02-28-2026, 01:49 AM
== Some undetermined time between missions ==
"Come in," Robin responded to her office door chime. Doctor Kent Östberg entered and took the seat that the CMO offered with a wave of her hand. "Thanks for coming. How are you feeling?"
"A lot better," the large man said with a shrug of a newly-healed shoulder. "Not the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
That drew a smile and a nod. Robin knew all about his past, the good and bad of it. He'd started his career as a medic in special forces and been injured in the line of duty more than once, including a disruptor shot that had nearly taken his leg. She wondered if that had been what had prompted his decision to switch to the safer job of shipboard doctor.
"I read through the report on the freighter. You did pretty well, especially in some really terrible circumstances. Beaming onto the bridge of a Klingon ship wasn't the best play, I guess."
His face was carefully neutral. "I guess not. I still can't believe that one berserker. I hit him with enough sedative to take down a rhino, plus he got phasered repeatedly. Hell, I wondered if he was an Augment. No offense."
Robin smiled. "None taken. Just one of those things, I guess. Klingons are tough, but they're not normally that tough. We didn't find anything unusual about him, though. Doctor Miller went through his carcass pretty thoroughly."
"Bet she enjoyed that."
That drew a laugh from the CMO. "Yep. She did." She paused, then opened a drawer on her desk and took out a small black box. "Anyway... Doctor Östberg, you've been here for months. You've stepped up and run beta shift really well, and you've shown that you can be trusted with higher rank. I know it's not the promotion back to full ell-tee that you want, but it's a step on the road." She handed him the box, which he opened with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "It's my privilege to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade."
He stared at the single black pip for a moment before pinning it to his uniform collar. "Thanks, Commander."
"You've earned it. And you'll have the next gold pip fairly shortly if you stay on that road." Robin wasn't going to go over the reason why Östberg had been demoted in the first place. It was old news. He'd integrated himself into the Artemis sickbay well and hadn't caused trouble.
But the truth was that Starfleet was dreadfully short on doctors, especially ones with leadership potential. Robin herself was only Chief Medical Officer because there hadn't been anyone else able (or willing) to take the job. She liked to think she was doing a good job, and her Augment mind was particularly suited to organizational and management tasks, but the fleet had taken some serious hits in recent years. They needed doctors, even ones that were rough and occasionally troublesome.
"Once you have it I hope you decide to stay on the Artemis. I know you're eager to go for CMO, and Lord knows there are plenty of openings on other ships, but I can use you."
"I'll... think about it," Östberg replied with enough hesitation that Robin thought he might actually consider it.
She smiled warmly. "That's all I can ask. Anyway, I'll let you get back to it. Congratulations, Lieutenant Östberg."
The large doctor snapped her a parade ground salute as he rose and left the office.
Just stay out of trouble.
"Come in," Robin responded to her office door chime. Doctor Kent Östberg entered and took the seat that the CMO offered with a wave of her hand. "Thanks for coming. How are you feeling?"
"A lot better," the large man said with a shrug of a newly-healed shoulder. "Not the worst thing that's ever happened to me."
That drew a smile and a nod. Robin knew all about his past, the good and bad of it. He'd started his career as a medic in special forces and been injured in the line of duty more than once, including a disruptor shot that had nearly taken his leg. She wondered if that had been what had prompted his decision to switch to the safer job of shipboard doctor.
"I read through the report on the freighter. You did pretty well, especially in some really terrible circumstances. Beaming onto the bridge of a Klingon ship wasn't the best play, I guess."
His face was carefully neutral. "I guess not. I still can't believe that one berserker. I hit him with enough sedative to take down a rhino, plus he got phasered repeatedly. Hell, I wondered if he was an Augment. No offense."
Robin smiled. "None taken. Just one of those things, I guess. Klingons are tough, but they're not normally that tough. We didn't find anything unusual about him, though. Doctor Miller went through his carcass pretty thoroughly."
"Bet she enjoyed that."
That drew a laugh from the CMO. "Yep. She did." She paused, then opened a drawer on her desk and took out a small black box. "Anyway... Doctor Östberg, you've been here for months. You've stepped up and run beta shift really well, and you've shown that you can be trusted with higher rank. I know it's not the promotion back to full ell-tee that you want, but it's a step on the road." She handed him the box, which he opened with an uncharacteristic seriousness. "It's my privilege to promote you to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade."
He stared at the single black pip for a moment before pinning it to his uniform collar. "Thanks, Commander."
"You've earned it. And you'll have the next gold pip fairly shortly if you stay on that road." Robin wasn't going to go over the reason why Östberg had been demoted in the first place. It was old news. He'd integrated himself into the Artemis sickbay well and hadn't caused trouble.
But the truth was that Starfleet was dreadfully short on doctors, especially ones with leadership potential. Robin herself was only Chief Medical Officer because there hadn't been anyone else able (or willing) to take the job. She liked to think she was doing a good job, and her Augment mind was particularly suited to organizational and management tasks, but the fleet had taken some serious hits in recent years. They needed doctors, even ones that were rough and occasionally troublesome.
"Once you have it I hope you decide to stay on the Artemis. I know you're eager to go for CMO, and Lord knows there are plenty of openings on other ships, but I can use you."
"I'll... think about it," Östberg replied with enough hesitation that Robin thought he might actually consider it.
She smiled warmly. "That's all I can ask. Anyway, I'll let you get back to it. Congratulations, Lieutenant Östberg."
The large doctor snapped her a parade ground salute as he rose and left the office.
Just stay out of trouble.