~ What is this life? I swear the ensigns always manage to get themselves into trouble. Like falling off the side railings? Stairs? You have safety features to prevent that… What is it with this world? ~~ Avi really couldn’t believe that she was treating patients early this morning. The Galileo hasn’t even departed from space docks, and she already has patients?

Villanueva asked, “Crewman Dela Cruz, what brings you here?”

The poor crewman, who was probably in pain from the fall, weakly replied, “Doc, I think I broke my arm.”

Villanueva thought and said that this is exactly what I am talking about. “Take a seat; I’ll give you some aspirin to deal with the pain, and we can get you fixed up. Next time, do be careful; we haven’t even departed the space dock yet, and here you are at the infirmary.”

Villanueva called over a nurse and said, “Nurse Albola, do take care of Dela Cruz here; I’ll be back in a moment. I still have paperwork to finish. Just take his status, give him aspirin for the pain, and we’ll heal the arm.”

The nurse replied, “Yes, Doctor.”

Villanueva turned and spoke to the crewman: “Dela Cruz, take it easy for a while. Rest and regenerate; we still have a journey ahead of us, and we need all personnel.” 

~ I swear, if more people come in before departure, I’m going to lose it. I mean, there are safety features installed, and yet they manage to hurt themselves in the process. I cannot fathom how that works or the paperwork. I hate paperwork. ~

Avi started walking away towards her office but heard a soft mutter of, “Ain’t my fault, stupid railings.” 

~ I will agree on that matter; the railings most definitely lack safety features… The stairs up, for that matter, are in the same scenario. I do not envy the engineers who do this on a daily basis. They really are the backbone of the whole entire ship. ~

Avi was startled out of her musings when she saw the captain in her office. “Maxwell! What are you doing here? I do hope you’re not injured or sick.” 

Maxwell laughed and replied to the doctor, “No, no, none of that. I’m just here to do a routine check in every department. Just to see how everyone’s doing so far, after all, departure is imminent.”

Avi, feeling relieved, replied and said, “Well, that’s good to hear. Just don’t get us into that much trouble, please. I already have patients before departure. What more when we depart and take on the mission?”

Maxwell looked at the doctor with a grin and said, “No promises. Though I will most definitely try to keep us out of trouble.”

Avi sighed and rubbed her forehead. “I guess that is better than nothing, Max. Just get us out of trouble when we do meet it, ok? I don’t want that incident to happen again.”

Maxwell remembered when the away mission consisting of him, the doctor, and three other members from the science and tactical team joined them. It was chaos. In pure chaos, they went into hostile territory and almost never made it back. Maxwell himself sustained significant injuries on that day.

Maxwell sighed and replied, “Nope, not happening, Avi. Not happening. I better let you tend to your patients again or do your paperwork; I still got science to check upon. Gotta check out the sweet new astrometrics lab. I personally had that installed, which should give us an advantage. Hopefully.”

Avi said, “Well, I do have paperwork. So it might be best for you to get going—not that I want to, but you still have other duties to attend to. Let’s talk again soon.” 

“Soon, Avi, see you later,” was all Maxwell said, and he turned his back and walked out of the office. He muttered under his breath, “Damn protocols.”