The lights around the few occupied beds in secondary sickbay had been dimmed, one of the only signs that it was night time aboard the Ogawa. In the absence of a sun around which to orbit, day and night had no real meaning. Perhaps the presence of such a cycle aboard a starship was simply to keep the lesser minds at ease, Dr Jarvis pondered as he glanced over the top of his PaAD to ensure everything was still as it were the last time he had looked; all was well. He’d read the rules and regulations of Star-fleet cover to cover by now, and aside from an interesting directive giving the medical staff the power to relieve any crew member of their duties (including the captain) should they have good medical grounds to do so, it had been a dull tome. Far more interesting was the article he was currently digesting about the latest advancements in Klingon cardiology, including an appendix on the species intriguing ‘back up’ system.

He reached out a bony hand to pick up a china teacup only to discover it empty. Before he even had the opportunity to ponder getting up to fetch a fresh cup, the ship lurched portside, sending him sprawling from his seat; the teacup slipped from his hand and under the desk. For a moment the room plunged into darkness. “What in blazes!” he cursed irritably as the backup power generator kicked in and the lights came back on. He picked himself up and adjusted his rumpled uniform.

=^=Secondary sickbay to the bridge. Has the helmsman taken complete leave of his senses?=^=

Dr J. Jarvis M.D