Sickbay - Day 17 [open/unfinished]

[my_god_man]

"The phoretic analyzer in Biolab Three is still broken," was the greeting Leonard got immediately upon arriving in Sickbay, early. Borad looked as uptight and judgmental he had the past two days of Pike's 'visit

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[transwarp_beam]

Two steps into the medbay and he hit a wall of tension and animosity so thick he damn near bounced off it. Yep, there was their esteemed CMO...with some sour-faced twat of a bloke glaring daggers it his back. It didn't help lighten the atmosphere any that medical was still busy as hell. He wove his way through the crowd, using the large box in his arms as a makeshift battering ram.

"Mornin'." Or afternoon or evening or whatever the hell it was. Balls to it. He couldn't remember the last time he'd slept - it could be morning if he damn well wanted it to be. He hefted the box; "Parts for the new sterillite. Where d'you want it?"

[my_god_man]

Still smarting from the latest face-off with Borad, Leonard was storming about Sickbay more to try getting a level head again. Being distracted wasn't a good thing in this profession. And not just because you're stirred from your fumings by what you think is a large talking box. With a Scottish accent. If he could remember the last time he'd taken a break, he'd blame the caffeine.

"... Oh, hey, Scotty." Perhaps he said that with a little more relief and welcome than he should have. After all, the 'Bay wasn't a 'couple's hookup bar'. But if there was one face that'd been bolstering him a lot lately, it was definitely the engineer's. "You're a godsend. Remember what I said about lines formin'? It's over this way." He gestured for the man to follow, then lightly placed a hand on his shoulder as they walked over together. "How'ya been? Haven't seen ya in a few days. Man, ya must be busy" Leonard was speaking softer now, more confidentially. And so he missed Borad's glare tracking their progress.

[transwarp_beam]

"Oh, don't even get me started," Scotty grumbled, but without any real heat - he was too tired to be anything other than resigned. "I've got less'n half my department in fit shape to work, and a to-do list that goes into a second volume.."

He set the box down in the space that had been cleared for the new sterillite and looked around the gradually-recovering medbay. Mentally he catalogued all the maintenance requests they'd had, and how few had actually been filled. He pinched the bridge of his nose wearily. "Christ. Sorry this is takin' so long. We just don't have the manpower, and life support's still first priority."

He caught the dirty look Sour-Faced Twat was throwing them; dropped his voice and asked quietly; "Who's the ray of sunshine over there?"

[my_god_man]

"I know, an' I understand. Perfectly." He squeezed gently on that shoulder, then let his hand slide down Scotty's back on it's way to leaving him. "After all, about a third of that half are in there most times. I'm doin' all I can, though, ta get 'em back to ya. Jus do what ya can, when ya can." Leonard tried giving him a reassuring look. Wasn't so sure how successful he was when he could feel miniature gravity wells pulling at his own eyes.

That fatigue didn't last, though. It was replaced readily enough with more tension and annoyance as he looked discretely in the direction Scotty indicated. That bastard better not make a fuss about Leonard 'wasting time'. The sterilite was badly needed. "Remember my mention of academics, the other night? Well, he's the ringleader of that little group."

[onshoreleave]

So it wasn't a hidden fact that the CMO and Head Nurse over worked themselves- mostly Leonard McCoy the way that Christine would ramble on, but Tonia knew her friend better than that. It was why on her off shift that she had used some of her replicator credits to put together a few simple Cajun style dishes that weren't to overly hot or spicy for the two. Little things that could be snacked on if they weren't exactly ready for a meal.

With a cheerful smile and box of foods in hand she stepped inside medical, mouth half open to call out to the head nurse to see if she was there, when she caught the other man's words to McCoy. Tonia's jaw dropped as she stared at the man's back as if she had just walked in on the most stinkiest thing ever. Fuming slightly the Cajun born woman blew one harsh breath of air through her nose doing all she could from ripping in on him. Perhaps it was why, when she walked by, she gave one very dagger like glare at the man before following in the CMO's steps. "Doctor McCoy, may I have a moment of your time

[nurse_cchapel]

Watching Leonard's interactions with Borad was enough to make anyone who knew the CMO agitated. Christine -who hadn't slept properly for days and who knew Leonard to be twice the doctor (and twice the man, for that matter) that any one of those… academics were - was getting downright pissy. Let's see how they got on running a medical bay that was more like the French Quarter during Mardi Gras than some safeguarded lab or classroom. She loved the science of medicine, yes, but she also loved people who showed a little respect for each other

[onshoreleave]

"Food."

Lifting the box a little she glanced at Chris, back to where Leonard was storming of too, then one more glare at Borad. "I know how y'all been working real hard and skipping some of your meals. So I figured.. maybe something that actually tasted good might be welcomed."

With a grump of a sigh the Yeoman simply started to frown before her voice dropped low. "I don't like that man. Did you hear what he said to Doc? Oh I have every bit in my mind to have some of his paperwork just vanish out from under him!"

[nurse_cchapel]

Like some sort of light at the end of a tunnel, Tonia, angry or no, was good to have around. "You're a sweetheart, you know that?" Christine said, trying to figure out exactly what the Yeoman had brought for them.

At the harsh sigh, though, Christine brought her attention back to Tonia. "Y'know, I wouldn't try to stop you if you did pull something like that." She kept her voice low as she steered Tonia across Sickbay, aiming for the empty work station next to the CMO's office. "That man deserves it. He and Carmichael and the rest of them strode in here like they owned the place, icy as you please. And you would think they would've warmed up, but no, they've gotten downright mean, especially towards the doctor." Huffing a little, she went on: "Is it too much to ask for a civil atmosphere in a place of healing?"

[engine_girl]

Cassie was sitting waiting patiently for the Doc to get to her. She could feel the atmosphere was tense and it was beginning to get to her a bit. Although she just wanted meds she also wanted to stick around. The way that idiot was going, she had a sinking feeling this was going to get ugly and if it did she wanted to be here. She would have no problem sticking up for the Doc and hell as long as she didn't get thrown off the ship then, she could take demotion. After all there was already one Lieutenant Commander in engineering and he was doing a damned fine job. So if she got busted it wouldn't be the end of the world. Well except her parents would go off on her but that didn't matter. She wasn't going to let the Doc go down without a fight

[my_god_man]

The patient with the acute allergic reaction seemed to be benefiting from his Jim-inspired idea. Leonard would have to buy the man one. And update his emergency Jim Stash. He was going to check up on Scotty's progress, then maybe make good on that promise of more of Tonia's crepes. He spied Cassie sitting off by herself, though, waiting for attention. That annoyed him. She shouldn't have to wait, even if she wasn't obviously bleeding from some temporary orifice.

Well, Scotty was a genius at what he did. And the crepes could wait. Leonard had another piece of doctoring to attend to.

"What can I do for ya, Cassie?" he asked after marching right on over.

[engine_girl]

Cassie looked up from her meditation to find Doctor McCoy looking at her. Wincing a little, she unfolded her legs and breathed in hard.

"Well now, I was hoping to snag myself some more pain meds. It's not as bad as it was but I still need to take them now and again. And do you have any more epi-pens? I usually carry one or two with me just in case but I can't seem to find them. God knows what happened to them." Cassie said, looking distinctly uneasey.

[crankychef]

Tony stalked into the sickbay pissed off. Not just pissed off, really fucking pissed off. Really Really fucking pissed off.

Just who the fuck did that punk ass tight ass think he was.

"Yo, McCoy, get over here before I kill someone chop them into little pieces and serve them as tomorrows MAIN course."

[lynn_creed]

"Chief Petty Officer Corin," Creed said, moving to intercept him, "Is there a problem?" They had an excess of testosterone in medbay already, enough that one of her ensigns had commed her to come down and keep an eye on the situation. She was coming to realise what a good idea that had been. From what she'd observed, any one of a dozen people was likely to snap and punch someone on Pike's staff.

[crankychef]

"Commander...Creed is it?" Tony said as he picked one eyebrow up. "Not really, I'm simply going to wring the scrawny little necks of both of Pike's douche bags."

He slammed the bag full of food on one of the unoccupied biobeds.

[lynn_creed]

"Join the queue," Creed said sardonically. "I don't think there's a person aboard who doesn't want a piece of these idiots."

[my_god_man]

Leonard had finished his quick exam on Cassie and prescribed her another hypo of pain meds. He'd gone off to find some more epi-pens when he happen to look back Scotty's way. And nearly gave himself whiplash in the double-take. Oh shit, Borad was talking to Scotty. Leonard wouldn't wish that man on an irate, constipated Klingon. Certainly not on someone he cared for. And seeing the way that normally pale complexion was flushing red, it wasn't a good situation. Not that anything dealing with Borad was pleasant.

"Zosto, if you have a minute, please attend to the patient on Biobed 2," he called to his nurse as he made his way over to Scotty quickly. "She needs epi-pens."

What he heard coming out of Borad's mouth temporarily stopped in him in his tracks. .... Why that pompous jackass! How DARE he say something like that! He had no right bringing up Delta Vega! Leonard was suddenly moving, and talking, again before he even realized it. Putting himself between the academic and the engineer. Putting the last shreds of his

[transwarp_beam]

Only when his move forward was interrupted by a restraining arm did Scotty snap out of it somewhat, the unexpected intervention causing him to flush as he realised just how close he'd come to punching Borad out in the middle of the infirmary. Ah, fuck. Apparently one shot at career suicide per lifetime wasn't enough.

He couldn't quite bring himself to regret it though. In fact it might have been worth a one-way ticket back to Delta Vega to put a dent in that smug, sneering face. His knuckles were white, body language agressively forward, subconsciously pushing a little against Leonard's arm. "Either deck him or let me do it," he muttered, still furious.

[neat_science]

As usual Sky was late on the scene when it came to things unravelling around the ship, and this time was proving to be no exception. Entering the med-bay she caught the last of Borad's vile spew at Scotty and heard both Leo's and Scotty's rather testosterone feuled responses in return. She saw Borad's mouth open and she jumped in first, walking smartly across the medbay floor so the very temporary annoyance's attention would be on her

[my_god_man]

Believe him, he sure wanted to let Scotty at the man. Hell, he sure wanted to do that himself. And Leonard wasn't a man easily provoked to violence. Which is why he held his friend back. He couldn't let Scotty take any heat for this. Borad was being a disagreeable bitch because he wanted to get to Leonard.

Well, he was a nice big target for the man right now.

Only... nobody anticipated the rear attack.

Goddamn, he loved Sky more and more each day of their acquaintance. She had fire like a good whiskey and smarts like a bee sting. Only a fool or a cold-hearted man would stand up to her when she was Right. Unfortunately, the academics had one of each. Leonard nodded to Sky, couldn't help but grin his appreciation and admiration to her. Turned to grasp Scotty by the elbow, hoping to gently guide him away. It seemed like exactly the wrong thing to do in Borad's book. The man spoke up and it was honest to god the last time Leonard had a controlled thought.