Scales or Fur?

Posted on Wed Jan 6th, 2021 @ 8:56am by Cadet Senior Grade Kedar Rackthorn & Commander Sthilg

Mission: Season 4: Episode 3: Guided by Starlight
Location: Sickbay
948 words - 1.9 OF Standard Post Measure

It was hard to think about starting studies again when so far, the young Cadet had spent most of his time onboard rushing around the ship, meeting Officers and getting admin done. He felt like he was part of the crew rather than just a student.

His next stop on the list was to visit Sickbay for his physical. He'd heard the Doctor was a Gorn and this thrilled him. As a huge culture geek, Kedar had studied the Gorn Hegemony as a child, finding them fascinating, but he hadn't been aware of any in Starfleet until he boarded Elysium.

He poked his head around the door into main sickbay and saw the Doctor there, so walked in, coughing to show his presence. "Cadet Kedar Rackthorn, reporting for my physical Sir." he said, looking at the large scaled man with awe. He was tall, exotic and exciting and this would be one interesting physical.

Said doctor was currently muttering a curse at the coffee machine which was in one of it's moods. Hearing the cough he looked around giving a polite smile to the Caitian. " Hello there cadet. I'm doctor Sthilg." He said as he downed the coffee and lead the way towards one of the biobeds. " So how are you finding the ship?" He asked as he brought up the cadet's profile on his wrist computer.

Kedar nodded to him in response, thinking for a moment about how he DID find the ship. "Well, it's certainly big, I've been here all day and feels like I've only seen a tiny amount of it. So far, I've walked into a Sequus, been caught half naked by my superior officer, been shopping on the station and also had a very strange encounter with the other Caitian on board on my way here. She ripped out my hair and whiskers....some strange voodoo I think..." he trailed off.

The gorn paused at the last bit of the cadets story. " Did you report that incident? It sssoundsss like an assssssault to me."

The Caitian shook his head. "No, no, I figured I'd just get out of dodge, maybe she just had a bad day." he chuckled. "I'll be avoiding her in the hallways though, for sure!"

Sthilg sighed slightly knowing he'd have to have a word with Lieutenant JG M'Tuuri Sh'iss. " Other than that incident are there any injuriesss you have received that aren't on your record sssince your last ssscan."

He thought for a moment and shook his head. "Nope, no injuries. I try and stay away from dangerous situations on the most part, but alas sometimes they find you..."

" Well, hopefully thisss won't take long." he said as he started up the scanner.

The Caitian laid down on the biobed patiently, flicking his tail behind him as he did so. He didn't particularly like being in sickbay, but who did? He wasn't sick, he was ready to go, ready to perform!

"Not a problem, Doc, as long as it's all good."

The gorn's white eyes darted over the screen as the data begin to come in. " Looking good. I sssee the acdamey is ssstill putting out it'sss remarkable health ssstandardsss."

Kedar nodded. "Yeah, they do make sure we eat well, train well, exercise well, all kinda of health stuff really, probably a good thing!" he said with a smile, glad that his nerves were calming and he was able to sit and talk to the doctor rather than panic. "So, anything standing out or does all look good, Sir?" he asked, half afraid of the answer.

" Everything'sss looking good." The gorn said as he looked at the data.

"phew...that's a relief" replied the Caitian. "So, how often does something pop up on a physical? Is it usually this easy? I'm sure sometimes there's stuff that comes up right? Anything that means a crew member has to leave?" he asked, showing his curiosity again.

" Oh thingsss pop up now and again, but mossst of the time the fleet'sss personel isss sssmart enough to vist the doctor with any propblemsss. Mossst of the timesss we find thingsss not on recored isss when the personel hasss been trying to hide it." The old doctor replied.

He thought about what kind of person would try and hide things from a Doctor, but then his mind drifted. "Oh, I see." he replied, showing he was still paying attention. "Well, I'm sure you see a whole range of different things and different species. Some diseases and such that only affect some and not others, must be a fascinating job, Doc."

" Indeed. It'sss fassscinating what happensss when a flu that targetsss green blood cellsss jump'sss to life without green blood cellsss." The doctor replied.

He nodded in reply. "Huh, yeah I guess that would be interesting. We did a bit of that kinda study in Xenobiology class, I enjoyed it but it got a bit technical towards the end of the year!"

" Interesting. I never went to the academy ssso i wouldn't know. " The gorn said before looking back to the scan results.

The young Caitian looked around the room as he sat there waiting for the Doctor to complete his work. "So how's it looking? any anomalies or weird things?" he asked with a chuckle. "Or a bill of clean health?" he asked, more hopefully.

" Nope everything'sss looking in order. " The doctor said with a smile. " I sssee no reassson you ssshoudn't be cleared for duty."

The Caitian smiled as he hopped up to his feet. "Thankyou Doctor, then I will report for duty." he said happily. "Thanks for your hard work."

" Jussst doing my job." The doctor said as he watched him go.