This is permanent

Posted on Thu Jan 17th, 2019 @ 1:25am by Lieutenant Sandra Adamson

Mission: Run Afoul
Location: Sickbay
1676 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Sekat knocked on the door frame of the CMO's office. "Sandy, have you got a moment?" He leaned heavily on his cane, right hand gripped tightly around the handgrip. "I need you to take another look at my leg...I am experienced increased discomfort while I have not done anything out of the ordinary. I have not even been horde riding lately."

"Yes, of course, Sekat, come in," She motioned to a chair for him to sit down on. She took out a tricorder and squatted down to to scan his leg. She blinked a little as she looked at the results. She wasn't sure what to say. She handed Sekat the tricorder. He was a doctor, he could confirm her findings.

Sekat frowned at the readings and sighed. "I was afraid of this," he said softly, "it looks like the initial infection was far worse than we had first thought." He handed the tricorder back to her. "Do you think it is treatable?"

Sandy sighed and then said, "Well, I could treat the infection, make you comfortable and eventually it won't hurt, but I am not sure if I can repair the damage to your nerve endings. So I am afraid you're going to be walking a while longer with that cane. There are some options I can look in to, like maybe cyber genetic implants. Or nano probes. But you would want that."

"Treating any lingering infection is a given," Sekat answered slowly as he considered the other options. "I do not believe implants are an option as I do not see how they would help me. Nano probes...." He shook his head and sighed. "Not likely. I can still go horse riding can I not?"

"I don't think that would be a problem," Sandy said with a smile. "Maybe find a way to get on your horse. But otherwise." She got up. "So you ride horses?" Well, I learn something new about you every day. " She dropped herself behind her desk. "So since the chef is a bit out of the running, what do you think of a little chicken curry, kitchen is available and maybe I could make us something for dinner. I am probably not as good as Patrick. But it's food." She grinned.

"Yes, I seem to have an affinity with horses. Did we not already discuss going for a ride sometime?" He was certain that they had discussed it before, but now he started to doubt himself. "Yes, Curry is acceptable, however I do not eat meat."

"Oh that's ok," She replied. "I could make yours with tofu." She thought a moment. "Yes, we could have talked about going riding some day before it got hectic. My brain has a funny way of storing information."

"I see." Sekat smiled encouragingly at her. "I like your mind just as it is. Should I move to a bed so you can treat the infection? I just do not understand how there still can be trace of infection, did we not treat it all before? Or is this something different, and we missed it?"

"I am not sure what it is," Sandy replied, "But we definitely missed it." She took out the tricorder and studied the data once more. "Maybe I should take a sample, have it analyzed."

Sekat gave her a mischievous smile. "You only say that because you want me to strip," he teased, though he did agree with her assessment. "Let us move to a bed, it will give us a little more privacy if we close the screen." Leaning on his cane, he limped out of the office towards a bed and pulled the privacy curtain closed before partially stripping down and settling on the bed.

She walked after him with the tricorder and then moved a trolley with medical equipment to the bed. "You are half right, I also want to study this little bug, what ever it is closely. Maybe it is something new we haven't encountered before." She looked to the Vulcan on the bed. "Woah....Maybe I should call doctor Lhaes in here..." She waved her hands a little as if she was a bit warm. "Right, focus. You have done this so many times."

"Doctor Sommers is not my doctor. You are," the patient pointed out logically, "It is only a bare leg...nothing to it doctor." He seemed amused as he studied her flushed cheeks. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am fine," Sandy said, "I just don't have my emotions in check like you seem to do." She started by taking a sample first and put it aside, before starting treatment.

He grimaced as she touched the tender skin. "I have not been in control of myself since being close to you," he admitted freely, "I choose not to." His leg seemed to twitch as she worked and he grimaced a second time. "No control at all," he added, somewhat chagrined.

She just continued, concentrating on his treatment. "I am sorry, sweetheart, do you want something for the pain?" She now looked up giving him a teasing grin. She put her equipment aside and put her hand on a hypospray. "I think this could help."

Sekat nodded slowly, blinking at her endearment for him. It seemed to have robbed him of a proper answer as he just simply stared at her.

She put the hypospray to the leg and applied the medication. She then continue finishing up the treatment. "Is that better?" She put her other hand on his leg and looked up to him.

Her hand felt warm against his skin and all he could do was nod. "Why did you call me that?" he finally asked, covering her hand with his own, "I do not understand the term. What does it mean?"

"Sweetheart is...well..." She tried to look for the words. "Humans sometimes show their affection to someone close to them by giving them pet names or nick names, like sweetheart, honey, sugar and so on. Cause they refer to nice things. And what it says is, I like you very much. Just as much, or even more, as honey, sweets, sugar." The last part she almost whispered.

"I see... You would prefer me over sweets?" He arched an eyebrow at her, semi serious and semi teasing. "I do not believe I taste that well," he deadpanned, before turning more serious. "There are no endearments in the Vulcan language," he explained, "the closest I get is I cherish there, which, I believe, means something different." Even if he did mean every word of it.

She stopped and looked to him. "You see, that's Vulcan logic, Humans, as you Vulcans say, aren't logical, which is true. Preferring you over sweets doesn't mean the taste of something. That's more of an expression." She moved up to his face as she tried to keep her breathing under control. "And this human is saying, there is nothing logical about love. And that is just how I like it."

The Vulcan lay perfectly still, holding his breath as he stared her straight in the eyes. "I am at your mercy," he whispered with a smile, "I am yours."

Sandy suddenly blushed as he said that. For a moment there she didn't know what to say. She just stared at him. Then got hold of herself again. "Are you telling me as your doctor or my...sweetheart?" She whispered the last part and chuckled nervously.

"Both," Sekat smiled, "but mostly the latter. Is that acceptable?" He wasn't going anywhere and he had already expressed how he felt about her. He was literally at her mercy with her leaning over him, but that wasn't quite what he had meant when he said it. Though he reasoned she felt the same way through her actions towards him, he knew he could be mistaken as well. Human emotions were sometimes difficult to understand.

Suddenly she felt like she froze a bit. For a few seconds she was speechless. But no words came to mind. She just didn't know what to say. How the best way to reply was. Then she decided actions said more than words. She put her hands on his face while gently pressing her lips on his. She was still holding the tool she was using but she dropped it on the bed. As it hit the bed in what seem like forever, she let him go.

Still holding his breath, Sekat closed his eyes. "This is pleasant," he finally said as she broke away, "as my doctor, would you suggest this as part of my treatment?" The happy sparkle in his eyes was a dead giveaway for his amusement.

She grinned and said, "Oh, definitely." She picked up the tool from the bed. "I would recommend it several times a day or more to be most effective."

"At least," Sekat agreed, sitting up on the bed. "So what is the verdict? Will I walk without limp again?"

"Well," Sandy took the tricorder again and scanned the leg. "The infection is gone. But I was unable to fully repair the nerve damage." She sighed putting the tricorder aside. "You're without pain, but you might be with that limp for a very long time."

"Well then I will just need help moving about long distances," Sekat smiled as he slid off the bed and re-dressed himself. "Will I remain pain free?"

"Yes, the nerve damage may make you feel a bit numb at first, but that will subside as your body adjust to the new condition," Sandy explained.

"Fortunately I have my cane, and you," Sekat smiled, drawing his arm around her, only in part for support. "I believe you were going to make us dinner?"

"Yes I am," Sandy smiled. "So tell me, do you like pineapple? I could make a lovely vegetarian curry. But I am making one with chicken for me. I am a true carnivore."

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Lieutenant jg Sandra Adamson
Chief Medical officer

&

Lieutenant jg Sekat
Medical Officer
pnpc Lhaes