Episode 1 - Jerry

Cancelled because of mechanical problems?  You have got to be kidding me.”  The automated attendant at the check-in counter spat out a new boarding pass and then smiling mechanically, wished me a good day.

“It’s not a good day,” I told it even though it didn’t hear or care what I thought.  I swiped my boarding pass from the dispenser and then picked up my gear bag and medical kit.  The large overhead display showed my new departure gate as two terminals away but not leaving for another three hours due to a dust storm which had delayed the connection on Mars.  I had plenty of time to wander the terminal whether I liked it or not.  I was going to be late to my first posting as Sickbay Physician on board the StarShip Discovery.

“A great way to start my new career,” I grumbled as I boarded the lateral lift.  I pushed the button for Terminal 7 as an elderly blue woman struggling with a walker yelled at me to hold open the door.  Setting my bags down, I reached my hand out to block the lift doors for her but unfortunately, the sensor didn’t catch that and they closed on my hand.  I don’t know who screeched louder, me or the blue granny.  “Damn!” I cried when the doors finally registered that a part of me was stuck in them and they needed to open again.

“You have no manners,” Blue Granny scolded wobbling into the lift while I felt the bones of my hand.  It hurt like hell and already my hand was swelling but fortunately, nothing was broken although I doubted I’d be able to hold a surgical instrument for at least another week.

“Sorry,” I mumbled  as the lift doors once again closed, this time without any of my appendages stuck in them.  I reached in my kit for an instant ice pack, holding it against my swollen hand while counting to ten.

“Terminal 6 please,” Granny ordered and waited patiently obviously unaware of my plight.  I juggled the ice pack and pressed button 6 for her.  My bad hand began to throb so I bent down again to my kit searching for some meds and inadvertently dropping the ice pack on the floor.  In the meantime, the lift hadn’t moved at all.  Instead, the doors swished open again and a guy cussing like a space sailor stepped through.