Dear Doctor...

Posted on Tue Feb 23rd, 2021 @ 7:07am by Lieutenant JG Siora Carberos & Commander Sthilg

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Sickbay
1235 words - 2.5 OF Standard Post Measure

The dreaded medical. Siora did not like Sickbay, or most clinical settings. Truth be told she had no idea why, she had been a medical doctor for so many years in her younger days but had since taken an aversion to the profession. They do say Doctors make the worst patients.

However, she had not been a medical practitioner for over 100 years now. Information was her operating theatre now.

Siora entered Sickbay and informed the nurse that she was here for her initial medical as per procedure for a transfer.

The sound of the ship's big chief MD footsteps echoed throughout the room as he approached the counter with a smile on his reptilian face. " Hello there. I'm Sssthilg and I'll be your doctor for today. " He said warmly as he extended his hand.

Siora looked up at him, he was only 2 inches taller but still a sight to behold. That smile, so full of sharp teeth. It looked like a cage of enamel that only his tongue hid behind. Taking his hand she smiled, this was of course the Gorn the Captain had mentioned to her mere hours ago. As a precaution against shock, but this was more awe.

"Lieutenant Siora Carberos, you smile is very hypnotising." she said without thinking as again her lack of a filter shone through.

" Thank you. If you'll follow me we'll get you ssseen to. have you had any injuriesss or ilnessssss not on your profile sssince your last check-up? " The Gorn said as he lead the way towards one of the bio beds.

As Siora sat down she pondered his question. "Nope, apart from hitting my toe off the end of the bed last night I am in fine shape." She grinned flashing her own pearly whites.

" Very good. " The doctor replied as he patted one of the bio beds. " Ssso how are you enjoying the ssship?" He asked.

"It is nice Doctor, thank you." she said as she studied the room before looking back at him. "I had a conversation with the Captain earlier and she was telling me the mix of species here." For a moment she looked at Sthilg and smiled. "Tell me, are you the only Gorn in Starfleet? I've never came across one before." she asked forgetting why she was there in the first place.

" There are nine of usss in total i think. Mossst of them are in sssecurity. " the gorn replied as he tried to remember from last time he'd checked.

Siora nodded. "Makes sense given your physical presence at least." she said studying the Doctor. "And the Hegemony has a positive view of you being here? I know the Klingons back in decades past made it difficult for Worf..." she let that question, and comment, hang in the air.

The gorn paused for a while before swallowing and speaking. " I wouldn't know that my dear. I've not had any contact with anyone in the Hegemony sssince I was twenty. "

"I'll assume by you saying that, that you are reasonably older than twenty." She said as she began to swing her legs playfully whilst sitting upon the bed.

" Nearly two hundred and twenty my dear. " the gorn said feeling his age.

"Ah, I would say I feel your pain as I am close to three hundred myself." she said smiling as she watched the Doctor get lost in his thoughts. "But that is a long time to not be in contact with your own people. I am sorry."

" There'sss no one left to worry about me my dear. I'm an old lizard who'sss had a long life that i wouldn't change for anything despite the pain." he replied. " Three hundred you sssaid? You mussst have ssseen sssome thingsss in your time."

"Two centuries and you must have seen some things yourself Doc." she smiled. "I have seen a mix of good, friendships made and contacts and some bad..." she nodded to her scar as she took off her uniform jacket.

" Don't we all." The gorn said mothing his artificial arm into its scalpel form. " I've left quite a few bitsss on variousss planetsss. I've loved and lossst as do we all. "

"Luckily I still have all my original parts." she smiled as she looked at the mans arm. "How did you lose your arm? If you do not mind me asking..."

" A very nasssty fight with sssome ssslave tradersss back when i wasss with the KDF. Nasssty thingsss had booby trapped there bassse and I took the blassst. Lossst my arm and two of my sssix tesssiticlesss. " The gorn said wincing slightly at the memory.

Siora's eyes popped open wide. "Two of your..." she looked down a little examining the man before then closing her eyes and shaking her head and clearing her throat. The thought popped into her head to tell him it took balls to bare the brunt of a blast but that was too close to the subject matter.

The old gorn let out a haughty laugh before steadying himself by leaning on the bed. " Yes, male gorn have sssix testicles. We only need one, but going for the genitalia was a common practice in are more primitive daysss. "

"That is..." Siora for once was a little lost for words. How of Earth did this conversation move on to this? "well, I am sure your females are quite lucky?" she half asked.

" I wouldn't know I've only ever been with my Ssshassssssou. " the gorn said scratching his head slightly. " What about you do you have any family?" He asked.

"Then she is a lucky woman." Siora offered kindly. "Mother has passed on but my father still lives. As do my 6 siblings up and around the place. No other real family to speak of apart from nieces and nephews and such." she smiled.

" Wasss. Ssshe left thisss plane many yearsss ago." the gorn said quitly.

"Oh..." Siora felt a pang in her own heart at hearing that. "I am sorry for your loss Doctor. Losing loved ones is never easy and something we bear for our lives to come." she said placing a hand on his shoulder.

" It's okay my dear." The gorn said weakly as he gave her hand a reassuring grip. " My Ssshassssssou and our daughter await me in the hunting ground for when it's my time to leave thisss plane. Right now i have Alicia Kelea-Sssalik my adopted daughter and her family to look after."

Siora nodded. "I am glad you have someone. 2 centuries, or even 2 decades without someone can be a painful way to live."

" It isss and my grandssson Conner is the light of my life. " The lizard said with a grin.

"I am happy to hear that Doctor." Siora said. "So, how am I looking? Fit and healthy?" she asked.

" Very. I sssee no reassson to not be able to clear you fit for duty." the old lizard said reassuringly as he looked at the finished scan results.

"Great!" Siora said back. "I knew I would be fine but you know, regulations and all."

" Indeed. I'll sssee you around." The lizard said as he handed her a data crystal containing a copy of the scan.

Siora took the crystal and hopped down from the bed with a rather silent drop as she hit the floor. "Not if I see you first! Thanks Doc!" she said as she skipped out of the room.