Conflict of Interest

Posted on Wed Aug 14th, 2024 @ 10:18am by Lieutenant Commander Toulaine

1,618 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Where do we go from here?
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: During the sim

Conflict of Interest
Joint Duty Log
Lieutenant Commander Doctor Toulaine
Ensign Nurse Micah Byrd



Toulaine looked at Micah and felt both anger and pride. He had overstepped his authority and done things that only a doctor could order and did it without talking to any doctor. She wondered if because he was the captain’s son, that he had special get out of jail free cards and authority that he hadn’t earned. She would speak with the captain about this after she spoke to him about it.

“Micah, I realize that you are a specialist on this race we are currently dealing with, but that does not give you the authority in any other ways. Your knowledge is useful, but you still have to follow regulations. Chain of command, and simple respect of protocol. You do not have the authority to run labs, take blood samples, and conduct research without first getting a doctor’s okay. Is that clear?” She didn’t raise her voice, in fact, it got softer, so he would have to listen to hear it over the bustle that was happening in sickbay with all the radiation exposed people on the ship.

Micah eyed Toulaine, he allowed the Andorion to finish. With his hand still gripped to the table he huffed out a breath and closed his eyes. All of his life it had been this way, people assuming that his lack of care for authoritarian respect came from some place of malice, this was never the case, Micah had the impulse control of a small bird searching for a meal that it had’t had in days.Yes was he brazen, was he sometimes hard to handle and a bit of a shoot first and ask questions later nurse yes he was 100 percent.

“In all due respect Lieutenant commander, I understand what I have done here comes off as very lack of respect and not following the proper protocols. I will throw my hands up and 100 percent take responsibility and we are totally clear on how I should conduct myself in future. But allow me to say one thing: I am a specialist on the Renou people. In fact I studied their biology and mental make-up whilst I was at the academy, and had first hand experience. I have read their religious texts, know their histories, so whilst you may say I'm a specialist in this area but from now on i will defer to your judgement commander” he didn't scowl, he didn't huff, he merely removed himself from his chair and walked into the store cupboard to start his afternoon jobs and the blast door closed behind him.

“Micah, I do not believe I am finished speaking with you and walking away from me is considered rude.” Toulaine said and walked to the cupboard he was gathering supplies from and closed the door and looked at him again. “I need you to listen to what I said and hear it as I say it. And if you have questions on what I mean, I need you to ask me to clarify.” Again, her voice was soft. The rest of the staff stayed away from her right now and no one attempted to eavesdrop on what they were saying. Especially when Toulaine stared down another nurse who was coming to interrupt with a question and decided another doctor would do. “Are you listening?”

Micah looked at her. He breathed and another breath and steadied himself. His eyes bore straight into her “You have my complete and undivided attention commander” he said as he put the things back on the shelf “I have listened and taken on board what you have had to say commander. I need no further clarification for the words used were plain,simple,direct and to the point so I believe we are now working from the same hymn sheet” he said with his voice low and his eyes returning to the task in front of him.

She again reached out and put her hand on the cupboard to get his attention. “As I said before, I know you are the specialist on this race we are dealing with. And in that capacity, you need to spend more time on the bridge than in sickbay right now. I do not have a problem with that. My problem is that a crew member came to you for blood work and such about the radiation. That does not fall under the specialist for this race. You should have directed that crew member to sick bay to have it done, rather than take that on yourself. Then you ran the tests, again, without getting clearance from a doctor and didn’t bother to inform any of the doctors what you were doing and why. That, Micah, if done on the bridge, going rogue that way, is considered mutiny. In sickbay, it isn’t mutiny, but it is overstepping your authority. Do you understand that? Do you understand how thin the ice is you are currently standing on? Another nurse, I would relieve them of duty and put them on house arrest and a permanent notation in their record that they do not follow protocol and procedures and is a discipline case. But as Micah you are the captain’s son and you are a specialist in this race, I won’t do that. However, if it happens again, I will. Do you understand?” Her voice, while soft, was hard and unyielding and colder than the ice of her homeworld.

Micah let out another breathed ,muffled but enough for him steal his emotions and get his bearings, He listened to her intently, he did not want to make this situation any further worse than it could freely get “Ii understand commander and will now take this on board and mull it over and correct my actions accordingly” No matter how much his body wanted to jerk forward and out of the door, he was in an enclosed space and his emotions were high. When she poke again his eyes returned to meet hers “Crystal clear commander. I am sorry for overstepping my authority and it will not happen again that much I can promise you,” he spoke with a slight horsemess to his voice. “I’m well aware of the incredibly thin ice on which I walk on so I will continue my duties as directed and will continue to seek guidance from those who are above and will always seek consent before I decide to do something like this again. Once again I am sorry and I hope that you can forgive me” he said as he tried to slow himself down.

Toulaine looked at him closely and then nodded. “You have great potential, Micah. I can see that in you. I can also see where you want to do more than a nurses duties include. If I may make a suggestion? Go talk to Lieutenant Harrington and ask her if you can pick up a shift or half shift in science. So that you can do the labs you want and do the research you want with her to help you and encourage you. She is very good at that and I am a firm believer in cross department training and experience. So if you want to finish your research, go to her now and ask her. Another nurse can do this, one who doesn’t have the curiosity and initiative to help with the current situation. Do you understand that?” Her voice was still soft, but some of the hardness had left.

Micah weakly smiled “thank you commander, that means a lot coming from you” he said with a weak smile but it reached his eyes. He tried to maneuver himself so that he wasn't between Toulaines arm and the shelf that his back was towards. “Is that ok commander, i'd hate to leave sickbay without a nurse when we have so many irradiated patients that need attending to?” He spoke clearly “Buf if it's ok I will go and speak to her now. Is there a chance I could have some of the charts from the other patients so I can cross reference the different behaviors and radiation spikes between species?” he asked with another weak smile “But I understand completely commander”

Toulaine waved her hand toward the door. “Muffy has access to the records from sickbay and the radiation. She is also working on and will appreciate another pair of eyes to help her with that. I have more than enough staff here now, I think we can handle it without you right now. Go, Micah, and remember, Muffy tends to get engrossed in her work and if you offer to help, you might not get much sleep.” She said and stepped out of the way so that he could leave if he wanted to.

He smiled at her “Thank you for giving me this opportunity Commander. I won't forget it easily,” He said as he stepped towards the door. “ I know Muffy tends to pull all nighters. It's a good thing am i gamma shift nurse otherwise I'd be all sorts of sleepless,” he said nervously, rubbing his head. “Would it be ok to schedule a meeting with you to present my findings?” he asked calmly and happily as he pressed the chime to open the blast door.

“Yes, Micah, I would like to know what you discover. Good luck.” Toulaine said and then went back to the patients in sickbay.

END LOG



*NOTE: Ensign Nurse Micah Byrd is also an author in this, but he isn't registered yet. So I couldn't include him at the beginning..

 

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