Carpathia IV: Episode 16 - Skulking Dragon
Space, NCCS Shadowdancer
Evening shift was the perfect time for Sorchae to get paperwork done. Fewer new patients. Fewer intrusions. It was quiet, enough that she could both get work done and catch up on her favorite music, programs, and news. Under dim lights and bathed in the glow of her monitor, Sorchae filled in the tedious forms and reports while soothing music played in her office.
This night, however, was a little more unusual.
Always with an ear toward anything unusual that might require her attention, Sorchae could swear that she heard the sick bay doors open and then close again. Looking through her office window, she could see nobody awaiting treatment and returned to her work, thinking she just imagined it. When she heard the sick bay doors open and close again with nobody presenting themselves, she decided it was time to investigate.
Stepping softly out of her office, Sorchae carefully approached the sick bay doors and tapped the door control. When they slid open, she poked her head into the hallway for a look around. There, she found a suddenly flustered Tayet.
Sorchae: Tayet! Are you the one who's been skulking around my sick bay?
Tayet's ears sagged on his head as he tapped his claws together, looking down at the floor.
Tayet: Um... Could we talk in private?
With eyebrow raised, Sorchae turned to the side and held her hand out, beckoning Tayet to enter.
Sorchae: Certainly. Is my office okay?
Without a word, Tayet shuffled briskly to the door and peeked inside before hurrying into Sorchae's office. Sorchae did a befuddled double-take before she followed him in and took a seat behind her desk.
Sorchae: Would you like to have a seat?
Tayet turned and glanced at the small, fabric-upholstered chair.
Tayet: Thanks, but my scales would destroy your chair if I touched it.
Sorchae: Indeed, they would. What's on your mind?
Tayet wrung his hands for a moment before he responded.
Tayet: Um... My back is sore. Could you look at it?
Sorchae waited in silence, sure that there must be more than this. As time passed and Tayet continued to gaze at her expectantly, it became clear that nothing further was forthcoming.
Sorchae: Is that all? Why all the skullduggery?
Tayet fidgeted and grumbled indignantly.
Tayet: Dragons don't get sick or get sore! I can't be seen coming into a place like this unless it's a mandatory physical or something!
Sorchae, taken aback by Tayet's outburst, decided it prudent to respond with some calm honesty.
Sorchae: Tayet, I'm sure you remember you're half dragon and half nekomi and the first of your kind known to exist. There could be any number of things going on that we can't even guess.
Tayet shook his head and Sorchae was certain he was near tears.
Tayet: I know that. It's just...
Now feeling some pity for Tayet, Sorchae opened a drawer and pulled out a small scanning device.
Sorchae: Your secret is safe with me. Now let's have a look at your back.
Tayet remained still as Sorchae moved around her desk and positioned herself behind him. As she opened the scanner, she began asking questions.
Sorchae: Any particular area?
Sorchae started slowly moving her scanner around Tayet's back.
Tayet: Not really. It's kind of all over.
Sorchae: Does it hurt more when you move?
Tayet twisted his body to the side.
Tayet: It hurts a bit more when I turn like this.
Sorchae closed her scanner and returned to her desk chair.
Sorchae: I found some minor sub-dermal irritation. During your entry physical, we noted that you seem to have a lot of redundant bone and musculature, and it appears they have shifted since then. A mild pain reliever should do the trick.
Sorchae tapped at her keypad and a small vial with a green liquid inside deposited itself via chute on her desk. She took the vial and set it into a jet injector.
Sorchae: Let's have your arm.
Tayet presented the fleshy upper part of his arm to Sorchae and she pressed the injector onto his skin.
Sorchae: Your body is going through changes that we can't fully understand. Hopefully, the pain will subside on its own, but let me know if it persists and we'll do more scans. Will there be anything else?
One look at Tayet's face and Sorchae could see the relief, but that could have been just the pain medication kicking in.
Tayet: Thank you. There's nothing else.
Aire stepped out of the captain's ready room, fresh from his morning meeting with Adell and carrying a tablet. Teren, sitting in the captain's chair, immediately stood.
Teren: Commander.
Aire: You may return to your station, Lieutenant.
Teren: Yes, Commander.
Teren immediately circled around to his console at the back of the bridge while Aire leaned over Kit's console and handed him the tablet he was carrying.
Aire: Here are the Monday announcements.
Kit took the tablet and started skimming the headlines.
Kit: We're three days behind schedule?
Aire: It could have been worse. At least we finally got what we needed from the nebula and we should be ready to survey that asteroid field soon.
Aire returned to his chair and took a seat while Kit put on his headset and began reading the Monday announcements over the ship's general communications.
Kit: Good morning crew of the NCCS Shadowdancer. Here are the Monday morning announcements...
While Kit read the announcements, Aire had a quick look at his console, looking for anything unusual. Finding nothing, he leaned back in his chair.
Aire: Teren, status.
Teren: We should be able to get underway soon. Ramei is nearly done fixing the glitches in the helm caused by the gas in engineering.
Ramei's head suddenly popped up from behind the helm console. In one hand was a repair tool and, more ominously, his ears were folded down on the sides of his head.
Ramei: Um, yeah, about that. We've got a problem.
Aire leaned forward and braced himself for the news.
Aire: Let's have it, Lieutenant.
Ramei wrung his fuzzy hands together.
Ramei: Every patch I tried on the glitch just kept making it worse, so I tried a system reset. Now, all the biometric readers are down. The helm was supposed to default to the master password, but the glitch caused it to default to the chief helmsman's password instead.
Everyone on the bridge knew the implication of that last statement and Aire slunk into his chair, rubbing his forehead.
Aire: Teek. He just started his hibernation cycle a day and a half ago. Are there any other options?
Ramei: If we want to survey that asteroid field, we have two options, either wait or wake him up. We can pilot the ship from any console, but the helm command functions are necessary for that level of tight flying.
Aire sighed and drummed his fingers on his armrest, wondering what he should do next. Naturally, he would have to tell the captain, but there was one opinion he wanted first. Grudgingly, Arie tapped his armrest keypad and waited.
Sorchae: Sick bay here. Is there an emergency?
Aire: No emergency, Doctor. I would like for you to come to the bridge. We could use a medical opinion up here.
Sorchae: I'm on my way.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
Jenova87
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
All city pictures from SimCity 4
