New Faces
Posted on 04 May 2021 @ 1:36am by Lieutenant Syvar MD & Lieutenant JG Jarzo Chtissi
Mission:
Mission 5 - Season of the Witch?
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: prior to a lure down planet
2266 words - 4.5 OF Standard Post Measure
On:
Sickbay was fairly quiet, so Syvar had taken to clearing some of the inventory backlog. He knew a nurse could probably do it, but he just needed something to occupy himself with. Something, to keep his mind off his desire to somehow get down to the planet, and get to his wife.
To say he was worried, was a severe understatement, even though he did his level best to keep a Vulcan face, and hide how he truly felt. It was a right challenge, and one he was failing at, stellarly.
He looked up when he heard the slight hum of the hoverchair approaching, an unfamiliar in diplomatic purple, bearing lieutenant junior grade pips. Pulling himself together, the young Vulcan straightened and awaited the stranger's business.
Jarzo maneuvered his chair into the main part of the sickbay as he looked around. This was perhaps the hardest part of any new assignment, that initial medical exam. It was always a different face, with the same exact speech. He needed to use his exo-suite more. He couldn't rely on his chair all the time. Did he under the idea of muscle deterioration? Eventually leading into a lecture about his personal use of a physical therapy program in the holodecks without medical authorization.
He wheeled up to the receptionist, "Lieutenant Chtissi reporting for my initial evaluation," he handed over a padd, "I just recently transferred aboard."
Syvar gave the newcomer a once over, certainly not having expected a hoverchair. "Welcome aboard lieutenant," he answered kindly, "we seem to be facing a bit of a challenge sir. I am... Have not treated someone in a chair before, how does one usually perform your physical?"
Jarzo moved his chair over to an empty biobed, as he reached up grabbing the bio to pulled himself to a standing position. It was a struggle and probably equally painful to watch. "I still have the ability to use my legs, Doctor," he thought the man's reaction a bit odd. He was a trained medical professional, right? "Being Elaysian I am sure you understand that I come from a planet with much lower gravity. Walking around in your environment is doable, but highly challenging for my races; without devices to assist."
Jarzo sat on the edge of the bed as he attempted to lift his legs up. He hadn't been out of the chair in some time; his joints were stiff from sitting so long. "The side effect of travel, most shuttles don't come equipped with a lower gravity option." He couldn't wait to get to his quarters.
"If there are such devices, why don't you use them?" the young doctor asked, more out of curiosity than anything else as he moved to assist the diplomatic officer, "or use the holodeck to train your muscles to the higher gravity the ship maintains?" As he spoke, he ran his tricorder along the man's body. "You do appear in good health though your muscles do appear weakened. What do you normally do, once you arrive on an assignment?"
"I don't use them Doctor because they are terribly bulky and cumbersome. They hinder my ability to work. There is a treatment to allow me to adjust to your environment, but that would make it almost impossible to return home." He couldn't help but wonder if the Doctor had just got his license, was he truly this green. "So I make do and my quarters are set to an environment closer to what you would see on Elaysia. It allows me to get out of this chair and stretch, move around."
"Regular exercise and finding a compromise between your and our gravity would probably more prudent," Syvar suggested as he snapped his tricorder shut. "Then you would be able to go home, but you would have more strength in your muscles to cope in a different environment." He smiled encouragingly. "There's no harm in improving your muscle tone, and it shouldn't hinder you when you do go home."
Jazro nodded, it was the same ole speech he'd heard so many times. He just found life in the chair easier, when he needed to get out of it there were ways. Yes, there were options but he didn't have to force himself into anything in order to meet what others saw as a hindrance. His abilities were his own to manage and he was comfortable with his life. "Nothing I haven't heard before, Doctor. But I manage to get around just fine."
"Oh I know, and I'm not forcing you to do anything. But as a doctor, I'm required to inform you of the options. If you feel you're better off as you are then you should follow your own path on this. But if you do want change, then we're here to help you map out a road to achieve it." The Vulcan smiled brightly as he maneuvered the chair such that the diplomat could get in more easily. "Do you have the use of an aide, in case of necessity?"
"I do own an exo-suite if needed," he replied, "I have been known to wear it from time to time, but it makes me look like a child just learning to walk. It's not a very pretty sight. In my line of work, I don't like to stand out. So I only use it if required."
"Surely, there's more comfortable means at your disposal? Maybe engineering can help you create something more suitable to your needs, that could be worn under your uniform, rather than over it?" Syvar seemed excited, even though there was an edge to his emotions. Always happy to help, he was still worried about his very pregnant wife and her odd ailment.
"I have a friend, who's an Engineer. She's stated many times that she would like to help develop something more practical and easier to use. I believe the term she used was user-friendly," he smiled, "she designed this chair actually, it's fairly new. So who knows, maybe in time."
"Hold very still," Syvar suddenly said, his gaze shifting to something just above and beyond his patient. There was a slight breeze, or at least it appeared as such just as the Vulcan spoke. "Sherlock, you shouldn't come in here, you know you shouldn't," he scolded the new arrival, "I know you miss the master, and I know you like to be here..."
Syvar bit his lip for a moment, knowing there was no way he could order the science chief's companion around. "Sir, this is Sherlock, he belongs to Lieutenant Datari. He's currently down planet so as he gets lonely he occasionally comes here. Emme's probably on duty and the ship's daycare doesn't want him to come in." He held up his arm so the blue mini-dragon could land. "He's very friendly though."
"What the heck," he gestured, "I mean is that what I think that is?" Jarzo looked up at the animal, truly uncertain of what he was looking at. In all honestly, it looked like a dragon, a small blue dragon. But dragons weren't real, right? He couldn't help but blink a bit trying to see if the mythical creature was still there after he blinked.
"Lieutenant Datari calls it a firelizard but doesn't know where exactly he's come from. Sherlock is now about seven years old I think if memory serves. He won't get any bigger at least." He smiled as he held up his arm and the small flying creature took perch on it. "He likes to have his eye ridges scratched," the Vulcan offered, showing what he meant. Sherlock crooned happily in response, his eyes turning a shade of blue that almost matched his hide.
"Very interesting," Jarzo exclaimed, "I am not sure I have ever seen a firelizard before. I assume they are quite rare?" He asked. "May I pet him?" he added.
"Oh I'm sure he won't mind, he's very friendly," Syvar smiled, holding out his arm. "I'd never seen one before and Aidan, I mean Lieutenant Datari, he said he's not seen another either. He doesn't know where they come from, as I said. I've seen him get protective though, you really don't want him angry."
Jarzo reached out, in a non-threatening manner, as his forefinger touched the animal's eye ridges, "he's amazing, and beautiful, too." Jarzo pat the creature, "I assume Datari is the Chief Medical Officer?" He asked, failing to remember the name. He smiled at the small dragon-looking animal.
"You do like those scratched," he laughed.
Sherlock extended his head towards the helpful hand, crooning softly in delight.
Syvar laughed, shaking his head. "Oh no, he's not the chief medical officer or a doctor. He's the chief of science. Tanned Trill, unjoined, super protective of wife and child. You haven't seen him? Usually poring over one alien text or the other." The Vulcan shrugged. "I don't know him all that well though, he's not my patient. I just watch the dragon since he's not allowed on away missions."
"I guess I should study the manifest a bit better," Jarzo smirked as he pet the dragon. He looked over to the biobed scanner, he'd done enough of these to fully understand what the device was reading. However, he still liked to give the Doctors a chance to explain. "So, Doc... how long do I have?" he asked.
Nothing really stood out in his head, but he knew what was coming. He needed to get out more. He needed to move beyond his chair. He needed to use his exo-suite and utilize his legs, more. He looked over the readouts, then back to the Doctor as the dragon pushed on his hand harder. Apparently, he was enjoying the attention.
"I've no doubt you'll live a long life sir," Syvar smiled, "but I recommend starting to practice using the exo-suit. The sooner and the more you do that, the more mobile you'll be in the long run. The holodeck can help you with lowering the gravity if needed, and doing exercises while gradually training your muscles to use ship normal gravity."
"I make use of several holodeck programs and I promise I don't just rely on the chair. Yes, it's easier but there are times when it is just not practical," Jarzo responded. "You're not the first Doctor to ever give me this lecture," he smiled, "and won't be the last, I assume. Mobility will always be a problem for my people, especially if we want to return home. But, we learn to adapt and I will adapt here, as well."
"I didn't intend to sound as though I was giving you a lecture sir," Syvar answered apologetically, "but it is the best advice I can give you. You need to practice, and build up your muscle tone. No one is expecting you to run a marathon sir, but for you to be able to just walk somewhere might be more pleasing than being reliant on that chair."
"It a delicate trade-off, in reality, Doctor," Jarzo admitted, "the more I physically get accustomed to your environment, the more challenging a return home will be," he smiled, "i know that the chair isn't ideal and the exo-suit is terrible but I still want to be able to go home... without the struggle."
The Doctor wasn't wrong, there were dozens of ways he could acclimate but they all came with a great personal price. For him, that price was just too high.
"The exo-suit is meant to help you move around so you don't have to adapt, as far as I know," Syvar pointed out, "and it would get you moving around and able to go places that chair would limit you from going. But hey... what do I know?" The young Vulcan smiled and shrugged. "I had to adapt too... I was born on Vulcan, but have lived on Earth since I was ten years old. Gravity on Earth is different than on Vulcan too."
Jarzo was certain the Doctor's own experience was nothing like it. The Vulcan could adapt without an entire lifestyle change. To an Elaysian adaptation in this since meant irreversible change that could affect him for a long time. Jarzo wasn't ready to give up on things like going home, just to make himself appear more normal to those around him. Yes, the chair was a pain, and it did limit him. Yes, the Doctor was right he could use the exo-suit more, and he knew that he needed to; but he truly hated it. "Perhaps," Jarzo replied, "adaptation works both ways, Doctor," he smiled, as he attempted to sit up. "If everything looks good then I will return to duty," he smiled.
"With your permission," he looked at the man.
"Yes sir," the young Vulcan smiled, reaching with a gloved hand to offer assistance if the man wanted it, "just remember, you don't have to fully adapt, just enough to use the suit when you really need to."
Jarzo lowered himself from the bed to the chair as he looked up at the Doctor. He offered a hand, "thank you, Doctor," he smiled, "best of luck with the dragon," he turned his chair around as he left the room. The checkup was nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that he hadn't heard at every posting. He wasn't going to tell the Doctor, but the man was right. He didn't need to fully adapt. But, that was a theory for another visit.
tag/ending thoughts?
Lt JG Jarzo Chtissi
Chief Diplomatifc Officer
Ensign Syvar
Medical Officer
pnpc Aidan
