An New Older Face

Posted on Sun 14th Jun, 2020 @ 10:55pm by

1,408 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Resolution
Location: Deck 83 - CMO's Office
Timeline: MD-03: 1730 hours

"Commander Addams?"

The Klingon medic stood in the open doorway of the CMO's office. Kahgen had signed in with the station personnel office and taken his personal effects up to his new quarters, on deck thirty-eight, and had then made his way back down to the main sickbay complex, where he had been pointed in the direction of the Chief Medical Officer. His first impression was one of intrigue. He had not seen an image of Commander Addams before meeting her but, for some reason, he had not imagined her like this. Her long black hair and thin gaunt face almost resembled a Mak'dar or other such creature - which, he had reflected, was odd considering that had always assumed they were mythical and, yet, he had thought he had seen another one not two hours ago.

"Perhaps they are real after all?" he had thought, while holding himself to attention and awaiting a response.

Without looking up from her task, the doctor responded, "enter freely, and of your own will." She went on annotating what appeared to be a listing of some kind, and finally glanced up. "You don't look like a gastroenterologist," she observed. "Are you?"

"I wouldn't say it's my primary specialism, no, sir," Kahgen replied, slightly taken aback. "Although I do have a degree of familiarity with the digestive systems of a number of species." He paused wondering whether the Doctor was waiting for a gastroenterologist to be assigned to the infirmary in general, or whether she, herself, was requiring their services for herself. Deciding it best not to ask, he took a couple of steps forward into the room and stood smartly to attention. "I'm Lieutenant Kahgen, I've just transferred aboard."

"Stand easy, Lieutenant," Addams directed, blanking her desktop. "I keep asking Starfleet medical for a gastroenterologist, and they stubbornly persist in not sending me one." The doctor waved her hand dismissively. "Ah, well. We do what we can with what we have. Welcome to Starbase one-zero-nine, Lieutenant. I am Chlamydia Addams, of the New York Addamses, Medicinae Doctor and a great many other rather dreary post-nominal titles.

"So now, we know each other's names. Tell me about yourself... and have a seat, if you choose."

Kahgen glanced around the office and selected a chair opposite the CMO's desk and sat. "Well," he begun slightly hesitantly, "I guess the short version is that I was a warrior in the Klingon Defence Force for some twenty years... And then the Dominion War came long and it had a rather profound affect on me. I discovered that everything I had grown up to believe about life, death, honour, shame - none of it made any sense any more. I saw so much death that I could no longer blindly subscribe to the 'warrior mentality' that is so dominant in my culture. So, I resigned my commission and decided to do something different. I enrolled in Starfleet Academy and trained as a doctor."

Addams nodded sagely. "In a way, what we do is every bit as much a battle as that seen on the field of honor," she remarked. "Our foes are numerous, and often invisible to the naked eye. Instead of a bat'leth, here you will wield a scalpel. For all that it is unregarded, an afterthought to most, it is not less honorable."

"On that, it seems, we are very much agreed," Kahgen nodded sagely. A pause hung in the air between them for a few moments. "Digestive systems aside," Kahgen finally said, "Do you envisage a specific role for me, or do you see me acting more as a general practitioner?"

Addams leaned back in her chair, letting her gaze go out of focus for a moment. When she spoke again, it seemed a non-sequiter. "How do you feel about Romulans?"

Kahgen furrowed his brow to such an extent that he seemed to gain an extra cranial ridge. "I have some history with them," he said in manner that clearly indicated that that was all he was prepared to say on the subject, "But their physiologies are straight-forward enough. I could attend to the vast majority of Romulan patients that might cross the infirmary threshold with very little trouble." He paused and measured the gaunt doctor opposite him for a second, before continuing. "I'm assuming you're asking for a reason, sir?"

"First, stop 'sir'ing me. We will be working together, up to our elbows in blood if we are fortunate. I am Chlamydia; Doctor Addams if you prefer. If you absolutely must, I prefer Ma'am for those with mammary glands." She glanced wryly down at her tunic, and continued, "which I do, actually, have, though my uniform tries its best to conceal the fact."

Kahgen's eyes dropped to the floor almost immediately. For a Klingon, he was surprisingly shy when it came to the opposite sex. "Of course... Chlamydia..." He said her name like it was stuck in his throat. He cleared it with a small, insincere cough. "We were... um... discussing Romulans?" he offered, hoping to bring the conversation back to more 'professional' ground.

The ghost of a smile haunted Addams' lips, and she went on, "We were, yes. Specifically, Khellian s'Siedhri. Like the two of us, he is Medicinea Doctor. He originally qualified under the Romulan Star Empire, before he became a refugee and defector. He passed the Starfleet boards for foreign physicians, and entered the service, though he ultimately found that life unsatisfying. He now lives down-station, not far from my own home, where he runs a clinic for the civilian population and tourists.

"However, the truly interesting thing about him is that he also takes time to run a clinic in the Brown Sector." Chlamydia had her thoughts on where that nickname had come from, though she didn't care to share them. "I, of course, have no doubts about his competence; passing Starfleet's foreign physician boards is harder than going through the native system. I do have doubts about his resources. I'd like you to discretely check on him, make sure that he has everything he needs."

Kahgen thought for a moment and then nodded. While Romulans were hardly his favourite people-group, his problem was more with the Empire than with individuals of the species and, he considered, if that doctor had defected, then why shouldn't he be given all benefit of doubt - especially since he himself had benefitted from exactly that from those on a much higher pay grade than his own. "I shall endeavour to be of assistance," he finally said. "I am, however, curious about the... 'Brown Sector' is it? Why would the occupants not come up to the Starfleet-operated medical facilities?"

Addams sighed. "Brown Sector is a single label for a complex area. The people there are refugees -- from conflicts, from natural disasters, from criminal organizations. Over the period of a decade and a half, successive waves of refugees were allotted space and resources, and then... mostly left to their own devices. Although some returned home after the threats which drove them forth had passed, a substantial number have not.

"Therefore, the people down there are not all Federation citizens. They are highly insular, highly suspicious of governments, and unlikely to seek help on their own. Frankly, what's needed is for JAG officers escorted by Marines to clear the whole area, but budget and political will are lacking. At very least, I would like to provide adequate healthcare, but every time I send a Starfleet officer down there, they end up mugged and run out." Chlamydia shrugged.

"Therefore, I would like you to contact the one person I am aware has made inroads, and offer assistance. I suggest that you do not wear a Federation uniform while doing so." She shrugged again, and then resumed, "though that, as everything else about this, I leave in your hands. Keep me appraised of how things are going, and how much of your time is required for the project. I'm sure I can find other things for you to do."

Kahgen nodded thoughtfully, "I shall, doctor," he replied, "I shall." He paused for a beat and then his face brightened slightly, as though his mind had moved on to a new subject entirely. "Is there anything else?" he asked, "If I may, I still have some unpacking to do."

 

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