The doctor and the Major

Posted on Fri Sep 6th, 2019 @ 11:45pm by Lieutenant Commander John Pearce & Major Charlena Dilucca

1,832 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: [JM New Haven] S1 E2 A New Haven
Location: USS Shanghai Sickbay
Timeline: MD 002 - 0900

ON:

It was only his second day aboard and it had already been an interesting morning for lack of a better term. He had finally been able to meet his head nurse Karen Walker. How could he describe her? Loud, brassy, and bold were a few words that came to mind. Well-developed - or maybe he should say overly-developed - were others. She was good looking and she knew it and something told him that she wasn't above using those looks to get what she wanted. He didn't know this to be fact but it wouldn't surprise him if it were. Irregardless of her looks, their discussion had proven to him that she was definitely a smart cookie and he had no doubt that she would prove to be a definite asset to the medical department.

'What else can happen to make my morning interesting?' he thought to himself. Then just as quickly he tried to push the thought away as an old adage came to mind. 'Be careful what you wish for, Johnny boy. After all, you just might get it.' And with that, he turned his attention back to his computer terminal.ping in to sickbay. Her least favorite place, but to be on the safe side she was getting in anyways. She might have sprained her ankle on the Crescent ship. But knowing what the Crescent might be capable off she wanted to make sure she was all right.

She walked on to the bridge and looked around taking a deep breath. The bridge felt different without T'San and T'Para. She wasn't sure what it was. Maybe she gotten used to either of the Vulcans on board. But with T'San on the base now and T'Para in that weird transformation, it was different.

"Hello?" She called out, hoping there was someone to help her.

John looked up from his computer when he heard someone call. He looked through the window of his office that overlooked the main portion of sickbay and saw a dark-haired woman. Getting up from his desk he quickly walked out to meet her.

"I'm Doctor Pearce," he said by way of introduction. "May I help you?" He took a quick moment to look her over. She was slender with what appeared to be a fairly athletic build, about 5' 6" or so and quite attractive.

Charlie looked to him with a raised eyebrow and then said in a slightly monotone voice, "Nice to meet you, doctor, I am Major Charlen Dilucca, Chief security officer." She held out her hand for the doctor to shake it. She continued saying, "I would like..." Held up her hand sighed as she said, "I can't believe I am saying this," Which proved she wasn't actually a Vulcan. "I would like a physical check up. I was recently on a Crescent ship. And also given the recent events on that colony. My foot hurts, but that could be a sprain."

John grinned at her statement, saying "It's not often I have someone come to sickbay and ask for a physical. Usually they have to almost be dragged in, some practically kicking and screaming." He chuckled lightly, assuring her that he wasn't serious. "Why don't you have a seat on one of the biobeds over there and we'll find out what's going on."

Charlie sat down on the biobed. "Oh trust me, I am one of those people. But after what I saw happened to Doctor T'Para on the colony, I am better safe than sorry."

Pearce walked over to a cabinet and withdrew a scanner. Then, once she was settled, he walked back to where she sat. "Now, let's see if we can find out what's going on here." He began to slowly scan her foot and ankle, going back over one particular area three times. Frowning a bit, he shut off the scanner and looked at her. "It's not a sprain..." he said slowly.

She looked a bit shocked. "Then what is it?"

"You have a mild fracture of the talus bone in your ankle," he said. "That's the bone that joins your tibia and fibula to your heel and the rest of your foot. I can fuse the fracture and you won't have to stay in sickbay but it will require a few days of light duty."

"I am the security chief now," She said with a sigh. "So that wouldn't be a problem." She gave a bit of a half smile. "Could you also do an overall physical? I don't want to find I wake up with wings or antlers or something coming out of my body."

"Sure, a full physical is no problem," he said. "But first we need to take care of your ankle." And with that he opened one of the drawers in the biobed and withdrew an osteoregenerator. "I promise this won't hurt but it might tickle a bit so try to keep your foot still," he said as he began to slowly began to move the instrument over her ankle.

Charlena nodded. "I will do my best," She said.

"I haven't read the reports from the colony yet." Pearce said as he continued to work. "What happened to Doctor T'Para?"

Charlie sighed trying put her thoughts to something else than what was happening to her foot. "We came on the planet, it looked abandoned and attacked. Of course the colonists were still there, but they had changed and they were coming for us. When we finally managed to get back to the shuttle, there was someone there. We couldn't tell if it was a colonist or a Crescent or something entirely different. It was holding an item and it started to light up, the doctor was hit by it. and she started to change on board. Wings came out of her back and horns out of her head."

"Well that certainly explains why you said you didn't want to find other appendages growing out of your body," John said as he finished fusing the bone in her ankle. "You may experience some residual pain and soreness and if you do I can prescribe some relief for you. And as I said, you will need to take it easy for the next day or two. Now, if you will just lie back and relax I will get started on your physical."

Charlie remained in her position as she followed the doctor's every move.

John positioned the full body scanner for her physical, then just before beginning he asked her "Is there anything in your medical history that I need to be aware of?" He knew he could access her medical file and get the information but he felt that asking lent more of a personal touch to an otherwise impersonal procedure.

Charlie thought about that question and then shook her head as she said, "No, everything is fine." She took a deep breath. She didn't know what to expect.

John watched the readouts on the biobed - and watched her as well. She was definitely a good looking woman, there was no doubt about that. Without checking her file he had no way of knowing her exact age but if he were to hazard a guess he would say that she was probably in her early 30's - no more than 35 at the most. A pretty face, dark hair, and what appeared to be a very nice figure. All in all, very easy on the eyes indeed.

Just then the biobed scanner alerted him that it had finished the scan, so he quickly turned his attention from her figure to figures of a different sort. "Blood pressure 135 over 86, heart rate 97, O2 level 99, and your respiration is 18 per minute. All in all I'd say that means you're pretty healthy," he said with a grin.

She sighed in relief. "Thank you, doctor." She sat up. "It's good to know, I am myself." She smiled and shrugged. "So you would say I can go back to work, aside from my ankle?"

"You may," John said with a slight nod. "Just take it easy for the next couple of days. And yes, you do appear to be yourself," he added with a smile. "No wings, horns, or any other unwanted appendages present. Do you have any other questions?"

Charlie sighed in relieve. "I think I can do the take it easy part. With my new role on this ship, I am pretty sure that won't be a problem. I am just happy I am just myself. Sorry for T'Para, but I am happy I am myself. I don't know how I would have taken it if that happened to me."

"I'd like you to come back in a couple of days so I can do a follow-up on your ankle," he said after a moment as he busied himself putting away the medical equipment. "I don't expect any problems but better to be safe..." He was stalling for time, trying to formulate the question he wanted to ask her.

"Of course, doctor," Charlie said, "I will be here." She slipped off the biobed, trying not to put pressure on her ankle. "See you in three days then, right?" She moved in the direction of the entrance to sickbay.

He could see that she was getting ready to leave and knew that it was now or never. "Uh, Major...he began. "I do have one question. Would you...ah, that is...er..." 'Damn it Pearce,' he thought to himself, 'you're acting as nervous as a cadet at an Admiral's review. Just spit it out - what's the worst that can happen?' "What I mean is, after shift would you join me for a drink or maybe for dinner tonight?" There, he'd said it. Now he waited for her answer.

She turned to the doctor. "How about dinner? 1900 hours, on the starbase. Chef Dan's place?" She asked, she knew he was asking her for a date, but she didn't see any harm in going out for dinner. Going to Dan's lounge would put them in a place where they weren't alone and she trusted Dan.

He started to ask if he should pick her up at her quarters before realizing that she had already set the place and time for them to meet. "1900 at Chef Dan's it is," he agreed. "I'll be looking forward to it."

Charlie smiled to him. "I will be seeing you there. Thank you, doctor." She then walked out of the room, putting as way of greeting. She turned around a second looking at him winking before turning around in to the corridor.

As she walked out of sickbay he continued to watch her. He had no way of knowing what might come of their date tonight but he DID know one thing - she definitely had caught his eye, AND his interest.

---

Major Charlena Dilucca
Chief Security/Second Officer
USS Shanghai

&

LtCommander John Pearce, MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Shanghai

 

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