The doctor will see you...NOW!

[T'aral 0]

"The Ensign's scans, vital signs, and biometrics are consistent with those taken prior to her assignment. There are no signs of a change in medical condition since her last full-spectrum physical, therefore Ensign Skyler Akade is cleared for active duty."

 

As T'Aral finished notes on the new young Science Officer, a ping came in from the bridge. She had paged Dr. Belo in order to perform her physical. It was a formality, with T'Aral more than most, but like all Starfleet regulations it was one which needed to be carried out. This, however, became problematic as Tifa's message from the bridge came down to Sickbay.

 

"I'm sorry, T'Aral, but she says that it's against her religion to be physically examined."

 

This raised the Vulcan's eyebrow considerably. As a priestess, she did make a point of examining many of the interstellar religions during her time at Starfleet. It was a rare opportunity to expand her horizons and to learn about other cultures. She encountered a number of unusual belief systems, but none which banned a person from seeking medical assistance - save for one or two human conventions, and they were largely discounted except by a core of strong believers. There was, however, one specific field which obviously was the Leutenant's choice of beliefs.

 

A quick scan of her records confirmed one thing: the doctor was not one to co-operate with medical procedures. Other officers could get by T'Aral's medical exam with a simple scan to make sure they were still in the same condition as when they were assigned. Doctor Belo didn't have a proper baseline, so T'Aral needed far more than to just do a maintenance scan. Doctor Belo was going to be introduced to every inspection technique the Comanche Creek's Sickbay had to offer.

 

Setting aside her equipment, T'Aral stepped out of Sickbay and entered a turbolift. Signalling for the bridge, the Vulcan straightened her tunic and waited patiently for the lift to take her to her destination. Once arrived she calmly stepped out and located the new Science Officer.

 

"Doctor Belo: you are to come with me to Sickbay immediately. Please be advised that I do not acknowledge Scientology, and will not accept the idea that you have been 'audted' and are somehow healthy because you will yourself to be so."

[Innogen Belo 0]

Innogen turned from her station and blinked up at the chief medical officer, highly-amused, by the tableaux unfolding before her. Here was the good doctor, storming the castle and imperiously confronting an evil enemy for treacherous crimes against the ship's populace. It would do Innogen no good but to rise to the occasion and perform her role. Schooling her features Innogen steadily held the Vulcan's gaze, letting the silence stretch between them for a moment.

 

Apparently, everyone had mistaken her comment regarding Innogen's beliefs preventing her from reporting to sickbay as some type of religious dogma, rather than just common sense and pragmatisms. She was currently exhibiting no symptoms of ailment or disease and therefore saw little point in pandering to the nonsensical tradition of reporting for a physical examination upon reporting for duty at a new post. Obviously she was healthy; otherwise Starfleet would not have given her the assignment in the first place.

 

As a newly appointed chief, there were many tasks that needed to be completed before the science department would be running at acceptable standards of efficiency. She was also attempting to acclimate to a new ship, duties, and crew. She obviously did not have time to humor such an antiquated notion as reporting to sickbay when one was neither sick nor injured. However, it was entirely possible that Innogen might also waste valuable time arguing with the imitable chief medical officer over the matter.

 

Given that the medical officer was a Vulcan, a race known for their stubbornness, inflexibility, and tenacity; it might also be prudent to acquiesce to the doctor's demands in order to get the inevitable argument over with. Yet, Kriosians were also known for being obstinate and unyielding and it wouldn't due to capitulate and submit to the Vulcan's wishes. It was the principle of the matter, and Innogen's innate and somewhat dark sense of humor would not allow her to let it drop.

 

Rising slowly from her seat, she stood, making sure to look her inquisitor squarely in the eye, refusing to cede any ground. "Dr. T'Aral, I presume? I must confess that your entrance onto the bridge in high dungeon to demand my presence in sickbay was quiet unnecessary," Innogen said, biting her lip in an effort not to laugh.

 

"I am not familiar with Scientology or auditing, however, if it is a religious belief, it would be highly illogical of you to discount its precepts, given that Vulcan's firmly adhere to Surak's teachings of infinite diversity in infinite combinations." It had been her experience that the only way to out argue a Vulcan was to use their own logic against them.

 

"As for the matter at hand, it is against my beliefs to report to sickbay when I am not physically or mentally, ill or injured. If you require my medical records, you can request them from Dr. Sandusky, aboard the USS Tesla. His records should current as of 25 standard days ago." Innogen stifled a grin, she was almost certain that Varian Sandusky would find this situation as amusing as she.

Edited July 8, 2010 by Innogen Belo

[T'aral 0]

T'Aral's face bore typical Vulcan passiveness as Leutenant Belo explained herself. This, however, did not in any way mean that she was about to allow a Leutenant to dictate how things were to be done on the Comanche Creek. From the expressions of the people on the bridge, she could tell that the Captain was probably in trouble. She was not about to give Starfleet Command any additional reasons to repremand Caelstorm. Any inspection of the medical department would find all things in order, according to regulations.

 

"Leutenant: Starfleet regulations may grant allowances for a variety of conditions, but as an officer and a department chief you should be well aware that personal preference is not one of them. We all have our assignments, tasks, and obligations according to regulation. It is my obligation to conduct physicals on incomming staff, and it is your obligation to comply.

 

"It is not my intention to debate the validity of Starfleet regulations. I am a starship medical officer, and I have my orders. A physical is required, and as a member of this crew you are required to submit to it under terms dictated by the medical staff. You have a variety of choices: you may report to sickbay and comply with regulations, you may request a transfer off of this ship, you can accept a suspension of duty until such time as you submit to a full examination, or you may resign your commission. If you have not made a decision within twenty-four hours you will be logged as medically unfit for duty, and your non-compliance will be reported to the Captain and Executive Officer for disciplinary action."

T'Aral turned and calmly returned to the turbolift. There was nothing more to be said, and in this matter she had no patience for the personal opinions of emotional beings.

Edited July 8, 2010 by T'aral

[Innogen Belo 0]

Innogen waited until T'Aral had left the bridge before turning back to her console and letting a smirk spread across her face. So authoritative, so dictatorial, so stereotypically Vulcan. It was amusing really, the doctor's inflexibility and inability to see anything beyond black and white; it indicated a cold and colorless existence. Of all the Vulcans she knew, the doctor seemed more of a marionette than most.

 

One thing was certain, however, all was not as it seemed with T'Aral's calm demeanor and seemingly impassive attitude. Innogen was not well acquainted with the chief medical officer, but she had been able to detect a slight hint of something during their exchange. It could have been impatience, or annoyance, but it was something that indicated that the Vulcan's cage had been rattled, albeit ever so slightly.

 

Empathy, unlike telepathy, didn't provide an exact reading of other people; it gave the reader impressions and perceptions. It was up to them to interpret what they were feeling, and that task was much easier if they were more familiar with the individual. Innogen's empathic ability was only really effective in close proximity, however, she was always looking for ways in which to hone her skills and if the doctor was any indication of the rest of the crew, Commanche Creek would be an interesting place.

 

Grinning even more widely, Innogen returned to the task of refining the sensor specs. She would let the good doctor stew for a couple of hours before gracing sickbay with her presence.

 

[T'aral 0]

The delay between T'Aral's encounter and Innogen's decision to finally comply with regulations allowed the CMO time to think - to consider the situation and to develop a rational course of action. It was clear that the new officer was testing her, or she carried a bigotry against Vulcans, or she was simply a hostile emotional being. In any case, her hostility would bear its own consequences.

 

In order to reduce the potential for conflict, T'Aral decided to assign one of the alternate physicians to Innogen's case. The antagonistic behavior that Dr. Belo demonstrated reflected many encounters that T'Aral had to endure through the Academy; bigots, racists, and other prejudiced people who could not be content to respect all beings equally. Clearly if T'Aral examined Innogen herself there would only be more friction and conflict, and creating conflict was not the intention of Starfleet regulations.

 

All the same, T'Aral did order that an extensive battery of tests be performed - far beyond the normal Starfleet physical. Stress tests, psycho-reactive tests, blood tests, DNA tests, hormone tests, bioscans, musculo-skeletal scans, neuro-reactive scans, and an additional directive that the examining technician perform any additional tests which may reveal details of Innogen's physiology. More than a normal physical, the order was for a thorough examination of Dr. Belo's biology.

 

The assigned technician paused and asked for confirmation before accepting T'Aral's orders. They were acceptable per regulation, but highly unusual for a Comanche Creek introductory physical. Typically T'Aral was quite relaxed about such encounters: they were less a broad examination and more a chance for T'Aral to socialize. Introductory physicals, after all, weren't for the benefit of the patient - it was known that they were medically fit before they were assigned. The regulation physical was for the benefit of the doctor: to introduce them, to develop a rapport, and to determine if there was anything particular the doctor should be aware of regarding her patients. Typically T'Aral did little more than a cursory scan and a conversation with the new crewmember. In Innogen's case, however, T'Aral would have to sign off on her without a personal meeting. That required the wealth of data, and there was the question as to why Innogen refused a simple physical. The scans would most likely come up without significant variance from normal readings, but the complete record would be necessary.

 

From a personal level, T'Aral already learned all she needed. Dr. Belo had no regard for her as a professional or an individual, and she held Starfleet regulations in equal contempt. Because of this, the CSO's medical needs were better handled through intermediaries. T'Aral assigned Leutenant Baliss to her; she was quite capable and, as a human, would perhaps be more able to tolerate Innogen's beligerence. Either that, or the racism she demonstrated against Vulcans would not be a factor in her medical care. This was preferable.

 

There would probably be consequences, but those could not be helped. T'Aral's efforts on board the Creek were progressing smoothly; she wasn't about to have those efforts derailed by antagonism. There were many other ways to deal with such things. Especally in cases where emotionally-driven beings seemed determined to create confrontations, distance and buffers were T'Aral's preference.