Previous Next

Mending Moira

Posted on Sun Aug 11th, 2019 @ 1:33pm by Captain Enalia Telvan & Maica III 47 & Lieutenant Asa Dael
Edited on on Sun Aug 11th, 2019 @ 1:35pm

Mission: Mudd on the Souls of Mankind
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: 2396

The phrase “you could cut the tension with a knife” had always been a mystery to Doctor Asa Dael. After all, what did being tense have to do with air viscosity? Unless the race who originated the phrase had some sort of telekinetic abilities based on their emotional state? But no, it was a human phrase.

All that changed the moment Captain Telvan sent word to Sickbay that Intel was on its way back with crucial DNA samples needed for baby Moira. Of course all life was sacred to the young doctor, but the life of an infant? That dialed the urgency all the way to 11 for everyone in Sickbay.

Pacing the floor was not proving to be an overly effective manner of waiting on the Intel team to come back, so Asa had moved on to nervously tapping the desk with their stylus. The noise must have been driving the ever-patient Nurse Vimes to distraction as she quietly slipped in and closed Dael’s door, turning the soundproofing on.

Realizing what they were doing, Asa flumped down heavily in their chair, hands running through short cut hair and leaving swaths of cowlicks turned into curious positions.

OK Dael, count to 10. You can’t be this much of a mess. For some reason these people think you are their leader, so bloody well act like it. the CMO thought in frustration.

After taking a moment to return to being presentable, Asa exited their office and began doing inspections on the biobeds to ensure all were in working order. Better do something productive at least they mused.

Which was when they were intercepted by another pair of nervous people. The captain and her holographic wife, clinging to each other like Aldebaran mud leeches. "Doctor, how are you holding up?" Enalia asked, obviously not holding up too well herself.

Moving to embrace them both, Asa schooled their voice to a mellifluous tone and did their best to beam confidence to the new mothers. “I’m ok….Just ready to have your little one right as rain. And we are going to do just that, I promise. How are you both? Please, come to my office won’t you?”

They both returned the embrace and nodded before returning to Asa's office. Once in there, Maica drooped slightly and Enalia sighed heavily. "I have to admit, Maica and I are both worried and stressed. I probably literally had the worst mother in the galaxy and while she's downloaded the knowledge of a hundred civilizations of mothers... Neither of us have any experience at all. We're going to have to rely on you pretty heavily."

Moving to pour and hand both Enalia and Maica a glass of water, Asa pulled their chair around to the other side of the desk to sit in solidarity with the two women. After placing the glasses on the side table Asa said calmly, “That’s what I’m here for. As your doctor, your counselor, and your friend. I may not know about hundreds of civilizations, but I know good people when I see them, and you are both good people. The fact that you care as deeply as you do, the very fact you are worried tells me you are going to do well at this. There is an old El-Aurian saying, ‘Children come from two but belong to many.’ The translation is a bit weird….but it basically has the same meaning of the old Earth phrase ‘it takes a village,’ And the Hera is your village. Have you been able to get any rest?”

Maica nodded and appreciated the offer of a drink, but being holographic, left it on the table. "I've delayed my sleep subroutines since finding out. I know it's not exactly healthy, but I've just been so worried."

The captain, however, took a glass and sipped at it. "I haven't been sleeping well, either. I got a visit from someone called the White Rabbit. They took me on some sort of Dickensian trip to meet one of my future hosts a day before their joining, my mother in my body in another timeline a day before her separation from the Telvan symbiote, and Moira the day of Kodria's initial activation before her official activation."

"I learned a lot and I think I helped all three of them..." Enalia paused a moment, trying to figure out what she was trying to say. "But I can't help but feel like its connected to what's happening here and now."

"Nooo...that doesn't sound related, but it doesn't sound helpful either to your own personal mental health. First lesson in parenting for both of you- unless you take care of yourselves, you can't take care of anyone else. I know we are all supposed to know that. Heck, we all tell each other that. But I know for a fact that neither of you are exceptionally good at it if you think your suffering can help someone else. Having had a little brother that I basically raised I feel confident when I tell you- kids are work. If you aren't rested, you aren't going to be able to keep up with your little one. So......sleep. Try to make it a priority, ok?"

Both of them nodded sheepishly. Even Maica had to admit that she was feeling the effects of it as an artificial life form. "First time I've needed orders from a doctor," Maica added with a shy smile, indicating just how new of territory being a mother was for her.

“Well, with baby Moira around I imagine we will be seeing more of each other,” Asa said, reaching over to gently squeeze Maica’s hand.

Smiling brightly to the pair, Asa directed their next question to the Captain, “Any idea when the shuttle is expected ma’am?”

"It should be pulling into the shuttlebay now," Enalia replied with hope in her voice. "They should be here with everything as soon as they're cleared."

"That's excellent!" Asa enthused. "Captain...would you like to wait here? You don't have to be the Captain right now if you want to. You can just be a married couple together, and I can draw the privacy screen. Would you like to rest here for a moment while I speak with them?"

Enalia and Maica exchanged relieved looks for a moment and each nodded. "Yeah, thank you. We'll leave everything up to you."

"My honor, ma'am," Asa said, "Please make yourselves at home in here. If you need anything, just let me know. I will be back shortly."

Malana's rocky stride was unmistakable entering Sickbay. It had been some time since Asa saw their rocky friend, but there was little time for pleasantries today. After thanking her for the sample, the doctor set about running the necessary scans to devise a DNA patch for Moira.

"Hmmmm.....the somatic and and germline patches are going to need to be done separately.....germline seems to be contra-indicated until onset of puberty to inhibit an excess of oncogene......plasmid vector would be safer, but bacterium vectors work more quickly.....perhaps with an immuno-stimulant......" the doctor mused quietly to themself and they read the results of the scans.

Plan formulated, Asa programmed a series of dermal patches and inhaler treatments for Moira. They went to where Moira lay in intensive care in Sickbay and began by delivering an airborne immuno-stimulant. Once that was absorbed, the doctor delivered the one injection the little one would need in order to kick-start the entire process. She put up the expected protest, but began to soothe easily as Asa rocked her gently. Once Moira's cries subsided, Asa affixed a dermal patch to her chubby little left leg and applied a soothing protectant cream to her exposed skin.

Once Dael was satisfied with the readings coming from the medical tricorder, they scooped Moira up and carried her to her waiting mothers in Asa's office.

Entering the office, Asa said in soft tone of voice, "Ladies, may I present to you little Miss Moira? She is going to need an injection once a week for the next six weeks, and a dermal patch she will need changed daily, but she's going to be just fine. I'm not sure if she will be able to become pregnant without further gene repair when she enters puberty, but we have stopped the ticking clock. She may be a bit tired and cranky for a few days, but other than that....well, she's perfect."

That said, Asa held Moira out to her mothers, happy to deliver their bundle of joy into their waiting arms.

Enalia was the closer of the two so she cradled little Moira in her arms, one hand under her head, rocking gently as both mothers cooed softly and started crying like grinning fools at their little blessing. "Thank you Asa. Thank you so very much."

"You are welcome. Moments like this," they said, wiping a tear of their own away, "are why I became a doctor. I am honored the share this with you. I know you need some time alone, so how about you take the day to get to know her? We can go over all the details tomorrow in your quarters if you like. Doctors orders.......take the day to go love on each other."

Maica perked up a bit at that order. "Ah... Enalia is fine... And I've rescheduled my appointments for the week... But I'll need someone to feed my plants and animals for a while. Do you have someone well versed in xenobiological care? I can leave detailed instructions."

"Of course," Asa said, "One of our more recent additions, Lt. JG Hobbes., studied xenobiology and would excellently suited. I'll send him around to take instruction from you. Just remember, the early days with a child are for learning about your little one. Although she will have parts of both you in her, she's still her own person, full of surprises and joy...and seeing as this is your first child, what will probably feel like a frankly alarming amount of poo....try not to worry about the rest of the galaxy for a few days and just revel in the miracle in your arms, ok?" The last was said with a wink and a smile, indicating Asa's happiness for their Captain and her wife.

The doctor fully expected tons of nervous trips to Sickbay every time Moira got the sniffles. In fact since the baby boom on board began, the entire Sickbay crew was becoming quite adept at explaining to nervous new parents that babies crying is completely normal, and the fact they have snot coming out of their nose for no reason is not actually reason to panic. It was endearing for most of them as it offered chances to coo at the little ones for a bit.

"Poo?" Enalia asked in alarm, a look of surprise on her face.

Maica just nodded, having downloaded multiple databases on the subject, still looking blissfully serene. You just knew her mind was running a million subroutines a second underneath that blissful facade though. "Oh yes. We'll have to change diapers several times a day and use powder and wipe runny noses and feed her and literally do everything for her. And she'll make alarm noises but not tell us what's wrong so we'll have to figure it out each time. Or so the databases say... We'll have to learn the experiences together."

Laughing Asa said, "Well Captain, I think Maica might be taking the lead here. You absolutely have the right of if, Maica. She will be an adventure for you both. I can't wait to cheer you on as you go through it."

"Thank you, Asa. For everything. I guess... In a way... My mom got what she wanted in the end." Enalia looked down into the cutest little face she'd ever seen. "She got an heir. And I didn't even have to get pregnant."

With a tinkling laugh, Asa raised their glass of water in the air in a mock-toast, "And isn't that the best part of all?"

 

Previous Next

labels_subscribe