Yangfan
Inactive Member
Henry was having a heated discussion with someone via a holographic screen. His desk is covered with a few rank pins, dozens of data pads, and several laptops. Beyond the desk, near the door to his office, two Nekos in gray panels stood helpless, waiting while clutching data pads to their bosoms.
"I don't care that she's on leave! Find her! Drag her out of the shower if you have to! Do you have any clue how few qualified doctors I have?"
With a snap of his fingers, Henry ended the call. He turned his tired gaze to the two Nekos.
"What?" he asked with a sneer. One of the Nekos winced.
The other Neko stepped forward. "Chen-Taisho, sir! The fortress's main medical station is reporting that it is dangerously under-crewed."
"Why? Has there been an injury? It's not like we're on the front lines."
"Quite a few Geshrin soldiers have queued up to receive upgrades, sir."
"Tell them to take a number and go home if the wait is too long. Inform all crew that harassment of Geshrin soldiers will be dealt with to the fullest extent of martial law. Anything else?"
The first Neko nodded timidly. "Several ships in the fleet are still without a chief medical officer, sir."
"I'm working on that," answered Henry as he rubbed his eyes. "In the mean time, if a ship is lacking a chief medical officer, inform the highest ranked doctor or medic aboard that she will serve as the acting chief medical officer until further notice."
"But sir!" The Neko protested, "Most of them are inexperienced! There are only nurses left on some of the smaller ships!"
"I'm aware of that," Henry answered with a groan. "We'll avoid combat zones until we get reinforcements, okay?"
Shina rushed into the room. "Sir! You'll want to take a look at this..."
Henry took the datapad she handed him. It displayed a news story about a certain 3XF Admiral disagreeing with certain recent orders from the Mistress Taisho in a private letter to a certain senator. It appeared that the senator had revealed the contents of the letter during a senate session. Another senator must have leaked it to the press.
"Oh fuck me!" Henry exclaimed.
The two gray-paneled Nekos looked at each other. One of them began to disrobe.
"I didn't mean that literally! ... Get out of my office!"
The two Nekos scurried out. Henry half-heartedly threw a data pad after them, which landed on the soft carpet near the doorway.
Henry placed both of his hands on the edge of his desk. He felt ill.
"How old is the story, Shina?"
"It's been out for a few days, sir. I'm sorry. I should've caught it earlier."
"Don't worry about it. If Yui was really mad, I'd be dead by now... Ugh. What a mess," Henry said with a sigh.
Liam appeared through the doorway. He knelt down to pick up the data pad that Henry had thrown, and placed it back on Henry's desk. "Chen-Taisho, sir? I know you're busy, but could I talk to you for few minutes?"
"Depends. Is it about work?"
"No sir. It's a more personal matter."
Henry took a good look at Liam, a Nepleslian, just like him. They haven't seen each other since Henry left the Celia. "I can do better than a few minutes, Liam. Let's go find a café or something... Shina, could you please hold down the fort until I get back?"
"I'll try my best... By the way, sir, you've been working for 12 hours straight," said Shina. "Please get some rest after you've talked to Liam."
Henry answered her with an affectionate peck on her forehead, which left Shina blushing as he left the room.
"I could come back at another time if you're tired, sir," offered Liam as he followed Henry out of the office.
"It's all right, Liam. I can get a nightcap at a café before turning in..."
"I didn't know you drank, sir."
"I was thinking ginger ale."
"Oh."
(To be continued as my schedule permits...)
"I don't care that she's on leave! Find her! Drag her out of the shower if you have to! Do you have any clue how few qualified doctors I have?"
With a snap of his fingers, Henry ended the call. He turned his tired gaze to the two Nekos.
"What?" he asked with a sneer. One of the Nekos winced.
The other Neko stepped forward. "Chen-Taisho, sir! The fortress's main medical station is reporting that it is dangerously under-crewed."
"Why? Has there been an injury? It's not like we're on the front lines."
"Quite a few Geshrin soldiers have queued up to receive upgrades, sir."
"Tell them to take a number and go home if the wait is too long. Inform all crew that harassment of Geshrin soldiers will be dealt with to the fullest extent of martial law. Anything else?"
The first Neko nodded timidly. "Several ships in the fleet are still without a chief medical officer, sir."
"I'm working on that," answered Henry as he rubbed his eyes. "In the mean time, if a ship is lacking a chief medical officer, inform the highest ranked doctor or medic aboard that she will serve as the acting chief medical officer until further notice."
"But sir!" The Neko protested, "Most of them are inexperienced! There are only nurses left on some of the smaller ships!"
"I'm aware of that," Henry answered with a groan. "We'll avoid combat zones until we get reinforcements, okay?"
Shina rushed into the room. "Sir! You'll want to take a look at this..."
Henry took the datapad she handed him. It displayed a news story about a certain 3XF Admiral disagreeing with certain recent orders from the Mistress Taisho in a private letter to a certain senator. It appeared that the senator had revealed the contents of the letter during a senate session. Another senator must have leaked it to the press.
"Oh fuck me!" Henry exclaimed.
The two gray-paneled Nekos looked at each other. One of them began to disrobe.
"I didn't mean that literally! ... Get out of my office!"
The two Nekos scurried out. Henry half-heartedly threw a data pad after them, which landed on the soft carpet near the doorway.
Henry placed both of his hands on the edge of his desk. He felt ill.
"How old is the story, Shina?"
"It's been out for a few days, sir. I'm sorry. I should've caught it earlier."
"Don't worry about it. If Yui was really mad, I'd be dead by now... Ugh. What a mess," Henry said with a sigh.
Liam appeared through the doorway. He knelt down to pick up the data pad that Henry had thrown, and placed it back on Henry's desk. "Chen-Taisho, sir? I know you're busy, but could I talk to you for few minutes?"
"Depends. Is it about work?"
"No sir. It's a more personal matter."
Henry took a good look at Liam, a Nepleslian, just like him. They haven't seen each other since Henry left the Celia. "I can do better than a few minutes, Liam. Let's go find a café or something... Shina, could you please hold down the fort until I get back?"
"I'll try my best... By the way, sir, you've been working for 12 hours straight," said Shina. "Please get some rest after you've talked to Liam."
Henry answered her with an affectionate peck on her forehead, which left Shina blushing as he left the room.
"I could come back at another time if you're tired, sir," offered Liam as he followed Henry out of the office.
"It's all right, Liam. I can get a nightcap at a café before turning in..."
"I didn't know you drank, sir."
"I was thinking ginger ale."
"Oh."
(To be continued as my schedule permits...)