New Doctor (Again)

Posted on Sun Apr 22nd, 2018 @ 9:19pm by Lieutenant Matthew Lysander MD & Commander Mal Xustos

Mission: Curing the Black Blood
Location: XO's Ready Room
Timeline: Current

Mal sat in his chair and played his aulos (a Greco-Roman instrument made up of two recorder-like flutes played simultaneously) as he took a break from his work. The tune was one his grandfather had written many years ago, his actual grandfather. Though he called Hermes 'Grandfather', it was a term of respect. The faux god Hermes was father of the faux god Pan. The faux god Pan had created Mal's race and culture. If Pan was the 'father' of Mal's people, it made sense to Mal that Hermes was his people's 'grandfather'. The tune he played was haunting and quite beautiful. Mal continued to enjoy playing until his next appointment arrived. He was scheduled to meet with the Hera's new Chief Medical Officer.

Lysander was only limping slightly today, but he carried the cane that he'd carved when he was bedridden so that he might regain his mobility. The dragon that wrapped around the staff was delicately and beautifully detailed, and represented his own inner strength. Rubies for eyes glittered at him as he used it to balance as he pressed the chime to the XO's office.

Mal heard the chime and stopped playing his aulos. He checked the sensor outside his office and saw that his visitor was the new CMO, Lieutenant Matthew Lysander.

"You may enter, Doctor," he said, releasing the lock on the door. He rose and came out from behind his desk to greet his guest.

It was almost a shame that he'd stopped playing, the music had been quite lovely though faint as it came through the door. Entering the room, his eyes swept over the decor, before inclining his head to the man across from him "Commander."

"Welcome, Lieutenant," Mal said. "Come, sit, relax."

Using his cane as a lever to lower himself into a seat, he was pleased to find that the action didn't cause him pain. "My thanks."

"So, Lieutenant," Mal said, returning to his chair. "I'd like to give you a few weeks to settle in, but unfortunately, I can't. We have several severely ill crew members who will need your care while we pursue a cure for their condition. We have a lead and will be pursuing that lead as soon as the Hera is ready to leave. Lieutenants Ulfred and Vaemyn and Miss Zhuri and Crewman Dedjoy can fill you in on the details of the situation."

"I read the public reports on my way here. I was wondering what was left out, as it seemed too neat a picture." a chuckle escaped his lips as he shook his head. If four different people need to fill me in, it must be much more dire than I'd initially thought. "I'll not stumble as far as my duties are concerned sir."

"Suffice to say," Mal said. "The sooner we get where we're going, find a cure, and use it, the better. The infection, in addition to physical effects, ramps up aggression and lowers emotional control. Since all of the people infected are highly trained combatants, including a Vulcan and a Vulcanoid Rigelian, I'm sure you can imagine the potential problems we face here."

"Yes, quite" he muttered wincing a little at the potential ramifications. "Are the effected males or females out of curiosity?"

"Chief Warrant Officer Daytona Ral is a Vulcanoid Rigelian/El-Aurian hybrid male, around four hundred and twenty-two years old," Mal said. "Lieutenant Commander Enaes Clio is a Cervan female in her forties, Lieutenant Commander T'Pral Jordan is a Vulcan/Human hybrid female in her early thirties, Staff Warrant Officer Nexi is a Betazoid/Brekkian female in her late twenties, and her half-sister Aewia Larani is a Betazoid female, a few years younger than Nexi. Nexi has been infected the longest and is so far the most extreme case. We have to keep Nexi locked up in an isolation chamber in order to contain her. Even then, it required the intervention of Hermes...yes, that Hermes, to actually keep her from teleporting all over the ship, once even outside of the ship. She hadn't slept for days. When Hermes stopped in to see how she was doing, he immediately used a piece of advanced technology to keep Nexi stationary. On its own, the tech apparently kept her in the room, but she still kept porting around the room. In order to keep her from doing that so the nurses could get some fluids into her and so she could rest, Hermes was forced to link the device to his ship's computer. He's in the process of assembling a portable processor that, when linked to our computer core, should allow the device stabilizing and containing Nexi to continue to do so even if his ship isn't present. He may not be able to accompany us. Danu might not appreciate his involvement."

"I have climbed into a book of myths. How fascinating" Matthew murmerred as he tapped his lips pensively with a fingertip.

Mal chuckled.

"Your ship's executive officer is a satyr whose entire race was created by an powerful being from a technologically advanced race that posed as the deities of various Old Earth pantheons," he said. "This officer very recently engaged in a melee battle with a Minotaur and several Amazons and Harpies in order to defend Hermes from Hera. The ship's Chief Intelligence Officer and Chief Security/Tactical Officer recently killed an Iconian 'demon' using a sword and spear on loan to us from Hephaestus. Myth and legend are pretty standard around here."

Mal regarded the doctor for a moment.

"Okay," he said. "No for a sensitive topic. Due to everyone being sick, I was thinking of asking you to be on the Away Team for this upcoming mission. If you'd rather remain here to monitor the infected crewmembers, I suppose we could send Lieutenant Ulfred, your head nurse, in your place. The tricky part is that we will in infiltrating a pre-industrial society, roughly equivalent to Earth's Iron Age. If you are on the Away Team, would we be able to conceal your exoskeleton under a baggy pair of pants, or perhaps a robe of sorts?"

"I suspect that my walking stick would not cause too much suspicion to be drawn my way if I were to forego the exoskeleton. I also suspect the infected will be just as alright with me on the Away Team, as they would be with me here given the short time frame." His voice was thoughtful as he replied to the Exec.

"Alright then," Mal said. "So, I'll leave you to get caught up on patient files and otherwise prepare for the upcoming mission. Welcome aboard, Doctor."

"My thanks Commander." Matthew answered softly, offering his hand to the Pan-like creature. Briefly he wondered if he'd found the rabbit hole for which Alice was so well known for falling into.

Mal shook the offered hand and then rose from his seat.

"Come," he said, offering the doctor some assistance rising from his chair. "I'll walk you out."