Part of USS Altai: Spectres in the Dust

Following Doctors Orders

Sickbay
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Concerned about the disturbing dreams he’s been having, Alton decided to talk to someone, so he decided to speak to the doctor.

Alton walked into sickbay.

Dr. Atticus Randall looked up from his tricorder when Alton walked in and gave him a polite nod.. He was busy preparing for receiving casualties from the away mission. “Nurse Jacobs would would you please prep the surgical ward for disruptive type injuries.  I’ll need extra plasma on hand,  oh and get the medical records of everyone on the away team. That ought to save us a few seconds in a crisis.”

“Yes Doctor,” the nurse replied. She turned and started making preparations just in case.

Alton saw the nurse walked by and watched her until she left the room.

Doctor Randall approached Alton  looking him up and down. “Ensign Alton Jackson.  Security and tactical if I’ not mistaken. I’m Dr. Randall.  What can I do for you today?” He greeted the man despite having never been formally introduced. “If you are here for your physical it will have to wait.  Besides I saw nothing in your medical records of concern.   You did go through the ship’s transporter bio-filters before coming on board didn’t you?”

“Hello, doctor. I arrived via shuttle, but I got an all clear from my last assignment.” he responded. “Actually sir, I’d like to talk about the dreams I’ve been having lately. They do say that a doctor is part doctor, bartender and therapist.” Alton slightly smiled at his little joke. 

Doctor Randall considered Alton for a moment. Picking up a tricorder Randall started scanning his patients, “So tell me about these dreams?”

“It starts with me waking up in a crashed shuttle pod. I look around for anyone else, but I’m alone. I grab some supplies and leave the pod. I look around and I see snowcapped mountains in one direction, a desert in another and dense forest in another. So, I start walking along the boundry of the forest, keeping an eye out for animals. I camp for the night, lighting a fire with my phase pistol and in the morning, I resume walking.” Alton paused. “I find a farm with humanoid farmers. They appeared human, but they had no nose, just 2 nostrils on the face. I started to approach slowly, then more come out of a building. Suddenly, a group of helmeted riders appear. Their mounts are strange looking horses. The leader of the group starts to yell at me, but the universal translator on my communicator wasn’t working. The riders were carrying these long pike’s with sharp ends. Two riders started toward me, I shot them, stunning them. They fell off their horses. The rest of the riders surrounded me, and when one approached, I shot them. I walked over and removed their helmet….it was a human female! The leader started coming towards me, slowly. I kept my pistol at my side. The leader removed his helmet, and he was a human male. He was talking slowly, and kept coming closer. One of the other riders came up behind me and knocked me out.” He paused again. “When I woke, I was in a large room, on a bed. Someone walked in with a tray of food and left it at the end of the bed. I tried it…it was passable in taste. When I finished, a human female, with 2 guards, entered the room and approached me slowly. She motioned for the guards to stay at the door. Then she started talking to me…in English. She said they were the descendants of a lost human colony, and that all of the males were sterile…..and that I was going to be the one to get all the women pregnant!! That’s when I woke up screaming.” He paused one last time. “So, am I crazy doctor?”

“As a physician and not a psychologist I fear I am unqualified to answer that question,  but in my opinion no.”  He completed the scan and snapped the tricorder shut.  “There are no signs of physical brain damage or any kind of telepathic attack.  Your neuro transmitter levels are within normal ranges, and I don’t detect any form of psychotropic narcotics in your system.” Randall crossed his arms and took in Alton, “That doesn’t mean the readings aren’t anomalous.  I will compare them to your medical records.  In the meantime I prescribe a cup of chamomile tea before bed, and limit visual and auditory stimuli an hour or so before falling asleep.”

Randall turned to his cart of supplies,  “I did detect elevated adrenaline levels. Most likely in response to said dream.” Loading a hypospray he pressed it to his neck. “That should lower those levels and make your adrenal glad less susceptible to stimuli. In the meantime I suggest you seek out our Counselor who is on loan from Starbase 86. She seems quite qualified if not a little Gung-ho. Dreams are not exactly a hard science.  Much like most things in psychology. However, some say it’s your subconscious mind working out a problem or fulfilling some sort of fantasy.   I don’t know if I believe that, but safe intercourse is generally good for people. Especially for young males such as yourself. It couldn’t hurt, even if it’s just a holo-suite visit.”

Alton was okay with his diagnosis but surprised he would make such a recommendation concerning intercourse. “Thank you doctor. I will make an appointment with the counselor at her convivence. As far as the second thing,” he looked around, “are there any females who you could recommend?” he smiled.

“That my friend is on you,” Randall replied. “I am even less competent match maker than I am a psychologist I’m afraid.”

“Thanks doc, I’ll see what I can do.” Alton waved as he left, and saw the nurse standing over a console. He decided to go over and introduce himself.

Randall smirked.   He wouldn’t stop the liaison.  He wasn’t ether’s parent, and to be completely honest that particular nurse had been rather uptight as of late, and maybe this would do her some good.  Either that or he’d get slapped,  and there was an entertainment value in that. Either way win win.

Alton approached the nurse. “Hello. I hope I’m not disturbing you with your duties.”

The nurse looked up from her PADD as she was doing an inventory.  “Yes you are,” she said simply.   It wasn’t a complete brush off, but she wasn’t inviting either.

“Then I apologize for that.” he turned to leave, but quickly turned back. “Cause I was wondering if a beautiful woman like you would be interested in some dinner, wine, music and pleasant conversation.”

“How about lunch and we can go from there?” she suggested.

“My quarters, or yours?” he asked.

This time a smile cracked, “You are persistent Ensign, but I was thinking more along the lines of the mess hall.  I don’t even know your name.”

“Too many people in the mess hall….and you can call me Alton….Alton Jackson.” He replied, having noticed the small smile.

“Allison Harris,” she said with a smile. “Okay Casanova, I can meet you at your place.”

Alton nodded. “Very well, Allison Harris. 2000 hours is acceptable?”

She considered Alton for a moment and then shrugged,  “Sure.”

“Very good…see you then.” He turned and exited sickbay.

–End-