Rising to the occasion

Posted on Thu 27th Oct, 2022 @ 6:58am by Elizabeth Anderson M.D. & Lieutenant Commander Lanis Dhuro MD & Lieutenant JG Bikram Auden

1,448 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Hunted
Location: SB109
Timeline: MD 10, 1328

The shuttle was just him and all of his research equipment. The extra cargo pods perched on the luggage rack were similarly filled with irreplaceable parts and machines, either illegal to recreate or impossible to. His assignment was vague; he had been told to assist SB109 with humanitarian efforts in the Triangle and to continue developing approved programs of research. What that meant was anyone's guess, but it was the first assignment as a junior lieutenant, so nerves were not out of order.

Bikram had been sent the docking confirmation, and he keyed the comms, "Shuttle Rembrandt to Starbase 109 Dock Controller, confirming berth assignment to pad C-3. Arrival in seven minutes. Relay request for conference with my commanding officer at earliest opportunity. Will need assistance with cargo, as well."

A voice spoke over the comm system. Dock Controller to Shuttle Rembrandt. Assignment to pad C-3 confirmed. Relaying cabin assignment to you now. You'll report to our CMO, Dr. Chlamydia Addams, on Deck 83, once you've settled in. I've informed her of your arrival. Welcome to Starbase 109, Lt. Auden.

Autopilot was in control, so Bikram took this moment to see his new home in full splendor. It was staggering how large it was. His approach saw it loom ever larger in the scope of the shuttles portal vision, taking it over entirely as he came close. Starbase One of Earth was a similar model to this base, but it orbited a planet. The size was always downplayed to the observer if in orbit, but with nothing but onyx svelte and twinkling stars, he felt true awe.

His home-world in the Briar Patch had an outpost of its own roughly a quarter the size, and it could house all of his species within it. Starfleet wanted them to remain pacifistic, because they had a place of wonderful potential and, also, it kept them inured to Starfleet for their protection. Windows to the interior flashed by, and glimpses of life within were visible. Starships weren't the best place for his research yet, it was people he needed and, from his notes on SB109, there were plenty here.

Entry into 109 was completed once the bay doors closed overhead, and he got the crates ready for pickup. A very slight vibration in the deck plate signaled their landing. As he got off, an antigrav sled was awaiting the cargo, but no helpers.

With a dismayed sigh he raked fingers through piled hair, muttering to himself, "Fun, oh this will be fun."

Footsteps sounded from off to his left, and a tall, slender man in brown coveralls came into Bikram's view. The name embroidered onto his left breast pocket read 'A. Zaldekulmu.' He had dark, curly hair but looked to be in his late forties. He glanced at the antigrav sled, then at Bikram, and then at the cargo. He gave Bikram a direct glance. "You are the lieutenant who needs assistance with cargo?"

Bikram regretted ever doubting the service he had sworn to serve and was audibly relieved as he still butchered his reply. "Oh thank you, yes please. Umm Lt. Bikram Auden.. Junior Lieutenant... Bikram. Auden."


**
{Deck 83: Medical- Primary Intake Ward}

Deck 83 was busy, and though Starbase One's medicad was second to none in the fleet, he was stunned at the sheer number of patients and turnaround time of the department. Just approaching the vast corridor carried a buss of constant speech harmonized as a white noise. Articulations of laughter, moans, cries, respecting the whole spectrum of sound crept into the wide hallway even at a distance. The Chief Medical Officer's administration zone had several offices, so the path was uncertain. Now inside the main Infirmary and triage wards, he was the only person standing still, and it was very apparent from the looks he got as people whipped past him. He finally saw the nameplate for Addams. A brisk walk took him to the door and he hit the stud with sweaty palms.

"She's not in there," said a surprisingly tall and slender Humanoid female from behind him. "Though, if you care to wait inside, I'm sure she'll be along almost immediately. Would you care for a refreshing beverage? Tea, perhaps?"

Bikram was delighted at the chance to sit and watch, it would make for a better first impression. “Thanks, that’s really, umm, cool. I’m Lt. Auden, Junior Lieutenant, sorry.” Humans on the Baku world always shook hands, but that was an excellent way to transmit germs. The Vulcans had it right, and he raised a hand in a small simple greeting wave.

She was, as previously noted, tall, and almost skeletally thin. She seemed to be of a near-Human species, with pale but opaque skin, black hair which hung down her back in a single plait, and eyes so dark it was difficult to tell iris from pupil. Her rank pips were covered by a lab coat, but the color accents which could be seen were Science blue.

The woman followed him into the office, asking, "What brings you to Starbase One-Zero-Niner, Lieutenant?"

Bikram followed, his pulse elevated at the austere woman. In the Academy there had been teachers like her, absolutely terrifyingly intimidating, and they had always gotten the best work out of him.

“I have a few research programs, I was re-assigned here to field test them, develop other programs here as well. I’m really just here to… do anything you want.”

Walking in front of a display shelf made of glass or transparent polymer, on which rested a couple of skulls, three shrunken heads, an anatomical textbook which appeared at least six hundred years old, a viola with a striking red finish, a half-filled bottle of pink wine, and a model of a Human hand, the senior doctor reached out to touch the model lightly. "And is there a blend of tea you particularly favor?"

While instinct would lead most to blanch at such a macabre scene, the shrunken heads were particularly endearing to Bikram. A brief thought ran through his mind to wonder what they were like when they were alive. shaking it off in what was certainly too long of a moment to be silent he mentally reviewed the conversation to answer her question.

“Umm yes, thanks, anything is fine. I’m not really allergic to much. Thank you!”

Wordlessly handing the new researcher a thin porcelain cup, Addams took a seat behind her desk. "I've read your files. You're more of a researcher than medical personnel, it seems. You need a lab and minimal supervision. Would that be an accurate assessment of your purpose in coming to see me today?" she asked, gazing at him steadily, wondering if he would squirm beneath the Addams stare.

To say his jaw hit the floor wouldn't be embellishment. This grayscale beauty sang music to his ears, it was his dream to be set loose with minimal oversight, who didn't enjoy such a thing. To his credit, Bikram didn't whither at the gaze, though his Romulan colleague had certainly given him those death stares enough times to have built a natural immunity.

"Yes, that's wonderful wow, I.. thank you I won't disappoint! An operations lab with holographic... I'll make sure to outline it in my application, thank you... and just to be clear, that's approval on the Forward Triage unit, and Med-Comp projects, right? Can I also continue developing the 'magic wand' program?"

Leaning back, and smiling slightly, Doctor Addams answered, "MASH, as they used to say, your Medical Computer work, and the Bak'u Solar Wand covers everything, I believe. I've already signed off on those three projects. Any more, and you won't have time to eat and sleep."

Leaning forward once more, she said, "I'm sending you to my Chief Surgeon, Doctor Dhuro Lanis, who also has some interest in at least one of those projects. He'll assign any assistants you need and you'll report to him ... when there's anything to report. For my part, send me a written report every 90 days detailing any progress that I can share with Starfleet overwatch." She was careful not to be entirely specific about the content of such reports. She, herself, had projects underway which she didn't thoroughly report to Starfleet. What they didn't know couldn't hurt her, but sharing too much could hurt millions of others.

Before dismissing the young scientist, she added, "Be very careful with your questions and your answers, Lieutenant. You're young for the responsibility you carry, and saying too little is much better than saying too much.

"Just leave the cup on the desk. The nurse can tell you where to find Dr. Dhuro."

 

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