Chapter 47: Instructed
Disclaimer: This author in no way profits from the writing of this story. All characters, dialogue, or other referenced material from the Mass Effect trilogy belong to BioWare.
Author's Note: This story does not necessarily follow any particular timeline and may not be considered chronologically accurate.
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Dr. Karin Chakwas was finally ready for her previously scheduled lesson with the crew's newest additions. Of course, it was understandable that they'd had to postpone, given that medical care of the ship's personnel was her foremost concern. She knew no one else would be irritated with the last-minute change of plan.
Only Karin was slightly annoyed about the whole situation.
And only because she hadn't seen the budding lovebirds for over a week.
It was her turn to see things firsthand and then be the one to spread the gossip.
After all, living on a starship could make for a rather dull existence after a while, and it wasn't every day that your very own coworkers provided better entertainment than an overly melodramatic vid series.
Several of the crew members, including the good doctor, had picked sides about the two young people—were they already together? Will they get together? Should they? What about any potential lovers they'd left behind?
A few had even placed bets.
That was one aspect that Chakwas refused to get involved with, but she still wanted to know what was going on between Cass and Vadix. She wanted to know what was going on inside their minds.
Perhaps what she really wanted was to interfere, just a mite.
This was the main reason she'd been cross about moving her appointment with the pair, though she was always inherently opposed to interrupting already-set plans at any time.
On the bright side, at least she'd finally get some answers today. Hopefully.
Then again, it was possible she would just end up with more questions.
She met the recruits in the med-bay, the room that felt most like home now. They arrived together, smiling and chatting.
That was a good sign.
Karin grinned. "I'm glad you could make it, finally."
"Oh! Sorry, were we late?" Cass seemed rather on edge, her expression going from content to skittish in the blink of an eye.
"No, no, you're right on time," the doctor reassured. "I was simply referring to the fact that we had to postpone from our original lecture date and time. But, you know," she sighed, "one never plans to have a medical emergency."
The other woman nodded, looking less nervous once more. "Right, of course. Is everyone alright?"
"Oh yes, everyone's fine now. It usually looks worse than it is, and remained true this time, thankfully." Gesturing to the sterile bed closest to the scanner, she indicated for them both to sit and then rolled her own chair across the floor toward them, flicking her omni-tool to begin recording audio. "Well, I suppose we'd best get on with it. First, I'll go over field procedures for stabilization, especially in situations where medi-gel can't be used. And then we'll talk about medi-gel, what it is, how it can be best utilized, and in what situations."
Vadix and Cass nodded, each listening intently, singularly focused on the purpose of their visit.
At least that meant they were mature enough to put aside any personal drama when need be.
Even if it was a little disappointing, as far as entertainment value went.
"So. The three purposes of first aid are to preserve life, prevent worse injury, and promote recovery. For major wounds, your job would be to intervene until professional medical assistance can be obtained, while you should be able to treat minor injuries completely.
"Major injuries are going to be the really scary ones, like loss of limbs or serious bone breaks. These you won't be able to fix, but you should address them as soon as safely possible. Remember, you are not to put yourself or your squad at risk unnecessarily. No matter the pain they're in, the injured person would almost certainly agree with me." Karin's face was impassioned, her fervent tone impressing the seriousness of the point on the two young people.
"Another thing to remember is that not all injuries will be easily recognizable. There could be internal injuries, especially bleeding, that may be traumatic. So rather than looking for the cause itself, you must pay attention to the symptoms of these types of wounds. The difficult part is that different races react differently."
Now the doctor stood, beginning to pace as she listed the symptoms of the various species whose representatives made up the Normandy's crew and the Commander's squad. The information was second nature to the long-time medical professional, and as she spoke Karin pondered what she'd seen—and not seen—between the individuals listening to her speech.
"An asari who has sustained a serious internal injury will experience coughing fits, which increase in regularity the longer the injury goes unattended, and which will often result in the expiration of blood-flecked mucus."
Neither Cass nor Vadix had seemed overly affectionate with the other since joining the crew, and what little affection had existed hadn't increased, which was unexpected. Dr. Chakwas was solidly on team 'Arvaka'—their official couple's name, though it was unbeknownst to them—so the lack of romantic indications was slightly worrisome to the casual fangirl.
"A human may become tired, experience dizziness and shortness of breath, and often appear paler than normal."
Maybe they were simply on their best behavior, given that this was a professional setting. It was possible they were more touchy-feely in private of course.
"Krogans with an internal injury are more difficult to discern unless one is paying very close attention. The most obvious sign is that their natural aggression will be much less pronounced, causing an abnormal passivity, if you will. The other sign to watch for, though extremely tough to observe, is the marked paleness of their mucous membranes, such as their gums or inner eye tissue."
What if there was some way to evoke some sort of reaction from them? Incite an indication of interest? That could be promising. But what could she do to elicit this kind of response?
"A salarian individual's extremities will darken in color, including the tips of their horns, to a deep red color. This is most problematic in those who are naturally red-toned but it should still be noticeable."
Perhaps she could reference something couples do that wasn't necessarily "acceptable" to discuss in public. After all, what was the point of getting older if you didn't get to break a few social mores every once in a while? Whatever their response was might be a good indication of what they were doing in their alone time, if they had been intimate already, or not—yet.
"For a turian individual, internal injuries often result in pronounced lethargy, along with an accelerated heart rate as the body attempts to protect itself as best it can.
Yes, that seemed like a decent enough idea. Certainly it wasn't her most ingenious thought of all time, but given her divided focus, Karin was relatively pleased with her plan. At the very least, she could see no reason this could have disastrous results.
"And lastly a quarian who has been unnoticeably injured may begin to complain of cold hands and feet as the body's internal heat is drawn into the core, and their heart may start to beat irregularly, even erratically."
Now the question was, how to incorporate such a comment into her lecture? If it came out of nowhere, surely at least Cass would be suspicious—Dr. Chakwas suspected that the young turian was relatively naïve and, regardless of what she said or when she said it, would feel embarrassed. The human, on the other hand, was far more perceptive than self-conscious.
"Once you have determined that the person is displaying symptoms of internal injuries, you should have them lay down and elevate their feet above their chest—luckily, all of the races we've discussed have their hearts in approximately the same place, literally speaking, that is." She chuckled at her own joke.
The trainees simply blinked at her.
"Right. Anyway," the doctor muttered. "Also, you shouldn't give the person anything to eat or drink, as this can cause complications to the internal injury. Even if they keep asking for it, you must refrain from feeding them, understand?"
She'd been speaking for so long it was no wonder they hadn't recognized her subtle humor. But now they nodded, sitting up a bit straighter in the process. Vadix even murmured a soft, "Yes ma'am" in response.
"Good. Now then. Thanks to the existence of medi-gel, the majority of injuries will be treatable in one way or another, even if you won't be able to fix it entirely. For the sake of the lecture, I will briefly review the background of this miraculous invention, even though technically it should be illegal under genetic modification laws; the restriction is ignored in this case because of the product's beneficial properties.
"Medical gel, or medi-gel for short, is produced by the Sirta Foundation as an all-purpose medicinal salve combining an anesthetic and clotting agent used by paramedics, EMTs, and military personnel. By having the gel grip tight to flesh until subjected to an ultrasound frequency, it can be used to heal various wounds and ailments, instantly sealing injuries against infection and allowing for rapid healing. This is especially useful to seal against liquids, especially blood, as well as contaminants and gases."
Scrutinizing the students, Karin pondered her next words—and her next move. Both Cass and Vadix remained attentive to what she was saying, and they watched her watching them.
Perhaps she ought to be more focused on the lesson material.
But it really was old hat for the experienced doctor.
And the young people were so much more fascinating in their novelty.
At the same time, it wasn't really her place to pry or try to force them into anything.
But surely a mere suggestive remark couldn't hurt.
Gradually, a soft smile stretched across Karin Chakwas's face, looking to all the world like a kind-hearted and compassionate medical professional. And while she was all these things, only a person who knew her facial expressions the way a quarian knew the hardware of the geth he or she had constructed would be able to tell what was really going on inside the doctor's mind.
Mischief.
"Let's list some situations in which it would be appropriate to apply medi-gel, then. Don't be shy; just call them out."
The turian glanced at his partner who had tilted her head, one eye pinched half-closed in concentration. Then he looked back at Karin, saying, "A bite or sting?"
"Excellent, yes," Dr. Chawas agreed, smiling. "Cass?"
Her mouth tilted to one side before she replied, "Well, anything that bleeds, so a cut or a scrape?"
Again the doctor smiled, "Exactly. And that goes for any wound that has broken the skin. Even if the injury is too deep to be repaired without medical intervention, the medi-gel can still be used to seal the wound and prevent additional blood loss. Good." She looked back at Vadix, expectantly.
"Uh," he paused. "A burn?"
"Good," she repeated. "That includes burns from heat and from cold, as well as sunburns or chemical burns."
Before she could prompt Cass, the redhead exclaimed, "Ooh, a sprain!"
With a soft snort, Karin agreed, "Yes, another good example. Again, it may not actually fix the problem, but the medi-gel will help stabilize the area and hopefully prevent further injury from occurring—at least when the patient is unable to simply not use the injured body part.
"Vadix, any other ideas?"
The young man now cocked his head, mandibles wafting gently away from his face as he pondered. He said slowly, "What about a fracture?"
Nodding, Dr. Chakwas confirmed this suggestion. "Yes. In fact, even if a major break were to occur, while waiting for additional medical attention, medi-gel could be applied to help hold the bone or bones in place. In fact, even if a large chunk of flesh or even an entire limb had been lost, it could potentially be reconnected, at least for the time being, using medi-gel. After all, it works essentially the same as body glue, just with a medicinal purpose attached." She winked at them, chuckling once more.
Interestingly, only Vadix seemed to react overtly to her comment, his face plates now pulled tight in his discomfiture. The woman, on the other hand, simply grinned right back at her.
"Cass, can you think of anything else?"
Lifting one hand to her chin, she lightly tapped a finger to her cheek. "Maybe if there was an infection?"
"Ah, a good idea," Karin replied, but shaking her head. "Unfortunately, if an infection has already set in the medi-gel will do little to remedy the issue. However, if there is a fear of infection, say a squad mate has an open wound in the middle of a jungle or trudging through a swamp, it would be wise to seal the abrasion so that no external contaminants can breach the skin."
Now the doctor stopped, glancing between her two students. Neither one seemed to have any additional thoughts, though they appeared to continue thinking about her question.
"The last condition I'll bring up is an allergy. Medi-gel can be applied while tromping through a forest, say when a party member brushes against something mildly poisonous and begins to express allergic symptoms." Again Dr. Chakwas paused, waiting for some sort of reaction.
When there was none, she continued, feeling her grin stretching wider as she neared the pinnacle of her plot.
"Alternatively, medi-gel can also be used under less hostile circumstances, say when a person eats out their partner, exposing themselves to another race's disagreeable proteins, and begins to express a similar allergic reaction."
Ah, there it was.
Spirited Cass was practically glowing, her blush was so rampant, unable to meet the senior woman's gaze. Instead, she looked down at her feet, swinging several inches off the ground.
Vadix, innocent that he was, seemed to be more confused than anything else. But then he noticed his coworker's pink cheeks and a flash of nerves moved across his face.
Another interesting observation which the doctor tucked away for further evaluation.
"Now then," Karin stated loudly, clapping her hands on her knees twice. "That concludes our lesson. I'll send you the audio file along with its transcript in case you feel the need to review any of the material at a subsequent date." She rolled back to her station across the room, releasing her subjects from further mortification, and began typing as the file upload started. "Have a good night, you two," she called over her shoulder.
Never mind that it was still early afternoon.
The power of suggestion was often a force to be reckoned with, and one which she hoped would prevail for the two lovebirds in denial.
Later, when his partner had excused herself to use the restroom, Vadix found himself alone for the first time all day. They'd been sparring ever since the end of their medical lesson, and somehow the confusion he'd felt at the very end had clung to him throughout the movements and fighting.
There was something about what the doctor had said that just didn't make sense, and Vadix wasn't sure how to determine what it was she'd meant.
Why Cassana had reacted so strongly.
The only "eat out" he was familiar with was the kind a couple did to celebrate some achievement, going to a restaurant and ordering food, sharing a meal together.
But there was no way that thought alone would have made his fiery partner blush so fiercely.
Before he could lose his nerve, the turian asked the empty room, "EDI, what does it mean to 'eat out' one's partner?"
A silent moment passed between his heartbeats.
"In this context," the AI responded in her same neutrally informative tone, "to 'eat out' refers to oral sex, though this colloquialism is not often used by turians or salarians. A popular technique which often results in orgasm involves kissing the person's naked body all over, applying pressure to their breasts and nipples, and licking their clitoris and vaginal lips, moving slowly from one motion to the next to build the suspense as well as their climax."
Another silent moment.
Then another.
Vadix thought his heart may have stopped beating.
No wonder Cassana had been so uncomfortable.
It was something so intimate and personal, he could hardly believe the unassuming doctor had even mentioned it.
His next question was whether his partner and friend had been so embarrassed because the sheer suggestion of the two of them participating in such an act was so abhorrent.
Or dare he hope Cassana's blush had been for the opposite reason?