Options From Alternative Earth

Posted on Mon Sep 10th, 2018 @ 11:42am by Ships Doctor Luka Mahone (Mirror) & Lieutenant Selina Fenruse (*)

Mission: Mission 7 - Sabotage
Location: USS Viking, Med Bay
Timeline: Previous to Current Events
1128 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

Adjusting the new, blue uniform's pipped collar, Luka gave the young Betazoid sitting upon the biobed a nondescript look. A pause came, as he took a glance down to his tricorder, then to the PaDD nearby. "... So I have some good news and some ... other news, Miss Fenruse."

The woman in question just fidgeted and squirmed not wanting to settle down where there was just so much to do to get things back to how they should be. She had been so tired that she had finally given in to the requests to go to sickbay for a medical. "Other news?" The Chief Engineer demanded quietly.

Luka smiled. "Well, the good news is... you have picked up absolutely no microbes, illnesses, or harsh medical effects from our recent incursion to alternate Earth. The other news, well, is that you're pregnant. Unmistakably so."

Selina heard the words but couldn't make her mouth work to answer them so she just gave him an incredulous look. How could that be possible when she had been on contraceptives... mandatory ones as she wasn't married.

"If I'm reading this correctly, you're about a month along." Luka continued, fully aware of Selina's predicament. "The child you're carrying right now is healthy as well. No ill effects from the return warp, and as far as I can tell, which isn't much, it's going to be healthy so long as you keep up a good routine."

"How?" Selina finally spat out looking up at the man. It was easy to see that she was shocked and trying to work it all out. How was this possible? "I thought my mandatory... I thought I was up to date." She spluttered out finally. Had she come back in the wrong time?

"You are." Luka confirmed matter of factly. "But not even that is one hundred percent certain. They'll say it is, but that's a doctor's pride talking. You've happened to fall under the .001% that I'll have to report to Starfleet Medical - anonymously of course, I'm not going to let anyone poke and prod at you for anything. But I do believe that means you have a decision to make. Not right now, of course, you've got time if you want to mull it over, talk to whomever you need to..."

"But it hasn't been caused by the timey whimey stuff that has been going on? Not all our crew made it back... maybe something to do with that?" They had been on the apocalyptic earth for over a month. Maybe something there had effected it? Selina was clearly confused and grasping at straws but how was she going to tell Tae about this?

Despite demeanor, the gaze in Luka's eyes seemed to falter at the mention. He shook his head. "No, this is something that would have occurred well before our excursion to that Earth. I'm actually surprised you were not harmed on the way back. Even so early, cross-dimensional jumps are harmful to women who are pregnant. There are options. You don't have to have the child if you don't want to, but I will not influence that decision. Simply present the options."

"You're saying I was pregnant before we went to future Earth?" The woman challenged softly thinking of all that she had been through on the planet. The fighting, the starvation, the possible dangers from illness. The woman couldn't do that without talking to Tae as it was his child to even if he was going to possibly freak out.

"That's most likely." Luka remained firm, yet calm and gentle. The few courses he had taken on psychology in relation to bedside manner were minor in comparison to actual experience. "You've only been pregnant for a month, and we were in the strange Earth in only two weeks time."

Selina just frowned. It was an awful state of affairs that she found herself in and she didn't know what to do as she couldn't exactly keep it to herself. She needed someone to talk to urgently. "I need to talk to Tae before I do anything." She sighed thinking he was going to worry about her reckless behaviour when they were on earth.

Luka gave an understanding nod. "Then that is the best course of action. I don't think he'll be less than helpful, but if he is Miss Fenruse, you can always come back here. I don't want to leave you alone in the middle of all this hubbub."

Selina looked at the man unsure for a moment before she stood up tugging her uniform into place. It was always unnerving to be called 'miss' again. "I'll be fine if I end up alone but how are you?" She wondered trying to move the questioning away from her.

"It's not whether you'd be fine or not, no one deserves to be alone." It took the doctor a beat before he shook his head. "Yes and no. A lot has happened since our foray into an alternate Earth. I'm your doctor, Miss Fenruse. It's not my place to lay my troubles upon you."

"I'm the Senior Officer asking how you are doing," Selina said softly not wanting to think about the alternative earth but she had a t-shirt stuffed in a box in her quarters that would always remind her of the New York they went to and the people that were surviving despite everything there. The Chief Engineer knew she should ask how the man was doing with out Him but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Luka pointed at the pips on his own collar. "You might have seniority on the Viking, but I've reinstated my commission. Nevermind the fact that its bad bedside manner for a doctor to divulge personal troubles while they still have a patient to care for." He added a small smile, patting her on the shoulder. "You've got more important things to worry about than me."

Selina just grinned at the man and shook her head. "Well if you are sure you do not want to talk right now I am around whenever you change your mind. I am pretty sure I won't need your care forever." She told him smiling at the pat on her shoulder. He would need to talk eventually she was sure.

"Thank you." With the same warm smile, Luka made a gesture toward the door. "There is nothing more I can do at this juncture. You let me know what you decide, and we'll make the proper steps to make sure everything - and everyone - ends up in proper order."

OFF::

Lieutenant Selina Fenruse
Chief Engineer
USS Viking
(PNPC Gregnol)

Lieutenant Luka Mahone
Chief Medical Officer
USS Viking
(PNPC Uhin)