JL | Lieutenant Ch'Valenvok & Lieutenant Shran | "Paperwork"

Posted on Sat Jul 15th, 2017 @ 12:45am by Lieutenant Anaxar Shran & Captain Kaleb Ch'Valenvok M.D.

1,461 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Ballynamony
Location: Sickbay | USS Vindiactor
Timeline: SD 241707.15

One thing that Kaleb always hated about long term docking was the constant influx of paperwork that came with crew transfers and onboarding. He had finished several exams thus far today and was about to return to his office when his PADD lit up, indicating another appointment. Picking the flat device up he quickly began thumbing through the chart of another Andorian. His antenna began to twitch as he read the list of injuries. Kaleb made a few mental notes on questions that needed asking during the coming physical and then pressed his commbadge, "Lieutenant Ch'Valenvok to Lieutenant Shran, Please report to Exam-2 in sickbay." With that Kaleb began gathering up his equipment and made his way back to his office where he would be alerted by the biosensors when his patient arrived.

As was usual of Starfleet Medical, the patient charts were incomplete at best with most newly reported personnel. Things were slightly better with Officers but only just slightly better. Kaleb began by using the last recorded bio-scan of Lieutenant Shran to fill in the blanks on his medical record. Once Shran arrived, Kaleb would complete the rest of the puzzle.

Oh yes. That. He knew he'd forgotten something. Anaxar groaned. But I just got discharged! a small voice wailed deep inside. And to add to his misery, the damned painkiller began to wear off, and he only had two more doses for the rest of the day. But still, there was no avoiding this, the CMO was the only one now who could still halt his application – or at least, severely hinder it.

He tapped his comm badge in reply. "Yes, sir. On my way." Hopefully this wouldn't be too bad. Get in, hand over padd, get out. Yes, that sounded like an excellent idea.

Still, he found himself slowing down when he neared Sickbay. Well, according to the computer, the CMO was in his office, so he wouldn't have to pass through the actual room itself. Small blessings, he supposed.

He stopped in front of the office door, stroked the two remaining doses longingly. Then he straightened, squared his shoulders, and touched the chime.

Kaleb looked over toward the door as the chime sounded. "Enter." As the doors hissed open he saw a tall thin Andorian standing in the doorway. "Lieutenant Shran?" Kaleb asked as he smiled at the younger officer. "If you could step over into Exam-2 across the hall, I will be right with you." Kaleb pressed a button on his PADD and then stood to leave his office.

"Really?" Anaxar's face fell. He held the padd in his hand out. "It's as up to date as you can get. Got it two… no, three hours ago."

Kaleb looked the other Andorian in the face where his eyes would have been if not for the implant covering the scarred sockets. "Starfleet Medical hits the key points but isn't very thorough when it comes to paperwork. I like to do a full rundown on all newly reported crew. I have noticed some things in your chart that we will need review. I would like to check your implant and maybe discuss some options for you to consider." Kaleb took the PADD from the Lieutenant and transferred the data to his own before handing the PADD back. "Now, shall we?"

"As you wish," Anaxar said bleakly. He waited for the CMO to leave his office and followed him. As he stepped into the examination room, he tensed, hands bunched into fists. Yet another examination room. I thought, I really thought I was done with these things. He stopped as soon as the door closed behind him. "What do you wish to know?" he asked, and once again he had to fight to keep his voice calm and even.

Kaleb could feel the tenseness in his patient from across the hall and watched as his fists balled and relaxed a few times. When the doors hissed closed and concealed the two Andorians in Exam-2, Kaleb said, "Relax, Lieutenant. My concern here is for your long term health. Starfleet has cleared you for duty and I don't think there is any reason to remand that decision as yet. There are some holes in your records that I would like to try and fill those in." Kaleb took out his Tricorder and detached the small cylindrical wand. "Please, have a seat on the biobed and lay back for me. This should only take a few moments and we'll have you on your way."

I can do this, I can do this… The biobed, as usual, was too short. He lay down carefully, still winced when his head touched the bed. The implant at the back was the last one to be grafted in, and even though it was a few months ago, it still felt tender. Or maybe- Ah, who was he kidding? It was just his old companion Pain, sneaking closer, waiting for the right moment to pounce.

Kaleb read the display of the biobed and glanced at the readings being transmitted to this Tricorder. "Let's talk about the implants. They all have varying degrees of inflammation where the biological meets the synthetic. Your chart has a big hole where the information on them should be. Where did you attain these... upgrades, Lieutenant?" Kaleb's antenna twitched as he watched the man's brow furrow with an unknown effort.

"Rehab facility 13, on one of the orbitals near the border… I've been told." Involuntarily, Anaxar's hand rose and rubbed the scars on his forehead. He heard again the voice in his mind, a voice coming out of the void before him, an echoing darkness filled with pain…

"Normally we would try to regrow eyes and reattach them to the optical nerves, or use optical implants if the first is not an option. However, because of the vast damage to your eyes…" a brief pause, a cough, "and to the surrounding area, we are unable to do either. It is feasible to use another type of visual implant, but it will not be anything like the type of vision you used to have. It's an old technique, one the Federation used in the past with children who were born with visual defects. For them this was easy, as they grew up with only the images generated by their implants. For you, it will be a lot more difficult. On the other hand…" he could almost hear the shrug, "as an Andorian, you have ways of compensating for the loss of your sight that other races lack. Your antennae will give you a distinct advantage, once they are regrown."
"Can I sit up now?" he asked plaintively.

"Yes. I have what I need from the biobed. So... there is a hefty amount of synth-fentanyl in your system. Tell me a bit about type of pain you are in. Where is it? Is it localized or generalized? Acute or mild?" Kaleb studied the Lieutenant as he waited for the man to answer. Kaleb knew that even though the Starfleet regulated synth-fentanyl was not chemically dependency forming there were some documented cases where the patient became mentally dependent on regular dosages when they had suffered long term pain.

"Localised. Well, y'know, all in the same general area." Anaxar hopped off the bed and leaned against a wall. "And it builds up. If I leave the implant on for too long, it can also induce a migraine-like headache. It's just..." he shrugged. "They told me it would improve with time. Does, too, somewhat." At least these days, he only started with five doses instead of the earlier seven or eight.

Kaleb made a few notes on his PADD and then looked back up at the Lieutenant. "I think there may be a few things we can do to assist with the pain. Do you have schematics on the implants? Starfleet failed to attach those to your file as well. In the mean time I am going to clear you for duty. Please schedule a follow-up appointment for next week with the duty nurse on your way out. Lieutenant, it is a pleasure to meet you. Welcome aboard the USS Vindicator. If you need anything let me know." Kaleb turned to leave the room, his PADD and Tricorder in hand.

"Everything there is should be on the padd. If it isn't there, they didn't include it in the file." Anaxar pushed away from the wall and followed the other Andorian out. "Thank you." For clearing me, for keeping this brief, for welcoming me… Hopefully that follow-up appointment would be even shorter.


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Lieutenant Kaleb Ch'Valenvok M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
USS Vindicator NX-78213-F

Lieutenant Anaxar Shran
CSciO, USS Vindicator

 

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