11-06-2024, 11:57 PM
== Arrival Timeline ==
"You're sure?" PO3 Honoka Itari looked shocked. The young crewman stared at the clear results on the biobed monitor. "But it was just once, and he said..." She trailed off, realizing how naive her words made her sound. Itari sat on the biobed, her legs dangling off.
"The tests don't lie. Six weeks along," Robin replied sympathetically. "The pregnancy is going well so far, though I'd recommend a series of genetic tests. Despite what he told you, Orion and human DNA is perfectly compatible, but there can be some complications with several set of chromosomes. Nothing we can't fix if there's a problem."
The CMO was sympathetic. Itari was an engineering crew member, and by all accounts one of the more brilliant in the department, but she was socially awkward and had zero experience with men. Robin wasn't exactly experienced herself, but her outsider status at the Academy hadn't left a lot of options, and since joining the Artemis crew she'd been largely focused on her work. Itari had simply believed the suave Orion when he'd said there was no need for birth control.
The young Japanese woman hung her head. "My parents are going to kill me. And it's not like I'm going to be able to track him down and get him to commit to anything."
Robin nodded. Orions weren't exactly known for that, at least among members of other races. Some of them preyed on young Starfleet personnel at starbases. "Look, will you set up an appointment with the ship's counselor? She can help you sort through the psychological aspects of it. And we have a good obstetrician and pediatrician, Dr. Mwanza. She may be fairly fresh out of the Academy, but she's got a terrific record. Top of the class."
"I'll... this is a lot, you know?" Tears were forming in the young woman's eyes. "It's not that I didn't want kids, it's just that I didn't think it would be... I just didn't think." She sniffed and gave a forced smile. "I was so flattered that he was interested in me, y'know? But he wasn't. Not really." Itari hopped down from the bed. "I'll set up the appointments, Lieutenant Commander. I need to think."
The nurse wanted to offers some sympathetic platitude but just said "Of course." The engineer had some decisions to make. "If you need to talk feel free to call on me anytime."
After Itari left Robin headed to the nure's station. The Hugora Nebula hung lazily outside the Sickbay window, a rather dull-looking example of its kind. The nurse gave it only a passing glance. The Helix Nebula had been visible from her home colony, a much more vibrant and colorful field of gas, the remnant of a dead star. Hugora, by contrast, was muted blues and purples, dark and rather dreary. She sat down and quickly dictated her report, adding in the bioscans. She hoped Itari would be OK. The young woman was new to Starfleet, and Robin thought she would make a fine officer if she came out of her shell a little.
Well, she did. And look what that got her.
Still, the CMO felt a little better herself. Doctor Sonaalk had recommended she start spending more time as a nurse and less as an administrator, and she'd taken the advice. It was working. Robin felt more like her old self rather than the bureaucrat she'd felt herself turning into. She turned to look at the nebula.
"Wonder if there's anything in there," she said to herself.
"You're sure?" PO3 Honoka Itari looked shocked. The young crewman stared at the clear results on the biobed monitor. "But it was just once, and he said..." She trailed off, realizing how naive her words made her sound. Itari sat on the biobed, her legs dangling off.
"The tests don't lie. Six weeks along," Robin replied sympathetically. "The pregnancy is going well so far, though I'd recommend a series of genetic tests. Despite what he told you, Orion and human DNA is perfectly compatible, but there can be some complications with several set of chromosomes. Nothing we can't fix if there's a problem."
The CMO was sympathetic. Itari was an engineering crew member, and by all accounts one of the more brilliant in the department, but she was socially awkward and had zero experience with men. Robin wasn't exactly experienced herself, but her outsider status at the Academy hadn't left a lot of options, and since joining the Artemis crew she'd been largely focused on her work. Itari had simply believed the suave Orion when he'd said there was no need for birth control.
The young Japanese woman hung her head. "My parents are going to kill me. And it's not like I'm going to be able to track him down and get him to commit to anything."
Robin nodded. Orions weren't exactly known for that, at least among members of other races. Some of them preyed on young Starfleet personnel at starbases. "Look, will you set up an appointment with the ship's counselor? She can help you sort through the psychological aspects of it. And we have a good obstetrician and pediatrician, Dr. Mwanza. She may be fairly fresh out of the Academy, but she's got a terrific record. Top of the class."
"I'll... this is a lot, you know?" Tears were forming in the young woman's eyes. "It's not that I didn't want kids, it's just that I didn't think it would be... I just didn't think." She sniffed and gave a forced smile. "I was so flattered that he was interested in me, y'know? But he wasn't. Not really." Itari hopped down from the bed. "I'll set up the appointments, Lieutenant Commander. I need to think."
The nurse wanted to offers some sympathetic platitude but just said "Of course." The engineer had some decisions to make. "If you need to talk feel free to call on me anytime."
After Itari left Robin headed to the nure's station. The Hugora Nebula hung lazily outside the Sickbay window, a rather dull-looking example of its kind. The nurse gave it only a passing glance. The Helix Nebula had been visible from her home colony, a much more vibrant and colorful field of gas, the remnant of a dead star. Hugora, by contrast, was muted blues and purples, dark and rather dreary. She sat down and quickly dictated her report, adding in the bioscans. She hoped Itari would be OK. The young woman was new to Starfleet, and Robin thought she would make a fine officer if she came out of her shell a little.
Well, she did. And look what that got her.
Still, the CMO felt a little better herself. Doctor Sonaalk had recommended she start spending more time as a nurse and less as an administrator, and she'd taken the advice. It was working. Robin felt more like her old self rather than the bureaucrat she'd felt herself turning into. She turned to look at the nebula.
"Wonder if there's anything in there," she said to herself.