A checkup for Melody

Posted on Saturday 9 October 2021 @ 17:50 by Lieutenant Nir’anyar & Captain Melody Jones

Mission: First Contact
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD3 1100
1906 words - 3.8 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Sansa had left only last night and already Melody was missing her daughter. Her other babies were starting to make their presence felt more continually and she decided it was about time she had a scan to make sure they were ok in there.

She entered sickbay and went straight over to the Anya. "Morning Doc. I've come for a check on these two." She patted her baby bump that she felt was getting bigger every day.

"Captain, of course... Nurse Church, would you mind finishing the application of the analgesic to Ensign Capelin's rash and make sure he's aware that any contact with a Rotarian without the correct inoculations prior will lead to this... and the swelling should go down after some time he may just need to take care when relieving himself!"
She passed the metallic container to the blond Nurse who nodded, a barely contained laugh sputtering free of her lips as she turned and started to move away. "Shall we use my Office Captain... It will be a little more private!"

"The sounds like a good idea." She shot a supportive smile towards the ensign Capelin "Hope you're feeling better soon. Maybe you should use better judgement next time." before following Anya into her office.

The door shut behind Melody who sat down in a chair. "Ensign Caplin been misbehaving?"

"He is young and lacks the restraint that is needed for a young man in his prime... Hopefully, this will teach him to consult with medical before he decides to put things in holes that he has no idea will have a detrimental consequence to his health... As his Doctor, I am unable to divulge anything further than that!"
Despite her words, the devilish glint on the Doctors eyes told a complete story that the Captain would no doubt be reading into without much prompting. "Now... Let us have a look at your soon to be Babies shall we!"

Melody chuckled. "Don't worry Doc, my lips are sealed. Yes, let's have a look at the twins shall we." She said, trying to get comfortable.

Anya produced a tricorder from her lab coat pocket and started by activating the handheld medical scanning wand over the Captain stomach. The gentle whirring of the device, oh so very familiar to the Benzite. Only a moment passed before data started to stream onto the small display.
"Oh, they are very healthy and very active... I would not be surprised if they were arriving a few days early!"

"Early?" Melody said with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I've kept them in there longer than Sansa was so that something I suppose. I am remembering to take my supplements but I'm still craving carrot juice like it's going out of fashion," she admitted. "Is that normal?" she asked, a slight edge of worry creeping into her voice.

"Human pregnancy can cause cravings and they are usually because the body needs something it's lacking. My advice, keep the carrot juice flowing... I do have one matter to discuss with you sir if I may!"
Anya closed the tricorder, happy that the babies were in perfect health, and placed it down on her desk before she perched herself on the edge while lacing her fingers together and laying them in her lap.
"I'm sure you have thought about this but where do you intent to stay to see out your maternity leave?"

"I hadn't planned on going anywhere, to be honest," Melody replied. "I was going to spend most of my leave on board. When they're a bit older, I might visit Draxx's family."

"If I may be so bold sir... Perhaps getting away for a bit during your maternity leave would be a good idea. When was the last time you took some real leave time, got away from the ship and duty? Will you be able to relax remaining on the ship or will you be jumping at every bump we hit or red alert that happens... Something to consider. Maybe spend some time on Starbase 308 or maybe the planet Ba'ku. I hear that place is the closest to perfect as you will find!"
Anya's voice was gentle, a million miles away from the prickly person she had been of late with Mathias, Chief MacGyver and even Major Scarlet and his team.

"I'll think about it and talk to Draxx. Visiting the Ba'Ku might be nice. Also, I've heard rumours someone has discovered a space station out there. Could be interesting" Melody said. She paused and looked at Anya "How are you doing Doc? We've not really talked since we spoke after the staff briefing."

"Suddenly feeling uncomfortable Anya stood and moved around her desk, putting it between herself and the Captain, considering her reply carefully as she took her seat after taking her lab coat off and draping it over the back of the same hair.
"Not good Captain... I feel I should be talking to Caroline about it but she has enough on her plate. Commander Rejal has spoken to me and our training will commence soon and I am being a little more prickly than usual with the crew!"

Melody picked up on the distance she put between them. "You should talk to Caroline, It will help." Melody took a deep breath. "You could talk to me aswell." She offered. "Look, out there I'm your Captain. Right now, in here I'm Melody and Ohhh." Melody's hand flew to her belly and she gasped."

"Captain!" All of her apprehension, worry and discomfort forgotten as the Doctor moved swiftly from her chair to being stood in front of the Captain again, tricorder back in hand. "Just the babies kicking or was that a genuine pain?"

Melody put her hand on Anya's shoulder for support. "I think they're having a dance-off in there. Knocked the wind out of me." She looked around and saw the sofa on the back wall of the office. "That sofa looks a bit more comfortable than this chair, would you mind giving me a hand?"
Leaning on her shoulder slightly as she made her way from the chair over to the sofa and sat forcing Anya to sit next to her. "Ohhh...! She let out a sigh. "That's better." She took a deep breath. "Thank you Anya. Soooo..." She causally changed topics "Why do you think you've been a bit prickly towards the crew?"

"I think that might be obvious Captain. I'm sure you have noticed that I have been hidden away since the incident", while she had been talking Anya had gone to the chair not too far away to retrieve the blanket her mother had given her when she had left for Starfleet. A simple ancient Benzite tribal pattern in hues of yellow and grey with a fleece like quality to it. "Here, make yourself comfortable... I'll get you something to drink. Milk with honey and a dash of cinnamon?"

"Thank you." Melody pulled the blanket around herself. "You still blame yourself for what happened." Melody said as she watched her go to the replicator. "Can I tell you something? I blamed myself when we lost Captain Barstow. As the first officer, it was my job to keep the Captain safe and I failed. I can't change what happened and I'll always carry that guilt with me. What matters is how you use that. I honour his memory by trying to serve this ship and this crew to the best of my abilities each day. You should never forget what happened on the planet and you can't hide away from it."

"Warm milk, honey and a dash of cinnamon" she asked of the replicator and collected it up once the materialisation had completed. "Here you go!"

After handing over the tall she pulled the chair a little closer to the sofa and sat down next to the Captain wearing a forlorn look of emotion. It had affected her, she was struggling to come to terms with it but knowing that others in command positions felt the same after mistakes they had made was comforting.
"Commander Rejal spoke to me about Starfleet and what it means and the oath we all take to follow the prime directive... I had to remind him I also have the Hippocratic Oath that I am bound by also. He reminded me why I had joined Starfleet in the first place... He is a very insightful man and I am looking forward to continuing my training with him... I just hope I can earn back your trust in me. Within these walls I know you will back me and allow me to make the calls but beyond these walls... I still have a long way to go but I am going to achieve this and who knows, perhaps this will give me the drive to rise to command my own medical ship in time!"

She had gone off on a tangent and lost her own train of thought but she hoped the Captain could understand what she meant and where she had intended to go.

Melody smiled and nodded. "See That's what it takes to be a good officer. That is why I pushed you. To look at yourself and not only see what you want to change but that you can and will do so. You know, when I was at the Acadamy, just before came on board this ship I was green as hell and oh... oh so cocky. I almost ripped the nacelles off a shuttle during a training flight. On my first month on board the Merlin, I almost punched the XO in the face and I practically exploded at the Captain when he dropped a Kobyashi Maru test on me when I had bridge duty. Melody laughed to herself. "I also got myself thrown in the brig for slapping Sav'ena in the face." Off her look, she shook her head. "It's a long, long story."

"Hmm... A tale for another time then!" the Doctor could feel herself relaxing, allowing her own guard to drop and it would be only the third person on board that she had spoken to as a friend, Major Scarlet notwithstanding.
"My experience at the academy was predominantly around the medical corp... and that of the Reman Mines!"

Melody raised an eyebrow "Well you've piqued my curiosity now, you're going to have to tell me that story... But as you said, another time. I've got to get back to the bridge. I enjoyed our talk. Thank you for the checkup, and milk." Melody said as she shrugged off the blanket and, pushing down on the sofa with her hands stood up remarkably well for someone who had been gasping a few moments ago.

"Should I assume this was less a check up and more a Healer Heal thyself moment?" Anya asked of the Captain as she started to retreat across the office.

Melody thought for a moment. "Let's call it reaching out to a friend in need. How about a drink this evening? The Round Table?"

"That would be nice, thank you Captain!"
Anya watched the Captain leave finding herself considering taking Melondy on as one of the therapy team!

END

●●●● Captain Melody Jones
Commanding Officer
USS Merlin


●● Lieutenant Nir’anyar
Chief Medical Officer
USS Merlin