Reluctant Patient

Posted on Mon Oct 14th, 2019 @ 5:11pm by Ships Doctor Quinton Sarratt MD & Liha t'Ehhelih

Mission: Mission 10 - Temperance
Location: SS Mary Rose, Medbay
Timeline: MD03 1000
1864 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Liha entered the medbay holding her hand. It wasn't so bad - she'd certainly had worse - but it needed more than an improvised bandage if she was going to use it fixing the *rest* of the things wrong with ship. How Burnie could feel such nostalgic affection for this junker, she'd never know. Sure, she might feel the same about Birds of Prey from the same era, but those had *style*.

Looking around, she spotted someone who looked like he might be a medic. "Are you who I see about treating a burn?" she asked curtly.

Quin had been busy cataloging medical supplies and cleaning things up when the Engineer came in. He'd already done his homework and was fairly confident he knew who she was. "Depends, Miss t'Ehhelih," he didn't look up from his work, "on how fast you need to be treated?" He finished up the current task, as he set the padd down on the table. Pointing to a nearby biobed, "this one should be working, it would seem Engineering hasn't been able to find time to come down here and check on these things."

"Provided it works, I should be able to treat you," he patted the bed, "have a seat."

An eyebrow lifted at being addressed by her family name, especially affixed with the odd human title of 'Miss'. However, it meant the doctor at least knew she was Romulan, and while he didn't seem properly concerned and cautious about that fact, at least it was one potential difficulty averted. "It is not urgent if you have patients in greater need," she remarked, casting an eloquent look around the otherwise empty medbay. "As to the condition of medbay," she said, taking a seat on the indicated bed. "It is on the list, but if you wish I will inform the Chief Engineer that we have been prioritizing poorly in attending to minor things like life support and structural integrity."

"Oh I wouldn't call medbay a priority," he said taking her hand in his left and scanning it several times," he smirked, "unless you come in injured and need to live... it's a minor detail I know." He read over the scanner and looked at her, "sorry but it's going to have to go," he hit the scanner a few times and rescanned her hand, "yep gotta go, I apologize."

She chuffed a laugh at his rejoinder. Not bad - for a human. But her brows ascended in alarm at his pronouncement on her hand. She snatched it back, starting to rise. "That is preposterous even for the level of incompetence I generally expect from human medics."

"Oh no, the tricorder," he tossed it out of the way, "we will add it to the growing number of things that don't work," he smirked at the confusion. "But I don't think I will need a tricorder to figure out your hand, nothing that a dermal regeneration and a bit of Dermaline Gel won't fix. You're lucky, I brought a bit of supplies with me," he added.

"Very well." She settled back on the bed. "As I am probably not expected to return immediately, I may be able to attend to your most urgent repair needs. I wouldn't want anyone left to die because you lacked the niceties you rely on." It was a remark that would have made a Galae doctor bristle, but she half expected it go over the human's head.

He gasps, "you don't like my bedside manners?" He laughed, "if you'd like to file a complaint, get in line sweetheart, it's a long list." He walked over to a nearby cabinet, "Dermaline Gel, apply it three times a day for now." He set it down on the table next to him, "if it gets worse, swelling increases, or you find it impossible to repair my equipment stop on by." He reached over and picked up the generator, "this might be a bit uncomfortable, would you like something for the pain?"

Yep. The implication that he couldn't function a medic without all the fancy equipment had gone right over his head. But she couldn't help smile at his reply. It was *almost* what she'd expect from a Galae doctor, including the insulting suggestion that she wants something for pain. "For this?" She rolled her eyes. "I only came in because Burnie insisted I'd work more efficiently with it treated."

He picked up a hypo and gave her something to help with the body's natural regeneration and then proceeded to work with the dermal generator, "how very Galae of you, pushing through the pain and all that good stuff." He almost liked this one, too bad she was Romulan, he thought to himself. "So tell me how does a Romulan Engineer ended up on the ship like this, all the good roles taken in the Empire?"

An eyebrow slanted slightly upward. "If that is an attempt to make light conversation, I see why there might be complaints about your bedside manner. Though perhaps it explains why a physician with some Starfleet background would take a position here," she replied tartly.

He wasn't going to comment, some was an understatement but years in Star Fleet Intelligence seem to have deadened some of the more useful qualities he might need in the civilian sector. "Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result," he replied, "people keep coming back," he pondered. He set the regenerator down as he manipulated the wrist, this part was either going to hurt like hell or those Galae defenses were as strong as she suggested.

"The burn will likely hinder your flexion and extension, of the wrist for a while," he added, "I would suggest coming back in a few days to redo this treatment. We just want to make sure that all is healed properly." He bent the wrist slightly, "you should be able to move this a full 60 degrees for the extension, and about 54 degrees for flexion," he flexed the wrist, "you're not quite there yet."

"You still didn't answer my question," he commented?

Liha had ground her teeth through part of the treatment, but by years of training had resisted tensing her arm or showing any reaction on her face. The suggestion of returning was ...unwelcome... but she would comply if for no other reason than that not doing so might be taken as a sign of weakness.

At his last inquiry, she deliberately flexed her wrist despite the discomfort, answering nonchalantly. "Did you expect me to?"

He flexed her joint a bit more, not enough to do any damage but enough to honestly test those Romulan defenses. While he couldn't see a reaction and was truly impressed he had to test the waters a hair. "So much for that stoic Romulan training," he lied. He cupped the wrist began a few more swipes of the generator, "typically this is the part of the treatment were Doctor and Patient bond, or at least it is, according to the manuals. But hey, if you'd rather sit here and trade insults I think I can accommodate."

Liha laughed. "If you want an excuse to improve your work, by all means, do so," she inclined her head slightly, "But implying weakness isn't likely to make me more inclined toward conversation. Clearly you don't know as much as you imagine. A Romulan medic would order a brain scan if I offered personal information."

"Good thing we're not on a Romulan ship, and I am not a Romulan Doctor then," he retorted. "But if you'd like a brain scan, I am sure something in this area works well enough to give you one... or you could just answer the question. But I could try to figure it out myself... pilot," he questioned?

Her head tipped momentarily, eyes fixing him sharply at the question. Then, realizing her reaction had answered the question, she simply shrugged. "I was, once. I suppose the attitude never leaves entirely, just as Starfleet bearing remains even years after attempts to leave it behind."

Quin still had some contacts, and people he trusted, he was glad he did his homework before coming here. While he worked in SI kept him mostly in the Cardassian, Breen sector; he was certain some of his work managed to make it's way to the Romulan sector as well. The manufactured virus was his specialty and why SI recruited him so young. "Educated guess," he replied, another lie. "I suppose we all have those things in the past we'd rather forget," he added. He'd worked hard on his cover story if anyone dug into his past all they would find is a young Doctor who had trouble with authority. Push around from ship to ship, he finally left before settling into private practice.

"Indeed," Liha replied simply. She had long suspected that after her brief service with the Republic the Tal Shiar knew she had not died in action, and the years in the hidden colony had heightened her awareness of anything that might smack of their presence or influence. At present they had more to concern them than one AWOL pilot who was staying out of the Civil War but that was no reason to do anything as foolish as lowering her guard. While the doctor didn't have the feel of Tal Shiar or their informants, there was something there. That the implication that she might know about him than she voiced deterred unwelcome questions, was enough - for now.

He ran the last swipe over his wrist as he applies the first dose of the gel, "you'll be back to your grumpy self in no time," he nodded. Her reply wasn't lost on him, her indeed spoke volumes. Perhaps he was going to have to do some more digging. He let a small smile cross his face, "Quin by the way," he introduced himself.

A slight smile on appeared her lips as she inclined her head in acknowledgement, whether of his remark about her temperament or in response to offering his name or both. "You apparently have my name, but I prefer to be addressed as Liha. Perhaps when I return for the follow on treatment I will be able to repair some of your equipment," she smirked. "Though I don't expect that that will make you less grumpy."

"Just like my award-winning treatment won't make you more tolerable," he nodded, "nice to meet you Liha."

She suppressed a chuckle - 'nice' was the standard human phrase, no matter how contrary it might be to any description of the encounter. Or perhaps he was using humor so dry she had missed it. Her internal human-to-normal translator wasn't perfect, but then she'd developed it a lot of from working with Burnie who wasn't even normal for a human. "It was ...interesting.... meeting you, Quin. I shall return for my follow up in two days," she grinned. "But I doubt you will find any more tolerable."

"Nor I with bedside manners," he nodded, "take care Liha."

Liha t'Ehhelih
Engineer
SS Mary Rose

Quin Sarratt, MD
Doctor
SS Mary Rose

 

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