Medical Check In

Posted on 10 Oct 2018 @ 10:29am by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri
Edited on on 11 Oct 2018 @ 9:12am

2,575 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Episode 17 - Crystal of Life
Location: USS Galileo-A - Deck 03, Sickbay
Timeline: MD -180, 1600 hours

[ON]

~Doesn't everybody hate going to the doctor's office?~ Lieutenant Matthew Plumeri wondered to himself as climbed down the Jeffries Tube access way and stepped off onto Deck Three. He hadn't had time to sign up for holodeck time for a morning run. And he hadn't yet found the ship's gym and here it was 1600 already. Working out was a stress reliever for him and it was also time he used to decompress from the day's events. Not having that needed physical exercise made him think of taking the Jeffries tube. He didn't mind the ladders. It was the horizontal tubes he didn't like. But none of that today. He walked along the corridor to sickbay. It was time to check in with the medical department.

Matt had his share of broken bones, muscle sprains, head trauma and concussions. He liked to play Parresis Squares and was very good at it. Now you don't get good at Parresis Squares without getting roughed up. He liked a number of sports and he'd earned all those bruises.

Plumeri entered sickbay and took a few steps inside.

Allyndra heard the sickbay doors open. Normally she would have come out but this was a new person on board and she always liked to have time to talk before the cough, turn and scan. She checked real quick the appointment time on the calendar.

"Come on into the office Lieutenant," she called in a sing song way.

"Hello" Matt replied to the yet unseen voice. There was an unusual quality to this voice that intrigued him. He unconsciously cocked his head to one side as a dog might do when hearing a familiar but unfamiliar sound. He walked towards the medical office. He passed by an empty biobed and then saw someone inside the medical office. She has jet black hair that was highlighted and streaked with a striking blue. It was neatly arranged into a ponytail behind her head but Matthew could see that it might even reach down to her waist. Her frame was so slight, she couldn't have possibly even weighed 43kg and yet she didn't look 'wispy' at all. She had the pips of a Commander on her uniform collar and as Matt approached the office he wondered what species she might be. He couldn't quite figure that out just from looking at her on the way into her office.

Allyndra looked up. "Lieutenant Matthew Plumeri?" she said but it came out more like Luuu'teeen'annnt Maaa'thuuu' P'luuum'reee" with a dip in the lieutenant part, a rise on the Mathew in tone by about a major third, The Plu part continued that tone and then fell again by the same amount on the last bit. "I am Allyndra," she said again with that musical tone coming out as Ahhh'lllen'd'rahhh with about a minor second, then a hold with a sort of trill on the l, the d sound softened and then the last part diminished with a slightly augmented third and faded.

"Please have seat and help yourself to the replicator if you wish. I always like to get to know new people a bit before the scan. Otherwise it seems so cold and clinical. That is if you do not mind?"

He smiled at the sounds that she made; he'd never heard his own name sounded out with different tones. "No, not at all, I don't mind. Thank you Commander, nothing from the replicator for me, thank you." He took a seat in the empty chair. Commander Warraquim stood about 1.5m and as soon as he saw her eyes, like many facets of a jewel, perhaps even compound eyes, he knew that she was going to be interesting and unique. He tried not to stare and momentarily averted his eyes to look at the office. She had many qualifications, awards and certificates and only the most important were displayed here.

His curiosity was peaked and he started to formulate questions in his head. However, not wishing to be rude he simply said, "I guess my medical records made it alright? I mean, made it to you in a timely fashion?"

"Yes indeed they did. I see here that you have Fontanian which from the records gives you a bit different physiology from the standard human. Interesting. I was also looking over your history. Degree in ancient and alien civilizations. Have you ever heard of Akkadia?" Allyndra made the comment and the question then looked at him with a little cock to her head.

He smiled, "It's pronounced 'FON-talan'. Yeah, I've got all the same parts...just spicier!" he grinned cheekily. "No, I have never heard of the Akkadia?" He was secretly glad she broached the subject for him. He sat forward, "Are you Akkadian?"

"My apologies on the mispronunciation," Allyndra made a nod of the head. "Indeed, I am. I am Mother named of House Warraquim. I know that may not mean much to you. On Akkadia we have Houses, guilds might be the closest term as each specializes in a particular area. Waraquim means knowledge gatherer or holder. As such it is one of, if not the most powerful houses on the planet. We are also a matriarchal society thus each house is headed by a female who takes the title of Mother of the house." She laughed lightly. "Far more then I am sure you wish to ave learned."

"Bah, no worries" he waived off her apology and listened growing ever more intrigued. "Now that is remarkable. Of course I am interested in leaning more. Let me ask you this, you said Matriarchal society. Could you define that a bit more for me? I think I know what you mean but I want to be sure before I speak."

"Indeed, on Akkadia the females hold all the positions of power and make the final decisions. The Houses which are run by the females determine who is to marry whom, how business arrangements are made, that sort of thing. To say the fertile males and infertile males have no voice is not correct. They can have a say but in the end the Mother of the House, and or the Houses comprising the Council make the final decisions and those are all held by females. Does that answer your question?" Allyndra looked at him hoping she provided enough explanation.

"Mmm, hmm" he said and nodded, "I see. That is very interesting. I read about the Na'blo people. They also have a matriarchal society. In their society the matriarch doesn't rule through a hierarchical structure - where the females dominate the males. Instead, they have a system of nurturing inckusion is the best way I can describe it. Everyone has a voice, everyone gets a vote and there isn't this of leader and followers. Commnders and subordinates. They don't even have a name or a title for 'the one in charge'. That person is elected to represent the entire body of the people and she can be removed or remain based on a popular vote of the people. And males and females share all the roles. Well, except the biological ones, naturally." He asked her, "In your House then, in your society, was there ever a time when it was a Patriarchy? Or, was there ever a time when everyone started out equitably? I'm interested in learning about how your society governs itself and for how long have you enjoyed stability?" He sat on the edge of his chair now listening and wishing he had a PaDD.

"Never," Allyndra replied. "Perhaps not quite so stratified. You see we are egg layers, once impregnated the female flies to the shallow parts of the sea to lay her eggs. Akkadians are fructivorous but are also hematophagous. It is our source of protein and in the old times it is said that it was the males that would bleed for the next generation. Hence making sure the female managed to have enough energy to fly and to produce the eggs was the prime importance. I am not aware of anything else in the records of the past though I will admit that they are not as complete as they should be. Hundreds of years back we as a society developed quickly and there are tales and records of marvels from those times. However not only marvels but deadly things as well and we nearly destroyed our world and ourselves. It was from that ruin that the Great Houses formed and rules laid down and cooperation between the Houses through trade and marriages which has continued to this day. Nearly five hundred of Terran years it has gone on."
She nodded as if thinking about many things other than what was said. She then looked at the young man and added, "And if I go on, then we will not get to your check in. If you would like perhaps when off duty I can talk to you further if you are interested?"

He listened intently and made mental notes, "Almost destroyed yourselves? So many intelligent species have to cross that line. But then, who raises your young? And what Theology do you teach the wee ones? How long has your House stood and how long have you been a Matriarch?" He smiled, laughed a moment and acknowledged himself, "Ah, ok, I have many questions. Your eyes are fascinating to me? How do you see light? How many wavelengths can you see? What is their resolution." He stopped himself and looked at her, "Wait...you said wings?"

Allyndra made that musical sort of laugh. "Indeed," she stood and made a gesture toward sickbay. "Come where there is more room and I will show you. As for you other questions let me get started and I can answer some of those as well."

He stepped into the main sickbay and followed her over to a biobed. "So...you are aviarian...or insectoid in your physiology. How do you describe yourself?"

"I am Akkadian," Allyndra laughed, "that is how I describe myself. I suppose that there are some elements similar to Earth birds and insects but we are what we are. Now then, hop on up. I have already read your record and it seems things are a little different with your organ arrangement." She did not mind his curiosity but work was work and needed to get done first.

He was a little embarrassed and turned a shade of red, "Yes Commander. Of course, I apologize. I was thinking too...literally." He got on the biobed but didn't lie back yet. "You can see in the dark then yeah? That is so COOL! I wish I had eyes like that." He was actually quite happy to be chatting with her. "My insides, yeah, I know, I heard it all before from Human doctors, 'Your metabolism is too high, your nervous system is energetic, Do you have racing thoughts and trouble sleeping at night? Are you engaged with any sexual partners at the current time?' " he said with an imitation of their different voices. He rolled his eyes. "Really, the only trouble I've ever had is that people look at me and you can't blame them for assuming I'm 100% human. When I get on a biobed and the diagnostics start coming back then the medical person has to make a course correction. I'm allergic only to bullshit." He was quietly seeing if he could spot her wings.

Allyndra laughed at that. It was musical and light. "Well thank you, I think you answered most questions. At least the biobed here does not classify you as unknown species most of the time. I am still working on bed one over there." She pointed. She went silent for a moment looking at a PaDD and nodded. "Well near as I can see these readings are pretty close to your last one so I am going to say you are good. Now then..." she backed up to the clearest spot and made an odd rolling shrug of her shoulders. She snapped the long iridescent wings out to the side and with a blur and a sort of buzzing sound hovered a foot off the deck. She dropped and then let the wings drop and fold back. "There you got to see them."

"WOOO!! That is so COOL! Haa HAAA!!! WOOT!" he was delighted. "That is pretty handy to have. Man O man I wish I had wings when I was at the academy!" He looked at the fine blood vessels that cris-crossed and made up her wings. He didn't touch and he didn't stare. It was simply curiosity. "And you had these all your life?" His eyes narrowed, "And...tell me the truth....you were a bit of prankster yeah?" his lips curled into an infectious grin of deviousness."

"Not really, we are brought up with much formality on Akkadia. I was the first to attend from my world by order of the Mother and Council and thus much was expected of me. Now to you other questions, I cannot see in the dark any better than anyone else. I can perceive what you would call the UV spectrum but the consequence is that more redder tones I am basically colour blind to. My eyes are compound but there is a modified part we have that makes a fovea for detailed work. Now perhaps if you would like, during beta shift we can meet at my quarters and talk some more if you are interested or perhaps the arboretum and I can show you water dancing."

"It's date. Thanks Doc!" He hopped off the biobed, "Where are your quarters?" he asked.

"One this deck. There are only two senior officer rooms on this deck and I pick one so that I can be close by sickbay if needed and do not have a bridge watch. I will send you my schedule so that you can see if there is time when you are free as well." She replied and then thought a moment. "You may want to talk to Mini in operations. She is Nekomi and there is even less known about them. In fact as of right now she is the only one of her kind that the Federation is aware of considering that her home world is unknown. Between us perhaps you might have some papers that you can publish which should always look good on a CV."

"Ah, yes. I saw her in the corridor at some point. I didn't know she was Nekomi though. I know nothing of her people. Thanks for the tip Commander. Well, if I'm all checked out then I'll plan on finding a time soon when we can meet again at your quarters. Perhaps a snoot of coffee or a cuppa?"

"Very good, yes indeed now then, off with you and I will let Ensign Mimi know that you might be interested in learning more about her culture."

"Count on it. Thank you, Doc, for the clean bill of health. Good friends never say goodbye. They simply say 'See you soon'. And I will see you soon around the ship." He turned to leave and the doors closed behind him.

Allyndra made a small curtsy in return.

[OFF]

--

Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

Cmdr Allyndra illm Warraquim
Second and Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo-A

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