Mandatory Medical - Lt (jg) Tessaro

Posted on Fri Jan 12, 2018 @ 7:49am by Lieutenant Annora Tessaro & Commander Amia Telamon M.D.

1,613 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Victory Conditions
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Backpost: After 'Firearm Exam'

Amia had to send out to invite all officers in for their extra medicals so she worded Annora's sweetly and just gently offered her a selection of appointments that were still free, juggling the accepted slots in order to give plenty of choice to those who she still needed to see. She knew they were all very busy but it needed to be done and over with, as soon as possible. She pressed send.

With security handling firearms re-certifications, Annora was grateful the Doctor gave her an option of when to come in for an appointment. She had agreed to pick up some extra time, so she chose a time 20 minutes after the shift ended. That would give her time to change and grab a quick bite to eat before reporting to Medical.

"Evening Doc. I suppose you're just as busy as we are."

"Probably but then again, who knows how busy anyone else is until we try to walk in one another's shoes as it were." Amia replied affably. "I won't keep you too long. If you'd be kind enough to sit up here Lieutenant?" She indicated the nearest biobed and began to set up the scanning sequences.

"Agreed. Although one can make an educated guess. Despite the extra work, I guess phaser certification is better than sitting around filing security reports."

Annora hopped up on the biobed, and let the Doctor get to work.

Amia set up the scans and noted the read outs. "All looks good so far." she said.

"Have you been noticing anything out of the ordinary health-wise? Do you feel generally well?" she asked, going through the motions.

"Nothing out of the ordinary Doc. Been working long hours, but this isn't the first time I've done that."

It seemed no matter the color of uniform, those tasked with protecting the rest of Starfleet had little down time.

"That's all good to hear.....well except the long hours part of course which I have to advise you against as part of my job, even though I do understand and do much the same myself so it's a bit ironic that I have to say that to anyone who comes in here." she smiled wryly and started to concentrate on the readings.

Annora returned the smile.
"It's the standard disclaimer, I get it. Once things calm down a bit, I'll return to a standard duty shift."

"Deal" agreed the Chief Medical Officer. "But be sure not to welch on that promise... I know where you live!" she lightened the tone and winked.

Finishing off the tests and scans and feeding the data into the medical files, Amia compared the new readings with those previously noted and was satisfied with what she found.

After quite some minutes work during which she made very little small talk but did explain one or two readings that scrolled up on the monitor. Eventually she ran out a data-rod and handed it to Annora. "Here we are. One box ticked!" she handed over the little finger-sized rod and closed the open medical file on the main monitor. "You'll be due for another in one year but look in at the half way mark so I can tick off the box that says 'working long hours but has promised to moderate them soon.' If you would be so kind."

It wasn't really a request, although she made it sound like one. It was essential to be certain, even with just a 5 minute update, and they were both obligated to put that on record just to be sure no-one could doubt the proper care was being taken.

"Six months. Aye ma'am. Things should be back to normal by then. Question for you Doc, have you had a chance to complete your phaser re-certification yet?"

She knew Amia hadn't trained with her, but there were several people handling the process.

Amia stopped in her tracks and looked up. "I'm a doctor, Lieutenant. I don't carry a phaser, much less use one. My Hippocratic Oath demands that I only train up to the level of not pointing anything lethal the wrong way round nor accidentally setting one off without knowing how not to let that happen" she recited off the rhetoric.

"If I ever re-take my Bridge Exam, I'm sure they will update what I know about handling the latest weapons in service but I doubt if I'll be invited to do that so it's all a bit moot." she explained. "Why do you ask?" she went back to finishing off the medical records and sealing them before turning back to continue the conversation with her full attention.


She understood that a Medic's first duty was to heal, but never fully understood those who refused to carry any weapon. Annora knew of several examples from history where medical staff came under fire the same as everyone else.
"I ask, because the Commander wants everyone to get re-certified on the phaser. As far as I know, that includes the medical staff. In my experience, medical staff don't get a free pass in most combat situations. While I advise all personnel to know how to handle at least a hand phaser, I don't have the authority to mandate it. As a Medical Doctor you have the right to be a non-combatant, and I will note that in the system."

Despite her disagreement, Annora tried to keep her response as neutral and professional as possible.

"You misunderstand me Lieutenant." Amia replied serenely. In her line of work she had heard this line of thought before, many times.

"I have passed my Bridge Exam, albeit some time ago, and for that I did learn how to defend myself and also my staff and fellow crew, as well as any innocent bystanders too. I had to learn to be able to handle safely a hand phaser, a laser rifle, a disruptor and even a whole raft of photon torpedoes and phaser cannon from the Bridge setting as well.

As a result i would ask that you don't *note* anything in the system until you have read my jacket as I neither ask for, nor get *a free pass* in any situations, least of all combat. Like all medics, my place is right out there on the front line, or anywhere there are fallen to tend to.

What we do not do, is to go in armed. That doesn't mean we haven't learned how to use weapons nor indeed how to avoid misusing them; it just means we have a policy to only look to weapons as a second line and minimize their use as much as possible. Partly because we're probably too busy patching up the wounded and partly because there are many ways to contribute effectively to combat situations.

I have no desire nor qualification to sound as if I'm judging the position of those whose job it is to utilize weapons as their first line of defense, I just maintain that there are many ways to be effective and each of us has our place in the full picture." Amia's tone was almost a monotone as she was being very careful to get her point across without stirring up ill-feeling or discord.

"What I think I'm trying to say, is that being a medic isn't a free pass to cowardice or passenger status. We are all Starfleet crew and as such we can never be certain we'll be non-combatant but we can have different strategies with which to defend those to whom we have a duty of care. Does that sound more reasonable put that way?" she asked gently.


"Sure. I don't expect most other departments to supplement security, especially medical. After the battle of Gamma Hydra I spent several months at the Avicenna medical facility. Their job was to treat the wounded and ours was to take the fight to the enemy."

Annora paused to collect her thoughts.
"I'm by no means expecting you to pick up a rifle and board a hostile vessel. However, if sickbay be overrun for whatever reason, I would expect the medical staff to know how to handle a phaser. All the certification shows, it that you know how to operate a hand phaser with reasonable accuracy. That does not mean you will be pressed into service. If you're still opposed, than so be it. I will wish you a good evening and be on my way."

As far as Annora was concerned, this conversation fulfilled the orders of Commander Soran. She didn't have the rank or position to force the Doctor to take the test.

Amia's mouth dropped open slightly and she thought for one moment that maybe she ought to test Tessaro's hearing before she passed her for duty. Hadn't she just said she'd passed her Bridge exam? So why would anyone come back with a "test" to see if she could fire a hand phaser? That seemed like hearing someone say they were a qualified Chef and then asking them to prove they could make toast.

Deciding it didn't warrant more discussion, Amia closed her mouth and then re-opened it to reply.

"Yes, good evening to you too Lieutenant, nice to have met you" before going back to put the equipment into self-sterilization mode, and wondering if it was she herself who had missed something here. However it wasn't long before the next patient was admitted and she moved on to think about the new situation presenting itself.


A JP Between:

Commander Amia Telamon
CMO - DS5

and

Lieutenant JG Annora Tessaro
Assistant Security Chief- DS5

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