Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Areiana “Areia” Blackford (Chief Medical Officer) in Sickbay - Ensign Max Hunter boarding physical

Posted by Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer) in Sickbay - Ensign Max Hunter boarding physical

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Areiana “Areia” Blackford (Chief Medical Officer) in Sickbay - Ensign Max Hunter boarding physical
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
After a restless night trying to memorize deck layouts, Max finally made it to Sickbay. The bright lights hit him right away.

He wore a fresh uniform, the fabric still stiff from the replicator. At 4‘9” and 180 pounds, he had a solid build for Security. His short black hair was neatly trimmed with two sharp blue stripes cut through the sides, and his bright blue eyes scanned the room quickly before settling on the CMO. He took a breath, stood a little straighter, and cleared his throat.

“Ensign Max Hunter. I’m here for my boarding physical. I just got assigned to the Chimera.”

He held his PADD and gave a polite smile, hoping he looked like he belonged.

Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer)

Areiana stepped out of her office, still wiping the corner of her mouth with a napkin. She looked slightly surprised to see someone waiting for her, then gave an apologetic smile.

“Oh, sorry. You caught me having dinner,” she said with a small laugh. “Give me just a moment.”

By She quickly disappeared toward the nearby sink, tossing the napkin into the disposal before washing her hands thoroughly. A few moments later, she dried them and returned, straightening her uniform as she approached.

“Hello there. I’m Areiana Blackford, the Chief Medical Officer,” she introduced herself warmly. “You said your name was Hunter?”

She reached out and gently took the datapad from him, glancing over the information displayed on the screen. Her eyes moved across the personnel file, and recognition immediately crossed her face.

“Ah, yes. Max Hunter. Our new Security Officer.” She handed the datapad back with a friendly smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Max.”

Areiana leaned casually against the edge of the desk, giving him a moment to settle in rather than immediately launching into a medical lecture.

“So, how are you enjoying the Chimera so far?” she asked. “I know transferring onto a new ship can take a little getting used to. New crew, new procedures, different layout… and somehow there’s always at least one corridor that seems determined to make you take the long way around.”

She chuckled softly.

“But seriously, how are you settling in? Getting along with the crew? Found your way around Security yet, or are you still getting lost every other time you leave the turbolift?”

Areiana Blackford

Lieutenant Junior Grade Chief Medical Officer USS Chimera

After Max saw her step out of her office, he heard her apologize for catching dinner and told him to wait a moment.

“It’s okay ma’am I wasn’t waiting long. I just had dinner as well”

He said with a polite smile as he watched her approach again after washing her hands.

“Yes ma’am My name is Max Hunter, and it’s nice to meet you too,” he said as she took the datapad with all of his information and then handed it back.

As she leaned back, he relaxed a bit, grateful they weren’t jumping right into the exam. He didn’t really like physicals. They always made him nervous, like taking a test he hadn’t studied for.

“I’m enjoying it so far,” he said. “It’s definitely a lot to get used to that’s for sure. Yes I’ve taken the long corridor that took the long way around. Unfortunately.” He gave a nervous laugh and started fidgeting a bit more.

“I’m settling in okay, but my anxiety’s been high lately. I haven’t gotten in anyone’s way yet, which is good. Everyone seems nice at least. I’ve found my way around a bit. I do keep getting lost most of the time I leave the turbolift, no matter how hard I study the layout. It gets very frustrating sometimes.”

Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer)

Areiana smiled warmly, trying to put him at ease . She could tell he was still getting used to the ship, and honestly, she couldn’t blame him. The corridors of a starship could be surprisingly confusing, especially when every deck seemed to have the same polished walls, identical turbolift doors, and corridors that somehow all looked alike.

“Oh, you should have seen me the first day I came aboard,” she said with a small laugh. “I got so lost it wasn’t even funny. I swear I spent half the day wandering around trying to find sickbay. I eventually found it, obviously, but I’m pretty sure I walked past the same junction about four times before I realized I was going in circles.”

She shook her head, amused by the memory.

“Trust me, after you’ve been here for a while, you’ll find you can navigate the ship with ease. Eventually, you’ll be able to get from one end to the other without even thinking about it.” She paused, then gave him a slightly sheepish smile. “Although, I’ll admit, I’m still finding things onboard that I didn’t know were there. I discovered an entire little observation area a few weeks ago. I’ve been onboard long enough that I probably should have known about it.”

Areiana picked up her datapad again, scrolling through his medical file as she continued talking.

“And as far as the anxiety goes, that’s completely natural when you’re somewhere new. New ship, new crew, unfamiliar surroundings… it takes a little time for your brain to stop treating everything like it’s something you need to figure out.” She glanced up at him briefly. “Give yourself a few days to settle in. If you’re still feeling that way after you’ve had some time to adjust, come back and see me. We can figure out something that’ll help.”

She returned her attention to the datapad, scanning through his recent medical history. Her expression became more focused as she checked the dates and entries, making sure she wasn’t overlooking anything important.

“Now, let’s see…” she murmured, scrolling through the file. “Anything I should be concerned about in here? Any falls, injuries, unusual illnesses, or anything you’ve been dealing with over the last month?”

She looked up at him, one eyebrow raised.

“And be honest. This is a medical office, not a courtroom.”

A mischievous smile appeared on her face.

“You haven’t come down with the plague and decided not to tell us, have you?”

She gave a small laugh, clearly joking, and lowered the datapad again.

“I’m kidding. Mostly.” She looked back at him with an encouraging smile. “But seriously, if anything has been bothering you—even if you think it’s too minor to mention—tell me. Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, trouble sleeping, anything like that. I’d rather know about something small now than have it turn into something bigger later.”

She set the datapad against the table for a moment and folded her hands loosely around it.

“You’re new here. You don’t have to have everything figured out yet. That’s what sickbay is for.”

Areiana Blackford

Lieutenant Junior Grade Chief Medical Officer USS Chimera

Max let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, and the tightness in his shoulders eased a little at her laugh.

“I was convinced I was the only one who got confused trying to find everything. I took a turbolift twice and ended up in the same place both times.” He rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish. “An observation area, huh? That’s neat. I mean this ship is confusing at times.”

He saw her look at the datapad that had his files and history on it. He started to play with his hands. “Yeah… new ship, new everything,” he admitted quietly. “My brain’s just running through checklists on repeat. I’ll take your advice. A few days to settle in will probably do it. Or at least I hope.”

He straightened a little when she looked at the datapad again, looking more focused.

He laughed nervously. “Um. No plague, I promise,” he said quickly, then flushed when she laughed. “I mean nothing that serious.”

He paused, thinking. “No falls. But I did sprain my right knee pretty bad while running when I was a kid, though. It does ache here and there.” He shifted. “I also did have trouble sleeping the first few nights. Kept waking up thinking I heard the ship’s alert. And headaches. Tension ones, I think.”

He glanced at her “Nothing major. I swear. But if a headache turns into ‘I walked into a wall because I was dizzy’ I’ll come straight here.”

Max picked at the seam of his uniform sleeve.

“You’re right. Sickbay does help with everything. Um, if you don’t mind me asking… how long have you been on the Chimera?”

Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer)

Areiana smiled reassuringly as she picked up the hypospray, turning it over in her hand before glancing back down at her medical tricorder. She pulled up his file once more, carefully reviewing his medical history and allergy records before administering anything.

“Let’s see…” she murmured, scanning through the information. “No documented allergies to any of these, and nothing in your medical history that would make this a problem.”

She set the tricorder aside for a moment and gave him an encouraging smile.

“I’ve been here a few months now, so still fairly new myself.” She lifted the hypospray slightly. “And don’t worry, this isn’t anything unusual. These are just immunization shots.”

She glanced back at his file, making sure everything matched before continuing.

“You’ve already received most of these vaccinations during your Academy training and your pre-assignment medical processing. This is really just an update—a booster, along with a few immunizations that are specific to this mission and the regions of space we may be operating in.”

Areiana rested the hypospray in her hand, giving him a moment to take in what she’d said.

“Starfleet likes to be thorough, especially when sending crews into unfamiliar environments. Different planets, stations, and regions can have microorganisms and other biological hazards that we don’t normally encounter, so it’s better to have everyone prepared before we get there.”

She offered him another reassuring smile.

“It shouldn’t take long, and then you’ll be all set. If you feel a little sore afterward, that’s usually nothing to worry about. Just let me know if anything feels unusual.”

Areiana Blackford

Lieutenant Junior Grade Chief Medical Officer USS Chimera

He watched as Dr. Blackford scanned his file before reaching for the hypospray. He offered a small smile. “I’m glad I’m not the only new one here,” he said.

He listened as she explained the immunization boosters required for away missions and extended deployments standard, planetary exposure, and biohazard protocols. He knew Starfleet had so many regulations and protocols, they had to be prepared for anything.

Max nodded. “I understand and appreciate it, ma’am. I’d rather have a sore arm than catch whatever’s out there. I’ll report in if I notice anything off.”

He shifted slightly, looking a little nervous. He had never liked hyposprays. He couldn’t explain why they just always made him uneasy.

Max rolled up his sleeve and took a deep breath. “Yeah, I had a lot of these at the Academy. I hated them, but I understood why I needed them. Still sucked though” he added with a small laugh. Glad that after this he will be set.

He held his arm out, bracing for the hypospray.

Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer)
Areiana smiled when she noticed just how nervous he was. It was written all over his face—the slight tension in his shoulders, the way his eyes kept flicking toward the medical equipment, and the way he seemed to be trying very hard not to think about what was about to happen.

She tried not to make a big deal out of it. She simply brushed a loose strand of her red hair behind her ear before reaching out and giving his arm a reassuring little pat.

“Hey, relax,” she said softly, offering him an encouraging smile. “It’ll be over before you know it.”

She glanced toward the hypospray sitting within easy reach before looking back at him. She had learned over the years that sometimes the best way to give an injection was to make sure the patient wasn’t thinking about the injection at all.

“Have you seen the view from here?” she asked casually.

She nodded toward the large viewport nearby, making it sound as though she had suddenly remembered something rather interesting. Beyond the glass, the stars stretched endlessly across the darkness of space, scattered around the ship like tiny points of light.

Areiana waited patiently, watching him out of the corner of her eye.

The moment his attention shifted toward the viewport, she quietly picked up the hypospray.

She wasn’t trying to trick him exactly. At least, that was what she told herself. It was more of a medical strategy. She had discovered that when someone was nervous about an injection, distracting them usually made the whole experience considerably easier. If they were focused on something else, they had less time to tense up and anticipate it.

“Pretty amazing, isn’t it?” she continued, keeping her voice conversational as she stepped closer.

She waited until his attention was firmly on the stars before positioning the hypospray.

“Just keep looking out there,” she said, her tone warm and reassuring. “You might even find something more interesting than the inside of sickbay.”

With that, she quickly administered the injection before he had much of a chance to dwell on it. She lowered the hypospray and gave him another reassuring smile.

“And… done.”

She carefully set the hypospray aside and glanced at him, clearly pleased with herself.

“See? That wasn’t nearly as bad as you thought it was going to be.”

Areiana Blackford

Lieutenant Junior Grade Chief Medical Officer USS Chimera

Max tried to relax after she patted his arm, but he didn’t look at the hypospray. He looked at the floor, at his boots anywhere that wasn’t toward the medical equipment. His fingers twitched at his sides.

When she mentioned the viewport, he followed her gaze. “No, I haven’t,” he said quietly. The stars stretched out beyond the glass, endless and bright. He thought about how far they were from home and how strange it was. It was beautiful. And for a moment, sickbay didn’t feel so small. “It is very amazing and pretty, ma’am.”

After a couple of seconds he didn’t even register the injection until she said it was done. He startled a little, then pressed a hand to his arm. “Oh.” His voice came out quiet as he looked down at it. “That wasn’t bad at all.”

He looked at her and managed a small, genuine smile. “Thank you for distracting me. That’s a neat trick you did, and it helps.” After a moment he asked out of curiosity “Was that the only one?”

He was genuinely impressed. He’d always hated sickbay visits. At the Academy he’d done everything he could to avoid them because his nerves just got the better of him. He actually really liked this visit.

Ensign Max Hunter (Security Officer)