Doctor to Doctor

Posted on Thu Feb 12th, 2026 @ 1:33pm by Commander Cressida Vale MD & Lieutenant Commander Dr. J.R McEntyre, M.D, F.F.C.S, F.C.E.P

654 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Pilot - "The Gate"
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Sometime after "The Gate"

It had worked out that Elias had managed to get his cousin, J.R, to join the ship. J.R had been looking for a change while waiting for his assignment to Calypso. Though the Calypso wasn't due back from their expedition for at least another two years in deep space. So to tide his time, he taken up Elias offer to be ACMO and Ship's surgeon.

The Guinevere's sickbay was bigger than the Galaxy Class Astrea's had been.

Newer too.

Going over some notes in his office, he leaned back into his chair, getting up to speed on the patient load on Guin. He had hoped to speak with his new boss, a friend of Elias named Cressida Vale whom Elias spoke of highly.

Cressida arrived in sickbay a few minutes before the proper start of her shift and was surprised to see someone already in the ACMO office. Right. The Commodore’s cousin arrived last night.

She walked into the threshold of the open office and smiled. “Glad to see you so eager to get to it.” She reached her hand out to him. “Doctor Cressida Vale, CMO.”

J.R got up from his desk, walking around to greet the CMO.

"Best way to get acclimated is to hit the ground running" He spoke with that smooth Texan that was a trademark of the current generation of McEntyres. "John Ross McEntyre, call me J.R. How do ya do?" He smiled as he extended a paw to the fellow doctor, taking Cressida’s offered hand.

“I’m glad to have you on board, for one,” she answered. “We can never use too many experienced medical officers. How long have you been in service?”

"Counting Medical School, a bit over 20 years. My primary specialty is Surgery." J.R elaborated. "I tend to consider myself more of a Ship's Surgeon than anything else."

"Good to hear," Cressida told him. "I'm glad to have another specialist on my team, and one who specializes in surgery is essential."

Plans went through her head. She remembered how difficult it was during previous crises when she'd be in surgery saving a crewmember's life while also needing to oversee the rest of sickbay. If she could leave surgeries to a chief surgeon, then she could better manage the department overall, especially in an emergency.

"I already have the unit clerk assigning patient appointments to you," she added. "But I'll tell her to focus on surgical needs. I know there are two in the schedule for later this week."

"I'll start reading over their charts and write up notes." J.R smiles. "What about you, Dr. Vale, what's your history?"

"Started at the Academy...what was it, seventeen years ago now," she answered. "Specialized in trauma injuries. I've been here on the Guinevere for three years now, CMO for two, Second Officer for the past month or so."

"Sounds like you're the real McCoy there. Hopefully this old sawbones can be of use to ya."

J.R chuckled a bit. He was dressed practically, as Cressida would come to notice. A scrub top with undershirt, practical pants with pockets, well worn shoes and a hoodie with the insignia of the Starfleet Medical Corps on the front breast. His commbadge on his scrub top.

"I expect you will be," she replied with a laugh. "I'll let you get back to it. My first appointment should be here soon. Don't hesitate to call if you need something."

"Of Course." J.R nods.

With that, she nodded to him and left J.R.'s office for her own, so she could don her lab coat and invite in her first patient of the day.

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Commander Cressida Vale, MD
Chief Medical Officer and Second Officer
USS Guinevere


Dr. John Ross "J.R." McEntyre, M.D. F.F.C.S, F.C.E.P
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Guinevere

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