USS Erigone – Bridge – 0800

“….it’ll take us a few days to complete, ‘Brose.  She’ll be ready.”  Masterchief Christopher Grace handed Harris the PADD with the updated schedule.  “You need me, holler.”

Ambrose gave a nod and returned his attention to the command center of the Raven Class ship.  No further transfers had come through Starfleet Command overnight and he had resisted the urge to ask the assignment office.  He wasn’t sure what protocol was in this situation and he had resolved to the job to study up on his command processes and regulations.  He’d learned plenty in his career but command was still an area he needed to work on, especially if he was going to be taking the Erigone out in space.

“Commander?”

He turned and smiled as Lieutenant Reid stepped onto the bridge.  “Welcome back, Doctor.  You’ll notice we’ve got some help in getting the Erigone in shape.”

“It is a relief to see some progress, I’ll admit.”  She put her hands behind her back, “I was thinking this morning, we should probably get your duty medical inspection out of the way. Seeing as there’s not a lot to do right at the moment….,” she gestured around the empty and quiet bridge, “…this might be a good time.”

Harris thought of the countless excuses he could think of but relented.  “You’re the Doc, Doc.  Lead the way.”  Reid gave him a look but they walked to the small sick bay just off the bridge.

USS Erigone – Sickbay – 0800

“Sit on the bed, Commander.”  Jordan pulled out a medical tricorder and started the basic vitals check, “You don’t like doctors very much, do you?”

Harris glanced at her, “Why do you say that?”

She chuckled, “I have access to your medical file and history, sir.  You’ve been rarely seen by medical staff aside from your yearly physical and the incident on the Garrison.  It suggests a pattern.”  She moved to his head with the portable scanner from the tricorder, “There’s no shame in it, Commander.”

Ambrose rolled his eyes, “You’re reading a little too much into it.”  He gestured to his right leg, “Just because I have a mechanical leg doesn’t mean I’m doctor shy.”

Reid finished the scan, “If you say so, sir.  Your initial vitals look good.  Mild elevated blood pressure, but we’ll keep an eye on that.  Next, I need to draw blood.”

He winced as she went about her work, “You ever have someone fight you in sickbay?”

She looked up at him as she drew the fourth tube, “You gonna fight me today, sir?”

Her CO chuckled, “God, no.  I just heard horror stories from my fellow chiefs and assistant chiefs over the years about officers who would refuse to be seen or checked.  Engineers never had the problem with the ship refusing to be examined.”

She swept the dermal regenerator over his skin, “I’ve only had to deck two officers in my life, sir.”  She slipped the tubes into the processing machine as she began her physical examination.

Harris shifted on the bed as she did her work, “What was the worst?”

She checked his ears and eyes next, “There was a Captain of an escort ship that had been sent to our hospital unit in Seattle.  He was on mandatory rest care with us, but refused to remain in his room and tried to escape three times.”  She inspected his hands, arms, and legs next as she made notes.  “I finally caught him in a hallway and clotheslined him.  Took a running start, but I managed to put on the ground.”

Ambrose gave her a look, “You didn’t get cited?”

She shrugged, “He stayed in his room after that.  I may have threatened to do it again and send the footage to his escort group.”  She tapped in the last pieces of her report, “You’re all clear, Commander.  Full report is in your inbox.”

Her CO slipped off the bed, “You’ve got a wild side, Doctor Reid.”

A sly smile as she returned to her desk, “Only when I get properly agitated, sir.”

Harris thanked her and headed back to the bridge.  Things were looking up on this command of his.