Starting Over "
By: James McIntyre , Doctor , [NPC]
Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.28 1000

McIntyre entered Dane's office and set a what looked like a branch of vegetation on her desk.

Teilani looked up and arched an eyebrow. "What this Mr McIntyre?" she asked.

"Its an Olive branch, Doctor," he said, "I think we got off on the wrong foot when you where promoted to Chief Science officer and I think its time we admit that we...well, I started our working relationship off on the wrong foot."

"Yes you did," she replied, waiting for him to continue. It was nice to see one squirm like a worm on a hook.

"I'd just like a chance to start over," he said with a wry smile.

"I see." Teilani said gruffly. "Well you know I am a firm believer in giving people a second chance. So alright we give it another try."

"So now this," she pointed at the vegetation. "It looks dead. You sure it will grow?"

He laughed, "its just a figurative symbol."

Teilani grinned. "I gotta brush up on those symbols. Well lets see if I can find a nice spot for it." She took the pot with the branch and placed it on a small side table next to the couch. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at it sternly. "Grow!"

McIntyre crossed his arms and laughed at her antics.

"I am good with patients but worse with green plants, some how they always end up dead."

"No problem Doctor..." he said, "You know, after this fighting is over, we should do dinner sometime."

"That would be lovely Doctor." she replied. "Now lets go see our patients shall we?" Both Teilani and McIntyre walked back towards main sickbay.

"Yes," he replied, "I was just about to begin my rounds," he said

"Did you check up on Crewman Biggles? He has been dismissed but I am a bit concerned about him.

McIntyre made it a point to remember all the patients who entered sickbay, often even if they were not his patients. "The Ensign with the neutronic exposure?" McIntyre shook his head, "he's not reported back to sickbay yet."

Suddenly a nurse came running, "Doctor, Doctor!" she pointed, "we need you right away. McIntyre looked at Dane and then hustled after the nurse, Dane was right behind him.

When it arrived at the patient's bedside, he looked up at Dane, "its Crewman Busch from engineering. He scanned with his tricorder, "neurosynaptic shock. He took a lot of deutritanium shrapnel from an exploding EPS manifold." He looked at Dane, "his colleague didn't make it."

Teilani nodded. " Yes I know. But Busch is not going to die to day. It is not a good day. Lets get some fluids in him. She gestured to one of the nurse, prepare an IV."

McIntyre turned to another nurse, "His central nervous system is beginning to degrade from a neurolyptic cascade, we might need a cortical stimulator too." He looked up at Dane, "if you could assist me in stabilizing the parasympathetic pathways Doctor, I'll work to reverse the damage done to the neurosynaptic transmitters."

"Of course Doctor," she replied.

Teilani looked at the overhead display, it showed the irratic readings of Crewman Busch. "Hurry up with that stimulator, Nancy." she said. She placed a neurostimulator at the crewman's forehead, and adjusted it slightly.

Working calmly but quickly, guided by the beeps of the diagnostic console Teilani and McIntyre tried to stabilize Busch.

"Perhaps we could release a pair of nanoprobes into his blood stream to help pin point any trace amounts of deutritanium.

Teilani shook her head, " No that won't work, the scanning resolution of a nanoprobe is too low. Manuall scanning is better.

"Good point Doctor..." quipped McIntyre, "I guess the old saying is true..."

Teilani smiled as she looked up. " Old saying?"

"A probe in the hand is worth two in the Busch." He looked up and winked at Dane, then turned his head to the nurse, "We're going to need that cortical stimulator now, his B-wave patterns are being to degrade.

"There you go doctor," Nancy replied as she pressed the stimulator in his hand. What a twit, she thought, he thinks he knows better She then smiled and handed a tricorder to Teilani.

McIntyre took the stimulator and held it in front of him for a moment. "Handy things these are..." he said as he attached the stimulator to Busch's forehead and adjusted it to maintain a low amount of continuous stimulation. "I keep one in my quarters just in case the replicator runs out of coffee."

Then, in a tone voice that conveyed of serious life and death McIntyre pointed to the holographic representation of Busch which floated above his own body. The hologram displayed all the internal organs and structures. "Here," he said pointing to a blinking area in the hologram's neck, "This descending nerve ganglia has lost its potassium potential, all critical synapses are fading here.

"Indeed, Teilani responded. " But look the other synapses are trying to take over. It seems we have to increase the potassium levels as well as to stimulate the growth.

"So your a coffee holic as well?" she asked as she worked steadily.

He chuckled, "I'm afraid so, I prescribe it to myself every morning."

"Doctor, you are a man to my liking," Teilani said with a grin. "Have you ever tried the Jamaican blend. Its exquisite!!" "Look, "she said pointing at the hologram, "there the synapsis are reforming now."

McIntyre breathed a sigh of relief and picked up a med padd, "no I've not, I'm always game for something new though.....There, I've recalibrated the cortical stimulator, do you think the neurosynaptic transmitters will regenerate quick enough?"

"I dont think so, we need to induce a neuropolaric method, we have to try to repolarize the ganglionic neural sheaths in his brain." Teilani said adjusting the neurocortical monitor.

"Re...polarize?" he looked again at the biosigns they were very weak still. "That's a risky procedure Doctor, are you sure you want to do that?"

"We have to, " she said. "Consider the brain as a big power unit or a battery if you connect it incorrectly it will not work."

McIntyre sighed, "last patient I did that procedure on talked backwards for a week."

His eye caught the odd expression on the nurse's face. "I'm kidding," he confessed with great emphasis.

He looked up at Dane and smiled, "Sorry, I can't help myself."

She grinned. "It's alright, medical jokes are difficult to understand."

"I'll initiate the procedure, it will be quite a shock to his system," said McIntyre turning to the nurse, let's administor 10cc of delactovine."

He watched as the nurse prepared the hypo, "Have you ever tried Irish Mocha?"

"Irish Mocha?" Can't say I did," She replied. "However, Chief Silvio programmed some great coffee icecreams in the replicator." Teilani frowned. "He is going to need some serious neurosynaptic therapy if he pulls through."

"Yeah, he won't be racing anywhere soon," replied McIntyre.

The nurse handed him the hypo, he looked at the display, and satisfied all was in order, he pressed the hypo against Busch's neck. "Ready Doctor?"

"Born ready," Teilani replied, watching the diagnostic display anxiously. She heard the soft hiss of the hypspray being administered and counted to 10. The readings remained within normal parameters

McIntyre watched the holographic simulation as the computer directed beams of energy revitalized various parts of Busch's brain.

The procedure executed in just a few minutes.

"It seemed he will be pulling through, nice work doctor" Teilani said with a smile as she placed her tricorder on a table next to her.

McIntyre made a curtsy gesture toward Dane, "...and nice work on your part too Dr. Dane."

Teilani made a little twirl, yeah we're good, we're bad, we're awsome. She then laughed. "Coffee doctor?" Nancy the nurse looked at Dane and McIntyre as if they were nuts then shook her head. "Doctor's" she mumbled.

"Indeed, I'll catch up with you up after rounds and give that coffee of yours a try."

"Alright, see you then, I wonder if my plant has grown a little already?"

McIntyre chuckled a bit, "Perhaps you should water it with coffee."

Teilani laughed as she walked to her office. "Now now, we want to make it grow not kill it."

"I'll see you later Doctor," said McIntyre.