<USS Avalon> Most Unusual Physical

 
"Most Unusual Physical"
Captain Skyler & Ensign Scott
   
She had been putting off the inevitable for as long as  she could. 
Unfortunately, she could put it off no longer. For some unknown  reason she had 
been 
chosen to be Ensign Scott's physician. She hadn't actually  practiced medicine 
per se in quite some what time, let alone under these  circumstances. 
 
In preparation for what was to come, she read and  re-read the PADD that 
contained the information on Ensign Scott. She still  couldn't believe it when 
she 
read it. Perhaps that was why she had been putting  off contacting her until 
now. All she knew was that she had to do something and  the sooner the better.
 
"Computer, send the following message to Ensign Delaney  Scott. Ensign Scott, 
please report to Captain Skyler's office as soon as  possible."
 
With the message sent all she could so was wait and  wonder what she was 
going to do.
 
*****
 
    Laney had just  finished hauling the last of her belongings to her new 
quarters on Deck 11. She  decided it was time for a shower---she could always 
begin unpacking tomorrow.  Heading for the bathroom, stripping her uniform off 
along the way, she almost  missed the message light on her computer. She 
stopped at the desk and switched  on the monitor.
        "Ensign Scott,  please report to Captain Skyler's office as soon as 
possible."
        Laney paused,  sighing. She'd known this call was coming, but had 
thought she would have more  time to acclimate herself to this ship. She 
supposed 
the captain wanted to have  the business of her physical out of the way 
before the launch  tomorrow.
        "Computer,  location of Captain Skyler?"
        "Captain  Skyler is in her office."
        Laney couldn't  suppress a chuckle. The captain apparently liked to 
burn the midnight oil, as it  were. Picking up her uniform jacket off the arm 
of the sofa, she slipped it on,  then tapped her commbadge.
        "Ensign Scott to  Captain Skyler."
        "Skyler here.  Go ahead Ensign."
        "Captain, I've  received your message. I am willing to come see you 
now, unless you'd prefer to  do it tomorrow," she said.
        There was a moment  of silence before Skyler answered. "No, now is as 
good a time as any. We'll  be far too busy tomorrow prepping the ship for 
launch, as it  is."
        "Very well. I'll  be with you in just a few minutes. Scott out."
        Conscious of the  fact that Skyler would be evaluating her from first 
sight, Laney continued into  the bathroom and checked her appearance in the 
mirror. Taking out the elastic  band, she picked up her brush and ran it 
through her hair, then re-secured it in  a low ponytail. She then took another 
deep 
breath and headed for the  bridge.
 
        When Laney reached  the bridge, there were only two crew members at 
work. No more was necessary,  really, since they were still docked at Izar. 
Turning her attention to the  matter before her, she pressed the chime for 
Captain Skyler's  office.
        "Come  in."
        Laney strode into  the office after the door swished open, remaining 
just inside with her hands  down at her sides. 
        Skyler looked up  from the medical kit she had brought up here 
earlier today, making sure  everything she would need was inside---not that 
she'd 
really need anything more  than the medical tricorder.
        "Please, Ensign,  come in," Skyler said.
        Nodding, Laney  stepped forward, coming to stand in front of the 
captain's desk. She remained  silent as Skyler took a medical tricorder out of 
the 
kit on her desk and flipped  it open, then stood and came around the desk as 
she removed the scanning wand  and ran it over her.
        Skyler's brow  furrowed in consternation. "I'm reading you as 100% 
Human, Ensign."
        Laney reached up  to remove her commbadge. Laying it on the desk she 
said, "Sorry. Sometimes I  forget that."
        "It's alright,  Miss Scott," Skyler said, as she moved the scanning 
wand up and down the ensign  once more. Now she was seeing what the girl's 
medical profile said about her.  The readings showed the genetic make-up of the 
Changelings on one side of the  small screen, and numerous Human genetic 
markers 
on the other.
        "Ensign Scott, are  you aware that your Changeling DNA----if that's 
what you want to call it----is  dominant over your Human DNA?" the captain 
asked.
        Laney looked at  her. "To be honest, I never gave the matter any 
thought. What do you mean, it's  dominant?"
        Skyler showed her  the tricorder readings. "According to this, and 
all medical scans taken since  your... transformation... although you retain 
the 
genetic code from your  mother's DNA contribution, in the grand scheme of 
things it's almost as if it  isn't there. You have all the shape-shifting 
capabilities of the Changelings, is  that correct?"
        Laney nodded  absently. She really hadn't given much thought to her 
genetic make-up in the  last six and a half years, just as she hadn't in the 
twenty-two prior. She  virtually never got injured or sick, so what was there 
to 
think about? Though  now that the subject had been broached, perhaps, at 
least since the Changelings  had done this to her, she ought have been thinking 
about it. 
        "It's like the  Human DNA is completely superfluous," she said. 
        Looking up, though  not directly at Skyler, she mused, "Makes you 
wonder why they left  it."
        Skyler took the  tricorder back, and after running one more scan, 
replaced the little wand in the  top and closed it. "You could better answer 
that 
than I, Ensign.
        "From what this  tells me, you are in perfect health." She handed 
Laney back her commbadge, and  as the younger woman put it on, she added, "I'm 
not entirely certain why  Starfleet has requested I take on the duties of being 
your physician, as our  medical staff is more than qualified, and I am certain 
that sensitive  information would of course be kept private." 
        "I can only guess  it's one of those 'need to know' things, Captain," 
Laney replied. "They must  believe that yourself, Admiral Ketchum and the 
ship's counselor are the only  ones who need to know right now. The fact that I 
am part Changeling alone  wouldn't make very many people happy. If the 
knowledge that I may as well not  have any Human DNA at all were to get out, 
well... 
who knows? The Dominion did  some terrible things to us during the war. Even 
though I had absolutely nothing  to do with them or their agenda, and still 
don't, my sharing their genetic  structure makes me a perfect target for anyone 
who still has unresolved issues.  I've never been remiss to that."
        "I'm well aware of  the security issues," said the captain, then 
softened her expression. She could  feel that the ensign had been troubled by 
the 
revelation, and was rather  nervous.
        "Ensign, your  record isn't very flattering, as I'm sure you're 
aware. But I am going to take  the advice of our counselor and reserve 
judgement. 
As long as you do your job  well and obey orders, I personally will have no 
problem with you being on  board."
        Laney nodded.  "Thank you, Captain."
        Glancing out the  window, she then turned back to Skyler and said, 
"Permission to speak freely,  ma'am?"
        Skyler was quite  surprised by the request, but nodded her consent as 
she leaned against her desk. 
        Laney took a  shallow breath and released it. "Captain, I was a good 
Starfleet officer. Hell,  I coulda been more than that with my quite possibly 
having one of the  highest IQ's in the galaxy. But I was perfectly happy and 
content taking care of  the shuttles on the Ireland."
        "Then why did you  disobey your father's order and go to the 
Changeling planet?" Skyler  asked.
        "I needed to know  for sure. My parents wouldn't tell me and I 
couldn't risk going to someone else.  All I wanted was to know once and for all 
if 
they were the other half of me, and  I had a right to that knowledge."
        Skyler really  couldn't argue with her logic. "But even your right to 
know does not supercede  your captain's direct order, Ensign."
        "I was willing to  take leave, and as a matter of fact I tried that 
tactic. Hell, I would have  resigned from Starfleet if that would have made a 
difference. But he  wasn't going to let me go no matter what, and I felt it was 
not his right to  stop me." 
        "So you felt you  had no other recourse but to disobey a direct order 
and steal a shuttlecraft?"  Skyler pushed.
        Laney colored  slightly, but held her ground. "At the time, no. I was 
honestly trying to  protect my parents' jobs and reputations. If my father 
could only have seen  that, perhaps he wouldn't have denied my request in the 
first place. 
        "Looking back,  however, I can see that there were other avenues I 
could have pursued. Spending  the last six and a half years locked in an 8 x 10 
room for 22 hours a day gave  me a lot of time to think. I don't regret what I 
did. Only how I did  it."
        Skyler studied her  for a moment. At least she shows remorse for her 
actions, she thought.  That's a good start. 
        "And what about  now?" she asked finally.
        Laney looked at  her squarely, smiling genuinely for the first time. 
"Now I want to make up for  lost time. Although there was a time when I 
wondered if I even wanted to come  back, Starfleet really is the only job I've 
ever 
wanted. The only life I've ever  wanted. I am truly grateful that I've been 
given a second chance, and I intend  to make the most of it."
        Although she'd  initially had reservations about this unique ensign 
and the circumstances of  their doctor-patient relationship, Skyler found 
herself smiling, and feeling a  genuine fondness for her. She had screwed up 
and 
she understood that, and had  paid her debt to society, as the Earth saying 
went. Now all she wanted was the  chance to make up for it, and to prove, she 
sensed, that she was still worthy to  wear the uniform.
        Skyler decided  that she would give her that chance with no more 
reservations. 
        With a smile, she  said, "I think I have all I need, Ensign Scott. 
You're free to go. I suggest  getting a good night's sleep, if you still sleep, 
that is. We have a big day  tomorrow."
        Laney felt herself  relax, even though she hadn't been entirely aware 
of her tension. Smiling  herself, she said, "Yes, ma'am. And actually, even 
though I don't need to  anymore, I do still sleep. It rests me as much as ever, 
and is a constant  reminder that I'm still Human."
        
        Skyler watched as  Ensign Scott left her office. Sitting back down at 
her desk, she looked at the  medical results one more time and shook her 
head. If this got out there  would certainly be a major mess to deal with. 
Still, 
I have to think that the  CMO should be included in Ensign Scott's care. I 
think I will have a talk with  Keith in the morning. For now the physical is 
done 
and Starfleet should be  happy.
 
    Taking the PADD with  the medical results of Ensign Scott, Skyler locked 
them up in the safe in her  office. It was both manual and voice activated. 
Hopefully no one would find the  information and cause problems. She wanted to 
give the new ensign a chance which  meant putting her own beliefs and thoughts 
aside.

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