A Less-Than-Stellar Doctor

Posted on Monday, 4 July 2022 - 6:25pm by Captain Pippa Whitley & Lieutenant Konata Hiiragi & Lieutenant Tazuko Miyahara

Mission: Operation: My Unfair Lady
Location: Captain's Ready Room, Deck 1

ON:

Two officers rode the turbolift to deck one, where they were to report in to the captain. The shorter woman, dressed in Medical Teal and sporting long blue hair, was the Standing Bear's new Chief Medical Officer. Her usually free-flowing calf-length hair had been tied up and her usually messy uniform had been pressed and starched by the taller woman beside her, dressed in Security Gold. The latter thing the other officer didn't seem as appreciative of:

"This uniform is so stiff and itchy now, Taz;" She complained. "Did you really have to use that much starch?"

"Kona-chan, you're a senior officer now:" Taz responded, her eyes unmoving from the PADD she held in her hand. "And with that position, you now have appearances to keep."

"I know that, but what senior officer walks around in a uniform so stiff, it's uncomfortable to move around while wearing?" Kona-chan muttered.

"Have you not paid attention since the Iowa?" Taz responded. "Every day I press and starch my uniform, giving it the respect it deserves. Unlike some people I know..."

"Hey, if they wanted me to press my uniform every day, they should have made ironing a course at the Academy." Kona-chan objected. "It's bad enough that the dress whites are uncomfortably itchy; a normal duty uniform doesn't need to be like that as well."

"Deck 1" The turbolift said, indicating Taz and Kona-chan had arrived at their destination.

"So, with that argument, you're saying the captain doesn't need a good first impression of a competent medical officer?" Taz said as the two walked across the bridge to the ready room door.

"Come on, Taz;" Kona-chan said. "Every Starfleet captain can't be like the ideal one your brother paints in his book. Maybe this one is cool, and gets that stiff and uncomfortable uniforms should be saved for the dress whites?"

"Frankly, I wouldn't count on it..." Tazuko said as she pressed the ready room chime.

Captain Whitley had known this moment was inevitable, the maestro whom had conducted such a movement of personnel at Pippa's behest, Vice Admiral Kitan had provided Pippa with just enough information to be cautious about the two individuals assigned to the Standing Bear yet it was Kotana Hirragi who the Commanding Officer was more concerned with. "Enter," Captain Whitley responded, and the doorway opened.

"Doctor Hirragi and Lieutenant Miyahara," Pippa said standing from their seat behind their desk, a few PaDDs on the top and a nearby mug, still steaming slowly into the ether. "Please, come in and have a seat," Pippa added and gestured to two chairs opposite the desk. "I've been awaiting your arrival."

Tazuko nodded.

"Apologies if we're a few minutes late, captain;" Tazuko explained as she and Konata slid into the gestured chairs. "I had some wrinkles I had to press out of both our uniforms..." She shot Konata a disapproving glance as she said 'both.'

Whitley made a small dismissive waving gesture. "No, no. You are right on time, I was anticipating your arrival because Vice Admiral Kitan had contacted me in advance to let me know that she had assigned you to the Standing Bear" explained Pippa, hoping to clarify that the few minutes were not a bother to them, not here and now at least. "Wrinkled uniforms can be a bit unflattering, but fortunately for us, we aren't looking to have any VIP guests aboard, and I've have had my fill of admiralty, politicians, bureaucrats, and diplomats in years past. I'm hoping to avoid dress as many dress uniform functions as I can."

Pippa felt it best to skip over 'small talk' and rather transition to 'talking shop' as it were. "Doctor Hiragi, I am afraid you won't have much time to explore the starship before getting your first patient. In fact, you have one already, and she's currently in Sickbay in a catatonic state. I do not know how much information that you were provided about this assignment, but you predecessor, Doctor Selin, is that first patient."

"My... Predecessor?" Konata asked, seeming concerned for a moment before the concern immediately washed away. "Well, back on the Suzumiya, we had a saying that antibiotics were like medical duct tape; and that there was nothing a little antibiotics couldn't fix."

Tazuko's shoulders seemed to sag at Konata's remark. Ashamed that Konata had so quickly gone back to her normal self in front of the new captain.

"Remind me how you were able to graduate again..." Tazuko grumbled, turning to the captain. "My apologies, captain: You'll find that Konata here tends to live at her own pace;" Tazuko turned back to Konata. "And apparently this includes her commitment to her job!"

"Hey, as long as the job gets done, that's all that really matters:" Konata shrugged. "Nobody ever stressed that the job needed to get done fast..."

Pippa looked at the blue haired medical officer. "I prefer quality over quantity and speed. Get the job done effectively, but this is quite a serious matter. Doctor Selin appears to have been targeted, poisoned by a plant based toxin that is highly deadly to Vulcans."

"It is highly possible that the political unrest on Cardassia right now has something to do with it. The dissidents may very well be responsible, or someone working at their behest" explained the Captain. "So far as we have been able to piece together, the toxin was in her tea which was replicated. It is possible the replicators were tampered with."

"I take it security's already looking into the matter?" Tazuko asked. Surely something this serious warranted a full investigation...

The Captain nodded. "Yes, it has been 'all hands on deck' with some exceptions. I have made all of my Senior Staff, the departments heads aware of the situation. Security is investigating as best they can. I have our Chief Engineer...soon to be Chief Operations Officer examining the replicator in the Doctor's quarters, and the system at large. I have opted to keep the rest of the crew a bit in the dark. They know Doctor Selin is in catatonic, but I have only implied it was a neurological incident."

A mischievous smirk crossed Konata's face.

"Well, as long as I can keep Taz here informed, you won't get any argument out of me." She said. "Though since it appears I won't be getting the grand tour, all I ask is that you point me in the direction of Sickbay."

"She's right." Tazuko added. "We've only had the time to find our quarters, and have not yet had time to tour the ship."

Pippa nodded "Sickbay and other medical aspects and storage is located on deck five. There are thirteen decks, and when we are fully crewed, approximately one hundred forty some souls aboard."

"You are welcome to tour the ship at your leisure, and 'Taz'," Pippa said referring to the security officer "will be read in as with all security personnel."

"Understood." Tazuko nodded. "I believe all that Kona-Chan was referring to was our ability to talk to each other about our days once we're off duty. It's something we do as a couple and we believe that doing so promotes a healthier marriage."

The Captain smiled. "Communication is essential. You can always share your work days with one another so long as you are not leaking sensitive information to one another. Doctor Hiiragi will know when something is classified beyond your privy, though that is not something I expect to happen all that often."

"Thank You, Captain." Tazuko said. "I figure it's best we don't keep you for too terribly long, especially since Doctor Hiiragi here has work to do. So, unless you have any more questions for us, we await your dismissal."

"I have nothing more at this time, settle in at your leisure, but I will need you to get acquainted with your medical staff, Doctor Hiiragi. You both are dismissed," Pippa added with a nod.

"Of course;" Tazuko said as she and Konata got up from their seats. "Thank you, Captain:"

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