Corridor Encounter

Posted on 03 Jan 2014 @ 6:55pm by Lieutenant Commander Landon Milo MD & Lieutenant JG Ross Armani

1,700 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: New Voyages
Location: USS Black Hawk, Corridors
Timeline: December 26, 2387 || Unspecified

Having unintentionally bumped into the ship's Commanding Officer before boarding the USS Black Hawk, Landon ended up sharing a brief meal with Harvey Geisler. Though he appeared to be a lot more relaxed than the previous two Commanding Officers that Landon was used to, he was still nervous about how the Captain would take Julian. Landon had yet to ask the Captain if he had bothered to read the small clause that came with Landon's reassignment orders before he had just signed off on it with approval.

They were now walking side by side down the corridors of the Black Hawk, two of Starfleet's oddest medical colleagues. One, a Chief Medical Officer in from a mixed heritage that made him look a lot younger than he actually was. Bipedal and humanoid of course. He had been through years of education and had been serving in Starfleet for longer than his colleague had even been alive. Landon crouched down for a brief moment to scratch behind Julian's right ear, only to be met with a warm wet tongue licking his cheek. “Hey!” shouted Landon. “Julian, quit it” giggled Landon. The canine was shedding his white, brown, and amber tricolor fur all over the corridor.

“You need a good brushing when we get back to our quarters, old friend” commented Landon, returning to his feet and proceeding down the corridor on their way to the ship's Sickbay. “I do hope the Captain understands what he had agreed to. This can be rather embarrassing for all three of us if he just signed off without thoroughly reading” said Landon, lost in thought and in a one sided conversation. Landon and Julian had made the corner too sharply and soon Landon felt himself just bounce off of something or rather someone whilst Julian proceeded onward towards the other man, wagging his tail and panting with his giant tongue sticking out.

Landon knew that look. Julian was happy to see someone. “Julian, behave” ordered Landon sternly. The dog let out a small whimper and sat, his tail swishing and swaying. Landon, now back on his feet looked at the other man and apologized. “Sorry, Julian and I haven't seen many people aboard yet. Honestly, I thought we may have made it to Sickbay without encountering a single soul.”

Armani was slightly taken back by the situation yet surprised at the same time. Sure he had been startled by the sudden, face-palming encounter with another officer, superior to him but it was also the first time in many years since he had come across a canine. He lent down and stroked the dog and it eagerly licked him and enjoyed the fuss.

“Not a problem, Sir” he said as he stood back to his feet looking at the officer in front of him. The officer being either medical or a science officer – of which he hoped was the later because Doctors gave him the creeps. “I’m not entirely sure there is currently a lot of people aboard – I think they are enjoying the down time on the stations recreational decks” he eventually finished replying with.

Landon shuttered at the very utterance of 'Sir,' and stared at the junior officer shaking his head. “Please, don't” replied Landon with a small smile. “It's Landon, Doctor, and Lieutenant in that order. And under no circumstances unless we are being watched do you ever have to address me as Sir” chuckled the young medical officer.

It made sense that most of the crew would still be enjoying some leave on Deep Space Nine. “Hell, they can enjoy all the time they want on that station next time. I am ready to just push off and set sail” responded Doctor Milo. “Do you know when the Captain has ordered sore leave to end? The sooner the better. Shore leaves on a space station means a lot more work for me” added Landon.

“He's Julian” commented Landon as he looked at the dog with the medical blue collar. “And I am Doctor Landon Milo, Chief Medical Officer at your service.”

Armani laughed at the comments about people taking leave and knew exactly what he meant by more work for the medical staff. But still, medical staff was a scary thought and right now, Ross was talking to not only a doctor, but the Chief Doctor himself.

Letting out a nervous grin he extended his hand almost instinctively. “Lieutenant Junior Grade, Ross Armani, Chief Flight Control Officer” he said as he firmly gripped the doctor’s hand and shook it. “and to answer your question, Sir, I mean, Doctor, I am not entirely sure when shore leave is cancelled but I wouldn’t mind checking a few things over before departure.”

Landon shook the man's hand. He was pleasant enough but all the men and women that Landon knew from his past, those who served as Flight Controllers or Helmsmen were worth keeping an eye on. They usually tended to be extreme risk takers, defiant and stubborn. “A pleasure to meet a fellow member of the Captain's Senior Staff, Lieutenant” replied Landon in a friendly tone of voice. “I have spent long enough on Deep Space Nine. It's crowded, too many voices and too many feelings. I have had to take some medication to keep my head from spinning.”

“I was just on my way to Sickbay to review some of the medical files for personnel. I take it that you have had a physical recently” said Landon. It was somewhat a question as much as it was a warning that if he had not, Landon would be ordering physicals to be done shortly. “I want to make sure this crew is in peak physical condition before we head into the Gamma Quadrant.”

Armani was extremely quick to reply to the medic about his last physicals, “All fit and healthy and still within the cycle that physicals have to be completed in by Starfleet protocol.” Blunt. To the point. He really did not like Doctors!

Landon did not need to use any special means to sense the reluctance to discuss anything medical with this man. Clearly, something was making him nervous or anxious. It was difficult to focus in on one emotion when so many were flurrying about.

“Where have you been reassigned from, to be brought to this corner of space going on a deep space exploration” he asked the young Doctor, although the thought at deep exploration in a medical sense and making light humour of it might have been enough to tip his reputation into disrupted – he had already made a the mistake of calling himself a ‘jockey’ to the Captain so it best to tread carefully with others.

"I served on the USS Venture, a Galaxy-class starship attached to Task Force 47. However, I requested this assignment to Black Hawk" answered Landon, correcting the working of the lieutenant. "I needed a change of scenery, to go somewhere that I may be of some use, somewhere that I would be needed" added the young Chief Medical Officer.

Armani smiled at the prospect of being able to ask to go somewhere else - something that Starfleet certainly never granted him the opportunity. "How lucky that Starfleet let you change, they only way I escape my last assignment was them decommissioning the ship and then they had little choice" he stated making it clear he was fairly bitter about his previous assignment. "On wards and upwards though, right?"

"I trust that you'll get me to the Gamma Quadrant safe and sound, in one piece, Lieutenant?" asked Landon jokingly. "I'll make a deal with you. Keep me safe through through our voyages, and I'll never let you down if you end up in my Sickbay" added Landon. The truth was, going to the Gamma Quadrant was not something Landon would have normally agreed to nor asked for. He had not been in a stable state of mind when he put the requests through.

Armani laughed at the Doctors request, almost making it sound like he would be punished if he did fly safely! "Perhaps, a more convincing arrangement would be that I keep you safe flying you around the Gamma Quadrant and you never subject me to a medical whilst I am on this ship?" He jokingly asked knowing full well what reply he was about to receive - always worth a try and Armani did enjoy pushing his luck!

"No" replied Landon firmly. "Sorry, but you will be coming to Sickbay when I need you to and when you are required. However, what I can promise you is that certain things don't really need to be done as often... I'll see what I can do about limiting your time spent in my domain."

Armani laughed at the thought of it being a domain, "That brings it to a whole new level, Doc, you make it sound like its a dungeon!" Armani and Landon had finally made it to the medical bay doors which was far too close for Ross' liking. "Do you have plans for dinner tonight - maybe we could round up a few more and have some introductory beverages and grub" he said, asking politely.

"Flattery will get you everywhere" Landon said with a small smile. It caused him to feel taken aback for a moment. His life had spun wildly out of control on the USS Resolute and the USS Venture, it was a strange sensation to smile and feel happiness after what had happened.

The young doctor gave a quick nod. "I have not made any prior plans for dinner. Just let me know when and where, I'll be there" added Landon.

Armani gave the doctor his usual charming smile before walking one step ahead. "I shall be in touch then Doc" Armani replied to the doctor as he continued his orientation around the ship. "Keep smiling" he shouted back as he watched the doctor enter the medical bay.

"If the rest of the crew are as pleasant as you, I am sure that I will" Landon replied before the doors closed.

Joint Post

Lieutenant (JG) R. Armani
Flight Control Chief

&

Lieutenant L. Milo
Chief Medical Officer

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