LTJG Josh Herrick: Suspicions
Mark P
((Sickbay, Deck 5, USS Octavia E Butler))
As he materialized in Sickbay, Josh’s gaze was filled with the less-than-inspiring grey plating. He wondered why the medical staff didn’t think to put up posters or displays. But now that he was on the Butler, he guessed most would just default to using a personal holo-display instead.
A voice he was only somewhat familiar with pierced his silent observations on the ship’s architecture.
Toz: What happened? .
As he turned his head, he saw a Klingon with softer ridges wearing medical blues approaching him quickly. He sniffed the acrid air.
Herrick: Did my uniform get singed?
Toz: Of course. You’re a burned mess, Jay Gee.
A faint amused smile flashed over his face at the last addition, but it lasted only a moment as he realized he was likely in worse shape than he felt.
Herrick: Burns all over?! (beat) Why don’t I feel anything?
Toz: The transporter has a way about it. Now. What happened?
‘Has a way to it?’ Josh thought to himself silently. He learned recently that he should avoid these types of comments aloud after a frustrated petty officer walked away from him mid sentence. Maybe he was in shock?
Herrick: I can’t exactly recall… I was in a Jefferies tube, and then I wasn’t. (beat) Helpful I know.
Toz: Computer, 3 ccs of kelotane. Lieutenant, you’ll be fine in no time. I’m keeping you here for the next 12 hours so relax and maybe get some sleep.
He glanced up and down, an unimpressed look on his face at the thought of a half-day wasted and not chasing down…
Herrick: Something about the main computer core…
The doctor let out a slight sigh and the engineer remembered that he hadn’t actually answered the doctor’s question to a meaningful degree.
Herrick: I must have gotten injured while trying to do some maintenance. (beat) And then the ship auto-transported me here.
It was like mini-memory fragments were slotting into place with considerable effort on Josh’s part being exerted. He saw the doctor glance to a PADD and then back to him.
Toz: Nothing in your medical record, Josh. So this is an unusual occurrence, I take it?
Herrick: How ‘unusual’ does it have to get for an engineer to call it unusual.
He offered a small smile at the end, and Toz returned it back.
Herrick: I’m not sure what happened exactly. ::squinting his eyes as he tried to remember:: By the way, my skin isn't going to come off with the uniform... is it?
Toz: Response
Herrick: Yes, right, I was on Deck 15… I think. I’d just opened my tools and then… wham an explosion. What’s strange is that I had barely lifted the conduit plating off…
His face scrunched up as he struggled to remember more.
Herrick: There was some slowness on the ODN lines, and everyone else has been so busy with shore leave that I decided to investigate myself.
Toz: Response
Herrick: Either an accident or…
He trailed off, he didn’t want to consider that there was a bad actor aboard. Particularly after the mission pod on the Oumuamua had blown apart. Now was not the time to get paranoid, particularly with what had just transpired in the Sol system.
Toz: Response
Tags/TBC
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Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick
Acting Chief Engineer
USS Octavia E. Butler
O240005JH3
he/him/his (player/character)