Morale Visits

Posted on Tue Jul 25, 2017 @ 8:59pm by Lieutenant JG Mirok & Ensign Terry Walsh

Mission: Strange Matter
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Backpost

After his incident with the Commodore earlier, Mirok had to meet who the morale officer was and follow them around sickbay "cheering people up," the thought of it made his eyes roll.

He knew he had to do it if he ever wanted his promenade privileges back, so he was standing outside sickbay waiting for the other man. "Come on, where in the Elements is he?!"

Terry's office was just a couple doors down from the main entrance to the sickbay. He shook his head as he started out the door. This was the most unusual order he'd ever received. But, it was an order. He stepped out and turned to the left, seeing a tall, good-sized Vulcan standing outside sickbay. Or at least he looked like a Vulcan. Terry walked up and put his hand out for a shake. "Ensign Terry Walsh, Morale Officer," he said.

"Lieutenant Mirok, Assistant Chief Security/Tactical Officer." Mirok said, shaking hands, "let's get this over with, I'm not looking forward to it."

"Nice to meet you, Lieutenant," said Terry, releasing his hand. He paused before they went in. "What part are you not looking forward to?" he asked.

"Just having to be here." Mirok muttered, crossing his arms.

"Well," Terry said, "as Morale Officer, it's my job to make sure everyone has some semblance of a good day. Security Officers included." Reverting back to his days as a Starfleet Marine fighter pilot, he clasped the equally tall man on the back. "Come on, it won't be that bad. I promise."

"My idea of a good day is blowing up Klingon ships." Mirok said, and he sighed, "let's get this done."

"Not so sure about the Klingon part, but there was time years ago when I'd consider a good day to be launching micro torpedoes from my fighter at an enemy bridge," said Terry. "But that's a story for another day. Let's go." He walked into sickbay and nodded to the attending nurse. "Ensign Walsh, Morale Officer. This is Lieutenant Mirok. We're here for visits."

The Bajoran female smiled at the Ensign. "Of course." She picked up a PADD and quickly transferred some information to it. "Here you go, Ensign. We have a couple of people in ICU number one, though I doubt they're awake. The Intermediate Care Unit might have some personnel recovering. And then there are the normal Patient Care Rooms. But, sadly, the Pediatric ICU has a patient. I'm sure you'll find the parents nearby."

Terry accepted the offered PADD with a 'thanks.' Then he turned to Mirok. "Do you have a preference for a starting point?" He was trying to make this as painless as possible for the Lieutenant.

"Anywhere but here." Mirok said with an eye roll.

"We'll start with the Patient Care Rooms, then," said Terry. "If you'll follow me, it looks like our first visit will be to a Mister...Finn Darog. Diagnosis, Irumodic Syndrome." He looked up at Mirok. "This may require you to not roll your eyes, sir. Not too many people would take kindly to that when their loved one is suffering from a degenerative neurological disorder."

"I honestly wouldn't be here if the Commodore didn't order me to be. This is your job, not mine." He managed to hold back an eye roll this time.

"I'm sure the Commodore has his reasons. But, I'll admit, this is the first time that I've ever been ordered to take someone on morale visits in Sickbay before," said Terry.

"First time I've been ordered to do them myself." Mirok said, "guess it could be worse."

"For some, it is worse," said Terry as they approached the room. "Like Mr. Darog in there. Why don't you give it a go? Speak first, introduce us, talk to him and anyone that might be in there."

"Me?!" Mirok hissed, shaking his head.

"Yes you. You can be personable, I know you can," said Terry. "Give it a shot. I'll be right beside you if you stumble."

Mirok groaned, but headed in first, trying to calm his nerves.

Stretched out on the biobed was an old man, human. A cover was pulled up to his neck and his head was turned to the side, staring at the young woman sitting in the chair. She was slender with brown hair covering her shoulders. When she heard the door open, she looked up from her PADD. "Can I help you?"

Mirok blinked a few times, trying to remain civil at the very least, "I'm lieutenant Mirok, this is Ensign Walsh, we're doing rounds offering an open ear and comforting voice." He had no clue what he was doing, and looked to Terry to take over.

"You can call me Terry," he said to the woman. "And my friend here is right." He gestured to the two other chairs, "May we?"

The woman smiled. "Of course, please. It isn't often that someone who is not a doctor or nurse comes in. But, you are wearing the right color," she said.

Terry chuckled. "Morale Officer falls under Medical. Part of my job, at least a part that I've taken on, is making rounds."

She looked to the...Vulcan...with an inquisitive look on her face. "And you're in a different color uniform."

"I was...requested...to do a rotation out of another department." Mirok said, deciding it sounded reasonable enough as he took a seat.

Something about his demeanor changed as he looked at the old man. "My people are vulnerable to something similar...Tuvan Syndrome...I watched my stepmother die from it."

To say that Terry was caught off guard would be putting it mildly. But he didn't interrupt, he just watched as Mirok looked at Finn Darog.

"My name is Elena," said the brunette. "And I'm sorry to hear about your stepmother. Dad is in the later stages of Irumodic Syndrome. Confusion was the first thing to set in. He would forget where he was most of the time. That's about all it was for several years. We were able to care for him at home, my husband and I. That became tougher when the delusions set in. He would go back decades in his mind and the ship became whatever period he was in, not to mention the people. Now, it's mostly in his mind. He has lucid moments, though. And I treasure each of them." Elena looked from her father to Terry's companion. "Your people...Vulcan I presume."

"Yeah, Vulcan. I didn't exactly follow Surak's teachings." It was an outright lie, but if it helped her feel better, Mirok would do it.

"We each make choices and follow our own paths," she replied. "That's what makes us unique. At least that's what my Bajoran friend told me. She was brought up in a home that worshiped the Prophets and obeyed every word that came from the Vedeks and Kais as if they were all Prime Directives. She says that when she was old enough, she joined Starfleet and threw her Bajoran earring away along with the rest of it. She made a choice, followed her own path, and became unique." She stared at her father. "He was unique, too."

Mirok decided to do something that might be a bit controverstial. "Would you mind if I offered a prayer to the Elements for good fortune and happy times with your father for whatever time he may have left?"

Terry looked wary. It was unusual for a standard morale visit and he thought it to be more unusual for Mirok to offer. Based on his initial meeting of the man, he didn't expect this at all. He scooted forward and was about to say something when he was interrupted by Finn's daughter.

"I don't mind at all, Lieutenant Mirok," Elena replied. "Please, go ahead."

Mirok looked to the sky, raising to his feet. "To the Elements that support us, lift up the Darog family in their time of need, support them, and give them good fortune and happy times during whatever time their father may have left." As he finished he offered a small smile to Elena and put a hand on he shoulder breifly before exiting the room.

Terry got up and followed Mirok out of the room. He knew the man had it in him and he planned on telling him so once they were out of earshot.

Elena returned his smile and felt a little comfort at his hand on her shoulder. She then stood and walked to her father, placing her hand on his arm. It had been one of the greatest things that anyone had done for her and her family since Finn had been placed in here. The thing that happened next surprised Elena.

Finn looked up, and in a gravely, shaky voice, said, "Tell the Vulcan thanks."

Elena grinned as tears began welling up in her eyes. She ran to the door and leaned against the edge, placing her hands near her head. "Lieutenant!" she called, "my father said 'tell the Vulcan thanks' just now. Thank you. From both of us."

Mirok smiled back at her, "it was no trouble ma'am, just trying to make people feel better."

Elena wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled. She went back inside to talk with her father, for however much time he would be lucid.

Terry grinned. "See, I knew you could do it. You ran that whole meeting with her. And you did a spectacular job. But, if you want, I'll keep that between us. No need to go around putting scratches on that tough exterior."

Mirok smiled at the other man, "I just kind of did what I wanted someone to do when I watched my stepmother in that kind of situation."

"Then you did good," said Terry. "That's part of what this job is all about, finding that part of you that can understand what the other person is going through. It makes us more personable to them. Approachable." He clasped the Lieutenant on the back and grinned. "I'll get through that exterior yet. C'mon, we have some more visits."