Ens Hiro Jones - It's More of a Pep-Talk Than a Soapbox

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notyourfrog

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Jan 10, 2023, 11:54:02 AM1/10/23
to USS Excalibur-A – StarBase 118 Star Trek PBEM RPG

((Counseling Suite, USS Excalibur-A))

Hiro terminated the comm link with Lt Daniels and turned back to the group just as the ship condition lights bathed the room in amber light.

Jovenan: That’s the yellow alert. Did they find the Daisy already?

Seta: They might have. If so, they will inform us. ::beat:: Probably.

Jones: So we're waiting for information from Daniels and whatever we need to know about this alert. I wish there was more we could do.

Jovenan: Uhh… Should we be heading to the bridge, or something?

Seta: If I remember correctly, Ensign Jones is acting Chief Medical Officer while Doctor Adea fills for Commander MacKenzie. With Yellow Alert protocols, him leaving sickbay at this time isn’t a great idea.

Hiro's imagination kicked in. Sickbay was filled to capacity with wounded. the condition lighting was creating a slow red strobe effect. Even in his mind's eye though, the klaxon had been silenced. Sweat poured from his brow as he dashed from bed to bed, triaging injuries and barking orders. The thought make his hands go clammy, and he hoped against hope the scene would remain in the realm of fantasy. Not only did he not wish injury to his crewmates, he didn't relish the thought of faces turning to him looking for direction.

Seta: Well, as Ensign Jones had his time to shine… ::she paused:: Ensign Jovenan, I'd like you to hail the bridge. Communicate our findings and see where we can be useful.

Jovenan: Response

The penny dropped. Ensign Hiro Jones realized at last the breach in protocol he'd made while caught up in the moment. Once the three of them had something to act on, Hiro hadn't been thinking like an Ensign. His inclination to act had slipped him back to where he was almost seven years ago - a Lieutenant Commander. If that were still his rank, his actions would have been perfectly inline, but as an Ensign, he should have deferred to Lieutenant Seta - or at least waited for her command. That was how things worked on a Federation vessel. It was how order was preserved.

Jones: ::to Seta:: Lieutenant, I apologize for going around you. That was out of line. I got caught up in the moment and usurped your authority. It won't happen again.

Seta: You may say that I asked you to do so. You did good work, and putting yourself on the radar isn’t a bad thing.

Jovenan: Response

Jones: Thank you, sir. If I may? Duty stations and all that.

Seta: Response?

He gave a somewhat self-deprecatory smile. At Lt Seta's assent, he left to take his station.

((Sickbay, USS Excalibur-A))

The yellow alert lights were pulsing in sickbay as he entered. The members of the medical staff on duty were there already. The turned to Hiro as he came fully into the room.

Nurse: Doctor, what's going on? Are we in danger?

Jones: oO Hoo boy. Here we go. Just do your best to be your best, Hiro. Oo To my knowledge, no, there's no danger at the moment. I'm waiting on more information. for now, let's just take the time to get our heads in the right space. Hopefully the yellow alert will be downgraded and we can all go back to what we were doing before, but we need to be ready for action.

Nurse: Meaning incoming injured.

He knew the nurse was just processing verbally, but the comment's effect on those listening in was enough to spark something in Hiro.

Jones: I don't know most of you. Those of you I have met, I don't know well, but I know the uniform you wear. I know the standards by which your work is measured. You serve aboard the Excalibur - quite possibly the best damn ship in the fleet. So many of the top brass on this ship have medical backgrounds, none of you would be here if you hadn't proven your training, talents, and professionalism time and time again. I have every confidence in you.

He took a breath before tackling the other side of the coin

Jones: You don't know me. I haven't been here long enough for you to have much by which to judge my character, but I can assure you the same standards of excellence apply to my training. They've put me in charge, which (I'll be honest with you) is not my favorite place to be. I can promise you this though: for as long as I'm on this ship you can rely on me. I will give every last drop of energy to make sure you have what you need to work together as a team to serve this ship and her crew. I  hope we have an extremely boring time in here, as that will mean our current mission goes without a hitch, but regardless of how crazy things get, I will not let you down. Let's get ready.

There was no applause or resounding battlecries in response to his impromptu speech. If he was being honest, Hiro may have hid in a corner if there had been. The stoic silence was all the validation Hiro needed. The staff assented in their own ways - a nod here or there, some silently but resolutely turning to various displays, and got down to business. They were all waiting to see which direction the alert would go. Hiro shot a glance toward the CMO's office, then pulled out the chair from his usual duty station and sat down, replaying the footage from Molly Malone's on a loop.



TAG/TBC (End for Hiro in this scene?)



Ensign Hiro Jones, MD
USS Excalibur-A, Medical
E239510KD0
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one." - Marcus Aurelius

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