Lt Cmdr Quentin Beck - Once a Chief
Quentin Beck
((Sickbay, Deck 10, USS Ronin))
Quentin was maybe being a little hard on the new arrival, but then he wasn't used to dealing with so many new faces at once. While he was at least familiar with the Klingon counselor by now, the other two were completely unknown to him, and he'd had no warning they would be arriving, so he didn't have time to look at their records. The Lieutenant was being a little presumptuous, though, at least in his mind, and he felt the need for some clarification before anything else.
Beck: ::to Shortrith:: Let's make sure we're ready to go for anyone else that might wander in here today. Can you take a closer look at Mister Ryen here for us? ::to Taj'el:: Research opportunities are important, but I would appreciate you pump the brakes for a second until I can better understand just what it is you are researching.
Taj'el: A pleasure, Ensign. ::Pause:: I understand, Commander. Forgive my haste, I will not initiate any action without authorization.
That was, more or less, the response he expected from a Vulcan. He was a little surprised to find, though, that after a moment's consideration, he could actually empathize with Taj'el's point of view. It wasn't so long ago that he'd been a hot-shot young Medical officer, stomping through someone else's Sickbay trying to find them because he'd felt like they'd stolen one of his patients without bothering to consult him. And he'd almost certainly worn out his welcome at the Infrimary on DS9, not bothering to ask if he could join, just showing up for shifts.
oO What was it Grace Hopper said? 'It's better to seek forgiveness than permission'? Oo
Shortrith: Yeah, I'll have a closer look. ::To Ryen:: Mind taking a seat on the biobed?
Quentin allowed himself to watch how Shortrith handled the new patient, a good chance to see what their bedside manner was like. He sidled up next to Taj'el in the meantime, hands folded behind his back; he intended to take a look at what they were working on, as he was feeling a little guilty about barking so loud. He could see they were glancing his direction occasionally and decided to let them sweat.
Briefly.
Ryen: Of course.
The new Security officer hopped up onto the bed and visibly relaxed. That was a good sign. Quentin wanted Sickbay to be a place where people could feel safe and at ease, whether or not they were receiving any kind of treatment. The new arrival seemed confused, though.
Taj'el: What prompted that response? ::They inquired aloud, their tone measured and precise::
Quentin shot them a look, brow arching slightly, before the corner of his mouth twitched upward into the slightest of smiles. He cleared his throat.
Beck: Stress relief, maybe. We involuntarily carry a lot of it around, so sometimes it's nice to just… let it go.
Shortrith: Have you had any previous medical difficulties?
Ryen: Nothing major, Doctor. Standard childhood illnesses, a few training injuries at the Academy. Nothing that required extended care. I've always healed quickly.
Ryen paused for a moment before continuing.
Ryen: Though I imagine Starfleet service may test that record.
Taj'el: It may be attributable to my Vulcan heritage.
Beck: ::to Ryen:: You ain't just whistlin' Dixie, bud. I can guarantee, with utmost certainty, this will not be your last time in Sickbay when serving on a Starfleet vessel. ::a beat:: It's worth it, though. ::to Taj'el:: There are a lot of things that can be attributable to that - not the least of which is healing quickly. Frankly, that makes my job easier.
Shortrith: Mind if I run some diagnostic scans?
Shortrith glanced his direction and Quentin nodded his permission. They didn't really need it when it came to diagnosing a patient, but he appreciated the thought, in any case.
Ryen: Not at all.
Deciding he didn't care to watch the examination itself, Quentin turned instead to face the monitor where Taj'el had started doing their research.
Beck: Okay, Lieutenant. Tell me exactly what it is you're working on here so I can feel better about letting you start it.
Shortrith: One moment, I'll get your results in a second.
Ryen: If you don't mind me asking. Those missions you mentioned earlier, what made them harrowing? Was it the environment, the enemy, or something else?
The human/Vulcan hybrid paused for a moment, allowing Quentin to gather this thoughts.
Ryen: I'd like to understand what this crew has already faced. It seems like there's a lot I can learn from all of you, both in the field and here.
The Security officer gestured to the rest of Sickbay before settling back onto the biobed.
Taj'el: I find myself similarly curious. The report I received was… imprecise at best.
Quentin let out a little chuckle.
Beck: You'll figure out very quickly that official reports very rarely capture the truth of what happened in its entirety. It's the stories and tall tales you've gotta pay attention to in order to understand how things work around here. ::thoughtful:: Best I can put it, it kinda feels like what humans used to call the Wild West out here. There are plenty of good people, doing good work, but there are dangers around every corner. And sometimes the rulebook goes out the window.
He raised his right hand, wiggling his fingers. It looked mostly like a normal human hand, except there were some obvious lines to indicate the bionic nature of the prosthetic.
Beck: Losing body parts is incredibly rare these days, but it does happen occasionally. That harrowing enough for ya?
Shortrith: Response
Their patient sat up a little straighter, obviously intrigued.
Ryen: That is good to know. I will need to ensure I am prepared for anything on upcoming missions. I am always open to advice.
Quentin let out a puff of air through his teeth.
Beck: Expect the unexpected.
The Vulcan medical officer beside him spoke up again, and his eyes shifted to study them.
Taj'el: I am not familiar with these Alpha Isles; however, I am aware that conditions vary. Not every mission is… as chaotic
Beck: ::nodding once firmly:: That's true. Just every other mission. I'm still reeling a bit from going back in time to the first day of the Bajoran occupation, if that gives any indication.
Shortrith: Response
Ryen: I appreciate you all helping to bring me up to speed, truly. It helps to know what I might be walking into.
Ryen chuckled nervously. Quentin sympathized.
Ryen: Even if it is a bit sobering.
Beck: Well, lucky for you, you arrived during shore leave. Plenty of drinking to do when you're off duty.
Shortrith: Response
Taj'el: Int… ::They stopped themselves, electing not to complete the thought::
His brow arched as he glanced over at Taj'el, the corner of his mouth twitching a little. He'd been around Vulcans enough by now to recognize when one of them was attempting to hold back when they were practically bursting at the seams. It was always so odd, since they didn't emote it the way a human would.
Ryen: Actually, I was wondering if any of you happen to have some free time later. Would anyone be willing to show me around the ship? I've only seen a small portion of the Ronin so far.
Ryen's stomach growled, and Quentin smirked.
Ryen: My apologies. It seems I may have missed a meal during the transfer process.
Taj'el: I am no less new than you are. I am therefore unable to provide a definitive answer.
Beck: I still have a mountain of paperwork to catch up on, but if you're willing to wait a little bit, I'd be happy to show you around later. One, or both, of you, really. It's been a while since I got to play host; it might be nice.
Shortrith: Response
Taj’el: Whatever you senior officers think is best.
Ryen stood and adjusted his uniform before looking between them.
Ryen: Thank you. All of you. Now, what do you recommend for lunch?
Beck: Oh, that's tough - we've got more than a few good spots to visit, so it depends on what you're looking for. With your being new, I would recommend either Brew Continuum down on Deck 14, or The 47 Lounge. Best coffee in the quadrant. Variety of food in the 47, since it spans three decks. After you're a little more settled, I'd suggest wandering to some of the other lounges, too.
Shortrith/Taj'el/Ryen: Response
((OOC: Because of Jace's last sim, I'm assuming he is leaving Sickbay at this point, so I am no longer including him in the list of tags. Dunno if our Klingon counselor wants to stick around, so I am including optional tags there while Beck is directly conversing with Taj'el))
As Ryen headed out, he glanced at Taj'el, feeling a little guilty, before turning to the monitor in front of them again.
Beck: I think maybe you and I got off on the wrong foot. You're here as a guest, right?
Quentin pulled a padd from a pocket of his blue coat and tapped the screen a few times.
Beck: Yeah, from the Thor? Commander DeVeau was one of the proctors for my final exam at the Academy, and I have had a little opportunity to correspond with Sevantha Saa about some research I've got going on in the background. They're good people. And I don't think they would waste their time with someone who wasn't worth it.
Shortrith/Taj'el: Response
He smiled, sliding his right hand into his pocket and tapping the edge of the padd against his thigh.
Beck: I'd like to hear more about your research. I've actually got a pretty stellar bespoke lab set up for my own.
Shortrith/Taj'el: Response
[Tags/TBC]
Lieutenant Commander Quentin Beck, MD, FASFS
Chief Medical Officer
USS Ronin NCC-34523
A238810SA0