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Doc stood in the main docking bay of his beloved Med Force One. With him was a young lady dressed in neatly yet casually. She was a bit tired after the journey from Liberty space but a comfortable bed was still a long walk. Both pleasantries and formalities were being exchanged by John Holliday and his security, medical and command staff.
Commander James Haddock greeted his boss. He was an imposing figure and former Liberty Navy squadron commander who wanted no more of repeated war. He briefly looked at Doc's friend, as if he had seen her somewhere once but then gave a gently smile and a tip of his hat, "Welcome, young lady, to Med Force One."
"If you'll excuse me, John, I need to return to the bridge," he stated as he left.
"It's been too long, John," said a smaller framed, half-balding man as he shook his hand, "It's great to have you back." He briefly looked to the young lady before he looked to Doc with a straight face and softly gave his condolences for the loss of his wife.
"It's pretty much business as usual," he explained to Doc, "patients are never in short supply out here although it seems humanity is always finding new ways to kill, torture and maim each other."
He wanted to know who his friend was but Doc basically told him that he would know soon enough, "She's tired and is with me. I will escort her myself."
"Very well," the man answered, "I need to go make rounds." He took but a step from Doc before turning back to him, "If you're available even for a minute, we can use your knowledge and hands in the intensive care ward." With that, the man left.
Doc then took her arm in his but before they stepped off, he turned to the two very tall, very large and very intimidating looking.......humanoids.....near him and spoke something to them in a strange language. With a nod, they left, one of which taking a quick look at her and sniffing the air. Doc then deliberately began taking slow steps as he began to explain to her her new surroundings.
"This, Ashlea, will be our new home for awhile. Med Force One is a completely re-designed Zoner Nephilim dreadnaught," as he motioned all around them with his outstretched arm, "it has a population of about 2,000 full-time residents which are doctors, engineers, medical and command staff, researchers, their families and a host of others. At any given time we have literally hundreds of patients with issue ranging from a simple cut to basically piecing humans back together after battle. We sustain ourselves with three biodomes which grown 80% of the food we require and several medicines that we use. It has it's own lab in which disease, Nomads and a host of other things are researched, everything you would ever need in a hospital with comfortable quarters for all staffers and their families. We recently built a school with the conditions declining on the planet below."
Doc paused a moment before giving a smile, "this was my dream and I made it happen. No one is turned away and we're able to save most of those who come here. I do warn you though, some of what you will see as we pass through the medical decks is disturbing but we need to pass through them to get to the restaurant and our quarters." He then smiled to her and asked, "When you're ready, Dahlin!"
The way Commander James Haddock looked at her made her nervous. She didn't want trouble, she was trying to stay out of it. She moved slightly behind Doc, moving her hand to his arm.
"Welcome, young lady, to Med Force One."
She smiled slightly and nodded a thanks. She didn't say anything, for fear that he had recognized her.
She didn't pay much attention to what else was said, she stayed slightly behind him as the introductions passed. Noticing the humanoids, she bit her lip slightly. They were like nothing she had seen before and they intrigued her. It was at this point she realized she had stepped into an entirely different world to anything she was use to. Reminding herself that she was safe with him, and change might not be a bad thing she slightly loosened her grip on his arm and relaxed slightly.
As they walked, she listened to him talk. What he had created was impressive, she hadn't imagined such a place could exist, let-a-lone on a ship. She didn't ask questions, but she would in time. For now, she was taking it all in.
"When you're ready, Dahlin!"
She nodded slowly, "I guess I am as ready as I will ever be....." She paused for a moment before running her fingers through her hair. "I'm not going to lie.... I don't.... I am a little frightened.... I don't exactly belong here."
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They began a slow walk. "There is a very, VERY nice cafe on the promenade deck," he told her with a smile, "but we will have to go through most of the medical wards to get to it. Trust me when I say that it's very nice."
As they walked, he motioned to various points and basically gave her the full tour. They were passing through some offices for the medical staff. Doctors, nurses and researchers were busy at work. A few people managed to find a moment to at least give a wave to their boss. "What I find so amazing about my staff is that even though they come from all over Sirius and Gallia, from all walks of life, you would never notice the differences between their people back home," he stated with a sense of pride. Based on the interactions going on, he was right. As they approached a large, see through sliding door, he entered a code and together they entered into what appeared to be a surgery ward and intensive care area. This was where some of the most critically injured often came.
Calls for doctors and staff were heard over the intercom and people moved about. Doc had to pull her close to avoid a crash cart and it's crew running by.
"Yes, Dahlin, this is the primary surgical ward and intensive care," he explained, "it's closest to the main entry so it's the first place a patient will see. It's quite large and can handle just about any event." He then sighed, "sadly, if people don't make it, this is where they don't. Still, more and more do as we get better."
As they continued their walk through, a man's blood curdling scream was heard in a nearby room. It was one of extreme pain and the scream was followed with pleas to not let him die and another scream. They were stopped cold by a resident that approached Doc.
"Excuse me, Doctor Holliday, but we could use your knowledge on this one," he explained.
"What's the situation?" he asked of his resident.
"A bounty hunter," he began, Doc making an under breathed comment of Bounty Hunter with an eye roll, "third degree burns over most of his body with internal injuries and shrapnel. He's not the first as more are coming in. Probably another nearby battle with Corsairs."
With a nod, Doc just answered, "I'll be right there." He then motioned for one of the staffers, a young nurse.
"I have to scrub up," he explained, "If she wants to observe, scrub her up too or just let her watch through the window."
He then turned to Ashlea, "Dahlin, it's your choice but for now, I have a life to save." He broke from her with a smile and went in for some scrubs.
Before she knew it, there he was, at work.
"What I find so amazing about my staff is that even though they come from all over Sirius and Gallia, from all walks of life, you would never notice the differences between their people back home,"
"All for a common cause, a good one at that. At the end of the day it doesn't matter where we come from... good is good, and bad is still bad...." She paused before nodding slightly and continuing "It seems you have a good team."
His sudden move to pull her close and out of the way startled her, she had been too busy watching what was going on around her to have noticed it. She apologized and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Looking across in the direction of the screams she looked up at him, "I wish there was something I could do here to help.."
Ashlea thought she did well, she had impressed herself in the fact that at the mention of the bounty hunter, she didn't have that sense of panic she normally would have. Instead, hearing what was happening she almost felt sorry for the man - no one should be in that much pain.
The nurse asked if she would like to scrub up, shaking her head she declined. "No, I couldn't.... I wouldn't want to get in the way... I'll watch through the window... But thank you."
Watching him at work was something she wasn't expecting to see so soon. What they were doing was considerably more advanced then what she had seen back on the rogue stations, and while she wasn't sure of what was happening, she could see he was good at what he does. It was now she really understood why work was such a big part in his life.
Time passed, and travel had caught up with her, but despite being tired, she was doing her best not to show it.
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