Drown in Klingon Coffee

Posted on Wed May 8th, 2019 @ 7:21pm by Commander Hades,MD & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

1,283 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 98 - A Raid on Peace
Location: USS Mercy, Engineering
Timeline: MD1, on route to colony 1300 hours

ON:

Leaving the rest of the medical staff to oversee the preparations, attention turned to the last pressing issue they need to resolve. The Emergency Medical Holograms. The work they had done to date would fall far short of what they would need if they did not have the EMH programmes all online and functioning properly. They were infuriating, yes. Exasperating, most definitely. But they were a valuable resource to compliment the skills and experience of the staff on board.

Which had brought them to engineering, after a minor detour to collect the strongest cup of coffee Dr Corrigan had ever tasted in her life. Never her drink of choice, this was already her second cup. It had been an intense, frightning and exhasting 24 hours and the day was still young. Finding a quiet corner to curl up and sleep, however, was not an option. They had a lot of work to do, with little time to do it.

As the turbolift came to a stop she led the way out into a winding corridor which led to the heart of engineering. With her red hair, she didn't expect it to be difficult to track down the chief engineer who had been assigned to the ship. In truth Carolyn was curious about her. Or more truthfully, the way Hades had reacted to her. From where she had sat it had been more than a little entertaining. Clearly there was history between them.

"This coffee needs a health warning," she commented as Lieutenant Franklin fell in beside her. While it was doing its job, she wished it would transform into a delicios cup of hot chocolate instead. "Tell me you do not drink this often."

As they made their way into Main Engineering, Franklin shrugged his shoulder and said, “We will have to send something to Starfleet Medical and write a paper on the effects of Klingon coffee. But, you’ll have to fight Admiral Bremer too, cause I don’t think he’d be able to live without it. So, your choice, but if you do write it, it was good knowing you Doc!” Franklin let out a small chuckle as he looked over his PADD, drinking the coffee he had ordered for both of them.

Engineering was buzzing. Lieutenant Rain Sentinel ran a tight ship. She loved the humming and the constant motion. Engineering was where she wanted to be. It was her calling. While her twin Gypsy loved Ops for Rain all things engineering laid down. She didn't just work for a ship. She lived it, she loved it, she became the ship. It's like it talked to her and often times she talked back. She wasn't much for relationships but her ships took the place of that. They were friends, family. It was Engineering that pulled her out of her hole....well it was Hades who woke her love on Engineering. She smiled. He'd all but had a heart attack when she walked in. Her smile turned to a Grin. She watched as an Engineer used his plasma coil as a drum. "Oy! What in the name of all that be holy are ye doing! Get yer hands off my coil and go wash something." She shooed him away and picked up the coil. It was one that needed to be refurbished and she 'd do it when she had time.

She sighed and looked over the rail seeing two people who did not belong. In a sea of gold they were teal. "Medical." She sighed. "Bugger." Putting the coil down she swung off the rail and landed like a cat in front of the two. "Oy! Why are da likes of ye trespassing in me home."

"Jesus," Carolyn cursed under her breath, almost jumping out of her skin as the woman jumped out, coffee spilling over the edge of the cup, burning her fingertips. Quickly wiping her hand on her uniform, she faced the engineer, taking a deep breath, "This is Lieutenant Franklin, I am Dr Corrigan. We came to get some help with the EMH programmes. Dr Hades said to speak with engineering to make sure they were ready before we reached the colony."

She sighed, "Of course he did. Damned Vulcan." She sighed again. "Careful with ye coffee. Don't be spillin' that slop round my clean engine room." She turned and walked away to the nearest panel expecting them to follow." She hit a few tabs on the panel. "Computer check EMH programs, run diagnostic." It chirped. "This thing will be workin' fer a few minutes. In the mean time. I've taken di liberty of connecting all the EMH programs to one unit that is not part of the main bay. If the ship looses power ye won't have problems with the EMH. I've also gotten the LMH's online. Ya got ten." She sighed and grinned. "Ya wanna see mi special project. Call him a gift ta ya, to help patient and medical staff moral."

Shaking his head, not knowing if the Chief was talking about him or the program to check the EMH’s. Deciding that she was talking about him, Franklin finally spoke up with the Chief and said, “Well, we did need someone to whip the nurses into shape and make sure the Doc here didn’t throw the EMH’s out of the window. You must know how she loves them sooooooo much!”

Franklin gave Carolyn a small smirk before heading over to the Main Negjneering console in the middle of everything.

Carolyn rolled her eyes she followed behind Franklin to join the engineer. As the woman spoke about the work she had done though, the doctor had to admit she felt better. "Special project?" Carolyn repeated, sensing she would probably regret asking. "Alright..."

Rain grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Alright then. Computer, activate Double H protocol."

There was a buzz and then a hologram appeared out of a brown box that was on the floor. It fizzled slowly into existence. "This is what controls all the LMHs and EMHs."

The Hologram fully materialized into a holo of Doctor Hades, big floppy Saint Bernard ears and clown nose. He had on a what appeared to be jeans and a t-shirt that said Doctor not home "Please state the nature of your inquiry." It said in a whiny voice.

Rain laughed. "Ain't he a beauty?"

Looking at the holo of Hades, Franklin has to look away as he was holding back a laugh. “I’m sorry! I just can’t!” Franklin said as he let out a whole gut of chuckles.

“Shut it down,” Carolyn said, the events of the last day making her tones harsher than she really intended.

Before Rain could respond a familiar voice called out. "Really. Seven years and your holo hasn't changed."

Rain turned and grinned as Hades walked up. "He's amusing. I just hope he works."

Rain looked appalled. "All of my designs work."

"Sure." He said. He looked over at Carolyn. "Problem with sickbay systems? Our Engineer not cutting the mustard?"

“Our EMHs are a little... unstable,” Carolyn told him. “Other than that we are as ready as we can be.”

He gave a nod and looked at Rain. "You're getting closer sprite. He's looking a little more handsome. Not as handsome as me but..."

Rain stuck her tongue out at him and walked away."

Hades shook his head. "That one is trouble with a capital T."

"Great, just what we need around here. Thanks for the help Lieutenant," Carolyn called out, not sure if Rain was even listening. "Well, all that is left to do now is to go drown in Klingon coffee...."

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