A Little Out of Hand!!

Posted on Sun Mar 24th, 2019 @ 12:38pm by Lieutenant JG Neza Glenn & Lieutenant Steffan Haas & Lieutenant Jane Sinclair MD, DVM

3,515 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Mission 2 - Love ORION Mistaken
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: 2261.223 0705

Jane was idle chatting with Nurse T’Kal while they cleaned biobed one. Normally a light wipe-down and a quick pass with a remote decon machine we’re enough, but their last patient, Warrant Officer Rasmussen’s chihuahua, apparently had both a fear of the vet and a weak bladder. Aside from the mess though, Jane was having a good day. Her primary patient, their Orion guest, was still asleep on another biobed.

Steffan slowly walked into sickbay rubbing his back. The night before’s bedroom antics with Nez had taken its toll not that he wanted to advertise that fact to the staff in sickbay. He’d have to come up a good story. He saw Doctor Sinclair, “Hey Doc, I’ve got a couple of problems.”

“Steffan,” Jane said, looking at him as he came in. He looked like he was in a fair amount of pain. “Oh my goodness, what happened to you? Come here, have a seat. T’Kal, please bring me a medical tricorder.” The nurse stepped away a moment to retrieve the item as Jane reached for her new patient’s hand.

“I was, erm, moving some of the communications equipment. I seem to have over done it a bit.” Haas said as he took the Doctors hand and continued to hobble across the sickbay.

She slowly guided the injured man to the biobed. "You might be in too much pain to jump onto this, so if you can't, then just lean against it." She took the tricorder from T'Kal and began scanning his injury. "Strained muscles in your back and shoulders. Always lift with your legs, Steffan, not your back. Wait a second." She studied the scans more carefully. There were some inconsistencies here. Most communications equipment was either so heavy that he had no business lifting it without an antigrav unit, or so light that the injury would be much less serious. If this was a lifting injury, it was something that weighed in the area of 130-155 pounds. "Tell me again. What were you doing that caused this?"

Haas thought for a moment, “Perhaps it happened when I was playing squash with Crewman Jax from Engineering. He has a nasty backhand which probably made me over stretch.” He said before a movement made him instinctively put his hand on his groin. “Ouch, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Jane stopped scanning and squinted at her patient, regarding him quietly, an impassive look on her face. "T'Kal, give us some privacy, please?" The nurse nodded and went to work elsewhere in sickbay. Once she was gone, Jane smiled at Steffan. "Uh-huh. Crewman Jax has a mean backhand. Which strained your back, your shoulders, and somehow also your groin. Steffan, you can count on my discretion. We're alone now, but if you want to continue this discussion in my office in complete privacy, we can do so. But I can't give you the best treatment if you're not honest with me."

“I don’t know what you mean, Doctor.” Haas replied defensively but he could feel his cheeks starting to turn red. “Honestly, Crewman Jeve plays a mean game of tennis.”

"A moment ago you said it was Crewman Jax playing squash," Jane said with a smile. "Suddenly it's Crewman Jeve playing tennis?" She put her tricorder down on a nearby table. "It's like that old board game, Cluedo. 'Colonel Mustard, in the Kitchen, with the Candlestick.' So which is it? Crewman Jax, with the backhand, in the squash court? Crewman Jeve, with the mean game, in the tennis court?" She leaned in conspiratorially. "Or Lieutenant Glenn, with the beautiful eyes, in the bedroom?" she whispered, winking at the end.

Neza had been trying, and failing, to setup her new office with her promotion to chief, with major back and leg pains. She knew what they were from, and wanted to avoid sickbay at all costs. But it was finally too much and she slowly made her way there. But the moment the door opened, she spotted Steffan there with Jane. It must have taken a tole on him too. “Errr...hi?”

Seeing Nez turned Haas into a stammering mess. “B...b...b...b...”

Jane couldn't help but grin at the situation. "Goodness, this is too adorable for words," she said. "Come on, let's all go to my office. Assuming either of you can walk that far?"

“Oh boy...yeah I can make it there okay.” Neza gave Steffan a look, telling him they’d been found out, and nodded over towards the office. This was going to be fun...

Steffan nodded gently before slowly following Neza into the Doctors Office.

Once they were all in the CMO's office, Jane locked the door and walked around her desk to take her seat. She gestured for the two to take their seats. "Neza, Steffan, I can't be 100% helpful unless I know more. I've pieced most of it together, but I give my best advice with complete information. Know that I am bound by doctor-patient confidentiality, something I greatly respect." She grinned again. "So, what happened to the two of you?"

Biting her lip, Neza looked to Steffan as she sat down, then looked back to Jane. “You mean you haven’t figured it out?” She sighed and sat back carefully. “Things got a bit...crazy last night. And it wasn’t confined just to his bedroom...though we did keep it in his quarters...” She wasn’t sure if he’d elaborate more or not on it.

"If I can isolate the individual act that did the most damage, I can encourage you to avoid that one act," Jane said. "Or find alternatives. Or variations. Or there might be ways to modify his quarters to minimize health risks." Jane looked at them both, with a very serious look on her face. "Your health matters to me. Not just as your doctor, but as your friend."

“Things were...just fun last night.” Haas replied with a shrug of his shoulders. “I didn’t think this would happen though.” He added quietly. He’s body felt like he’d done 10 rounders with a Klingon rather than what actually happened.

“Neither of us did,” Neza said quietly. “I don’t think we need to have that discussion about the alternatives or variations...or making his quarters safer.” She looked back over at him, “We maybe got out of hand.”

Jane nodded. She was having her fun while keeping it professional, but it was time to back down. A bit. "Okay, well, try not to get out of hand. I won't say what you can or cannot do. That's not my place. But please don't injure yourselves anymore. I'm obliged to report on crew injuries if they affect duty." She lifted her hands to preemptively silence protests. "I won't this time. You deserve your privacy and you didn't think this would happen."

She stood from her seat and walked around her desk. She stood in front of the desk, leaning backward into it, the palms of her hands behind her on the desk, to either side of her hips. "While you're both here though, there's something else we need to discuss."

Haas glanced at Nez before looking back at the Doctor. “What’s that, Doctor?” He asked with a worried frown.

"Not sure I want to know what you're going to say, Jane. Should we be worried?" Neza spoke up.

“I’d be more worried if you didn’t already know this,” Jane said. “But you see, when a man and a woman love each other very much, they sometimes get carried away and don’t take all the necessary precautions. And if they don’t take precautions during certain windows of time, you get what we call in both the medical and veterinary practices ‘pregnant’.”

Neza groaned and rolled her eyes. "You think that didn't cross my mind?" She let her eyes linger back over to Steffan for his reaction.

Haas sighed with relief, “I thought you were going to say she was pregnant. I happy for that in the future, of course, but not at the moment. I’m pretty sure we’ve both been safe, in that department...well, maybe there has been the odd time.” Stef said looking at Nez.

Jane took a deep breath and let it out as a loud sigh. "Okay then. I guess we do need to have this conversation. One of the most effective forms of birth control is still some kind of physical barrier. I have cases of them and the ability to produce more if need be. They're only effective if used properly, so pay attention." She stood from where she was leaning and walked to a nearby cupboard, where she retrieved a life-sized model of a phallus and a demonstrator condom.

“Jane! Okay we get it...” Neza knew she’d continue with the demonstration, but still wanted to groan. “We don’t need this..we’re both adults...”

“I agree! This conversation has turned out as uncomfortable as being told about the birds and the bees when I was a kid!” Stef stated, he could feel his cheeks going red with embarrassment.

“As your superior officer," Jane said, straight-faced, looking at Neza in the eyes, and then Steffan, "I have to make sure you are both able to do your duties. As your doctor, it’s my responsibility to make certain you both are healthy, and reserve the right to lecture you." She then smiled softly. "As your friend, I want to see you happy," then her smile turned more wicked "but I also reserve the right to tease you mercilessly over this.” She then put the demonstrator over the phallus, pinching the reservoir as she did so, indicating to that with her head, and then slowly rolled the rest down over the shaft.

"I can also give you both injections, if you prove incapable of remembering safety," she looked pointedly at Steffan. "Alec, Nurse T'Kal, or I could give them to you every four weeks. We'd just set something in your calendar. The injections wouldn't be good against sexually transmitted infections, but you were both clean when you came aboard, and as long as you've been monogamous, you're both fine."

Crossing her arms and shaking her head, Neza sighed. “Please tell me you’re joking with all of this. We are two grown adults, we understand all of this.”

Jane grinned. "Yes, I suppose I am. A little bit." She put her toys away. "I take your health and safety very seriously though. And I don't want to discourage you from ever coming to me, so I'll knock it off." She went back around her desk and sat in front of her computer. "From my scans of Steffan, it looks like strained muscles. Did you have any other symptoms, either of you?"

Haas shook his head, “I don’t think so, we just got a little bit carried away. As for the injections, I don’t honestly mind. At least it would be one less worry to think about until the time is right.” He said looking at Nez and hoped she’d agree.

Face flushing slightly, Neza looked over at Steffan. She'd not heard him say anything like that before. Biting her lip, she just nodded, not quite sure what to say.

Jane smiled and let out a high pitched squeal as she witnessed the evolution of a relationship. She then accessed her computer, writing each of them some prescriptions and automatically submitting them to be processed. As they waited, she went to her own medicine locker and pulled out two containers the size and shape of hockey pucks. She put one on the desk and opened the other. “I’ve prescribed you a muscle relaxant injection, which should help with the pain. This cream will help, too. You’ll need to help each other apply it to your backs, but under no circumstances should you help each other in the front! I’m serious here. It stings. Trust me. Wait at least thirty minutes before doing anything or you will have regrets.” She gave a knowing nod. “If you need or prefer, Nurse T’Kal, Dr. Toten, or I can help apply it. Someone will come in momentarily with your other medications.”

“Thank you, Doctor. I’m sure we’ll be able to sort our selves out.” The Comms Chief replied. “What about the other injection?”

“Um, right. We can figure it out ourselves.” Neza still hadn’t completely figured out how to react to Steffan saying what he had before, though Jane had caught on based on the squeal.

"The other injection is the muscle relaxant, which will help with the pain and soreness, as well," Jane said. "So you can get on with your day. It will last about twelve hours, but after that you can manage the soreness with the cream alone." Just then, the office door chimed. Jane opened it and a young Able Crewman came in with four hyposprays in hand. He gave them to Jane, who looked them over and nodded her approval. The Crewman left and the door closed behind him.

"First, the muscle relaxant," Jane said, putting a hypospray to Steffan's right arm, and then Neza's. "Next is the birth control. One for men and one for women." She repeated the process on their respective left arms. "I've put in the schedule for each of you to come in every fourth Monday. And if you ever do decide to stop, let me know and I'm happy to run some preliminary tests as you come off the medication. Steffan, that's all for now, but I'd like to speak with you another moment, Neza, if that's alright."

Reaching over and squeezing Steffan’s hand, Neza smiled. “See you later?”

Stef returned Nez’s smile and have her a kiss on the forehead. “You will see me later. It’s your turn to cook after all.” He teased. “Thank you, Doctor.” He added before gingerly getting up and hobbling out of the doctors office.

Jane grinned as she watched Steffan leave. "I'm sorry, but it's just too precious. And I'll be honest, I wish had something like that. But for now that's not to be." She was having fun with Bec from time to time, and it sometimes felt like that was getting more serious, but she also knew Bec was interested in Ayden and cared for him. She had heard rumors that Neza and Bec had been together, but it seemed completely inappropriate to mention. But she did have one duty to clarify. "I do want you to be assured that every person who came aboard received a physical and was clean. So health-wise any relations you may have had prior to Mr. Haas are entirely irrelevant and nobody's business but yours."

"There's just something about him, I can't quite explain it." Neza gave Jane a smile. "You'll find someone. It just takes that spark."

"The other thing I wanted to mention is regarding the birth control injections," Jane said. "I would have told you anything serious prior to giving it to you, so don't worry there. I just wanted to alert you that the medication should help your menstrual cycle be more regular. Within a few months, your period should basically start five days prior to the injection and end either the day before or the day of. Miracles of technology, am I right? If you feel worse in any way, like serious cramping or nausea, tell me right away. Do not hesitate."

Giving a nod, Neza had actually heard all this before. "Been through it before. Parents didn't trust their middle child to not get into trouble. Been off it for a while though, at least this type of one."

“This is a slightly newer formulation,” Jane explained. “Fewer side effects, but complications can be more severe, which is why I wanted to remind you. I know you’re an adult who’s been through all of this before — else I’d fear for what they teach children on Earth! — and much of what I was doing earlier was a bit of fun. But I do care. I never had a younger sister; I have an older sister and a younger brother. I’m not sure why, but I sometimes think of you as the little sis I never had, and so I’ve been feeling a bit protective.”

"And here I didn't exactly treat my older brother with much respect. He got a few broken noses." Neza shrugged slightly. "I got a bit violent, stupid middle-child syndrome that they put on me. They won't drop it either, as much as I wish they would." She gave Jane a smile. "As long as you protect me better than I ever did my little sister? Both of my siblings were fawned over and I was basically kicked to the curb. Boarding school and all."

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Jane said. She stood from her chair and walked around the desk again, leaning on it in front of Neza. “Sometimes parents are jerks and do that. I’ll admit I was lucky. We were all close in age and close to each other, in individual pairings or all three as a group. We protected each other from schoolyard bullies. We were each other’s confidants.” She smiled widely. “We had this treehouse, and when we were teens we’d bring people we liked there. When one had a boy or girl in the treehouse, the other two ran interference.”

Jane reached out and took Neza’s hands. She gently pulled the taller woman to her feet and, once standing, enveloped her in a big hug. “I promise I’ll be a good big sister. I’ve got your back, Nez.”

Surprised by the hug, Neza returned it after a moment. "Thanks, Jane. I'll try to relearn how to be a big-little sister," she said with a smirk. "And I always let my siblings get in trouble with others over...though I was the one who they thought would cause mischief." She pulled back after moment. "Was it just me or...did Steffan seem to catch both of us by surprise with what he'd said earlier? I caught your squeal."

Jane nodded. “I did think maybe you hadn’t had a conversation about long-term plans together. Or not much of a conversation, anyway. But it’s nice that he’s thinking that way. Maybe it’s a conversation to start tonight?” Inspiration hit her. She looked to her desk and found a PADD. She pulled up some data and handed it to Neza. “He said you’re cooking tonight? This is a recipe for one of the best desserts I know how to make. I made it for Cindy the night before the poker game. It’s not hard, but a bit time consuming. I think you’ll both love it.”

Taking the PADD, Neza looked it over. "He did say I was, and he's right. And..no we really hadn't discussed anything long term." She bit her lip, "That's not to say I haven't thought about it."

“Well, why don’t you think on it today, and have that conversation tonight?” Jane suggested. “Whether or not it’s too early to plot a course, it’s important to know you’re both heading in roughly the same direction. If one of you envisions marriage and kids and the other wants nothing to do with them, for example, it’s best to know now.”

"Suppose I should be glad I don't have a full shift today, just moving into my office. Swear it seems like I'd been in there before...talking to someone." Neza shrugged, "A lot of that deja vu thing going around lately. But you're right, better to find out now."

Jane tilted her head at the mention of déjà vu. “Cindy suggested I start looking into these weird half-memories we’ve been having. They’ve been hitting me...rather hard, actually. Put me in quite a funk these past few weeks. The problem is I don’t know what to look for.”

Neza shook her head, "Even as a scientist all this deja vu is a bit beyond me. Nothing has come up to explain it at all."

“Well, I’ll leave you to go about your day,” Jane said. “Have a good talk. Let me know if you use the recipe and what you both think. And I hope your soreness gets better.” She leaned in and spoke in a hushed voice, completely unnecessary given their privacy but Jane still figured it was important. “And seriously. Apply that cream to yourself and wait until you and Steffan have fun. It...stings. Trust your big sister’s advice on this.”

"I think I'll take your advice, and I'll let you know things you need to know," Neza said with a grin. "Thanks, Jane."

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