Helopolis got a strange look on his face.  "Substance P.  That's a neurotransmitter for pain impulses.  It's effective against this stuff?"  He gestured at his screen, apparently looking at the "verboten" list.  "Not into anything odd, are you, Doctor?"  He rolled his eyes dramatically, though a small smile curled his mouth.<br/><br/>They were saved any more of Helopolis' odd sense of humor by the speaker on the intercom.  "Captain says that he's willing to hold half an hour.  We're kind of on a schedule, Doctor."<br/><br/>The other doc was already ordering the items via his computer, and leaned over the intercom panel on his desk.  "Great.  Thanks, Bridge.  The items we're ordering are on their way--should be here in about an hour, which..."  He looked up at a digital clock on the bulkhead above the hatch.  "..should only use about fifteen minutes of that half hour.  Thank the Captain for me.  This could be critical to our mission."  Then he carefully flipped the intercom to the off position.<br/><br/>He turned back to Nova and grinned.  "Once again, we medical types have stuck it to the ops types and their carefully made schedules.  That goes down as a victory in my book."  He pulled open a drawer in his desk, and took out two plastic cups.  "Drink?"  A bottle of bourbon appeared in his hand, taken from the drawer also.  He showed her a hand-made label on the side.  "For medicinal purposes only" showed clearly below the maker's label, the real label announcing that the bourbon came from somewhere in the Deneb Sector.  He poured a little for himself, about a shot's worth, then hovered the bottle near the other cup, waiting for her concurrence, upon which he'd pour her a similar amount, then use the side of the bottle to push it her way.<br/><br/>"When we finish our celebration, I'll introduce you to my two assistants out there, and my nurse, who should be coming in here any minute, since I opened this bottle, to scold me about drinking on duty."  He leaned over conspiratorially, and gave Nova a stage whisper.  "She can hear a bottle opening at a distance of fifty meters!"<br/><br/>He took a drink of his, then added, "I should call your platoonies down here and you can meet them, too."  He turned back to the intercom, pressed a button that was labeled "Shipwide" and said, slowly and clearly, "All platoon corpsmen please report to sickbay as soon as possible."  His voice would be obvious on the overhead speakers as they repeated the request.<br/><br/>[By the way, any observation of Doctor Helopolis would clearly show that he does not appear to have a drinking problem, just to make things clear.]<br/><br/>A trim middle aged woman with dark hair and skin two shades darker than fair, wearing ship's coveralls (which bore Senior Grade Lieutenant bars) came into the sickbay, headed for the Doctor's office.  As she approached, her name would become visible.  The strip of fabric over her pocket had the word "Helopolis" imprinted on it.  She took one look through the office's doorway, then rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly, shaking her head.<br/><br/>The doctor grinned at the new arrival, and said, "Nurse Helopolis, I'd like you to meet Doctor Mordin, the new groundside medico."<br/><br/>The woman shook her head again, then gave Nova a genuinely friendly smile, white teeth clear against her darker skin.  "Welcome, Doctor.  Please don't let this quack..." She gestured at the man behind the desk, who immediately took on a mock offended look.  "...give you a bad impression of this outfit.  We do good work, I assure you."