Checkups and Reports

Posted on Sun Sep 6th, 2020 @ 5:58am by Commander Samantha Howard

Mission: Tal Shiar
Location: Sickbay

The next morning Dr Sam Howard awoke early. She generally wasn't a fan of early starts but an early rise was better than the nightmares that plagued the last hour or so of her sleep. She rolled out of bed and hit the shower again, letting the hot water and steam cleanse her body and awaken her mind. A fresh uniform, and breakfast seemed to finish the job.

Strolling casually into sickbay she headed for her office, hoping to avoid Dr Perrim who would have her ass back in her quarters for at least another shift. At least this way she could get started on the monster of a report she would have to submit to the Captain. No doubt he was waiting for them to be pronounced fit for duty before chasing the paperwork. Questions would be asked as to why they half blew a secret Romulan base and ended up with a virus designed to take out half the quadrant.

The steaming coffee that appeared on her desk was a surprise, as was the bearer.

" I knew you wouldn't be able to resist" Perrim retorted with a wry smile " 4 hours - no more"

" Yes Doctor Perrim" Sam mimicked a young child at school, parroting the teachers name at the start of a lesson. 4 hours would be enough to get the guts of the mission onto the page so to speak - and would be more than enough challenge her recovering body.

The coffee tasted heavenly, the bitter aroma wafting through the air like the delicate scent of the perfect rose bloom.

The padd awaited, the open document ready for her input yet Sam found herself at a loss as to where to begin. How did you put the last 24 hours on a page? How did you rationally quantify and qualify what they went through with an objective eye when you barely survived the experience?

Another sip of coffee and she started with a timeline, from beamdown to beamback, the rest of the gory details would follow as her mind worked through the series of events.

An hour later the coffee was empty and the report was still in its infancy. Sam almost found it cathartic to write her version of events. She could put it all on the page and it allowed her mind to process it. There were more than a few tears as she wrote, and another coffee appeared two hours in along with a reassuring hug from her head nurse. This would be part of the healing process, as it would be for the entire team. Pity the Captain having to read what was rapidly becoming an objective novel.

She wondered how Jon and Lisa were fairing, having an idea that both wouldn't probably have trouble sleeping. They were due to arrive soon for their post-viral checkup so she would get an idea on their recovery then. Dr Perrim had already recommended an evaluation by Estella in all of their files, something that Sam wholehearted supported. She would need assistance in that regard herself. With a sigh she sent a message to the ship's counsellor and gave her a brief outline of the events. Better fore-warned, there would be some heavy duty work to be done to rebuild their confidence and their psyche. That would come after their physical clearance. First things first.