Lt Alex Storm - Like a Worm on a Hook
Karen Morris
(( Primary Sickbay - Deck 7, USS Artemis-A ))
Instead of asking the Doctor to take the tricorder out of his pocket, she could have just as easily held out her hand for the errant tricorder like a teacher holding out a hand for a student’s cheatsheet during a test. He had been caught just as redhanded as the student.
Storm: Now, I want you to look at the species that it lists me as on your scans, which I assume you’ve been taking as you’ve led me around by the nose.
She was good. Too good. She hadn’t just detected the scan, but nailed the intent of his entire charade. Either she had a background in intelligence, or she was–
Storm: So what species of humanoid am I, Doctor?
–a natural born mindreader. Right.
His shoulders slumped in theatrical surrender.
Bancroft: ::groans, defeated:: Betazoid. ::muttering:: Naturally. ::a pause:: I mean… come on. That’s hardly fair, ma’am. It’s like playing poker with someone who is the deck.
She tilted her head back and forth as she thought.
Storm: But I can’t manipulate the deck, I can only read it. Sooooo. ::Alex looked at Bancroft out of the corner of her eye as she asked…:: Is this method of a physical taught at the Academy now? Medical Subterfuge 101 - The invisible physical complete with a playbook of how to activate individual scanners silently as you walk by, take blood pressure with the shake of a hand, and how to scan for the Denebian flu from shoe residue?
Bancroft: ::candidly:: It’s not part of the formal curriculum; I picked it up during clinical rotations back at the Medical Academy. Survival skill, really. There’s an inverse correlation between pip count and enthusiasm for physicals. I’ve found that this method often leaves everyone happier.
He paused, considering his next move carefully.
Storm: Maybe what you’ve noticed is the further up the chain of command one of two things happens. Either the person is much more sedentary than usual and therefore physical fitness goes down. Or the person is so much more busy than they were before, meaning they don’t want to take the time to go to sickbay for the physical. Where as, I am merely a mid-level tactical officer. I’m neither overly busy or at all sedentary. So how often do you perform physicals so your subject is unaware of what’s going on?
Bancroft: ::scratching behind his ear:: Well… I did say often, ma’am. You’ve clearly got a healthy appreciation for personal boundaries. And, if I may say so, an even healthier disdain for nonsense. You have my sincerest apology. ::holding up his hands, one still clutching the tricorder:: I promise – though I’m aware that ‘promise’ is functionally redundant here – that there wasn’t any ill intent.
Alex watched the ensign as he squirmed about as effectively as night crawler trying to avoid a very large fishhook. She dropped any pretense of being a superior officer. For that split second she was just one person speaking to another. She leaned in and spoke quietly.
Storm: Look, I’m not your boss, and I certainly won’t tell you how to do your job. You just might want to keep in mind the fact that I’m not the only Betazoid on board or that while some people might appreciate your methods, there are plenty that won’t. Just don’t pull it on me again.
Bancroft: Response.
Alex walked over to the nearest biobed.
Storm: There may be one or two things that I’m afraid of, but this ::She patted the biobed before turning around and slipping up onto it. The tactical officer sat there with her feet swinging just slightly. She raised her hands palm up to shoulder height and shrugged.::
Bancroft: Response.
Storm: What other scans do you need? Or rather, do I need, in order to complete the physical?
Bancroft: Response.
~*~
Tags / TBC
~*~
Lt Alex Storm
Tactical Officer
USS Artemis
O240103SK2