[Sickbay]: Round Five Scans and Vaccines

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Sickbay is fairly ordinary for a ship's hospital. There are no terrifying devices or humming machines you might see in a sci-fi thriller. The biobeds along the walls are equipped with biofunction monitors, but look fairly standard. Instead of silver trays filled with metal tools and sawblades, there are an array of small devices that look as harmless as cell phones. As for the staff, they're all well-groomed and friendly. As a matter of fact, all personnel look harmless. Well, perhaps excluding the sun avatar, but Trance Gemini is as skilled as the Starfleet officers.

If you're new to the ship, no doubt you've been escorted here by the security team. Nothing to worry about, the doctors just want to make sure you aren't carrying any viruses or are vulnerable to terrible space disease. Once you've been checked over — a quick scan from a tricorder and any necessary vaccines — you'll be free to go! Lollipops are optional.

"All right, come in," one of them calls out as you enter. "Don't be shy. It's just a scan and a hypospray, nothing to worry about."


[ooc: Sickbay is as always OTA! For new characters, tagging isn't mandatory but going to sickbay ICly is. So if you'd prefer to skip threading with one of our doctors, you can handwave that your character got a clean bill of health and a shot and were sent on their merry way. For those who are tagging, we have Trance Gemini, Beverly Crusher, and Rory Williams, with Julian Bashir by request only (and possible appearances by Simon Tam). If you have a preference, please specify in the subject line of your tag who you would like. If you would like more details about sickbay, here's the wiki page. If you haven't made your intro yet, you can assume the doctors will want to see your character shortly after they arrive, and backtagging is love!]

Comments

[akito]

The biobed is easy enough to understand, as it apparently works in much the same way as an SC Suit would for a Tuner. The hypospray, however, still leaves him uncertain and though he examines the device itself with a careful eye, it doesn't relieve much of his anxiety. "It uses air pressure to force vaccinations with such a small molecular weight between the cells of the skin that it can penetrate the bloodstream without damaging any of said cells?"

It sounds as plausible as anything, but he would rather not be injected with an unknown substance. "I haven't aged physically in nearly three years, and my growth has been stunted since I was much younger."

Akito will see what she can do with that information, and how she responds to it. There's more he could probably tell her, though he won't. Depending on what the biobed tells her he sure he'll be subject to a look of horror, pity, or combination of the two.

[ten_fwd_npcs]

"That's right," she smiles. She doesn't look terribly surprised by his response; her son is also very bright for his age. "It's clean and reusable. And the medicines I give are harmless, I promise. The most that could possibly happen is you'll get a small fever if there is anything your body needs to fight off."

She makes a few notes in his file, brow gathered. "All right, well let's get started. Lie down if you will — ah, and have your cat beside you rather than on top of you. What's his or her name?"

[akito]

Steve's reassurances combined with this doctor's willingness to explain things makes Akito less resistant to the idea of getting vaccinated, however he doesn't feel comfortable with laying down. Despite knowing that Shark would defend him if need be, laying in a vulnerable position in an unfamiliar environment without his go-to weapons is not a calming thought.

"I don't want to lay down," he says simply, placing Shark by his hip instead of on his lap. "And his name is Shark."

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Beverly pauses, but once the initial surprise wears off, she doesn't look upset. She smiles softly, and nods.

"That's okay. This will still work with you sitting," she assures him. And, for good measure, she looks at Shark and smiles again. "Hello, Shark."

She holds out her tricorder while the biobed's sensor array gets to work, moving slowly and keeping conversation open, to help keep Akito apprised as well as at ease. "What's it like where you're from?" she asks, hoping it's a happy memory.

[akito]

Akito is hyper-aware of everything that's going on around him, remaining tense throughout the scan. Even Shark seems somewhat perturbed, though it's likely just due to how unaccustomed he still is to the sound of technology.

"I'm originally from Japan, Earth, the year 2012. Slightly more advanced technology than some other versions of Earth from the same time period." A small shrug, and Shark purrs at the attention given to him by Beverly. "More recently we're from a post-apocalyptic wasteland."

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Well, his answer starts out strong. Dr. Crusher smiles, ready to make a wistful comment about cherry blossoms, when 'post-apocalyptic wasteland' takes her by surprise. And not only that, but the tricorder is picking up on quite a bit of past trauma. Not unusual when she thinks about what he's told her about not having grown in so long, but still alarming.

"Is that where you received all these past wounds?" she asks gently, concern rather than pity in her eyes. "I'm picking up on some healed breaks, some muscle and tissue damage — did you have some form of abdominal surgery?"

[akito]

With how patient Beverly has been, answering all of his questions and catering to his demands, she slowly becomes someone Akito thinks he might be able to trust, though he still stays rigid and alert. At her question he withholds a flinch.

"I was stabbed multiple times a few years ago. The breaks and tissue damage would have been from where I was last."

[ten_fwd_npcs]

As the CMO, she has to maintain a certain level of professionalism with her patients, but it's hard not reacting to that news. Beverly's passions run strong, and she can be very protective of her patients.

"These look like some pretty serious injuries," she breathes, lowering the tricorder. "You haven't suffered any negative consequences or side-effects, besides your stunted growth?"

[akito]

Akito takes his time answering, knowing he won't tell her the whole truth, but not wanting to lie completely. "This body has less stamina," he says. It's true, but doesn't impact him negatively too much since he knows how to push his own limits. Determination outweighs physical impairment as far as he's concerned.

"Are we nearly done?"

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Beverly frowns, caught between wanting more information as his physician, and not wanting to push him into an uncomfortable conversation. To be honest, it's obvious that all of this makes Akito uncomfortable, but she wants him to be aware that he's safe here.

"Almost," she replies, making the appropriate notes. As soon as the hyposprays are ready, she sets her tricorder aside and pauses. "Akito, I want you to know that you can be honest with me if you have any concerns. I know this is all new and, to be perfectly honest, a little frightening. But I want to give you and Shark the absolute best care I possibly can while you're here, which will require you being honest with me. Anything you tell me I promise will be held in the strictest confidence, just between you and I."

She smiles kindly. "If I have to earn your trust, then so be it. But you're safe here, I promise."

[akito]

"I'm as honest as I need to be," he frowns, rubbing Shark behind the ear when said feline rubs his chin up against his thigh. Akito doesn't trust her entirely, but trusts her enough that if he did have any major concerns he would bring them up to her.

[ten_fwd_npcs]

She nods. It may not be the answer she hoped for, but it will do for now.

"All right, you're going to feel a slight pinch," she says, giving him time to prepare himself. She presses the hypo to his shoulder, and with a quick hiss the vaccine is administered.

"The one for Shark is a slightly different dose, to account for weight and species. You may want to keep petting him just so the pinch doesn't surprise him," she says, before applying the hypospray to Shark's right flank.

[akito]

Akito nods his assent, watching her hands with the razor-sharp attentiveness of someone who has needed to stay alert in most situations lest he be brutally maimed or killed. The injection doesn't even make him flinch, though the noise startles his cat and he knows the pinch likely will too. He rubs a finger under Shark's chin and murmurs something to him in quiet Japanese; an order to be alert, but that there is no danger.

Of course all the commands in the world couldn't stop Shark from jolting at the combined sound of the unfamiliar hiss and a pinch. He lets out an indignant yowl and his long fur stands on end even as Akito gets to work soothing him with gentle rubs and an amused look on his face. What he says to Shark next is a bit more audible, but still under his breath, and in unaccented English this time: "Big baby."

[ten_fwd_npcs]

Beverly can't help but laugh, though to spare Shark's dignity she tries to keep it quiet.

"There, now," she says, in her most motherly tone. "That's all. It's for your own good."

She arches her eyebrows at Shark, but is wise enough to keep a safe distance, lest he swat at her. She glances at the computer, and nods. "You and Shark should be all set. If you feel any ill effects, please don't hesitate to let me know. And as for all those questions you have? Well, you can come find me when exams are over, if you like."

She smiles, and pulls a candy out of her pocket. It's not something she always does — she finds the practice out-dated, but quaint, even if she'll worry about sugar rotting her patients' teeth — but she likes Akito. He does so remind her of her Wesley.

"I apologize, Shark, I don't have anything for you," she says. "But perhaps next time I'll be more prepared."

[akito]

Akito eyes the candy with a mixture of delight and offence. Delight because it's candy, and offense because he's eighteen, not a little child. He imagines she would probably be a bit horrified by the adult things he's gotten up to over the past two years if she ever found out, which gives Akito a little bit of pride. Because yeah, he had - has, somewhere - an incredibly attractive boyfriend who is also magical.

He takes the candy after a moment, popping it in his mouth to taste it, then taking it back out with his fingers and letting Shark take a few licks before going back to eating it himself.

"Shark is okay with sharing."

[ten_fwd_npcs]

To be fair, Beverly is probably more horrified by Akito sharing the same piece of candy with Shark than any stories he could share about his boyfriend. Given his true age, it's perfectly healthy to have someone you love and express that love to.

But the candy.

She blinks, realizing her mouth is quite open, and shuts it with a forced smile.

"Okay then." At least they've had their vaccines. "I'll keep that in mind, Akito. I hope you enjoy your time aboard."