Medical Check Up: Cavendish

Posted on Wed Nov 15th, 2023 @ 11:38pm by Lieutenant Roan Gaeta & Lieutenant Vincent Cavendish

1,622 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Mission 1 - Project Concord

Doctor Gaeta ran a hand over his face for a moment before he smiled when the nurse put a cup of coffee down for him. "Thanks," he said and took it, smelling it, before he took a sip to just enjoy it. Coffee had come to him late in life, a revelation to someone who enjoyed the bitter tastes anyway. It reminded him of nuts roasted over an open fire, embers glowing under the dual suns. He looked at the next profile, a small chuckle coming to him. El-Aurians were, if nothing else, fascinating. Half human ones were even more fascinating because of how random it could be. Genetics were like that. Random. What was a curse for some were a blessing for others. Some times.

As the doors opened, Vincent Cavendish stepped in. He stopped to look around, taking in the Sickbay before continuing in. His dark hair was on the slightly long side, but neatly styled out of his face, and he wore casual clothes rather than his uniform. Black trousers, a white shirt with collar and a black velvet jacket. Smart, classic, maybe even old fashioned in style. "Doctor?"

"Lieutenant Cavendish," Roan looked at him as he stood, taking a moment to just admire the outfit. He looked...well, smart. There was something beautiful about it. "I'm Doctor Roan Gaeta." He offered his hand to him, meeting his eyes.

Vincent took the hand with a gentle smile, nodding as he shook it. "Doctor Roan Gaeta," he repeated, to commit it to memory. "I'm Vincent. It's a pleasure to meet you. Although, I'm not sure that I'm in need of your services."

"It's standard medical check up before a deep space mission," Roan said and let go of his hand. "I want to get a baseline, so I can keep an eye out for any changes. We don't know what we will encounter."

Vincent just watched him for a moment before giving a relenting sigh. "Fair enough," he conceded with a soft chuckle, undoing his jacket as he moved to sit on the edge of the biobed.

"That's it, be a good scientist and be part of my general experiments..." Roan said lightly, raising an eyebrow before he grinned, taking the medical tricorder. "Computer, do a scan of patient on biobed 3. Usual stuff..." he met Vincent's eyes, making a point of holding them. "Anything I should know? Headaches? Backaches? Vices? Bruises?"

"Vices?" Vincent repeated with surprise before laughing softly, shaking his head as he crossed his legs and to get comfortable. "That's a new one, I've not been asked that by a doctor before."

"Really?" Roan met his eyes before he smiled, unable to stop it. "To be honest, I don't ask many people that bit. But you've got enough years behind it for me to want to ask."

Vincent chuckled, glancing down for a long moment to study the ring on his hand. "Ah well, I suppose there is logic in that," he said softly, shaking his head. "I like alcohol, the real kind, I drink it quite frequently. I used to smoke, but I gave that up somewhere in the 21st century. Other addictions...the end of the 20th, I think."

"Alcohol has been as long as humans have figured out fermenting sugars without going blind," Roan said lightly before he smiled, a quick smile. Someone with that amount of history behind them...he would have seen his ancestors go into space. The Generation Ship that never made it to the far away solar system they had aimed for, instead crashing on a planet once inhabited by someone else who wiped themselves out. "I drink it too."

Vincent chuckled softly at that, shaking his head lightly. "I have tried to get the taste for synthahol, but it's just not quite the same. I think it's the burn. It doesn't...warm the same way."

"Also hurts you a lot more," Roan said with a grin, shaking his head. "But you've got good genes in you, Lieutenant Cavendish. Keeps your liver looking very happy indeed."

"Really? Brilliant, I'll drink plenty more then," Vincent quipped, smiling warmly to him as he set his hands on his knee. "What other vices can I indulge in, Doctor?"

Roan smiled as he looked at him, raising an eyebrow before he looked at the readings. "Clearly, sarcasm and general cheekiness, but I think that might be your human side coming through. Always get more lip from humans than anyone else. Do you get any back or hip pain?"

"Are you asking me that because I'm old?" Vincent whispered with a small smile before chuckling softly. "Only back pain. I injured it a while ago, it's never been quite the same since."

"What happened?" Roan asked as he met his eyes, holding them for a long moment. It helped knowing exactly what happened. And then see about options for reducing it.

"Rotten luck," Vincent admitted, shaking his head with a frustrated sigh, rubbing his thumb against the palm of his hand. "It was about 2050, there wasn't even much left of the war. I was shot at and took a long fall. Medicine back then wasn't anywhere near what it is now."

Roan nodded as he looked at him, frowning. "Has anyone looked at improving it? We got better technology now, could look at surgery to improve it." The frown eased and he smiled, a surprisingly gentle smile. "Or other methods."

"No," Vincent replied quietly before watching him with a gentle smile. "No one's ever asked about it before, so...I've never mentioned it."

"Well, good thing I asked then," Roan said with a quick smile, giving him a nod. "I'll look into options. But for that, let's do a deep scan, so I can recreate on the holodeck if I want to look into surgery as an option."

Vincent took that as his cue to lie back on the bed, letting out a soft breath as he turned his head enough to be able to watch him at least. "I've not always treated this body like a temple, Doctor," he admitted, but with a soft chuckle.

"Ah, who has?" Roan smiled as he got the computer to run the scan, meeting his eyes. "Okay, some people do, but honestly? Wear and tear comes from living. Not being alive but really living."

Vincent was silent for a long moment, watching the ceiling as his vision blurred with the light, or maybe the memories. "There's always a war to fight," he replied quietly.

"I suspect with your history, yes," Roan said softly, watching him for a moment. He reached out and touched his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're still here though. Still breathing."

"Yes," Vincent said softly, but his mind was with the others who weren't. He shook it away, straightening his shoulders even where he was laid out for a scan. "Otherwise, I don't think there's anything else for me to complain about."

"Sounds that what you need is someone to talk to," Roan said as he finished the scan. "About your history. Not a counsellor, just..." he almost said friend. "...someone who'd like to learn more."

Vincent watched him with surprise for a long moment before smiling softly but warmly, glancing away. "Well isn't that just ironic...saying that to an ex-counsellor...and an El-Aurian at that."

"Does it make it less true if it is ironic?" Roan asked him gently, before he let out a breath. "We will need each other through this mission. Every single one of us. I am not a counsellor...but it is good to know you were one."

Vincent nodded with understanding before the small smile became a grin. "Well, only if you agree to tell me about yourself too. It's only fair, that I'd get some stories in return..."

"A story exchange?" Roan smiled at that before he nodded. "Deal. I'd like that. Besides, always good if someone knows what the doctor is thinking...you know, for when I just sedate everyone for peace and quiet," he joked.

Vincent chuckled softly at the picture it conjured, shaking his head gently. "Well, I may have moved departments now, but...well, if you ever want an unofficial ear to listen, old habits die hard."

"I think I need that," Roan finally said, his voice quiet. "I am trying my best, always have been, to fit. But sometimes, I feel like a savage in comparison to people here."

"We're all savages deep down," Vincent said softly before giving him a small, good natured smile. "Honestly, I'd like to hear more about it, whenever you have time of course."

"After shift?" Roan asked as he met his eyes, holding them for a long moment. "Drink and some food? Could be fun. And if nothing else, interesting for both of us."

"And a more inviting atmosphere," Vincent agreed as he glanced around the Sickbay with a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "I would love to, Doctor."

"Alright," Roan said and nodded, smiling as he finished. "I will look at some options for your back, but even with it...you're healthy and cleared for duty on this vessel."

"Well that's a relief. It would have been rather embarrassing if I weren't when I'd only just arrived," Vincent teased him, adjusting his cuffs with elegant hands.

"Well, between us, everyone's cleared. I am just here for a baseline read and reminding everyone where sickbay is located," Roan confessed before he let out a breath. "I will see you later, no ditching me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Vincent assured, flashing him a grin as he got to his feet and headed for the door. "Your secret's safe with me! See you later, doctor!"

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