Tarik was in his office awaiting Lt. Alcon when she arrived five minutes early. "Promptness is a virtue, Lieutenant. I'm glad to see that you display it." Anything would be an improvement over the last one they sent me! he thought.
"Sir. Reporting for duty as Ordered." She continued to maintain eye contact.
"At ease, Marine," Tarik ordered. One extreme to the other...
Jayme slid into parade rest stance and waited.
"Have a seat, Lieutenant. I like to keep these interviews informal. I see from your files that you've served as a hospital corpsman aboard some deep exploration vessels."
Jayme slid into the seat he motioned to. "Yes, Sir. I was corpsman on the SCE ship NCC-625 Phoenix. Also performed the function of security officer, as needed."
"Excellent. We need someone like you." Tarik pulled up a holo display of the Briar Patch theatre of operations. "As you can see we have a lot of territory to cover. Any potential operation against the Mullurans or Nausicaans will put us as much as 100 light-years away from friendly territory. Our logistics train is perpetually tight. I need someone who can be more than just a field medic but as close to a full-fledged doctor as possible. Are you that person?"
I have taken the Marines Special Ops Independent Medic course and have a pre-med degree from pre-joining the Academy. I am that person, sir."
"Good. I asked Dr. Charrin to have a discussion with you concerning advanced studies. Have you spoken with him?" Tarik asked.
"Not yet, sir." Jayme said feeling an increase in her own anxiety level at what the Colonel was leading to. "I am certified to work independent of Starfleet Medical in the field."
"We need more than that, Lieutenant. We need someone who can work in extremely primitive conditions." Tarik tapped a control on his desk.
The theatre map switched to pictures of the labor camps at Az'reel. "This is what we can expect to encounter in Mulluran territory. Az'reel was one of the smaller concentration camps, and we managed to pull out 3,000 refugees from at least a dozen different races. In order to provide care for them we had to overrun a civilian hospital. I'd like to avoid that situation in the future if possible."
Jayme nodded and silently thought about what he said as she studied the holomap. "Sounds like a job for a whole squad of medics including several Surgeons. I've looked at your unit's compositions and know that I am the only I-medic and you have four c-medics. We would still need to over run a civilian institution to provide for the population." She added, "Sir."
"Quite true. I've petitioned Command for the formation of a medical battalion, but I don't expect that to happen for another six months at the earliest. If that does happen, you will have command of that battalion. So, I need you to be at the top of your game. Study whatever Dr. Cherrin has for you--that is a direct order. And be prepared to move out at a moment's notice. We're going to start chasing pirates in the next week or two. They aren't any better with their prisoners than the Mullurans."
She just stared at him in shocked disbelief. command, me? She shook herself out of the shock and replied, "Yes, sir. "
"I know this is a bit of a shock. When I first came here less than a year ago I was only a captain. Rank and responsibility comes fast in a combat theatre. Your record is outstanding and I know I won't be disappointed."
"Sir. I know my aptitude scores and know Starfleet wasn't happy when I dropped out of medical school and joined the Marines. I consider myself a Marine--even though my last posting on the Phoenix was soft. I pulled duty on Europa as LI Tech." She saw his frown and him leaning forward resting his forearms on the desk. She rushed to continue before she lost her nerve, "I'm ready to take care of 'our own', sir. But the rest..."
"This is a different kind of war, Lieutenant. Our objective is to make these poor people 'our own.' After we overran Az'reel around 1800 of the refugees signed up as a volunteer regiment. They're currently preparing to take on covert operations in Mulluran space. The better we
treat them, the more likely this is going to work. The only people who aren't our own out there are the Mullurans. Our position in this sector is heavily dependent upon cultivating alliances, and will be until Starfleet starts to reinforce us."
"Yes. Sir!"
"Very good. Now, I believe you have some studying to do. I've arranged with Dr. Cherrin for you to be tested at 2-week intervals. In about 10 days we will be striking a pirate outpost in the Elcor system, about 20 light-years from here. This, combined with the losses the Nausicaanshave recently suffered at Hygar and the Iconian Gateway should abate the pirate situation for a few months while they regroup. Every Friday at 1530 we have an intelligence briefing, followed by an informal debriefing at 1700, if you get my drift," Tarik said as he leaned back, smiling. "I think you should do well there. Just relax and don't worry so much about the spit-and-polish."
I should never have left the Phoenix. She thought to herself. "What day is it, sir?" She couldn't remember to save her life what with the pounding in her head and her guts being in a knot.
"Today's the 27th of December, 2384. It's Friday," Tarik said. "Relax, Lieutenant. This is a very unconventional war, but then again you're a very unconventional person. Exactly what we're looking for."
"I'll do my best not to let the Corps down. Where are the meetings held?"
"The intelligence briefing is held here, in about five hours," Tarik replied. "The debriefing is usually at Soma or the Easy Inn. As I said, very informal."
Jayme nodded affirmative. "1530hrs here." "Excellent. See you then. And don't forget your studies!" Tarik said with a smile.
She stood, coming to attention and snapped off a salute. He returned it with a frown forming, "Dismissed." He growled. "Yes, Sir!" She headed through the door at a fast walk.
"She'll do all right," Tarik said after she left. "Just have to get a little of the parade ground out of her, that's all."
Medical....
Jayme hesitated at the outer doors to sickbay before walking through into a bustling ante room walled off by frosted glass with a medical caduceus, SB901's flag, and the Starfleet logo.
"Can I help you, Lieutenant?" The young man behind the desk asked as she stepped to the desk. He noted the black and green of the Marines but also the medical insignia for a Physician's Assistant.
Jayme nodded and smiled, then said, "I have an appointment with Dr. Charrin at 1130hrs."
"Your name please Lieutenant?" He asked poised to type it into the computer.
"Lt. Alcon." She said.
"First name is Jayme?" He smiled. "Welcome to Starbase 901."
Fighting the urge to fidget said, "Thanks." She watched him stand and move from behind the desk and lead her toward the door. "I'm Sgt. Travis, Staff Assistant." Jayme smiled and noted mentally 'clerk'. They paused outside the door labeled CMO Cherrin. He turned and left her standing there. She rang the buzzer beside the door and waited.
[Enter]
The door slid smoothly to the side and Jayme stepped in and for the second time this day announced, "Lieutenant Jayme Alcon, reporting for duty, sir."
He sat and studied the young woman standing a foot from his desk with short-cropped brown hair, green eyes, Marine uniform and medical insignia, standing at attention. "At ease Lieutenant, and have a seat please."
He looked back at his computer screen while she complied. He tasted the aura of the woman and found several hot spots and very tight shields indicating an esper rating SF missed. "I have your records from Starfleet-which include your training background MOS: 205 Independent Duty Medic-including Starfleet orders that you continue your advanced training, but your duty station is the 28th MEF."
He saw her nod, and he continued, "I have been in contact with Colonel Tarik. Under my direction you will be responsible for treating the Marines assigned to the MEF. There is a medical cubby just before entrance to the Marine gyms and barracks. Plus you will pull two eight-hour shifts a week here under my supervision. Starfleet has forwarded your course disks and assignment schedule to your quarters." Her eyes were large, they really are serious. She thought to herself and heard him ask. "Any questions?"
"Sir." She swallowed. "I'm a Combat Marine." She stated heatedly, "Don't take this wrong, but I don't have the time or the desire to continue my medical studies at this time." She said as she slouched down further in the chair.
He felt the honesty and an underlying bitterness to her emotions. "Neither you or I have a say. Those are your orders. You will do your residency here under my direction and the take the boards. I'll help as much as I can. The Colonel knows the orders too." Dr. Cherrin stood and leaned on his desk, "And don't even think about flunking out!"
She took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes. Sir. Anything else, sir?"
"As a matter of fact there is. I've looked over your medical records and since this is a 'major change of duty stations' and a combat assignment you need a complete physical. If you'll follow me."
Two hours later, she left sickbay with a "passing score ", a headache; and an 'official order' for a go-around with Kassia, the counselor on station. Not knowing if her gear was here on station, or still in transit from her previous duty station, she walked briskly to the TOQ and keyed into the room assigned, in the early hours of the morning. There she found her gear sitting in the middle of the floor. Quickly locating her gym bag, she headed out to work off the hangover from the night before and the tension from the interviews, saving unpacking for the next day.
At 1530 Jayme arrived and found a seat with almost a dozen other Marines. The Colonel saw her sitting in the far back corner and smiled. The doors closed. "Before beginning our official business, I'd like to introduce our new corpsman, Lt. Jayme Alcon." He watched as she popped to her feet and nodded to the various officers assembled. "Okay. Let's begin." He slid into his chair but watched the young woman, out of the corner of his eye, practically melt through the floor.
She listened to the briefing and felt she should have been taking notes. At 1700 the group made its way to the Easy Inn where she met and talked with the team, more relaxed, but still unsure of myself. She escaped the group at 2100hrs and made a fast retreat to her quarters where she fell asleep immediately.
Personal log, Lt. Jayme Alcon
12/28 I started unpacking my gear and put it away inspection ready. After moving what few personal items I have around the room. I sat down in front of the computer station, logged on and set up my directories, and email box. Programmed in a few favorite foods and beverages into the replicator. Ordered from the Quartermaster the proper unit and ships insignia so I could take the uniforms to the cleaners and have them make the alterations. Later that evening I found myself restless and anxious. After pulling on some running clothes I worked out while running through the warren of corridors, on the level of the station, reserved for the Marines.
12/29 Having found the box that Dr. Cearrin had indicated I broke open the seal with a heavy sigh and started going through the modules that worked both in the PADD and Computer. While reading the enclosed letter from Starfleet medical I saw the prompt on the computer flash-signaling unread messages. The first was the schedule and course assignments. An exuberant greeting: from Lt. Kassia, scheduling our first session-which ended up being a day at the holo beach with three children, a picnic lunch, but after several hours I need an out and told Kassia I had duty pending--and fled. So much for an open and honest session: with Kassia, the stations' counselor. Getting back to my quarters found two letters from my father-which I read, one that I ignored from my mother, and another (that I ignored) from an associate I'd broken company with on Europa. That afternoon, I pulled out all of my combat gear and started cleaning and inspecting everything. At the bottom, in a security sealed case, I removed my personal weapons--a knife/sheath and an M-45 Type 1 phaser-which needed to be approve by Colonel Tarik. Smiling I located the number for Shannon Vansen, made the call, and both of us headed for the firing range for the evening followed by dinner.
12/30 Uniforms finished, gear inspected and repacked. Looking around the room I spotted the first of the course materials on the desk, but decided to start by downloading the course materials for the C-MEDIC course I was instructed to teach to the platoon in the coming months. Still not ready to start studying I left my quarters, walked to the mini sickbay just off of the gym, briefing room, and barracks. Used my card key for my quarters, locker, and office. There are other four corpsmen besides myself who have keys to open the door. In reflection, I also assumed that the senior officers and Gunny had access as well. The room sported a computer console, replicator, Martex analyzer, cupboards, (two) bio-beds, (two) hi-intensity light units, and a reclining chair. After two hours of digging through drawers and cupboards, I had a fairly good idea where everything was stored. I logged into the computer, set up additional security measures, ran several searches and sent messages to the 20 marines who were very "past due" for physicals; to have them 'report in' any day between the 2nd and the 7th. The next list generated was for those who would be due before the end of the month, and sent notices to those 40 individuals.
12/31 New Years Eve. Shannon and Talia arrived and practically beat down the door to my quarters, interrupting, I might add, my studies, to drag me down to Soma to party and ring in the New Year.
01/01/2385 Started with a hangover, two fly-girls crashed in the recliners with clothes and boots tossed everywhere, and an order to report to duty for the first of my shifts in sickbay-3rd shift no less flashing on my computer screen. I crashed on my bed, praying to anyone listening please don't pull an inspection today, lord.