"Let me get your coat"

Posted on Sat Apr 3rd, 2010 @ 1:43am by Commander Basil Hart & Commander Dhindara Vrel

925 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Preparing The Fleet
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Present

ON

Basil saw the report come through his office. New Marine XO. Caitian. A Lieutenant Colonel Purr had reported for duty. Well, felines needed an initial physical just like primates and others. He tapped his comm badge. Sickbay to Lieutenant Colonel Purr, please respond."

"This is Purr", came the reply, followed by a sharp snap in the comm channel, then a deep breath from the Caitian, then more noise that could only be explained as her taking something apart, and not too gently.

"I'd like to see you in sickbay, if you would, please... There's the small matter of your physical." Basil replied. He set up the bio bed for Caitian anatomy and healthy norms, and waited for his patient to arrive.

"I'll be there in a few minutes", M'Eow replied. She kept working on her furniture. She had to reduce part of it to fit her tail, so she had cut it off with a laser. Then she had smashed the pieces cut off into smaller bits to recycle them in the replicator, rather than having to carry them out of her office and over to the industrial replicators several decks off. With a few minutes delay she entered sickbay. Looking at the receptionist she said, "I'm here because the doctor wanted to see me. Where is he?"

Nurse Helen Waite looked up at the feline Marine. "Ah, Lieutenant Colonel Purr. Doctor Hart is expecting you. Please have a seat in exam room three, and he'll be right there."

M'Eow entered the exam room. She didn't sit down, instead she stood near the biobed and waited.

A moment later, Basil popped in. "Greetings, Colonel Purr! Welcome to my humble establishment. Please recline on the bio-bed. I won't ask you to sit, as that would cause some discomfort, but if you would be so kind as to lie down, we can get started." He took an honest to goodness stethoscope from an old leather bag, and placed it on her anterior chest wall, above the primary lateral mammary. "Breathe normally, please."

Lying on her side, stretching out, M'Eow asked. "Do you take stool samples?"

Basil chuckled. "Not usually. I do, however, think that some of the old-fashioned health care practices do make the doctor/patient rapport more personal. Sometimes it's easier for a patient to tell her doctor something when she doesn't feel like he's being distant or impersonal. Also, I can tell a lot about someone's health just by listening to them. I like to make sure those skills don't get rusty. And I always double-check my findings by using the bio-bed." He finished with the stethoscope.

"Your lungs and heart are hale, healthy, and completely within the normal parameters of a feline your age and fitness level." he checked the bio-bed. "Your sodium chloride levels are a bit low, though. You might want to consider adding just a little salt to your diet to avoid a deficiency. Did you have any questions or concerns for me today, colonel?"

"I haven't gotten around to hunt for ocean fish in a while", M'Eow replied. "And I really want you to take that stool sample." She pointed at a splinter of wood that was lodged in her skin just above her left front paw. "I was taking apart some furniture to be recycled, to make a stool. A splinter, or sample since we're here in medical, didn't like me."

Basil rolled his eyes, groaned, and chuckled all at once. "Lovely... Another hopeless paronomasiac! Well, as they say, the true beauty of a pun is in the 'OY!' of the beholder..." He grabbed some topical anesthetic and treated the site of the splinter wound, then grabbed a pair of tweezers. Holding her paw gently, he slowly extracted the 1/4 inch splinter from M'Eow's paw. Swabbing the area with an antiseptic and applying a light coat of pseudo-skin, he smiled at her. "That should do the trick. The psuedo-skin may itch a little until the puncture heals, but resist the urge to scratch. It'll help you avoid secondary infection. If you see redness or swelling around the area, let me know ASAP." He put the tweezers away, and placed his stethoscope back in the bag. "I hereby pronounce you fit for duty, Colonel. Was there anything else you needed?"

M'Eow nodded. "Yes. It's coming on mating season for my species. I need a suppressant."

Basil raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Taking a hypospray out and attaching a yellow liquid filled vial to it, he touched the device to M'Eow's flank. "Intramuscular timed release hormone compensator. Since the mating instinct is brought on by hormones, this should balance things out and suppress the urge. If you find this to be ineffectual, you need to see me as soon as you notice so I can try more radical treatments. Honestly, though, I don't foresee a problem." He stood back from the bio bed. "If there's nothing else, colonel, you're free to go." He smiled at her. "Since handshakes are a little dicey, how would you prefer to be greeted and parted with?"

"A simple 'hello' will do", M'Eow replied, getting up off the bed. "I'm not a very social person so it is likely that not much else will be required."

"Very well, then. I bid you good day, and have a pleasant one." He smiled at her again, and watched as she left sick bay.

OFF

Lieutenant Commander Basil Hart
Chief medical Officer,
Starbase Typhon

Lieutenant Colonel M'Eow Purr (NPC)
Marine Executive Officer,
21st Marine Regiment,
Starbase Typhon

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