Ensign Nathan Richards - Doctors Orders

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Travis St. John

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Aug 16, 2022, 4:20:58 AM8/16/22
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((Counselling Care Center, Medical Center, Amity Outpost))

 

Nathan had left Ikaia’s exam room feeling a little overwhelmed. He had felt fine up until he had talked with Wong. He didn’t realize how much he had pent up after the last mission. He soon found himself standing in the Counselling Center, trying to remember where Carter’s office was. He wandered through the hall, looking at each door plaque until he finally came across the one, he was looking for. He stepped forward and pressed the chime to announce his presence.

 

Carter: COME!!!

 

Nathan stepped through the door. Seeing the familiar office, as well as John’s ever welcoming expression, made him feel somewhat at ease.

 

Richards: Hey, Doc. Sorry to just drop by. I know you said that your door is always open, but…

 

Carter: It always is. Always will be. :: smiling:: Have a seat…want something to drink?

 

Nathan half smiled as he sat down on the plush couch, the memory of his first meeting with Carter coming back to him. The first time he had opened up to a professional in quite some time.

 

Richards: Um…coffee. Coffee would be nice.

 

Carter nodded, and stood to retrieve the beverage, bringing back the coffee in a big, white mug. He handed it to Nathan before speaking again.

 

Carter: How are you doing?

 

Richards: I don’t…honestly know how to answer that question, Commander.

 

Carter: It was a difficult mission, one which presented itself out of nowhere. We’re all adjusting still, I think…

 

Nathan leaned back with is cup of coffee, staring down at the steam that rose up from the dark liquid.

 

Richards: We all experienced something inside that gravity well. This might not make sense, but I feel like…at times…part of me is still back there. Like something is missing.

 

Nathan took a drink of his coffee before holding his prosthetic up.

 

Richards: I mean, something other than the obvious.

 

Carter: It was, unique. Time was not our friend in there, and because of that, it affected us all differently. Some more than others…

 

Richards: I feel different. I feel like…It took something from me. Mentally. Emotionally. I’m not sure. I just feel…off.

 

Carter: You’ve been through a lot, Nathan, and experienced a great deal of trauma. It makes sense that you don’t quite feel up to snuff yet. Not a great deal of time has passed so the after effects are still lingering physically and mentally. But tell me what are you feeling, along with being out of sorts.

 

Nathan took another drink form his coffee, thinking. He felt he should probably share what he had told Ikaia only moments ago. But he wasn’t sure how to put it.

 

Richards: I feel alone. Even with everyone around, the crew, the civilians…I feel like I’m in my own little gravity well, just coasting through the days. I’ve been given assignments, and even found my own ways of distraction, but they are only temporary.

 

Carter: Has there been anything you have enjoyed doing the past few days?

 

Richards: Doing the work in the SRC with Kivik was a blast. It gave me some one-on-one time with a crewmember that I hadn’t met before. I feel like we came out of that as friends. I have my shuttle project down in The Cellar that I have been slowly making progress on, but when I go back to my quarters, its just me.

 

Carter: Tell me about your work in the SRC and your shuttle project. They both sound interesting.

 

Nathan leaned forward, setting his coffee on the table that sat next to him.

 

Richards: I got assigned to go down to the Basement and help Lieutenant Kivik with some issues that they have been having in the Research Center after the upgrades. We swapped out a couple biofilters… oOBorg Nanoprobes asideOo …and took care of some power distribution issues in the Jefferies tubes. All pretty regular stuff, but it was nice to be back at it…in a sense. Not long after we got back, I went…exploring would be the best word for it. ::smiling:: And found myself in the sub-basement, or Cellar as I like to call it. There are two shuttle bays hidden away down there and I happened to find an old shuttle tucked away inside one of them. I’ve been using some spare parts that were just…kind of there and it’s coming together. Slowly.

 

Carter: That shuttle…how long before you think it will be spaceworthy?

 

Richards: Once I have all of the systems installed, and I can get some help with programming everything, it should be ready to go in about a week or so. Rivi said I shouldn’t let it get in the way of my current duties aboard the station, so I’m giving it a generous deadline.

 

Carter: Good. I want you working on that shuttle full time until she flies again.

 

Nathan raised his eyebrow. Was he being given ‘Doctors Orders’ to make the shuttle his priority?

 

Richards: ::smiling:: There will be a few things that I will need to bring someone else in for…

 

Carter: Recruit Kivik or any others you want to assist you. Hell, I might even be tempted to turn a wrench or two…

 

Nathan Chuckled. Maybe he could have it flying sooner than he thought.

 

Richards: The only hang up is that I still have duties to perform along side my therapy and rehab…

 

Carter: I want you to concentrate on making that bird fly, Ensign…

 

Richards: ::smiling:: Doctor’s orders?

 

Carter: Response

 

Richards: ::jokingly:: Can I get it in writing so I can show anyone who tries to tell me otherwise?

 

Carter: Response

 

Nathan took another drink of his coffee before leaning back again. After everything that happened on the last mission, things were looking up.

 

Richards: Well, Sir, I will gladly hand you a wrench if you find yourself down in the shuttle bay looking for something to do.

 

Carter: Response

 

TAG/TBC!    

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~            

Ensign Nathan Richards            

Engineering Officer            

Amity Outpost            

A239905NR1            

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~     

 

 

 

Sent from Mail for Windows

 

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