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Charlotte Matsumura

By Any Other Name

By Any Other Name

LCDR Rue Wydown

ENS Charlotte Matsumura

 

***

 

With thoughts of her conversation with Lieutenant Garrison still turning through her mind, Charlotte Matsumura stepped out of the lift and made her way into sickbay, gingerly probing the area of her jaw that had taken his last strike. The lieutenant had proven himself a very worthy opponent in the ring, and seemed to be respectable as a division officer: He had been there, done that, and that bode well for his experience in actual situations. Whether or not she would be able befriend him, only time would tell. A large portion of that would depend entirely on how she ended up reading their illustrious commanding officer.

 

In a final quiet moment after the chaos of the previous week, the CMO could be found talking to herself as she paced a cubical in main sickbay with a PADD, rattling off a disjointed checklist. "Check in with station med staff? Check. Prepped nekkid Trill for transfer? Check. Deflated the slimy git's ego? Check. Empted Mace's coffers during poker night? Check. Plans to spend illgotten gains? Ummm...still not done yet, luv." Rue Wydown frowned as she started scribbling. "Can't let that happen."

 

Matsumura spotted the movement in her peripheral vision and turned, finding Dr. Wydown pacing the floor with her PADD. "Excuse me, Doctor Wydown?"

 

Rue rolled her head in the direction of the voice, then broke out in a cheeky grin out of habit. "Oi!' She squinted at the young woman for a moment. "Security, right? Walking punching bags, you lot." She teased. "Whot can I do for you?"

 

Charlotte chuckled, wincing as she tried to smile. "Let's just say I ended up on the business end of Lt. Garrison's front punch." She turned and allowed the overhead lights to wash over the jawline. "I doubt it's broken, but there's some damage. I thought I'd leave the full diagnosis to the professionals."

 

"Perhaps you've got more brain cells in ye than some of those other yahoos." She motioned to a biobed. "Give me two ticks and we'll have ye right as rain." She set aside her PADD then grabbed a tricroder off the side table. "Name, luv?"

 

The patient hopped up onto the bed, feet dangling to one side. "Matsumura; Charlotte Matsumura."

 

"Came on the Union right before we left the station, aye?" She started the scan, head to toe, talking idly as she worked. "Not bad, not bad." Another soft mutter under her breath before she appeared to be addressing Matsumura again. "Whot you think so far?"

 

"It's an interesting lot... but I don't feel as though I know enough to pass any sort of judgment yet. Especially after seeing how, well, unpredictable things have been." Her eyes followed the flashing lights of the probe, with occasional glances to the tricorder in Rue's hand.

 

"Better get used to unpredictable, luv. That's life in the 'Fleet. Unless ye step in it, and end up on some bloody listening post in the middle of nowhere. Then...well...I'd rather shoot myself." She glanced at the tricorder as she put away the wand. "Nothing here that'll kill ye, mate. Just a few bumps and bruises, strains, sprains, etc. Ye want something for the pain?"

 

Charlotte chuckled. "Yes, well... I had wondered if I hadn't already stepped in it, to get this assignment, in the far reaches of the known universe." She tried to smirk, but was rewarded with a twinge from her jaw. "And yes, something for the pain would be lovely."

 

Wydown headed to the medical cabinet to retrieve a hypospray and med canister. "So where you from, mate? Earth?"

 

"Yeah. I grew up in San Fran, but Mum was from London, and Dad is from this really traditional Japanese family." Thinking about her parents, Matsumura shook her head. "East meets West in the most interesting of ways."

 

Rummaging around in the cabinet for a moment, the doctor came up with the canister she wanted after a moment. "So why the 'Fleet?"

 

"Papa was in the 'Fleet -- as long as I could remember, actually. All that rubbish about duty, honor; king and country, I suppose rubbed off on me. It didn't help that he had a best friend, always around, that was active duty, as well. I sort of grew up idolizing them."

 

Rue cast a glance behind, grinned then slammed the canister into the hypospray. She returned to the biobed twirling the hypospray absentmindly in her hand. "A wee bit of hero worship, hmm?" She laughed softly. "Neck please, mate." She pantimined what she wanted Charlotte to do by tilting her own neck.

 

"A tad, I suppose. Don't regret it at all. Besides... I got to learn to blow things up. That kind of thing is worth the hassle." She tilted her head, exposing her neck for the hypo. "Well, mostly."

 

The doctor snorted, depressing the hypospray into her neck. "You like things that go boom, hmm?"

 

"My area of expertise. My parents made the mistake of buying me a chemistry set when I was a girl. Ended up missing eyebrows a few times, but it was enough to instill a lifetime love of large, incendiary events." A wry gleam danced in dark eyes.

 

"Lucky you came out of in unscathed. Well...minus the eyebrow of course." She grinned, pocketing the hypospray. "A little jiggery-pokery with the regenerator and I'll have you out of here in two ticks." She picked up the device, starting with the jaw bruise.

 

"Thanks. A friend is meeting me at the station and I'm afraid if I show up looking like this, he'll cart me home to Mum and Papa."

 

"Don't worry, he won't notice a thing." Rue grinned, working with the regenerator. "Protective, your friend?"

 

Matsumura shrugged one shoulder. "Can be. Probably something to do with the fact that he's known me since I was an insignificant speck."

 

"Sounds like me ex." Rue paused. "Well, not the protective type. More like me knowing him since he was an insignificant speck." Giggling at her own private joke. "Arm please." She motioned.

 

Charlotte complied, offering a slight smile. "Papa probably made him promise to keep an eye on me while he was here." She shook her head. "Trusts him with his life, he does...and with mine."

 

"Whot? You need a babysitter. At your age?" She squinted as she worked on one of the gashes on the arm.

 

"Hardly. Still, I'm the only daughter, and we never really grow up in our parents eyes, do we?"

 

"Guess not." She grinned, snapped off the regenerator. "Any other aches and pains?"

 

Matsumura massaged her jaw, enjoying the freedom of movement without pain. "Not at the moment. And hopefully not again for a very long time. No offense, Doctor, but I'm not exactly fond of medical attention."

 

"Ye aren't me first. Ye won't be me last." Rue grinned cheekily. "No offense taken." She motioned to the floor. "Off ye go then. Unless you need something else?"

 

"Right as rain." Slipping off of the biobed onto her feet, Charlotte decided it was past time for a shower. "Thank you, Doctor."

 

"No problem." The doctor packed up her equipment. "By the way, whot's your babysitter's name?" She smirked. "Just so I know who'd carted ye back home when you don't show up to your shift t'morrow."

 

"Commander Malcolm Alexander. Though Papa is the only one who calls him Malcolm...and Mum, when he's in trouble with her." The ensign smirked. "Which can be pretty often."

 

Rue's eyebrows quirked, calucated odds and frequency of name cominbinations in a universe this big, then she shook her head. "Naaaaah." The CMO tossed her tricorder back onto the tray and picked up her PADD. "You have fun with your Mal."

 

Charlotte fought the blush that threatened, feeling the warmth begin to creep up the back of her neck. "Yes, well... Thank you, Doctor Wydown." She readjusted the towel on her shoulder, then turned and beat a hasty exit.

 

***

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