. When given the proper signal, he opened the door, and peeked in, then slid his tall, lanky frame behind it.

"You asked to see me?" He remembered his salute, quickly, and then berated himself internally. *Don't be an idiot, Rog*.

"Yes I wanted to meet you and I know there hasn't exactly been time since we disembarked the station and ended up in this hell of another universe but as your needing to step up now while my CMO is away, I thought it as better time as any to get you up to speed," Jon said.

"Relax Lieutenant. Take a seat and to start with tell me a little about yourself," he indicated the chair opposite his desk.

Roger sat, and folded his hands. Where to start? Probably at the beginning-AND KEEP IT SHORT, he reminded himself. "Well, I took a job as a civilian in the Betazoid colonies in a Triage hospital there during the invasion. That's how I first got interested in the Starfleet. Then I decided to go through the academy when I met my wife. She's here along with me, and our daughter, Minnie, who-well. That's me." He could prattle on FOREVER about his girls, but this man probably had busier things to do. "She's seven now. Our only."

"How lovely. I have a son and daughter both teenagers," Jon commented. "So I actually know you served where you did during the occupation of Betazed as I was there. I was just 21, freshly applied to the academy. It put me back a little while, until the occupation was over. I fought on the planet, as did many but I had friends up in space and on the colonies also. And I know you looked after a good friend of mine and a cousin actually - Justin Peek of the 17th house. So when I saw you on my list of people applied for the post I remembered Justin telling me about you. I wanted to say personally thank you for saving my cousins life and the work you did during that time."

Roger nodded. "How lovely. I don't think Lucy and I will have any more; we're...too old now, I think. Minnie keeps us going, but she's enough, you know?" He sighed. He wished they'd had a few more but they met late in life and Lucy didn't handle pregnancy well. Then, Captain Reynolds revealed he'd saved the man's cousin. How does one reply to that? "You're welcome. Just doing my job."

Jon nodded. "Well about that. Has Dr C'Tora filled you in? You are going to be stepping up for hopefully a few days. Your boss is going on an away mission to hopefully help find us a way out of this place."

Roger just nodded his understanding. He was generally a man of few words-not because he was stupid, but because too many words sometimes muddled a situation. "He has informed me. I am looking forward to showing what I am capable of. And a little nervous, if I can be frank-I've never taken over the department for more than a day or so. Starbase Earth is less...busy than the Starships. Usually. Unless there's a war on, but of course, we haven't had one of those for a long time." Though the threats were there often-some new species always popped up, and sometimes, they were blood-thirsty. "Is there anything I should be specifically aware of, from your viewpoint, sir?" Roger asked, respectfully.

"Not presently. I am hoping we do not get tangled up into anything that will cause you a lot of work," Jon said. "But then one can never tell considering we are in an alternative universe. Just make sure your ready in case."

Roger nodded again, realizing he probably looked a little bit like a ninny. Oh, well. "Great, I look forward to it." He closed his eyes briefly. He looked forward to...danger? Sheesh. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. The doctor continued.
"I'm trauma trained, so I am fully prepared, is all I meant." Somehow, that didn't sound much more convincing, even to his ear. He NEVER did well talking to authority figures-it rendered him eight years old again, listening to his father talk to him sternly about some way he'd bollocked up. The older Roger was stern, and sometimes mean. It was a coping thing, Roger knew, but at least he had enough sense to *not* relay this to Captain Reynolds. Yet.

Jon winced inwardly at the emotions the man was throwing out. He said nothing and decided to put it down to the man had just gone through a big employment change.

"Excellent," Jon said, "Well if there's nothing further I do have some reports to file. Im sure Im due a physical soon if you wouldn't mind scheduling that. It wouldn't do for the CO to be noncompliant. I know I have to lead the pack," he smiled at him.

"I can do that; will send a note when it's done. Do mornings or afternoons work better for you? Probably neither, but you know..." The man was surely busy, and Roger wasn't helping. He forced himself to calm down by remembering he was an adult now, with real responsibilities and his father's opinion of those responsibilities didn't matter anymore. When he started again, his voice was stronger. "I know I already have Wednesday at 2 pm open, if that will do?" He waited to see how the CO responded, but mentally, he marked that spot for Jon.

"And I will leave you to your work. I understand you're a busy man." Roger had zero interest in leadership roles-he just wanted to save lives. He was more of a dreamer than a do-er, though he was smart enough to understand that doing was the means to an end, and also knew he had to provide for his family-left to his own devices, though, he might've stayed forever in the Betazoid colonies, helping to rebuild. Fixing or saving was his life.

"Thank you Doctor, welcome aboard and I am sure we will see each other soon. Dismissed," Jon said.

OFF:

Captain Jonathan Reynolds
CO, USS Andromeda

LtJG Roger B Harrison
ACMO, USS Andromeda