The Reunion part 2: Increasing Gravity

Posted on 31 Dec 2016 @ 9:23am by General ('aj) Ko'raH House of G'Iogh & Lieutenant JG Stephanie Fraiser (KIA) & Senior Chief Petty Officer Martin Caine (KIA)
Edited on on 31 Dec 2016 @ 10:09pm

2,390 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Episode 12 - Recluse
Location: Earth - Starfleet Physical Rehab Facility
Timeline: MD -90

On:

Martin was playing on the floor with his niece, Jamie while Stephanie got ready in her comfy gym clothes. It was good how Fleet had started booking their appointments 24 hours apart so there was alway one of mother or uncle to play with or entertain the child. As a six month old he could see more and more of both Stephanie and James in Jamie each and everyday. "You almost ready Steph?" He asked verbally, there is only one way a child learns to speak a language and that is monkey see, monkey do!

"Just about... Do you think I need a jacket?" It had been getting cooler and autumn was making things wet. Steph had improved with his help in the last two months and she liked to think she had had a positive effect on him too.

"Probably it has been cooler over the last few weeks. If not right away you may do for after your physical therapy, on our way back home. Your doing really well, probably the extra practice your getting with my help at the end of each day." Martin smiled as he thought about how well Steph had been doing recently.

"Definitely been helping." Steph had to agree. With the gravity down he helped her with some of the exercises at night. "The physio thinks I might be strong enough to take a couple of steps today. "

"Oh that is good, because I don't think Jamie far off either." Martin said with a smile. You have done well around the cottage but we have Gravity set to 20% which is probably why someone else is able to walk there but not outside yet, though I don't think it will be much longer for her either."

Steph went to say something and it got lost in the laugh that came out at JJ toddling by at a fast pace her uncle close enough to protect her if needed but letting her explore.

JJ was dashing from place to place and it was only by the lower grav in the of the cottage that Martin was able to keep up without pain in his back. "Come on little one I think mummy is ready to go."

"But Dadda!...." Jamie said with a little pouty face looking like she was going to cry.

"Well I guess the verbalising around Jamie is working the way it should." Martin said with a smile at Steph.

Steph laughed be free helping catch JJ giving her and Martin a kiss on the cheek. "Mummy is indeed ready to visit the physio." She tickled JJ out of her pout.

Jamie exploded into peals of laughter as her mum tickled her.

"Well I guess it is chair time. For a bit Steph." Martin said as he headed over to the door.

Steph sighed and nodded "Is it horrible to say I'm starting to hate that chair?" She felt confined and like people treated her different in it and hated the feeling of being helpless.

"Least yours were only your legs you didn't get oh my gosh how are you doing that, your not supposed to walk again without surgery. So no it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you hate that chair, I always did. I never did thank you for your help then James was too busy with his school work." Martin said with a smile.

She smiled back hugging him "I never minded helping you in the least Marty. You are family always have been always will be but more than that you give so much of yourself I couldn't help but give the same back." Blushing she got in the chair and gave it instructions to go out the door wincing as the gravity bore down on her.

Martin stopped the chair before it went out as something Steph said tore at him. "No slapping my face Steph!" As he said that he leaned in and kissed her. "Thank you."

Blushing deeper she smiled shyly "You're welcome."

The tension was broken as JJ watched a dog play outside and asked "dadda? We gets a puppy?"

"That is a great idea, but let's wait till mummy is walking better, remember your only walking in a small part of really gravity yet."Martin said. "Not to say we can't just let's wait awhile." They now headed to the appointment and Martin felt the full weight of gravity take over "Oh someone is getting heavy.

Snuggling in his arms JJ giggled "k dadda... me not heavy me just rights."

"Good girl and yes your right just perfect he said and gave Jamie a kiss on the cheek adding to her giggles by blowing a raspberry on her cheek as he finished the kiss.

Steph smiled loving seeing them together before looking over to see her physio smiling at them too. "Morning Sasha."

"Good morning, Miss Fraiser," replied the therapist in her usual chippy manner while looking at both Martin and JJ to give them a wave. "I put some new toys in the pen for her," she winked.

Martin headed over to the corner to place JJ in the playpen for a bit before her returned to the Physio and Steph before he said, "So first steps unaided again then Sasha?"

She nodded and motioned for Stephanie to begin with the usual routine. If all went well, perhaps they could progress to something more progressive.

Steph grinned as she went through the warm up finding it easier than it had been til now. "I think my legs might be getting stronger?"

Sasha pulled the medical tricorder from the pouch attached to her belt and unlatched the small probe from the tip. She stepped close to the other woman and slowly waved the small instrument around her lower legs to gather readings. "Bone density looks good, muscular atrophy is declining as we predicted...and your tendons are responding very well to increased use," she explained with a small smile of satisfaction.

Steph grinned "that is really good. Martin makes me practice in the low g's at home he said it made a big difference for him."

"It's a good idea," Sasha nodded. "Your body seems to have acclimated to the lower gravity and your legs are responding well. I want to do more, now. We need to continue to stress your joints and muscles to increase their strength," she explained while moving over to a nearby LCARS terminal to input some data. "How about...0.5 Gs for 30 minutes?"

Martin was listening from over in the the corner with JJ, "We can probably increase the G's a little at home too. Increased resistance equals increased strength and all that." He was remembering all the chirpy crap his physical therapists had told him after his accident.

She looked over towards the dark-haired man and considered his offer. "Have you been running 0.2 as standard? Like we talked about?" she wondered. If so, perhaps a slight increase would be prudent.

Martin said "Yes Ma'am, I think it was about now that my physical therapists allowed my brother not to 'float' around our dorm room by increasing it to .25 G."

"Yes, low gravity is good but not on a consistent basis," Sasha replied looking to both Martin and his companion. "Unless you really need it, healthy people exposed to too much low gravity suffer from a loss of muscle strength and poor circulation. There are many adverse effects. Are you both comfortable with a gravity increase? I know 0.05 is a big step up but will do you well," she added.

"I'm fine with the increase my lose of strength is long term from a high school accident. My regular home G is .995 so I am fully able in Earth standard, though I now kind of know how Steph and James felt like after my accident." Martin said "So it is up to Miss Stephanie as to increasing gravity at home."

Biting her lip nervously Steph nodded "We can always put it back a little if it's too much right?"

Sasha smiled cheerfully. "Of course! But you must make a good attempt to acclimate to the new environment," she warned. "You'll be at home and I know how easy it can be to just roll things back to relieve the pain. But if you do that too much, your body won't get stronger."

Steph nodded seriously at that "And it won't hurt JJ?" She saw her daughter stand and take a tentative step or two and shook her head ruefully "I think she answered that one."

"You'll do fine Steph. You have been working hard and the extra g will be good for Jamie too." With a quick smile at her Martin returned to playing with Jamie.

"You'll all do fine," Sasha added with a casual wave of her hand. "Gravity isn't anything to be afraid of... Just have to get used to it. Baby steps. Right, JJ?" She said, giving the child a wink and a funny, playful face.

JJ grinned back toddling carefully over to Sasha as she babbled nonsense words at Sasha before crashing into her leg. "Me steppeded Aunty Sasa."

Sasha almost melted inside. Children were so adorable to her. "Less floaty, more walky," she replied before turning back toward Stephanie. "Same for you."

Marty clapped his hands to get JJ attention when he did she turned and wobbled her way back to him. "Good girl." He said and tickled her belly. "Oh sorry you meant the mummy?" Marty said to Sasha.

"I did, yes," the therapist laughed. "I'd also like a log of your next week's activities under the new gravity conditions," she added. "Can you make notes of how she's progressing?"

"Okay Sasha! I would be happy to assist." Inside his own thoughts were *Anything thing to watch that tushee.*

Stephanie groaned "It's a conspiracy." She rolled her eyes playfully.

"Well you want to be pensioned of because of a leg injury. See me giving up do you. I could have given up and been a completely useless invalid since high school in that case." Martin knew that would fire her up because she had used it on him all those years ago.

"I'm no quitter if I was we wouldn't even be having this discussion." Steph said the words sharply before softening her tone as she said to Sasha "Do it please... Up the gravity to 0.5."

Martin just smiled he was proud of her. She responded exactly as he had and as he expected she would. James he had always gotten things handed to him like a typical fifth houser. (betazoid noble house.)

Lying down on the table Stephanie lay on her stomach trying to see over her shoulder as Sasha got out the cream to work on her legs. "Anything I should watch for Sasha?"

The physical therapist scooped a decent-sized glob of cream onto her fingers and began to slowly work it into the back of Stephanie's leg muscles. She concentrated on her ankles and calves first before moving upwards with a kneading motion to massage the back of her thighs. "Any muscle swelling and joint tension, as usual," Sasha answered. "But also ligament stiffness and any tightness you might experience. Regular soreness from using the muscles is to be expected, but make sure you give yourself a rest instead of straining the muscles while they build up new fibers."

JJ yawned and snuggled into Martin sleepily finding walking tiring.

Martin gently rocked her as she yawned and the others worked on Steph.

Starting to snore in Martins arms JJ clutched blankie to her making Steph fight to hide a giggle even as she nodded at Sasha's words a little sleepy herself. She gave Martin a curious look as he smiled at her.

*Extra wieght, she weights twice as much and a bit more than she's used to at home that little walk exhausted her. She'll be fine after a rest is all she needs I bet by the dinner time she will be up and running and more used to the extra .005 G that you are.* He raised his eyebrow but said nothing verbally to distract physio or patient.

Sasha finished up her administrations and moved away to a nearby sink to wash her hands. "Right, I think that should take care of it. Do you want to get in the gravity ball for a few exercises, or are you feeling drained?" she asked, wondering if the woman wanted to continue with some final exercises or call it a visit.

Steph thought about it then suggested "Maybe start that from tomorrow? The increase in gravity is a bit tiring." She looked at Sasha to see if she was ok with that.

A smile graced the therapist's face. "Tomorrow, yes. The next few days will be hard for you but it will get easier. I promise."

Rolling onto her back before sitting up Steph smiled at Sasha "Thanks Sasha... I know I get a bit grumpy but I do appreciate what you are doing." She reached out and gave the other woman a hug.

"My pleasure as always," Sasha replied while returning the hug and giving Stephanie a gentle rub on the back of her shoulders. "You're not as troublesome as most of my other patients," she winked.

Martin coughed that sounded surprisingly like "Ha." Jamie carefully turned in his arms, as she started to softly snore, then he chuckled to himself.

Stephanie gave a sheepish grin at their responses before looking at her chair and putting it into supported walking mode for the walk back to their cottage "Time I pushed myself a bit more than I have been." She knew they had let her coast a bit but it was time to rejoin the real world and take the rehab seriously.

Martin smiled and sent so as not to disturb Jamie. *You can push JJ then.* He got up and carried his niece to the chair, gently placing her in it as Stephanie prepared to push it. "Thank you Sasha you have done a fantastic job on her physically." He said to Sasha.

"Until tomorrow then!" the therapist replied cheerfully.

OFF:

--

SCPO Martin Caine
Chief of the Boat (CoB)
USS Galileo
NCC 80010

Lt (jg) Stephanie Frasier
Chief Research Officer
USS Galileo
NCC 80010

Sasha
Physical Therapist
[PNPC Saalm]

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