I'm a Doctor, Not a Babysitter

Posted on Fri Mar 7th, 2025 @ 1:02am by Lieutenant Commander Sawbones & Commander Galatea & Lieutenant Commander Ash Randall & Lieutenant Chase Moore

1,243 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Security Compound Infirmary, U.S.S. Enterprise
Timeline: 2439-03-10, 12:15

Located on Deck 4 in the Security Complex, a specialized infirmary was available for healing Security personnel injured on assignment, treating prisoners under detainment, or for investigating guests who were potentially threats to the safety of the ship. While it was important to the overall safety of the ship in many ways, it wasn't much to look at when you got down to it. The Infirmary was a cramped room containing three general biobeds and one surgical bed, but the presence of a surgical bed didn't fool many as the Infirmary was only capable of limited surgical procedures and general medicine in many respects.

While Starfleet Medical protocols dictated that the Emergency Medical Hologram was a short-term supplement to the Medical team aboard the Enterprise, when it came to the Security Complex's Infirmary the EMH was frequently the first doctor a patient would see. As the group from the Transporter Room arrived, Sawbones was immediately activated. A replica of Leonard McCoy from the period where he'd left Starfleet Medical to join Doctors Without Borders, the hologram featured a long bushy beard that put a twinkle in the hologram's eyes. The playful smile was the same as Leonard McCoy always had though, and it was welcoming.

"Welcome to Sickbay," the hologram said as he noticed the Chief Engineer, Security Chief, and the alien, "How can I help?"

"Hello Sawbones. This is Tosk." She said, addressing the EMH and indicating the reptilian Alien near her. "Tosk spent some time hiding in our waste management system and could use a check up, just to be safe." She advised Sawbones, with a look up at Tosk as if to confirm that's what they were there for and then back to Sawbones.

The hologram looked at the alien that stood in his Sickbay, "Well boy I can understand wanting to be part of the action, but I wouldn't have necessarily suggested hiding out in there. Far too many germs and other bacteria hiding out in there. You're likely to catch the epizudik." The replica joked as he motioned toward the biobed nearest the large workstation.

"I did not want to take part in the action," the Tosk answered, "I wanted to escape it."

"I can understand that too," Sawbones answered as he stood next to the biobed. He noticed that the alien had stayed close to Commander Randall, "I promise I don't bite. Wanna take a seat?"

Tosk merely looked at Ash, for reassurance, and remained steadily unmoving.

Ash, in turn, looked at Tosk and, after a few seconds understood that she was to be the arbiter of whether Tosk should, or should not, proceed and looked to Sawbones and then back to Tosk. "You will come to no harm, truly." Ash told him. "In fact, medical practitioners follow the Hippocratic Oath, the long and short of which is 'Do no harm'." She added, indicating that Tosk should have a seat on the Bio-Bed.

The Tosk nodded and sat down on the bed as the large computer panel came to life displaying data received from the biosensors built into the biobed and the ceiling above it. Sawbones walked over to the display, quickly typing on the keyboard built at the base of the monitor. The hologram looked a bit confused by what he was seeing and brought additional data up on a secondary display screen parallel to the Tosk's readings.

"Well, Mister Tosk, you look four-oh to me," the replica of Leonard McCoy said.

"Four-oh?" the alien looked quizzically at the doctor. "What is four-oh?"

Sawbones smiled, "Four-oh. One hundred percent. Sound of wind and limb. It's a doctor's way of saying that you're fine." The hologram turned toward the display for a moment, looking at the readings on the panel, "However, if I saw these readings on anyone else, Mister Tosk, I'd be a bit worried. You though, you match the last Tosk we met so either both of you were pretty sick with the same thing, or it's just normal for your species."

"Have you met my kind before?" Tosk asked lowly.

"Not me directly, no, but we have experience with the Tosk. A doctor that I learned from, a Julian Bashir from Deep Space Nine, met the first Tosk in the Alpha Quadrant many years ago." Sawbones deactivated the monitor and returned to Tosk and Ash, "I've been programmed with his recollections, which I just compared to your results a moment ago to come to my conclusion."

Tosk remained on the biobed, "What happened to him?"

Sawbones tilted his head, "Doctor Bashir? He went on to..."

"No," Tosk interrupted, "the other Tosk?"

Sawbones looked at Ash and Lieutenant Moore, "Maybe we should get you back..."

"Please," Tosk interrupted again, "What happened to the other?"

Ash considered for a second or two before she answered. "The other Tosk came through the wormhole from the Gamma quadrant. his ship damage by Hunters and found refuge on Deep Space 9. He was given assistance repairing his ship and, while aboard DS-9, Hunters came through the Wormhole looking for him. Ultimately, he was assisted in evading the Hunters and escaped back through the Wormhole in his ship with the Hunters in pursuit." Ash explained. "His ultimate fate is unknown to us." She added.

Chase stood to the side ever since they had entered sickbay. He did not feel any threat but he had to do his job and wasn't taking any chances. He could feel the concern that the reptilian had for the other Tosk and wished they had answers for him.

"Would you help me to escape the Hunters?" The Tosk asked with a humble innocence.

"What do you consider to be escaped?" She asked, thoughtfully, wondering if Tosk knew what he would do if he was not being hunted by Hunters.

The Tosk answered by wrote, "To not be hunted anymore. To be free."

"I think there may be and obstacle, or two, to doing that." Ash mused, aloud. "I will have to speak to the Captain." She added, looking to Tosk. "What happened with the previous Tosk will have bearing in this case, I think." She finished, quietly.

A series of alert tones from the overhead intercom interrupted them. Galatea's voice came next, "All hands prepare for departure. Senior Officers to the Bridge."

Ash looked up at the disembodied voice of Galatea and shrugged. "Duty calls." The Chief Engineer stated and looked to Tosk. "I will speak to the Captain." She informed him, and looked to Lt. Moore. "Lt. Moore will remain here, with you, for the time being." She added as she prepared to leave the, small, infirmary.

"That's ok," the Tosk answered dejectedly. "I won't be a problem for you or your ship." He looked at the Security Chief, "I don't need a high-ranking chaperone. One of your guards, or the doctor, will be just fine."

The EMH looked up, "I'm a doctor, not a babysitter!"

"The guard will be fine."

Chase listened as they spoke. He felt kind of bad for the Tosk and gave him a nod. “It is customary," he tried to explain. “We don’t leave a guest alone on our ship.”

Ash looked to Sawbones for a second and then to Lt. Moore. "Standard protocol. A single team should be fine. Come to the bridge once the team is in place, please." The Chief Engineer looked to Tosk, nodded, and took her leave.

Sawbones nodded and answered agreeably, "I am Tosk."

 

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