Home again, Home again

Posted on Tue Jul 21st, 2026 @ 1:00am by Lieutenant JG Kell Asaa Dr

525 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: New Horizons
Location: USS Liberty
Timeline: Current

[ Primary Medical, USS Liberty]

"Ah yes! Now this is more like it!" Kell ran her hand over some of the new equipment in the bay. She had preserved a few pieces that she preferred over the new, keeping what didn't need to be replaced, maintaining a feeling of calmness and security already ensconced in those components that her patients would need when they came to her and her team.

Bleeker strolled by with a crate in his hands, glancing at her like he was a kid in a quatno store.

"Hey old man. Where are you taking that?"

He shrugged. "I don't know, I've been carrying it around for a while, just for practice."

Kell shook her head. "You... I..." She waved him along. "Carry on."

His smile grew as he practically skipped away. Jenno stopped by to ask her about the surgery suite and what to have on deck, vs what to stow away more securely, knowing how the doctor liked to be prepared for emergencies, during emergencies.

Some time later, leaning back in her little cubby of an office, another section unaffected by the renovation, she detected a slight scent... of something she couldn't quite place.

Walking to her door she leaned forward, then back, turning in each direction, sniffing to see where it was strongest.

Waving over the Gemaron on her day team, she knew its olfactory senses were much better than hers, so it was advantageous to have in her department this day.

"Do you smell something... unusual to the bay?" She asked, trying to to be cryptic.

Bairn looked concerned, then confused, which she knew was anything but. The expression smoothed back out to the normally plain version people usually saw and pointed to a counter. "There, top shelf, something not quite fresh, not quite biological but... not in my memory..."

Kell looked back and forth to make sure no one else was near and looked closer. She unlatched the maglock and eased the door open. Within was several clear containers, several more opaque, and other sundry supplies. What stood out amongst all the pristine gear was a glimpse of one container that looked used, dirty, stained. Something dried on it.

The smell was definitely stronger when she opened the door, and a glance back at Bairn confirmed the nod that this was the source. Reaching into her belt pouch she triggered a protective layer onto her hand and reached for the offending container, pulling it out carefully, turning it over to inspect it as she moved back and over to the lab.

"Disinfect that cabinet and everything in it," she told Bairn, almost as an aside since she thought it highly likely the nurse was already grabbing the cleaning materials.

The lab setup was complete, so she sat the mysterious substance down to be scanned. She reached into a small opening in the counter for the hand covering to be removed, and twisted her hand to trigger another to be applied as the display lit up.

"Hmmmm..." she thought, flipping through the information as she activated a small barrier around it...


OFF:

Dr Kell Asaa
CMO, USS Liberty

:o)

 

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