Judgement – Kaelin and Morphine
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
ON:
Chelsea was back in her office, catching up with the never-ending padds and records. They were essential but it was always a chore as much because of the sheer volume of it.
She was just thinking about stopping for a break and a drink when the door chime went.
~Whoever this is must be psychic... Or Betazoid.....~ she thought, getting up.
"Come in" she called.
The door swishing open in front of him, Kaelin poked his head in before walking inside the CMO's office. He gave her a smile and then his eyes fell on the stack of padds. "Is this a bad time?" he asked.
"Noooooooo!" she rolled her eyes. "Not at ALL! Any excuse to take a break! You're a welcome sight, Kaelin. Do come in."
Chelsea went towards the replicator. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked.
" Hot green tea with a teaspoon of honey, please," he said, then looked over at the stack of padds again. "Is there a system at work here?" he asked, though doubted it, with the way the padds were just sitting anywhere they could be placed.
Chelsea frowned. "Of course there is. A Sickbay without a system.... without *several* integral and highly efficient systems is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. If we don't have up to date records we are at sea. What if there were to be an emergency..... oh, wait... don't die yet.. i can't find your notes??" She was under the impression that Kaelin had gotten the idea that just because Chelsea liked to work with a lightness of manner, that must mean she worked with a lightness of responsibility too.
This couldn't have been further from the truth. The CMO ran one of the tightest ships in any Federation facility. Her results and statistics demonstrated almost inhumanly high success and efficiency rates. Chelsea put this extra percentage down to the fact that, being halcyon at work whenever possible, seemed to draw out the loyalty and team-feeling that gave the 110% results.
Kaelin blinked. "Um...I meant 'is there a system you use to go through your reports faster'. I didn't mean to imply you didn't look through them at all," he clarified, shrinking a bit under her gaze.
"They are prioritorised according to 4 categories. The ones with red corner dots...." she held one up to show him and there was indeed a circle in the top left-hand corner of the screen. "They're group one. They go first and are new cases" she explained.
"Those with blue circles are also new cases, but priority two; those with green are urgent but they're follow ups and the yellow are follow ups that are P2. Anything with purple are just routine, perhaps simple admin, forms for signature, that sort of thing." she smiled at him.
Kaelin nodded. "That is very effective," he admitted. "I don't have much paperwork so most of what I get during the day is done during that shift," he explained.
"That too is very efficient" Chelsea agreed, nodding gently. She sipped her tea and regarded him with a steady gaze.
Kaelin blinked, starting to feel a little self-conscious under her gaze. He cleared his throat, looking around the office. Although he got plenty of stares just for being what he was, a slightly unusual sight off of Delta, he never quite got used to it.
Sensing that Kaelin seemed uncomfortable, Chelsea changed the subject. "How are you finding it here on DS5? Is it all very much as your last posting? Or is it very different?" she asked, genuinely interested.
"It was different in that it took place on a planet. Betazed gave a lot more freedom than a base can, places to go, nature to enjoy, things like that. I enjoyed my residency there," Kaelin explained with a nod. Standing there a moment, he spoke up. "I'm sorry, may I sit down?" he finally asked.
"Of course, I'm sorry, i should have offered sooner. is your drink okay, if it's gone cold I'll get you another....?" she offered belatedly, sorry to have been so neglectful.
"No it's fine, thank you," he said, sitting down and sipping the tea, which was luke warm. "I don't like drinks to be too hot," Kaelin explained. "So, what's your specialty, Doctor?" he asked out of curiosity. "I know as CMO you have to have knowledge in all fields, but do you have an initial specialty which you took?"
"Yes, I specialised in Genetics" Chelsea replied, modestly failing to mention her award in the subject. "I've always found that sort of thing interesting so it was virtually an extension of my hobby, as it were."
"Kaelin nodded. "That's always a good thing. I've always found working with people to be enjoyable and for my first residency I was in Paediatrics. Then I switched to Pathology. It seemed like a calmer place. Less emotion involved," he admitted.
"Well I see what you mean." Chelsea replied thoughtfully. "I always enjoyed working with children although i only covered the basics."
"I enjoyed my work with children, but it's emotional work," Kaelin explained. "Any failure really weighs heavily on you."
"That's very true. There's so little room for error but then there is with any age. One has lives and *quality of lives* in one's hands all the time. It's a weighty job.... but a worthwhile one. The triumphs and the grateful patients outweigh the long hours and the stress. Well, in my opinion, but then i suppose that's what makes a doctor who sticks at it as opposed to one who has to give it up." she said thoughtfully.
"I had to give it up," Kaelin said with a small shrug, looking down at his tea. "There was an epidemic. Eight of my patients died. There was nothing I could've done, but I couldn't handle it, so I switched to Pathology," he revealed.
"It means you care too much which in itself is no fault. It's important to care but if it gets to you then you suffer too much to be able to continue. That means you're cut from a different cloth but not necessarily a lesser one." Chelsea reassured him.
Kaelin smiled, feeling better at her words. He took a sip of tea. "Let's talk about something else. I hear you're getting married? That must be exciting!" he said, then wondered if it may have been too forward to bring the subject up.
"Oh... " Chelsea rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure if exciting covers it.... i mean... it was... but now we're getting bogged down with all the stressy things it's becoming more and more tempting to just elope!"
"What's there to stress over?" Kaelin asked, confused. "It's supposed to be one of happiest days of your life. Both your and your spouse's. You're supposed to enjoy that and the fact that you're getting bonded. Everything else is not as important. I mean, your friends and family should just be happy to be there instead of judging everything. And if they do judge, who cares? You're getting married."
"It's not so much that anyone is judging, it's just wanting everyone to have a good day too. I'm not so selfish that I want to have everything to centre around me or us and that become something that has everyone waiting around hungry or in the cold or with fractious kids who are being asked too much of for too long. It's not fair on any of the very young or the elderly and I should care enough about them as well as... if not more than... my own self. A wedding should be joyous for all, not a day of discomfort to look back on with a 'yeah but...' feeling." Chelsea tried to explain.
"I know that. I understand. But you should just try your best to please people, but with the thoughts in mind that there will always be people who'll complain about something. It's why a small wedding is best. At least, that's my opinion," Kaelin explained back. "Besides there's no rush to get married. But I suppose I feel that way because Deltans live for a few centuries. We never rush into things," he smiled.
Chelsea laughed at that. "Well, if I had a few centuries to live I'd still want to spend them all with Rick, so I do know that's at least *one* think I have right!" she smiled, her face softened by the love in the thought of her fiancé.
Feeling her emotions, Kaelin's face softened in return as he smiled at her. "That's so sweet," he said. "And in the end, that's the most important part. Everything else is secondary. And the wedding, while important now, is just a celebration. It's only after it that your lives will really start together. Maybe it's just me, but when I get married, I don't think the ceremony will matter as much to me as the actual future with my spouse."
"That's very wise" Chelsea nodded. "I hope you'll find that special someone soon."
Kaelin smiled, then, unable to really keep his mouth shut about anything, spoke again. "Well, I think I already did. It might sound crazy, since I met Ai'lani only a few days ago, but when I did, I just felt a kind of...click, inside me and I had to get closer. We talked for a while, and I swear we would've talked forever if I didn't have work to do," Kaelin laughed. "We're going out tonight, but tomorrow that Romulan ship is going on a mission and the CO wanted a reporter on board so Ai'lani is going with her.
"Will.... Ai'lani....." Chelsea spoke the name carefully so she got the pronunciation right, or hoped she had. "... be gone long? I'm not familiar with *that* Romulan ship?" she asked, trying to think what he could mean, running through what Isha had said and finding nothing that matched up.
"Is it an open ended mission? I'm not accustomed to Romulans being anything but closed about their business so it sounds odd that they want a reporter? Not that I'm cautious about your friend's reasons to go, but rather the oddity of Romulans inviting anyone to observe much less to report..... " It *was* a good point. It was completely out of character for Romulans as Chelsea had experienced them.
Kaelin shrugged lightly. "I don't know. But Ai'lani isn't the only journalist who's going. Thomas Whitlock is going too. He works for FNS. I think the CO of the ship used to be with Starfleet. I think her names is...Monteros, or something like that..." he said unsurely. "I am worried though. I don't really know what the mission is, and it's not my place to ask, but I am worried about what might happen," he admitted, sipping his tea. Even though he hadn't known Ai'lani very long, he would hate for something to happen to him.
Chelsea frowned. She didn't know anything about this mission or why it would need journalists to go along. That all seemed very odd. "I share your concern" she said simply, looking thoughtful.
"Well, hopefully I'll have nothing to worry about. And I'll ask Ai'lani more about it tonight. Luckily, the man talks almost as much as me," Kaelin laughed.
Chelsea grinned. "Well, that's a good thing, right?" she joked, knowing she could talk as much as the next person.
OFF
A JP Between:
Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO & 2CO - DS5
and
Ens Kaelin
Medical officer
Pathology Resident
by (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Chelsea Dunham
Post Details
| Title | Kaelin and Morphine | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek & Commander Chelsea Dunham | |
| Posted | Mon Dec 13, 2010 @ 10:33pm | |
| Location | Infirmary | |
| Timeline | SD35 - 15:45 hrs |
Chelsea was back in her office, catching up with the never-ending padds and records. They were essential but it was always a chore as much because of the sheer volume of it.
She was just thinking about stopping for a break and a drink when the door chime went.
~Whoever this is must be psychic... Or Betazoid.....~ she thought, getting up.
"Come in" she called.
The door swishing open in front of him, Kaelin poked his head in before walking inside the CMO's office. He gave her a smile and then his eyes fell on the stack of padds. "Is this a bad time?" he asked.
"Noooooooo!" she rolled her eyes. "Not at ALL! Any excuse to take a break! You're a welcome sight, Kaelin. Do come in."
Chelsea went towards the replicator. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked.
" Hot green tea with a teaspoon of honey, please," he said, then looked over at the stack of padds again. "Is there a system at work here?" he asked, though doubted it, with the way the padds were just sitting anywhere they could be placed.
Chelsea frowned. "Of course there is. A Sickbay without a system.... without *several* integral and highly efficient systems is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. If we don't have up to date records we are at sea. What if there were to be an emergency..... oh, wait... don't die yet.. i can't find your notes??" She was under the impression that Kaelin had gotten the idea that just because Chelsea liked to work with a lightness of manner, that must mean she worked with a lightness of responsibility too.
This couldn't have been further from the truth. The CMO ran one of the tightest ships in any Federation facility. Her results and statistics demonstrated almost inhumanly high success and efficiency rates. Chelsea put this extra percentage down to the fact that, being halcyon at work whenever possible, seemed to draw out the loyalty and team-feeling that gave the 110% results.
Kaelin blinked. "Um...I meant 'is there a system you use to go through your reports faster'. I didn't mean to imply you didn't look through them at all," he clarified, shrinking a bit under her gaze.
"They are prioritorised according to 4 categories. The ones with red corner dots...." she held one up to show him and there was indeed a circle in the top left-hand corner of the screen. "They're group one. They go first and are new cases" she explained.
"Those with blue circles are also new cases, but priority two; those with green are urgent but they're follow ups and the yellow are follow ups that are P2. Anything with purple are just routine, perhaps simple admin, forms for signature, that sort of thing." she smiled at him.
Kaelin nodded. "That is very effective," he admitted. "I don't have much paperwork so most of what I get during the day is done during that shift," he explained.
"That too is very efficient" Chelsea agreed, nodding gently. She sipped her tea and regarded him with a steady gaze.
Kaelin blinked, starting to feel a little self-conscious under her gaze. He cleared his throat, looking around the office. Although he got plenty of stares just for being what he was, a slightly unusual sight off of Delta, he never quite got used to it.
Sensing that Kaelin seemed uncomfortable, Chelsea changed the subject. "How are you finding it here on DS5? Is it all very much as your last posting? Or is it very different?" she asked, genuinely interested.
"It was different in that it took place on a planet. Betazed gave a lot more freedom than a base can, places to go, nature to enjoy, things like that. I enjoyed my residency there," Kaelin explained with a nod. Standing there a moment, he spoke up. "I'm sorry, may I sit down?" he finally asked.
"Of course, I'm sorry, i should have offered sooner. is your drink okay, if it's gone cold I'll get you another....?" she offered belatedly, sorry to have been so neglectful.
"No it's fine, thank you," he said, sitting down and sipping the tea, which was luke warm. "I don't like drinks to be too hot," Kaelin explained. "So, what's your specialty, Doctor?" he asked out of curiosity. "I know as CMO you have to have knowledge in all fields, but do you have an initial specialty which you took?"
"Yes, I specialised in Genetics" Chelsea replied, modestly failing to mention her award in the subject. "I've always found that sort of thing interesting so it was virtually an extension of my hobby, as it were."
"Kaelin nodded. "That's always a good thing. I've always found working with people to be enjoyable and for my first residency I was in Paediatrics. Then I switched to Pathology. It seemed like a calmer place. Less emotion involved," he admitted.
"Well I see what you mean." Chelsea replied thoughtfully. "I always enjoyed working with children although i only covered the basics."
"I enjoyed my work with children, but it's emotional work," Kaelin explained. "Any failure really weighs heavily on you."
"That's very true. There's so little room for error but then there is with any age. One has lives and *quality of lives* in one's hands all the time. It's a weighty job.... but a worthwhile one. The triumphs and the grateful patients outweigh the long hours and the stress. Well, in my opinion, but then i suppose that's what makes a doctor who sticks at it as opposed to one who has to give it up." she said thoughtfully.
"I had to give it up," Kaelin said with a small shrug, looking down at his tea. "There was an epidemic. Eight of my patients died. There was nothing I could've done, but I couldn't handle it, so I switched to Pathology," he revealed.
"It means you care too much which in itself is no fault. It's important to care but if it gets to you then you suffer too much to be able to continue. That means you're cut from a different cloth but not necessarily a lesser one." Chelsea reassured him.
Kaelin smiled, feeling better at her words. He took a sip of tea. "Let's talk about something else. I hear you're getting married? That must be exciting!" he said, then wondered if it may have been too forward to bring the subject up.
"Oh... " Chelsea rolled her eyes. "I'm not sure if exciting covers it.... i mean... it was... but now we're getting bogged down with all the stressy things it's becoming more and more tempting to just elope!"
"What's there to stress over?" Kaelin asked, confused. "It's supposed to be one of happiest days of your life. Both your and your spouse's. You're supposed to enjoy that and the fact that you're getting bonded. Everything else is not as important. I mean, your friends and family should just be happy to be there instead of judging everything. And if they do judge, who cares? You're getting married."
"It's not so much that anyone is judging, it's just wanting everyone to have a good day too. I'm not so selfish that I want to have everything to centre around me or us and that become something that has everyone waiting around hungry or in the cold or with fractious kids who are being asked too much of for too long. It's not fair on any of the very young or the elderly and I should care enough about them as well as... if not more than... my own self. A wedding should be joyous for all, not a day of discomfort to look back on with a 'yeah but...' feeling." Chelsea tried to explain.
"I know that. I understand. But you should just try your best to please people, but with the thoughts in mind that there will always be people who'll complain about something. It's why a small wedding is best. At least, that's my opinion," Kaelin explained back. "Besides there's no rush to get married. But I suppose I feel that way because Deltans live for a few centuries. We never rush into things," he smiled.
Chelsea laughed at that. "Well, if I had a few centuries to live I'd still want to spend them all with Rick, so I do know that's at least *one* think I have right!" she smiled, her face softened by the love in the thought of her fiancé.
Feeling her emotions, Kaelin's face softened in return as he smiled at her. "That's so sweet," he said. "And in the end, that's the most important part. Everything else is secondary. And the wedding, while important now, is just a celebration. It's only after it that your lives will really start together. Maybe it's just me, but when I get married, I don't think the ceremony will matter as much to me as the actual future with my spouse."
"That's very wise" Chelsea nodded. "I hope you'll find that special someone soon."
Kaelin smiled, then, unable to really keep his mouth shut about anything, spoke again. "Well, I think I already did. It might sound crazy, since I met Ai'lani only a few days ago, but when I did, I just felt a kind of...click, inside me and I had to get closer. We talked for a while, and I swear we would've talked forever if I didn't have work to do," Kaelin laughed. "We're going out tonight, but tomorrow that Romulan ship is going on a mission and the CO wanted a reporter on board so Ai'lani is going with her.
"Will.... Ai'lani....." Chelsea spoke the name carefully so she got the pronunciation right, or hoped she had. "... be gone long? I'm not familiar with *that* Romulan ship?" she asked, trying to think what he could mean, running through what Isha had said and finding nothing that matched up.
"Is it an open ended mission? I'm not accustomed to Romulans being anything but closed about their business so it sounds odd that they want a reporter? Not that I'm cautious about your friend's reasons to go, but rather the oddity of Romulans inviting anyone to observe much less to report..... " It *was* a good point. It was completely out of character for Romulans as Chelsea had experienced them.
Kaelin shrugged lightly. "I don't know. But Ai'lani isn't the only journalist who's going. Thomas Whitlock is going too. He works for FNS. I think the CO of the ship used to be with Starfleet. I think her names is...Monteros, or something like that..." he said unsurely. "I am worried though. I don't really know what the mission is, and it's not my place to ask, but I am worried about what might happen," he admitted, sipping his tea. Even though he hadn't known Ai'lani very long, he would hate for something to happen to him.
Chelsea frowned. She didn't know anything about this mission or why it would need journalists to go along. That all seemed very odd. "I share your concern" she said simply, looking thoughtful.
"Well, hopefully I'll have nothing to worry about. And I'll ask Ai'lani more about it tonight. Luckily, the man talks almost as much as me," Kaelin laughed.
Chelsea grinned. "Well, that's a good thing, right?" she joked, knowing she could talk as much as the next person.
OFF
A JP Between:
Cmdr Chelsea Adams
CMO & 2CO - DS5
and
Ens Kaelin
Medical officer
Pathology Resident