First Impressions?
Posted on 24 Nov 2017 @ 5:58pm by Lieutenant Nimh Ahressa (Dec-Jan 2389 - TRNSFR, Bre'el Dip. Msn.) & Lieutenant Junior Grade Sthilg, M.D. (Dec-Jan 2389 - MIA after Battle of Canterra)
Mission:
He ho'omaka hou 'ana - A New Beginning
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Before 'Meeting Tachibana'
Arrivals anywhere were always uneventful. Except when on a deep cover assignment where you had to watch your every step, every word, every move, every twitch of an eye lest you break character and get busted. Or dead.
In any case, she got in touch with the Quartermaster, she got a room assignment and deposited her belongings. She decided to drop in on the 'good' Doctor first before going up to report to the Commander.
So, the bajoran stepped through Sickbay doors and looked around.
"One, two, three." Came the voice of the gorn as he and a few medical and engineering staff moved a large medical replicator into place next to a bank of storage bays.
His eyes caught sight of the bajoran who had stepped into the sickaby. After making sure everyone was okay he walked over to her his artifical foot making a distinctive noise on the floor.
"Hello, there can I help you?" He asked as politely and unthreateningly as possible.
Ahressa took the scaly man in as he approached her. The experience, the poise and most of all the calm he radiated in his lumbering approach had surprised her. Not that the bajoran showed it. She had long perfected the so called 'poker face'.
"Lieutenant Nimh, reporting for a physical, Doctor. If you have a few moments that is? I'm trying to get everything done beforehand so I can get to work ASAP." She said, her voice echoing a distinct accent known on Earth as british.
"Of course, let'sss just move out the way a few thingsss ssstill need to be inssstalled." The gorn replied as he headed to one of the private rooms of to the side of the main room. " Any information I ssshould know that happened after your last checkup?" The gorn stated as he pulled up her information on his wrist-mounted computer.
"No, Doctor." Ahressa shook her head. "I've still got PTSD," she shrugged as she followed the scaly man. Still claustrophobic.... she thought to herself though that particular ailment she couldn't treat openly. "But physically I've not been ill or injured since my last checkup."
"Very well. Please sssit on the biobed and we'll get this done." The gorn replied as he prepared the computer. " Just to let you know if you ever want to talk to sssomeone I'll be here." He said calmly as he looked up from the computer.
Ahressa climbed onto the bed easily, observing the scaly creature with interest as he was looking away, then as he looked up she quickly diverted her eyes. "Thanks for the offer, Doc. Are you trained in Counselling aswell?"
She knew the answer, of course, but for the sake of keeping up the pretense, she had to pretend not to know.
"A little. All medical ssstaff have to take the emergency course and I needed to know a little for one of my doctrinesss." The gorn politely replied.
Nimh nodded, "ah, I understand. Have you been in the Fleet long?"
"Most of my life sssince the Academy. How about you? " The doctor inquired.
Her feet dangled in the air a little, "oh since '82, when Bajor joined the Federation, I transferred my rank from the Militia to Starfleet and took courses to get in line with Fleet requirements."
" Haven't been to bajor sssince the domnion war. Isss it doing okay it'sss a beautiful planet?" Inqured the gorn Doctor.
It felt so much as if she was talking to the every day Federation citizen not a member of an enemy species. Were the Gorn inhabitatnts of Cestus III like this too? The ones who have lived in peace on the shared world with the humans?
Ahressa nodded, "it's getting there. Becoming part of the Federation finally has been very beneficial, they have finally decided squabbling amongst themselves was not something we wanted to present to the intergalactic arena and that there were bigger things than our grudge against the Cardassians out there."
"Only been once and that was part of the Starfleet medical team. I'm glad it doing well. Had a nasssty argument with a cleric over some artificial blood plasma. " Replied the gorn as the familiar hum from the computer started.
"Our clerics are usually pretty lenient of outsiders and outside views, you must have had a stroke of bad luck." Ahressa chuckled as she watched the gorn, taking in his micro-expressions and nuances. "So...how am I doing, Doc?"
"Everything appearsss to be fine. If only engineering could get the new sssoftware inssstalled the defualt program is ssso ssslow." The gorn stated tapping the top of the console with his artificial arm.
Ahressa frowned slightly, her ridges more pronounced, "mind if I take a look? Programs are more an Operations thing anyway."
"Sssure the tech was never my ssstrong point." The gorn replied.
Ahressa nodded, hopping off the bio bed and stepping over to the Gorn. Part of her felt uneasy, as it was the first time she was this close to a member of a de facto enemy species, even if that particular one was an ally.
"Alright, let's see what she's struggling with." Nimh switched to a new tab easily and tapped at the controls. Readouts appeared on the screen, strings of code and numbers then several graphs and layouts aswell.
"Ah, it looks like she's still running an older version of the program. This one seems to have been designed for a Galaxy class. Whilst a good program, a base version for the new range of ships, there are versions that are designed to suit each class of ship specifically. Looks like Engineering hasn't released the new update yet for the Sovereign. I'll have a talk with Engineering and have the packet installed asap." Ahressa looked over at the scaly man.
"Thank you it'sss been moving ssslow all day." The doctor responded.
Ahressa nodded, "not sure if I'll be able to get you an update today, but within the next few days, surely."
"Well, we don't exactly need the new version immediately. Thanks for the offer of help though." The doctor stated as the scanner started moving again as it finished the lieutenants scan.
Ahressa nodded, discretely observing the gorn as he finished her scans. He acted more like a human than what she knew of his species. Then again, by now she probably acted more human than bajoran too.
"Not a problem, Doctor. It is my job after all." She nodded at him.
The gorn grinned as with a familiar beep the computer announced the scan had been completed. " Well looksss like everythingsss well with acceptable levelsss. You are cleared for duty."
Ahressa felt more creeped out by the grin than anything, but she kept her facade and grinned in return, nodding to the Doctor. "Thank you, Doctor. I'll talk to Engineering in the next few hours and let you know when you can expect an update."
With that said, she nodded to the man again and left Sickbay, feeling more curious and confused than anything else. Was this what the gorn that lived on Cestus III with humans were like?
