[BACK POST]Medical Checkup

Posted on Wednesday April 21st, 2021 @ 12:22pm by Lieutenant Commander Paul Sharpe & Lieutenant Commander Nivora T'vek

2,220 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: S1-A1-Ep. 1: Spectrophobia
Location: Various
Timeline: Current

[ON]

After his tour of engineering Sharpe left his ACEO to oversee repairs and decided to get his medical check-up out of the way, he had experience on how insistent a CMO could be when a check-up was needed as he was new aboard the ship, he was duty-bound to report for a check-up so the CMO had the latest information on his well being. So now here he was stepping out of the turbo lift onto Medical which was relativity quiet, not surprising as the ship was docked at the Starbase still, he entered Main Medical and could tell where the Miranda hull and modern medical equipment met, still the place was modestly bright. He looked around and saw the CMO in his office going through some files, he tapped on the door. "Doctor T'vek I presume" he stated.

T'vek peered imperiously over the rim of his clay-fired mug, apprising the new visitor to sickbay, holding for a moment before setting the drink with an almost casual precision onto his desk, "Indeed I am, and I presume you would be our new Chief Engineer, do come in and be seated," he invited in a superior yet vaguely uninterested drawl, setting down the PADD face down amid a well-organised stack of identical PADD's. He made no other move apart from this, his office was akin to an art museum with its various sculptures chief amongst which was a large looming raptor set behind his chair with its wings spreading out behind his shoulders and a small relief next to a Romulan tea set. "Tea?"

Sharpe enters the Doctors Office and takes the offered seat! yes, I am the new Chief Engineer" Sharpe responded as he studies room 2and a tea would be appreciated, thank you Doctor T'vek. I have a question considering your species and such, does Starfleet Security or intelligence keep tabs on you?" he asked then clarified "I only ask as you are the first full Romulan I have seen in a Starfleet uniform" he added as he got comfy and the doctor got the tea, Paul decided to ignore the hint of superiority from the Romulan, as a rule, Romulan's were Paranoid and suspicious and a somewhat xenophobic group of folks, he surmised that the Doctor could not have found it easy in Starfleet as it was more trusting of its officers.

"Charmed I'm sure," was his only response to the affirmation before he languidly stretched out and began to pour the tea into a mug when the question came, he ignored the question for a moment smirking internally, this man had asked what had clearly been a burning question in the minds of most but none had had the courage or perhaps the temerity to ask, instead of upon setting down the intricately detailed mug and saucer in front of the chief, he merely arched a high eyebrow receding into his angled black fringe. "You are the first that has asked, and I can't say I know or would even be aware of such things, I am after all a simple Romulan Doctor, tell me do they keep an eye on you, after all, I'm sure you likewise are a simple Chief Engineer."

"They keep an eye on everyone, I should know I used to be a Security Chief so I picked up some contacts and information which I still hold on to this day, you will be surprised at what I can get. Tell me doctor if I could get some, would you like a bottle of Romulan Ale?" He asked "This is not a trick question and there is nothing sinister behind it, as I said I have contacted both informants and other, how do you think I can get my hands on Bloodwine and such, but the hardest drink to get hold of is Romulan Ale, illegal in the Federation, do not know why I like it when I had some. As for my asking the question being former Security, I know that forewarned is forearmed" he paused "but just out of curiosity did you face any challenges when you joined Starfleet or a Starfleet ship?" asked as he wondered what the doctor would make of his offer.

"Unsurprising," he drawled with a slight smile playing about his lips, he had not forgotten his encounter with T'pri and his work since with the intelligence officer, however, the next statement floored him for a moment, "You are aware that the embargo ended during the war with the Dominion, I had no issues bringing my own stock of Romulan Ales onboard, I even mentioned it to the Captain." returning distantly and guardedly, it was after all entirely possible the new Chief Engineer had been on long term deep space assignment and was unaware, he was however entirely unwilling to walk into a trap, he, after all, had his own suppliers, "Challenges? hardly, but I should be fair, I have not, in fact, joined Starfleet, I am here under the auspices of a continuation of the Interspecies Medical Exchange, I've been granted rank and uniform simply under allowing an efficient integration, I have however faced some, unsurprising hostility, I trust I won't encounter any from you unless you have a problem with Romulans?" he enquired languidly as he took a sip from his tea pausing to gaze over the rim.

"I have no issue with the Romulan's and as for the embargo, I was not aware the ban had been lifted, if I am asking some impertinent questions doctor it is because you are the first Romulan doctor I have seen on a Starfleet ship, even via the IME. Still, I hope the crew has been treating you well Doctor?" Sharpe asked taking a sip of his cup, by the doctor's response to the offer of Romulan Ale Sharpe guessed that the doctor had suppliers himself it would seem that both men thought in similar ways where suppliers were concerned, this was good to know. As he took another sip of his tea "what blend of tea is this Doctor?" He asked then with an arch of his left eyebrow "I think I like you, Doctor, you have a similar outlook and such as I do and I think that with time permitting we might get on well" Sharpe added with a small smile.

"I thought it best to check after all our two peoples have a somewhat storied mutual history," he replied with a slight smile before taking another sip from his cup, "There is some measure of suspicion, most seem to associate the phrase Romulan Doctor, with Insidious Agent, quite why I'm not sure, as for not knowing, I presume that would be your supplier wishing to command a higher price given the previous illegality."

T'vek paused for a moment looking over the rim of the mug before setting it down upon its carved coaster, "It's brewed from a variety of crushed nuts from the agri-world of Virinat, They have their medicinal uses as well as being something of a delicacy, I brought a healthy supply of home comforts with me, as well as their replication patterns, as I had something of suspicion that Federation replicators would be lacking in Romulan cuisine and I didn't care all too much for the idea of requiring supplements while onboard." He replied mildly, it had been very curious how much Starfleet personnel had taken a liking to Romulan Cuisine and beverages, internally smiling at the idea that perhaps they should have sent culinary students as ambassadors in the past.

"Yes, suppliers can be mercurial beings, as for the suspicion it is not that you are a Doctor, doctor it is because when someone sees a Romulan on a Starfleet ship with as you said our storied histories might make them suspicious, but I said something you said you were not and I will take you at your word" he shrugs "and the fact that Starfleet has cleared you to work on a Starfleet ship backs it up," he said and took another sip of the delicious tea "there is still so much we do not know about each other's cultures doctor, but it seems we may have more in common than we first thought," he said after sipping his tea as he looked up. "Tell me doctor does Medical have any holo-emitters installed here?" he asked.

"Quite," he replied setting down his mug and threading his fingers underneath his chin, "but not all of the crew are quite so sanguine in regards to that situation, however, my concern is more the health of the crew than their delusions, as for our similarities, It is indeed something curious, of course, the concerns of politics are beyond either of us, I much prefer practicalities." He paused for a moment considering the question, immediately realising what was being referenced, "I believe they were burned out during the earlier battle during an EPS rupture, though I have heard of the bedside manner of Starfleet Emergency Medical Holograms are rivalled only by that of a Vulcan," he drawled placidly at the thought of the thing, he struggled to recall much in the way of any virtues of an EMH.

"The EMH MK 1 was originally modelled off a Doctor Lewis Zimmerman and ironically had some of his brash attitudes, that makes a Vulcan doctor seem... Cordial in comparison, the EMH MK2, however, was supposed to be an improvement, they are still working on refining the Mark two, so most of the ships still have the Mark one. "So no EMH, okay that is something else for me to look into as I do not like it if key areas do not have back up EMH for an emergency," he said and pulled a Padd out and made notes, eventually finishing he looked up. Well I came here for a medical check-up and I get sidetracked with a most interesting conversation, you are the first Romulan I have met that was willing to chat, I see even Romulan Doctors have to learn to make polite chat when dealing with other species" he said and curiosity piqued "I have always wondered Doctor, does the Romulan Medical training tech its doctors to make polite conversation? I am asking if I have no idea and misunderstandings have always been the cause of friction" he added.

"Indeed, I believe I've heard them referred to as Emergency Medical Hotheads," T'vek smirked wryly before sipping again on some tea, "It was inconvenient, admittedly, at the time we could have used the help in triage, we did however manage, and it has been a pleasure thus far, and I'm amenable to continuing, as is, I can multi-task after all and give you a basic diagnosis from what I've simply observed and my people are certainly noted to be, observant," this last with a slight chuckle as he set down the cup again.

"As for my training, the Imperial Academy insists on only the best in all things, a patient at ease is a well-managed patient, and you needn't worry too much about my being displeased with the continued questioning, I have no doubt I'll be returning the favour after all Starfleet Engineers are supposedly famed for being able to turn Rocks into Replicators in only an hour." T'vek smiled, if only slightly and warmly as he steepled his fingers together as he mentally composed a list of work needing doing to sickbay, his opinion of Starfleet's technical competence rising somewhat, the necessity, of course, was another factor.

"I see, Sharpe simply said I think we better do my annual checkup now doctor, I have things that need doing, I plan on fixing the EMH Mk 1 on this ship and working it so it can appear in key areas like the bridge, Engineering or the Science labs, I am told it took some damage in the battle," Sharpe said...

Very well," T'vek returned sleekly, rising imperiously from his chair and lifting his tricorder from his belt, and made his way around from behind his desk, passing by one of the shelves storage racks, of which one, in particular, had several Romulan Warning labels and a security field around them, "I can provide you with some medical updates for such a project, as for your checkup, has anything been bothering you as of late?"

Looking at the scanner "not really, well nothing I cannot handle, but I do seem to have a tightness in one of my shoulder blade muscles" he said as he moved his shoulders "Ow, yeah, right shoulder!" he said and while the doctor was scanning him "one question the EMH Mk 1 you had installed on this tub, was the one modelled off Lewis Zimmerman, yes?"

After a few more scans and a hypo which immediately made him feel better, he noted the doctor did not respond to any questions, Sharpe knew cracking this particular egg would be a challenge, despite everything the doctor was still a Romulan with all the innate traits that are common to his species. With a smile he stood up and rotated his shoulder "Excellent Doctor, now if you will please excuse me I have to get back to my engines" he said with a smile and left Medical and headed straight for Engineering.

[OFF]

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