Fitness for Duty Exams

Posted on Mon May 29, 2023 @ 9:13pm by Lieutenant Cuyu Reeza & Lieutenant Jules Mundy

1,862 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Season 1 - Prologue
Location: Medical/Counseling
Timeline: Post "Artifacts"

On:
Lt Cuyu Reeza prepared her office for her next patient. She liked to set her office up "old school"-as she had heard some of the Humans say. That is, she had a couch-old, orange, coffee stained-against a wall, and an oversized chair-mismatched to the couch in green leather-facing it, topped with a couple of toss pillows and a blanket. It made it feel, in her opinion, cozy. The Bajoran woman appreciated that.

She stood before the chime could ring-she wasn't empathic but she WAS impatient to do the Staff "fitness for duty" exams-and opened the door.

"Lt. Mundy, please." She stood aside to escort him in. "Hello. Please, make yourself comfortable. Feel free to use the replicator if you'd like." She pointed. "Nice to meet you. "

"Nice to meet you, lieutenant." Mundy walked over to the replicator and ordered himself a cold green tea, with lemon." Can I get something for you?" His drink materialized.

Reeza shook her head. "No, thank you." She waited for him to get his drink and sit down before she got started. "Thank you for coming by. Let's start. Can you state your name and rank for the record?" She made a face; that was, by far, the stupidest question she had to ask. "Sorry, they make me ask it."

"Jules Mundy, lieutenant."

She nodded. "Ok, that's the end of the dumb questions. What brings you here today?" She shrugged. Maybe that was also a dumb question? She'd find out. "I meant, are you here for your regular annual or is there something on your mind?"

Mundy was puzzled. "I thought you summoned me here, lieutenant."

She nodded. "Yes, but most people don't come willingly. You did. Was it just a need to get it out of the way?" She probed.

"Sometimes, the sooner the better." He smiled at her. "Plus it gives me another chance to see you again."

Reeza nodded. "Yes. Our last adventure was unexpected, but we made it out alive, so that's always good. I took a look at your medical and psychological profile. It seems fine, so this should be a short meeting. How are you finding things? Are you settling in well?" She wasn't a counselor but until they were assigned one, it was her job to do this, so she was "winging it," as the Humans were wont to say.

"This isn't my first assignment, Counselor, so I was better prepared for what I was about to face when I arrived." Jules paused. "When you're off duty, would you be interested in getting some dinner?"

She nodded at his answer. "That's an excellent point. Um, your file said...excuse me?" Her brain finally registered his question. "Oh. Um...sure. Thank you." She'd need to call down and see if Soja could stay with the sitter late, but she didn't expect a problem. "I am sorry." She took an inhale to calm herself, and then continued. "This should be quick; your file indicates that you're in good mental health. You're a good officer, by all reports, no attitude or emotional problems, and a pilot of excellent record. Does that sound correct?" She was reading it from a PADD. She wasn't a very good counselor, but until they got one, she was the woman of the hour.

"That sounds correct, counselor. May I ask you a question?" He replied.

Reeza just nodded. "Of course." She said. "That's my job. Well. Partly." She stopped speaking so he could ask.

"I saw in your file that your husband passed away. I'm sorry. Do you have any other family members?"

She hadn't been prepared for that question. "Oh, um. Yes, he did. Thank you, it was an engineering accident. I do-my mother lives on Earth and my middle brother lives on Bajor. My oldest brother is in the Fleet, too. My in-laws are on Ordeve. My sister in law may join us to help me out with my daughter once we're fully settled here. She just recently divorced and is struggling." She sighed. "Why do you ask?" Just out of curiosity, she really didn't mind sharing. It was what made her a good doctor-she could share personal experiences with people to cross over social or cultural lines that might otherwise prevent them from interacting.

"I just wondered if your family would object to you dating a non-Bajoran." he asked.

She smiled a little. "They would be fine with it. My sister's ex-husband was human. My brother's boyfriend is a Trill," she explained. "I don't know how my daughter would feel but I don't think she'd mind. She's already tried to set me up with someone at my last posting." The man had been a Romulan. They were friends but it hadn't gone anywhere. "She was too young to remember her father when he died, so I think that she just....worries that she's different from the other kids who have two parents. She's just four so it's not really a big thing-yet." Reeza was rambling.

"Good to know. Thank you for telling me." He paused, looking at her, "Is there anything else you wish to know about me, counselor?"

Yeah, a lot. "Um...not...professionally, no. Today's session is a short one. Are you finding yourself settling in well here?"

"I have. From the first day arrived I've found my crewmates friendly and helpful. It's almost like I've been here for years." Mundy paused. "What about you?"

Reeza nodded. "So far, same. Everyone has been welcoming. It's always harder when you're a family unit coming aboard-less time to mingle and that kind of thing like the others. I do my duty, and then go home with my kid. My mingling is with cartoon characters," she said, with a small laugh. "Still, during duty hours, it's nice. I really like the team I have, too. Once I get the medical bay set up how I like it, fully, it will be perfect." She said. "Final question, I suppose. I need to ask-are you feeling generally well? No danger of hurting yourself or others? Homesickness?" She asked, carefully. It was the most difficult of the battery of questions she had to ask, and she hated it every time.

Jules was taken aback by these questions, but he would answer them truthfully anyway. "I feel better then well, I feel very good, bordering on excellent. I would never intentionally harm myself, or others. Homesick? I think of this as my home now. And I will willingly submit to any exams that you think are necessary, counselor."

She shook her head. "There's a new battery of questions we're supposed to ask. Normally, a counselor would do this. Until we get one, it's my job as the Chief Medical Officer." She said. "My bedside manner is fine for a biobed but I am afraid I fall short with the head stuff," she said. "Anyway. That really IS the end of our visit. I find you fit for duty, mental healthwise. I can go ahead and do your physical exam, too, if you'd like, or you can come back. It's up to you." She said. "But don't wait too long."

"We can do the physical here and now, if you want." He looked at her. "Would you like me to remove my shirt?" He smiled at her.

She nodded, but stood up. "Yes, but not in here, we'll need a biobed. Follow me," she said, leading him towards the main Sickbay. She led him to a biobed. "Hop on up, I'll be right back with a tricorder and a PADD. Please excuse me," she said, stepping away.

As she walked away, he muttered to himself, 'Well, at least I tried.' He's been in many sickbays, so this one wasn't that different.

It did finally occur to her that Mundy was flirting, and she was dumb enough to have missed it. Oh, well, it would look bad to make him return, half-nude, to a private room. People would definitely talk. Still, she needed to get it together. She was sometimes TOO even keeled that she missed social cues like that. She returned to his bedside, and turned the biobed on.
"I apologize that I missed your...suggestion...earlier. In the counseling office," she explained, hoping he wouldn't make her explain more. "I don't normally miss social cues like that; I think I am just a bit tired. Soja-my daughter-has been having a bit of trouble sleeping; I think she's slow to adjust to the changes," Reeza explained. Her eyes were scanning the data that was coming up. "You're in excellent health, what do you do to stay healthy? Use the gym on the ship? Eat well?" She asked.

"Work, mostly. Gym frequently. Eat right, and date some." He looked at her, "Don't worry about what happened in the office, I hope there'll be more opportunities for, socializing. And I'm sorry about your daughter, but I'm sure she'll adjust to new quarters soon."

She nodded. "Soja will adjust in time. She's used to it; sometimes I wonder if having her grow up on a Starship is fair to her, but then other times-it seems perfect," she shrugged. "Please, sit up," she asked. "Do you have any history of illness or cognitive issues in your family?" Reeza's biggest hang up was people thinking she was a bad mother; she was trying her best to raise her daughter alone AND have her career, a career that was very important. "When you say you eat right, and date some, what time will you pick me up? Where are we going? Bajorans aren't vegetarians but I don't eat much meat, just a personal preference," she said, a small smile playing at her lips.

He was not stunned at the invitation. "My family history has no mention of long-term illness or cognitive issues. My great-grandfather lived to be 136 and was sharp as a tack until the day her died. There's a story about him at 96 chasing and winning a 30-year-old! And they had 4 children! So, I may have some of those genes in my body. Today's Friday, so how does Saturday at 1900 hours sound? And as were, there's always the main mess hall, or the holodeck." Jules paused. "I think I can find some interesting and, dare I say, romantic places to dine."

She smiled. "That sounds...exhausting, frankly," she said, laughing. "Or perhaps it's just Soja who is exhausting. I couldn't imagine doing this at forty, let alone at 90!" She shook her head. "And all of that sounds great. I think we're done; you're in fantastic health and I will sign you off for duty," she said. "I will make sure the XO has my report immediately," she promised him.

Jules hopped off the biobed. "Thank you, doctor." in a voice loud enough to be heard by anyone in the area. Then he leaned closer and said, "I'll pick you up at 1900 hours, your quarters." And then he walked out of sickbay.

She smiled. "I'll see you then." She watched him walk out, and then turned around to start a report. "What a weird day this has been," she muttered to herself.

 

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