Nate set the half empty cup of coffee on his small desk and laid his bag on his bunk. “What a day,” he said to himself and shrugged out of his backpack. “You get yourself lost on the way to sickbay, get shown up by the turbolift, and barely meet your CMO before whatshisname injects her with Benzdichlo. Well, at least you reacted correctly and she’s feeling better.”

Checking his data pad, he made a mental note of his impending appointment with Counsellor Lofton. “I have exactly 42 mins to get there. Plenty of time for a quick nap.” Catching small times for napping was something Nate had become well accustomed to in the Academy and especially during IR, or Initial Residency, planet side. Some shifts might go on for more than 24 hours with only a quick 10-to-15-minute nap, or two if you were lucky, spread out during the shift. There’re no eight to fives in the early career of someone training to become a medical doctor in Star Fleet. It can wreak havoc on personal relationships, which might explain why Nate had focused primarily on his studies to the exclusion of nearly everything else.

Draining the last dregs of his now cold cup of coffee, Nate kicked out of his shoes and laid back in his bunk with head resting against the cool material of the wall. He could feel the steady strum of the Challenger with his skull. Thumping through images on his data pad, he mapped out the path to the counsellor’s office. Closing that program, he double checked the time – 38 minutes.

“Computer – set am alarm for 28 mins.”

=/\= ALARM SET FOR 1450. =/\=

As was usually the case with naps like this, the chime seemed to sound before his eyes had fully closed. But in practiced motions, Nate sat up and slid back into his shoes. Standing up, he stretched and tugged his uniform shirt back into place. Exiting his quarters, Nate walked briskly to the turbolift and waited. The doors whisked open and Nate stepped in.

“Deck 3, please.” The turbolift hummed into motion.

=/\= DECK 3=/\=

Walking down the lit hallway, Nate passed other crew of the USS Challenger and thought to himself, it’ll be nice once I’ve been here long enough that I’ll know my way around like these other people.

Striding up to the doors of Counsellor Lofton’s office, Nate paused and tried to check his outfit and hair in his reflection. Ehh, good enough, I guess, Nate thought as he touched the door chime and heard the pleasant sound it made from within.

Ensign Nate Holcomb – Medical Cadet