Lieutenant JG John Reeves stepped out of the turbolift and into the bustling corridor of Deck 5. The familiar hum of the USS Merrimack’s systems resonated through the deck plating beneath his boots as he adjusted the collar of his duty uniform.

His meeting with the Chief of Security had concluded, and now Starfleet regulations required the next item on his schedule: a routine physical examination in Sickbay.

Reeves carried himself with the disciplined bearing expected of a security officer. His eyes automatically scanned the corridor ahead, noting crew members moving between duty stations, a pair of engineers discussing diagnostics near a junction panel, and a medical orderly crossing toward the turbolift.

New ship. New crew. New assignment.

The thought lingered in his mind as he continued down the corridor.

The USS Merrimack would be his home for the foreseeable future. Every transfer came with adjustments—learning procedures, earning trust, and finding his place within the chain of command. Fortunately, security work remained the same regardless of the posting.

Protect the ship.

Protect the crew.

Complete the mission.

The illuminated medical insignia mounted beside a set of sliding doors came into view at the end of the corridor.

Reeves slowed his pace as he approached Sickbay, straightening his uniform one final time. Starfleet physicians had a habit of asking questions that seemed unrelated to physical fitness, but regulations were regulations.

He stepped up to the entrance.

The doors parted with a soft hiss.

Reeves crossed the threshold into Sickbay and came to a stop just inside.

“Lieutenant Junior Grade John Reeves, reporting for my scheduled physical examination.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade John Reeves
Security USS Merrimack NCC-2346