The Checkup [Novgorod]

[Vek Vek]

A message went out without fanfare on the Novgorod's intracomm network, titled simply Mandatory: Medical Evaluation, sent to every crew member and registered embedded passenger.

To all crew and passengers,

Pursuant to Alliance Naval Code 35.2.99, I am hereby administrating mandatory medical fitness evaluations for all persons aboard this ship. With the authority cited in aforementioned code, and with all authorities held by a warship Chief Medical Officer, all persons are compelled to submit to screening to ascertain a level of health, well-being, and therefore combat readiness. Failure to comply will result in demerits administered to commissioned and non-commissioned duty jackets, as they may apply. It is the wishes of the Captain that his ship performs to maximum duty readiness. The health of the crew is not to be overlooked in this task.

Appointments will be seen over the next two weeks. Please reserve time on a first-come, first-serve basis. Failure to do so would be unwise.

Sincerely,
Vek Vek
Chief Medical Officer
ANS Novgorod

[Lyanie Quez]

She wasn't a stubborn patient by any means. By the loving care of her Mother and Father, she had it impressed on her from a young age the importance of caring for her body. After all, she wasn't a damn good and dependable engineer by living a life of sloth and abandon. Sure, a lot of grease and a more-often-than-necessary consumption of questionable makes of alcohol - to be clear, the more-often-than-necessary had everything to do with the lacking quality of the swill than any sort of regular frequency of consumption - made her not a temple of cleanliness and godliness, but she had always found these mandatory medical evaluations to be something of an infringement on what little privacy she cared to have.

But it didn't mean she'd hesitate, argue, kick or scream - that only made it worse. It was always best to get it over with. Besides, most docs were decent people. Considering that - did Vek Vek qualify under the classical definition of 'people'? Best not to dwell on the thought.

It was with these considerations that the engineer wasted little time in making reservation for her evaluation. Get it over and done with. It was for the best. Of course, not discounting the fact that the very morning of this evaluation, Tink was more high-strung and consternated than usual and it made her glad to be free from the scope of his fiery mood for at least a time.

Even if it meant that time was with Vek Vek.

"Mornin', Doctor." She threw out in greeting as she entered the medbay. She'd taken a quick split to free her person of the oils that unavoidably assailed every individual that even so much as placed one boot in the engine room on her way to the medbay. It was the least she could do. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek scratched his chin. Already complications. "Morning" was a meaningless construct in interstellar travel, although he reluctantly went along with the tradition.

"Er...greetings."

He was not intimately familiar with the crew, so he ran his PDA over her ident badge she wore on her engineer's jumpsuit.

"Ah. Quez, D'Lyanettea Meresco. Lieutenant. Appreciate preference for directness. Will begin exam promptly."

He gestured to the small panel to his right.

"Please stand. Will record necessary biometrics. Height and weight priority."

[Lyanie Quez]

Take it easy, he's just a doctor. Authority figures in these situations are bound to call you by your proper name.

Outwardly, Lyanie simply blinked and nodded.

"Okay, Doc." Though she did have limits on what she would let fly.

Inwardly, if not for the fact that he was the Doc and therefore just doing his duties, she'd have socked him a right good one, right in what best served as the Doc's 'kisser', on account of her undeniable dislike for her full-on given name. She turned and moved over to the panel and stood, as directed. The most comfortable (and distracting from all this gut want for reaction) thing to do was to make conversation.

"I can tell ya right now, doc, I ain't gotten any taller since I was eighteen. And I certainly ain't gotten shorter, either."

[Vek Vek]

"Understandable observation. But fallacious. Anecdotal sample size of one. Frivolities of gravity both artificial and variable on planetary bodies of varying mass, combined with the proclivity of the female human anatomy toward osteoporosis without supplemental minerals."

He checked the reading of her height, and clicked his tongue slightly.

"Your anecdotal observation is however confirmed. This time."

Moving on, he gestured for her to sit.

"How do you feel?"

[Lyanie Quez]

Taking that as a 'yes', that her height was much the same as when it was realized she had ceased to gain vertically in stature, Lyanie smiled and followed the doctor's direction to take a seat. Which she did.

"How do you feel?"

It would be so easy to just say she was 'fine', but that would hardly be a satisfactory response. Fine didn't really say anything since it was pretty much a brush-off. The engineer thought about how she felt for a moment or two more before giving an answer.

"Pretty good all-around, doc." She nodded, as if to affirm that for herself. "Not even so much as a sniffle in a long while."

Yep, completely honest and entirely painless.

[Vek Vek]

"Good, good."

Determining a point of reference to begin the examination in earnest was pragmatic. If a patient complained of conditions prior to an examination, their feedback became a powerful tool in determining diagnosis and treatment.

The Doctor slapped a flexible adhesive strip to Lyanie's head and a band around her arm that began to constrict gently but firmly.

"Temperature nominal. Pulse nominal. No indication of autoimmune antipathogen reactions."

He tilted her chin back, shining a light into her nostrils.

"Passages clear, minimal mucous with acceptable color."

He paused as he let his fingers go, examining her skin.

"Some dermal reddening. Exposure to engine chemicals suspect. Suggest astringent exfoliant and application of amino-protein moisturizer balm. Minor. Minor."

[Lyanie Quez]

Lyanie nodded and nodded ever so slightly when the doctor was done squeezing her arm and flashing a light up her nose.

"Nothin' I haven't dealt with before, doc." The corners of her mouth lifted a small bit in a fair smile. "Occupational hazards n' all that."

This was pretty dull, nothing-out-of-the-ordinary stuff. Her mind began to wander and she started to consider algorithms and if she'd heard anything in the hum of the engines that shouldn't be there. It was something you started to notice when you got used to how a particular engine was supposed to sound when operating optimally. The optimal purr tended to set her at ease and the thought of it made one corner of her mouth twitch upward a little further.

[Vek Vek]

"Experience headaches? Shortness of breath? Acute joint pain?"

Lyanie shook her head to each, and the doctor quickly checked them off.

"Acceptable. There are 29 lubricants, solvents, and reagents used by Engineering that can cause maladies. Please exercise all caution when using. Notify me if feeling unwell. Moving on."

He checked his pad again, and looked up.

"Active sex life?"

[Lyanie Quez]

She caught the questions just barely at the edge of her reverie, doing nothing more than shaking her head in response - she would have nodded too, if it was at all necessary. All this in the checkup was dull, monotonous, but she'd appreciate that people did their jobs... later, later.

Of course, daydreams never lasted, and they always abruptly ended just as they were getting good. Just not like this:

"Active sex life?"

Her head jerked suddenly at that, her eyes snapping into place right on what was approximated as the doctor's face.

"I... um..." She grasped for the words that just didn't seem to be there, bit at her lip... think, think, think!... her eyes had wandered away, as the words came, her eyes found their way back. Always look someone in the face when you talk to them.

"...well, I'm sure you know things can be hectic. We've all been busy, doc. But... yes. I guess you could call it that."

[Vek Vek]

"Piqued rise in color, perspiration, quickness of breath. Alarm not intended. Candid discussion. Confidential. Doctor patient relationship founded on trust and administration of care."

He did his best to smile.

"I care."

The smile dropped and he returned to his datapad.

"Estimation. How often do you and the Captain share coitus? On weekly basis."

[Lyanie Quez]

She hadn’t been on ship much more than a couple weeks. It was intense, being thrown into the fray with barely so much as a ‘hey, welcome aboard’ (though she was certain that, in passing, that some tech in the hanger bay had given her some form of greeting but it was just that quick that she’d been distracted into things that needed doing) but you just went on with it.

“Once… or twice.” She grimaced, then laughed. Her eyes flicked away, then back at the doc. “One and a half, honestly. Busy, like I said.”

Lyanie almost wondered how often the doc did it, but that ended up being something she didn’t want to know.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek nodded.

"Coitus natural response to intrinsic urge. Natural to pursue. Overindulgence problematic. Consider your frequency...normal."

He pursed his lips, deciding how to continue.

"Inter-species relations often carry caveats. Am sure you know risks, but would be unprofessional to gloss over. Functional incompatibilities in genatalia known to cause, ahem, repetitive stress injuries in some case studies."

He coughed.

"Fortunately Human-Cizerack, ahem, compatible. Caution advised in other areas. Natural Cizerack response to many stimuli, climax included, a sudden extraction of claws. Painful. Possible infection risk. Exercise care."

[Lyanie Quez]

That hadn’t happened yet. But she was aware that, in theory from experience with nonsentient feline pets (barn cats, farm cats), claws could play a great role.

“Thank you, Doc. I’ll keep that in mind.” She said. “Been pretty safe, so far.”

And they had been careful, but after not being around him for what seemed like too long of a time, and then being there around him again, careful could be difficult. It had been difficult.

[Vek Vek]

"Another matter, possibly trivial. Still recommend due diligence. Felinoid life forms susceptible carriers of toxoplasmosis. Microscopic parasitic organism."

He raised his hands before this set off alarm bells.

"Not fatal. Not externally symptomatic or life changing. In fact, questionable effect at all, beyond possible, ahem, behavioral changes in victim's brain."

[Lyanie Quez]

Well, that was certainly concerning enough to make her brow knit in... well, concern.

"What kind of changes are we talkin' about here, doc?" She blew a loose hair out of her face. "Despite everything, we're both very clean people. So how in the world would such a thing even happen?"

The hair landed on her face again - she pulled it away and wrenched it into place behind her ear.

[Vek Vek]

He half blinked, and his eyes opened fully again.

"Behavioral modification noted in affected species of rodentia, typically food sources for felinoids. Affected fight or flight response. Intended mechanism of parasite, to enable consumption and transmission to new host."

His fleshy eyepads over his eyes raised.

"Behavior changes in sentients have no analogue. Change possible in theory only. Possibly more open to suggestion?"

The doctor coughed.

"Wouldn't worry. Transmission only, ahem, via unhygienic means. Keep sexual activity limited to positions and techniques recommended by phyisician. Anticipate no complications."

Again a forced smile.

"Congratulations. Clean bill of health, Miss Quez. Sign here."

[Lyanie Quez]

He nearly had her there. The smile came back to her face as he pronounced the checkup done.

"Thanks, doc." Lyanie said, signing off as required. "Always good to know I'm in good shape where it matters."

She slipped away from where she had been seated, thanked the doctor again and left, slipping out the door to the medbay, narrowly escaping being bowled over by what she assumed would be the doc's next patient as she made her way back down to engineering.

[Regan Altink]

"Bloody bunch o' cowards," Regan muttered to himself as he trudged through the deck, boots clomping heavily with every reluctant step. From the second that the Doctor's transmission had landed on consoles in engineering, absolutely every single member of his repair crew had been extremely busy. When their extreme business had expended all of the tasks that they had to complete, they'd then volunteered for extra duties, bonus tasks, and various other bits and pieces to keep themselves occupied.

It was a ruse to delay the inevitable physical exam of course; but not particularly good at remembering to check the shipboard bulletins on his console - generally speaking there were no things to wrench or hammer around his console, so he avoided it as much as possible - he'd been under the mistaken impression that everyone was just being uncharacteristically helpful.

It had been too late to do anything about it once he'd discovered the real reason why. Rather than accept defeat at the hands of his engineers however, he'd simply told them all - very loudly - that he planned to head down to medical as quickly as possible, and that they were all bound to fail their check-up due to their total lack of spines.

Honestly though, Regan was just as reluctant as they were. Most of the time, he couldn't understand a bloody word that the Doctor was saying.

Halting just outside the medbay, Regan entered stealth mode, a head sticking through the portal to sweep around. "Oh, what a shame," he muttered to himself after a few fractions of a second. "Looks like the doctor isnae here. Guess I'll have to drop back a wee bit later."

What a shame indeed.

His plans for a covert escape however were quickly thwarted when Lyanie Quez surged past him at speed, looking somewhat less chirpy than she normally did. A sinking feeling of dread formed in the pit of his stomach: if Vek Vek had managed to put a damper on Lyanie's good mood, what hope was there for the rest of them?

Turning slightly pale, Regan stepped into the bay and offered a sheepish: "Hullo?"

[Vek Vek]

"Ah, new patient. Yes, yes. Come. Please to sit."

Vek Vek directed Regan to the examination bench, and he swiped his PDA over his ident badge.

"Altink, Regan, Lieutenant. Engineering. Ah."

He inhaled sharply.

"Two engineers in a row. Something I should know? Spill vat of carcinogens recently?"

[Regan Altink]

Spill a vat of carcinogens?

That sounded like a fantastic idea! Those sorts of industrial accidents were easy to manufacture. A quick slip of trip, and bam! Instant excuse to avoid a medical check-up. It was a sure-fire, fool-proof plan. So why on earth hadn't he -

Ah, yes. Doctor avoidance by virtue of medical emergency. Maybe not, then.

"We engineers spend out time making sure the ship's systems are all working at as close tae peak efficiency as possible. Would be a wee bit irresponsible if we didnae take the same due diligence keeping our biological systems in order, eh Doc?"

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek raised a fleshy eyepad.

"Perhaps. Our professions are similarly diagnostic in nature. The details are different however. Hydrospanner function...unknown to me. Protein synthesis similarly confusing subject to you, I surmise."

He gestured to the scale.

"Please stand. Will record height and weight biometrics. Are you experiencing any discomfort?"

[Regan Altink]

Discomfort? I'm damned uncomfortable, alright...

Obligingly, Regan stepped up onto the diagnostic device, musing over the fact that Vek Vek didn't know what a hydrospanner did. Surely, it was obvious what that was for? The clue was in the name, after all. Though Regan might have assumed that someone of the Doctor's lofty profession might have the baseline intelligence to cope with the use of basic tools, clearly he would have been wrong to do so. He made a mental note never to ask for the Doctor's help with emergency repairs in a crisis.

"My new uniform is a wee bit itchy," he admitted, idly scratching at his chest for inadvertant emphasis. "Seems like the Alliance Navy uses a different fabric tae the ground uniforms from the Starfighter Corps. The colour isnae so garish, but the way it feels on ma skin gets on ma tits a wee bit. Been having tae wear long sleaves underneath, which isnae great when y're crawling around in the hot and cramped all day."

He frowned for a moment, glancing at the kind of Doctor. "That the kind of discomfort y'mean?"

[Vek Vek]

"Possible exposure to irritant solvents. Have already encountered similar. Will prescribe curative balm."

He logged Regan's height and weight with no real concern.

"Any work related injuries? Repetitive trauma, blunt force impacts, exposure to antimatter, acute artificial gravity or similar common on-site incidents?"

[Regan Altink]

Regan shrugged. There were work related injuries, and then there were work related injuries. As a mechanic, you accepted a certain amount of damage as being part of the job. A scuff here, a scape there, a burn or two - it was all to be expected. As long as you walked out of there with out any limbs, fingers, or large chunks missing, it wasn't really worth complaining about.

"Nothing tae complain about," he replied. "I've had the odd wee bump on the noggin or tool dropped on ma foot from time tae time, but nothing bad enough tae have a detrimental effect on ma health or wellbeing."

He let out a small cuckle. "O'course, if I had suffered a serious head trauma in the line of duty, I probably wouldnae remember it, eh?"

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek didn't seem amused. His mouth puckered in thought. Stepping away, he brought forward a harness that was designed to be worn on the head.

"Please hold still. Cranial examination. Requires absolutely no movement. Find comfortable place to stand."

[Regan Altink]

I'd be pretty comfortable in Engineering. Can I go stand there?

Tink resisted the urge to say that out loud; clearly, the Doctor had suffered an EPS bypass around his primary humour ducts, and as a result seemed to be a few thrusters short of an RCS module. It was frankly a little unsettling, and Regan wasn't all too keen on the crazy Doctor with his big words and his huge, soulless eyes coming anywhere near his cranium with anything, let alone something that looked like the contraption that Regan had built to help him communicate psychically with droids when he was eight.

"My cranium is just fine," he back-pedalled, eyes darting about frantically in search of an escape; or maybe a weapon. "And my brain is just fine too. There isnae a need to go strapping that -" He was at a loss for an accurate piece of terminology. "- scanny doodad tae my head. This is meant tae be a routine exam, not interstellar poke Regan's brain day."

[Vek Vek]

"Fallacious anecdotal observation. If cerebral damage exists, would you be cognizant of it? Tsk. Simile. Like engine diagnostic tool out of calibration. It measures, but measures wrong."

The doctor calmly set the cranial scanner on his bench.

"Relax. Calm. Adrenaline not helpful to patient or doctor. Can play soothing music to instill a cooperative environment. Preference?"

[Regan Altink]

Soothing music? What was this, a date?

Here, have a little relaxing music before I probe you.

Tink clenched. "No music," he insisted; he crinkled a little at the doctor's implication. "And I am not out of calibration. My calibration is just fine, thank y'very much."

He folded his arms across his chest; it was meant as a gesture of approval, but apparently the physician mistook it as him adopting the requested comfortable stance, and swiftly settled the brain probing device atop Tink's head. Regan fought the urge to recoil as he was strapped in; he couldn't help a few grunted words back to the doctor, though.

"If droids start being able tae read my mind after this, I'm sending them after you when y'sleep."

[Vek Vek]

"Common pyschological imperative. Manifest fears of the unknown."

The device secured, Vek Vek waited for the diagnostic to complete.

"Will be finished shortly. Mind reading..."

For emphasis, the Doctor briefly held both hands aloft, wiggling his fingers with deadpan effect.

"...not my specialty. Further, would be tempted to diagnose and correct part of brain responsible for speech. Playing God. Unethical. Tempting. Unethical."

[Regan Altink]

Regan was only understanding about 90% of what came out of the Doctor's mouth, so he couldn't be entirely sure... but it certainly felt like, whatever Vek Vek had just said, he should feel pretty insulted.

A scowl formed across his brow.

"Are y' insultin' the way I speak?" he challenged, his accent thickening from the diluted form that he usually adopted as a kindness to his comprehensionally challenged shipmates.

Arms folded defiantly across his chest. "I donnae think y're in a position tae criticise. At least ma voice is tainted by an accent, and no' by a complete lack o' comprehension ae the way tha' sentences work, eh?"

[Vek Vek]

Touché...

The Doctor's big dark eyes narrowed as their membranes drew tight.

"Plenty of room on datapad to add extra tests. Temptation to add a direct correlation to patient's attitude."

His eyes narrowed more.

"Have needles. Long needles."

[Regan Altink]

Regan didn't back down. His shoulders squared.

"Y'know, I knew a guy a few years back: smart chap, lot ae potential. One day he starts wi' blinking, involuntary eye movements; nothin' serious a' first. Then he starts tae have trouble wi' facial expressions; gets this wee deadpan look, and cannae manage a convincing smile. His pupils dilate; his skin starts goin' pale in places; pink in others. Starts tae have trouble wi' stringin' sentences together, an' maintainin' a coherant train ae thought."

"He isnae alive anymore, Force rest his soul."

Tink's eyes narrowed, matching the doctor's expression like with like.

"When was the last time ye had a comprehensive set ae medical tests?"

[Vek Vek]

When Tink came back to consciousness at some indeterminable time afterward, the first thing he saw was Vek Vek discarding a long pair of rubber gloves. The second thing he noticed was that he was now lying on an exam table.

"Ah, patient conscious. Excellent. Clean bill of health. Had to sedate. Apologies. Combative work environment."

He stepped to his jar of lollipops, and procured one for the delirious engineer.

[Regan Altink]

"You sthtup-"

Hmm. Mouth not working. That was problematic. He summoned concentration, trying to stretch and yawn some feeling into his anasthetic-addled facial muscles. What the hell had that damned creep of a doctor done to him?

He managed to half lean, half clamber his way into a sitting position. His pants were still on; that was a small mercy. Though... had the belt been skipping that loop all day?

His eyes turned to the doctor wide with horror.

"You mayth be king inth here, lithle man... but the retht of the ship ith my kingdom, anth you jutht pitht off the emperor."

The statement might well have been more threatening had it been delivered by someone who didn't have zero feeling in his tongue. Regan could only hope that the turbolaser glare he was firing at the doctor was getting the message across.

"Thleep with one eye open," he warned, snatching the lollipop from Vek Vek's fingers and jamming it into his mouth. "I'll wipe that gormleth thmirk off your faith, jutht you watch."

And without another word, Regan leapt from the examination table, fell half-way to the floor, and staggered out of the med-bay as fast as his drugged legs would carry him.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi blinked and grinned in amusement as one of the engineers stormed past him with a piece of candy stuck in his mouth.

He stepped into the medical bay easily, looking at the medical officer with a lazily expectant expression.

"Am I going to be leaving with some candy?" he asked. "I don't think I'll do this if I don't get some candy."

[Vek Vek]

"Candy is conditional on patient cooperation, Mister..."

A wave of the PDA and a beep.

"Onashi, Serasai."

His brow knit.

"Contractor. Non-regulation personnel. Hair, er, non-regulation."

He gestured to the scale.

"Will record height and weight. Please stand."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi grunted and stood on the scale, grinning and looking up at the ceiling of the medical bay.

"It's been a while since I've gotten one of these," he admitted, stretching and rolling his neck, eliciting a number of audible pops as the vertebrae were realigned. "Though what's all this about regulation? I didn't think you rebels were so organized and legitimate that you could start setting up guidelines for how long someone's hair's got to be."

He looked back down at the... whatever he was, and continued:

"I thought that all of you - well, all of you with hair - just kept it short because you all have some sorta fetish for the soldier look."

[Vek Vek]

"Regulation origin unknown. If were to hypothesize, easier to treat cranial trauma with utilitarian hairstyle. Impacted slugs and skull fragments in brain. Dander insult to injury."

He waved his hand.

"Digressing. How do you feel?"

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi thought about it and shrugged in acceptance.

"That makes sense I suppose. I've never worried about it." He looked down and raised his eyebrows in surprise. 88 kilos? He'd lost some weight. "I've been all right. I've been getting head-aches recently, and my back's been aching something fierce. I think I pulled a muscle there working out."

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor browsed over Onashi's medical history as he listened, a frown growing on his face.

"Considering medical history. Multiple concussions, lacerations, immolations, infections. Trauma considerable."

He looked up, eyes narrowing.

"Take medication I should know of?"

[Serasai Onashi]

"An addiction to a painkiller. Mainly 3-methylmorphine, or lesser synthetic variants, smoked through dried plants," Onashi replied quickly, the chemical compound memorized after almost two years of use. "Very low doses, used as a stage in weaning me off of a stronger synthetic painkiller I was given when wounded and no bacta or non-addictive painkillers were available. I've not been able to find the time to completely get through the stage."

Onashi shrugged.

"Too much travel, work, and I can't afford to go through the withdrawal symptoms when I need to be lucid on a battlefield."

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor's frown deepened.

"Would explain pupil dialation. Am aware of 3-methylmorphine. Narcotic effects subdued but observable. Secondary health defects from prolonged use. Inadvisable."

Pausing while lost in thought, Vek Vek quickly sat at his desk, rifling through a computer database.

"Suggest phenyltalline iodide, would stimulate serotonin flow on...no, no. Toxic in humans. Nevermind."

He turned to Onashi, pointing a finger at him.

"Will find acceptable solution. Have narcotics on your person?"

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi stepped off the scale and pulled his jacket back on, pulling a flap of a breast pocket up and pulling out a small pouch. He tossed it to the medical officer.

"I always have some," he said. "It doesn't end well when I don't. I'm running low; I'll have to buy some more when we make port."

He wasn't sure he believed the doctor would find a solution that could keep him relatively battle-ready and get him off the medication to which he was addicted. Most of the time people only got annoyed with him when he smoked. He passed it off and enjoyed their irritation.

[Vek Vek]

Carefully, Vek Vek took the baggie and returned to his desk, activating a light box and setting a glass pane over it. He carefully spread the contents of the baggie over the clear surface, and swiveled his microscope over the pile. A few moments of sifting, and he sorted some pieces of interest from the chaff.

"Germ intact. Possible to grow. Controlled environment. Hydroponic. Isolate desired opiate. Segregate from undesirable compounds and carcinogens."

He looked to Onashi.

"Stop gap. Temporary. Do minimal damage and maintain maximum performance. Agree?"

[Serasai Onashi]

"As long as I don't need to use needles, doc," Onashi said seriously. "I need to be able to use it without having a medical team on hand to make sure I don't kill myself. Smoking was the easiest way of doing it before."

He remembered almost knocking himself into a coma from smoking so much to rid the smell of the dead from his nostrils. Stuck in the rear with the medical tents and right by the morgues, where the dead were stripped of anything that could be recycled back into use by a living soldier, and then thrown into mass graves and badly covered by vomiting orderlies, he'd been given the injections of refined narcotics to lessen the intense pain of having the multiple shards of shrapnel pulled from his body along with the pain of having nearly broken his spine from the fall.

He could somewhat remember the fuzziness of the first highs, and then the medics realized that he'd not be able to fight as he was. They kept him back for two weeks while they worked out to give him the leaf and the pipe and further worked out a schedule to smoke by to slowly lessen his dependency and make him a soldier almost on the level he'd been at before.

[Vek Vek]

Tapping his index finger on his chin in thought, the Doctor considered a solution.

"Distill active opiate. Combine with inert lipid, a, er...polypropylene derivative. Safe. Acceptable transmission via microdroplet atomizer."

He nodded his head.

"Can simulate preferred drug introduction vehicle. Similar to asthma inhaler."

Vek Vek made a few notes in his PDA. He paused, letting the gravity of what he was doing sink in.

"Difficult ethical decision, this. Doctor's imperative to not do harm. Understand this is temporary until more appropriate treatment to dependency is synthesized. Addiction a chronic disorder. Unwilling to coddle or encourage. Placing faith in patient not to abuse. If I find otherwise, consequences."

[Serasai Onashi]

"Doc, I don't want to be a druggie anymore than you want me to be."

Onashi grinned. He didn't hate smoking. He actually found it relaxing, and the smells of particulars leafs were largely heavenly, like incense. He hated smoking that drug, however good it made him feel. The impact on his performance was more than noticeable.

"Though it's hard for you to be intimidating, I'll stick with the schedule you give me. If it gets me off this drug with as little time off my feet as possible, I'll even raid some top rate medical facility for your shit paper."

[Vek Vek]

Moderately taken aback at Onashi's vulgar insinuation, Vek Vek blinked.

"Your entreaties to piracy, ahem, charming. I am flattered. Probably. But I assure you, preferential care not administered on quid pro quo schedule."

Vek Vek swabbed a spot on Onashi's arm to prepare a needle stick.

"Unethical, albeit of lesser importance for me to object in time of war. Aware I am on a ship of thieves, simply on grand galactic implications. Piracy, ahem, keeps the lights on. That is the metaphor, yes?"

He gestured to his needle.

"Routine blood work. Judging by modern art display of scar tissue I've seen, not squeamish about insertion."

[Serasai Onashi]

"Sure, go ahead," Onashi grunted, lifting his arm so the ship-board medic got get have an easier time of it. He watched as the doc drew the blood and applied the anti-infection adhesive quickly, with efficiency and professionalism.

"What are you, exactly?" Onashi asked. "I mean species-wise. I don't think I've fought any of your kind before, however unlikely that is."

[Vek Vek]

The concept that Onashi based his worldview entirely on conflict and who or what he went to war against was a bizarre one, and Vek Vek struggled to not apply commentary to that line of thought which would go nowhere good. Instead he cycled through the mercenary's bloodwork scans, and addressed other issues.

"I am Durwi. Species not known for proficiency in warfare, though obviously cannot speak for all. Genetic cousin species of Neimoidian and Duro. Perhaps you can regale me with tales of their slaughter over a...brewski."

The last word was said with icy sarcasm.

"Your bloodwork is, ahem. Well."

Looking at multiple slides on a holographic display, the doctor frowned.

"A veritable who's who among social maladies."

[Serasai Onashi]

"Not so much a slaughter," Onashi replied, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms. "I made a ton of money with my share of the scrap pile from all the battle-droids sent by the Neimoidians, though. Duros are no joke, though, they can be some nasty opponents."

"Your bloodwork is, ahem. Well. A veritable who's who among social maladies."

Onashi frowned. He remembered the last time he'd been to a real doctor, not a jaded military medic with too much caf and too little sleep. It had been years ago. That one had wondered how Onashi was still able to feel anything with all the stuff in his system.

"What are they? I'd taken meds, but with my addiction, I have to be careful about how everything mixes up," he said, though he didn't look very worried. This came with the territory. "I've gotten quite a few vaccinations, too, so..."

He trailed off and shrugged.

[Vek Vek]

"Hmm."

A fan of multimedia, the doctor queued up holoslides of each confirmed microbe.

"Lythome Flux, er, common. No concern. Treatment routine. This one is Tyrraphalia. Acute burning in urination should be tell-tale. Ithorian rust. Unusual. Exotic. Not problematic, though discoloration occasional and unpleasant."

He fanned through a new set of slides.

"Ganas Palatosa, highly recommend treatment. Early stage, curable. Risoform sporasila, did not even know was human transmissable. Typically found in Wookiees. Mental image not pleasant."

Shutting down the terminal, the doctor clasped his hands together in front of him.

"Fortunate nothing of a chronic nature. Treatable. Will assign prescriptions. Please take. Good for my peace of mind."

[Serasai Onashi]

"Lythome Flux."

"Shouldn't they have cured that by now?" Onashi grimaced.

"This one is Tyrraphalia."

Onashi scratched his chin. So that was why he'd been having that burning. He was hoping that it had been because he was having sex so often. Well, it actually was borne from having sex so often, but he'd rather have been told to cool it on the shagging than to "take this to cool the burning."

"Ithorian Rust."

"I was hoping I was taking in too many vitamins, but I had a sneaking suspicion," Onashi grunted.

"Gana Palatosa."

"Huh," Onashi scratched his groin. "Take treatment. Will do."

"Risoform sporasila, did not even know was human transmissable. Typically found in Wookiees."

"Oh yeah," Onashi said, a grin forming slowly as the implications hit him. "That was a wild week, I'll tell ya, doc."

Vek turned and said something about how important it was that he take the treatments. Onashi didn't answer; an answer wasn't necessary. Even if it meant he'd be experiencing a serious drop in sexual activity over the next couple weeks, letting any of those diseases fester would be as damaging as continuing to smoke the painkillers.

"Will do," Onashi answered. "Seems kinda obvious I should."

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek nodded.

"Amenable to treatment recommendations. Improprieties aside, you are a model patient. Will formulate needed medications within days. Please make time to see me again."

He paused, and what was almost a genuine smile appeared.

"Oh, and."

Lollipop.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi smiled widely, a different expression from his normal sardonic grins and smirks, and took the candy.

"Doc, you're not half bad," he said, popping the sugary snack into his mouth. "Nice, namana berry!"

He grabbed his jacket in one hand and waved at the Durwi - or was it Druwi? - with the other before leaving and winking at the next person in line.

"Have fun!" he said as he sauntered off.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Lilaena narrowed her eyes at Onashi as he swaggered down the passage, and then ducked into the medbay. "I am not part of Novgorod's official crew," she said, by way of introduction to the tall alien physician. "But the rest of the SpecForce who are told me I had to go first. Other than Onashi, obviously," Lilaena added.

She stood awkwardly near the door. "I had a routine physical when I signed up a few months back. Is another one really necessary, or should I go back and get Glayde for you?"

[Vek Vek]

"Have you?"

The Doctor blinked, running his PDA over her badge.

"DeVille, Lilaena. Dossier absent medical biometrics. Were they transferred? Was prior exam performed by accredited physician?"

He waved a reassuring hand.

"Will only take a few minutes of time. Checkup routine and non-invasive. All crew and registered passengers submit to screen. Build comraderie, in a way."

Vek Vek gestured to the scale.

"If you will."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She looked at the scale, and then stepped onto it. "I do not know if my biometrics were transferred, but if you don't have them, I would suppose not."

De'Ville stood as straight as she could as her weight and height were measured and recorded. She didn't like being 'on the books' as it were, but being part of the war machine that called itself the Alliance meant having paperwork in a file in a database somewhere. A regrettable necessity.

[Vek Vek]

"Consider it satisfaction of my own ego."

He smirked.

"Unknown physician. Unknown method. Could have misperformed exam. Got it wrong. No such error threshold with me. In good hands."

He glanced at the readings.

"Height and weight biometrics unremarkable. Patient appears in good health. How do you feel?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"I feel fine." She offered the doctor a smile that almost reached her eyes. "I think the last time I was sick was when I had the pox as a child."

De'Ville shrugged, stepping off the scale and sitting on the edge of a bed. "I don't even have allergies."

[Vek Vek]

"Excellent. Healthy patients make job easier."

He thumbed through her bio. Jedi purge survivor? Interesting, but not medically so. Irrelevant.

"No visible signs of injury or ailment, no pre-existing conditions on record. Hmph. Not even a cavity."

He procured a syringe.

"Blood draw. Routine. Check for pathogens. Which arm do you prefer?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

"No preference." De'Ville extended her right arm and the doctor's fingers probed for a likely vein before inserting the needle. She watched curiously as her blood filled a vial.

"Does everyone get their blood drawn and tested?" She reached up with her left arm to scratch her back, running her fingers underneath the edge of her tank top to reach the offending itch.

[Vek Vek]

He nodded.

"Part of routine examination. Numerous personnel. Numerous tours of duty. Possibility of pathogen retention and transmission on warship an ever-present scourge."

He frowned.

"Tendency for questionable social interactions also...problematic."

It was a softly-delivered probe. He looked to Lilaena as he finished, leaving the question of whether he'd have such a thing to worry about from her unsaid.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville narrowed her eyes, and then widened them. "Oh, no. No, no. No questionable social interactions. That isn't something that I ... do. Too distracting."

She blushed lightly, upset at herself for getting flustered. Lilaena took a deep breath and held the cotton ball against the puncture site as directed by the doctor.

[Vek Vek]

"That is refreshing."

Professional decorum stated plainly that he couldn't kiss her. Of course he would never consider such a thing anyway. The metaphorical notion of it though was apt. If he had a whole ship full of this woman, his life would be so much simpler.

The Doctor ran DeVille's blood work, which of course returned stellar results.

"Results clear. No pathogens or maladies. You are a paragon of good health."

He returned his attention to her as she reached back to scratch an itch.

"A moment. Please turn around."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She looked at him silently, her teeth clenching, and then she hopped down from the table and slowly turned around. "Something the matter?"

[Vek Vek]

The markings on her back appeared to be lacerations, but on closer inspection, they were simply raised scar tissue. He pulled down the neck of her shirt slightly in the back. The lines ran in a busy cross-hatch, and they appeared extensive.

"Extensive scar tissue. Curious. Indicative of repeated laceration at the site."

He had a feeling he was treading somewhere he shouldn't, and backed off.

"Apologies. Thought I observed fresh wound. No complications from scar tissue?"

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville rolled her shoulder slowly, and faced the doctor. She forced a smile. "It's fine. No complications. The other doctor was curious about them as well."

She paused, and then added, "The muscles underneath are not adversely affected by the trauma. That's what he said."

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor's mouth twisted into a concerned frown. He knew what those scars looked like. He'd treated lacerations like those before. From De'Ville's expression and her reluctance to elaborate, he considered the truth behind those scars to be deep and unpleasant. It would serve no good to pry.

"My curiosity not medically relevant. Consider it withdrawn. Scar tissue has natural tendency to itch. Please let me know if this is an issue. Have soothing balm."

Not caring to linger on what suddenly turned to an unpleasant line of discussion, he continued her checklist.

"That small observation aside, a stellar bill of health, Lilaena. Some envy elicited. Wish rest of crew was in your shape."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

De'Ville resisted scratching her shoulder again, and nodded. "The power of clean living." She hesitated. "Is that all then?"

Not so bad after all. You would have thought that Vek Vek was going to invasively examine the crew with a rubber glove from the way the crew was acting.

[Vek Vek]

He nodded.

"As stated. Examination brief and noninvasive."

He hung on for a beat, almost as if leaving the metaphorical door open.

"If there is anything you wish to discuss. Please be aware of my open door policy. Also, cooperative patient."

He retrieved a lollypop from his jar.

"Seek to reinforce behavior. Thank you."

[Lilaena De'Ville]

She stared at the candy as though she'd never seen anything like it before, and then reached out and took it.

"Thank you," she said simply, and ducked out of the medbay, lollipop tucked into her pocket.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Having a moment in between combat drills, Cirr excused himself from the bridge. He noted De'Ville as she passed. They'd hardly shared a word since she'd come on board, but he knew she played Sabacc with her cards close to the chest. It wasn't his style to pry. He'd leave that to Glayde if it had to be done. Nodding as she went by, he ducked into the infirmary.

"Doc, can we make thjis qujick? jI've got a lot gojing on."

[Vek Vek]

The doctor nodded.

"Quick. Yes. Conditional on patient. Do I have cause to extend exam duration?"

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Captain.

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr copped a cocksure smile, miming a flex.

"Best patjient you'll have. That's forr surre."

Vek Vek directed him to stand on the scale for weight and height.

[Vek Vek]

Already, problems. Vek Vek frowned.

"Confidence misplaced, Captain. Weight 135 kilograms. A marked increase since last measure."

He glanced the Captain over, and shook his head.

"Please remove your jacket."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"jI've...jI've been worrkjing out."

Which was true...just not a whole lot of truth. Two hours a week? Yeah, optimistically.

Dutifully, the Captain shed his jacket, and took stock of his situation, quickly sucking in at his middle.

[Vek Vek]

"Born at night, but not last night, Captain. I saw that."

Retrieving a tool designed to map body mass and lean tissue ratios, Vek Vek made quick work of his felinoid superior.

"As suspected. Bodyfat ratio increase. Overweight."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Kaa'lai rra nui sha'leithei che sha. jI'm fjine. jI clearred all my physjical trrajinjing. jI damn surre ljift morre wejight than anyone on my shjip."

Flustered, Cirr's ears started to creep backwards. He accepted defeat by no longer trying to fake the suck-in, at least. He felt casually at his middle. Yeah, like a wad of dough.

His pride skewered, the Cizerack Captain stepped of the scale, pacing a bit, his tail jerking.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek scowled.

"Unacceptable. Not exempt from expectations. More to point, more expectations placed on you. You are Captain. Set example for crew. You demand combat-readiness. This is my sphere of responsibility. Suggest you take your own orders to heart."

He pulled out his PDA, and set to task on creating a file.

"Describe daily dietary intake. An average day."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Cirr thought it over.

"Well usually jI have a namana tarrt forr brreakfast, wjith fourr eggs, jewelfjish tarrtarre, spjice pjie, thrree glasses of blue mjilk..."

His tail looped in a lazy arc as he recalled a typical day.

"Between hourrly checkdowns, maybe everry otherr hourr, jI stop off jin my rready rroom and have uh...fourr...fjive? Fjive sajoi? Yeah, fjive."

His stomach rumbled a little, and he looked a bit embarassed.

"Lunch jis Narr Shaddaan blood sausage, two...err thjrree ljinks. Two frrjied nuna frrjitterrs. Meat rratjion wjith sspjice sauce and hot pjickles. Gorra fjish...oh and jice crream."

[Vek Vek]

With every word, the look Vek Vek gave Cirrsseeto became less and less cordial. If it were any other person, that look might be a prelude to an attempted murder.

"Captain. I will speak frankly. This. Is. Unacceptable."

He made a show of crossing his arms.

"Diet. Enforced now. Calorie count no higher than 2000. Moratorium on simple carbohydrates. Your affinity for them, unusual. Will correct."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

"Uhh..."

Cirr thought about the draconian measures the doctor suggested. Only two thousand calories? How would he live? He would waste away, becoming a shell of his former self, literally deflating in his chair. No carbs? No sweets? No little fried things? No sinful culinary abomination delights from Nar Shaddaa?

Come to think of it, that made a little sense. He wasn't always like this. Before his stint on Layla, he was the poster child of fitness. Of course, he was also eating Cizeri food...

A look of worry flicked across his face.

"Doc, jit's not that easy, jI..."

[Vek Vek]

"...will comply."

Vek Vek jabbed a finger at Cirrsseeto.

"No excuses. No compromises. No bargaining. Cizerack diet fresh, wholesome. Live food, or freshly killed. No additives. Additives unusual to traditional diet. Difficult to process. Stored as fat. You are fat. Fat."

A different tact. He raised a fleshy eyepad.

"Would Lieutenant Quez approve? Doubtful."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Caught absolutely off guard for that, he pointed right back at the doctor.

"Now wajit one mjinute herre. One, that doesn't matterr! Two! Even jif jit djid, and jit doesn't, she ljikes me just the way jI am!"

A moment to think, and his brow knit.

"Why, djid she say somethjing? She sajid somethjing, djidn't she? Oh Saanjarra jI'm doomed."

[Vek Vek]

Putting a temporary end to his bullying, Vek Vek held up a hand.

"No. Doctor patient confidentiality. Would never, ahem, broach subject of that nature. But point remains. Physical desirability a part of romantic relationships. Consider this a suggestion. Off the record. Incidentally, better fitness produces superior stamina and more desirable results during coitus. Pleasing your partner strengthens relationship bonds."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Defeated, the Captain nodded.

"Alrrjight. Fjine. jI'll do what jit takes. You'rre rrjight."

He looked into his doctor's large dark eyes, probing for a sign of something else.

"Djjid you two talk, you know, about us?"

[Vek Vek]

Straightening, Vek Vek coughed politely.

"Doctor patient confidentiality. It would be improper to discuss."

Finally putting an end to this torture, he waved off the topic altogether.

"Blood sample required."

[Cirrsseeto Quez]

Sighing, he rolled up a sleeve.

"Fjine, doc. Empty me drry."

Vek Vek took his necessary blood sample, and quickly secured the needle site with a bandage. Cirr was left fretting over what Lyanie must think of him now. Some kind of waddling Hutt, no doubt. He did his best to swallow down a moment of panic.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek dutifully checked Cirr's blood. A small smile emerged. Surprisingly clean. He of course checked for the presence of Toxoplasmosis. Cirrsseeto was clean.

"Blood work is satisfactory. No pathogens or infections."

He closed down his holoscope, and stood.

"Take suggestions to heart, Captain. Not out of malice. Necessary. Change required. You will thank me later."

He reached to the lollipop jar, paused, and thought better of it.

"Adjust diet. Will schedule additional fitness review in one month."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She had hidden behind the protection given by her rank and the duties that fell with it. She had made many excuses to avoid having to step through those medbay doors for as long as possible.

But even the Commodore could not get herself out of this.

She'd heard the stories that those who'd gone before her had told; some uneventful, and others very much unexpected. The Durwi had made an impression on the crew, there was no questioning it. It was no sense of impending doom that loomed over her, but she was mildly annoyed all the same at having to comply when her position aboard Novgorod was a very temporary one.

With a clipped stride she entered the medbay.

[Vek Vek]

"Ah."

This one needed no introduction. When a Commodore of the Alliance Navy was aboard, you knew.

"s'Ilancy, Loklorien, Commodore. Appreciate prompt attention to medical queries. Good to know there's still time for, ahem, little people."

He looked her over. Human, early 40's perhaps. Scar tissue, and...

"Ocular damage. Combat related I assume? Hmm. This can be remedied. Surprised you've avoided treatment. Does not appear to be recent."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"It is old, yes."

Ignoring the barb concerning her avoidance, s'Il waved off the doctor's mention of repairing her eye.

"My vision does not suffer for it."

[Vek Vek]

He frowned, shaking his head.

"No doubt you've adjusted, but binocular vision necessary for acute depth perception. Two eyes, better than one, so to say."

A fleshy eyepad raised as he tilted his head.

"Can think of less harmful fashion statements if that is your intent."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

An odd look was sent to him, and s'Il opened her mouth to speak before shutting it just as quickly. Her brow knit as she parsed his insistence, and the Lupine gave a frown as she clasped her hands at the small of her back.

"Doctor."

Pulling rank on a medical officer was sometimes questionable, but necessary all the same.

[Vek Vek]

He put up his hands as a slight capitulation.

"Suggestion only. Would improve quality of life. Cannot compel to take procedure obviously."

He frowned.

"Would suggest not playing games of catch in future, but giving orders, reading. Servicable."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her eyes narrowed, her mouth set in a thin line.

"If you are finished... ?"

[Vek Vek]

The doctor coughed.

"Of course. Please stand. Height and weight recording."

He ran down his PDA.

"Complaints of pain, abnormal symptoms or unusual conditions?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I am as healthy as I need to be."

She watched him, realizing now just what it was that had given him such an early reputation amongst the crew.

"I trust that you have received all of my medical files."

She'd sent them after his first comm to her, requesting her compliance with his shipwide order, but had never gotten a response other than more messages that she make her presence known.

[Vek Vek]

His eyes flicked left and right.

"As addendum to your response? Did not read. One moment, will remedy."

He brought up the message on his PDA she had sent, which sure enough had an attachment for medical files. Opening it, he gave it a cursory review.

"Biometrics, yes. Past injury log. Some injuries considerable. I see."

He closed down the file.

"Very well will move on. Which arm for blood extraction?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

She knew this routine, and the Lupine reached up to unbutton her uniform jacket, discarding it on one of the few beds available. Rolling up the sleeve of her left arm, s'Il flexed her hand a few times. It was a song and dance that she'd gone through many times before. Now would be no different.

That he had not bothered to read her files when she sent them was a point of minor annoyance, but the feeling passed just as swiftly as it had come.

[Vek Vek]

He cleaned the needle site fastidiously.

"Curious, noted date of birth on file. Not anticipated. Appearance not consistent with age. Considering your harmful lifestyle, even more of a conundrum."

He arched an eyepad.

"Some Jedi youth trance?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Matching his expression with one of her own, s'Il gave a hrmph

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose."

The needle went in.

"Or it could be that I simply have wonderful genes."

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek groused at that.

"Doubtful. Genetic trends of humans follow determinable rates of decay."

He canted his head.

"Jedi technique involvement intriguing. Possible result of subcellular symbiosis. Benefits from interaction potentially numerous."

With his work collecting blood completed, he bandaged the site and returned to his microscope to process the bloodwork.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"Humans. Cute."

Reaching for her tunic, s'Il made quick work of pulling it on once more. Each button was secured with practiced ease as she idly followed behind the doctor, and with a creeping smile tugging at the edges of her mouth, the Lupine stood beside him. Her hands had once more gone to rest behind her back, and one eyebrow lofted upward as she stared at him.

[Vek Vek]

"Not human?"

He paused, mid-blink.

"Am familiar with most near-humanoid analogues. Do not show deviation. If not, then what?"

As he postulated, the Doctor frowned, looking at his holoscope.

"T-cell count high. Abnormally. Subcellular mitochondria concentrations similarly dense. Curious. Genetic helix classic double shape, indicative of original observation, but..."

He narrowed his eyes.

"...biochemical tampering. Extensive. Modification. Highly modified."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

The smile that'd threatened to overtake her won out over her normal control, but it was a thin smile that she now wore.

"An... improvement."

A brief glance was sent to his microscope before returning to him, and her hands came out to smooth down her tunic sleeves.

"We are done here then, yes?"

[Vek Vek]

An improvement? Vek Vek's frown did not diminish.

"DNA re-written on nearly wholesale level and a synthetic eye is a medical leap too far for you? No Commodore. Not finished. Curiosity not sated. Modification demands explanation."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Her smile froze in place, and the Lupine stilled her movements.

Ever so slowly her features fell to mirror the doctor's, and her back straightened as she stood just a little taller, her shoulders squaring back.

"Explanation a lengthy process," she mimicked his own speech patterns, making sure to sharply enunciate each word. Leaning forward slightly, the Commodore made sure that his attention was fully hers.

"Suggest more than cursory glance at medical records previously provided."

She held his gaze for a short moment before taking pity on him and pulling away once more.

"A changeling of a sort; the proper term is Lupine."

[Vek Vek]

A facial tick.

"I see. Lupine? Had thought such genetic curiosities the product of overactive imaginations. Systemic metamphosis into some manner of quadruped, is it?"

The doctor retrieved a scanner, running it over her body for a better look. He paused, frown deepening.

"Growth plate distribution along skeletal system 700% above normal. Abnormal muscle fiber structure. High concentration of multi-function control cells, like pre-natal stem cells in utero. Elaborate prank this is not."

He looked at her, and shook his head.

"And you spend time as a canine, then? Will need to stock flea dip."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Any thoughts to reprimand the doctor dropped completely from her mind as she simply stared at him in the beginning stages of shock. She looked at the Durwi as though he'd suddenly sprouted a second head from his shoulders.

"I... "

The Lupine gave a quick shake of her head, as if to clear her thoughts and recover.

"Now you just wait a damn minute -"

[Vek Vek]

"Are you cognizant of your functions as a quadruped? Housebroken? Questions need answers."

He began to pace, his scowl deepening.

"Unethical science. Playing God. Parlor tricks. Metamorph into dog. Metamporph into teacup. Demeaning. Debasing. Cruel and unusual."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

He paced, and she followed his movements with a look of disbelief.

"I'm... That's not... "

Each time she was cut off with another question and another statement. It was becoming quickly infuriating.

Stepping forward then, she placed herself in his path, jabbing a finger into his chest to halt his movements.

"Stop. Right now. Just stop."

[Vek Vek]

"Stop. Heel. Fetch. Roll over. Play dead."

A quick smile, and then a blank expression.

"Jocular response. Did not elicit humor. Withdrawn."

A long breath, and a long exhale.

"Original query. Housebroken in quadrupedal form?"

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

"I see no reason why that is relevant in any way... "

She pulled her arm away, casting a stern look up at him before capitulating in defeat.

"... yes. Of course. Full mental facilities."

[Vek Vek]

A relieved sigh.

"Then I expect no complications."

Vek Vek paused, and approached her in a more concilatory fashion.

"Understand. Problem not with you as a person. Am sure you are perfectly adequate. Problem with science applied with reckless abandon. This, of course, not for you to control. Simply a product of your creation."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Now it was her turn to be insulted, and the Lupine bristled inwardly. Her arms crossed over her chest, her ears ticking back slightly. Even in disagreement she remained as collected as possible, and given the circumstances s'Il was rather proud of herself.

"Hardly reckless abandon," she grumbled out.

Stepping back, she returned his personal space back to him.

"Made to be better."

[Vek Vek]

"Better? Qualitative analysis called into question. Question your creator's judgment."

Hands on his hips, the Doctor continued grousing.

"Consider many things better. Higher intellect faculties better. Efficient biological processes better. Example. Symbiosis observed between certain sentient life and subcellular collective organelle colonies known as Midichloria. Symbiosis produces transsentient improvements. Jedi, ahem, possibly a lead indicator of a galactic imperative towards higher evolution.

Lupines? Ahem. Not the same. A higher life form created that turns into a lower life form? Mockery of science."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Insult heaped upon insult!

The Lupine barely kept herself from slapping him across his face. Barely.

"Lieutenant Commander."

Her voice was quiet and demanded complete attention.

"I will kindly ask that you keep your opinions to yourself. In turn I will not go searching for a way to have your post changed. I have been hearing murmurs that the Memphis is in need of another doctor... "

[Vek Vek]

Taken aback, the doctor gasped a bit, smoothing his demeanor out immediately.

"Threats. Bullying. Pulling rank. Beg your pardon. I am a man of science. Integrity. Ethics."

He nodded, gesturing with a hand.

"On the other hand. Choose battles. Personal matter for you. Matter of science for me. War of attrition. Wish not to fight. Novgorod my post of choosing. On the front for a reason. Ahem."

He quickly cleared up the work remaining on his PDA.

"Peculiarities notwithstanding, healthy. Commodore."

He quickly procured a lollypop, and paused, in thought.

"Sufficient reward for compliance? Supplemental note, may consider stocking canine treats if preferable."

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Every amount of careful control slipped away. Every amount of restraint fell to the wayside.

And as she stalked from the medbay, s'Il shook out her hand, palm stinging slightly.

The doctor was left in her wake, still holding the lollypop and now in possession of a growing patch of reddening skin on the side of his face.

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan waited until Loklorien went past. He knew her well enough that she had been insulted.

"Hi." Morgan said to the doctor in a warm tone. All of his medical data was classified, because of his Jedi status. The only real concern for him was the needles, as they didn't penetrate the layers of graphene just below his skin well.

The redness of the doctors face confirmed Morgan's earlier theory. Lok was a Jedi, but she was also a Lupine, and it was complicated.

[Vek Vek]

"Greetings, er..."

He waved his PDA over Morgan's badge. It returned nothing. Tried again. Nothing.

"...clerical error. Personnel file missing. Name?"

[Morgan Evanar]

"Morgan Evanar. I'm a Jedi, so it's classified above Top Secret, need to know, that sort of thing." He explained. Vek Vek looked slightly Annoyed.

"Ah. Jedi." the Doctor's tone was neutral, but skeptical. He marked Morgan's name down into his pad, and pointed at the scale. Morgan slipped his shoes off and stood on the scale. 129.72 kilos.

[Vek Vek]

He could feel one side of his face swelling, but simply frowned past it, putting away the lollipop reserved for Lok s'Ilancy as he filled out Morgan's charts.

Vek Vek started recording biometrics, and his demeanor began to change.

"Height and weight combined with body composition. Optimal. More than optimal. Impressive specimen."

He began his checklist.

"How do you feel? Atypically symptomatic? Localized pain? Peculiarities with bodily functions lately?"

[Morgan Evanar]

"I'm feeling great, actually. I've had my daily ration upped to 7,000 calories recently and I finally put on some weight." Morgan said.

[Vek Vek]

"Seven thous..."

Fleshy eyepads went up in unison.

"Ahem."

He again returned to his PDA.

"Metabolic rate: astronomical. No signs of colorectal parasite infestation manifest themselves. Will check heart rate and blood pressure."

A few moments to set up the test, and Vek Vek was puzzled by still perfect readings.

"Readings within healthy criteria. Now, blood work."

[Morgan Evanar]

"Sure, but get a heavy duty needle. I've got a few layers of graphene below the skin."

"Graphene?" Vek Vek repeated, and switched out needles for something heavier.

[Vek Vek]

"Unusual modification. Seen some paranoid politicians with similar. Paranoid and affluent. Hmm. Large gauge needle. Some bruising likely."

Finding a needle more suited for an IV draw than a blood stick, Vek Vek secured the most sure-bet vein he could find, and put his back into the job. After a few mutual grunts, the blood began to flow.

"Appreciate candor from patient. Any other creative modifications I should be aware of?"

[Morgan Evanar]

Morgan paused in thought.

"I was born this way. I'm not modified. Mom's got the same stuff. Kaminoans." Morgan said with a shrug.

"Metabolism, much denser muscle fiber, carbon fiber bones, carbon nanotube nervous system, my feet are different and uh, a dog-like blood doping mechanism. I'm probably forgetting something."

Morgan blinked.

"Oh yeah, nictitating membranes."

[Vek Vek]

Throughout all this, Vek Vek took notes.

"Aware of Kaminoans work. Respect. Ethics, ahem...mallleable, but brilliant minds."

He looked over the blood work and over what information the Jedi gave him.

"Modifications acceptable. Improvements. Working toward higher life form. Jedi midichloria symbiosis similar in parallel. Evolutionary imperative. Ahem, in theory."

[Morgan Evanar]

"Well, an army moves on it's stomach, an army of me would have been incredibly expensive. It's a helluva trade-off." Morgan said.

"I'm surprised they didn't give me claws." He added with a laugh.

[Vek Vek]

The doctor absently felt at the slapped side of his face.

"Careful what you wish for, er, for sake of others."

Something in the blood work troubled him. He looked back to the Jedi.

"Personal question. Contact with felinoid species on intimate nature? Aware of nature of personal interactions on warship. Be advised, confidentiality of utmost importance to me."

[Morgan Evanar]

"Uh... yeah." Morgan rubbed his neck and smiled sheepishly. Right now he was happy he healed so quickly. Mara had been a biter and a scratcher.

He was surprised the entire ship didn't know about it given how loud they had been. Or at least known about Mara. As far as he knew, no one had noticed him. It likely had sounded more like a fight than a sexual encounter. Except for the moaning.

"Is there something wrong?" He asked.

[Vek Vek]

"Probably nothing."

He blurted out, looking at the blood work.

"Probably."

Turning back to Morgan, the Doctor twisted his mouth a bit, trying to figure out how to address this.

"Am a physician aboard a naval warship. On Dantooine would say, not my first rodeo. As such, social diseases are a fact of life. One moment."

He retrieved a pamphlet from his desk, and handed it to the Jedi.

Toxoplasmosis and You: It's perfectly normal

"Malady carried by many species of felinoids. Non-lethal. No outwardly visible symptoms or observable losses of function. Compared to what I've seen, walk in a park. Likely you will never notice any change in quality of life."

[Morgan Evanar]

"Oh." Morgan leafed through the pamphlet quickly and shrugged. Considering his immune system, he wasn't worried.

"I'll let you know if anything changes." Morgan took out a ration bar and bit a third of it off, and started to chew with mechanical efficiency.

[Vek Vek]

Well, that was good. The patient took the news well.

"Ah. Well. Yes."

Usually there was the coping process to deal with. Always messy. Vek Vek disliked messes. So this was positively golden. A smile, and he reached for his lollipop jar.

"For your trouble."

[Morgan Evanar]

"Isn't it ironic that you're giving out unrefined sugar?" Morgan asked, but already had the thing out of the wrapper and his mouth. Not that anything would come of it for him.

[Vek Vek]

Morgan had a point. And when application of such a treat proved counter-productive (such as for Captain Raurrssatta) it was witheld. He had no such worries with a man eating seven thousand calories a day.

Confidently, he held up a finger to correct Morgan as he left.

"Ah. Compliance regulator. Very effective."

[Mara Tallen]

She arched a brow at Morgan as she passed him in the hallway, walking backwards as he continued on. Damn.

Such a fine view even with clothes in the way.

Spinning around as she reached the doorway, Mara entered the infirmary with a smile curling her lips. "Doctor, I'm pleased to meet you."

[Vek Vek]

"Facetious response?"

He inhaled sharply upon seeing his new patient.

"Reputation precedes me, no doubt. Aware of reputation. Humorous intent?"

Running his PDA over her ident badge, he now had a name for the face.

"Tallen, Mara, Captain."

[Mara Tallen]

"Your reputation does precede you, however, I meant it sincerely. I prefer to stay on the good side of those who patch me up after missions."

Mara replied honestly, clipping her badge back to her belt. Fingers smoothed out her shirt. Still a Captain. She should have ranked higher by now in her career, but such was her lot in life.

[Vek Vek]

He examined her dossier.

"Felacatian. Female. Last observation, ahem, obvious."

He looked up at her, eyes narrowing.

"Racial proclivity to hyperspace insertion. Not problematic?"

[Mara Tallen]

"Not hugely so. It helps if I spend a certain amount of time per day in my feline form. I'm only half Felacatian, otherwise it would be a larger problem."

She replied honestly, hands clasped behind her.

[Vek Vek]

"Can prescribe sedative. Please inform if morphology is problematic."

He gestured to the scale.

"Will measure biometrics. Have you been symptomatic or shown any abnormal functionality?"

[Mara Tallen]

"I will let you know."

Mara said as she stepped up onto the scale. Arching a brow, she watched the little screen as her data scrolled across it. Apparently she'd gained a couple of pounds since the last time she'd weighed in. Instead of her usual one hundred sixty-five, she was nearly one hundred seventy. She shrugged and looked up at Vek.

"Nothing out of the ordinary."

[Vek Vek]

"Will be the judge of that, Captain."

He gestured for her to exit the scale. Glancing momentarily over his PDA, he continued.

"Dossier says you are a demolitions expert. Experience danger-close concussions?"

[Mara Tallen]

She nodded and stepped back, giving his question some thought.

"Two that I'm aware of. One happened three years ago on Coruscant. And then there was the one three months ago. Location should be in my file...I don't remember much about that day."

[Vek Vek]

The doctor seemed a little troubled by her lack of clarity.

"Lack of clarity disconcerting. Concussive force affects mental faculties in unpredicted ways. Would be interested in performing comprehensive cranial scan to determine degree of mental faculty decay."

[Mara Tallen]

"A comprehensive scan? I wouldn't mind. I've had a series of headaches since then as well, that I'm sure are related."

Mara's brow furrowed slightly as she tried to think back and found the day still among the missing.

[Vek Vek]

He examined her eyes with a pen light before setting the cranial scanner on her head.

"Dilation response time nominal. Please track light's movement...also nominal response. Thank you."

He placed the scanner on Mara's head, and turned it on.

"Scan takes several minutes. Please refrain from excess movement and remain calm. Will ask questions during scan."

His monitor began to pick up the felacatian's brain waves.

"Please give a list, to best knowledge, of demolition compounds you are exposed to."

[Mara Tallen]

"Alright."

Mara sat perfectly still, her movement limited to the deep, rhythmic breaths she took for several moments before she spoke again.

"I tend to use things that have already been created into grenades and bombs, but on occasion I do use compounds to create my own. Most often, it's baradium nitrate, carbonite, derilium, and detonite."

[Vek Vek]

Her mental faculties showed nominal. No abnormal signs of cognitive lag. As he monitored her signs, he responded to her input.

"Carbonite not problematic. Inert until concussively combined with binary reagent. Baradium nitrate, ah, pyrophoric. No caustic lesions on hands? Protection worn when use? Good good. Derillium and detonite both toxic and carcinogenic. Will do blood test to determine exposure coefficient."

[Mara Tallen]

"I have used both derillium and detonite most often in the last six months, and taken about as many precautions as I could. But working with the compounds in the field under enemy fire isn't exactly ideal."

Mara replied, while pushing up her sleeve. The scars from her time with the Pathfinders hadn't all disappeared yet. Most notable was the ragged line that extended from her wrist to her elbow, where shrapnel had hit her during an explosion. The field medic at the time hadn't had much finesse, but frankly, he'd gotten the durasteel shards out and that was all that mattered.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek frowned at the scarring.

"Disfiguration not optimal. Can correct with rigorous bacta salve application and dermal reconstitution. In, ahem, ten short sessions?"

He shrugged.

"Appear to be a woman who keeps herself in presentable appearance. Wrong to overlook."

[Mara Tallen]

"Only ten?"

Mara blinked and looked down at the scar. It really was terrible looking, she'd just become so accustomed to its presence that she didn't 'see' it anymore.

"I would like that. Frankly, the only reason it scarred so badly is that the field medic didn't have the skill to set it properly after removing the shrapnel."

[Vek Vek]

"Rarely do." he groused.

"Field work. Contain. Stabilize. Make suitable for transport. Not a.."

He emphasized with air quotes.

"...beauty contest."

The banter was proving useful enough with the cranial scan, and he momentarily checked his data before proceeding to prep a needled for a blood draw.

"Speaking of beauty. Aware of desirable morphology in alien species. Aforementioned. Novogorod has, ahem, reputation for...fraternization."

He arched a fleshy eyepad as he pulled the sheath from the needle.

"Not my intent to insinuate. Only observe. Recommend caution."

[Mara Tallen]

"I appreciate your candor."

She replied simply and nodded, careful not to move to much and dislodge the scanner.

Mara watched as the needle slid into her arm and the little attached vial began to fill with her blood. She'd never been squeamish about needles, then again, she'd never really been squeamish about much in general.

[Vek Vek]

"Wise to hold appreciation post-procedural."

He slid a pane of blood sample below his scope, and gave his lower lip a tell-tale clck.

"My nemesis, persistent."

[Mara Tallen]

Mara's features sported a grin for a brief moment, before returning to a more neutral expression. She took deep, rhythmic breaths and held herself still after rolling her sleeve back down.

"Dare I ask what persistent nemesis you've discovered in my blood?"

[Vek Vek]

With practice, Vek Vek produced a Toxoplasmosis and You pamphlet for his patient.

"Social disease. Felinoid-borne. Non fatal. No quality of life degradation, er, probably."

His frown deepened.

"Nemesis in that transmission becoming a war of attrition aboard this ship. Proliferation, ahem, naval tradition."

[Mara Tallen]

She let the thought roll around in her mind as she eyed the pamphlet in Vek's hand. It took a second circuit around her mind as her amber gaze dropped to the floor for a brief moment.

"Morgan?"

She cursed under her breath and then smoothed out her expression as she met Vek's gaze again. "Wonderful. Anything else of interest in those results?"

[Vek Vek]

"Hypothesis supported."

He quickly inhaled at her admission, blinking.

"Derillium levels in blood predictably marked. Concerned about iron levels. Has debilitative effect at prolonged dose. Will correct with medication."

He shrugged.

"Minor correction."

Her brain scan also came clean, which was the most relief to the doctor. Cranial trauma had no easy fixes.

"Do you smoke?"

[Mara Tallen]

Mara nodded and shifted as she was finally free to move, twisting to adjust the knot that had formed in the small of her back. Well. This was going to be a wonderfully awkward conversation to have with Morgan, wasn't it. Fingers lifted to pinch the bridge of her nose as she contemplated precisely how to go about it.

"Smoke? No, I never have. Why?"

[Vek Vek]

He pointed at her.

"Because they kill."

Half-blinking, he continued.

"In your line of work. Ahem. Combustibles. Unstable compounds. Ahem. Open flames."

He dipped his head slightly.

"Also cancer, but intended query to remain jocular. Physician humor."

[Mara Tallen]

Mara shook her head and did utter a small laugh, her expression melting into a smile. "I sadly didn't even see that one coming."

[Vek Vek]

He arched an eyepad.

"Which reminds. Colorblindness common genetic trait in Felacatians. Susceptible?"

[Mara Tallen]

"No, thankfully. Otherwise, I'd have blown myself up years ago by cutting the wrong wire. Although, as I understand it, colorblindness did afflict my mother, so perhaps I'm merely a carrier for the trait."

She replied after thinking about it, trying to recall anything else her father might have mentioned about her Felacatian family.

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor leaned back, biting at his lower lip at hearing the punchline of his joke intercepted. Was he so transparent? No, that joke was genius. Coincidence, was all.

No matter. He reached for his lollypop jar and opened it, procuring one for the Felacatian.

"Adequate checkup, Captain. Please schedule further treatments for scar tissue and blood therapy at your convenience."

[Mara Tallen]

"I will. Thank you, Doctor."

Mara smiled, taking the proffered pink lollipop. She unwrapped it and happily discovered it was berry flavored as she wandered out of the medbay and down the hall.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

The next patient was marched into the medbay between two Alliance soldiers, with a third escort bringing up the rear. Dressed in a baggy navy jumpsuit, the spotted Cizerack barely lifted her head to look where she was going, concentrating instead on her cuffed wrists. She was pushed in front of Vek Vek unceremoniously, her long blonde hair falling in front of her face.

[Serasai Onashi]

"Hey there, Doc," Onashi said, waving genially to the Durwi. "Wasn't expecting to see ya again so soon, but we've got ourselves a little thing that needs a looking over."

He shot an easy grin at the blonde cizeri girl standing between the two Marines.

"Need to make sure she's not going to contaminate the whole ship with fleas," he said, hoping to get a rise out of her. She was looking a bit depressed.

[Vek Vek]

A prisoner?

Carefully, Vek Vek took her file, scanning it. Raurrssatta, Saarrreeaa. He browsed the document, keeping his eyes fixed to the PDA instead of Onashi, the felinoid, or the marines.

"Please refrain from badgering patients, Mr. Onashi. Cooperation preferable to sedation, always."

Only now did he look up, and he frowned at the cuffs.

"Suppose we are beyond that."

He preferred a private venue to uphold his patient's confidentiality, and prisoners made that tetchy. Absently, he gestured at her face with a stylus.

"Subcutaneous contusion. Advanced swelling. Injury recent."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"A few weekss ago," she said quietly. "jYourrr captajin hjit me." Saa didn't have access to any sort of mirror, so she had no idea what the bruising looked like now. She looked sideways at Onashi, and glared at him venomously before returning her gaze to her hands.

[Serasai Onashi]

"I want to hit you for being so moody. Get over it girl and let the doctor do his job, eh?"

Onashi grunted and leaned back against the wall, much more at ease than the two Marines.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek frowned, saying nothing. He simply blinked at Onashi.

"Mr. Onashi."

He held up a syrette for emphasis.

"Please refrain from interacting with my patient. Prefer not to enforce non-interaction myself."

He gestured to the guards.

"Feel free to stand guard outside. Examination will be prompt and timely."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Her ears flattened against her skull as Onashi spoke to her, but she said nothing, waiting for the doctor or whatever it was in front of her to address her directly. The tip of her tail flicked, however, and if he'd been fluent in tail sign he would have been very insulted.

[Vek Vek]

At last granted some moment of silence from the mercenary, Vek Vek looked to Saarrreeaa, still with a disapproving look on his face.

"First aid priority. Will attend to injury."

He reached into a drawer, pulling out a jar of minty-smelling salve.

"Topical anti-inflammatory. Cooling sensation. Will reduce swelling and localized pain. Please remain still."

Donning gloves, he gingerly scooped a finger full of the salve up and carefully began tracing the contours of her bruised face. He paused a moment, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead.

"Temperature abnormally high. Unusual."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa found herself leaning in as the doctor touched her forehead, but blinked and pulled back as he spoke. "Kree'rrou, Doctorrr. jI am... burrrnjing."

She slumped back glumly, tail limp.

[Vek Vek]

"Ah. Estress."

He completed the task of tending to her injury, wiping the residual on a sterile medical napkin he retrieved from a case on his exam bench. Disposing of that, he looked her over again.

"Heightened libido drive at adolescence onset. Incarceration...problematic to libido imperative."

He paused, contemplating.

"Could sedate."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa waved her hand as best she could with the cuffs on. "Don't botherrr. jI prrractjicalljy don't even notjice anjymorrre. jIt'ss been ljike... almossst a month."

Her eyes glittered a bit. "The lassst gujy wassn't even that grrreat."

[Vek Vek]

"I see."

Relationship counseling, if this could even be called such, was not the Doctor's strong suit. His first instinct was to recommend a tryst of complete utilitarianism, but the Novgorod was probably not at all the healthiest place for this. There were probably protocol issues concerning the treatment of prisoners of war. Nettlesome.

"Recommend against coupling aboard ship. Incarceration aside, ahem, intercourse aboard warships carries risks. Rate of fraternization high. Use of good judgment, low."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She shrugged, and lifted her hands to her face. The bruise felt much better. Saa caught her breath for a moment, and then sighed softly. "jIss that jit? jI'd ljike to go back to mjy cell."

And awajy frrom all thesse ssmellss. She could smell Onashi standing in the room, and the lingering odor of the two Marines who'd been sent outside. It was... unbearable.

[Vek Vek]

He shook his head.

"Not complete. Must ascertain acceptable level of health."

The doctor gestured to the scale so he could record her biometrics.

"Even prisoners have expectation to acceptable biological functions. Please to stand."

[Serasai Onashi]

This was boring. Much more boring than he'd thought it would have been. But he'd jumped at the chance, and now was saddled with seeing it through. Though the doctor's awkwardness was entertaining to a point, he'd wanted to see more of this girl's fire and spirit.

It seemed she'd been dampened somewhat.

Onashi frowned and thought about what insults would get her hackles up the quickest.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She stood on the scale, straightened as much as she could, and looked at the numbers. She was flirting with one hundred pounds, which meant she'd lost about ten since her illegal incarceration. Saa wobbled a bit with her hands still bound, and reached for something to grab hold of for balance.

Unfortunately, the only thing in reach happened to be organic and happened to go by the name Onashi. She felt her hand touch his arm, and then she violently pushed away, stumbling off the scale and staggering into the doctor. Startled, the alien put his hands on her shoulders to hold her upright and to also put a respectful distance between them. She shivered at the touch, a purr rumbling in her throat before she could stop it.

[Vek Vek]

"Audible cavitation, ahem, physical stimuli promoting. Estress advanced in intensity and sensitivity."

He half-blinked.

"Flattered. Er. I think."

He checked her readings, unhappy with the result.

"Body mass below mean consistent with racial norms. Suggest caloric supplement to counteract atrophy."

This also presented some problems. Live or raw meat was ideal in a Cizerack diet. It was also fickle to stock on a warship. It wouldn't be pleasant, but you could approximate the nutrient load-out through other means.

"Your, ah, jacket. Please remove. Need blood sample."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She looked at him steadily, and then held her cuffed hands out toward Onashi. "jI need mjy handsss."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi nodded, and proceeded to unshackle the Cizerack girl.

Only he did so with the slowest, most unnecessary movements possible. He gripped her hands and proceeded to run one down her arm while unhooking the keys from his belt. Undoing one part of the binders, he ran his thumb over the area where it had been, as if smoothing away any chafing. Finally, he took the unfastened binders and held them loosely.

"There ya go," he said with a wink.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She closed her eyes when he took a hold of her hands, trying to think about something - anything else, but having her eyes closed made it worse. Oh, much, much worse. Saa's eyes snapped open and she tried to glare at him, but ohhhh, noooo...

When he finally released his hold on her, her whole body was rigid and her teeth were grinding so hard it was audible. Saa turned stiffly to face the doctor, shrugging out of her prison blues jacket and dropping it on the floor.

[Vek Vek]

The doctor placed a hand on Onashi's shoulder, then on Saa's, stepping in between the two in order to diffuse a situation that was obviously on collision course.

"Mr. Onashi. Suggestion for optimal orderly infirmary. Patient in advanced estress. Please do not, ahem, handle."

He looked back at her, the fleshpads over his eyes knitting.

"For everyone's sake."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi grinned and jangled the binders in his fingers as he stepped back and watched the process continue. She'd have an aneurism if she continued to hold back that much. She needed something to calm her down.

He narrowed his eyes in thought and filed away an idea for later.

"Sure thing, doc," he said. "Wouldn't want to have to hold little miss Spitfire here down for ya. She might swoon."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Sswoon?!" Saa shouted, whirling around. "jIn jyourrr drrreamsss jyou -" Her jaw snapped shut and she took a deep breath, putting her hands to her temples. Goddess but she wanted to fuck that smile right off his face. Wait, what?

[Vek Vek]

"Mister Onashi. Know exact CC dosage to sedate for a week. Patience tested. Syrette within arms reach."

He looked back to Onashi, his eyes narrowing as membranes drew upwards.

"Unconscious mercenaries not paid."

Readying his needle, he held it before Saarrreeaa cautiously.

"Would appreciate it if you would not consider this some exotic derivative of foreplay. I am a Doctor."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa narrowed her eyes at the forrrda doctor, but rolled up her sleeve and held her arm out stiffly. His odd fingers poked at the crook of her arm, and then the needle was in with very little pain. She watched her blood fill a vial, and quietly held a cotton ball on the site as the doctor went to go look at one of his machines.

She didn't turn her back on Onasshji, but she didn't look at him either. She very obviously didn't look at him at all.

[Serasai Onashi]

His eyebrows rose.

"Foreplay? Come on, doc. She's gotta be barely sixteen, seventeen at most. I'd break her," he said thoughtlessly, leaning back against the wall and inspecting his nails. "Besides, foreplay wastes time. If I don't need it, I don't do it."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Jussst ssstop talkjing about jit." Saa growled, almost under her breath. She found a chair behind her and sat in it, covering her face with her hands while she waited for the doctor to finish examining her blood.

[Vek Vek]

Doctors weren't immune to prejudices, so the first thing Vek Vek tested for in Saa's blood was toxoplasmosis.

"Hmm."

He blinked. Clean. Well, a pleasant surprise for once. Of course at the rate they were going, he doubted she'd make it off the ship unblemished. She tested positive for Selonitis, but there were several possible avenues of transmission on that disease, and most species ended up dealing with a bout of it in some form or another before adolescence. True to form, the signs he found in her blood were beaten into dormancy. Apparently kree-rrou had a stimulative effect on the immune system, the benefits of which were obvious. This helped to underscore some of the weight loss he'd observed at least. No signs of gastrointestinal parasites, which was always a relief.

"Results ready."

He rose from his seat, gesturing for Saa to follow him as he walked beyond Onashi's earshot. The mercenary may have to keep eyes on the prisoner, but she was still his patient, and he still demanded she have certain sacrosanct rights.

"A moment alone, please."

His voice low, he confided in her.

"Results impressive. Generally satisfied with level of health. Some minor illness recovery, but immune response very prompt. Weight loss, headaches, yes, trace symptoms aforementioned. Treatment not necessary."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of what he was telling her. "Sso... that'ss jit?" She craned her neck to make eye contact with him. "jI mjight djie jif thejy lock me back up. Pleassse. Tell the... captajin jI need to be rrreleassed."

She shuddered. "jI've neverrr hearrrd of sssomeone gojing wjithout sssex durrrjing kree-rrou beforrre. jIt'ss... awful. jI can't eat. jI can't ssleep wjithout drrreamjing about jit, whjich makess jit worrrse. Pleassse..." She put a hand on the doctor's arm.

[Vek Vek]

Vek Vek scowled, glancing back towards Onashi quickly. The human was watching them, but didn't appear to be within earshot. He turned back to Saarrreeaa, whispering.

"Estress cycle natural. Fraternization not optimal, but alleviation possible. Can supply sonic oscillation, ahem, device. Sturdy. Also oils and lubrication both hypoallergenic and heat stimulating."

Her hand was tightening on his arm, and he coughed a bit.

"Erotic media, multi-species capable, interactive holographic programs."

Vek paused, taking a short and sharp inhalation as he blinked.

"Medical authority has special bounds. In brig, can insist on adequate privacy measure. Think of as prescription. Different prescription."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She stared at him, a horrified expression slowly creeping over her face. "jI... what... no, jI jusst need..."

Saa wasn't sure what to say. It would be better than nothing, but only barely. Her ears drooped. She was never going to get laid, again, ever.

[Vek Vek]

As she sulked, Vek Vek looked at her neck, just below the jawline. Deep in thought, he reached forward, pivoting her head to the side slightly.

"Hmm. Inflammation. Localized. Feel any lingering throat pain?"

He retrieved a pen light from his jacket, and gestured at her mouth.

"Open please."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"No pajin," she snapped, but finally opened her mouth, allowing him to look in past her sharp teeth.

[Vek Vek]

Careful not to get close enough to be overly intrusive or to invite trouble, he angled the light to afford the best view of the back of her mouth and throat. Behind the last few teeth on each side, a familiar swollen redness could be seen.

"Tonsil inflammation. Early stage. Suggest removal."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She jerked back, putting a hand to her throat. "What!? No, no... jyou can't take them out. jI mean... don't jI need them? Can't jI jussst take a pjill orrr sssomethjing?!"

Saa had been feeling a bit scratchy in her throat lately, but with all her other symptoms she'd barely noticed.

[Vek Vek]

He backed off scratching the side of his head in confused.

"Antibiotic treatment of inflammation possible. Superfluous. Advise against. Pathogenic immunities always possible side effect of medicinal abuses."

Vek Vek shook his head.

"Besides, tonsilar tissue, evolutionary dead end. No appreciable purpose. Presence exacerbates aforementioned infection opportunities. Removal generally prudent. Quick procedure. Sedation. Over and done in thirty minutes."

He smiled.

"Ice cream afterward."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Get me a male to enjojy afterrrwarrrdsss and jyou can keep jyourrr jice crrream." Saa didn't take her hand from her throat. Leave a part of her here? On the Novgorod? Suddenly she became aware of Onashji's eyes boring into her back.

She squared her shoulders, putting her hands on her hips. "Whateverrr, take them out, keep 'em jin a jarrr, jit doesssn't botherrr me. jI jussst wanted to be ssurrre jit wass necesssarrjy."

[Serasai Onashi]

"Nothing wrong, is there?" Onashi asked, watching with a small modicum of interest as the girl's hand went to her throat. He was mainly killing time and boredom.

"If she needs someone to pick up pads or those things you stick in for her bloods, count me out," he said, opting for the rudest comment that popped into his head.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"Nothjing that concerrrnss jyou, forrrda," Saa snapped.

[Vek Vek]

Putting a hand on her shoulder to steady her temper, Vek turned back to Onashi, half-blinking.

"Mr. Onashi. Remind me to run behavioral tests. On you. Tourettes Syndrome. Neurological impediments lowering inhibitions."

He scratched his chin.

"Alternatively, muzzle."

[Serasai Onashi]

He held up his hands, though his smirk never left his face.

"No muzzling needed, doc," he said with a laugh, before miming out zipping his mouth shut.

[Vek Vek]

With that crisis momentarily settled, the Doctor returned his full attention to Saa, gesturing for her to lie on the examination table.

"Please lie back and relax. Will administer gas and injected sedation. Have music available to elicit relaxation."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

She swallowed hard, and then hopped up on the medical bed, her tail curled slightly around the outside of her leg as she reclined. Saa's head turned a little and she regarded Onashi with a baleful gaze as the doctor put a plastic mask by her delicate nose.

Her eyes slowly closed.

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor worked fastidiously, not caring to prolong the felinoid's ordeal. Tonsil tissue was excised and discarded, thankfully with little pus discharge as the infected tissue had been discovered early.

Within a span of perhaps twenty minutes, Saarrreeaa was drained, cauterized, sutured, and packed full of wadding. It was a textbook procedure. At last, the Durwi physician stood straight, and removed his rubber gloves. He noticed Onashi still standing where he was, gawking.

"Patient performed admirably. Needs time to recover. Anesthesia will soon lapse."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi shrugged, and took a few steps toward her.

"Great. Are we going to wake her up, or am I going to have to carry her back to her cell? I don't feel like waiting."

[Vek Vek]

The Doctor frowned. Onashi's brusque insistence on action defied medical convention.

"Rest. Recovery. If you wish to observe, do so. Still my patient. Still under care."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Some time later...

Saa stirred restlessly, her eyes opening slowly and blinking against the light. She rolled her head to the side and her nostrils flared slightly as she inhaled, a heady, musky scent with a tinge of sweat and impatience. She licked her lips and reached out with one hand, grabbing the front of the male's shirt and pulling him close to her with a surprisingly strong arm.

The other hand went into his hair, pulling his face down and she locked lips with him, her tail pressing into his crotch as she manhandled him onto the bed with her.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi had gotten bored. Very bored. Watching the spitfire asleep wasn't nearly as entertaining as bothering her awake.

He even took a nap, waking up before the girl. Thankfully by that time the doc was gone, though truthfully the mercenary was surprised. He'd have thought the doc to be wary enough to stay in the med-bay whenever there were others there.

Finally losing his control, he stood and marched over to the girl, intent on picking her up and carrying her back to her cell; only she awakened and started smothering him with her lips.

Now if only she wasn't so strong; she wasn't so strong as to hold him there against his will, but it was getting difficult. He grinned against the 'amorous' cizerack girl's lips and had his hands drift down to squeeze her ass tightly, and adding a little pinch for good measure.

If she was still up for a good round of sex after that, he'd just have to do the deed and settle her addled mind down then.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Her claws emerged from her fingertips, little sharp pinpricks against his skin as she straddled him, her eyes still half closed. Saarrreeaa ran her hands down his chest, his shirt tearing into ribbons but his skin untouched except for a light scratch or two. The baggy jumpsuit she was wearing was somehow already sagging around her waist, her upper body completely free as she bent over him and licked up the center of his chest while her hands went to work on his belt and pants.

[Serasai Onashi]

He frowned, watching and doing nothing as the girl started to undress him, almost as if she were in a trance. He laid back, and interlocked his fingers behind his head as he watched her work and silently scoring her technique.

After a few moments, Onashi had to give the girl points for enthusiasm.

"Watch the belt now, girl," he said, "I'd hate to have to buy another one."

She ignored him, using that brute strength of hers to start ripping the belt. Onashi's hands flew down to hers, holding them in place with more effort than he'd care to admit. Was this a racial thing, or was she some sort of outlier?

"I said watch the belt, girl. I don't have so many I can afford to lose one," he said, sitting up and fixing her with a glare. She didn't seem to be hearing him. "Hey! You just ruined my shirt, and I wasn't expecting or particularly aroused by it, so you owe me, or you get none of what you're begging for, got it?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

The buckle finally released, without ruining the belt, and Saa growled, a deep throaty purr that vibrated through her whole body. A swift move pulled his pants down just far enough, and she wiggled out of her clothes until the prison blues were hanging on by just one leg. Settling back into his lap while he continued to talk -

Saa clutched at his head, pressing against him as release came almost immediately, her thighs gripping him tightly as she mewled with pleasure. She gasped for air, fingers entwined in his hair, and then she shoved him down on the bed. "Whjy don't jyou jussst sshut up forrr once, forrrda."

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi shrugged, laying back and interlocking his fingers behind his head once again.

"Because I'm being raped right now," the mercenary said blandly. "And you ruined my shirt."

The human grinned and enjoyed the view as she bounced up and down. He didn't stop when her claws poked into his chest. All she got was a raised eyebrow and a titty-twist for good measure.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

"jI'll - bujy! jYou ..anotherrrrrrr," she managed, trying not to think about the fact that she'd grabbed Onasshji and couldn't have stopped herself if she'd tried. Saa ground her pelvis against his, and then gave him a slap on the chest, just hard enough to pink his skin.

"jI thought jyou'd be ljiveljierrr," she groused, still purring almost against her will.

[Serasai Onashi]

"Do you want me to be?" Onashi asked, one brow raised. "Like I said before, I don't know if you can handle me, girl."

It took only a small shift of his weight to move the girl off of him. She fought, and admirably, but Onashi used surprise and his knowledge of joints to pin her face down underneath him.

"Hips higher," he grunted. "Higher. There."

Onashi used the leverage of being above and behind her to begin his own pistoning motions, the sounds of their coitus echoing in the empty room. He grinned. She was all enthusiasm and raw instinct. Once she'd honed herself from the listless rich girl she was, she might be formidable.

He didn't let up in spite of that, though she tried. She could have gotten out of the position easily, but she didn't want to stop, which kept him at an advantage in this little tryst of theirs. He used his knowledge to take her to the Clouds and the Thunder, bringing her up slowly, and keeping her on the edge until she couldn't take it anymore.

And she wanted more. He was surprised, but enjoyably so. He did it again. And again. She nearly ran him ragged, but he managed, barely, to keep up with her sheer drive for sex.

"Heavens above girl, you'd be a dream for a pornography shoot," he said at the end, resting on the cot in a bruised and sore satisfaction.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa panted, her voice hoarse from her vocal enjoyment and recent surgery, lying tangled up on Onashi, their heads at opposite ends of the cot. She felt exhausted, but also completely sated.

"jYou'rrre ...not bad jyourrrsself," she managed, dragging a sheet over herself even though she wasn't ashamed of her body in any way.

[Vek Vek]

Feeling pleased with himself, Vek returned to the infirmary, toting a small carton with him.

"Awake? Have recovery treatment. Felinoids intolerant to lactose writ large, opted for non-dairy. Sorbet. I think you..."

He paused at the sight before him as he stepped into the examination room.

And blinked.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi pushed himself to rest on his elbows in a semi-reclined position, and waved.

"Hey doc," he said, wiggling his toes and scratching an itch on his exposed testicles. "Oh, is that something cold? I need a drink after all this."

He waved his hand to encompass the clothes littering the floor and Saa, laying flat and barely covered by the sheet.

"Is the filter on? Because I'm not feeling much air flow in here."

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa dragged a hand through her mussed hair, and gave the doctor a somewhat triumphant look. Her throat hurt, though, so she didn't say anything.

But... ugh. Onasshji. She wanted to take a shower and wash him off of her. Not that she wouldn't have anyway. Who knew what sort of diseases a mercenary carried around with him?

She stretched languidly as the doctor looked more nonplussed, and her foot brushed against Onashi's side contentedly.

[Vek Vek]

The Durwi's face ticked.

"Pathogens. Sterilization necessary."

He reached to a lever on the wall and pulled it, triggering a disinfectant spray shower from the nozzles overhead, which was designed to quickly clean contaminants from the room. The result was a brief deluge, which the doctor calmly extricated himself from, taking the sorbet with him.

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saarrreeaa gasped and spluttered under the sudden cold downpour, her body retracting into a fetal position until the spray had ceased.

[Serasai Onashi]

Onashi shivered under the cold spray and sat up completely, hopping off the medical table and stretching, completely without a care that he was completely naked.

"Might want to warm that stuff up, doc," the mercenary answered, pulling up his damp trousers and pulling them on. He picked up his shirt and grunted, tossing it to the side, and belted his trousers on; he shoved his socks into his boots and used a small string to tie them together.

With that done, he picked up the binders and keys, and turned back to the covered Saarrreeaa.

"Time to go, girl," he said. "See if we can't salvage any of your clothing, eh? Else you'll be giving a large part of the ship a free show. Figure you wouldn't want to, since you're not hunting any of 'em, eh?"

[Saarrreeaa Raurrssaatta]

Saa grumpily gathered up her wet and baggy jumpsuit and hurried into it, zipping it up in one long motion. Hunting. He really knew nothing.

Her long blond hair hung down in bedraggled ropes around her face as she held out her wrists for the binders. Onashi snapped them on, gave her a tug forward, and she started walking. "Thank jyou forrr the check up, Doc," she purred as they passed the scandalized alien.