An evening's prescription ...

[T'aral 0]

The Captain had asked T'Aral about her 'call sign' ... the reference everyone was using for her. She understood that people were referring to her when they spoke of 'Doc', even though she was not a doctor. For some reason emotional humanoids enjoyed giving professionals pet names. She did not understand it, nor did she try. She simply accepted it.

 

Calestorm offered a slight smile to the CMO. “Lieutenant, you serve on a ship with two former full time flight jockeys in command; the entire senior staff will be tagged, it’s tradition.”

 

The two officers were in a private alcove off the main medical bay; she remained sitting on the stool that had been indicated by T’Aral, and skimmed the strap of the sports bra off her left shoulder to completely expose the skin area. Ashton kept herself in pretty good shape, or at least she tried to; the muscles of her arms and stomach were taut without being prominent. A few battle scars here and there marred the skin surface, but the most prominent thing that stood out on her white skin was the tattoo inked on her left bicep. Like the undead wizard adorning her right calf, the ink on her arm was military oriented as well – a grinning skull variation on the symbol of the Starfleet starfighter branch.

 

Hindsight was a wonderful thing. After these years, while the captain didn’t necessarily regret the tattoos, she did regret the visual content choices of her youth.

 

As she applied the gel, T'Aral's fingers examined the Captain's shoulder. Aside from residual injury, there was a considerable tightening of several muscle groups. As she applied the gel she also began neuropressure: gently pressing on specific muscle and nerve groups to neutralize the subtle tension impulses the Captain's cerebellum was sending to her shoulders. The source of the problem, however, was not something that T'Aral could cure with a gel or hypospray. The Captain had entered a 'fight or flight' situation and had left it unresolved. If such unresolved stress was left unattended, the problem would come back.

 

The pain from the old trapezius injury wasn’t necessarily debilitating, just a constant soreness when it was aggravated and the muscles knotted; as the CMO applied the topical ointment to the shoulder, the touch contact against the skin hurt and Cale’s breathing hitched slightly.

 

After finishing the application and pressing a few final nerve junctures to completely relax Cale's shoulder, T'Aral cleaned her hands and began to call up a memory file. "I recommend you take the rest of the shift off, assuming no further emergency presents itself." She handed the memory file to the Captain. "This is an entertainment presentation from Earth's early Twentieth Century; '1938' as they recorded time. It is titled 'Bringing Up Baby', and features Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn - noted performers in their media.

 

"For a Vulcan patient I would recommend meditation to clear the mind of stressful thoughts. For humans, however, I have noted that distraction is a more effective technique to alleviate stress - at least temporarily. I have taken the time to view a number of recordings from Earth history to gain a perspective on the subject, and I believe that you will find this presentation suitably ... distracting."

 

The captain could appreciate old school Earth entertainment, and cocked her head to one side as she spoke to the chief medical officer with a curious tone; she couldn't recall ever having been exposed to 'Bringing Up Baby'. “A 2D film from 1938 is quite a ways back Doc; watching a movie as prescription?”

 

T'Aral simply nodded. "For needs such as this, the earlier 1900's presentations are better choices. Without the ability to create lavish visual effects, film crafters depended on more intricate stories and capable presentation to entertain. As the purpose of the recommendation is to distract you from the complications of work, something is needed that will draw your attention. A simple visual spectacle would prove inadequate - you need a good story.”

 

"There are, of course, other options. The ship's library can be scanned for performers. If you are willing to consider my recommendation I would suggest searching under Cary Grant, James Stewart, or Spencer Tracy. Another actor popular among Cinema patrons is Humphrey Bogart, though his films tend to be under a far more serious vein. If you have time, however, I would recommend a visual adaptation of James Clavel's 'Shogun' ... though if you have the time, I would more earnestly recommend reading the novel. It has far more material than the nine-hour presentation."

 

Crash studied the small, colored rectangular data card that held the recommended prescription. “I’ve always been more of a James Stewart fan – his later film work in westerns such as ‘The Naked Spur’ or ‘Shenandoah’, or the occasional foray into his Hitchcock adaptation years.”

 

T'Aral turned to face the Captain properly, with her hands folded neatly behind her. "I am recommending relaxation - as complete as possible. The method you choose is up to you, of course - but it is important that your mind be totally occupied with an enjoyable pursuit, so that no thought would come to interrupt your relaxation."

 

She lifted the card to eye level, held between thumb and forefinger, and smiled. “Thank you for the suggestion Doc; I’ll be spending the night with Crewmen Hepburn and Grant.”