Chapter 19: Patients & Posters
When the ship's computer called him into sick bay and mangled his given name, it gave Hikaru Sulu some comfort. He still felt embarrassed over having botched the Enterprise's departure from Spacedock, and he felt glad to know he was not the only entity on board who could make a mistake.
"Mr. Sulu, how do you do. I'm Dr. McCoy," McCoy said.
"And I am Commander Dawn Summers," Dawn said, "Ship's Counselor."
They shook hands and Dawn and McCoy glanced at Sulu's files.
"Hikaru," Dr. McCoy said, mangling the name the same way the computer had. "Hmm. Don't believe I've encountered anyone named Hikaru before."
"Neither have I," Sulu said. "But, doctor—it's pronounced with the accent on the second syllable, not the first. The r is very soft." He pronounced his name for them.
Dawn and McCoy repeated it trying to make sure they got it right.
"What does it mean?" Dr. McCoy asked.
"Why do people always think a name from an unfamiliar language has to mean something?" Sulu said. He felt himself blushing. Hoping to sidestep Dr. McCoy's query, he said pleasantly, "After all—do you know what your given name means?"
"It means heart of a lion, or something on that order," McCoy said.
"Mine is the first appearance of daylight," Dawn said. "But we see your point." She looked to McCoy. "Maybe we should get to business?"
McCoy nodded. "You're extremely fit, lieutenant, even for someone your age."
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't let this sedentary starship life seduce you away from that."
"I'll try not to. I don't think I will—I get too twitchy unless I get some exercise."
McCoy glanced at the sensors that blinked and bleated above Sulu's couch. "You have a phenomenally low pulse—did you spend time in a high-gravity environment?"
"Yes, sir, nearly a year."
Dr. McCoy nodded. "I thought that might be the explanation. The sensors show scars on your back and legs, too. Mind if I take a look?"
"You can hardly see them anymore." Sulu peeled off the upper half of the exam coverall.
McCoy touched the old, faint scars beneath Sulu's shoulder blades.
"My mother had a consulting job on Hafjian," Sulu said. "We had an antigrav generator just big enough for our living quarters, but when we went out we used Leiber exoskeletons."
"How old were you? Thirteen? Fourteen?" Dawn asked.
"Exactly that," Sulu said. "We left just before my fourteenth birthday. How did you know?"
"You wore the exoskeleton during your major growth spurt," Dawn said offhandedly. "There's a characteristic shape to the scars." She remembered her own scars that had long since faded from time. The scars from when Glory had tried to use her to open the portal between dimensions.
McCoy unfastened the cuffs of the coverall and looked at the scars on Sulu's legs, just above and behind his knees. "They did heal well," he said. "Do they ever bother you?"
"No, sir. I hardly ever think about them."
"Should have been treated with fibroblasts in the first place," Dr. McCoy said. "New skin instead of scars."
"The technology wasn't available. Not on Hafjian. Not for something this trivial."
"Hmmph. We have the technology and to spare, here. Do you want to get rid of them?"
"No, sir, I don't think it's necessary," Sulu said.
"Very well. Just one other thing." Dr. McCoy glanced at the sensors again. "You appear to have sustained no damage at all from the gravity stress. But once in a while the effects are latent. In a few years they could catch up with you. It isn't anything to worry about, and it isn't even very likely. But it is something to be aware of."
"What kind of effects?" Sulu said, startled. "And how long is a few years?"
"Heart problems, mostly. So, you should be sure not to let more than three years pass between physicals after age seventy or so."
"I'll try to remember that, Dr. McCoy," Sulu said.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
For Commander Spock, a few minutes began to seem like an immeasurably long time. He had reached sick bay at precisely the time designated for his medical examination.
Dawn and McCoy had not yet finished with Sulu when Spock arrived.
"If you would reschedule my appointment, Dr. McCoy, Commander Summers" Spock said without preliminaries, "I will return at some more convenient time."
"What? Oh, Commander Spock—no, don't be silly." McCoy tossed Spock a medical examination coverall, a jumpsuit opaque to the eye but transparent to diagnostic sensors. He gestured to one of the cubicles. "We'll be with you in a minute." McCoy closed the privacy curtain.
Spock changed into the coverall. Finally, Dawn and McCoy strolled into Spock's cubicle.
"Commander Spock, welcome to sick bay. I do believe you're the first person to take their physical on time," McCoy said.
"It is not on time," Spock said. "It is now eleven minutes beyond 'on time.'"
"True it's not," Dawn said holding up a hand to stall anything McCoy might have said. "But you arrived on time." She looked at McCoy. "Vulcan's are very punctual beings. Spock here is not the first I have worked with." Spock looked at Dawn with a raised eyebrow, the only sign that he might have been curious. "You know Ambassador T'Pol?"
"I know of her," Spock said. "I have not had the pleasure to meet her though."
"She's a friend of mine," Dawn said. "I worked with her for a while a long time ago."
McCoy glanced at Dawn in confusion and then remembered that Dawn was a couple hundred years old and remembered that the Enterprise was not the first starship she had served on. He remembered from her file that the NX-01 Enterprise was the first and that was likely where she had met Ambassador T'Pol. "Let's get started," he said.
Spock lay on the diagnostic table. The sensors blended into a harmony of sound and light, creating the precise pattern the Vulcan expected. "As you can see, doctor, my health—"
"Stay right there," McCoy said sharply. "Why, Mr. Spock, I don't believe I've ever encountered a set of readings quite like yours."
"They are all within the range of Vulcan norm," Dawn said.
"Just barely, some of them." McCoy regarded the sensors. "I would have thought a few of your human characteristics might come out in the mix."
"The Vulcan genome is dominant," Spock said.
"Superior genes, hmm? Do I detect a touch of Vulcan chauvinism?" McCoy said. He smiled when he said it.
Dawn frowned at McCoy and the insult. "I apologize for the doctor," she said as she looked back at Spock.
"That is quite alright, Commander," Spock said. "It is a matter of experimental fact. Were we speaking Vulcan, the words 'dominant' and 'recessive' would imply neither superiority nor inferiority. One might perceive human chauvinism in your attitude, Doctor McCoy, that the traits of your species should prevail, despite laboratory evidence that they do not. Are you quite finished, doctor?"
"No, not by a long shot, don't move. I haven't had much chance to practice on Vulcans." McCoy grinned. "Aren't you interested in contributing to my education?"
"Don't worry, Commander," Dawn said. "While Doctor McCoy is the Chief Medical Officer, I will be your primary physician while onboard. Due to my familiarity to the Vulcan race. I will also be the primary psychologist for you as well. While only half human, I want to make sure your psychological welfare is alright as well."
"There is no need," Spock said.
"I disagree," Dawn said. "Regardless, you are dismissed."
Spock strode from sick bay, still in the coverall.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
At that same moment on the bridge, the doors of the turbo-lift made a fluttery noise as they tried to close against an obstruction.
Buffy glanced up from the command chair and saw a young woman had stepped forward timorously, as if all that forced her onto the bridge was the knowledge that computer would chastise her if she stayed where she was.
Buffy watched as the young woman stared in wonder at the viewscreen and smiled. She had held similar fascination at her first views of space. She noticed Uhura was about to stand when she made a motion and Uhura nodded as she stood instead. She walked over to the young woman. "What brings you to the bridge?" she asked.
"I'm ... I'm the yeoman. I'm supposed to meet the captain ...?"
"Welcome to the bridge, I'm Commander Buffy Summers." She waited for the yeoman to introduce herself.
The yeoman looked down.
"I mean—I'm not really a yeoman yet, but they said ..." Her voice trailed off.
"What's your name?" Buffy asked gently.
"Janice Rand."
"Come with me, Janice, I'll introduce you."
"I don't want to bother anybody—"
"It's no bother. They'll be glad of the chance to stop having to look busy." Buffy said as she took Janice's hand. She led the yeoman first to Uhura. "Uhura, this is Captain Kirk's yeoman, Janice Rand. Janice, this is Lieutenant Nyota Uhura. She's our communication's officer. Though she technically shares the duty with our third in command, Commander Dawn Summers who you will likely meet later."
"How do you do, yeoman." Uhura said.
Buffy led Janice to the lower level of the bridge as she motioned toward the vacant science station. "That it is where our science officer, Commander Spock, and second in command after myself, sits."
"Is it true ... is it true he can read minds?"
"He can," Buffy said remembering a time when the mind meld was frowned upon by Vulcan society. But he is not a true telepath, he has to be physically touching you. Vulcan's rarely do it without your permission first.
Buffy introduced Janice to Sulu and Marietta Cheung, the navigator who had been assigned for the starbase tour. Sulu and Cheung showed Janice the displays on their consoles.
"Of course, nothing interesting is going on now," Cheung said. "It's pretty boring, going from one starbase to another."
Janice glanced at the viewscreen. "But it's so beautiful," she said. "And you see it all the time." The expanse of stars held her.
As Buffy had earlier, Sulu and Cheung followed her gaze.
Suddenly becoming aware of her own rudeness, Janice tore her attention from the viewscreen. "I—I'm sorry, I—"
"But you're right, Janice," Buffy said. "It is beautiful. Somehow, we get used to it and we forget to look at it the way you do. It's good to be reminded." She squeezed Janice's hand.
"Ah, Yeoman Rand, you're here."
Startled, Janice jerked her hand from Buffy's. Jim strode onto the bridge.
"Commander Summers has introduced you around? Thank you, Commander. Yeoman, let me show you what I need you to do."
Janice gave Buffy the look of someone about to be eaten by lions.
"Don't worry—you'll do fine," Buffy whispered.
Jim showed Yeoman Rand to the open console on the port side of the bridge. "It's traditional for you to use the environmental systems station," he said as Buffy returned to the center seat and sat down.
Janice inspected the daunting display panels.
"Don't be concerned about the complexity," Jim said quickly, hoping to ease the doubt and fear in her expression. "Computer runs all the environmental systems. But you can use this console as your work station on the bridge."
"Yes, sir."
"As soon as you can, put together an appointments schedule for me. I want at least half an hour with each person on board. Spread the meetings out during the transit time between starbases. Don't bunch them up into one or two weeks. Try to arrange it so no one will have to visit me in the middle of their sleep cycle—or mine. Be sure not to conflict with staff meetings or inspections. Make it clear that it's informal, that it's just a chat. But don't take no for an answer. Understood?"
"Yes, captain."
He nodded. "Make yourself familiar with your station. I'll need you in a moment—one of your duties is to register the log and bring me the seal to sign. But, the entry won't take long to record."
"Yes, sir," Janice said.
The turbo-lift doors slid open to admit Lukarian, Dawn and Spock. Lukarian carried a roll of paper in one hand and a folder under her arm. "Buffy, have you got a minute?" Lukarian asked.
"Captain?" Buffy said as she stood up. He nodded. "Sure, Ame, what can I do for you?"
"I could use some help with this poster." She showed Buffy and Jim, who had come up beside them, what she was working on.
"Yeoman Rand," Jim said.
Janice flinched at the sound of her name. "Yes, captain?"
"Ame, Yeoman Rand will help you with whatever you need. Yeoman, you have my authorization to call on the ship's resources within reason in order to carry out Ms. Lukarian's wishes. For starters you'll need to find a graphics-oriented comm unit. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," Janice whispered.
"Thanks, Jim, Buffy," Lukarian said.
"Ame," Dawn said, "mind if I tag along."
"Sure, Dawn," Lukarian said as Dawn followed her and Janice into the turbolift to find the graphics terminal.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Dawn, Janice and Lukarian found the design room. Its enormous graphics screen glowed to life.
"Please show me what you have in mind, Ms. Lukarian," Janice said.
"What I want, ma'am, is something attention-getting," Lukarian said as she noticed Dawn stifle a giggle. She smirked at her friend.
"You mustn't call me 'ma'am,'" Janice said. "I'm just a petty officer, and that isn't even registered yet."
"What should we call you?" Dawn wondered.
"Um ... yeoman, if you want. Or Rand."
"How about Janice," Dawn suggested. "You can call me Dawn and …"
"And you can call me Ame," Lukarian added.
"If that's what you'd both like," Janice said.
"It'd be easier, don't you think?" Lukarian asked.
"All right ... Ame, Dawn. We'd better do your poster," Janice said.
Lukarian opened her folder. She enjoyed showing off the flamboyant designs. Whoever had painted them enjoyed their work.
"These are playbills—reproductions, I mean—from classic vaudeville companies." She unrolled her new poster and flattened out the curling corners of the paper. "I'm not happy with the design ..." She had been designing posters for nearly two years, and she had never liked any of them.
"It'll have to do, it's the best I can come up with. My daddy used to design a new one for every city. They were all different, but you could tell a hundred meters away that they came from our company. Unfortunately," she said, "that's one talent I didn't inherit." She scowled at the paper again.
"Ame," Dawn said, "don't sell yourself short. I have seen your posters. They are as good as Alex's."
"Thank your for the compliment, Dawn," Lukarian said as she glanced at her friend.
"Maybe the computer could fix it up a little?" Janice suggested. She flashed the scanner at Lukarian's design.
Lukarian groaned when it appeared on the screen, larger than life-size. "I wanted it to look classic but modern at the same time, but all it is, is awful."
"It isn't that bad," Dawn said and Janice had to nod to in agreement.
Janice stroked the touchsensitive screen. The letters straightened and fancied to a sort of neo-deco style.
"It never looks the way I imagine it," Lukarian said.
"We could adapt something," Dawn offered trying to find a compromise. "One of your father's posters, maybe?"
"No!" Lindy was embarrassed by her own vehemence. "I mean it has to be different. We have different acts."
Janice glanced again at one of Lindy's reproductions. "I'm sure it's fine the way it is," she said. "But if you move this from here to here, and slide this over to this corner ..." She rearranged it. "And make the background look like brush strokes, and clean up this line a little ..."
Lukarian and Dawn both gazed at the new design in silence.
"I'm sorry." Janice sounded scared. "I'll put it back the way it was." She reached to delete the changes.
"No, wait!" Lukarian said. "Janice, that's beautiful. How did you do that?"
"You had all the elements already. There is one other thing—I don't mean to keep butting in."
"No, go ahead," Dawn said.
"Different beings see different kinds of light. So if you widen out the color range—" Janice made the changes.
"It looks awfully dark," Lukarian said, doubtful.
"Not if you saw the world in colors that we didn't," Dawn said as she realized what Janice had down. "For example in ultraviolet or infrared."
"I can brighten the middle colors." Janice did so. "Before, if you were a Corellian, say, it would look like this." The computer performed the transposition. The poster darkened almost to black. "Now it would look like this." It brightened in a different way from the original. (A/N 1)
"I wouldn't even have thought of that," Lindy said. "How do you find it all out?"
"I've lived a lot of different places. It wasn't anything I did anything special to learn."
"Want a job?" Lukarian said.
"What?" Dawn and Janice both asked shocked.
"I need a designer," Lukarian said as she glanced at her friend. "Janice could join the company." She looked back at Janice. "I don't suppose you can juggle, can you?"
Janice hesitated. "I thought you were the designer." her voice trembled.
"No, I'm the manager, among other things. What do you say? Do you want the job?"
Janice looked down. "I can't juggle."
"That's okay! I mean, that part was a joke. Will you join the company?"
"No." Her whole tone had changed; she acted withdrawn and fearful. "I signed on with Starfleet for two years."
"You know that, Ame," Dawn said. "You've known me and Buffy since you were a kid. You also know we are career Starfleet. And like old Earth military when you enlist in Starfleet you sign on for a certain length of service."
"I forgot, Dawn," Lukarian said as she returned her gaze to Janice. "The offer holds, if you change your mind once your tour is over." She admired Janice's poster. "Hey, have either of you had lunch? Do you guys want to go get something?"
"No—I mean, I'm sorry, I can't, I left papers all over Captain Kirk's desk, I'm sorry, I have to leave," Janice said
"Okay," Lindy said as Janice hurried away. She looked at Dawn. "I guess I don't know Jim well enough. I wouldn't have guessed he'd get mad if she took a lunch break."
"She's new," Dawn said. "Like the second day she has been his yeoman. And you know how hectic it can get, Ame. After all you at one time were mine, remember?"
Lukarian laughed. "Fresh out of school and looking for a summer job till the fall tour. And guess who gives me a job, the most powerful empath on Earth. I learned a lot back then, Dawn. And how demanding being your yeoman can be, when you are on Earth."
Author's Note 1 - Corellian was used as the name of a species in the novel Enterprise: The First Adventure which was published nearly a decade after Star Wars opened in theaters. Whether the writer of the novel was aware of that or not I do not know and I assume it was just an accidental coincidence.