Readiness "
By: Dr. James McIntyre , Doctor , [NPC]
Teilani Dane, Chief Medical Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.29 1320

McIntyre was in his office documenting patient notes. He heard the Captain announce battle stations. He swallowed down his last gulp of coffee and hurried out to Sickbay and found Dr. Dane.

'Not again,' Teilani thought as she walked toward main sickbay.

"Well, where do you want us?" asked McIntyre as Doctor Pierce joined them in the center of Sickbay."

"Alright listen up people," she said. "It's hands on again, Pierce, I want you and Gloria, Betsy, Macdougal, Peterson, where is Peterson?" Teilani said as she scouted the room. " Ah there you are, you are in charge of triage, you know what to do.

McIntyre, myself and the rest of you will be working from here. So look alive people, lets work our magic again!!"

McIntyre followed Dane into the intake area where they waited. After what seemed like hours of dreadful waiting, the unmistakable rumblings of torpedoes detonating on the shields could be felt.

Teilani sighed: " here we go,"

The rumblings became more pronounced.

"I was thinking of having the EMH wear a federation nurse's uniform from the 22nd century," said MacIntyre with a wink. "But I was afraid it might have hairy legs."

She laughed. " Well I am sure Bones wouldn't mind if we gave him a wax job you know. It would surely be amusing."

A thunderous explosion rocked the ship, McIntyre steadied himself, "For all we know he waxes his own legs," he said looking at a console, "That might be even more scary. No injuries yet," he reported from the console.

Teilani braced herself. "Don't worry James, they will drop in shortly. She checked her chronometer, I think in bout....10 minutes." Another volley hit the ship and Teilani lost her footing, hitting the floor hard, knocking her head on one of the beds.

McIntyre went over to help Dane up, "Doctor? Are you okay?"

"Man what are they doin on the bridge, shooting at astroids. They supposed to hit the other guys."

"Uhm, Doctor, looks like you are going to be my first patient," he said pulling out his tricorder, "Lay down here for a minute, let's get you patched up here."

Teilani reached up to her forehead, as she looked at her hand there was blood on it. "I think I am hurt." she said as she tried to lie down. "Oh boy I don't feel that good."

"Its just a laceration, we'll get the bleeding stopped and ... "

"James that hurt," she said trying to remove his hand. "Will you stop that, ouch." Teilani tried to sit up.

"Doctor!"

"Yeah yeah I know what people say, doctors make the worst patients, but you know thats because we know what we are going to do to a patient."

"Well," said McIntyre, "I suppose I could give you a neural suppressor and make you forget what we do to our patients," he said with a wink. He ran the dermal regenerator over her wound and watched as skin healing process was greatly accelerated.

Teilani frowned as she tried to remain laying down. "James thats enough, look what did I tell you. Here they come."

And indeed, although the Zion was hit by torpedoes again, the first patients arrived in sickbay. In the far corner of the room an Eps conduit blew and one of the nurses managed to put out the fire.

McIntyre held out his hand to help the Doctor up, "Let the festivities begin," he said.

Teilani steadied herself as she stood next to the biobed. There was a young crewmember, holding his arm. She could see the bone protruding through his uniform.

McIntyre administered a hypo for pain, "Hey kid, kidn't anyone ever tell you to keep your bones inside?" He smiled reassuringly as he ran the scanner. The details of the injury appeared on the view screen at the head of the bed. McIntyre nodded at Dane.

"Alright, you gonna be fine. Lie down," She took the bone regenerator and asked Gloria to pull on the arm.

McIntyre distracted him during the procedure, "Now what is your name?"

"Brian Muller," Sir. He tried not to look at his arm, the torn shirt. He looked pale.

"Now tell me what happened?"

"I was working on the second level in engineering when the ship was hit by a volley. A console blew up and the blast threw me down the steps. Guess I fell the wrong way."

"Well, your not alone," said McIntyre, "lots of people fall down," he said winking at Dane.

Teilani grinned and nodded as she saw on the display that the bones were setting slowly. Small bleeps indicated that Brian was only nervous, and that the pain was minimal.

"We're just about done," said McIntyre, "we'll keep you in the observation area for a couple hours and then send you to your quarters until the pain medication wears off."

I rather go back to work Doctor," he said. " They could use all the help they need."

"That'd be up to the CMO," said McIntyre lookup up at Dane.

"I have no objections," Teilani answered. " Just be careful."

McIntyre looked after Muller as the nurse assisted him away, "Well looks like we're as ready as we're going to be."