The babysitter

Posted on Wed Oct 30th, 2019 @ 4:45pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Commander Hades,MD

1,481 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: Sickbay, USS Pegasus
Timeline: MD1, 0940 hours

ON:

With only one hour given to prepare for departure, there was much to do and so little time.

Transporting aboard the Galaxy class refit, Doctor Corrigan attempted to ignore the many many reasons why she should not be doing this and instead concentrate on the fact Admiral Bremer had entrusted her with the health of the crew during this mission. It was a huge responsibility and a distraction she desperately needed. And she was a beautiful ship.

Reaching Sickbay she found nurses and technicians working through the standard checklists in preparation for departure, ensuring they had sufficient supplies and addressing any system issues. Scanners were recalibrated, medical kits checked and rechecked. In fact the only quiet spot was the CMO’s office.

Almost.

“Did you beam directly to Sickbay?” She challenged as she entered the office and saw Hades seated behind the desk.

“And I think you are in my seat,” she teased, leaning against the arch which separated the office from the corridor. In part because she needed the support and she also didn’t want to shoo her boss out of the seat. She glanced at the other man seated on the near side of the desk. “And you brought Harris.”

Hades stood and walked over to lean on the wall. He crossed his arms at his chest and waited for Carolyn to sit down. His mood seemed distant and dark. "Yes well I brought Harris for you. He's your ACMO, the Yin to your Yang."

“How nice,” Carolyn sighed as she sank into the chair, “but I asked Santa for a puppy...”

She glanced at Harris who seemed resigned to being stuck in the middle. And she knew if Hades ordered him to do something then he would do it. She on the other hand was more stubborn.

“Don’t I get a say in this?” She asked. His expression said it all. Taking a deep breath she leaned back in the seat, wincing slightly but all in all she was a million times better than the previous morning. “I do not need a babysitter.”

"You do indeed. I need to know your healthy enough for this and Harris is there to provide advice."

Harris, for his part, had kept silent until now. "Advice and health...I know you too well old man. What's this about?"

Hades, keeping his cool. He let the silence stretch and then, "This is an order on both your parts. She has been ordered by the Admiral as CMO here, you are her assistant ACMO. One decision was not mine the other is."

“Why do you seem so angry?” Carolyn blurted out. In truth she was angry. Having Harris landed on her may as well have been a big neon sign stating that she was incapable.

"I am not angry."

Harris snorted. "And pigs have wings."

"Doctor Harris, I am your commanding officer. Do not presume to know my emotions."

Harris shot Carolyn a strange look.

“Would you mind checking in with the nurses and making sure we are ready?” Carolyn asked Harris as she stood. As he got up to leave, she turned her attention to Hades. “So if you aren’t angry, Sir, what are you?”

Harris made a move to leave but Hades shot him a look that had him sitting down.

Hades studied Carolyn. "I am neutral."

Harris held his tongue this time.

Hades sighed. "Alright. I have made sure the ship is stocked with what you need. I need you to keep track of all equipment and medication used so that it can be replaced when the ship returns. Be careful the both of you and I need to receive regular reports when coms is accessible. I have arranged to have some new medical equipment as well as some lab items stowed on the ship." He handed Carolyn a PADD. "It's all here."

“Sure you don’t just want to stow away yourself? Or would you prefer tracking devices?” Carolyn muttered as she took the PADD. “Why do we need this? It’s an escort mission.”

"Necessity." Whatever else he was to say was cut short because of a coms chirp. He sighed and acknowledged the call.

=/\=Doctor Hades there is an incoming call for you from the Klingon Ship Koval=/\=

Hades raised his eyebrow in Vulcan fashion. "Oh? I don't know anyone on that ship."

=/\=It's from Lieutenant Liora=/\=

"Ah. Take a message."

=/\=But sir...=/\=

"I only repeat an order once. Take a message." He turned off the com and turned back to Carolyn. "Alright now good luck with your mission." He turned to head out.

“Not so fast,” Carolyn interjected, ignoring the discomfort to abandon her place behind the desk and move to stand between Hades and the door. “You haven’t explained what all of this equipment is for and then you ignore a call from your wife? Hades, for someone not angry you sure are behaving that way. Was it Harris? Should I hit him for you?”

He looked at Harris who was staring daggers at her. His lip twitched but very slightly. "No. You two have to find a way to get around your ... odd relationship." He leveled a gaze at her and Harris.

“He doesn’t trust me, it’s not odd, if anything it seems to be catching,” she countered. “And you are avoiding the question.”

"No Doctor. I am not avoiding the question. As CMO I simply have more options as to what questions I choose to avoid."

“Doctor. Huh. Okay.... don’t tell me. Silly me asking questions,” Carolyn said in exasperation. She couldn’t quite stop her anger from boiling over. “At least it’s wasn’t just something to complicated for me. Thanks for the babysitting service and the supplies. Doctor Harris thanks you too, don’t you?”

Harris had been about to say something when Hades turned. His eyes seemed to glow for a moment bright green and then it faded.

Harris jumped up and stepped in between Carolyn and Hades. "Doctor Hades we need to prepare the sickbay."

Hades stood his ground, glaring, then he turned and sighed. "Fine." He left the room.

Harris all but collapsed in the chair. "Well shi....suger." He corrected.

“What.Was.That?!” Carolyn demanded as she turned to face Harris, torn over following after Hades.

"A long story. Suffice it to say we, Scooby group, as you call us call that the beast." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. He felt a headache coming on.

“The what?” She demanded glancing at the now closed door. “Is he sick? Do I need to go after him?”

"No. Before we leave I will put in a call to the colony. They will send someone specialized to help. He will be fine it's...stress induced."

“What could possibly be stressful?!” Carolyn muttered as she threw herself into her chair and then cursed every which way as her back protested. “You know, he was nicer to me when a psychopath tried to kill me. Maybe I’ll go give Andy another shot at it and then Hades might speak to me. Even if it is before he launches me out an airlock.”

Harris sighed. He looked at Carolyn. "Hades is not himself at the moment. You can't allow yourself to think that way. He trusts you and has faith in your abilities. Things have been rough for him with Splendora and Kalani."

“The last few minutes say otherwise,” she said absently. She wasn’t going to unload her issues on Harris of all people. God no. “You being here adults it too... Make whatever calls you need to, we should be leaving in a few minutes. And can you send Hades the updates he wants? I may end up saying something that has me demoted to janitor.”

He laughed, "Don't worry. You will be fine. Hades loves you!"

Carolyn rolled her eyes, “if you say so. Come on, we need to make sure everything is ready and if we are on schedule we leave in ten minutes. Your last chance to abandon ship. You can tell Hades I threw you off.”

"Yes but he'd still be mad at me not you." He shook his head. "Oh you are smart but you still haven't figured it out."

“Figured out what?” She asked, sounding exhausted. “That he sees his sister in me?”

"Yup. But in his eyes you can do no wrong. He's put you on a pedestal."

“I fall off those, a lot,” Carolyn observed. “And on the bright side, I can trust you to push me off it.”

He laughed. "Sure." He liked Carolyn, he did but he liked getting her riled up more. It provided entertainment.

“Okay, let’s get this place organised. Hades may forgive most things, the Admiral will not. And you have a call to make.”

OFF

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