= SB Unity - TF Infirmary =
Mercedes had only arrived on the starbase a few hours ago,
but since the Intelligence Advisor was unable to see her,
she had been told to settle in in her quarters and wait for
the Advisor to contact her. A tour of the station and an
hour later, Mercedes decided she would go to the Infirmary
to see if Rangi was there.
She was unsure if Rangi knew she would be coming. Intel
informed her that an agent had been requested to Unity for a
special medical research project by the 1TF Medical Advisor,
but Mercedes didn't know if Rangi was aware she was that
person.
Eventually she found her way to the Infirmary Reception and
walked through tall glass doors emblazoned with the
Starfleet Medical symbol, almost feeling like she did the
first day she joined the Chimera.
A yeoman at the reception desk looked up as the doors
opened and Mercedes approached her. "Hello, I'm here to see
Advisor Summers?"
The request was met by a pause and then a frown then... " Do
you have an appointment?" the yeoman asked politely.She had
hastily looked down at the terminal and surrepticiously
tapped a couple of buttons that highlighted Rangis
appointment schedule, thinking that even though she was
aware that Rangi wasn't expected in the infirmary for
another four days, there could have been a mistake
somewhere.
"No..." Mercedes hesitated. "But she would know what it's
about. Please tell her Dr Carpenter is here, SSF Medical
Research Intelligence."
"Oh...I'm sorry but the Commander isn't expected in the
hospital today but the deputy CMO is available if that would
be of help to you." The yeoman gave a polite smile.
"Yes, please," Mercedes said, knowing that the Deputy CMO
didn't have the adequate clearance level she needed for
talking about why she was here, but at least he might be
able to tell her how she could get hold of Rangi.
The Yeoman looked pleased. "I'll have someone show you the
way." she said.
It was perhaps ill luck for Mercedes that the 'someone'
turned out to be Sally Schuman but it was she who happened
to be crossing the reception area at that very moment. "
Excuse me...Miss Schuman..." the yeoman said, raising a hand
to attract Sallys attention. " Would you mind showing Dr
Carpenter to the deputy CMOs office please?"
Sally didnt mind at all and came towards the desk speedily.
" Hellooo" she exclaimed when Mercedes turned her head to
see who her escort was to be. " I thought it must be you!
'Sally' I said to myself 'How many Dr Carpenters do you
know? Only the one' I answered and sure enough its you! A
pleasure to meet you again Doctor."
The Yeoman looked from one to the other, well aware of
Sallys exuberant nature and a little unsure as to how the
Doctor would take it.
"Sally," Mercedes smiled. Sally may never have kept her
mouth shut, but her presence in Sickbay always managed to
cheer up the staff and the patients in difficult situations
and Mercedes had missed her. "It's good to see again, it's
been... years. How are you?"
Sally positively beamed a smile back. " Oh I'm fine
thankyou and how are you? Yes its been ages must be three or
four years at least how time flies when there's fun to be
had, not that its all fun ofcourse not in an infirmary and
with the war and all that but as I always say to George...'
what is a day without a laugh in it'. This way please." She
smiled at Mercedes as though to a long lost friend and began
to lead the way along the nearest corridor. The Yeoman
turned away and grinned to herself feeling sympathy for poor
Dr Carpenter.
Mercedes nodded and smiled at the appropriate places and
followed Sally as she lead the way. "Did you ever start
Nurse's Training? I remember you mentioning once that you
really wanted to be a nurse someday."
" Oh yes I did." Sally replied proudly. "Nurse Fleming..you
know Lucy the head nurse of the old Chimera the one that got
lost in the swamp? well the others as well really but thats
the one I always think of. I can't stand the smell of
spinach since the ship went down Strange isnt it but there
you go its all association ofcourse not that the swamp was
Spinach as you know but the smell is similar don't you
think and the texture as well really."
She flashed Mercedes a smile and returned to the question as
though nothing else had derailed her train of thought. "She
put in a very good word for me and you wont believe it, I
know you wont because even George was surprised but I passed
my preliminary nurse's training
and was assigned to the Commodores own ship." She paused
for affect, eyeing Mercedes to see the result. " But for the
time being I'm working in my old capacitiy of med
technician. There's a shortage you know. Whoopsie...nearly
missed the turning! Its along here. "
She turned at almost right angles into another corridor
narrowly missing tripping mercedes up. She sounded the chime
on the closed door, peering for a moment into the opaque
window.
"Come in." a voice called after a moment or two had passed
and Sally opened the door then stood back for Mercedes to go
in.
"Dr Carpenter to see you Dr Fisher." she said.
In reply to what Sally was saying, Mercedes had managed a
simultaneous frown and grin, which gave her a rather
peculiar expression, but it faded as soon as she mentioned
'Dr Fisher'. Last Mercedes heard about Scott, he had just
come out of a coma and was busy recovering from war
injuries, but that was several months ago and they had lost
contact since then.
Granted she didn't know the extent of his injuries, but she
was surprised that he was the Deputy CMO. His resilience was
admirable. Luckily she hadn't broken out into a cold sweat
yet, but as soon as she stepped through the door and she saw
him, she might as well have swallowed her own tongue.
Scott had spent the last few hours working on the final
reports. Twelve autopsies had taken placeon the victims of
the explosion and the reports had to be fully detailed and
then summarised into laymans terms.He hadnt expected a
visitor and so had merely raised his head slightly and
looked up when the door had opened. Nothing had prepared him
for Sallys words and before he could grasp them there she
was in front of him.
" Mercedes." he said quietly and looked at her from where he
sat, thinking that she was as lovely as she had ever
been.Then he got to his feet, a warm welcoming smile
spreading across his face.
" This is a surprise." He rounded the desk and holding out
his hand moved towards her. It was then that he became aware
of Sally still standing by the wall. He glanced at her.
" Thankyou Sally." he said but Sally remained rooted to the
spot transfixed by the events which were unfolding in front
of her. She was aware of the chemistry between these two and
would regale George and anyone else who had interest, again
and again that evening.
When she didnt move Scott repeated his words a little more
firmly. " 'Thankyou' Sally."
"What?oh! yes...thankyou as well." She exited the room and
when the door had closed behind her, Scott turned his
attention to Mercedes.
" Its really good to see you." he said.
"Hmmm," Mercedes said involuntarily as she looked at him
and realised a second too late that the phrase 'it's good to
see you too' had somehow gotten lost in translation between
her brain and her mouth and came out as 'hmmm'.
"Sorry... hello," she quickly countered, but unintentionally
sounded a little offish. "You've been well?" He certainly
looked very well...
Scott wasnt sure exactly what he had expected but it was
definately more than the slightly chilly responce that he
got so, not wanting to bore her with his recent history,
merely nodded and replied. " Yes...I'm fine thanks..and
you?"
He cringed inwardly at his trite reply and when she didnt
reach to shake his proffered hand, he covered the moment by
pointing to a chair which he then grabbed and pulled nearer
the desk. " Take a seat." he said "...Can I get you
something...tea?. coffee?...double chocolate?"
"Green chocolate, please," Mercedes replied firmly as she
sat down, not realising her mistake.
Scott had moved towards the replicator but stopped at her
choice. " Green?" he queried turning back to look at her.
"Green chocolate?"
"Tea!" she quickly replied, horrified that she didn't even
noticed the first time that she'd said 'green chocolate'.
"Tea... please." Mercedes quickly drew a deep breath and sat
up straight. {Drink the tea, ask about Rangi, and then leave
as fast as you can,} she told herself.
"Right." Scott smiled to her and turned away soon occupying
himself in getting her a drink. " Green tea and black
coffee." he ordered and had to wait only a short time before
the steaming cups materialised.
He carried them back to the desk and asked as he set them
down: " So..what brings you to Unity?" He sat down on his
chair and looked across at her and when he thought about it
afterwards, he would decide that it had been a pleasure and
a pain to see her again.
"Thank you," she said, taking the cup and looking at it as
if it was a long lost friend. "An assignment. I'm working
for Medical Research Intelligence now. I've actually come to
see Rangi, but the receptionist said she wouldn't be in for
a few days. Do you know where I can find her?"
Scott took a sip of the strong coffee. He knew Rangis plans
and also knew that something had gone wrong.Obviously
Mercedes didnt have an inckling that Rangi was missing and
it was not up to him to tell her so he said simply:
" She's away for a few days." and then, thinking that he was
sounding unhelpful added: " She, Shane and Martin had
planned a short break to the planet...for a day or so."
"I arrived a few days earlier than scheduled," Mercedes
replied. "Can I contact her on the planet? I don't want to
interrupt her time with her family, but it's rather urgent."
"That could be a bit of a..problem" Scott said and left the
reason unexplained, hoping that Mercedes might assume the
guzman familys time together was very precious and
interruptions had been vetoed unless under the most dire
circumstances.
He drank from his cup again then asked: " Are you staying
here long?"
"It depends on the... assignment. I can't leave until I've
seen Rangi," Mercedes replied evenly. She didn't want to
straight-forwardly tell him that she had to see Rangi
immediately, but she realised her subtle little
reinforcements weren't going to help either. Until she'd
seen either Major Kinn or Rangi, she had no idea why she was
here or even for how long.
Scott watched her sip from her cup, looking at her slender
fingers, the line of her chin, the way her hair shone in the
light and knew that he would give a great deal if he could
turn back time. Things had changed though, months had passed
and they had lost contact with each other even though they
had said they never would. Now she was distant, removed,
almost as though she disliked having to be here drinking
coffee in his office and answering his questions.
He set his cup down. " Is there anything I can help you
with?" he asked.
Mercedes sighed and then smiled disarmingly at him. She
knew him well enough to know he wasn't purposely keeping her
from Rangi; there had to be a good reason why she wasn't
available. "No, but thank you for offering," was all she
said, not wanting to tell him it was 'classified' because
the word almost felt like a wedge that could be driven
between them.
Scott gave a nod as though he accepted her decision." If
you have time on your hands until Rangi gets back, perhaps
you'd like to look around the infirmary?" he suggested. It
was partly a polite and to be expected suggestion but it
also held a personal reason for himself. If she agreed then
he could spend time showing her around, they could perhaps
then get back to something like the easy friendship they
had once enjoyed. He didnt allow himself to think beyond
that.
Mercedes nodded. "Thank you, I'd like that," she replied. "I
hear you've got some state of the art equipment. I might
need to borrow some of it," she added with a mischievous
grin.
"I'm sure that could be arranged." he replied with a lazy
smile that broadened slowly. " Just tell me when you're free
and I'll make sure I'm available.."
= End Log =
Lieutenant Mercedes Carpenter
Senior Field Agent
Medical Research Intelligence, SSF
&
Lt.Scott Fisher
Dep CMO
SB Unity
&
Sally Schuman
Med.Tech
SB Unity
