Chart review

Posted on 18 Mar 2025 @ 7:15pm by Lieutenant JG Thalla zh'Ennev MD & Lieutenant Commander Raviran Dattek-Winters

1,111 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Shoreleave and Reassignment
Location: Starbase 375 - Medical Lounge
Timeline: Following 452 Caskets

Thalla blew quietly on her cup of tea, scattering the steam that was rising from the hot cup. The last patient from the Cygnus had been discharged, and all that remained was a bit of paperwork before she could take off herself, and discover the wonders of Elysia that she'd heard so much about. After the past few weeks, she was very much looking forward to a bit of time off - even if it was on an infernally hot planet. She had done a bit of homework - unfortunately, the poles of Calisto IV were uninhabited, and there was simply nowhere else for her to go. She would have to endure the heat.

She took a sip of tea, and looked down at the data PaDD and the patient's chart that was displayed. She typed in her notes as other members of the starbase's massive meical staff came and went from the lounge.

Ravi was having similar thoughts as her colleague. "Just a bit of admin and we're away from here at last" she said. "Do you have any idea of where you'll go? Most of the survivors are headed for Elysia. Do you have any desire to go there, Thalla?" she asked as she put another of the completed PaDDS onto the "to file" pile in the main office of Sickbay where they were both working on 'writing everyone up'.

"I can't say I'm really looking forward to it, but it'll be nice not to breathe recycled air for a change," said Thalla. "Andorians prefer colder climates. Give me a nice snow-covered peak and I'll be first in line to board the shuttle." She stretched, and felt something pop satisfyingly in her shoulder. "How about you? I hear the accommodations over there put Risa to shame."

"I was planning to stop off at the Station for a while, I really do badly in too much heat but then I suppose the Station would be a bit of a busmans' holiday as it's so similar to a starship when it comes to conditions." The CMO replied.

"We're almost finished up here now, Lieutenant, I can manage the last of it and clearing up. Would you like to set off early on your well earned break? You've really sped up the work here with your diligence and efficiency. I've been really impressed. I'll be talking to the Captain when I see him to ask about filling in that hollow pip of yours before our next mission launches. Don't worry, the repairs will take a very long time I'm sure so we won't be scuttling away soon. I think I'd like to ask him for the new solid pip sooner than all that - it's too long to wait in my opinion!" she grinned at her colleague and friend, "Are you not going to find the heat even more difficult than I will?"

Thalla's antennae tilted at being addressed by rank. It rattled her, this Starfleet notion of paramilitary hierarchy among medical personnel. They were doctors, first and foremost. Not ensigns, or lieutenants, or commanders. She waved away Ravi's remarks about a solid pip.

"The heat will be terrible," she conceded. "But I thought Cardassians liked the heat, I'm surprised to hear that's not the case for you."

"I'm only half Cardassian" Ravi smiled broadly and added "which is a very important dilutant! - especially when it comes to characteristics but physically being half one thing and half another very different one tends to come with odd combinations in what one can expect in practicalities.

It's a common but divergent combination of races that I represent, the Bajoran/Cardassian mix, but while I lean towards the Cardassian with my exoskeleton and general strength, I have Bajoran skin so a conflict sets up.

Pretty much the way you'd expect really, any combination of those two types always seem to be at logger-heads by basic nature! How my parents ever made each other happy is totally beyond me" her laugh was genuine but a little sad when she thought of her lovely parents.

"Humans have a saying," said Thalla. "Opposites attract. Maybe that's what drew them to each other."

"I don't know but I do know they loved each other very much. So perhaps that's right."

"I suppose in the end that's all that matters," said Thalla. She entered her final notes in the last patient chart she had to review, and drank the last of her tea in one gulp. She pressed the button on her data PaDD that would upload the annotated charts to the main computer. "Well, I think if I'm ever going to make it to Elysia I'd better go and pack. Despite the heat, I do think some downtime will do us all a world of good. We all need it, after everything that's happened."

"I couldn't agree more. I hope you can enjoy your R & R despite the climate, Thalla. You have worked so very hard and you deserve a great break. If I get to the planet and you're around wherever I show up, perhaps we could meet up. I'll buy you that drink I owe you!" Ravi grinned and almost offered up a hug but wasn't sure if that would be appropriate yet. Instead she just put her hand on Thalla's forearm in a friendly and hopefully reassuring gesture.

"I will take you up on that," replies Thalla, putting away the paperwork and collecting her things. She walked over to the replicator and recycled her teacup. "I'll see you down on the planet then."

As Thalla left Sickbay, Ravi also uploaded her work to the main records and tidied away. Then, with a slightly sentimental kind of look around, not actually sure what had inspired her to feel reticent about this centre, the CMO also left to return to her quarters, knowing that this was a chapter ending and doors closing on the past.

When they returned to the Cygnus' repaired & updated Sickbay it would look and feel very different and that was, in Ravi's opinion, a good thing. She did however, still feel sad at the losses that the closure would leave in gaps in her life. People who she'd never see again, things that would always be different now, ways of doing things that would become obsolete...... the exhaustion and sadness inside Dr Winters was very heavy upon her right now as she closed the doors behind her as she left. In itself a very significant event, it would seem.

----

A post by

Dr. Thalla zh'Ennev
Medical officer
USS Cygnus

And

Dr. Raviran Dattek-Winters
Chief Medical Officer
USS Cygnus

 

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