Please Scar Me...

Posted on Wed May 5th, 2021 @ 10:13pm by Captain David Tonelly [Reece] & Commander Sthilg

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: USS Elysium sickbay
Timeline: (Following "Rip Van El-Aurian")
1566 words - 3.1 OF Standard Post Measure

David entered sickbay a few days after he had awakened from his slumber. He had come to have his scars and tattoo reapplied to his body. Before entering his sleep cycle, he had informed the good doctor of tbe procedure and what would be required afterwards.

"Hey, Doc," he called out through the empty sickbay. The last time he was in here was right aftee the away team had been rescued from Quell'ish. "You in here?"

The sound of a slight hiss replied followed by Sthilg's voice saying a firm. " Be quiet you." It wasn't long before the doctor himself emerged. " Sssoryy about that. The tralion bat doesn't like being cleaned. Now David it'sss a rather odd requessst your asking me to do."

David gave the large Gorn a friendly grin. "I know, Doc. But, like I said before I entered my slumber, I would need you to do this. Everytime I enter my sleep cycle, my scars and tattoo are removed. I need them to be reapplied."

"Isss thisss normal with El Aurian'sss?" The Gorn said leading the way to his office. "You're lucky I have a tool for returning ssscarsss. Sssome kingonsss would cry like children if they didn't have ssscars put back."

David chuckled. "Normal? I dunno. Aside from Elysium, I haven't seen another of my species in nearly two hindred years. For me, though, yes. I want these reminders to stay with me. If there was a way to keep them during the rasstala, then I wouldn't need to ask you to do this. However, as I explained before, when I enter my sleep cycle and the rasstala begins, all scars are cleared away."

"Well if you'll jussst take a ssseat on the bio bed I'll get you ssseen to. "The Gorn said as he pulled up a rather crude look instrument from his bag. "Apologissse for the appearance, Klingon medical gear never looks good."

David pulled his shirt off over his head, reavealing smooth, unblemished skin over his well-built physique. Hopping up onto the biobed, he chuckled. "No worries, Doc. Believe me when I tell you that I've seen worse."

"Now are you one hundred percent sssure thisss isss what you want?" The Gorn asked as he brought up the Corporal's old medical record.

Raising his right arm to the CMO, David replied. "Yes. Cosmetic only. I still want full internal functionality." He then slid his bite guard in. He knew this would hurt. He never used pain killers when the scars were reapplied. He wanted to feel the pain, in rememberence of those that can feel nothing any longer. "Do it," he said around the bite guard.

"Ssssuit yourself." The gorn said as he began to slowly move the tool down the man's back for the first one.

David knew the tattoo would hurt, but not as much as the burn scar. It took the original artist, back on Earth, three long hours to apply the original ink into his skin with a needle injector machine. Since then, once the pattern was loaded into a computer, the sensation was more of a dull burning. The three bullet scars were simple dermal surgical alterations. The burn scar, that actually required some burning to accomplish the look. He would see how the good doctor here would do it.

The gorn whistled to himself as he worked as he applied the first scar. As he'd said he'd done this before with Klingons who were much less cooperative than the corporal. " How am i doing? " He said bringing up a holo image so David could see how he was doing.

Looking up, David pulled the mouth guard out, realizing that, thus far the Gorn was surprisingly gentle. "The shape is looking good, it just needs shading to make it look like metal on my skin, without actually veing metal, obviously." He continued to watch as his air assault winfs were carefully reapplied to hus skin. Between all of the military awards that he had earned in his long life, this particular award was his most cherished. Which is why he had had a representation of it tattooed into his skin.

The gorn nodded as he waited before he returned to his work. "You're handling yourssself better than many of the Klingonsss i had to do this too."

David shrugged with his face as he tilted his head to the side, careful not to move his back or shoulder blades. "I've been having them all reapplied twice a year since my first rasstala following the Eugenics War. Plus, so far, your technique is far more gentle than I'm used to. Thank you, Sir."

" I've had to do this in a Klingon kitchen at dinner time with one of the targsss chewing on my boot. You learnt o have a sssteady hand fasssst in the KDF." The gorn remanised.

Grinning, David chuckled slightly. "Heh, yeah. You can imagine." He was silent for a few beats and then asked. "Sir, may I ask you a question?"

" Go ahead." the gorn said as he continued his work.

"Well, aside from the officer here on Elysium. Have...have you ever encountered my species before?" David was hopeful that there were more of his kind out there, perhaps having babies and making more El Aurians.

" I'm afraid not my friend," he replied sighing slightly. " I could ask my contactsss in the KDF to sssee if they've encountered any."

David carefully nodded, not wanting to disturb the doctor's work. "I would appreciate that, yes, Sir, please! Untill I came to Elysium, I hadn't encountered one of my kind since...well, since I was dropped off on Earth shortly after the Whale Probe incident, when the Borg destroyed my home."

"Ah, I heard of that whale probe. The KDf were laughing there assssssesss off over it whilssst quietly panicking in cassse it headed for them." the gorn remained.

David smiled. "I think if Q'onos had humpback whales, they would've hunted the Klingons." He chuckled slightly, thinking about that image.

"I'm sssure they would." The gorn said with a chuckle before he paused. " How am i doing?" He asked as he showed David his work.

Looking at the holo, David was clearly impressed. "Wow, Doc! You certainly have a deft hand. I think you got it perfectly. Hell, aside from not having the red, inflamed skin, it looks brand new! Thank you!" He turned his head to face Sthilg. "Which do you want to do next? Bullet scars or burn scar?"

" Let'sss move onto the burn ssscar." The doctor said as he got to work.

David took a deep breath and then laid down. Holding his right arm up when he was ready. "Okay, Doc, I'm ready."

It took the gorn longer to do this one, but after around thirty minutes he was sure it was a match for the record. " How have i done?" He asked as he brought up the holo image.

While not as painless as the tattoo, David appreciated the skill that the CMO possessed. Looking over the holo and then his arm itself, the El Aurian nodded. Looks great, Sir. Thank you. Now just the three bullet scars, please."

" Thessse will be harder. Though you're handling yourself better than any klingon i've had to do this to." The lizard replied.

"Do what you need to do, Doc." David gave Sthilg a grin. "Yeah, I've had few run-ins with Klingons. Even dated one once. With all their bluster and angry honor protestations, they may be physically tougher than most, but they do still feel pain."

" I've had to do everything from patch them up to aid in childbirth." the gorn said chuckling slightly to himself. " Be aware Klingon children will bite."

David chuckled. "So do their mothers." Looking at Sthilg, he nodded. "I know that I've already explained why I feel that I still need these. I just...i just wanted to thank you again for understanding, Sir."

"No need to thank me David i've done weird things in the name of medical comfort. Now hold ssstill i've got the bullet ssscarsss to do." The gorn replied as he steadied his hand.

David nodded silently and then stayed as motionless as possible, breathing as shallowly as he could to keep still for the proceedure.

It took the gorn longer to finish the bullet wounds, but he was still pleased with the results. " I think i've got them correctly. How have i done?" he asked upon his completation.

Using the holo to examine the work, David nodded his head in approval. "Wow, Doc! It's looks like they just finished healing!" He looked over all of the work again and smiled. "Well, I know who my new plastic surgeon is." He chuckled. Then, after a beat, grew more serious. "Thank you again, Sir. I know it may be odd, but, I need these. Maybe one day I'll no longer need them, however, for now I do."

" I understand and i too hope one day you'll never need them." The old doctor said as he packed away his tools.

As he started to get dressed, he added, "Sir, if there's ever anything I can do for you, Please let me know.

" That i will. Have a nice day David." the gorn said as the marine left the room.



***Off***

Commander Sthilg
Chief Medical Officer
USS Elysium.

&

Corporal David Tonelly
Scout Sniper
Spartans