Post Comedy Night

Posted on Wednesday, 20 May 2020 - 10:16pm by Emerick & Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD

Mission: Operation: Recall
Timeline: Late MD5 - Early MD6

Ryan trudged home. Comedy Night had been....eventful. Ryan hoped the crew had enjoyed themselves for the most part. He'd never seen a Commanding Officer act so unprofessional before though. He could only hope there wouldn't be any lasting affects. He'd received several comments of "job well done" and the like, so things weren't hopeless.

He stripped out of his tuxedo, and placed it on the replicator pad to be recycled. A pair of pajama bottoms and a tank top were then replicated for him to sleep in. He made his way to the bedroom and froze. The bed was still unmade. A clear reminder of what had taken place the previous night. He let out a defeated sigh, and tried to tap down on the sudden burst of self anger he felt. With a tug he went to remove the fitted sheet. It held firm and Ryan just snapped, grabbing up the entire mattress and tossing it up on its side to fall against the wall. He had an intense urge to flee, and didn't fight it.

He ended up in his office very shortly after. Only then did he make an attempt to get himself under control. He began pacing the short confines between desk and couch, and counted out his breaths, trying to slow them down.

"Here, have some of this. It will help calm you down" Emerick said appearing outside the Chief Medical Officer's office with a mug in hand. Steam was coming up from the contents and whisking in the air. The Emergency Medical Hologram had not been activated by the Chief Medical Officer, which probably was partially the cause for the look on Ryan's face. "I was...eh fine. I was already activated when you walked in. I just hid behind something until I had the courage to come in here, but honestly, if you keep pacing like this you are going to mess the carpeting up."

Ryan stopped his pacing, and stared at Emerick for a moment. He really had no idea what to say to Emerick after their last conversation. "What's in the mug?" He asked, for lack of anything meaningful coming to mind.

"Well, it smells like what you feed your simulated horse" Emerick replied with a small smile. "However, it is a hot chamomile tea latte with cinnamon and honey" the EMH added identifying the beverage. "Basically, the warmed milk is soothing because of the tryptophan content and the chamomile has apigenin in it, a mild tranquilizer."

That coaxed a smile out of Ryan. Who finally reach out and took the offered beverage. "Thank you." He stuck his nose near the rim, taking a deep sniff, then tested the temperature with a tiny sip.

"I hope you like it," Emerick commented. He was pleased that Ryan at least accepted the beverage. "I think I drove one of the nurses a bit over the edge. I was trying out different teas with the replicator. I think I ended up making about fifty various teas trying to find one that seemed right. Ensign Lu'Sura was in here earlier before you came in. She helped me pick out this one...she said the warm milk helps her sleep, but that it gives her stomach issues because she cannot handle the lactose very well."

"It's nice." Ryan replied honestly. "You can always add lactase for her. Of course you know that, sorry." Ryan wrapped both hands around his mug and sat down on his couch. He watched Emerick over the rim of his mug, unfairly expecting the holographic one of them to start talking.

"We both know a lot of things when it comes to medical care, and yes I 'hooked her up' with some which is why we don't have fifty mugs of tea sitting around. She quite happily 'sampled them all'" Emerick said shaking his head. "Caitians are weird" he added. "What I meant to say was we know a lot medically, but socially, I think we both could use our socialization skills sharpened a bit, though you did a great job at comedy night."

"You were monitoring?" Ryan asked, clearly surprised. "It was a hot mess, but thank you anyway."

"You had it under control" he replied. "I would have stepped in if necessary. The lounge areas have holo emitters. I took a seat far enough back and altered my program's appearance so that Eyelaya would not bother me. I was not going to miss seeing you up there."

Ryan raised a brow in surprise. "I thought you were upset with me. Why would you care about supporting me at comedy night? Or bringing me tea." Ryan held up his mug briefly.

"Because I care about you. Because it looks like it was rough night and we're friends...friends fight from what I have been told ever since our last encounter" Emerick said. "I said some things that hurt your feelings. I said them because I think my program malfunctioned, or I might have started to 'feel' something somehow, maybe it is not true feelings like you have or Commander Victrix's has, but I was not fond of seeing you hurt knowing that I caused that."

"I don't think your program malfunctioned Emerick. I think I hurt your feelings first and you retaliated. It's actually a pretty normal reaction. So...." and here Ryan hesitated, took a sip of his tea. "Still friends."

"We never weren't" Emerick replied with a delighted look in his eyes. "I am glad we are speaking again. Ensign Lu'Sura had said she got assigned to your away mission. You're going to Vashti?"

Ryan nodded. "Tomorrow. I'm glad Soral knows more about the planet and culture. Hopefully we can just provide medical aid and supplies and return without incident."

Emerick nodded "It sounds like a drop and run" he commented. "From what I can tell I have been of course assigned by nobody to anything. So, that tends to be silence for the EMH will be running Sickbay" noted the Hologram. "Lieutenant Kolani is going on a shuttle to a planet. It means if there's problems with my program, I'm getting played with by Lieutenant Commander Mo'Bri."

"I'm sure you'll be fine." Ryan motioned his head towards his desk. "And if you get bored, there's always paperwork." He teased.

"You mean the mountain the nurses try to do for you because you let it pile up?" countered Emerick. "Oh joy...I get programmed to be a physician and counselor in emergency situations and I'm left here to be your yeoman" he added. Though Emerick was actually fine with that. "I'll turn your mountain into a hill by the time you return, Ryan."

Ryan smiled. It was very true, it was the one thing he tended to procrastinate with because he was so bad at it. Ryan had become a bit spoiled when Sam would take care of most of his paperwork. But she wasn't assigned to solely him, and since their separation, hadn't been in sickbay very often. "I appreciate that." Ryan put the mostly empty tea back on the replicator to be recycled and returned to the couch. "I think I'd better get some sleep before the Away Mission." He looked over to Emerick. "Thank you."

"You're welcome" Emerick replied. The sound of Sickbay doors opening caught Emerick in a look of annoyance.

Ensign Lu'Sura had walked in. "Doctor, I need some help with grabbing a few chemicals" the woman said approaching the office.

Emerick looked at Ryan. "You get some sleep. I will deal with the Caitian."

Ryan floundered for a moment, but then nodded. "Thanks."



Dr Ryan Rose
CMO

Emerick
Emergency Medical Hologram