Just Wait One Damn Minute

Posted on Sat Feb 21st, 2026 @ 5:19pm by Captain William Abernathy & Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald MD & Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami

2,210 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Forgotten Wounds
Location: USS Arcadia | Sickbay

Still docked at Starbase One, the USS Arcadia was tethered and encased in a familiar cage of scaffolds, umbilicals, and drifting workbees that left the Federation starship feeling naked and restless. Captain Abernathy had likewise felt it the moment he stepped out of the turbolift onto Arcadia's redesigned bridge that wasn’t quite ready yet, but the undercurrent of transition was already tugging at him. He was anxious to leave, and an unexpected assignment had just landed on his lap.

Throwing a plasma wrench into the mix were terrible murmurs that had reached his ears. Quietly, the way all uncomfortable truths in Starfleet tended to, but he could not allow these truths to become concrete fact. He had heard heard the pause in a specific conversation that stopped when he entered the room. A too-careful phrasing in a duty roster. Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald, Arcadia's Chief Physician was considering something... and it wasn't a new office chair aboard the Arcadia.

Murmurs were was planning on leaving. Sooner rather than later. Abernathy didn’t like that. No, he did not that one damn bit. In fact, it heated the blood in his veins. Doctor McDonald was one person on his new starship, a member of his senior staff that he was looking forward to having.

Sickbay greeted Bill Abernathy with the sterile calm only doctors ever truly believed in and appreciated. Biobeds stood empty, a rarity. Diagnostic displays idling in soft amber as if waiting for the ship to remember what emergencies felt like. A refit lull, he reminded himself. The kind that gave people time to think. Sometimes too much time to contemplate the unthinkable.... leaving.

While the new commanding officer approached the Medical Bay, the cause of his current mission had been enjoying some time to himself. In a rare moment of consideration he had called in some favours to have the starbase support with any medical emergencies so that his staff could enjoy some more time off. He had remained behind, contemplating his past, present and future.

It had been interrupted by a welcome intrusion, in the form of Lieutenant Baciami. “Mind your step, we secured some last minute upgrades and taking on additional supplies- but whoever planned to provide us with all this forgot this is a medical bay, not a TARDIS. Is this a personal or professional visit?”

Adrianna looked down and indeed had to watch her step, having to do annot so graceful two step to stay standing. "That entirely depends on how much time you have, doctor," she smiled, but it quickly faded when she saw the new captain.

Sickbay was empty aside from Doctor Oscar McDonald and a woman that Abernathy recognized as his Chief Communications Officer, Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami. Bill straightened his uniform and crossed the deck, resolve settling this here and now, and he did not care if they had an audience.

He hadn’t come to issue orders or quote retention statistics. He’d come to make a case for Arcadia, for her crew, and for the doctor who might not realize how much he was still needed. "Where the hell do think you are going, Doctor?" Bill then locked onto Adrianna before she could excuse herself or retreat. "Nope, we are all in this spectacle now. This stays here and not leaving Sickbay."

The unfamiliar voice which filled Sickbay carried an air of authority, the kind that made you fairly confident this was someone accustomed to being listened to. Someone … yes, right there on the uniform sleeves. Captain. Or to be more precise, the new and latest Captain of the Arcadia.

And then a moment later he registered the question. He raised an eyebrow in amusement. Which he realised was perhaps an odd reaction to an apparently angry CO. “We were going to my office, Captain,” he answered truthfully, “although I suspect someone saw this…”

"I sure the hell would hope so," quipped Bill. "I came in here full steam ahead" he added.

Oscar touched his PaDD, calling up a shortlist he had been working on and holding it up, “combined with the fact I have been nice to them for a whole six hours and the rumour mill has gone into overdrive?”

Adrianna looked at the doctor and then the captain, "I'm sorry, have I missed something?"

Captain Bill Abernathy followed the man into the office. Some privacy was welcomed in this matter. "First off, apologies. I am not usually so... ah hell. I'd be lying if I said it was uncharacteristic of me, but I have gotten better at laying all my cards out on the table." His eyes locked onto Oscar. "Is that all that it is? A rumor mill running wild?"

McDonald smiled ruefully at the man’s self-assessment. “I am in no position to judge anyone when it comes to attitude,” he confided. “Is it just rumour? Honestly no. Have I made a final decision? Honestly no. I thought I had. And then I met a woman in a bar…”

"Well, you're meeting a man in your office now. So, the bar fly may have to wait" replied Bill. "No offense. I am sure that she's a lovely woman, but I need you to seriously reconsider leaving or at the very least, give me a damn minute... both of you" he added.

“She was my ex wife,” McDonald informed him, “or she should be. But I can spare a minute.”

"With all due respect, Cap-i-tan, this is hardly your business," Adrianna shortly retorted, "it is why I am here and I will not be stopped by a captain who is getting offended so easily. It has nothing to do with you. It is nothing personal. Merde, I even gave you a cazzo do replacement who is more than capable."

"Lieutenant, everything on this starship became my business when command was transferred over to me. I only recently learned you were pregnant, and leaving. I would like to hope that this replacement is temporary. As for Doctor McDonald, I need your expertise here."

“I came as a personal favour, and stayed while we waited to learn if Rho and my daughter - and her family - survived the Gorn. There are a number of overly qualified candidates for CMO and I’m damn sure they won’t irritate the crew and your XO so much,” McDonald noted, his expression softening a little as he looked towards Baciami. “Now can I say congratulations?”

Adrianna just saw red. And the best part: she was no longer Starfleet, so the consequences wouldn't matter on her record. Her voice dropped with cold rage, the kind of tone that sent even the strongest of men to their knees to beg for forgiveness because it was terrifyingly calm, "how... Dare you." She allowed the three words to sit their for a moment as she flared at the captain, "now I know I made the correct decision. Ans I'm happy for you to consider it person after that. That was not public knowledge. I was about to tell my friend that news and also to tell him that as of 0900, I no longer work for Starfleet. I'm retired from active duty to take over a family legacy. I will not be returning-- especially not for a cazzo do stronzo like you." She paused again, "I may no longer be Starfleet, and would take great pleasure at putting you on your ass for being so inconsiderate, but I am still polite. I owe you nothing. I deserve to leave here with dignity after the hells I have lived in the name of Starfleet. I will not be lectures by some newbie captain who childishly thinks this is personal."

"Ten years, Ms. Baciami. I have been a Captain for ten years. There's nothing newbie here except I know jack about this crew on a personal level. It was not my intention to spoil your news. Lieutenant Commander Walker told me that you were pregnant. I just damn well made an ass of myself at your expense. I did not know this was not public knowledge."

Bill shook his head. "I understand that you want out of here, neither of you owe me a damn thing. You don't know me to even owe me a drink at this point, but I wouldn't be coming down here hot under the collar for nothing. Ms. Baciami, I won't fight you. I know I would lose if I tried. Doctor, there are plenty of candidates out there, but I am looking at the most qualified one in front of me now. You may have come here as a personal favor. I'm asking you to stay for another... for a little while longer."

Adrianna just felt like growling. She looked at MacDonald and then looked back at the captain, "merde, I'm glad to be leaving Starfleet. People like you make people like myself and the doctor leave all the more. You need to walk away and start this conversation again-- like a civilised being instead of a shirty captain with a wasp under his cap, or whatever the expression is."

Times like this reminded him why it was best to be on Baciami’s good side. “My decision is not set in stone,” he offered, his tone in sharp contrast to his friend. “There are… complications. But I don’t know that I have a little while longer in me. “

Captain Abernathy looked at Adrianna. "I don't have the luxury of turning back time and making a better first impression. Lives are at stake" he stated.

Bill Abernathy took in a deep breath, addressing them both. "Starbase 1 received a distress call from an Antares-type Federation transport, the Bright Horizon. The transport vessel is carrying civilian families and thirty-seven children relocating to a Federation colony. A systems failure has left the transport disabled and adrift" explained Abernathy. "We're the closest Starship with the technology aboard needed for this mission."

"The transport is crippled, they have wounded. It is adrift in the center of somesort of minefield, and it's not one on our star charts. If you two are leaving us, I bid you adieu. There's bees under my bonnet because the lives of thirty-seven children are hanging in the balance."

McDonald swore under his breath as he sighed, tugging on his uniform tunic. Why hadn’t the man led with this information?!

“Perhaps pertinent information to share with others before we discussed career choices?” he suggested, shaking his head as he glanced at his shortlist. “Unlike my friend here, I have not officially tendered my resignation nor helped secure a replacement. I have no intention of abandoning my team in a crisis. Or a ship of potentially wounded civilians. It will give me time to provide you with a final shortlist of recommendations for your new CMO.”

"I have done my duty and got you a replacement that I trust," Adrianna curtly commented, "as much as my heart breaks for all of those families, I have my own to consider now. Any further commenta can be redirected to your new Comms chief, Elyse White." Adrianna looked at MacDonald, "she enjoys being mean to lower deckers too. I think you'll like her."

McDonald’s expression was almost akin to a sad lost puppy. It would not be the same…

"Lieutenant Baciami, thank you for your service and I appreciate that you have helped find your replacement. Doctor, I appreciate your willingness to delay any departure plans. Typically, yes, I would have gathered the Senior Staff for a debrief rather than addressing career choices, but your career choices would affect this mission."

“Dr Alexander may not appreciate the vote of confidence,” McDonald warned. He looked towards Baciami as he asked, “when will you be heading out?”

Adrianna was still seeing red with the captain, but nodded her thanks nonetheless.

Captain Bill Abernathy crossed his arms. "I mean no disrespect, Doctor. I am sure Doctor Alexander is a capable physician, but your expertise extends beyond that of surgical hands and medical prowess. Its your age and experience thats needed here. You've been through war with the Klingons. There's a time and place for a brilliant young mind. This is not one of them."

“I didn’t say he was brilliant…” McDonald countered with a hint of a grin which faded at the sobering memories of the war. “And you have gotten your wish, no need for reminding me how damn long in the tooth I am.”

Captain Bill Abernathy gave a nod. "I suppose I did. I got my wish, and a capable ship's physician going into this mess. I will let the two of you catch up. I will work on obtaining more details about this situation we are heading into."

"I should go," Adrianna sighed, "I need to pack." She looked at McDonald, "I'll find you before I leave."

“See that you do,” he said as he rounded his desk, “and I will start reminding my team why they hate me and have them recalled, you have my word we will be ready, Captain.”

Abernathy left with a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He had prolonged the Doctor's departure. For now at least.

 

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