Post 24 - A Glitch in the Matrix

Posted on Tue Apr 21st, 2020 @ 7:03pm by Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Grey M.D & Captain Björn Kodak & Lieutenant Commander Karim MD & Lieutenant Nico Oliveria & LMH

Mission: Prologue: Back In Action
Location: USS Adelphi (Docked at Starbase 38, Barzan System) - Sickbay - Deck 8
Timeline: Mission Day 01 (USS Lancelot Arrival Day) - 1800 Hours

[USS Adelphi - Docked at Starbase 38, Barzan System]
[Sickbay - Deck 8]
[Mission Day 1 - 1800]

Nico's latest task on his todo list had led him to Sickbay. The Adelphi was supposed to have the latest LMH, but for some reason, the dockworkers had never been able to get working for any length of time, and since they had decided it was a low priority it fell to Nico to fix. Stepping into sickbay he found it oddly empty. Perhaps the medical staff that had been on the ferry flight had already departed?

"Anyone home?" Nico asked getting no reply. His face made a surprised look before he shrugged and got to work. "Computer, activate LMH."

Almost instantly, there was a vague shimmer and faint whir as another uniformed figure materialised beside Nico. A man looking no older than thirty, with a youthful expression and kind eyes, now stood next to the engineer. Whilst he appeared pleasant, the only truly distinctive thing about the hologram's appearance were the two gently-pointed ears that rested on either side of his head.

"Please state the nature of the medical emergency," he greeted warmly, the standard introduction made famous by the early Emergency Medical Holograms still very much a feature of the new Long-Term Medical Holograms, even if designed to serve for longer than simple shipboard emergencies.

Smirking Nico responded, "Actually it's more an engineering emergency and you are the patient. I suppose that makes me the doctor in this scenario." Nico walked over to the main console and began tapping out a series of commands, "So how are we feeling today?"

In the span of moments between the engineer's query and the hologram's reply, Sickbay's doors opened with their customary hiss. Commander Kodak stepped into the medical theater and, spotting Nico and the young man in medical teal, walked up to join them.

Nico glanced up as the door parted, and a man in command red entered. Since he was a full commander, he assumed he was probably the XO. He seems friendly at least, Nico said to himself, smiling.

"Lieutenant," the Chameloid waited for a good moment to jump in, then nodded to Nico, acknowledging the engineer with a warm, welcoming smile. "I just wanted to introduce myself and the computer told me you were here. Doctor," Kodak nodded to the LMH as well, including him in the conversation. "Commander Björn Kodak, First Officer." He held out a hand in greeting to both the biological and the holographic, treating both equally in terms of the initial pleasantries. "I understand we're headed for parts both known and unknown. The Delta Quadrant," a gleam sparkled in his eyes, "should prove a challenge for us all. Happy to know we have such skilled crew members aboard," he nodded, clearly indicating both men.

The LMH took Kodak by the hand, smiling kindly and appearing to appreciate the warm gesture. The smile did not drop, although there was a slight quirk of a holographic eyebrow, as he asked, "Delta Quadrant?"

Nico went to take the hand only for it to be scooped up by the over-eager LMH. He was going to have to adjust his curiosity subroutine most likely. "Hi, Commander, a pleasure to meet you," Nico said around the hologram.

"The pleasure is mine, Lieutenant," the Commander smiled back at Nico, his hand still being shaken by the LMH. And then...his was still shaken some more. Furtive eyes shifted to Nico, as if Kodak were mentally asking Is he ever going to stop?

Elizabeth, having finished meeting the Captain, had made her way down to the Sickbay to get acquainted with her 'domain' before the staff meeting later on in the evening, and found herself stopping short, only for a moment, when she entered the sickbay and saw a small gathering waiting for her, including one of the new long-term medical holograms and none other than the ship's first officer. Well, at least that crossed another job off her list by meeting the XO now.

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth smiled wryly as she approached the small group. "I was expecting some of my medical staff, but it's a pleasure to meet you all none the less!"

The LMH released Kodak's hand the moment Elizabeth entered the sickbay, his eyes alighting at the sight of another teal-shouldered figure. "Doctor Elizabeth Grey!" He greeted her with enthusiasm, stepping closer to her to extend his hand out to the newcomer. Evidently, the program had been updated with the personnel records of the medical staff, although there was still a hint of concern in his artificial voice as he posed his next question. "Commander Kodak here says that were bound for the Delta Quadrant," he said in cheerful, albeit disbelieving, tone, shaking his head a little, waiting to be told otherwise.

Elizabeth smiled at the enthusiasm of the hologram but never the less shook the offered hand, pleasantly surprised at how 'real' the LMH sounded and acted, which would be particularly promising for his bedside manner.

"So I've heard," Elizabeth nodded. "Well you know the recruiting slogan; Join Starfleet, See the Galaxy!"

The LMH's smile had dipped slightly with the CMO's vague admission, and he released her hand. "I was not recruited, Doctor Grey," he said matter-of-factly, a clear undertone present to the comment that he did not actually explore. He looked back to Nico. "You wished to perform some manner of diagnostic, Lieutenant?"

Kodak, meanwhile, had been waiting to get a word in edgewise with the new Chief Medical Officer. As Nico and the LMH took a moment to discuss some kind of diagnostic, the first officer seized the opportunity to bend the CMO's ear. "Doctor Grey," the Chameloid's smile was sincere, "I've heard -- and read," Kodak gestured with a PADD in his hand, "very good things about you. I'm Commander Björn Kodak, Executive Officer. Welcome to your new medical wing," he gestured again with the PADD, this time sweeping it outward to indicate the room at hand. "It's not quite as advanced as some of the more modern ships of the line," the Commander explained, "but the Adelphi's recently undergone an extensive refit, which includes some of the medical systems." His goldenrod eyes flicked back to the LMH before settling on Elizabeth again. "I believe you should have just about everything you need before we leave for parts unknown. However, if your own inventory discovers anything we're still in need of, let me know? I'd be happy to coordinate getting those things from Starbase 38."

Elizabeth smiled as she turned to face the XO, who had clearly been waiting for the LMH to complete his own greeting, an enthusiasm she would much prefer over the infamously grouchy bedside manner of the original EMH.

"We'll get the job done, I'm sure, Sir, for the vast majority of injuries or ailments any Starship sickbay will be sufficient, and my medical speciality focuses on making the most out of what you have to hand in any case," Elizabeth replied with a nod. "As, from my understanding of our mission, we may be away from a Starbase for a while, I'm going to request additional non-replicatable medicines and the like, although to be honest the main thing I'm going to pitch in this Ops meeting later on is to extend some combat lifesaver courses to the crew, not the same level as a fully-trained medic of course, but enough to make the difference in a pinch."

The LMH excused himself very quickly from his conversation with Nico to lean back towards the first officer and doctor. "Sir, ma'am... If I may be so bold, my record of ship's crew indicates the presence of a Hazard Team aboard. Perhaps they could assist in any training. There may be someone suitable from the medical roster to join them. I would volunteer, but I am, of course, limited to sickbay and a few other choice areas." He glanced at both corporeal officers and smiled awkwardly. "Pardon me," he then said, turning back to Nico.

"I would actually be very interested in exploring those other areas, incidentally, Lieutenant," the hologram added to the engineer politely. "My database has indicated a number of earlier iterations have benefited from expanding beyond their limited habitable dimensions..."

Nico wasn't sure how to respond when suddenly, the LMH's left arm lost cohesion up to the mid-bicep. "Let's focus on getting you operating at 100% first, shall we?" he said, thankful for the direction. "Please run a self-diagnostic on your matrix while I check the emitters."

"Hmm." The LMH's made a curious noise in his mouth, as if more fascinated by the sudden bisection of one of his limbs, rather than worried, inspecting the phantom arm by twisting it invisibly. "How curious," he added, before looking straight at Nico with a smile. "I shall perform that self-diagnostic, Lieutenant. Thank you."

"Thank you for the suggestion, Doctor," Kodak smiled at the LMH before turning back to Grey. "I think that's a good idea. Let's see if you can rope in Mr. Astril from the Hazard Team. They already have some degree of field training in that area, but couldn't hurt to give them a refresher. Also," the Commander nodded to Elizabeth, "I like the idea of the crew in general getting some additional training as well. I know that Lieutenant Commander Morris is coordinating the readiness meeting," he said, "but if you need me to back you up with the other department heads, I'm happy to help. I should probably get going," Kodak trailed off. "It's a busy first day and I still need to meet a couple of the department heads. But," he smiled wryly to Grey, "I'll be on the lookout for your shopping list, Doctor." His eyes flicked then to Nico, "And Lieutenant, good luck with the diagnostic. Try to keep our resident LMH in one piece?" his smile persisted as he waved to the three gathered there and said, "Welcome aboard, once again. I look forward to serving with all of you," Kodak nodded, including the LMH in that sentiment as well before taking his leave.

"I'll have it on your desk by the end of the day, XO," Elizabeth nodded before turning to the Lieutenant as the XO left. "Lieutenant, is there a problem with our LMH or is a standard diagnostic?"

Nico was absorbed in the data crawling on the screen for a moment before looking at the doctor, "Definitely a problem, Ma'am." Nico indicated the stream of data crawling across the screen. The yard upgraded the software of the old EMH to the new LMH, but never could get the matrix to stay together for long," He trailed off indicating the modding arm of the LMH.

"Sounds like they should have started from scratch rather than upgrading the original," Elizabeth commented. "Do you think we'll be able to fix the issue or are we going to have a prolonged issue?"

The holographic doctor watched the two corporeal officers exchange dialogue. Whilst his expression remained somewhat cheerful, the intellectual glimmer behind his fabricated eyes betrayed a certain hint of concern about the situation, either about the lacking limb or the comment about 'starting from scratch'.

"My databases appear to still be intact," the LMH offered to the pair politely. "I can still reference four-thousand-one-hundred-and-forty-seven medical reference sources, continue to call upon the experience of one-hundred-and-ninety-four individual medical officers - including psychiatric staff and journals." A bit of confused concern then creased his brow, and he looked to Nico again, this time without the smile. "Of course, I would not know if there had been a degradation." He spun to Elizabeth. "Have we met before, Doctor Grey? Have I forgotten months of service?" Back to Nico, alarm increasing. "Did I have a life before you activated me just minutes ago?"

"You're a brand new matrix doctor. No need to worry I believe I have corrected the issue." Nico said to the hologram. He would definitely need to adjust some settings later, though. The LMH seemed a tad too emotional. "Computer activate emitter changes and reinitialize the LMH."

The computer provided the standard acknowledge symbol, and the LHM disappeared for a moment and reappeared whole again. "See, good as new," Nico said with a smile.

The LMH smiled back, calm restored. He clenched the 'new' hand a few times, as if it was the first time he had used it. He then extended it to Nico for a shake. "Thank you, Lieutenant. You've put my matrices at ease."

"Happy to be of service," Nico shook the proffered hand before nodding to the doctors. "I had better go put out the next fire," with that he strolled out of the sickbay, leaving the LMH and the Doctor alone in the room.

"Thanks, Lieutenant," Elizabeth called after the departing officer, before turning to the LMH. "Alright then, how about you get me acqauinted with my sickbay?"

The hologram's photonic smile grew wide but pleasant, and he gestured towards the area of the fairly-sized sickbay behind him with his restored arm. "It would be my pleasure, Doctor. Over here, we have the newly-installed biobeds..."

A mission post by

Commander Björn Kodak
Executive Officer
USS Adelphi

Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Grey MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Adelphi

Lieutenant Nico Oliveria
Chief Engineer
USS Adelphi

"The LMH"
Long-Term Medical Hologram
USS Adelphi