Bodies and babies

Posted on Sunday October 21st, 2018 @ 9:16am by Captain Sumire "Remi" Rembrant & Lieutenant Commander Jack Pine & Lieutenant Commander Sarissa Slane M.D. & Thorn Ironhart

2,632 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Season 2; Mission 2: It's Only Fun Until Someone Gets Hurt
Location: Ship lounge
Timeline: October 20th 4566; Late Morning

With more of those who were being reassigned to Earth II to support Yuka gone Remi was now in the command center for t he first time. She would be taking time off before returning to duty but was interested in seeing what her new home would be like. She also introduced herself to Godwhin who was now in charge of the command center for the station. After she was done there she got the things she would be taking with her ready to head over to the Provy and then had them tagged and sent over. She finally made her way to the lounge; this seemed to be the place everyone hung out these days and where she kept running into everyone before fucked up or fun shit happened.
 
Sarissa was in the lounge, eating a meal. It seems that her appetite had grown recently, with the level of activity, she had dismissed it as a random occurence until more data was available. Seeing the new CO, she turned and offered "Congratulations on your new assigment."
 
Thorn had managed to find a cache of... Something.  She wasn't quite sure what it was, but it was delightful, and tasted like the ration bars she'd grown up on.  Her knowledge dump told her they were rations used by the Marine contingent and someone had stashed them, probably her.  She didn't really care.  She had already powered her way through three and was working on her fourth as she listened to the others.
 
Jack was enjoying a nice meal in between duty shifts. There was much to catch up on since his absence, and even a bit more now with the restructure.
 
As remi noticed her with the ration bars she made her way over. "So... how are you adjusting to the newneww and... your new job... I mean since I'm off duty being my aide is probably pretty easy..." She laughed as she took a seat nex tto her.
 
Thorn looked up, cocking an eyebrow.  "Still getting used to my arms being this long and all the way the fuck out here..." She dangled her hands as far forward as her arms would stretch to demonstrate.  "And I got stuck by my boobs, then my butt as I was trying to get into that little space in my bunk that's all cozy."
 
"Yeah; I bet being bigger is harder... and... from toying with holographic stuff... yeah having a larger chest is annoying... both I can relate to; not as like.... big of a deal as yours but eh... And so nobody told you.... You and the new civilian cargo ship guy we rescued are being given jobs as my assistants... I'm going ot go going off ship for a few days to train... I will be close though on the providence.... so I won't be far..."
 
Sarissa commented. "Your mind will adjust  once you develop muscle memory, Miss Thorn. A natural period of time to overcome the newness of the body." Sarissa stomach rumbled, not in a good way."
 
Jack noticed the conversation, but went back to his meal. He began idly flipping through digital paper work, and reports on his pad he had next to his plate.
 
"Erm... I don't know if she stoo happy about what you guys did BTW..." Remi said to Sarissa.
 
"Okay.  Have fun training, I'll see you when you get back.  Probably either gaining a few pounds from these things or... Doctor Sarissa!  I've been meaning to talk to you!  Maybe about why the fuck I got doped with enough sedatives to drop a bull elephant?"  Thorn's face went from calm amusement to a boistrous and forcedly sunny expression, with only the barest hint of anger passing through as she jumped between expressions.
 
Remi turned to the doctor; she being part of IS got an advisory from ITC as well as when she and Thorn talked briefly; she wasnt told to investigate since ITC wasn't given permission to press charges by THorn. Remi cocked her head. "I'd like an explaination too... being your CO... now."
 
"And then woke up with cryo shakes and one Hell of a headache.  In red lace."
 
"It was not my idea." She answered calmly. "You were closer to death that you realized at the time. Had the staff not intervened, we would not be having this pleasant conversation. I would be doing your autopsy."(edited)
 
"I remember a surgeon asking me questions designed to prove I'm not capable of deciding these things.  Next thing I know the floor's rushing up to meet me."  Thorn cocked an eyebrow.  "I was taking my meds and was under no influence from my augs.  Just have a suicidal streak measured in astronomical units.  As any scan of my memories will show is understandable, and I am surprisingly well adjusted."
@Jack Pine   "Jack, how well adjusted am I?  Or Rose, for that matter?"
 
"Um... not to like side with the doctors but some medications can impair judgment... but what I would like to know is aside from her dying; why did you guys go against her wishes... there is such an order as DNR... she can choose not to be saved under her own power unless she's not mentally capable of that decision... So please explain." Remi said.
She then sent Jack a coffee emoji over VX.
 
 
Sarissa said, "May I inquire as to how you feel, other than your growth getting in the way?" Turning to Sumire, Sarissa offered. "The person that drugged Thorn was the paramedic AI."
 
 
"Depends on what adjusted means Thorn, I'm not a doctor.", Jack calls from across the room.
 
 
"Hungry as fuck all the time and crankier than usual.  And for some goddamn reason I'm bleeding." Thorn snorted.
 
"Were you stabbed or shot?"
 
"Not this time.  Trust me, you don't want to know." Thorn offered.
 
"I already do thorn. I have three daughters. It's normal, you're fine." Jack offered.
 
Sarissa got up, pulling a medical tricorder from the med kit on the wall. She scanned Thorn. "Miss Thorn, you have amenorrhea. That is another symptom of how badly your body was. You were not menstrating."
 
"Well I am, now and it sucks!" Thorn exclaimed.
 
Sarissa's stomach picked that moment to go complete haywire. She managed to reach the small sink behind the bar and vomited.
 
"if its bothering you im sure the doctors here can do something to make it less annoying or email your contact at the medical research team; im sure some doctor there could perscribe something." Remi commented about Thorn's trouble. "I will also be following up with IAD and the medical review board on this case... I may not be a medical doctor but violating peoples rights..."
Remi watched her run off and go vomit. "Well... you might watnt o scan yourself there doc?"

"Looking a little green, there, doc." Thorn said.
 
"Or... better yet..." Remi enabled the tricorder functions of her VX and began to scan the doctor.
She had the AI of the VX activate its medical support function to give her an idea of what the information meant 
 
Sarissa rinsed her mouth out. "As I said before the sedation of Miss Thorn was NOT my idea, it was a sudden action by AI." Turning the tricorder around she scanned herself while the others talked.
Finishing the scan of hersedl, Sarissa filed the private information away and said. "I fully agree that her rights were violated and I do not condone what happened. I believe in patients rights, even if they do not see I can help. As I said before Thorn would be dead if she decided against the procedure."
Sarissa was careful with her wording, sticking to the agreement with Thorn that no one know this was her new body.
 
remi's VX outputs the information and the initial scans. Remi; reading the initial diagnosis sends the information to Ayasha. She would need to get more medical training and a license before she could actually diagnose medical problems for anyone but from what it seemed like she judged Sarissa was pregnant.
 
Thorn's own issues with her body were causing some mild glitches in her VX, preventing her from following in Remi's footsteps, but she still had access to her email and search functions.  Fortunately, her own augment diagnostics were also still functional and showed everything in working order.

"While I don't agree with the decision that was made, I will agree that my body was degrading fast.  I couldn't lift a couple hundred pounds anymore, and I was getting dizzy spells.  Now I'm back to full strength, and it seems that scaled up."
"I have all the scans and medical  fiiles. If we are to discuss this, a more private place than the ship's lounge might be a suggestion." Sarissa offered to the group.

"Sadly unless I wanted a new body its not that easy for htem just to fix my body after my heart stuff... oh well though... I will be learning ot fight smarter... rather than use all my energy and then getting myself shot." Remi said.
 
"And if Lord Pine was right, I need to start expecting to be hungry, bloated, cranky, and crampy all at the same time every once in a while."
 
Jack paused in his actions, his eyebrow and jaw giving a slight tick before hiding the reaction. "Everyone has to adjust to changes Miss Ironhart.", he said with a measured and even voice.
 
"Welcome to womanhood... its why I take medications to make all that go away; means I cant have kids unless I stop the meds." Remi offered 
"But all good things come ot those who wait... stop the meds and wait.... if I bleed... babbies can happen... or if Im unlucky... well... I go straight into having a kid.... pfft..."
She laughs as she knew that would be her luck.
 
Sarissa turned to Remi and Thorn. "You make is seem like torture. While there is discomfort, the children and all they bring to your life far outweigh anything else. I have four children and it seems, number five is on the way."(edited)
 
Thorn gave a slight smirk to Jack's reaction.  "I think I'll stick wth being into girls for now."
 
"Had six,.....now I only have one.", Jack said solemnly.
He suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore.
 
Sarissa replied. "I didn't know the males of your species gave birth Mister Pine."
 
"With some of our drugs, it can be done." Thorn said.
 
"Joke all you want, I seem to be the joke lately." Jack said despondently.
 
Thorn: "Sarah apparently knocked up my sister once."
"Jack, you know how often I made fun of you or Sarah? You were always in the room when I teased."
 
"Doesn't matter thorn. I'm not feeling it lately. Thank you for the reminder of my situation. Have a nice day.", He gets up to leave, taking his half full plate to the recycler.
 
"I was not trying to be humorous or make light of your apparent discomfort. I was pointing out that I gave birth to four healthy babies. Carrying twins both times." Sarissa offered.
 
"My mother carried twins, which she lost, then had triplets. Remember that next time you see Sarah. She's lost more then anyone can bare. A mother separated from her children is a horrible fate."

"If your a noble; it is torture... the rest of you have a choice... I don't unless I want to forsake my lineage and run off..." Remi said
 
"I will send you my report shortly Captain Rembrant on the Thorn matter." Sarissa said.
 
"I'll keep that in mind, Jack.  Thaks for everything you've done already.  Hopefully I'll be able to help you out some time." Thorn

Turning back to Remi and Sarissa, Thorn took on a thoughtful face.  "We all know what happened.  But I've got fresh surgical scars like you did the surgery."
 
"thanks; that way I can have IAD follow up on it Dr. Sarissa. " Remi patted Thorn on the head and sent her a :heart: emoji over VX.
 
"Nobility, huh..........didn't know that was a requirement for children.", Jack said idly rubbing a black ring between two fingers. "Want a ring Thorn? Mines useless now."
 
Sarissa turned to Thorn and offered. If you would allow me, I can show you what happened without anyone else knowing." 
 
"Well... there will be people who know; they just like work in IS, IAD and have top secret clearance.... need to know basis and random shitbad doesnt need to know..."remi laughed
 
Sarissa sent a VX to Remi, "I am TRYING to be discreet. She has things she doesn't want in general circulation."
 
"Keep it, Jack.  If what that ring represents didn't happen, you wouldn't be here.  You wouldn't be a better man now than ever."  Thorn waved off Jack's offer of a ring.  Everyone here knew her, in some cases better than she liked.  Jack, she knew she could trust with whatever was said.  Remi was required to be trustworthy by her job.

"Doctor, just give it to me straight.  Was the surgery a success?  Or did I die on the table?"
 
"Sorry... I'll shut up." Remi replied to Sarissa over VX.
  
Since Thorn had changed her mind about wanting the information to be private, Sarissa told the story. "Both and neither. " I tried to keep your original body alive, but there were so many compromised systems, your original body died on the table. Per your request, I copied your scars so that you would have a better sense of self that is very important to most humans. Who you are was moved to the body you are in now." She added.
"... eh... and ya'all lecture me about confidentiality... meh...." remi gets up and leaves the room.
 
Jack tossed the ring to thorn, "That's a second time for you thorn. Maybe life is telling you this is a second chance to right how you were wronged the first time. Keep the ring, it's just a painful reminder for me. Maybe you'll get that woman you always wanted to be with."

Jack heads for the door with his hands in his pockets.
 
When she realizes Jack is behind her Remi turns. "You've been acting super strange around me... but I guess that is just a side effect of me being me..." She hten leaves him where he is.
 
He wasn't quite sure what that meant from Remi.

"Anyone needs me, I'll be playing Beat Saber. Have fun.", Jack said before leaving fully.
 
Thorn caught the ring as she processed the responses one at a time.  First, Sarissa.  "That... Okay.  Thanks.  Sorry I got pissed."

Then she looked down at the ring in her hand and was about to respond when Jack left.  If he was going to push her towards Sarah, she wouldn't want to be a replacement for Rose, or anyone.  She wanted to see them smile, but the thought of persuing one person in particular made her chest tighten painfully.  The picture she carried in her pocket, or a copy of it blinked up on the glowing screen in her wrist, and she didn't know why that image hurt so much.
 
"Since I am no longer needed here, I will be in Medical." Sarissa turned and left.(edited)
 
The image displays an oasis in the desert. Sarah in a bikini and Thorn piggy back riding, with both smiling in the sun.(edited)
 

 

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