So Much to Learn

Posted on Wed Nov 20th, 2024 @ 11:49am by Ensign Ezmyrae Varin & Lieutenant Ame Solis M.D.

Mission: Pandora's Box
Location: Sickbay, USS Athena
2224 words - 4.4 OF Standard Post Measure

To say that nothing had gone quite the way Myra had expected was a mild understatement. The delay in boarding had thrown her enough without the reappearance of old flames and the confusion that came from apparently being dead all this time without realising it. The young Trill had forced herself through so many hoops to make it to a point where she could be this nervous about walking through a door that it hardly seemed fair that the universe had thought to toss in a few more obstacles right at the last minute, but she probably should have expected it. As much as there had been a great deal of work put into separating herself from the pessimism that sought to control her, there were days when it just seemed warranted.

She had done her best, however, to get a decent night's sleep once she'd been informed that reporting to her new superior was a struggle best left for the morning. There had been some effort too towards eating breakfast, though she'd opted for the sanctuary of her quarters and mostly only consumed a double serving of the excessively-hot tea she favoured. Ritual was important, at least amidst so much that was unfamiliar, but even the chamomile hadn't prepared her for the ripple of cold dread that had caused a visible shudder as she'd slipped into her uniform. It was a little heavier than the jumpsuits the Academy required but it wasn't the material so much as the responsibility that came with it that daunted her. Myra had stared at herself in the mirror for long enough to make herself late and wondered if she'd actually gone mad after all.

You're a Starfleet officer now. How the hell did that happen?

A similar kind of hesitation had caused her to stare at the closed doors leading to the main foyer of Sickbay for a lot longer than would have seemed sensible had anyone been around to notice. Thankfully, it was an explanation she didn't have to offer and, eventually, having thoroughly over-used all the breathing techniques she'd been taught, she stepped forward and startled only slightly at the speed at which the doors opened. Her first concern, that the area might be busy given the recent incident she kept hearing about, proved to be unfounded to such an extent that the Trill stood for a moment unable to locate anyone at all. Unsure if it was her place to wander around unsupervised, she leaned forward to peer towards the offices and quietly called out, in a tone that clearly didn't want to intrude, "Hello?"

Feeling just as much a deer in headlights, Ame was going over and over the points of development and means of recording progress for newly qualified officers. She paced the bay back and forth with the PADD in her hand, the other was nestled in the thick dark hair at the back of her head. Her fingers flexed back and forth, soothing scratching her scalp mouthing what she was reading.

“Week one, orientation and familiarisation. Shadowing and assisting with routine treatments. A skill review and honing skills like-” The Bajoran halted in her tracks at the sound of a voice calling out an introduction. Facing deep into the room she spun on the balls of her feet flaring out the blue of her lab jacket. The hand dropped from the back of her head and she offered a faint smile. “Hi, Ensign Varin?”

The spots of the Trill were a bit of a giveaway, but Ame had read the files and the records. She’d been through the mill but it was clear the woman had the ability to fly with the right guidance. It was a big ask and something the Bajoran wasn’t sure she was able to give her, but she wasn’t about to give up and ruin either of their careers. “I’m glad you made it. I’m Doctor Solis Ame.” She lowered the PADD and moved in toward her office and closer to the door where the woman had appeared.

In the grand scheme of things, it was a silly moment to feel starstruck. Myra had been hopeful that her placement request would be successful because she valued what the Bajoran had achieved insofar as her published works outlined, but up until that moment, the other woman had been a name on a screen with not even a very good mental picture for reference. Ame's ideas and theories were inspiring, Myra just hadn't expected to be so immediately lost for words and, though it was hardly a fair reflection on the doctor's demeanour, a little intimidated. She felt her shoulders tense as they pulled upright into a practised stance and the Trill was left hoping she didn't do anything too mortifying over the next few minutes.

"Thank you for agreeing to have me, Lieutenant." The flick of a nervous tongue sought to wet an overly dry lower lip. "I know it's quite a lot to ask given that you've only just arrived yourself."

Ame had done her utmost to remain out of focus other than her research names and implementation. She was proud of her work and wanted to do better; so much more could be done. “Are you okay? Did you manage to get your stuff transported over?” she asked, knowing that it really was down to the operator whether you had to carry things or they’d beam them directly to quarters.

She perched herself on the edge of her desk to stop herself from fidgeting too much, setting the PADD beside her. “I’m sure we’ll figure things out together, I guess from your … overwhelmed reaction you’ve got an interest in R&D? Come and sit, no need to loiter.” The Bajoran smiled and tucked her hair behind her ears to hide the chaos from playing with it.

Having only managed a nod of reassurance to the woman's first query, Myra hesitated only briefly before moving from the doorway to take a seat. "I think a lot has overwhelmed me that I didn't expect," she admitted, a nervous huff of laughter releasing at least the surface level tension. "But I do hope to specialise in bio-engineering eventually, I'd consider it the best of both worlds when it comes to what inspires me."

The Trill's fingers fidgeted in her lap as she phrased her next sentence, aware that the doctor would have read her history by now and that there was no way around addressing the need for ongoing assessment of her psychological readiness for the career ahead. "It seemed best to get some experience first though, I chose Starfleet for the opportunity to diversify after all."

The Bajoran nodded in return as she listened, she was talking too fast, too fast for her new staff member to even be able to reply. “Many hands and perspectives help you see things from another angle. It’s how I got started.” Ame answered with a smile, it seemed that they were on the same wavelength. “NVeid also likes a dabble with things from what I have understood so far. Is our resident civilian surgeon, but he’s been looking at some telepath impacting toxin.”

Her smile widened at the mention of Starfleet allowing growth. “I think we’re going to get along just fine. We can potter through these basics and then we can have a look at how Starfleet likes its research.”

A smile of genuine gratitude brought an element of final relaxation to the younger doctor's stance and a soft huff of laughter seemed to settle Varin's nerves to the point of visible relief. She had been prepared for any sort of welcome, well-versed by now at dealing with the exacting standards of those who sought excellence, particularly in the scientific field. Her entire family seemed qualified in one way or another to provide excellent experience in navigating the intensity of scholarly pursuit at the expense of social niceties. Finding Ame to be welcoming to the point of being friendly was a boon, particularly given all the unexpected surprises Athena had already flung at her.

"There's no time like the present," the Trill pointed out. "Is there anywhere in particular you'd like me to start?"

The older woman gave another nod, “Take a look around. There’s nothing out of the ordinary that I’ve found so far on this deck. We have the main Sickbay and medical labs next door. Lieutenant Commander Savin’s Office is a little further down, with security, the brig and transporter rooms, and a holodeck. Plus, the B section has more of the same with some crew quarters.”

Ame explained pushing herself up and moving back into the main body of Sickbay so her new staff could have a look around. “We have access to Engineering Support Labs on Deck 5 on a rota basis and I’m yet to speak to Science about using the labs on Deck 4, but I’ll get ‘round to that soon.” She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jacket and slowly paced the room.

“How confident do you feel at triaging and treatment reviews?” The Bajoran asked looking to hear Myra’s take on her skill level.

There was a brief hesitation as Myra, a little taken aback to be asked about her proficiency rather than instructed to demonstrate it, floundered between the deep-rooted Trill self-confidence that had been a core aspect of her upbringing and the recently-acquired tendency to second-guess everything. It didn't help that she wasn't quite sure of the context Ame meant and whether she was about to be thrust into active duty or asked to evaluate previous records. "I've always scored well on triage simulations," she eventually offered with a wry smile. "And I'd say I have just enough practical experience to know how unhelpful that is."

Ame had been told that people who were overconfident in their abilities often lacked experience and were easily humbled. She smiled at the woman’s answer, “We don’t have too many ongoing reviews, but there is one I’d like you to have a look at.” It was common fare anywhere, a sprain caused by a holodeck injury from an awkward ill-prepared attempt at parkour. Carefully she slipped herself off the edge of the desk and then into her seat at the desk.

With a few simple strokes, she brought up the scans for a young Bajoran Male with an outline of what had been presented. The patient was unable to bear weight on the right foot following overextension on the holodeck, scans were provided. “What’s the plan with Ensign Iska?” Ame turned the screen to face Myra and watched as she took and processed what was there.

Younger male officers especially tactical ones were less likely to take the pain medication, and the fact he took the cooling compression boot was a surprise enough.

A diligent first scan of the available information brought the faintest pucker to Myra's brow. Whether she realised it or not, her academic record was peppered with observations regarding her tendency to over-complicate matters, a product of an agile mind's tendency to try and grasp all eventualities at once. It took several minutes of her frantically searching for complications that didn't exist for her to accept that the CMO had not thrown her a curve-ball with any intent to trip her up.

"First-grade inversion sprain of the anterior talofibular ligament with minor hyperextension of the calcaneofibular. Rest, ice, elevation." The Trill hesitated as if still waiting for a hidden trick. "As long as he doesn't stand for any length of time, he should be clear for light duties if he applies compression to limit movement."

The Bajoran gave nothing away as she watched and listened to the woman opposite her. Once finished she smiled and nodded. “Perfect, we’re on the same page. Just like you said, I custom-replicated a cooling compression boot and put him on light duties. Minor holodeck injuries are something you see no matter where you’re stationed.”

Her head tilted with another nod. “There’s no hidden tricks. I’m sure there will be as I have to check your ability to notice the small things. We have to work together, if something isn’t right or you’re not sure just say. I have a medical follow-up with Lieutenant Commander Savin, which is due. I also need to calibrate and maintain a bionic implant.” Ame narrowed her eyes in thought, “I’d like you to assist with those as they’d count toward your skill drills.”

The younger woman nodded, quite a gentle movement that followed a slight delay in processing the doctor's reassurance. "Is there anything you'd me to prepare beforehand?," Myra asked, glancing around the space as a means of checking its readiness for upcoming examinations.

“Sure, let’s load up a simulation for the calibration,” Ame answered selecting the parameters that were available in a default medical file. “We can start with the basics and move on to more common complications.” The Bajoran pulled her lab coat closed as she stood and moved toward the separated surgical biobed that allowed for such a program. “Let’s see what you can do.”