The Captain Visits

Posted on 28 Jan 2018 @ 4:35pm by Lieutenant Paul Winchester & Captain Jasmine Somers FCapt

1,481 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S02 Episode 3: When Realities Collide (Incidentals)
Location: Sickbay-USS Tomcat
Timeline: Mission 4 Day 59 to 65-2

[ON]

Paul had been sleeping for the last few hours trying to get some shut-eye after his visitors had left him, but the sounds of the Sickbay doors opening and closing yet again had woken him up only to find that it was the Tomcat's Commanding officer that had entered and now was approaching him. He thought oO I wonder what she want's? Oo as he sat up and said," Hello Captain,"

For a short time after leaving the bridge, Jasmine headed down to medical and run into Donovan and Armitage, both had brought her up to date on Winchester condition, she asked them for a complete report to be submitted, both nodded and went about their duties, now she entered medical and looked over to a drowsy Winchester who was sitting up slowly and she answered his greeting.

"I am sorry to disturb you Lieutenant and hello, I just run into Lucy and Ethel on my way in here, they said they decided to pay you a visit, well besides the reports I asked them to do, I figured that I might as well visit to see how my CAG is doing and to get a first-hand account of what happened out there and the reason for the loss of your arm. Also, just for you to know you will be required to speak to Lieutenant Walon or another counsellor before Doctor Cahill will clear you for active duty, I want my people 100% and you may not realise it at the moment, but you have suffered a loss and it will hit you when you least expect it to. Besides that how are you feeling?" Somers asked with a smile.

"It's no Problem Ma'am," replied Paul looking back at the Captain, He continued," at least it takes my mind off of this monstrosity," as he tried to lift the new artificial arm and tried to bend the fingers once more. as he tried to push himself up with his own arm Paul stated," as for what happened out there Ma'am we done the scans of the freighter and sent them back to the Tomcat," as he looked back at his Commanding officer, He continued his report. "on the way back to the Tomcat we got jumped by scorpion fighters which resulted in a dogfight and then we got hit by another set of the little buggers and I called for reinforcements,"

Looking puzzled "Scorpion fighters, what the blazes are the Romulan's doing out this far!" she said alarmed "What happened when the back up arrived?" she finally asked recovering from the shock.

"When Lieutenant Coro and her Klingon brethren came out the scorpions bugged out and we headed back home," He started looking back at her, He finished his report "and as for my Fighter ma'am the throttle malfunctioned and forced me to speed up on landing which resulted in me having this damn thing fitted,"

*Nodding* "I understand Lieutenant, well I will expect you to submit to the Doctors orders, the Chief Medical Officer is the only one who can put ships CO or an outpost CO on the inactive list for health reasons, such as Starfleet. But you will be required to have a set number of sessions with a Counsellor it is standard procedure, there is not getting out of it" Somers said in response.

"And as for the Shrink Ma'am, I'm not going," replied Paul looking back at her, he finished," I never gave Cahill permission to fit this thing in the first place," as he was not happy with the Doctor at the present moment in time.

Looking sternly at Winchester "Lieutenant Winchester, you have suffered a loss of limb and have been affected by it, whether you choose to accept it or not, I will not and cannot overrule the CMO on this" Somers said and looked at Winchesters chart "It seems Lieutenant that Doctor Cahill saved your life, if she had not removed your arm, it would have become infected, thus grounding you for longer than rehabilitation will. I understand that you might be upset with her for what she has done, but I ask that you keep in mind that she has been around combat injuries more than most other doctors currently serving in Starfleet. So why are you really hesitant against seeing a shrink Lieutenant?" Somers asked.

"She never said anything like that to me Ma'am" replied Paul looking back at her "and the reason I don't like shrinks is the last one got me bumped down to Ensign," as he tried again to lift the artificial arm, He finished," I wish the Doc had given me the remote for this thing," as he knew the settings hadn't been adjusted to his liking yet.

*small smile* "think of it not as a foreign appendage Lieutenant, think of it as your own arm, it is linked to you via your nerve and muscle links and *tapping her temple with her fingers* it is all in your mind, you have to learn to condition your mind and ignore the false look and just think of it as your own" Somers said.

"Yeah well, I have had Major Donovan in here asking me about quieting my mind around telepaths," replied Paul looking back at the Tomcat's Commanding officer, He continued," I know that I have to get used to it and it will take time, but it doesn't mean I have to like it does it?" as he tried to lift the arm once more.

Looking at him in a sympathetic manner "I may not understand your loss but I understand your pain, at least your pain will end eventually mine will be with me for the rest of my life" Somers said.

"I think I know what you are saying, Captain," replied Paul as he looked back at her," I'd better swallow some pride and say thank you to the Doctor for saving me," as he looked back at his commanding officer and hoped that he would see that maybe this would help someone who also ended up like him and help them come to terms with it

*nods* "good, you do know though, that I am going to have to permanently remove you from Combat fighter duties, even with the latest tech there will be a lag margin between your brain and arm, while in most jobs in Starfleet, this would be no issue, as a pilot of a fighter, you have to realise that a fighter pilot has to rely on their reflexes! There is also something you will have to come to terms with, despite all the rehabilitation you will get, that is your hand and eye coordination will never be 100% again and as your Commander I cannot let you sit in a fighter cockpit again and enter combat and as a pilot you know this and you know how a pilot with injuries like yours can be a hindrance to the squadron they are in."

Somers pauses, she wondered if Winchester was feeling the same emotions that she did when the doctors told her that she would never be a mother, even 24th Century medicine could not correct the defect that stopped her having children.

"I may soon have another position for you to take, but when you are declared fit for active duty, you can command the fighters from the Tomcat, I am sorry I have to tell you this Lieutenant, but I figure it would be better to hear it from me than from anyone else.

"Well Lt Coro can command the fighters out in the void," Paul mused looking back at the captain, He continued," However; I can still brief them on the missions,", as he wondered about that, then he realised that something the captain had just said. he looked back at her and asked," What position is that Captain?"

*smiling* "All in good time Lieutenant, but for the moment you are on injured reserve, you can brief your pilot from here, but until told, you are to listen to the Chief Medical Officer, understood?" Somers said.

"Yes Ma'am, that I will do," replied Paul looking back at the Tomcat's Captain, He thought oO What position is she thinking of for me? Oo as he tried once more to lift his new artificial arm.

"Right I have duties to return to, I will leave you to contemplate things," Somers said with a smile and left Medical to return to the bridge.

"And thank you for coming to see me, ma'am," He called as he watched her leave Medical, He knew that the crash had now changed his life yet again and how would he managed things as he yet had to start picking things up with the new hand.

[OFF]

Captain Jasmine Somers
Commanding Officer
USS Tomcat

Lieutenant Jg Paul Winchester
CAG/HCO
USS Tomcat

 

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