Not your usual checkin

Posted on 08 Mar 2018 @ 4:58pm by Ensign Callin Mastrel & Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim

2,697 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Avondale Shipyards - Galileo-A Sickbay
Timeline: MD 104, 0800

ON:

Allyndra watched from the office as engineers were at work installing bits and pieces requested and it made the entire sickbay look like it was not finished. Tuula was fretting over the dust and activity near the surgical bed.

She had put in some requests most had been approved. Three beds with a nurses station still seemed to be awfully small especially on long voyage. She sighed, it was what it was. She had requested an extra bed in the lab area for just in case something needed isolation major time. It meant loosing a few items of equipment but some of that could be taken over in function by the science labs and it was not like on the old ship they had not shared some facilities. It was something she would have to take up with the chief of that department when and if there was one coming on board.

The doors to Sickbay opened with hardly a whisper and in walked a tall woman who would have drawn attention even in a crowded room. She wore a flashy pair of rainbow-streaked pants, silken blouse with an equally gaudy vest over the top. Today her dark hair was done in a multitude of tiny braids that must've taken hours to arrange in their elaborate spirals on top of and on the sides of her head. It wasn't just her clothes that made her so striking but also the imperious way she looked about the medical center.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" She asked over her shoulder at a figure that almost went unnoticed who had followed in behind her. Slightly shorter, but with the same black eyes and features that made him obviously related, he wore the blue collar and single pip of a Starfleet ensign. She continued in the same unimpressed tone, "By the looks of things I'm more likely to catch something than I am to find a qualified physician."

Allyndra heard the doors open while she was in the laboratory while Tuula was busy decorating the office. She knew the doors to sickbay had been especially designed to make that sound as a sort of alert. She came to the door of the laboratory area and cocked her head at the two. One, presumably female from the humanoid shape was dressed with a bit of garish fashion, that one was followed by a male that seemed more subdued and definitely in uniform. "May I help you two?" she inquired. While it was not unlikely to have civilians on board, it seemed odd that one would be present for a new ship on a long journey.

"Oh uh, my, yes, Commander," Callin replied, both staring at her and stumbling over his words a bit at first upon seeing the rank on her collar; seeing her rank, and sensing her, or rather not sensing her at all, as if she might not really be there. It was disconcerting to say the least. Sliding out from behind his mother he approached, wide-eyed and so obviously curious about the doctor (maybe she was a hologram!) but containing himself to respond to her question. "My name is Ensign Mastrel? I'm a new science officer. I was wondering, hoping, really, that maybe you could help my mother out a bit Commander?"

For her part, his mother placed her hands over her abdomen with a significant manner and look in her eye, implying her pregnancy, yet she said nothing out loud. ~You don't need to make everything a question, Callin,~ she sent the thought his way though.

"Please Allyndra, in my sickbay I do not go for formality. I have had too much of that all my life." Allyndra moved forward a bit and nodded in the affirmative. "Please..." she waved a delicate hand toward the two regular biobeds. "Let us have a look, and I am presuming ensign that you are looking for a check in as well? Chief science officer you said? Excellent just the person I wanted to talk to as well if you have a bit of time." She patted each bed, "Shall we?"

Not hiding her amusement very well, Callin's mother introduced herself, "Alaradanazi. It's a pleasure, Allyndra. My son here is trying to say, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, would you mind giving me a prenatal checkup? I for one would be very grateful." She stood before the biobed with hands clasped before her.

Callin, on the other hand, sputtered. "Ch-chief? Oh, no. No, no." With his curiosity and confusion about Allyndra, he wasn't sure. He really wanted to look up her file, though with his level security clearance he wondered how much he'd really find. Better to just ask her, but later, Callin reasoned. "I meant, I'm a junior science officer." Callin stood nearby the two of them, but giving some space, and glanced around the Sickbay with obvious interest, though it was obvious he was hovering around in case he was needed.

"Oh? I am sorry, there have been so many changes and perhaps I misread the file. Still while I have you here I would like to show you the lab if you have a few moments and inquire," she turned her attention back to the civilian. "Pleased," Allyndra could not help but make a slight curtsy. It was just too ingrained and she did not even notice that she had done so. "Alaradanazi?" which she pronounced more like an Akkadian name sounding something like, Ahhh' llllarrrrah' d' aaaannn' az' eeee' with a rise in tone to the d and then descending again on the last half with a bit of trill on the l. "I hope I got close to that. Please let us have a look," again she patted the bed. "Anything in particular I should be concerned about? I presume since Callin called you mother that is biological and thus this is not your first?"

Callin's mouth dropped open as he listened the sylables coming from Doctor Allyndra, immediately drawn to thinking about what a language she must have. It was the exact kind of challenge he wanted to set himself, to improve his ability to grasp truly exotic methods of speech. Yet, he remained diffident, and quiet, only offering a quick, "I'd love to see the lab for sure."

Alarandanazi sat on the bed, and shook her head, "That's quite alright, I don't bite because someone has an accent." Her's was rather different from the standard human ones, exotic, much like how Callin spoke but with more assurance. "Yes, I am blessed by the Gods to have a large family. Every one of them born healthy and strong." She gave Callin a slight shrug, then continued, "However, I was wondering if there was any sort of inoculation you might have that could help prevent Zixran Cliff Fever. It is a bothersome illness in the jungles where we live, and sometimes comes with unfortunate side effects."

"Of course I can do that, however with your permission I would like to also do a full well baby exam as well," Allyndra replied.

"That would be lovely, thank you," the pregnant woman got comfortable on the bio bed, radiating a feeling of contentment. Callin sighed a little wistfully, then as quietly as he could he moved over to the door to the medical labs and took a peek inside.

Allyndra did a scan of the woman but concentrated most on her pregnancy. " She nodeed, "The baby's development looks good and everything is right where it should be at this time in gestation. Let me get the hypo and I think we are done." She turned and smiled slightly at the curiosity of the man. "I know all shiny isn't it? Well we can have more time later but let us get you checked in next."

Allyndra got the hypo ready and gently pressed it to the woman's arm. "There you go and of course, if you experience anything odd or unusual please head to a doctor right away." She turned to the ensign. "Akkadians do not have pregancies, we are egg layers." She moved the wings out slightly and said, "We fly to the shallow parts of the ocean and lay our eggs there. A year later presuming the Kathareth, the larva survive, they return to where the egg was laid and we gather them again from the ocean."

Alarandanazi looked up from the spot on her arm where the hypospray had delivered the medicine, and her usual look of assurance was replaced by one of surprise, "That was it?" She stared at Allyndra with wonder. "And that will keep my baby from catching the Cliff Fever?"

Callin too was a bit surprised, and had turned away from the laboratory to watch with interest as he headed towards an open bio-bed. The illness was one most children caught where he was from; all his siblings had, as well as both his parents. Callin's own case had been particularly strong, leaving him with permenant though minor issues all these years later. To think that there may be a medicine to make sure his new brother or sister wouldn't get ill, not to mention all the other people back home, was astounding.

"It would really mean a lot to people back home if its something Starfleet would release to the public," he said in a soft tone as he settled down on the bed to await his physical. His mother gave him a comforting nudge with her mind, sympathy over his own experience. It seemed a stark difference between how Allyndra spoke of her own species' procreation, though judging it as less caring with so little information was unfair. Hopefully, he would get a chance to learn more about their biology as well if he got a chance to study her language later.

"Indeed, while it has been tested, it is still considered somewhat experimental. The reports though indicate low reaction rate with high effectiveness. I am guessing perhaps it will be in general use in another year or so. Now then, is there anything in particular I need to know without having to look through your medical record?"

"Uh, yes ma'am," Callin answered. He spoke hurriedly, concerned, wanting to make sure she understood that he'd gotten approval to be out here on deep space assignment. "I had the Cliff Fever as a kid. A little bit of brain damage, nothing major. I have some trouble with spatial awareness, you know, and sometimes my sense of balance can be off. But...we can manage that." Callin gave Allyndra a look of such obvious worry and hope that it made him appear almost too young to even be an ensign for just a moment. "Right?"

"Allyndra," she reminded him gently. "If Fleet thinks you are fit enough, then I see no reason to question them. Besides perhaps if you are interested much later we can talk about some of my work and see if you might like to participate." She held up her left hand and held it out for him to examine.

"I lost three fingers of this hand indeed almost half of the hand on a much early mission. Sometime in our past, some...scholar," she would not use the word which would only being confusing, "figured out a way to give us the ability to regenerate. Much of the work has been lost to the past but I have been trying to understand from limited amounts available and work to see if it was possible to transfer at least a bit temporarily to non-Akkadians. Tuula there can actually walk with assist bands which she could not do before. A long ways to go but some progress."

The relief on the young scientist's face at her reassurance was replaced by excited interest, "Really?! That's incredible!" He glanced over it his mother who was gathering her dress up in preparation to leave and gave him a tolerant look. He hardly seemed to notice though, as he'd gone back to staring at Allyndra's hand. "I would love to participate if I can," Callin went on, as if speaking to the doctor's fingers. "I mean, I'll definitely need to read up on exogenetics and the like, but...yeah, thanks!"

"Well then, we shall have something to pass the time, now then let's get a quick scan and a DNA sample and we are good to go. Lay back please," Allyndra said and then started the scan. It took a few moments but afterwards she nodded. "Very good, nothing much changed since the base scan so we will mark you good. Now if I can, just a small swab of the cheek. There we go."

Callin had endured the procedure with good patience, cooperating with the instructions. It was the smallest price to pay to be authorized for duty and his first posting. As soon as Allyndra was done with the swab he sat up and hopped down from the biobed. "Great! Thank you Doctor Allyndra." He meant it for both himself and his mother, who was busy trying not to roll her eyes at him.

"Yes, thank you, Allyndra," Alarandanazi agreed aloud, and she meant it for more than just the checkup. Knowing her baby had a chance to avoid the Zixran Cliff Fever meant that the mere words didn't feel like enough, but just like her son the elder Betazoid hadn't figured out the nature of the doctor, nor the telepathic void she represented. Neither one of them was quite sure how to behave in regards to the winged Allyndra.

Allyndra cocked her head slightly. "I have no ability to read emotions or such, it is not in my people, but I have been a doctor long enough to get a feel for body language I think. I sense that you are either curious or uncomfortable with me. I hope there is nothing I have done to make the later. We laugh, we cry, we dance and sing and all the other things that most others do."

Callin started to flush slightly, but it was Alarandanazi who replied, "Oh, no, my dear, it is nothing you've done. The short-coming is all our own. Imagine for a moment if you were to meet someone, but lacking your sense of hearing." She smiled to make sure her words were taken softly. "It takes some...adjusting. But that is for us to manage. You have been positively wonderful." Callin nodded, that was a simple enough way to explain it.

Allyndra made a small dip. "Thank you, I just wanted to make sure all was alright. I think I somewhat know what you mean. Show me a bunch of reds and I could not tell you one shade from the other." She pointed to one of Tuula's decorations. "I could not tell you if that decoration had red one it or not. We cannot see into that spectrum." The picture probably had a dark red blot on the ancient saw but to her it might as well not be there.

"Yes, quite similar," Alarandanazi beamed and nodded. "And yet, we all make do, in our own way, and find common ground. Thank you, Allyndra." The woman touched her belly briefly, and offered a slight bow, a lowering of her head. "May your Divines watch over your journey." Even as she spoke, her other voice reached out to her son,
~I will retire now, as my transport leaves early, Quick Lizard. Come at least share a meal with me.~

Callin piped up his own enthusiastic thanks, even while he was hurrying towards the door after his mother, hovering about in case he was needed it seemed, "Yes, thank you, Doctor Allyndra! I look forward to working with you-" His voice faded down the hallway outside of Sickbay, cut off as the doors closed.

Allyndra only laughed lightly as the two headed off. She muttered a quick, "Twins bless," even though they would not have heard it.

OFF:

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
CMO/acting XO USS Schofield

Ensign Callin Mastrel
Science Officer
USS Galileo

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