The Iwo Jima floated lazily on the port side of the hospital ship which was huge. Jayme sighed and wondered silently why her team had been exiled to a ship that was probably well staffed and stocked... what would her thirty marines do? Oh well, she keyed her communications set and said, "Medical Response Unit, saddle up boys and girls. We are launching in 30 minutes with all gear. Combat seating on all three Hawkes.
She turned and grinned at Captain Morgan who was in charge but when the door opened Major Boyle entered and nodded a greeting. "Major, Captain, thank you for the lift. My teams and I will be leaving shortly."
"Good luck and be safe," Major Boyle said holding out his hand. She shook hands with both officers and left the bridge to grab her kit out of her room and join her teams on Hawke-1.
Inside Hawke-1 she did a head count and then called over the ship's com unit for a head count on ships two and three. Everyone one was accounted for and they'd just completed their preflight checks. She hit the controls closing the hatch. Marki had grabbed her gear and had stowed it for her so she found a seat and everyone finished strapping in.
It was a short flight but Jayme was nervous and excited at the same time. Once they'd landed everyone grabbed their gear and formed up a double line on the flight deck. A dark haired woman dressed in Marine uniform wearing the pips of Lieutenant waited at parade rest and watched. Jayme looked over them standing at attention and for once not talking or slacking...
Captain Alcon turned and saw the young woman head in her direction. She called, "At ease!" And her unit relaxed a fraction and waited.
Shoulder length wavy brown hair, slight build, about two meters tall, came to attention, and said, "Lieutenant Sidle reporting for duty, Ma'am."
"Welcome aboard Lieutenant." Jayme turned a bit and announced and introduced to the MRU, "This is Marine Lieutenant Sara Sidle -- she is a physician's assistant like myself and your Lieutenant. Take some time to get acquainted after we are settled in." Jayme looked at Sara and asked, "I take it you know your way around and know where we are being quartered?"
"Yes, Ma'am," she said and then addressing the MRU she ordered, "Attention. Right face, forward march." Several minutes later they all climbed aboard a large lift and were whisked as a group to the fifth level where they were lead to a large ready room and Sara showed Jayme her quarters and where she herself was quartered. "Ma'am, after everyone is unpacked then I'd be happy to brief everyone on the ship and protocols."
"Agreed." Jayme faced the group and said, "Everyone be ready for a briefing in one hour." Jayme walked over and entered her quarters, leaving the sergeants to settle in the teams.
Jayme's quarters had its own head with shower, a desk computer and a standard bunk. "Home away from home," she mumbled as she stowed her gear and tried out the bunk. Fifty minutes later she walked back into the ready room and watched as her people finished up and made themselves at home. The Sergeants, all five, were sitting at the table with mugs of coffee talking quietly with the Lieutenant. She replicated a cup of coffee and joined them at the large table. "Everyone settled in?"
"Pretty much, Jayme," Berke said with a smile. Several minutes later everyone else found places to sit around the table and Jayme indicated that Sara had the floor. For the next hour using the large screen viewer and computer tie-in she briefed everyone on the ship's layout, duty protocols, senior staff members -- at which time Jayme felt the blood rush out of her and pool in her feet... of all the asinine things Starfleet could do, they'd managed to really screw her well... Anna Alcon was chief medical officer of the McCoy. Jayme mentally tuned out and didn't hear the rest of the things her new Lieutenant had said.
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