A random title involving Doctors and Engineers.

Posted on Tue Dec 7th, 2010 @ 10:52am by Commander Basil Hart
Edited on on Tue Dec 7th, 2010 @ 10:53am

787 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: On Typhon Station
Location: Sickbay

Skylar made his way to Sickbay, after dealing with 37.924 days of overdue paperwork. He nodded to several Engineering Officers, along the way, and finally stopped at the doors.

As they parted, he walked casually in. He approached the nursing station.

"I am Lieutenant Commander Skylar. Chief Engineering Officer. I am required, by various regulations, to have a physical, prior to starting official active duty. Could you please schedule me for the next available position in the schedule listing?" Skylar asked the person behind the desk.

The attractive young nurse who sat at the reception desk smiled at him. The sign on the bulkhead indicated that her name was Helen Waite. It said, "Anyone wishing to see the doctor except in case of emergency can go straight to Helen Waite." The brass name plaque on her desk confirmed that fact.

"Yes, sir. The doctor actually has an opening in a minute or two. If you would care to take a seat in the waiting area, I'll inform him that he has a patient." Helen whisked off to the doctor's office and after a moment, returned to her duties.

Skylar raised his eyebrows. "And if I would not care to forcibly remove chairs from your waiting area, what then?"

Helen smiled, amused at the Vulcan's literalism. She knew how to respond, however. "The invitation to take a seat is merely a colloquialism. The meaning is actually an invitation to sit down until you are called for, commander. The vernacular with which most humans are familiar may take a little acclimatization for someone of your obvious inexperience with Terran culture." She knew that she could not offend a Vulcan, so she could be as forthright and direct as possible, as this one seemed to take everything literally.

Skylar nodded. "I do not wish to sit, but thank you for the invitation."

"As you wish, sir." Helen smiled again and returned to the report she was writing.

Basil popped out a moment later. "Mister Skylar, I presume?" He greeted the Vulcan with the proper hand salute. "Live long and prosper. Of course the first part of that is something I can help you with." He smiled at the officer in front of him.

Skylar nodded, and returned the gesture. "Good health, and longevity, Doctor." Skylar said with a neutral expression. "Any suggestions or advice regarding my health is, of course, quite welcome."

Basil smiled broadly. "Good! Please lie down on the biobed." The doctor then opened an old leather bag, and drew an ancient looking device consisting of two curved metal tubes joined by a spring and connected to a flexible tube with an end resembling a medallion. Basil inserted the two curved tubes into his ears and placed the medallion end on the Vulcan's lower thoracic region on the left side, near his heart. "I like to mix old and new technologies," he explained.

Skylar quirked an eyebrow. "Fascinating, and understandable. I, myself, am fond of the Philips screwdriver and hammer approach, when power is low. It is rather impressive what one can get done with antiquated equipment."

"My point exactly!" Basil agreed. "Your heart is in perfect working order, Mister Skylar. It's beating rapidly and producing almost no blood pressure. All normal vital signs. I can hear no sinus rhythm issues with my stethoscope, but I'll check the bio-bed just in case." Glancing at the readout, he confirmed his diagnosis. "indeed, just as I suspected. You're fit as the proverbial fiddle, commander."

Skylar quirked an eyebrow. "A fiddle is a frail instrument, which is frequently played out of tune." He said curiously. "What a curious statement."

Basil smiled. "While that may be true, it is a simile meaning that you are in good health, and the wisdom of my ancestors is found therein. My unhallowed lips shall not disturb it, or civilization's done for." He wondered if the Vulcan would catch the reference from Dickens.

"Is there anything else of which you are in need, my Vulcan friend?" he asked solicitously.

"Not that I am aware of, no." Skylar said. "Though the wisdom of your ancestors is, at best, questionable, if they use such frivolous statements."

"Ah, Mister Skylar: 'The glory of creation is in its infinite diversity', correct? What may seem frivolous to you makes perfect sense to someone with the native cultural background." He smiled at his patient. "You are dismissed, and may return to your duties, commander. Should you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask."

Skylar nodded. "Infinite diversity in Infinite combinations, yes. But there is a limitation to that logic; when it ceases to sound logical."

Commander Basil Hart
Chief Medical Officer,
Star Base Typhon

Lieutenant Commander Skylar
Chief Engineer,
Starbase Typhon

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