Science Exam

Posted on Thu Jun 18th, 2020 @ 6:25pm by Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason & Lieutenant Commander Jott Brott
Edited on on Thu Jun 18th, 2020 @ 6:26pm

1,294 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Equivalent Exchange
Location: Haumea Hospital

"I've already received all the standard inoculations and immunizations and prophylactics," Jott said, straining his neck to watch the lieutenant move around the room. "But with an unexplored environment like Xaeprea - such a new, foreign, uncharted planet - I thought it best to submit myself here. For a, uh, baseline examination, naturally. And to determine if I need anything else. Um, medically, that is. In addition to the standard inoculations, immunizations, and prophylactics, which I've already taken, as I mentioned previously."

Gunnar was too professional, and too experienced, to roll his eyes. Instead he smiled at the older man reassuringly. "No need to be concerned, sir. The medical exam is just routine to get a baseline for our records, as you've observed," he said calmly, running the standard medscan. "The only prophylactic is for a virus that ran through the colony last winter. It's proven resistant to our attempts at a vaccine, but we have a set of doses that should boost your resistance enough that if you get it, the symptoms should be no worse than a common cold."

"Isn't it odd that they call it the 'common cold'?" Jott asked, looking around to try to figure out exactly where the medical sensors were buried. On a starship, they were in a central control suite above Sickbay. But on this classification of colony, who knew? "How common is it? And why do they lump them all together? Never a differentiation. Just 'common cold.' Not 'Bolian common cold.' Not 'Andorian common cold.' Not 'Terran common cold.' Is there a common 'common cold,' do you think?"

"You know, that's an interesting observation," Gunnar replied, as he looked through the read outs. "Actually, 'common' refers to the fact that because it's a rapidly mutating rhinovirus, it spreads broadly and easily, and is therefore 'common'. There were actually varieties that began as specific to a given species, but few stayed that way since one of the other things that makes it 'common' is the ease of adaption and interspecies transfer."

Jott stared at him all agog the entire time he spoke. By the time Gunnar finished, he had a broad smile on his face. Before speaking, he slapped his own knee.

"Well you are really very, uh, knowledgeable, hm? That was fascinating. Where did you go to medical school? They did a fine job."

"Well, thank you," Gunnar said, smiling. "But I'm an NP, not a doctor. I got my nursing degree from University and Iceland and advanced degrees in patient care at the Academy."

Jott made appropriate but exaggerated faces as Gunnar spoke, nodding along like a toy with a spring for a neck. "Were you inspired, uh, galvanized, even, to become a nurse? What prompted you into nursing over, say, being a physician? Or a medical researcher?"

"I started in sociology, but I shadowed an NP for community health study and got interested in nursing. Doctors can do a bit more, but nurses do more hands of the hands on care, which appealed to me. I consider going back for an MD every now and then, but really I can diagnose and write prescriptions, and in Starfleet at least I have opportunity to work with researchers, so there hasn't been much impetus," he explained, and smiled, adding half-jokingly. "Besides, until we get a CMO who stays, I'm Acting head of medical, and getting an MD would risk making that permanent."

"Oh, you don't want," Jott said, leaning in slightly with both a serious look and tone. "Being a department head isn't any fun at all. There's a lot of paperwork, and you find yourself doing menial things like equipment requisitions. Don't I have more important things to be doing than signing off on Ensign Smith's quantum phase inverter request? Or, worse, personnel transfers. Did you know you have to oversee that? And perform exit interviews?"

"Believe me, I know," Gunnar laughed, rolling his eyes a little. "I'm fortunate in that Commander Nikedoros has taken on a good portion of the administrative work so I could focus on the medical side of things, but I still need to handle interviews and training. Mostly that's fine, but I'll be just as happy to go back to being support personnel."

"It's too late for me now," Jott said as he looked off into the distance. He sounded remorseful and resigned. Doomed, even. "Well, that's what I get for chasing pips." With a mind that could turn on a dime, he suddenly asked, "Hey, do you know anything about Shepherd's pie? Do you have a recipe for one? Is there a substitution for Shepherd? If there's not a Shepherd in it, can you still call it Shepherd's pie?"

The NP blinked, feeling something like mental whiplash at the sudden and unexpected change of topic. "It's a pie traditionally associated with farmers and shepherds, but as something they eat, not something they are baked into," he explained, hardly believing he had to make that distinction. Then it occurred to him that Jott might not know what a shepherd actually was. "You see, shepherds are people who tend sheep, so mutton is a common ingredient in the meat versions of the pie." He smiled thinking of the last time he'd had it - Renee's excellent reproduction of his grandmother's recipe. "I do have a good recipe if you want to try it."

"I would love that, thank you. I'll come over tomorrow evening at 1900 hours," Jott said, inviting himself. "I'm very much looking forward to trying this pie. It's kind of you to offer." The Bolian looked around the med bay, totally oblivious to any social taboo involving inviting one's self to another's home. "I'm new here. I haven't met many people, yet. Except Captain Mahone. He seems... Jittery. Like me."

"I suppose I could find ingredients by tomorrow night..." Gunnar stammered, caught flatfooted by that. And by the description of the Captain. Jittery... he'd never thought of Mahone as jittery, but it did seem an apt description of the scientist. He ran an extra scan to double check metabolic markers and seeing no reason beyond simple personality, made a mental note to comm LT Abrams in Bio and warn her that her life was about to get 'interesting'. "So, your medscans look fine. Other than being 'jittery', is there anything else I should be aware of? Any health or medical concerns?"

"What?" Jott asked, looking up suddenly. "About me, or the captain? I don't know much about his health."

Gunnar laughed. "About you, sir."

"Well..." He inhaled deeply, building suspense. Then let it all out at once. "Nope. I'm healthy as can be. What about you?" He leaned in a little, indicating he was earnestly listening. "Do you have any chronic illnesses or ailments?"

Just the beginnings of a headache... the medic thought, but didn't voice it. "None to speak of. If you have no concerns, then all we have left is that prophylactic against the local virus," Gunnar said lifting the hypo and applying it to Jott's neck. "And with that you are medically cleared."

"Was I under medical suspicion before?" Jott asked as he slid off the biobed. Per usual, it wasn't immediately clear if he was joking or not.

"No." Gunnar forced a laugh, deciding it would be easier to take it as a joke. "But now we've removed all doubt."

"As a scientist," Jott said, extending his hand, "I appreciate that very much. Thank you, lieutenant."

"You're welcome, sir," Gunnar replied, accepting the hand with a friendly shake before logging and signing off on the exam. "And welcome to the colony."

Lieutenant Commander Jott Brott
Chief Science Officer
Haumea Colony

Lieutenant Gunnar Arnason
Acting CMO
Haumea Colony

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