Handover

Posted on Tue Jun 10th, 2025 @ 4:35pm by Lieutenant Xex Wang & Lieutenant JG Gwenwyn Marwol

Mission: Seven Souls
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Mission Day 0 at 0800

[Deck 2]
[Sickbay, CMO's office]
[0800]

Xex had chosen his timing with care, allowing Gwenwyn a couple hours to get into the rhythm of his shift and to make sure there were no current medical crises that would require either of their attention. He was not entirely certain how this interview would progress, and wanted to do as much as possible to ensure its success. Requesting Marwol's presence at a convenient time seemed to be the logical first step in aid fo that goal.

When the doors open to admit the ACMO, Xex half rose from his seat behind his desk, “Gwenwyn, come in, come in. Please, have a seat.” He gestured to the chairs before his desk and settled back into his own.

Gwenwyn took his seat, curious as to why he'd been summoned. All departmental papers had been filled, all dotted lines that needed signing today just needed Gwenwyn's signature. Maybe the Chief Nurse went over his head again, looking for those 2-3 ER nurses they were demanding. "What's this about?" He asked, with some hope, he was up for a promotion given he was a junior Lt for 4 or 5 years now.

As Gwenwyn sat, so too did Xex sink back into his own seat, ignoring the beginning of an itch at the edge of his scalp. “Two things, really,” he replied promptly, responding to Gwenwyn's clear desire to get to the point. “The first is to inform you that I will shortly be entering a... hibernation.” It did not matter how many times he made this speech, every time he thought he'd found an appropriate descriptor for the Shift, he found that when he spoke it aloud, it fell short. “I will be unavailable for a period of time. This, of course, brings us to the second thing which is that when the Chief is unavailable, the Assistant must step up,” Xex paused, catching and holding Gwenwyn's eyes, as though to impart the seriousness of the situation with his gaze alone.

“Fortunately for us,” he continued, lips quirking up on one side, “I will not be unexpectedly out of contact. We have some days yet before I am unable to continue my duties. I'll begin briefing you on the most pertinent business today, and we can continue our handover throughout the next few days.”

While Gwen wasn't well-versed on Xex's race, he felt like he had big boots to fill, given all the issues he was dealing with. "Let's get down to business." But he cared for Xex, too. "...Will you be safe though? In your hibernation state, I mean?"

Xex waved a dismissive hand, brushing aside Gwenwyn's concern, "Oh, quite safe. This is routine, if unscheduled. I won't even take up sickbay space; I will be quite comfortable in my quarters under medical lock. Unfortunately, I will need you to monitor my condition, but it should not present too onerous a time commitment. Now," Questions of his own safety answered, Xex leaned forward, folding his hands primly on the desktop, his expression setting into serious lines. "Gwenwyn, I must know now: can you commit to this task? You will be head of this department, and responsible for the health of every being on his ship. You cannot have second thoughts. You cannot have half of your attention already on Pathfinder. You cannot second-guess your decisions. You can and should seek guidance and advice from Commander t'Nai, you can and should keep open communication with the rest of the medical staff; their insights will be invaluable. But you and only you will be the ultimate authority. The buck, as you humans say, will stop with you. Can you assume this mantle of responsibility?" A beat of a pause. "Will you?"

It was a big ask. Everyone has their own battle to fight. But could he fight his own battle and another on top? There was only one way to find out. "I will." He responded, hiding his worries with a smile. He'd worked with t'Nai on the Adelphi when she served as CMO, he'd already had working relationships with the medical staff, and he trusted them completely. He could do this.

Xex watched carefully as Gwenwyn considered, and then answered. He continued to study the young man intently for a beat of silence before finally letting out a long breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. "Good," he said with brisk efficiency that seemed to indicate he was happy with Gwenwyn's answer-- or at least wanted him to think so. Keeping any misgivings he might have off his face, Xex leaned back away from the desk and gestured at its surface so that the floating image of his handover brief appeared in the air above it. In a no-nonsense voice at odds with his intensity from earlier, he enlarged the 'Current Cases' portion and said, "Then let's get to work."

A post by:

Lieutenant Xex Wang, MD
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant (JG) Gwenwyn Marwol, MD
Acting Chief Medical Officer