Counseling and Medical
Posted on Sun Jul 14th, 2019 @ 6:32pm by
Edited on on Sun Jul 14th, 2019 @ 6:58pm
1,959 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
Episode 7 - Home Again
Location: Sick Bay
Timeline: MD006 0900 hrs
Tallida was sitting in one of the office with in the medical bay. She wasn't in the capacity of a medical doctor, at least not at this position, but she just didn't want to be in the counseling suite. She found her mind drifting to the run in the with Crewman in the corridor and she couldn't shake it from her mind. It was frustrating. Instead she was sitting in the office of the position she used to hold and was hoping that if she was discovered the Commander wouldn't have a problem with it.
Richard entered sickbay on his crutches. He glanced around with a pleasant, peaceful smile at the vacant sickbay glad for a moment of peace after all the wounded.
He turned towards his office and saw someone there he didn't instantly recognize and smiled broadly before starting to move towards the door.
"Doctor Ovaa," Ballston said with a broad smile, "it is a pleasure to meet you Counselor."
Tallida had been lost in thought and couldn't hide the large jump as her start made itself known. "Oh," She said with a start as she finally turned towards him. "Commander, I apologize." She moved to stand up from the chair. "I was told you were hurt and I figured you wouldn't be in." She looked down at her hands that were nervously twisting together. "I hope I didn't offend."
"Offend," Richard said with a wry smile, "you haven't in the slightest. He moved in a little farther through a bit cumbersomely as he set the crutches to the side of his desk. With his smile still intact he motioned towards a seat and nodded, "please, have a seat Counselor, what can I do for you?"
Tallida took the seat obediently. "Nothing, Sir." She started. "I am a doctor first but I have advanced training in clinical psychology so I thought I would give counseling a try, but the sick bay it home." She smiled then flushed slightly at the omission.
"You are always welcome here Counselor and we will certainly be needing your expertise in medical." He smiled broadly and adjusted his braced leg a little, "you know our paths seem to have been a bit opposite from each other. I started as a counselor though I was completely trained as a physician first."
"Indeed." Tallida replied with a smile. "I find the mind fascinating, however, my care-, uh, my advisers preferred I focus on a more intellectual pursuit." she grinned. "I am available for anything you may need." she looked over at the crutches by the wall. "Are you ok?"
"Broke my leg during surgery," Richard admitted, "the out and a gurney hit my leg, right here in sickbay." He chuckled and shook his head, "I'm supposed to take it easy but I just keep working."
"Well that tells me a lot about you." She started.
Richard smiled at the woman and gave her a knowing smile, "and it should counselor." He tilted his head and studied her for a moment, "there are a few other things you may want to know about me and unless you've read my personnel file probably don't know."
Tallida couldn't help but shift under his stare. She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands. "I haven't read up on anyone yet, except the Captain." He looked up at him. Reaching forward in an effort to fidget she went to simply adjust a lamp and the whole thing when tumbling to the floor. Letting out an expletive she leaned forward quickly to retrieve it and thumped her head on the desk.
"Oooo," Richard said as he saw what the woman had done, "are you alright? That had to hurt counselor."
Tallida sat up slightly. The sound was far worse than the injury. She had denser bones than humans and wasn't hurt, merely stunned. That didn't limit the damage to her ego or pride. "Great first impression." She muttered.
"Don't worry about that Tallida," Richard replied with a smile, "you have already made an excellent impression." "You should have seen me when I was a counselor, and now I'm on crutches because I broke my leg when a gurney hit it."
Tallida appreciated his attempt to relate with her. "I appreciate that." She said simply. "I am socially awkward and everything that can go wrong seems too." she smiled. She wasn't sure why she was so willing to open up to him but she didn't dwell on it.
Richard smiled and nodded letting his eyes sparkle a little. His life had been much like hers, socially awkward, clumsy but really gifted in other ways. "Tallida," he began, "if I were to tell you that until I discovered what my species really was I was just as socially awkward if not more would you believe me?"
"You have no reason to lie." she admitted easily. "But, I have to be honest." She gave him a sheepish smile. "I can't imagine anyone being that awkward." She shook her head. "It is a long story that lead me here." She admitted. It took a moment before what he said really sank in. "What do you mean, your species?" she blurted before realizing she should have at least phrased it better.
The CMO chuckled and nodded, "I know I look like a human, Counselor but I'm not." He stood putting more weight on his healthier leg than the other and grabbed his crutches, "would you meet me in sickbay, I have something that might interest you."
Tallida rose from her chair and made sure to not be in his way. She followed up, completely unaware of what he had in mind. "What is it, Doctor?" She asked more than interested.
Richard made his way to one of the biobed, sat the crutches not far away and began to hoist himself upon it, "I want you to see something, not many Doctors in Starfleet have been able to see this first hand yet and I don't want you to be particularly surprised when you see it on a patient." He settled in easily once his legs were seated comfortably, "Would you perform a DNA scan on me Tallida?" "I think you might be surprised."
Tallida couldn't help the confused look on her face as she moved to the bio bed almost obediently. Tapping a few controls she began the scan. Taking a step back she looked up at the display where the results would show when the scan was done. She gave him a questioning look when the scan took longer than what she was used too. The beep brought her attention back to the screen and what she saw there was unexpected. "It is double." She stated as the pair of double helix chains interwoven displayed above the analysis.
"That is why I was originally believed to be a genetically altered human," Richard offered, "quite unique but demonstrates that I am actually an Azzian." He smiled up at the woman as he sat up and swung his legs carefully over the side of the bed again, "for years I served under the stigma of being an augment and only as an enlisted officer thanks to the kindness of an Admiral which paved the way for me to at least be able to do that. It's been only about seven years since my racial status has been corrected."
Tallida couldn't help the appreciation that beamed from her. She tapped a few commands on the computer and pulled up a file. "No one knows about this on this ship, except the Captain." The next command she pulled up her DNA signature from her latest scan. Like his, it showed a double double helix. "You would find out soon enough, but..." she trailed off.
Richard furrowed his brow and then let one rise as he gazed at the image on the screen, "Counselor, could you help me out?" "What exactly am I looking at." He turned to face her shook his head, "I cannot say I have seen this before."
"Based on what I have figured out." Tallida started as she pulled up a new file. "My DNA code is not organic like you or even an augment." She tapped a few more commands that pulled the two strands apart. "My DNA formed as normal, typical Angosian DNA until I was about one. At which point it was, um, I guess you would say manipulated." She held her breath, worried how he was going to take it.
Richard listened intently and nodded, "do you know what might have manipulated them?" His smile returned and he nodded, "I realize it might be hard to talk about Counselor."
Tallida blushed slightly. The Doctor was the first person she had met that didn't look at her like a lab experiment gone wrong. "It normally is," She started turning her attention back to the Azzian standing next to her. "You don't look at me like an experiment gone wrong." She tapped a few commands that brought up a few models she had created. "I haven't been able to figure that out." She added in response to his original questions.
"Are you experiencing any health concerns because of it?" Richard was concerned about her, how others would view the information, yet he needed to know so if there was an issue he could try to address it.
"Not as of yet." She started. "There are questions of my abilities to, uh." She knew the clinical term but saying it about herself seemed personal. "There is question regarding my fertility. As you can imagine, I am not a fan of being a guinea pig for scientist's assumptions." She couldn't help the slight anger that was starting to make itself know as she spoke about it.
Richard nodded, "if there are complications in that area, perhaps you could adopt, I am sure you would be an excellent mother."
The physician smiled, "if you ever need someone to talk to Tallida, you can always come see me." he chuckled, "we can make it look like you're discussing a patient or something."
"If, or when, that becomes an issue," Tallida started with a laugh at the idea that she would ever be in the situation to want children. "You will be the first one I talk too." If Richard wanted too, he could look into her file and see what she had been subjected too. It wasn't something she liked to talk about.
Richard nodded, "just a friendly offer is all, I know painful pasts can sometimes come back to haunt."
"Thank you, I appreciate that." She smiled. "I know that I am just a counselor, but if my medical background can be of any assistance, please let me know." She returned to her practiced distance.
"Talida," Richard started raising an eyebrow, "you are not just a counselor, you are a valuable member of our team." He smiled broadly and nodded before turning slightly to move towards the office again, "and I will certainly let you know when I'll need your assistance here in medical."
"Thank you, sir." Tallida replied. "I had better get moving. I have a counseling staff that I need to greet."
The physician offered a broad smile, "Certainly Counselor Ovaa, it was a pleasure meeting you."
"You as well." Tallida offered an incline of her head before she turned and exited main sickbay. She had an appointment with a civilian in a few minutes.
A Joint Post By
Lieutenant Commander Richard Ballston M.D. PsyD
Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Tallida Ovaa
Chief Counselor, USS Pioneer
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