Coffee Burns

Posted on Thursday, 19 March 2020 - 3:04pm by Lieutenant Ryan Rose MD & Commander Soral

Mission: Operation: Overdrive
Location: Taurus Shipyards Medical Bay
Timeline: Current

{ON:}

Soral had arrived back on the station at the shipyards on spotty transporters from the ship. He made his way down to he medical bay controlling the pain as best as he could. He was a sight to see. Several heads turned as he strode by. His command uniform was stained with drying coffee that his chest and thighs stung from the hot liquid and his hair dripped water sticking out at all ends. By all rights he looked as though he'd been in a battle and perhaps he had.

"Doctor," he called out.

Doctor Selin sat crossed legged on a biobed going over some reports as she kept an eye on the comings and goings.

She looked up at the call and raised a prim Vulcan brow at the sight in front of her. "What happen here?" She asked, slipping off the biobed. Her head didn't even reach the man's shoulder.

Soral had never been so glad to see a Vulcan in his entire life. "I require assistance. I have had an incident." He said mildly.

Selin made a gesture towards the bio-bed then very succinctly said "explain." She started setting things up for readings on a Vulcan as she waited for an explanation.

There was an incident with an observation pod. His Vulcan nature did not allow a lie. "A CPO was attempting to show me the ship I am on and she had coffee. It spilled on me and then she proceeded to assist by throwing cold water on me." He half spoke standard federation and half Vulcan.

"How unfortunate." she continued in Vulcan, more comfortable in her native language. Selin began scanning. "There is a small area of second degree burn." She gently took his hand in her much smaller hand. "I believe the dermal regenerator will repair the damage without need for further intervention."

"The uniform took most of the coffee." He allowed her to tend to his hand. It had been a while since he interacted with a Vulcan. This one...she had the motions of a classically trained Vulcan. Someone whose family was a guardian of the old ways. "I am Soral from the house of Sotal from the clan of Na-sen-tora." He said introducing himself in the proper Vulcan way.

She finished with his hand before replying. If she received the typical Vulcan response she wanted to ensure her duties as a physician were fulfilled before he left. "I am Selin." There was no translation in standard, the closest concept was 'ostracized' . No naming of house of clan, as she no longer had claim to any.

He tilted his head to the side. He understood her more then anything. He'd been abandoned in his life tossed aside. "I see." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you are but you are Vulcan, and not alone." Vulcans, he knew, could be cruel. He would let her decide if she wished to tell him what happened. He would treat her no different.

She stepped back out of his reach. "Thank you." She said sincerely. She took a deep breath, not wanting to start crying. Her poor emotional control always seemed to be a thorn in the side of other Vulcans. She refocused on the reason he was here. "Are you experiencing any further pain? There are a few areas of first degree burn, a mild analgesic can be applied if needed, but they will completely heal on their own."

"Just the chest area and the side of my neck." He touched the right side of the neck where it was blistering slightly. He studied her. "May I offer advice?"

"Tilt your head over slightly please." She took a closer scan just to ensure no underlying damage, then began running the dermal regenerator over the area.
"You may offer your advice after I see to your chest." She looked at him a bit pointedly, giving a fraction of a nod towards his uniform jacket.

He gave a nod. He removed his jacket and tank top. The damage, at least to his untrained eye, was not much but it still stung. He studied her as she worked. "May I ask as the occurrence that led to your...situation?"

The uniform jacket had taken the brunt of the damage, but there was a small area that was no doubt uncomfortable. She could not hold back her surprise at his question. Impertinent? Yes, surely. But he asked with such child-like innocence and curiosity. She found herself answering while she saw to his burns. "I have poor emotional control. My parents were unable to find a suitable bond mate for me as a child, and I was denied entrance to the Vulcan medical school. Soon after I finished Starfleet Medical however, my father made arrangements and expected me to come home and mate. He had found a Chemist who had severed his bond." She paused. "Because he had contracted Cha-Long fever and had been rendered sterile. I refused." She stood tall, well as tall as her 147cm would allow.

"I see." She had been through a lot, as had he. Soral found that he appreciated the Human tradition of giving comforting words. "There are techniques that can aid with emotional control. As for bond mates...I did not have one either while I was young." He thought a moment. "It takes courage to know what you wish. Our culture is such that any Vulcan lacking courage would have married just for tradition's sake. The courage to know you wanted more, that you wanted a child and to feel that connection with someone is lacking in a lot of our people. I would say you are more evolved."

"That's very kind of you to say." She took another look at his chest. Another time and not in a medical setting, she would probably appreciate it. He was a handsome man after all. Under the current circumstances however, she finished her visual exam, then did a final scan as she spoke. "I wish you less chaotic tidings on your upcoming adventure, I am very glad to meet you.

He gave a nod. "Thank you." Then he thought of something. "There is a ship here. A Vulcan ship called the Seleya Kal. Would you join me for dinner there? I am having dinner with the crew and captain."

"I would like that. I do not think I would be welcome however. I would not want to cause you an awkward situation."

"You will be welcome. Trust me." He thought a moment. "Shall we meet here at 1900 hours?"

She let a tiny smile slip. "Very well. 1900 hours."

"Until then." He gave a bow. "Your service honours me. Thank you for tending to my wounds."

"You are very welcome. Please refrain from flying with high strung pilots until then."

Dr Selin (apb Dr Ryan Rose)