Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief Medical Officer/ Psychiatrist) in Sickbay 1: Ashford’s Physical Evaluation

Posted by Commander Heathcliff Rinker (Chief Medical Officer/ Psychiatrist) in Sickbay 1: Ashford’s Physical Evaluation
(SNIP)

“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Valerie said with a smile. “I spent two weeks on Earth before I came here, visiting family and whatnot… you know how it is.” She shrugged. “So I grabbed some antihistamine hypos from Starfleet Medical in San Francisco while I was there. I’m sure it’s there on my file but… uh… I’m a starship baby… and I didn’t visit Earth that much growing up.” Ashford have Shan an apologetic look. “I ended up being a bit more sensitive to certain common Earth dusts than most my fellow humans.” Her tone was lighthearted again, but she let out a nervous chuckle. Valerie knew she wasn’t the only one and that there were plenty of people that had been born and had grown up in starships like she had, yet she couldn’t help but feel ‘less of a human’ at times when her connections with her home planet were already dim and being allergic to what many considered ‘normal things’ made it even worse. “So that is under control, and I expect to run its course as I settle on board.”

Apart from the mentioned allergies, Valerie’s medical file would report her as a healthy individual without a complicated medical history. The only other thing worthy of note would be a hospital visit at a young age after having almost drowned in the coast of England. The incident had left no permanent injuries and it would be listed as such in her file, making it almost more of a curiosity than anything else at the present date. Any scans would return the expected normal results.

Lt. Cmdr. Valerie Ashford, CSO

bump :)

“Well, your scans are within normal limits. I do see the allergy shots. I have no problem giving them to you but maybe we get you on a regular schedule with them. You have no idea when you will be sent dirt side on an away mission and Kelly would have my hide if you could not stop sneezing on a mission.” Lauren winked at Valerie before signing off on the charts.

Valerie smiled. “Of course. Sounds good. Although that has all the markings of a potential funny story I wouldn’t want to find myself in that situation either.”

“So why the Atlantis,” Lauren asked trying to sound casual. “Promotion or reputation.”

Lauren Shan

Ashford’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the unexpected question, but her calm and lighthearted demeanor never changed. “To be honest, neither. Just needed a change of pace.” She replied with a shrug. “I found that my career had been slowly moving away from the things I enjoyed about scientific research, and I requested a transfer so I could continue older work. Given my rank… Command insisted I took on a Department Head role and placed me here. I was happy for the opportunity and didn’t ask many questions.” Valerie smiled. It was a lie. Or was it? Before boarding the Atlantis, Ashford had gone multiple times over the briefing Intel had sent her, carefully studying the cover story they had fabricated for her. Her boarding records would corroborate what she had just told Dr. Shan, so for all intents and purposes, it was the truth.

“I assume the Atlantis has a bit of a reputation then?” Ashford asked. A casual smile played on her lips as she changed the topic of the conversation. “Given the way you phrased the question, that is. I live with my head buried in scientific papers so these things just pass me by most of the time…” Valerie said apologetically.

Lt. Cmdr. Ashford, CSO

“We have been known to fly under the jolly roger from time to time.” Her tone seemed humorous but there was also a seriousness to it. “This place,” she waved her hand around, “it what you choose to make it. For some, it is a chance to get away from all the oppressive rules and regulations that come with the uniform and just explore. For others, it is a chance to get as far away as they can from their past lives. For others, it is just a freaking posting,” Lauren let out a laugh. “The crew is tight. Oddly tight,” she paused as if still debating why. “Kelly calls it the floating city and she is not wrong. In a lot of ways it reminds you of a small town. Everyone knows everything about everyone eventually. Got any skeletons in your closet?”

Lauren Shan

There was a hint of a raised eyebrow as she listened to Dr. Shan’s description of the Atlantis. Maybe a looser regulations would be a good thing for Ashford’s task. Maybe the tight knit nature of the ship’s crew was why Command had posted Hartley on board as the new CTO. It was all food for Ashford’s thoughts. Still, the new arrival’s interruption was a welcome one to Valerie – even if she was a trained ‘excuse maker’, her previous posting had made her a bit rusty on that front.

“Trying to scare her off or reassure her,” Heathcliff Rinker stated listening to Lauren’s spiel during the medical check in for the new science chief. Lauren was an enigma. The more he worked with her in sickbay, the more he realized how adept the woman was at projecting the two sides of her personality. She was a damn fine doctor but kept her private life heavily guarded under lock and key. Listening to Lauren state why people came to the Atlantis, Rinker would go all in that Lauren was in the category of being on the Atlantis due to the relaxed nature of the command structure.

Heathcliff Rinker CMO

Valerie’s head turned to face the newcomer, and it didn’t take her much to figure out the doctor was the ship’s CMO. Silently, she paid attention to the exchange, and to both what was being said and left unsaid.

“My job is to reassure her. Since you are the CMO, you scare everyone.” Turning around to face Ashford, Lauren spoke in a hushed tone but clearly loud enough for everyone to hear. “The rumors are true about him. He is a stickler for cholesterol numbers to lie about how many french fries you eat at lunch.” Lauren wore a serious expression but her narrative indicated she must have had a good working relationship with her boss.

Ashford chucked good-naturedly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Getting back to her job, Lauren signed off on the documentation and handed it to Heathcliff. “It was just a check-in and she is in perfect shape. I am now officially off duty and headed to the lounge to work on my hangover. If you two want to join me you both are welcome. If not then welcome to the ship and nice to meet you.” Lauren stood up and left the space heading out of sickbay and to the lounge.

Lauren Shan Dr.

Valerie watched Dr. Shan as she left. If her assessment of the woman was correct, that was a real invitation, but Ashford didn’t know exactly how much drinking she wanted to partake in on her official first day on board.

With a polite smile on her face, Valerie turned to face the CMO. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced.” She said warmly holding out her hand and breaking the momentary silence. “Valerie Ashford. The new Chief Scientist. I take it you must be Dr. Rinker?”

Lt. Cmdr. Ashford, CSO

“Excellent deduction,” Rinker let out a small chuckle. “I’m just glad neither Lauren or Yvonne ran you off before you got checked in. It speaks to your fortitude. Lesser officers have run out of here and made someone hunt them down.” His tone was warm and friendly. “So I just glanced at your chart but anything you want me to be aware of?” Maybe it was all his years as a therapist but Rinker always learned more from people sharing than anything on a chart.

Rinker CMO

“Oh, no fortitude necessary in my case.” Ashford laughed softly, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Both of them were a pleasure to talk to.” She said with a smile. “I don’t think there’s anything else to add really.” Valerie said in reply to the CMO’s question. “Dr. Shan and I were discussing putting me on a regular schedule for a few antihistamine hypos that I may need. Other than that… I guess I’m an easy client.” Ashford gave the CMO an apologetic smile.

Lt. Cmdr. Ashford, CSO

“Well easy is a good thing in sick bay. Complicated is a word we tend not to like in medicine.” Rinker signed off on the charts about the histamines and sent a reminder in the chart to get Valerie on the schedule.

“I figured as much.” Valerie said with a lighthearted laugh.

“Are you taking my resident barfly up on her offer for a drink in the lounge?”

Rinker CMO

“I haven’t really decided yet…” She said. “I do have some free time until my next check-in appointment, but since I’m not very familiar with Dr. Shan, I don’t want to barge in on her drinking time… though I have the sneaking suspicion that wouldn’t be a problem.” It was clear that Ashford’s previous assignments had been very different from the more relaxed nature of the Atlantis’s crew, although that was likely the norm for most people. Regardless, she was genuinely concerned that she might end up bothering someone in their free time. “What is your advice, Dr. Rinker? Should I take her offer?” Ashford asked. “After all, you know Dr. Shan better than me.”

Lt. Cmdr. Ashford, CSO

“Since it is happy hour and she invited you I would say yes. When she wants to drink alone it is very obvious. She doesn’t invite anyone,” he let out a chuckle. Lauren was a mystery. She was on point with her bedside manner but tight-lipped with her personal life.

Rinker CMO