Who is Omni-Tek: #Omni-Med
March 28, 29483 - Eto Demercel [Global]
OTPC - Rubi-Ka is a dangerous place and always has been. In times gone past there was no cell-scanning and reclaim technology and the harsh environment of the planet took its toll. Now, we have insurance and a softer climate, but the constant threat of ongoing conflict. Throughout all of this, there has always been Omni-Med. A parental figure, looking after us when we fall ill and warding us from harm.
Where would we be without Omni-Med? Well the answer to that is probably: Not on Rubi-Ka. As one of the first departments on the planet, Omni-Med has worked tirelessly throughout the entire history of Rubi-Ka's colonisation to make the planet safe, habitable and pleasant to live on. And as those who have travelled to the edge of terraformed areas and outzones will tell us: That is no mean feat.
Without Omni-Med the world would be a very different place indeed. A harsh, desert world without the power and stamina of the Atrox, the technical expertise and intellect of the Nanomage and the reflexes and dexterity of the Opifex, for it is indeed in the labs of Omni-Med where each of these races can trace their origins. A world without the implants and stims that enhance our ability to do our jobs faster and more effectively is also something difficult to imagine in today's society.
A large department whose workers are constantly barraged with task after complicated and difficult task would require an immensely strong and firm leader to hold everything tightly together. And fortunately Omni-Med has just that and has had it for a long time.
Rita Prestin presents an unyielding figure of efficiency and intellect as she considers me with stern appraisal. Her precisely applied make-up betrays a rare attention to detail and accuracy. The daughter of two highly respected surgeons, her life as a physician seemed inevitable. And so, it is not surprising that her long career with Omni-Tek has resulted in her current and long-held position as Omni-Med's Chief Operating Officer.
What is surprising, however, is that after so many years of organising the ten thousand strong operation in Omni-1 alone, the ravages of stress and time have had no affect on either the physical appearance or mental prowess of Rita Prestin. When asked how she copes with it, she only scoffs, telling me that she has not taken a vacation in in fifty-two years.
After so long does she not tire of her job? Certainly not, it would seem as she explains to me exactly what the most important aspects of her job are. She talks with what can only be described as grim passion about the everlasting task of securing state-of-the-art medical support for any employee in need. It does not, however, sound as though there is a set routine for the Director; "There is no such thing as a normal work day as each day is different from the others," She says, "but there are a series of regular duties that I perform, such as reviewing ongoing projects and visiting VIP clients in our medical facilities." It is a pleasant thought, then, that after so many years, Rita Prestin has not lost her bedside manner and healer's instincts.
As a fierce loyalist, Prestin admits to having had some demoralising moments and difficult decisions she has had to make in the past. She talks with great regret about the forced ICC ruling in 29452 to allow equal access to insurance tech to everyone, including terrorists and savage criminals. Perhaps it is her benevolent concern for the family of Omni-Tek that pains her with the knowledge of suffering inflicted by desperado and (for want of a better word) suicide Clan terrorists. When asked about her feelings about the family of the corporation and how it relates to her, she responds simply: "I am Omni-Tek, therefore [family] is everything."
This level of dedication is a rare find and certainly one we would want running a department so important to our everyday lives and general well-being. And yet, once again, we find a dedicated and loyal worker the subject of scandalous rumours and terrible slander. It is such a shame that another department, every employee of which has gone through years of study and training in order to help, heal and enhance their fellow human, has become such easy targets for those that would spread misinformation and discord.
So the next time you see a wounded soldier being expertly healed by a doctor, the next time you upgrade your implants or use a healing stim, the next time you walk through the parks and forests or marvel at the hard-work of an Atrox, the intelligence of the Nanomage or the skill of the Opifex, remember the dedicated and constantly hard-working department who made all this possible.
Eto Demercel for OTPC