The Promise of a New Face Lift

Posted on Mon Nov 29th, 2021 @ 1:06am by Rear Admiral Jan van Groesbeck & Commander Reginald Hertford & Vice Admiral Nathan Cowell, MD

Mission: Episode 2: 18th and Constitution
Location: VADM Cowell's Office, Starfleet Medical
Timeline: Mission Day 9 at 1900

"I'm here to speak with the Surgeon General on behalf of Rear Admiral van Groesbeeck," Commander Reginald Hertford carried three PADDs. "Is he in?"

Vice Admiral Nathan Cowell looked up from his reading to find a man juggling PaDDs while asking what could only be considered a rhetorical question given that the doctor had neither an antechamber to his office nor any aides to speak of. The fact that he left his office door wide open might have given people the impression that they would need to cross yet another threshold before encountering him if they were to visit another building, but such expectations were there to be shattered and that was exactly as Admiral Cowell liked it.

"Nope," the old man said sarcastically, "Just missed him. Ran like a bat out of hell when he smelled someone coming in with busy work."

Commander Hertford smiled, "You're definitely the Vice Admiral, sir." He chuckled lightly, "Do you have a moment or would you like me to book an appointment with your... aide? Which you apparently don't have."

"Is it important? As you can plainly see, we're so short handed I can't even spare a body to answer the phones..." the old man said before shrugging, "Not that they've had phones in this building since the dawn of the Federation... but that's besides the point."

"It is a matter of great importance, yes." Commander Hertford took a step forward, "I'm Commander Reginald Hertford, sir." He picked one of the PADDs he was carrying offering it towards the Vice Admiral while he continued to approach the man's desk. He reached out to him with it.

"You know something, son... everything that everyone walks in with is of great importance... to them," the elderly physician said as he snatched the PaDD from the man, "And you have about five minutes to convince me that your important thing is important to me too. I still have surgeries to attend, patients to check on, and any number of potentially life threatening injuries that might pop up between now and then. So if it's all the same to you, kid... skip the build up and just give it to me straight. Who are you... and why do I care? Start from that and run with it."

"I'm the Special Attache to the Director of Starfleet Intelligence," Commander Hertford told the curmudgeon of a man his full title, "Groesbeck has to travel off-world and requires some alterations to change his appearance. He needs to travel off-world to find answers."

The old man frowned from his desk, "Usually when someone wants a new face, they come to me personally. Not like I can hand you a new mug to carry with you. If he wants anything done, he's gonna have to make an appointment like the rest of the Federation. I don't make house calls at my age. If that's something he's willing to do, then I'm happy to slap some fake skin on him and mess up his bone structure in any way he likes..."

Hertford smiled at the old man with an understanding nod, "I completely get where you're coming from, Vice Admiral. Rear Admiral Groesbeeck will come see you when its convenient for you. What is your ten o'clock looking like?"

"Don't know, have to check my calendar," the old man grunted, turning toward a very old looking book. Cowell retrieved the antiquated writing utensil from the crease of the book and started flipping through it lazily before settling on what one could only assume was the current day.

"I'll go ahead and pencil you in," he said, making one small mark on the calendar before turning back to the man, "Already, got you in there. Can't promise something important won't pop up between now and then, but barring major incidents, ought to be ok."

"I don't want to keep you," Commander Hertford nodded, "Admiral van Groesbeeck and myself will be by sometime tomorrow."