A year passes quickly

Posted on Fri Aug 13th, 2021 @ 1:32am by 1st Lieutenant Dahlia Acker & Lieutenant Commander Marian DuBois

768 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Out of Time
Location: Sickbay

The reminder on her diary was a reminder that another year had passed. Exhaling with slight annoyance at how time passed, 1st Lieutenant Dahlia Acker, Marine Executive Officer on the USS Ontario, made her way to sickbay. In her uniform, she had put her hair in a sensible low bun, out of the way. She also wore no make-up which showed her skin as it was...not perfect, with the slight bags under her eyes that she had always been predisposed to and the slight creases between her eyes from frowning. Frown lines, some called them. Worry lines. She called them experience. And night missions.

She stepped into sickbay, the air hitting her as she went from the corridor to the more sterile environment of the area. It was clean and orderly, a parade of experience and knowledge before her. Some nurses worked together on something, not a word exchanged except shorthand words that tugged at her brain and filled in gaps from her early childhood, knowledge her mother once had given her that had been forced down when she learned other things.

Sickbays didn't worry Dahlia. She had been in them plenty waiting for her mother to finish her shift, or dropping by with lunch. If anything, it made her feel a bit nostalgic, this old ship and a familiar looking sickbay layout. Her blue eyes spotted a nurse holding a PaDD and she made her way to him, giving a small and polite smile. "1st Lieutenant Acker, reporting for my annual medical check up."

Kieran nodded, and started to hail the Doctor, but Marian was already walking from her office. "Good day, I am Doctor Dubois, just have a seat on bio bed one. Any medical problems to report?"

"No, Doctor Dubois," Dahlia said and moved to the biobed that the nurse helpfully motioned to. She took a seat, watching the woman. Doctor Dubois' hair was amazing. She may be a few years older than Dahlia but looked stunning. "Medical history is up to date, no genetic illnesses or complaints, ma'am."

Marian nodded and began the physical scan, the equipment logged in and updated any crew persons medical chart as the examination proceeded. Marian , looked up and said, very little changes since last year's physical, your normal aging process, telomeres dividing normally, muscular skeletal index normal. Blood levels within normal limits, atherogenic profiles normal limits..."

She scanned and then closed her hand held device. "Your scans are normal. Great scan."

She proceeded with Neuro scans. And connective tissues.... "Very good."

She looked at the Lieutenant Acker and said. "Great scans. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is mine." Dahlia smiled as she met her eyes, nodding gently. "That's good...I like excelling," she joked lightly. "So how bad is the aging?" she added with a smile as she got off the biobed.

Marian smiled and said. "Does this ship have MACO holosuite exercise training programs? My last assignment, I worked out with MACO programs, and the some of the group of Marines, the cardio exercises are well programmed and I find the calisthenics great for balance and agility."

"I think it does..." Dahlia said lightly as she gave a small nod of recognition of the advice given. "I will certainly find out. I try I keep my exercise...varied." And calisthenics would do well in addition to the martial arts and general exercise. "Need to stay top of my game." There was no way she was relaxing, not in the role she was in. There were hundreds of other Marines her age aiming at the same position or higher so she had no illusions of the competition.

"Sounds good, if the Marine CO wouldn't mind, I may reserve some time in the exercise programs, I too need to stay in shape. I have my own program's but also enjoy the MACO programs." She walked with her towards the exit. "It is great to meet you, until next years physical, I look forward to seeing you around the ship."

"If you ever want to grab a coffee, doctor...let me know," Dahlia said before she stopped at the exit and met her eyes. "Thank you for the time, ma'am," she added, serious. She knew the medical profession could be thankless, so she wanted to thank her. She gave a nod to the other woman before she walked out, happy to be fighting fit.

"I shall, if you ever find need of a friend or general company... you have but to ask. "

The Doctor returned to her work. The nurse cleaned up the Annuals physical area...

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