Posted by Lieutenant Commander Brad Walker (Chief Of Staff/Second Officer) in Chief of Staff’s Office - Marshall’s New Job
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Drake nodded. “Sir.” An affirmation he had learned officers took to have whatever meaning they sought. The only reason he hadn’t spent most of his career in brigs was knowing just enough about how to play the game.

-Dr Drake Marshall

Brad nodded back, before turning to Jarvis.

“Well?”

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

“Perfectly, Commander.”

Dr J. Jarvis M.D

“Get out,” Brad said. Whoever decided Jarvis should be in the Fleet should be shot. The man did not belong in any sort of rank structure, even that of a hospital. He was the type of doctor that belonged in an exclusive clinic that charged and arm and a leg to cure conditions you didn’t even know you had.

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

Reentering sickbay after a very interesting meeting with the Captain, Drake’s eyes drifted up to Walker’s office. This is going to be fun. He had only the hope that enough time had passed that Brad wouldn’t violate his oath to do no harm. Making his way to a door no one had bothered to close, he remembered everything the Captain had said and tried to contain himself.

Brad looked up from his desk as he heard the tentative footsteps approach.

“Dr Walker? I just spoke with the Captain, she told me about my new position, everything associated with it. But she directed me back here to get set up. If you’d like to keep this brief, just point to which office I’m supposed to put my stuff in. However, if you’d like to hear my plan for the Ogawa surgical department, we can do that. And surprisingly, it is not everyone watch while I do everything.”

“That’s good to hear. Come in, make sure the door shuts behind you.”

-Dr Drake Marshall

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

Closing the door behind him, Drake stepped all the way into Walker’s office. “I guess I’ll break it down into parts. The most complex surgeries will go to me, again not to show off, but I know what I can do and especially under pressure. I need to evaluate these other doctors before I put them in those situations. McKnight and Parr would field a lot of middle and low level stuff. They’re qualified surgeons, but again, evaluation period. Then the two interns: Jacobs and Summers. They would assist wherever necessary. There’s no substitute for practical experience, but that’s something they’re in dire need of. They can be authorised, if they ask me or you directly, to fly solo on extremely low risk stuff if we need the extra hands out there. But, a complex fracture isn’t that difficult and in an emergency, we’ll need the extra help.”

Brad nodded. That was a sensible approach, and while he probably put a little more trust in McKnight and Parr than Marshall was, the younger man had seen them in action before. Brad had yet to find the time to watch each member of his staff in action. Jacobs and Summers were technically still cadets, but had scored high enough for the chance to complete their final Academy years on a Fleet ship. Learning from a highly-rated doctor like Marshall, especially one who preached being capable of operating no matter where you found yourself providing treatment, would only help them moving forward.

Drake took a heavy pause before going on. “And then there’s Jarvis. One of the best cardiothoracic surgeons… ever. And the Captain did not disagree with the term ‘sociopath.’ If I understand correctly, on a day to day basis, you hold his leash. But if he’s authorised to go into surgery as anything more than a patient, he’s my problem. At the very least I’ll monitor him and require reports from not just him but the lead nurse as well. And if anything seems out of place, I’ll take over. I don’t just needle him for my own personal amusement. I don’t know if he can tell the difference between patient and experiment. And I’m waiting for him to tip his hand and show me. That said, having an office to sit in between rounds will significantly reduce the temptation to call him Jasper the Ripper. And if I have issue with him, I have a door to close.”

“That’s good to hear,” Brad said. “I was almost ready to let him consult on procedures before his latest round of ‘Victimization Theater’, but now he’s facing another month of treating scraped knees and tennis elbow on overnights before I even consider letting him near a scalpel again.”

“All of that said, as I told the Captain, I take this position as seriously as I take my M.D. And the Ogawa will have the best surgical department in Starfleet. If you learn from the best, you become the best. And I’m sure leadership has some delightful educational surprises in store for me.”

“Who knows, maybe we’ll get lucky and happen across a new warp civilization that hasn’t figured out phasers yet. I haven’t treated a projectile victim since a holodeck malfunctioned during a re-enactment of the Burr-Hamilton duel about three years ago.”

“I know I’m not always a paragon of modern medicine. Trial by fire is kind of my thing though.”

-Dr Drake Marshall

“Trial by fire has its place, but you have to also consider the psyche of the person you’re putting through it,” Brad cautioned. “I doubt Dr. Reez would appreciate you making more work for him.”

Lt. Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

“I more meant me learning how to lead on a day to day basis, but duly noted. Dr Reez doesn’t much appreciate the sight of my face though, so I might see the other psychiatrist if I have any issues. I’ll try not to break anyone else.”

“Surgeons are used to pressure though. Something we’ll need to ease the interns into. McKnight, Parr, and I are all on call 24/7, 365. Summers and Jacobs need to get into that world, but since they can’t lead, I don’t know if they need to get up at midnight to assist in an appendectomy. Or the next idiot with a pareses squares injury. But maybe they should know what they’re walking into when they get those shiny little Ensign pips. What do you think? You’ve probably taught before.”

-Dr Drake Marshall, Chief of Surgery