"The One and Only Meruian"

Posted on 16 Aug 2025 @ 3:56am by Lieutenant M'Leyna & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD

1,541 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Assignment: Arawyn
Location: Sickbay :: USS Arawyn

// Sickbay //

The entrance to Sickbay, on Deck 7, was simple, even elegant in some ways. The doors were wide and whooshed open to a welcoming reception area with several chairs available for those waiting to see the Staff. The wall on the left had a built-in shelving arrangement which was lit with grow-lights to keep the various plants on the shelving alive and happy. Otherwise, the area was functional, the walls a warm, gray-blue, the deck covered in a cork-like surfacing that softened the clatter, footsteps and noise of a busy Sickbay.

The Department Yeoman, PO Lucy Engerman [NPC medical staff] behind the curved desk looked up to see a new face approaching. She smiled. "Good morning. How can I help you?"

M'leyna looked around, somewhat tired from the long trip to the station from the USS Hyperion, then shed checked in at the station and beamed aboard the Arawyn. Having finally made it to sickbay, she looked around briefly at the decor, having never been on a Sovereign class vessel before. The reception area of sickbay, to the Meruian woman, felt calm in a way, with its spacious seating, decor and the quiet atmosphere- at least, for the time being.

She looked to the yeoman behind the reception desk and nodded, handing her a PADD with her transfer authorization and orders for a routine on-boarding checkup, "Lieutenant M'leyna," she said softly to the young woman, "reporting in for on-boarding and eval."

"I believe Dr Amberlyn is available. Let me alert her," replied Lucy. "You can have a seat if you like." The yeoman keyed Amberlyn's comm, and texted Dr A, you have a check-in exam in the lobby, , to which Amberlyn replied briefly and Lucy acknowledged to M'leyna, "Dr Amberlyn will be out to fetch you in just a moment."

The Meruian Lieutenant gave a nod and quietly took a seat. As she waited, M'leyna took a PADD out of her bag and began scrolling, taking the time to study more on the Arawyn's systems and specs, more specifically- anything to do with flight control. However, she also took the time to familiarize herself with her subordinates in the helm department, taking notes of their records, and any other notes the previous Cheif Helmsman may or may not have left for her.

Dr Amberlyn appeared from the doorway leading to the inner sanctum of the Infirmary.. She was dressed in black pants, a black high neck t-shirt, with a Lieutenant Commander's pips, and a teal labcoat with her name printed on the chest above a pocket. A warm smile preceded her. "Hello,." She offered a handshake. "I'm Dr Riah Amberlyn. You are M'leyna?"

As the Doctor entered and introduced herself, M'leyn stood and smiled politely and shook the woman's offered hand, "Yes, Doctor. Im M'leyna" she replied

"I've seen your file. It had some special documentation about your species. Come with me, and we'll get you taken care of," said Amberlyn. They moved through the door and down a curved hallway to the right, around behind the basically circular reception area, and into the first exam room, again on the right.

"Hop up on the table, if you would," said Amberlyn as a nurse walked in. "This is Nurse Carter, she'll be assisting today. Carter, this is M'leyna," Then the doctor turned her full attention to her patient. "Anything in particular I need to know today?" she asked as she activated the overhead scanner and various read-outs began to populate the holo-screen to the side at the head of the table. M'leyna was able to see all the reports from her seated position, some easy to read and others defined by coding and a universal secret medical language.

"Special documentation of my species?" M'leyna asked curiously as she hopped up onto the table and looked over to the read-outs trickling in on the holo-screen nearby. "No, nothing really of note lately, health-wise anyway" she replied to her question, "just normal 'new ship, new environment' anxiety and fatigue, but nothing major."

"Good. That makes this very easy," Amberlyn nodded. "Special information. Things in regard to Meruian health, such as drug interactions, allergies or toxins specific to Meruians, how to manufacture your blood for a transfusion if that became necessary. You are the only Meruian on the crew at this time. The report is not about your specific medical history. It's all the information on Meruians included in your individual file, not just in my expanded medical database. It puts that information right at my fingertips, on my scanners." As she explained this, she read and digested, approved and dated various statistics, all recorded into M'leyna's file on the holo-screen with a wave of her finger.

"Everything lines up perfectly with your last exam. You're good. Ok, I'm gonna turn this around now. I'm sure you have been questioned to the point of distraction by all the health professions in the process of getting posted to this ship. And on long missions, I am likely at times to be your very best friend on this ship when you're sick or injured. Do you have any questions or instructions for me? What are your preferences in terms of medical care on our long-term missions?" asked Amberlyn.

M'leyna hopped off the table and stood, taking a look at the read-outs, but didnt pretend to understand half of what she was reading. She listened to the doctor explain about the medical notes of her species, she smiled and shrugged a little, "To be honest, Doctor, im the only Meruian in Starfleet." She corrected politely, and not at all in a 'matter-of-fact' tone, more to the point of hoping there was enough information about her species medical needs for a safe long-term mission if needed- it was a thought that the Lieutenant hadn't come to realize until just now, "since enlisting," she continued, "I've been interviewed ad questioned constantly throughout the academy and during every ship I've served on." She smiled with another hapless shrug, "I'm so used to it, but im afraid I know little about the medical sciences beyong rudimentary first aid." M'leyna took another look at the medical screens before continuing, "I've mentioned to the CMO on my last posting on the Hyperion, the best bet is to obtain medical files from Meru IV directly. Im sure Starfleet got the basics. There's a Statfleet Attache built planet-side- like an embassy. There's a doctor stationed there, tasked with studying our physiology and such. As I understand, our blood is similar to humans 'Type-O positive' blood, I think I heard?" She took a breath realizing she felt she was rambling, "a-anyway, if there's anyone to give more in-depth details of Meruian physiology and medical sciences, it'd be him." She wrapped up with a small nod, feeling stupid for tlking so much, "A-as far as my personal needs, I think im okay, all I'd really require are salt-tabs or a sodium hypospray if my levels drop off, but thats pretty standard. The ship's replicators are well suited for my species dietary needs."

"Thank you. That's very helpful. It is a little daunting to think of taking off on a long mission, but your courage is to be commended for doing so as the only Meruian on the ship, and in Starfleet. I wasn't aware you were the sole representative of Meru IV. I'm impressed. And if I come up with questions after talking to the experts, I'll come to you. You may not know the medical terms, but you've lived your entire life in that Meruian body and you know more than you realize. I will differently be contact that doctor. Do you remember his name by chance?"

The Meruian woman smiled at the compliment and thought on her question, "Hmm... Doctor... Derex? I think? He's a Denobulan. I've never met him, but my father is a healer in my town, he thinks highly of him."

"Perfect. I'm not surprised that a Denobulan would undertake to learn more. Thank you so much for coming in. It's a pleasure to meet you. Anytime I can be of service, just let me know. Nurse Carter, can you see her out of this maze so she's not lost in here for the rest of her day?" chuckled Amberlyn.

"Of course, this way," said Carter.

M'leyna gave a chuckle at the 'maze' comment, however she knew it'd only be a matter of time before she got lost on this ship, beng so used to the Akira Class Hyperion. "Thank you, so very much, Doctor" she said with a smile, "and if there's any extra information I can provide about my species, please let me know." She added before letting the nurse escorted her out of the room and down the hall to the main doors of sickbay. "Thank you, Nurse Carter." She said to the nurse, shaking her hand, "it was a pleasure meeting you and Doctor Amberlyn."

At that, she departed sickbay and strolled down the hall, tapping her PADD to check off her on-boarding schedule and to see what her next task was before taking her position as Cheif Helmsman.

~~~~
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
&
Lt M'leyna
Cheif Flight Control Officer

 

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