We've all been there

Posted on 27 Apr 2014 @ 4:12pm by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Cadet Sophomore Grade Alenis Taban

1,617 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 06 - Legend of Souls
Location: USS Galileo, Deck 3, Sickbay
Timeline: MD02 - 1700 hours

After a whirlwind couple of hours Taban finally found himself with five minutes' spare and made the short trip to deck three and the Sickbay. He knew precisely what Berant would say about the Starfleet penchant for physicals: he'd just had one at the Beta Ursae Minor II Academy annexe as part of his application process for the field study, so why he needed one so soon again just seemed like a waste of resources to the old Trill. That part of Alenis' brain was countermanded by his Starfleet training - especially given that he'd been travelling on a freighter commanded by a man with Berant's less rigorous attitude to hygiene, cleaning, and medical matters.

Entering sickbay Taban was immediately struck by the small size of it. Even with only 100 or fewer people aboard, only three biobeds and little floor space appeared cramped. On the other hand... the Jian'Karra's medical bay was a grotty blanket thrown over one of the tables in the galley, so in comparison this was positively advanced.

Directly ahead of the door was a small console and display at which he saw no one, so he approached, double-checking his PADD to remind him who he needed to ask for.

Allyndra had taken the time before the ship's arrival to its destination to spend time in the medical lab. She was still bound and determined to try to figure out the nuances that kept Kohl from fully regenerating. Well, she knew it was because the gene insertion had not worked fully, but the why and what could be done.

Right now, though she sat in the lab, it was not an instrument that occupied her interest but rather she was going over a copy of the old A'burab'atu's notes and writings. Though the copy was digital, the writing itself was in ink on paper and must have been a thousand years old. The language had drifted and perhaps a nuance had been not interpreted correctly.

She thought she heard the sickbay doors open and just called out, "In the lab!"

Alenis, concentrating as he was on, reading his PADD, and cursed with the weaker hearing inherent in his Cardassian genes, didn't hear the voice, but glancing around noticed the door to the office open to his right and so sheepishly approached it, and the lab beyond, calling out "Hello?" as he approached the threshold.

Allyndra just head the hello and shrugged. She pushed away from the instrument and then stood. The young man of obvious mixed heritage was busy reading a PaDD.

The rank on the collar told her everything and she was at once curious why a cadet would be assigned to a ship like this. The Galileo was not a cadet ship in general.
"Yes, Cadet? What do you need?"

Allyndra figured that since he looked new and she had not remembered a cadet other than a few that he was here for a medical, so she filled in, "A medical check in?"

"Aye, Doctor." Came the slightly mumbled response as the hybrid realised he had no idea how to pronounce the Doctor's second name as it appeared on his PADD. Grabbing his other PADD he passed it to the Doctor and added. "Cadet Alenis Taban, reporting in, Sir... errr... Ma'am... errr... Commander." He paused to recompose himself from the fluster he'd gotten himself into. "I'm here for field study in Operations."

Allyndra tried to keep her face neutral but a little quirk of a smile lit the corners. "Relax Cadet, and in my sickbay it is Allyndra." She glanced at the PaDD and then indicated the main sickbay. "So, do you go with the Cardassian convention or Bajoran convention with the name?"

The youngster's eyes narrowed for a second. Keeping the Chief's advice in mind he reigned in his urge to bark his answer back loud enough for the Jian'Karra to hear from off the port-quarter. "I'm Bajoran, Doc... Allyndra." He answered in a partly-distorted, due to trying to avoid growling, hushed tone. In his experience most Starfleet officers - especially above the rank of Lieutenant - knew enough Bajorans to clock the fact that both names were Bajoran, used in a Bajoran order, and so guess his origins. It didn't so much annoy him that some officers didn't know that, or weren't able to work it out, but he just didn't like reference being made to his Cardassian genetic heritage - more apparent though it was, unfortunately.

"I see then Alenis is the surname and Taban the given correct?"

"Aye." came the monosyllabic reply.

"Very good Taban," Allyndra picked biobed two closest to the office. "Let's get a baseline and feel free to ask away at anything."

Moving silently, with a nod, to the biobed Alenis wasn't sure whether to just stand next to it, sit on it, or lie on it. After a just-painfully-a-half-second-too-long he finally opted to sit up on it. "Sorry... I know my medical history is a little... patchy..." he mumbled - referencing the fact that prior to his first Academy application he had no Medical history at all "The orphanage wasn't the best about keeping records and things when they did manage to get a doctor to see us. Most Starfleet doctors seem to have a problem with that..." He again tailed off as he made his final observation - genuinely sounding apologetic, and a little embarrassed, by the fact.

Allyndra got a PaDD and made a copy of the information while listening to Taban. She kept neutral but noted the tone of the answer.

Allyndra looked up, "Relax, this is a starship, and you would not be here if there was anything physically wrong with you. Now then Taban please lay back while I get things going."

She puttered a moment and then started. She figured perhaps the reason he was here might be a better place to move to in the conversation. "So you are going to be studying in Operations. You must be very good as not many cadets get a starship assignment before graduating."

Alenis blushed at the suggestion - not that you could particularly tell given his darker-pigmented skin. "I wouldn't have said that..." he replied in a mumble "I... barely passed last year, though I've done a little better this year. Captain Maraf thought it would be good for me, though, so made a special recommendation." He shifted uncomfortably. "Have you been aboard long, Doctor?"

Allyndra knew that academics was not the end all of determining if someone had a talent and she suspected that this Captain Maraf might have, but then again considering Taban's reaction to her question earlier that exposure to others might help.

"On this ship? Several months, less than a year. I served on a few others before this one and even on a colony world. The changes are nice, the others that are different are interesting even ones that are by nature difficult, but I will admit it is hard at times to be nearly one of a kind."

The Cadet couldn't hide his confusion. "One of a kind, Doctor? I'm sorry I don't follow."

Allyndra made a small nod of the head, "I could count on the fingers of one hand how many Akkadians are off world.
Thus everyone I work with, everyone I meet is different. At times it seems very lonely."

Taban's face hardened. He realised how idiotic the question had been - especially given his understanding of that same feeling. "I can definitely empathise there, Sir..." he mumbled in reply, his eyes seemingly staring off into space in the corner of the room. Being a Bajoran-orphanage-raised Cardassian-hybrid, whom most assumed to be full-blood Cardassian, living in the Federation and trying to pass the Academy with a very different educational upbringing to all his fellow cadets: Alenis knew exactly what that felt like. 'Wish I even had a home world to go back to.' he thought idly to himself as his entire body-posture hardened into quite a withdrawn and defensive one.

Allyndra did not push anymore but put a note in for the counseling staff. "Well, everything looks good enough. I usually do ask if anything else has cropped up or needs attention."

The Cadet smiled as one of Berant's standard jokes swam into his head. "Nothing that getting away from Solomon's curries won't cure." he muttered in a jocular reply.

Allyndra knitted her brows thinking what that meant and finally she remembered tasting an Earth dish that was quite spicy that was named a curry. "I can quite understand," she replied laughing.

"Very good, you are all checked in and if there is anything I can help with, or just to talk to, feel free to stop by sickbay. I am usually here during gamma shift."

"Thank you, Doctor." replied Alenis as he hopped off the bed. "Sorry to disturb you off-shift." He mumbled as he began moving towards the exit. "Oh," he suddenly exclaimed "sorry, Doc, is the security office on this deck... or one down?" Inwardly he immediately cursed himself for asking and not just checking himself - the Doctor probably already thought of him as just another annoying cadet and this would surely only make it worse.

"Just down the corridor on this deck," Allyndra replied and added, "we were all cadets at one time and trust me all of us want to see you succeed."

Rather bashfully the Cadet mumbled another show of gratitude. "Thanks, Doctor." With that he moved to the exit and left the CMO to their peace.

OFF:

Lt Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

&

Cadet (Sophomore Grade) Alenis Taban
Operations Officer (provisional)
USS Galileo

RSS Feed