Helping a foul learn to walk.

Posted on Mon Jul 11th, 2022 @ 6:17pm by Lieutenant Commander S'hib & Commander Sthilg & Lieutenant Colonel Azhul Naxea

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Sickbay
1993 words - 4 OF Standard Post Measure

In his office down in sickbay, the gorn MD pushed as he looked at the results in front of him. His mind was grateful for the diversion given recent events. This was what he was made to do. The world of proteins and the formation of life some would deem impossible. If the all mother had created him for anything it was this.

Now he was helping two of his friends and their child yet to be.

Pocking his head out of his office he called over to his college Olivia. " Doctor Voight do we still have sssamplesss of the mirror universsse sssurem?" He asked referring to the drug created by S'hib's twister mirror version.

Olivia looked up from her work when she heard Sthlig ask her a question. "Yes, we still have samples of the drug that I was given while we were over in the mirror timeline," Olivia replied. "I made sure that we had plenty to work with when needed."

Naxea walked next to S'hib as she smiled at him. She was nervous about the visit, however, especially with this being the first fetus conceived by a non-Sequus member that she was aware of. She had yet to start showing any signs, but her sneezing bouts were getting more frequent, unfortunately.

He smiled back, holding her close to his side as they walked into sickbay, not letting the torrent of questions running around his head from spoiling his mood as he ducked under the door.

Sthilg heard the familiar footsteps and stepped out of his office beaming as he walked over offering the two of them a hug. "Congratulationsss to the pair of you. " He said warmly.

"Thank you, Doctor, I know it's early days but considering the circumstances, Naxea and I thought it might be best to get some scans done... make sure everything is alright." He said, trying his best to quell the lump in his throat.

" Hey, breath in and out through your nossse my friend not every day you learn you're going to be a father. " Sthilg suggested with a ressuring hand on the shoulder before turning to Naxea. " If you'd take a ssseat on the biobed we can take a look at the little one."

Olivia got up from her desk, grabbed a couple of the fruits she kept in one of the bowls on a table in her office and headed out into Sickbay to see how S'hib was doing. Smiling a little she walked over to where he was standing and held up both of the fruit options. "Which one would you like big guy?" Olivia asked.

"A pear for later will do just fine, thank you Olivia..." S'hib smiled, taking the fruit softly in his hand.

Naxea nodded and made her way over to the biobed, sitting down on it. She still couldn't believe she was pregnant--hell, they were still planning their wedding. She let out a long breath as she waited for Sthilg to move over towards her.

Giving her a reassuring look the gorn spoke in his best grandfatherly tone. " If you want me to ssstop jussst sssay." He said as he prepared the scanner. " Can you roll up your ssshurt?" He added.

Naxea nodded as she pulled up her shirt to above her stomach as she looked at S'hib and smiled at him. She couldn't help but think back to the visit from the Sequus Priestess. She had never put much into religion due to her distrust of the Prophets but she still couldn't fathom how the elder Sequus could aid in her becoming pregnant.

Sthilg gently ran the probe over her belly as his eyes gazed at the incoming data. " Well thisss isss very odd." He said as he brought up the data.

"What is it?" Naxea asked, concern showing on her face. 'Odd' wasn't a word she wanted to hear in regards to her unborn child.

He said nothing, but the concern was written all over his face, with every passing week of the pregnancy his anxiety had returned, odd wasn't a word that helped either.

" No no nothingsss wrong. For an accidental crosssss-ssspecies conception thingsss are going extremely well. " the gorn reassured them.

"You sound surprised, Doc." S'hib replied, feeling the weight lift from his shoulders.

"I am. Offen the firssst hybrid hasss many medical isssuesss. This one ssseemesss to be coming along just fine. Though her father'sss DNA is looking like it will be the dominant one here. " The gorn explained before turning to the pair of them. " Though I would like you in for an operation within the next fourtnight Naxea. There may be an isssue I'd like to head off."

"What issue?" Naxea asked, wondering what issue could cause Sthilg to want to do an operation.

"Given Sssequusss consssiderable ssstregth i'd like to give your womb and the umbilical cordsss a coating with an sssynthetic compound to prevent any tearsss when your child ssstartsss kicking. " The gorn explained.

The news wasn't very reassuring to Naxea. She hadn't thought about the baby kicking yet. "Can't we just keep the baby sedated until birth?" she joked nervously.

The gorn shook his head. " I'm sssorry, but that could caussse ssseriousss isssuiesss. I can provide you with a diet and relaxation program that ssshould help keep keeping kicking to a minimum. "

"Well, Raktijino better still be on that list or else I won't be held accountable when I end up killing S'hib," she managed to joke lightly, punching S'hib playfully in the arm.

But as soon as her lightly balled fist landed, S’hibs tail flicked out, swatting at her out of reflex as he let out an awkward snort-like laugh, giving the good doctor a look that could only be described as screaming for help.

Sthilg chuckled in a mighty hearty laugh. " You are responsssible for thisss young man. Be prepared for sssome pain."

"Yes well, speaking of responsibility doc," S'hib said, clearing his throat as he put his hand on Naxea's back, rubbing gently up to her shoulder and pulling himself in towards her.

"I had a few questions about supplements, as I'm concerned at how different our physiology is..." He continued, his gaze snapping between Sthilg and Olivia as his anxiety crept into the speed of his words.

"Naxea is going to need a lot of help to grow a Sequus, especially within a Bajoran timeframe, what with metabolic rates and bone density... um, wait, can she still eat meat?" He rambled, turning to Naxea with his mind in crisis mode before looking back to Sthilg. "What about chocolate? I can't eat chocolate... you shouldn't eat chocolate." He neighed, inhaling sharply to continue ranting.

Naxea's eyes narrowed at S'hib at the mention of no chocolate. "Keep digging your own grave," she teasingly warned. "And calm down, please," she asked, placing a hand on his chest.

Sthilg pulled a brown paper bag from a draw and handed it to S'hib as he gestured to a stool. " Sssit and breath in and out through your nossse. You forget your doctor isss one of the expertsss at hybridisssation in the galaxy.

"I am calm and I don't need to sit down." S'hib huffed as he went to snatch the bag from the Gorns scaled hands, stopping himself at the last moment.

"I'm just... worried, there isn't exactly a manual for any of this..." He concluded, feeling entirely overwhelmed as he let out a deep exhale.

Sthilg showed no irritation as he stood up and placed his hand reassuringly on the security officer's shoulder. " I know." He said reassuringly. " I went through thisss all myssself."

Olivia walked over to S'hib and lightly slapped him on his shoulder. "Alright, big guy," Olivia said calmly. "Just because you don't have chocolate on a regular basis, doesn't mean that the Colonel has to totally give it up during her pregnancy. Maybe there can be a compromise of sorts when it comes to the chocolate intake. One suggestion would be to have small amounts of chocolate when craving it."

“She’d be eating it every day then…” He winced through a smile, expecting another punch before he’s even finished his sentence.

"Maybe then, you could possibly talk her into only having the chocolate three days a week," Olivia suggested. "That way, she can still have some chocolate and not overdo it at the same time."

" I can look at ssseeing if I can get the replicator to make a chocolate that would be sssafe for you to eat Naxea and not hurt the baby." The gorn replied with a smile. " Though I would like some blood sssamplesss from the both of you. I'd like to have an artificial womb ssset up jussst in cassse."

"You know, I'm right here and can hear all three of you, right?" Naxea asked, as they seemed to talk about her as if she wasn't present. "And thank you, Sthilg."

"Sorry," He said in a hushed tone as he kissed the side of her face. "Just want you to be ok."

I know, and I will be," Naxea assured him--she trusted Sthilg as he had never failed her since she had known him.

Sthilg had wheeled his chair over to his desk and pulled out two hyposprays. " If you can hold ssstill this won't take a moment."

"Just trying to come up with ideas where you can still enjoy certain things, Colonel, without overdoing it too much," Olivia said. "We might have to come up with something to keep a certain fella here calm when things progress further."

The gorn chuckled at that. He knew how nervous S'hib was feeling. He quikly drew some blood from both of them before turning to look at them. " Would you like to know the gender and what they'll look like?" he inquired.

Naxea was unsure. Sure, she would like to know the gender as it would make preparing for the baby easier but she also wouldn't mind being surprised by the gender. "You can determine the gender already?"

" Blassstulation has already happened ssso yesss i can tell the gender if you want to know." Sthilg said looking over at S'hib

"Hmm?" Was the only sound that came out of S'hibs throat, his stunned features suddenly aware he had to answer a question he hadn't paid attention to. "Oh um, I would like to know." He confessed as he glanced over to Naxea, seeking her approval. "But it's up to you."

Grinning at S'hib, Naxea turned to look at Sthilg. "Sure, what's the baby's gender, Doc?"

Sthilg let out a smile as he pressed a few buttons. " Congratulationssss it'sss a baby girl." He said as he continued his typing before a hologram appeared before them.

What appeared before them was clearly S'hib daughter with his grey white hair though with the dark brown eyes of her mother with a streak of dark brown hair running down her mane. Along her nose were faint but reconcilable Bajoran forehead ridges.

"Definitely takesss after her father." Sthilg said from his seat.

Naxea remained silent as she watched the holo projection of her and S'hib's daughter. 'Daughter,' she thought again to herself. She was really going to be a parent. And if this child was anything like her, she and S'hib would have their hands full.

A few tentative hoof steps forward and S'hib let out the softest snort anyone had ever heard. "Look at her ridges..." He exclaimed as his eyes lit up, unable to look away. "I was so worried that she'd only look like me."

Naxea couldn't help but grin at S'hib's excitement. "That wouldn't have been a bad thing," she said softly.

Sthilg smiled at the happy couple. " Would you like a copy of the hologram?" he said guessing the answer already.

S'hib just stood there gently nodding in response as his whole world shifted into something else, something more. "I have a herd..." He muttered silently to himself.