Inside Alexander

Posted on Sun Aug 4th, 2019 @ 7:44am by

Mission: Mission 2: Heaven On Earth
Location: Sickbay
1390 words - 2.8 OF Standard Post Measure

Alexander looked up at Jason with his arms crossed over his chest an scowl on his face. "Yes." Alex said trying to sound angry.

"Alex, you don't have to, you're still a child, be happy and go play and find some new friends." Jason said with a sigh while they were sitting on the shuttle heading back to the ship. "You have so much stuff you have to unpack as well."

"I'm not a child, I'm 10." Alex said with a stomp. "I don't have much stuff either." Alex looked away from Jason again with his head raised in anger.

Jason lowered his head and sighed again. "Fine, we can go get you a physical too." Jason said looking at Alex.

Alex looked at Jason, lowered his arms and smiled a toothy smile. "Thanks Dad." Alex looked out the window as the ship got closer.

***Time Skip 2nd day of shore leave***

Jason and Alex walked into the medical bay together. Alex was a bit ahead of Jason as they moved into the room, he was the first to spot the nurse doing something in the room and was getting ready to sprint off to the nurse.

"Alex." Jason read Alex's body and was ready for him to take off but was screaming, NO!, in his head. He moved forward a bit faster to put his hand on Alex's shoulder.

The nurse turned around and looked first at the child, then at the adult holding his shoulder. "Is something the matter?"

"No, everything is fine." Jason said trying to slightly pull Alex back towards him.

Alex was pulling away to keep from being pulled back. "I want a physical just like dad." Alex said trying to get his shoulder free.

Jason looked down at Alex then back up towards the nurse. "Can you help me please." He asked.

"Sure thing", the nurse said. "How old are you, young man, and what is your name?"

"I'm 10, and my name is Alex." Alex's smile was full with his baby fat cheeks. "Whats your name?"

"Fiona Baker", the nurse smiled. "I'll get the doctor. Go in there, let your father help you up onto the examination table and the doctor will be with you in a little while." She pointed to the door where Estelle habitually performed physicals and operations, Estelle preferred working behind closed doors rather than in the open area of sickbay, with too many distractions.

Alex turned towards Jason and dropped his smile. "You heard the nurse Lieutenant, help me on the examination table." He started walking away towards the room nurse Baker pointed at.

Jason looked at Baker, "You wouldn't even believe how bad it was when Captain Turner made him 'Commander' for the day." Jason finger quoted.

Baker laughed. "I'll get the duck in here." She walked off to find Estelle and gave her the details.

Jason nodded with a mouthed 'thank you' and turned towards the room. He started walking and looked at Alex.

Alex stood next to the table and waited for Jason, he looked at him and narrowed his eyes when he didn't move fast enough.

"Alex you need to calm down alright, if you keep up this attitude I will ground you." Jason said lifting Alex onto the bed.

Alex looked down at his shoes, crossed his arms and nodded.

Knowing that was the best he was going to get Jason reached out to put his fingers under Alex's chin and raised it up. "Hug?"

Alex nodded and throw his arms around Jason. Jason reciprocated and hugged Alex back.

***

It took only a few minutes before Estelle came walking in, carrying a tray with three cups on them. Estelle's cup with the coffee prescription printed on it, one for Jason that read 'liquid awake', and a third one that held hot cocoa with honey instead of coffee, and it had an elaborate Mayan design. She placed the tray at the head of the biobed and handed the cups out. "Hello, I'm Estelle Hertz. I'll make sure you'll get a thorough physical, just like you requested."

"Hello Commander, I'm Jason Morris and this is my Son Alex, I apologize if I'm taking you away from something important. My son would like a starfleet physical just like I had when I came aboard." Jason said his face flushing as he looked at the Commander.

"Very commendable", Estelle smiled. "We should make sure everyone else learns from your good example, Alex." She took her mug, took a sip, and flicked on the biobed's sensors. "So tell me, are there any concerns you've had, something you'd like me to look for specifically?" One thing Estelle wasn't good at was code-switching to more child-appropriate language.

"Well I got a few boo-boos from when I was playing with some other boys but nothing bad." Alex said kicking his feet a bit. "Oh my tooth is loose, wanna see." Alex didn't wait for an answer instead he opened his mouth and stuck his finger inside to wiggle his muller around.

Jason grabbed his hand and pulled it out of his mouth. "Alex, mind your manners, and when did you get hurt? You didn't tell me."

Alex looked down a bit and tried turning his hand around to hold his dads hand. "Some of the other boys pushed me down and I hurt my knees and arm, but its nothing bad."

Jason looked at his son and started to pull off his shirt to see his arms.

"It's nothing we can't treat in a matter of minutes", Estelle said. She got her regenerator ready. "Be sure to come to me when you have been in a squabble. Fighting is not so bad, not getting your wounds treated, however, is inexcusable." She looked at both of them in turn. "And don't wait, come immediately."

"The Commander's right, if you're ever hurt, even if there's no pain, come here right away or find an adult and have them call me, okay?" Jason said holding the shirt he had taken off Alex and holding his arms up to see the injures.

Estelle began running the regenerator over them. "When I was your age, there were little fights almost on a daily basis", she said. "Growing up among Andorians does that. Some of them were too proud to have their wounds looked at, one of them almost died."

Alex looked up at the Estelle. "But you fixed them right cause you help people. When I get big like you and dad I wanna fix people too."

"Well, my parents, they're engineers, they are close with an Andorian couple who are doctors", Estelle said. "And one of them fixed him. And now that's what I do. For now, make sure you get the help you need, then you'll be able to help others when you grow up."

Alex nodded his head rapidly to show he agreed with Estelle.

"Good", Estelle said, putting the regenerator aside again. "Now my sensors tell me that you're well-developed for your age, and beyond refreshing some of your vaccinations, there's nothing else that you need to have done." She stepped over to a cabinet and put together the injection.

Alex followed the doctors movements until her words made sense to him and he looked at Jason. "That's it, no running or jumping? You said you did a lot of stuff during your visits to the doctors."

Jason looked at Alex. "Different doctors I guess." He looked back up and away as his face started flush. "Ugh, isn't that right Commander, different doctors do it differently?" he asked hoping.

Estelle nodded. "Do I look like I'm interested in jumping and running? No, I can get what I need from a base scan. Everything else is between you and whatever fitness requirements your department has." She injected Alex with the hypospray. "Which, in your case, is being able to sit and listen in school. If they make you run around or chase after balls or some such, tell them you're there to learn and not waste your energies on sports."

Alex smiled at Estelle and nodded to everything she said.

"Now, I think we're done here? Finish your cocoa, though. It'll help you grow big and strong", Estelle smiled.

Alex nodded and grabbed the cup Estelle showed him was cocoa and Jason grabbed his cup.