Read Online No Honor in Death by Eric Thomson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eric Thomson
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tell?"
"Good, old-fashioned frontier medicine, Captain. I practiced on the outer colonies before the war, before getting drafted into the Service. You learn to make your diagnostics on instinct and observation. Few colonies have a full medical suite like we have here."
Siobhan nodded, eyebrows raised. "I'm impressed. And you're right. I still haven't fully recovered from the wounds I took when my previous ship was all but wrecked. And the aftermath, decommissioning her, writing to the next of kin, making sure the wounded get the best treatment, and now getting a problem ship..."
"That'd do it, sir. Guess your sleep's not too good either. Nightmares and such," the doctor shrugged. "I'd tell you to take it easy, and take a few days leave, but I'd be whistling in an ion storm. What I will tell you is to try and get at least eight uninterrupted hours of sleep a night, see me whenever you feel a migraine or some other problem start, and get some decent food."
Siobhan shrugged. "I'll try, but under the circumstances..."
"Tell you what," Luttrell held up her hand and returned to the cabinet. She pulled out a carton of nerve inducers. "Take the whole box. Slap one of these on your neck before going to bed, and the nightmares will be manageable. It's not something you'll find in medical texts, but believe me, it helps."
"Personal experience?"
"Yeah. Long time ago. And don't worry, it's not addictive."
Siobhan took the box. At that moment, her stomach rumbled loudly. Luttrell gave her a mock surprised look.
"See," she said accusingly, "I was right. You are undernourished. Now that the migraine's gone, your body wants some food. When's the last time you ate?"
"Breakfast, but I upchucked it a few hours later."
Luttrell turned on her intercom. "Sickbay to Captain's clerk."
"Kery here," the clerk's voice replied a few moments later.
"The Captain has asked me to order her some grub. Get a tray from the galley to her ready room in fifteen minutes. And make sure it's heaped high." Luttrell briefly glanced at Siobhan, muting the transmission. "Anything in particular, skipper?"
"Yes. She stared at the surgeon, eyes narrowed in thought. "I want the food to come from the lower deck galley, not the wardroom."
The doctor looked at her for a moment, then nodded her understanding. "Kery, make sure the food comes from the main galley, not the wardroom."
"Aye, aye, doctor."
"Sickbay, out."
"I think this ship's in for quite a change," Luttrell softly said, looking at Siobhan, "more than I expected."
"It is, doctor, you can bank on it," Siobhan replied, in the same tone. Then she turned to leave, saying over her shoulder, "thanks for the doctoring."
"Don't mention it, sir. It’s my job – something I’m damned good at.” As Siobhan crossed the threshold, Luttrell added, "There's still a lot of good on this ship too, Captain. They just need the right hand at the wheel."
Dunmoore didn't reply. She simply nodded, without looking back, and let the hatch close behind her. Just then, Pushkin walked down the passage, face dark with anger. Upon seeing the Captain, he stopped and came to attention.
"I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't aware you'd be inspecting sickbay now. I just read Lieutenant Luttrell's report." His voice was tense, his words clipped.
Siobhan repressed a curse and a sigh, realizing she'd accidentally snubbed her First Officer again. Behind every silver lining, there's a cloud .
By custom, the First Officer always accompanied the Captain on an inspection. After making sure everything was ship-shape.
"I'm sorry, Mister Pushkin," she replied, trying to sound contrite, though she doubted that he was in any mood to be mollified. "I wasn't thinking when I decided to come down and inspect sickbay. I'm afraid I not only left you out, but also surprised Lieutenant Luttrell."
Hopefully, her last comment would prevent Pushkin from taking out his
"Good, old-fashioned frontier medicine, Captain. I practiced on the outer colonies before the war, before getting drafted into the Service. You learn to make your diagnostics on instinct and observation. Few colonies have a full medical suite like we have here."
Siobhan nodded, eyebrows raised. "I'm impressed. And you're right. I still haven't fully recovered from the wounds I took when my previous ship was all but wrecked. And the aftermath, decommissioning her, writing to the next of kin, making sure the wounded get the best treatment, and now getting a problem ship..."
"That'd do it, sir. Guess your sleep's not too good either. Nightmares and such," the doctor shrugged. "I'd tell you to take it easy, and take a few days leave, but I'd be whistling in an ion storm. What I will tell you is to try and get at least eight uninterrupted hours of sleep a night, see me whenever you feel a migraine or some other problem start, and get some decent food."
Siobhan shrugged. "I'll try, but under the circumstances..."
"Tell you what," Luttrell held up her hand and returned to the cabinet. She pulled out a carton of nerve inducers. "Take the whole box. Slap one of these on your neck before going to bed, and the nightmares will be manageable. It's not something you'll find in medical texts, but believe me, it helps."
"Personal experience?"
"Yeah. Long time ago. And don't worry, it's not addictive."
Siobhan took the box. At that moment, her stomach rumbled loudly. Luttrell gave her a mock surprised look.
"See," she said accusingly, "I was right. You are undernourished. Now that the migraine's gone, your body wants some food. When's the last time you ate?"
"Breakfast, but I upchucked it a few hours later."
Luttrell turned on her intercom. "Sickbay to Captain's clerk."
"Kery here," the clerk's voice replied a few moments later.
"The Captain has asked me to order her some grub. Get a tray from the galley to her ready room in fifteen minutes. And make sure it's heaped high." Luttrell briefly glanced at Siobhan, muting the transmission. "Anything in particular, skipper?"
"Yes. She stared at the surgeon, eyes narrowed in thought. "I want the food to come from the lower deck galley, not the wardroom."
The doctor looked at her for a moment, then nodded her understanding. "Kery, make sure the food comes from the main galley, not the wardroom."
"Aye, aye, doctor."
"Sickbay, out."
"I think this ship's in for quite a change," Luttrell softly said, looking at Siobhan, "more than I expected."
"It is, doctor, you can bank on it," Siobhan replied, in the same tone. Then she turned to leave, saying over her shoulder, "thanks for the doctoring."
"Don't mention it, sir. It’s my job – something I’m damned good at.” As Siobhan crossed the threshold, Luttrell added, "There's still a lot of good on this ship too, Captain. They just need the right hand at the wheel."
Dunmoore didn't reply. She simply nodded, without looking back, and let the hatch close behind her. Just then, Pushkin walked down the passage, face dark with anger. Upon seeing the Captain, he stopped and came to attention.
"I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't aware you'd be inspecting sickbay now. I just read Lieutenant Luttrell's report." His voice was tense, his words clipped.
Siobhan repressed a curse and a sigh, realizing she'd accidentally snubbed her First Officer again. Behind every silver lining, there's a cloud .
By custom, the First Officer always accompanied the Captain on an inspection. After making sure everything was ship-shape.
"I'm sorry, Mister Pushkin," she replied, trying to sound contrite, though she doubted that he was in any mood to be mollified. "I wasn't thinking when I decided to come down and inspect sickbay. I'm afraid I not only left you out, but also surprised Lieutenant Luttrell."
Hopefully, her last comment would prevent Pushkin from taking out his
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