Late Visit to Sickbay

Posted on Sunday 8 March 2026 @ 17:06 by Captain Melody Jones & Civilian Sansa Draxx-Jones & Lieutenant John Mitchum & Lieutenant Deon Nyx & Lieutenant JG Zirvell Khen

Mission: Intermission
Location: Main Sickbay
Timeline: MD1 2100
2325 words - 4.7 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

The hour was getting late, the chimes had already struck the hour of seventeen hundred hours and sickbay was almost entirely empty with the exception of two sleeping patients, some form of stomach flu contracted from a street vender during a layover on their way to report in on Merlin, a Medical Officer that he had yet to meet and Deon himself.
He had been sequestered in his office most of the afternoon pouring over what he could find about Changelings and their biology. To say the pickings were slim would have been an understatement, most notable entry's being from Doctor Julien Bashir, formally of Deep Space Nine. The most detailed information was in regards to their Security Chief, one constable Odo and a freak accident while on a scientific survey mission. Deon had to admit he was struggling to follow along with most of the situation but the medical data it had gleaned along with the now late Doctor Remora Pol of Bajor had proven to be very enlightening but not all that helpful given Merlin's current predicament.

He had to stop a moment, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand while pushing up from the desk with the other so he could move around and stretch his back.

Zirvell glanced around the corner of the office, surprise registering on his face as he encountered someone in the office when he was just about to log in for the night shift. "Can I help you?" The young Cardassian doctor asked as he stepped inside.

"Not unless you have any knowledge of Changeling physiology that no-one in starfleet has ever seen before" came Deon's curt reply and he was instantly regretting his tone given it was practically oozing with sarcasm.
"I'm sorry Doctor..." the Deltan face the newcomer directly, knowing he would be able to identify the man from sight if he was one of the permanent medical staff on board. "Zirvell isn't it? I'm Doctor Nyx, the new chief medical officer. The Captain put me to work as soon as I arrived or I would have been doing the rounds to greet everyone in person.
"
"Yes doctor," Zirvell answered politely, "doctor Zirvell Khen, but only since recently sir. And I'm afraid I know nothing about changelings."

Sansa entered sickbay a moment later. "Evening. I was told to report to sickbay." Her enquiring tone carried the same warmth and good humour of her mother.

She looked at Deon for a few moments. "You must be the new Doctor. Let me guess. My..... mother, after I dropped the latest bombshell on her, asked you to cook up some reason why I need a full exam and didn't want me thinking she was being overprotective. How's that? Am I close?"

She relaxed slightly and smiled at him. "I'm not mad with her, in fact I kind of expected this at some point. It's been a lot for my parents to take in. It's been a lot for me to take in to be honest, but it's been an..... interesting experience.... So far."

"Bombshell?" zirvell queried curiously, "of what nature?"

"I must mirror the good Doctor Zirvell's question. I am fresh of the transport shuttle so I'm not fully up to speed on the recent goings on. And yes, I am Doctor Nyx and yes I can also confirm that your mother requested I run a full medical on you. No point in hiding it at this stage". Deon picked up a medical tricorder from the instrument table just outside of his office and moved over towards the young woman.
"Sansa is it not? May I?" indicating the tricorder he had just opened.

"Do you mind if we move this into one of the diagnosis rooms? It's a bit more private in there than out here?" Sansa asked, now that the room had become filled with an active security team.

"Of course..." Deon stepped to one side and followed Zirvell realising he still didn't know the layout well enough to know which rooms where empty, although with the ship being in dock it would have been logical to assume most of them would have been.

Sansa perched herself on the biobed and held her arms wide to be scanned. "So, not only did I play ambassador to the first Megapteraian, Fay, but on our return visit, I discovered the consciousness of a Megapteraian Elder trapped in an antique necklace called Esme. While the Megapteraians' consciousness exists and interacts in a place called the Etheria, they still have physical bodies hidden deep down, in the depths of the planet's vast oceans. Esme's body had long since died, and if she were to return to the Etheria, her consciousness would have dissipated, and she would have been lost."
So..." she went on casually, as if she were reporting on the weather. "Esme's consciousness merged with me. Permanently. It was the only way to save her. She said the ability to merge with a species is how the relationship between Megapteraians and Humpback whales started over a millennium ago, when a scouting party encountered the whales on Earth, long before humans inhabited the planet.

The CMO took his scans, not really following anything she was saying so he just smiled politely and nodded every now and again.
"Doctor, would you mind bringing up Sansa's neurological scans from the last 12 months, snap them up on the display" pointing at the one behind the biobed. "I want to see a timeline, just to make sure things are as they appear!"

The Cardassian nodded mutely as he brought the data up in an additional screen. "It doesn't look like anything is out of order," he suggested.

Deon focused on the scan data, looking at the spikes and pitfalls that were typical of this kind of scan and for the most part they did look identical... Until that is you really looked closer. Slight variances on the spikes.
"Look a bit closer Doctor, starting around the date this was first encountered the upticks are showing an increase in the curves!"

It was that moment that Mitchum, along with his security team and the changeling, walked into sickbay. The guards had their rifles raised. "Everyone stay where they are! We have orders to sweep the ship." John looked at Sansa. John looked at the changeling. "Are you sensing anything?"

Startled by the sudden security display, Zirvell froze. If there was something he was severely uncomfortable with, it was having weapons pointed at him. "This is a medical facility, you will point your weapons elsewhere," he suggested rather than ordered the newcomer. "And as this is a private ward and we have a patient, you will step outside!"

The Cardassian now moved in front of Sansa, attempting to shield her from view to protect her privacy. He hoped his new boss had the wit to turn off the monitors even though he doubted the security officer could even interpret the display.

Deon moved in time with the Cardassians thoughts and switched the display to dark mode, nulling the scan data before turning to face the arrival.
"Please excuse me Ms Sansa" he moved with purpose to the door using his imposing frame to block entry which would be a complete invasion of his patients privacy.
"Lieutenant, although I commend your committment to duty, this is a medical ward and we are dealing with highly sensitive and personal information. In future, you will be expected to announce you presence before invading my sickbay and wards, and do not think that is a request because it is an order, do I make myself absolutely crystal clear?"

"Doctor. I am under orders from the captain, to sweep the ship for Changelings. I do not wish to interfere with anyone's health or exams, but I have my orders. I hope that as well is clear." He looked at the changeling. "Are you getting any indication that there are, besides yourself, of changelings here?"

Alice looked around for a moment, then back to John. "No, nothing in here. Hello Sansa. What are you doing in Sickbay?"

Sansa waved back, "Oh, Hi Alice. Just a routine checkup, nothing serious. Are we still on for our weekly chess game tomorrow?"

"We'll have to see. We're on a changling hunt at the moment...." Her voice trailed off as an engineer entered sickbay. Saw the security and Alice and promptly ran back out of the doors.

Alice turned to John "Don't just stand there, Move!" She said as she started to run following the engineer out of the doors.

John turned to the doctor. "I want blood screenings for everyone in here! I am here by orders of the captain, so I will expect quick results." Then he turned to 'Alice'. "You! Outside!"

Alice stopped by the door. "That was one of them and you're letting him get away. Also, if you think blood screening still works, you're more deluded than I thought. Now come on, before he assumes a new form."

"Which one was it?" John looked at the changeling, his tone was demanding.

"Does it matter? It was one of them." Alice replied. "We don't really apply the same sense of individual identity as you do. We should pursue in any case."

"It matters! If we take this one into custody. We take one out that is one less to capture." John replied.

"I won't know which one it is until we capture them. Speaking of which, they are still getting away. I suggest we pursue."

John looks at his team. "Lock and load people. We have a job to do."

Sansa let out an impressed whistle. "Well, for a quiet night, it certainly is busy in here. So what's the prognosis Doctor? Am I going to make it?"

"My apologise about that Ms Draxx-Jones... I will be having a discussion with your mother over this matter..." Nyx had to calm himself, taking a slow steadying breath before returning to the side of the biobed to address Sansa. "As for your scan results, There are some minor irregularities, and by minor I mean almost imperceptible and they could just be indicative of the events leading to your cohabitation and with the recent traumatic events that have taken place on board"

Nyx collected up his tricorder and pulled the short scanning wand from the back and ran it once more over Sansa, just to be sure. "In truth, we don't know what if any effect these irregularities will have on you. With how minor they are I would be inclined to suggest that they would have little to no impact on your life... Would you concur Doctor Zirvell?"

The Cardassian shrugged. "Too soon to be sure," he answered uncertainly, "I recommend frequent check ups to see what the effects are, if any at all."

Sansa shifted, almost reluctant to speak. Eventually, she did. As she did, Her voice started to sound softer, with a hypnotic lilt, almost like she was in a dream-like state "There is.... something. I first noticed it after Fay had transferred to a new host. I was able to.... It's difficult to put it into words. When we went out on the whale watching trip while we were in San Francisco.... It was like I could sense when the Humpbacks were near. I knew things, like the number and sex of the whales, that I could trust them. I could feel them watching me but, it was like they knew me. And now, after merging with Esme, that sense has only become stronger. When I'm near them, I get flashes of.... almost like thoughts, feelings, sensations. Sometimes, I can almost make out words...." Her eyes glazed over, like she was somewhere else as she spoke, a soft smile playing on her lips as she recalled the sensations. She shivered as she suddenly snapped out of it.

"Sorry, Doc. Zoned out there for a moment. If you're talking to Mom, I want to be there too. I'd like Dad to be there as well."

Deon was caught surprised and as soon as Sansa had switched to the glassy eye'd and distant self he had snatched out his tricorder once more, the wand from the back of the devise in hand moving above his patients head, the lights spinning and gentle hum doing nothing to calm him like the usually did.
"I think speaking to your parents would be a very good idea" he said as he looked at the readings on the tricorders small display. "A very good idea indeed!"

Zirvell nodded. "Zoned out is an understatement ma'am. It might be wise to give you a cortical monitor and see how these ah... zones affect you, mentally and physically."

Sansa nodded reluctantly. "If I must. I suppose if we are heading back to Megaptera, it might be an idea to see what's going on in there," she tapped the side of her head with a finger.

"Must...no ma'am. But I do recommend it. We have no idea how this symbiosis continues to affect you even if you do seem in good health." Zirvell frowned in concern.

"Well, I suppose we could give it a go." Sansa conceded. "And I think we should speak to Mom and Dad as soon as possible."

Nyx had been busying himself with the cortical monitor, which he now attached to the base of her neck. "Should you have any more of these episodes, you are under orders to report to sickbay as soon as you are lucid again... Is that understood Ms Sansa?"

Sansa nodded. "OK, I'll try and remember."

OFF

Sansa Draxx-Jones
Marine Specialist
U.S.S Merlin

●● Lieutenant John Mitchum
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Merlin


●● Lieutenant Deon Nyx
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin


Lieutenant j.g. Zirvell Khen
Medical officer
pnpc Seklar