Ensign Meris - The Fen Worm in the Room
Meris/Brian
(( Primary Sickbay, Deck 7 – USS Artemis-A ))
Meris remained engrossed in the data PADD that Lieutenant Tamio K'Wara had given them. They felt it was vitally important to do well on this - it was the first assignment they had ever received from their immediate senior officer, Lieutenant Vailani. Everything had to be perfect, and they had already spent their entire morning shift on the bridge writing and rewriting their thoughts on the post-maintenance testing proposed for the Artemis by the engineers aboard Deep Space 224.
They had managed to make their way to sickbay, still buried in their revisions, and now waited - leaning against one wall - for someone to notice them. Whether it took a few minutes or a few hours was of little concern, so long as Meris was allowed to continue with the task literally in their hands.
Bancroft: ::clearing his throat:: Can I... help you, Ensign? I’m Dr. Bancroft.
Meris glanced up briefly. The man was human, male, and quite tall - easily five foot ten. His blonde hair and blue eyes might have made him rather attractive if not for the unfortunate mustache perched on his upper lip. To Meris, it resembled the larval stage of the Burrowing Fen Worm from the J'naii homeworld - a creature that, in their opinion, was better left unseen.
Meris: ::absently, eyes on PADD:: I received a reminder to report for my onboarding physical. I am here to comply with that request.
To his credit, Doctor Bancroft did not seem to react negatively to the J’naii’s apparent aloofness.
Bancroft: ::professional smile:: Ah, yes, our most popular package. The onboarding physical. ::over his shoulder to Jorgenson:: Jorgenson, what’ll this be for today? Number six? Seven?
Meris: This is merely a formality, yes? I am confident my physical condition is within operational parameters. Although... ::pauses to make a note:: my sleeping schedule may have shifted marginally since arriving aboard.
Roy gestured toward a nearby biobed, but the motion was completely lost on the J’naii, whose eyes remained glued to the data PADD. Instead, Roy guided them over, and Meris complied, stepping toward the biobed as they tapped away on the device. Standing beside it, they finally looked up, then climbed aboard. Seated on the edge of the biobed, they resumed their tapping.
Bancroft: That depends entirely on your definition of formality. May I have your name, Ensign?
As he spoke, Roy tapped the console to bring the overhead sensors online. The biobed chirped obligingly, its display flickering with an intense blue light.
Meris caught the glare from the overhead light in the screen of the data PADD and blinked, tilting their head left and right trying to avoid it. Seeing there was no escape, they set the device down beside them with a slight huff, then focused their attention on the Doctor.
Meris: ::tilting their head:: Does not everyone define formality the same way? A prescribed or conventional requirement for conduct, frequently serving little purpose beyond adherence to custom. ::pause:: I am Ensign Meris, Helmsperson.
Something about their reply seemed to amuse the Doctor, as the corner of his mouth twitched in what was almost a smile. The Burrowing Fen Worm wriggled.
oO Disgusting. Oo
Meris narrowed their eyes slightly, wondering why the Doctor found their rank, name, and title amusing.
Bancroft: ::pulling up Meris’ medical record:: What an interesting way to see the world. Do you usually greet new doctors by loitering in powered doorways until they develop a complex, or is that just a today kind of thing?
Sarcasm might have been lost on the J'naii as they took the Doctor's inquiry as a serious one.
Meris: As this is only my second day aboard the Artemis, I do not believe that anything I do from one moment to the next could be characterized as 'usual'. At least not yet.
Bancroft: Response.
As the Doctor asked about what they had been working on, Meris glanced at the PADD lying face up on the biobed. They immediately turned it face down.
Meris: It is... an assignment for Lieutenant Vailani. The Deep Space 224 engineers have requested that the Artemis perform a series of tests to ensure their maintenance activities are completed satisfactorily and that the Artemis suffers no lasting consequences from its prior mission. The list is extensive, and I have been asked to review their requests and triage them by priority so we can complete as many as possible in the least amount of time.
Bancroft: Response.
(( TAG/TBC ))
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Ensign Meris
Helm Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240207M14