Checking Up, Switching Up

Posted on Thu Jul 14th, 2011 @ 4:01am by Captain Nathan Cowell MD & Lieutenant Torrna Maliya MD

Mission: Too Close for Comfort...
Location: Sickbay, Desk 7, USS Arizona
Timeline: following 'Helping Hands pt 01'

Commodore Nathan Cowell, being in a particularly stellar mood given recent happenings, made his way to Sickbay to check up on the condition of Lieutenant Idrani and the condition of Sickbay in general. While most of the ship's injured had been moved off ship to Starbase 900, the fact that the Medical department had been so overtaxed recently had put that department once again on the forefront of Nathan's mind. While he had every confidence in Lt. Serran, something in the back of Nathan's mind told him that a shake-up would do the place good.

The old man entered the bay and looked around, taking in the compartment for a moment before fully entering the bay. Several nurses and Corpsmen looked in his direction but didn't do much more than smile at the Commodore and return to their duties. It had become plain to most of them that if he was in Sickbay, it wasn't because he needed something from them, he was there to do something either for them or with them. Unlike most of the other places he might go on the Arizona, Sickbay had become something of a second home, where those who'd been there to watch the old Doctor work during the hell that was their last mission had come to see him as something of a hero. Granted, no one would ever say it aloud and even fewer would admit it, but that rough exterior seen everywhere else tended to fade, even if only for a moment, when he was back in Sickbay.

"Where's Idrani's doctor, I need to have some words!" Nathan bellowed, prompting a few nurses and even a doctor in the corner to near snort in amusement.

"If you've come to say what a great job I did patching her up, then you'd be talking to me, sir." Maliya stepped out of the CMO's office. "Lieutenant Torrna, Surgeon. Arrived after the Away Team had gone to the planet." she said as she walked over to him.

Cowell, finally. He looked... exactly the same as he had since she last saw his image. Of course he would, he was El-Aurian. Part of her wondered if he ever got bored, living so long, having witnessed and experienced so much.

Nathan gave the woman a once over before grunting, "I didn't say I was here to compliment people. So, Lieutenant, what's her condition, other than alive." The old man folded his arms across his chest, something he usually did when he talked to other physicians. He preferred to be both comfortable and imposing when he evaluated the work of young physicians he came in contact with. Unlike any other department where Nathan felt and very much was the outsider, Sickbay was just as much his domain as the Bridge was, regardless of how long it had been since he last wore teal.

"She's going to make a full recovery." Maliya said, doing her very best to keep amusement out of her tone and features at his posturing. "I have fixed her broken rib, healed the bruising and contusions. I'm keeping her in Sickbay for the next two days for observation, but I'm not anticipating any problems. She's a strong one, probably helped by her altered genes. Light duty for a week and then she's back to normal." she replied with confidence supplied by years and years of experience, though of course, compared to Cowell, she was as green as they got probably, and she was fully aware of that.

The old man grunted in the middle of her explanation, having made that very diagnosis in the field. He wasn't entirely convinced she was the miracle worker he had been in his prime, but she would do.

"So how's the department? Any new faces other than your own that show potential?" the Commodore asked, switching gears without making any attempt to critique or comment on her work.

"Decent department, though it needs a bit more structure. Doctor Kar'G was in charge and then threw it all at me, reason unsaid. I've managed to sort things out in the meantime to get things going properly. Doctor Serran needs a proper assistant though, an actual dedicated one so that the surgeons are dedicated to their job. Ensign Callai is highly promising. Actual field experience, been with the Project Arrowhead, trained in Trauma and Emergency Medicine. If you need I'll write up a recommendation for him. He did well with Lieutenant Idrani's case," Torrna said calmly, without embellishment or signs that she was sucking up to a great but simply stating facts.

"No... I think we'll go another route... I'm putting Dr. Serran back in charge of Surgery starting today. He's a good man, but I think he needs a break from the bullshit. Since you seem to be footing the bill already, you're the new Chief around here. And hell, if you like Ensign Callai that much, make him your assistant, I don't really care," Nathan said, and in the span of a breath changed an entire department's layout without an inkling that he cared how it would be received.

Maliya sighed, this WAS her own fault. She'd agreed to take over from Kar'G and had done all that work, she shouldn't really be surprised that she was the boss now. Not surprised at all. A part of her did want to strangle the old bastard. But, Torrna was never one to not get with the program when it came to her skills.

"Will do, sir." was what she'd said.

"Good, I like that... Go getter attitude. Alright then, Doctor, make it happen," Nathan said, and without another word, he headed back to the exit.

Maliya sighed and shook her head in amusement. "Alright, everyone..back to work." she waved the interest of the others off and returned to the now officially 'her' office.