Posted by Lieutenant Commander Andriss Krex (Executive Officer) in Sickbay - How Long Do I Got, Doc? (Tag CMO)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Natasha Knight (Chief Medical Officer) in Sickbay - How Long Do I Got, Doc? (Tag CMO)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Andriss Krex (Executive Officer) in Sickbay - How Long Do I Got, Doc? (Tag CMO)
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
“…and thank you, Ensign, for offering to chauffer me to Sickbay from the Bridge!”

Andriss Krex followed a beleaguered NE off the turbolift, still talking while the NE dispassionately looked at his PADD.

“Yes, sir, Deck 5,” the NE said politely.

“Thank you, Ensign. I can take it from here. Don’t forget–invited to my crewmen meet and greet tonight!”

The NE saluted and returned to duty. Andriss finished his walk to Sickbay alone, ready for his medical check in and to meet with the CMO after his earlier meeting with the Captain.

-XO Andriss Krex

Natasha came out of her office and looked at the doors to sickbay. One of the many perks of being married to the Captian was the lack of surprises when it came to being on duty. There were plenty of other perks ranging from his lop-sided smile, ability to cook pasta dinners, and body that didn’t stop but right now it was prep that the XO was on his way down to check-in. Natasha gaggled his record and it showed nothing but an exemplary career and accolades from those under his command and the superiors above him. It made sense. She waited looking at the door for the new face to walk through it.

Natasha Knight CMO

At just that moment, Andriss Krex, entered Sickbay, looking around and taking the space in. Holographic imaging didn’t do the Pendragon Class justice–and if he wasn’t mistaken, from his own review of the ship logs and rosters, he spotted the CMO herself, Lieutenant Knight!

He sauntered to the dark-haired human with his arms wide. “Lieutenant Knight! Hello! What fortuitous timing. Andriss Krex, formerly from Denobula. It is good to meet you in person,” he said, extending a hand.

-XO Andriss Krex

Natasha could not help but smile. The man was the definition of jovial which was rare in Starfleet. Most were taciturn but here was the 2ic making her wonder if his greeting was going to be a handshake or bear hug. “It is nice to meet you,” she extended her hand. “Dante…Captain Knight,” she corrected herself, “has been on cloud nine since he heard you were replacing Colter. Don’t get me wrong, we loved Colter but unfortunately, Starfleet needed him. It seems however we,” Natasha stopped talking and her face went a little paler. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she gripped his hand tighter.

Andriss warmly shook the CMO’s hand. Dr. Knight had a certain warmth which encouraged the gabby Denobulan.

“Ah, yes,” Andriss said. The Captain had mentioned the former XO kindly, albeit briefly. “Duty calls us where he calls us, and I have some big shoes to fill in my own way. But I do look forward to this role. “

Feeling a wave of nausea consume her, Natasha spun to the right, grabbed a trash receptacle with her free hand, and buried her face in it proceeding to throw up into the can while still shaking Krex’s hand.

Natasha Knight CMO

Andriss instinctively rubbed her back like he would have one of his children when they were ill from the Denobulan flu as the woman was engaged with the trash can.

“Can we get a nurse!” he shouted, calming his voice to the doctor. “Dr. Knight, good heavens, are you alright?”

-XO Andriss Krex

“Nope. I am on lunch,” Lavonne Washington took one look at Natasha stood up from the nursing station. “I don’t do vomitt. Nat knows that.” Her tone was sassy but firm. “She will be fine in about seven more months. There is a pool going on if you want to get in on it.”

Andriss was decidedly not in the habit of betting on the captain’s wife’s pregnancy… as the XO. Now if he were still a junior officer, that was a game he could get in on, but… He good natured shook his head No at the nurse.

“I’m fine. Just go,” Nat waved a hand and stood up taking the can from the XO. The wave of nausea was passing as fast as it had come on. Natasha scowled at Lavonne watching her walk out. “Curry. You made curry. I told you that was making me sick.”

“Ain’t my problem you can’t handle anything spicer that borscht or linguine. Some of us need a little excitement and Raul likes it and I got me a lunch date with the hottest engineer on the Saracen. Be back in an hour.”

Natasha looked at the XO with a dejected look. “Welcome to the Saracen and that was Nurse Washington. She is pretty much a force of nature but one of the best nurses I have ever had but also a cougar. I give her some leniency.” Taking the trash can to the medical waste replicator Natasha replicated some mouthwash and spit it into the bucket, After she disposed of the whole thing into the replicator.

“So bio bed two,” Natasha picked up a PaDD and gestured to the open spot. For the next couple of weeks, this was going to be a work hazard of coming to sick bay. No point in hiding it and not enough to stop her from working.

Natasha Knight CMO

Andriss walked to the biobed and sat down, waiting for the numbers to populate on the screen: [97 degrees F temp, 120/76 BP, Pulse 78]

“I take it congratulations are in order, Dr. Knight,” Andriss said gently. “I’m not a biological father myself, though several of my spouses have children. I take it these early months have certain… difficulties?”

“Let’s just say I wish I had rebooked that trip to Erewhon like last time. Dante and I spent six months living in a tropical prison where they wiped our memory every day so it was like a groundhogs day moment every time we woke up. Sure we lost six months of our lives but we all missed the morning sickness, him complaining he is not sleeping because Thumper,” Natasha stopped and took a breath, “we are calling it Thumper after the rabbit that continually thumps his foot,” she tapped her toe like the Disney bunny from the cartoon Bambi is kicking him in the kidneys all night.” Natasha looked at the XO with in-depth scrutiny. “Like that can possibly happen. I mean he is six-three. I am five-four. As a Doc I can tell you it is not lining up with his kidney but more his rib cage,” she let out a laugh.

Andriss laughed with the Chief Medical Officer.

He circled back to the story Natasha told. “My good lady, six months of memory wipe! It’s a miracle you made it through intact. You know, regarding Thumper, my wife Duna would say that it serves him right for what he did to you to begin with,” Andriss replied.

Why ignore the elephant in the room? He figured he would not press the matter any further.

“As for Nurse Washington, she seems quite the character!” he smiled indulgently.

-XO Andriss Krex

“She is what we fondly call a Pip,” Natasha laughed. “She will give you hell and tell you how she thinks it is but I can tell you from experience it is best to just nod and agree. You will never win and she is in charge of finding slots on sick call and inoculations. It’s best not to have her hold a grudge. So how are you liking the Saracen. The obvious answer is I love the ship. Best ship ever. I am so lucky,” Natasha said in a clipped formal tone as if imitating someone. “What’s your honest answer?”

Natasha Knight CMO

Andriss was candid with his answer. “You know, I’m still quite new here. It’s a good ship. There’s obviously a lot of care and history in its corridors. I think we have a few stories to tell together before I’ll understand her better, but I’m definitely going to give it my best.”

He smiled at the doctor.

“How long have you been on board the Saracen, Doctor?”

-XO Andriss Krex

“Only about five years. I was stationed on Outpost 42 before it was leased out to a civilian company. That close to the Romulan border made some in Starfleet feel like we were thumbing our noses at the Star Empire and taunting them like a couple of playground bullies screaming nonnie nonnie boo boo pick a fight. It was a great place and my home for many years but that was also before Dante got the Saracen. The OP was the central starbase his ship, the Broadsword, used as a docking site. I will admit that the six years I was stationed there did get old at times but life is anything but ordinary on the floating tin can that is the Saracen. Have you met Bruce yet,” she let out a small chuckle. “He is probably the most important thing on the ship that isn’t on the dossier and need to know information.”

Natasha Knight

“I, too, find I miss life on a ship when I’m not on one. It’s the feeling of momentum–of going somewhere. As for Bruce–” Andriss chuckled. “I watched him play predator with a harmless red ball. I think he’s a charming creature. Truth be told, I’m inspired to find a pet of my own.”

-XO Andriss Krex

“Well don’t make it a female monitor lizard. Dante and I have a strict no dating rule for our kids and the last thing we need is Bruce and his wife taking over the ship,” she laughed. “So you don’t look like a lizard person and way too fun for fish. What do you have in mind,” she asked.

Natasha Knight CMO

Andriss laughed.

“To be honest,” I’m not sure. In my younger years, botany, fungi, were more my speed. I wouldn’t turn down the right lizard, either!” He paused, thinking about the possibilities. “I don’t know, a feline, maybe? It would be nice to have something to care for, something to come home to at the end of the day. “

“A cat,” Nat said and wrinkled up her nose instantly. It was clear she had a very particular opinion about having a feline for a pet. “I have one rule for pets. If I am going to love you, take care of you, feed you, clean up after you, and spend my money buying you things I need you to at least love me in return. I mean at least dogs show up at the door. FYI Bruce is dog-like so,” she let her voice trail off as if pondering the thought about how much a lizard could be like a dog.

He paused.

“I’m afraid I’m getting too serious. Have you all thought of any names for your incoming little one?”

-XO Andriss Krex

“I take very little too seriously. Again I live with the man who everyone thinks is tactically brilliant but still can’t seem to locate where the hamper is or the closet for his shoes.” Natasha gave the XO a wink to ensure he knew that she was joking.

“My Babushka says it is a girl which means it is going to be something Dantavna Knight. My family is crazy superstitious and traditional. They almost disowned us for not calling our son Oscar Dantovich Knight. Personally, I think that sounded stupid and I love his name but lord we are still dealing with the fallout from that,” she let out a long laugh. See Russian’s don’t have traditional middle names. We have patronymic names which use the dad’s name with the suffix “vich” or for boys, and “avna” for girls. It basically means son or daughter of Dante. I like Anastasia but Anastasia Dantavna Knight is a mouthful. Any crazy naming things with Denoblians?”

Nat Knight