<USS Avalon> "The New CMO Checks In"

 "The New CMO Checks In"
Captain Skyler  and Dr. Isaac Mahler
    
  
 
 
The doors of the Turbolift  hissed open and Isaac Mahler stepped out onto the 
Bridge. Here at last. Now  ... where to go from here?
 
    "Excuse me, I'm looking for Admiral  Ketchum or, alternatively, Captain 
Skyler. Can you tell me where I might  find either of them?" he asked an Ensign.
 
    "Captain Skyler is right there in her  office," replied the Ensign, 
nodding his head in the direction Mahler should  go.
 
    "Thank  you," replied Mahler. Actually that should have been in her 
office,  Sir, but oh what the hell. He crossed over to the door and rang the  
chime.
 
      Sitting behind her desk going over the new crew list, Skyler was still 
thinking  about Tavi. She was going to have to  make adjustment's to having a 
child  living with her, but in the long run it would be worth it. She thought 
that she  heard the chime go off so she absentmindedly responded with the 
standard,  "Enter."
 
    She had no  idea who would be ringing her chime. She had left Tavi in 
their quarters and  there was really no one else that she was supposed to see. 
At 
least not that she  could remember. 
 
    Mahler entered and presented  Skyler with a PADD and stood at attention. 
"Doctor Isaac Mahler, Senior  Lieutenant, Chief Medical Officer, reporting for 
duty, Ma'am." God but I  hope this makes a good first impression -- you have 
only one  chance.
 
      Skyler looked up from the pile of PADD's. "At ease Lieutenant. Dr. 
Mahler is it?  Welcome aboard. I hope that you have found everything to your 
liking?" 
 
      Looking through the PADD's she found the one for the new CMO. She 
started to  read it briefly, scanning over the major parts. "So, this is your 
first 
ship  assignment or am I mistaken? The staff in sickbay is quite good. In 
fact we  recently lost our best nurse, as she returned to Starfleet medical to 
get her  medical degree. So tell me.....what made you decide on a ship board  
assignment?"
 
    "Well,  Ma'am, to be honest, my placement here was a complete surprise. 
When my brother  Carl told me about it, I thought it was one of his practical 
jokes. Prior to  this I'd served for several years as a Nurse or Assistant 
Medical Officer  on board several supply and freighter craft. I'd always wanted 
to 
serve on a  ship like this ... just never knew I'd be selected, is all."
 
    "I  assure you this is no practical joke. Along with Dr. Cazook you will 
be  responsible for the care of this entire crew and the families that are 
aboard. I  expect you to act accordingly and treat this position with all the 
dignity that  comes with being Chief Medical Officer."
 
    Skyler  looked at Dr. Mahler and wondered what was going through his 
mind. She didn't  really mean to sound harsh, but she had started out yrs ago 
as 
CMO and knew that  it was a difficult job. Yet at the same time it had been 
very  rewarding.
 
    "So Dr.  Mahler, do you think you are prepared to take on this position?" 
Skyler waited  patiently for an answer.
 
    "Absolutely, Commander. As I said, it came  as a surprise, but I'm as 
ready to take on this job as I'll ever be. I've always  hoped to practice 
medicine out on the frontier, as it were."
 
    Skyler  sat in silence for a moment before responding. "I am glad to hear 
that Dr.  Mahler. This crew is like a family to me. There will be new crew 
arriving very  soon and I am sure that they will need physical's. Most will be 
reluctant, which  is par for the course. I am sure that you will fit in just 
fine. If you have no  other question's you are dismissed."
 
    "Thank  you, Commander. I know about the reluctance of crew members to 
have physicals  but I'm sure we in Medical can be ... how shall I put it ... 
persuasive enough."  He smiled and exited, heading for the  Turbolift.

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