A Number of Firsts

Posted on Wed May 25th, 2022 @ 11:27pm by Ensign Raven Windancer & Lieutenant F'Arra MD

Mission: Lower Decks
Location: Sickbay

With a number of transfers on and off the Chimera while she had been docked at Starbase 614, F'Arra had been busy with the updating of medical records. Both for those coming aboard, for their initial physical, and so that any crew leaving would have an up-to-date record for the new posting. It had been a trying time. A Starbase could be worse, though, she had to remind herself. You never knew what might walk, crawl, slither, or otherwise cross the threshold of the infirmary on any given day. Unless they were Starfleet, or employed by the Federation, the odds of having any sort of current medical file was laughable.

Still, it had posed a challange, which was what she liked. The Chimera was proving to be it's own challenge. She heard the doors to Sickbay open, and saw someone who was not one of her staff enter.

With a smooth motion, the Catian rose from her chair, throwing the blue labcoat over her shoulders, and stepping out into the main floor. "Hi, how can I help?" The seemingly too-deep rasp was off-set by a friendly smile. Her white, chestnut, and black fur a stark contrast to the yellow, orange, and gold of most Caitians.

"Yes. My Name's Ensign Raven Windancer, and I'm here for a...YIPES!" Raven hadn't been looking at the Doctor when they had spoken, and was VERY shocked at the furry being standing before her. Even though she had seen all sorts of different species in her years in foster care and at the tracks...this one was WAY different...but also WAY COOL! "Ahem...I'm sorry about that, Doc. I'm just shocked to see someone like you...what are you anyway, I've never seen a being like you," Raven had been walking around the Doctor, not touching the incredibly silky-looking fur...although it was VERY hard to resist the urge...and trying to ascertain if the voice was a female or a male. The smooth motion with which the Doctor moved, it could be female, but the voice was more on the male side of the spectrum.

F'Arra let out a small noise as the Ensign began to walk around her. "Please don't." She said finally. "I'm a Caitian. Felinoid species, from the planet Cait. No, I do not look like a cat. They look like us." She gestured to the nearest biobed, pulling a tricorder out of the pocket of her labcoat. "I assume you're here for a physical?"

"Gulp...sorry, Doctor. Wow, guess I've still got a lot to learn. Yes, Ma'am. It's my 'make sure the mangy mutt doesn't have any'...I'm just going to be quiet now," Raven mentally smacked herself for being such a duffus to the the second most powerful person on the ship. Captain's could transfer you, but Doctor's could make your life REALLY uncomfortable without leaving a trace.

F'Arra gave the young woman an impassive look. "Just... relax, and lay down. You're not the first Ensign to ever put a foot wrong, you won't be the last. Relax, take a breath. No one expects you to know everything."

"I...that is...Sigh. I WANT to make friends, Doc...I just haven't learned HOW to. I mean, I've had friends, but never anyone really CLOSE...someone I could...sigh, never mind. I'm sorry, Doc, you don't need to hear my sob stories," Raven lay down on the biobed, mentally kicking herself for running off at the mouth like that again. "Um...Doc? I have a confession to make...I'm kinda scared of doctors," Raven gulped, squirming a little as she tried to make herself smaller.

F'Arra looked at the young officer, and smiled. "You're not alone. Quite a number of people don't like doctors." She pulled a stool close, and perched on it, to not be standing over the Ensign. "Tell you what." The Caitian took her Tricorder, pulled the scanner from the back, and offered both to Raven. "Scan me."

"Huh? I'm allowed to do that? Um...ok. Wow! You're even COOLER now! Oh, nuts...sorry, Doc. Sigh, I recon I'll keep doing that for awhile yet. Thank you for that...I wish all doctors were as considerate as you've been to a jughead like me," Raven smiled as she lay back down and relaxed.

Taking the tricorder in hand, F'Arra conducted the scan on the Ensign, as the readings were coming up on the display. "We try not to scare our patients of we can avoid it."

"You'd be surprised how many Doctors I've come across that are more about quotas and money than actually paying attention to their patient's comfort level," Raven briefly closed her eyes and shuddered at the memories of past doctor visits. "Come on, Raven, this is Starfleet! They're not gonna be like that. I'm NOT in that life anymore," Raven thought, clenching her fist briefly.

"I am happy to inform you, that you are physically healthy, and officially added to the medical database." F'Arra said with a warm smile. "I may not always be the doctor on duty when you come in, but rest assured, the staff here on the Chimera are very well trained, and I have not witnessed, or heard of any issues. If you do have them, drop me a message. Hell, we can meet in the Lounge to discuss it, if you don't wanna come here."

"Thanks Doc, you don't know how much that means to me," Raven smiled, grateful that Doctor F'Arra had acknowledged her fear and given her assurance of protection instead of blowing her off as others had done. "By the by, what's your favorite food? I'm not Chef Gordon Ramsay or anything, but I can whip up pretty much anything if I put my mind to it!" Raven laughed, swinging her legs off the bed and facing the Doctor square on, wanting to emphasize to F'Arra how much this meant to her.

F'Arra had to laugh at that. "I've developed a fondness for butterscotch biscuits - I prefer them crunchy... it helps with the teeth, you see." She offered a broad, toothy grin. "But honestly, you don't have to go any trouble, just knowing my patients are healthy is the main thing."

Raven giggled. "Looks like you and I have sweet tooths in common too. I want to at least do it once, both to make sure I still can, and like I said, I want to thank you for your kindness," Raven said, jumping off the biobed, almost losing her balance in the process in her excitement at the new friend she'd made. "This is going to be a GREAT adventure!" Raven thought, just barely restraining herself from dancing around the Sickbay.

F'Arra had to laugh, and nodded to the doors to sickbay. "Go on, we both have things to be getting on with." It wasn't said harshly.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Raven saluted and, unable to resist anymore, skipped out of Sickbay.