(no subject)
Title: Lessons
Rating: Strong PG-13 for language and adult themes; no sex, no slash
Disclaimer: Don’t own Star Trek; not sure who does other than it’s not me. And, unfortunately, I cannot and do not profit from this work of fanfic.
Beta: Ceri - a million thanks for her patience and wonderful ideas
Author’s Notes: This is a follow-on to my story Complications, available at www.fanfiction.net. Reading it first will help but isn’t necessary. This is a McCoy-focused story - if you don’t like the character, you probably won’t like this story. That means there’s also a lot of medicine - some of it graphic, very little (if any) gore.
Prologue - CMO 101
“I know all of you think there’s a need for this class.” Admiral Elise Waylan, Surgeon General of Starfleet, gave the assembled students a tight smile. “There’s not. You already know what you need to know - you just don’t know it yet.”
McCoy exchanged a sly glance with the two men and two women who made up the class - all newly minted starship CMOs. They all looked as clueless as he did. The five of them were seated in Dr. Waylan’s office, the same office in which a week ago he’d been given -maybe ordered to take was more accurate - the position of CMO of the Enterprise.
“Look folks. At the end of the day, you’re physicians and you already know how to practice medicine - I hope. The biggest difference between being ‘ just’ a doctor aboard a starship and being the CMO is that it now all rests with you -- the decisions, the responsibility, the authority are all yours. Yes, you can contact Starfleet Medical or the nearest Starfleet medical facility. But I can promise you that 98% of the time, we’re going to support your decision - because you’re there. You’re the one who knows the people and issues involved. And, if I didn’t explicitly trust your judgment, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.
“So, put down your PADDs. Seriously. This is about listening and thinking - not taking notes. Reflect. Consider. Analyze. Question. I’ve got less than three days to turn you into CMOs. So let’s get started.”
Lesson 1