Establishing A Baseline In The Fantastic

Posted on Fri May 10th, 2019 @ 4:41pm by Petty Officer 2nd Class 'Big Ethel' Jablonski & Lieutenant Asa Dael & Ensign Tathaa

Mission: Detours
Location: USS Hera, Deck 12, Sickbay
Timeline: 2396

"Uh, with all due respect, Ensign, I was ordered to report to the Chief medical officer for this, so if it's all the same to you, I know you can help me, but orders are orders."

The words might have sounded different coming from one of the regular Security officers onboard the USS Hera. But this was coming from the somewhat incredibly hulking Petty Officer Jablonski, who towered over the blind nurse by nearly half a meter. Her gold uniform bunched at the chest and at the arms, despite it being clearly large enough for her.

"If you wouldn't mind, ma'am? I'll wait," With that said Jablonski lowered herself onto a chair rather delicately, as if she were insuring that the chair could holder her weight before settling down on it. Apparently a hazard of modern shipboard life for her.

If the words had bothered the Aenar, she didn't let on simply touching her pager to call Asa to the front. The human though did keep her attention. The woman's aura was glowing with the similar golden light that the white nurse had only seen on the goddess who now inhabited the ship. "Would you like something to drink while you wait? " she politely asked, still typing out the latest report on the computer in the strange way that her kind could manage.

"Water would be great. Gotta stay hydrated or I cramp up," the burly enlisted asked with a smile and a wave. "A liter, if you don't mind."

The white girl paused for a second. A liter? That was a large amount. Even still she ordered a liter water bottle from the replicator along with her own nutrient shake. It tasted awful, but she needed it to prepare her for carrying the twins.

"Here you go." She said as she offered Jablonski the water bottle.

"Thanks," the good-natured security behemoth replied quietly as she started to chug down the water, waiting for the ship's surgeon to make an appearance.

For once the ship's chief medical officer had a good night’s sleep, and was bright eyed and cheerful when the page came across. Not entirely sure what was needed, they grabbed their tricorder and a PaDD from their desk and set out to meet the waiting pair.

Walking up to reception, Asa smiled brightly and said, "Hello, how can I help you today?"

While the large, broad and muscular woman was clearly capable of intimidation, instead she remained seated and smiled, a surprisingly bashful expression on the face of the Security officer. “Commander Paris is gonna let me test out some specialized Security equipment. But she wants for Medical to monitor my biosigns and start measuring metrics since I keep, uh, growing. Because that’s what happens when you guard Hera. So since it’s happening to me more than anybody else, the Commander ordered me to coordinate with you. So maybe a medical ankle bracelet or something…?”

"Sure!" Asa chirped, "Come into my office, let's look over your chart, shall we?"

Guiding the towering woman to their office, Asa poured her a glass of water and took the seat next to her at the side table. They reviewed her file quickly, and looked up with a considering look.

"Have you experienced any changes in appetite? Growing pains? Any physical symptoms whatsoever aside from, you know, the actual growth?" Asa inquired.

“Well, yeah, I follow the guidelines for protein intake and I’m up to about 1500 grams a day, with about 900 of it being lean protein. But I get in some fats and carbs too, to keep it balance. So, yeah, more food. But no, uh, growing pains… I mean, no pain, no gain, right? I’m in the gym pretty much every day working different groups. Can’t skip leg day, right?” Jablonski seemed to relax a bit discussing familiar territory for her. “But I mean nothing extreme. I just… keep getting’ bigger is all. S’not so bad, really.”

Leaning in conspiratorially, the stout security officer whispered conspiratorially, “I benched 620 kilos last night, and I am gonna push harder soon. I can feel it, I got more in me, y;know?”

Asa blinked for a moment, slightly taken aback at the impressive strength. Laughing in a friendly way, the doctor replied, "Remind me not to get in a wrestling match with you. But boy howdy would you make a great partner at cheerleading. You could throw someone so high in the air you would win all the competitions. Now, let's take a look, shall we?"

Asa set about taking scans and readings. The newly Amazoned woman was indeed increased in size and muscle mass by over 40% from her last check up in Sickbay. Her bones were also more dense, as if to accommodate the added strength, although her heart remained the same....

Hmmmm, without some medical assistance she isn't going to have as long a life span. Her heart won't be able to support the new size for as long as it could her natural size. Asa considered.

Sitting back down, Asa turned to face Jablonski.

"OK, good news first. Your bones and joints and tendons have all beefed up as well to support your new strength. However, you heart remains the same. We need to get it a bit stronger so it can support your new size, and so you don't have any reduction in life span. You are going to need to add an extra hour of cardio into your workout regiment, at least 3 times per week. Also, add 3 squares of dark chocolate to your diet each day. I also want you to meditate for 10-15 minutes each day to control your stress. I'm going to recommend a heart supplement- it's a medication designed initially for those who have had heart attacks, but a low dose will work as a prophylactic for you. Finally, we need to limit you growth hormone levels. I don't recommend getting much larger, so I would like to administer a growth hormone blocker. It will inhibit additional growth but also make you unable to conceive. What are your thoughts so far?"

The doctor looked at her calmly, relaying compassion through a warm smile and open eyes, but allowing the exceptional woman a moment to consider what was being said. Asa wouldn't presume to order her to stop growing, but they did need to make her aware of the repercussions of such growth.

As she had been listening intently, Jablonski looked upward to remember everything that had just been said and started ticking points off on her fingers. "I can do cardio. Why chocolate? I'll have to learn how to meditate. Heart medication's fine, but no hormone blockers. I really wanna see where this goes, I think. Did I get 'em all?"

Apparently the security officer thought that was a test, and was trying to pass.

With a laugh, Asa replied, "Sorry, I guess I did bark a lot at you there. Dark chocolate has been proven to help the heart maintain its strength. If you don't want the sugar content we can always take some pure cocoa and work it into some dishes for you. I can show you some meditation techniques if you like. What do you currently do for stress relief?"

“Work out,” the petty officer who looked like she lived in the gym replied immediately.

"Ah, I should have guessed that," Asa said wryly. "We need to introduce some actual relaxation into your life as well. How is your social life? Anyone you spend time with to relax and unwind, have a few laughs with?"

“Well, I take shifts in 10-Forward and that’s always relaxing. I kinda zone out on Honor Guard duty, which is kind of zen, because we’re hardly ever called on to do anything more than just stand and guard, but I don’t mind. Uhhh, let’s see, I go to the gym and spend time spotting people or helping them with their form… uhhhh… I think one of the engineers likes me but she threw up on my shoes, so not sure if I’m really into that. Uhhhhmmm…” the musclebound maiden considered, then shook her head. “Shoot, Doc, I guess ya got me. That’s pretty much all I do.”

With a warm smile Asa said softly, "Hey, I get it. It's easy to become all work. Just try to find some time for play too, eh? If you like the engineer back-albeit without vomit because ew- maybe buy her a drink? Ask a friend over to watch a holo vid instead of working out. Your body needs some rest time too, especially while you are still growing and becoming this next version of you. OK?"

Still listening, the doctor walked over to a nearby replicator, pulling out a bracelet looking device and sitting in front of Jablonski patiently waiting for a response.

While Jablonski wanted to protest, the truth was that the doctor was correct, and she basically WAS the job. “Okay Doctor. Maybe I can do cardio on days off and skip the gym that day to do… something else? Does rock climbing count as relaxation? I like climbing…”

With a slight laugh Asa replied, "Kind of. If you do it with friends, or just to enjoy the feeling. Try not to push yourself to extremes every day. And here," they said while clasping the bracelet on Jablonski's wrist.

"This little doo-dad will help us monitor your vitals and growth. If you are hitting certain preset danger limits it will buzz on your arm, letting you know it's time to slow down. If it starts beeping, come to sick bay immediately. I'm sure everything will be fine, but I'd like to keep an eye on your heart and hormone levels until you reach a consistent size. Sound ok?"

“Sure su- uh, ma- Doctor,” Jablonski inadvertently stumbled, but managed to find her words. “It’s just… y’know when you’re on empty, and you gotta reach way deep down inside to get it? Pushing for that next bench or another squat? That’s the crazy thing…” the surprisingly stout security officer looked both ways, despite there being no one about but the two of them.

“When I reach for it… every time, it’s there. When I push harder, I always go harder. It’s like I haven’t found my upper limit yet because it isn’t there. Is that nuts? I mean, I know it’s a gift of Hera, but… like, pushing myself feels really good, and I keep just… getting it, y’know?” Jablonski was far from eloquent in her explanation, but the message was reasonably clear.

Tapping their lips thoughtfully, Asa replied, "Let's do a pain receptor test real quick, ok? It's possible that you aren't feeling the pain of exertion in the same way you used to. Can you think of the last time you felt pain? Even if it was just a stubbed toe....when did something hurt?"

"Today, this morning. Don't get me wrong, Lieutenant, it still hurts," Jablonski replied, bunching up a bicep that threatened to pop a few seams in her uniform. "They're a little stiff right now, not pain but more of an ache. It was arms day. Good kinda ache, though, y'know?"

"Pushing out that next rep when you feel your muscles are straining and you push it anyway, a little of that in every workout is good for you. Lots of reps with low weights yeah, don't get me wrong, that's where muscle is built." The burly security officer's body language relaxed a bit, and became expansive as she expounded on a topic that was a large focus of her life. "But you still gotta push for a little more somewhere during the workout, and if it doesn't hurt a little, then you aren't really trying, doncha know. So yeah, I still feel it, built we can do your test, for sure. Any tests you wanna do I'm okay with, uh, Lieutenant."

"Ok, I'm going to pinch you. Just tell me if it well.....pinches." Asa said with a shrug at the awkward phrasing. The doctor then pinched Jablonski's right hand between the thumb and forefinger. They were using a good amount of force and even using a tiny bit of fingernail....well, such as their fingernails were.

"Uh, yeah, that's a good nerve cluster right there and yeah, that hurts si- ma- Lieutenant," Jablonski, as large and muscular as she was, was still vulnerable in tender spots just like any mere mortal, and she looked confused that the doctor really seemed to be trying to hurt her.

"Ok, well good to know," Asa said smiling brightly, "And I will quit torturing you on two fronts"

Sensing the question in the air, Asa let go of the warrior's hand and rubbed away the hurt when saying, "It's Myx. I am agender....which is to say I am neither man nor woman, but I prefer Myx to sir to ma'am, and my pronouns are they/them. Thank you for being so kind to try to get it right without asking. I know it's a new concept to lots of folks,and it means a lot you cared to try. Thank you, petty officer."

The pain in her hand somewhat forgotten, the relieved petty officer offered a bit of a bucktoothed smile. "Aw, Myx, thank you. I known a few folks to whom a gender binary didn't apply- good old sqrflnyx was definitely not a sir nor a ma'am. Commander says always default to rank, but Security's supposed to be polite, so... and it's hard not to offend in asking, doncha know?"

Laughing once more Asa winked and said, "It is that indeed. And you are very polite indeed. I'm glad you understand that I value binary stars far more than binary genders. One makes for a much better view than the other, yes?"

"It's kinda keen that all these races come together from all these worlds and we all bring different things, different ideas, different bodies, different experiences... but we all come together on starships like arks in space. I like that everybody's different on this ship." Jablonski appeared to want to go on, to perhaps wax eloquent and get to a point, but she kind of ran out of gas there and looked at the physician to save her from awkward silence, before she rescued herself with a sudden thought.

"So whew... yeah, thanks Doctor. Anyway, so... You can keep up on my food logs if you want, I'm following the nutrition guidelines I think, but if you need to change it up, just let me know what I'm doing wrong I guess?'

"Of course, and I will review the data from your monitoring device. Come back in a week just to check in, ok?"

"Sure thing, Lieutenant." Rising from the biobed, the mammoth maiden stopped, then turned to regard the young immortal.

"Hera... she's touched you too, hasn't she?" Suddenly realizing how that might have sounded, the powerhouse petty officer held up her hands in surrender. "Not, uh, what I was trying to, uhhhh, I mean-"

"Oh you heard about our kiss?" Asa said playfully, "Yes, after Meroset 347 I went through a psychic change that would have killed me if not for Hera. She gave me a bast- a kiss- and shared her energy with me, awakening a part of my physiology that had been dormant. I imagine it is something similar with you. Seems like a good fit for you, yes?"

The jolly giantess chuckled. "That's kinda swell that she helped you. She's great like that, yannow? And yeah, she says I'm probably her general, which I'd think that'd be the Commander, but Hera says me, so... yeah." Drawing herself up to her full height, jaw thrust forward and a look of pride on her humble face, Ethel Jablonski briefly looked every inch the part of a Grecian hero of myth come to life.

Then she grinned, that shy, evasive smile and nodded. "I dunno. I guess? I'll, ahh, see you next week, Lieutenant."

"Looking forward to it! And who knows....maybe there will be more of you to see!" Asa said, walking their new friend to the door.