Compass

Posted on 10 Jan 2020 @ 3:09pm by Commander Jayla Kij

836 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Epilogue
Location: Trill, Symbiosis Commission Hospital
Timeline: June, 2389

The building that housed the Symbiosis Commission Hospital wasn't nearly as large as one would have thought. Given all the symbionts for which they were responsible, one would expect it to be the equivalent of an entire city, but it occupied only two blocks in the middle of the city and was only six stories tall. Given that the actual surgery could take place at any hospital in the universe- the procedure was actually quite simple- and only certain cases had to come to the actual Commission, it didn't have to be any bigger.

Jayla had been in the building countless times after her initial joining as well as just after the destruction of the Black Hawk, but it had always been as a patient. This time, she was joining them as a doctor.

“And this is the cafeteria,” said her tour guide, Dr. Mel. “The most important area, of course.” He grinned, grey eyes twinkling merrily and Jayla couldn't help but echo it. “Just be careful of the little guy over in the corner. He keeps to himself mostly, but we all give him his space.”

Jayla glanced over to the corner in question and spotted an animal with which she was vaguely familiar. “Is that a horned fox?” she asked as the little creature picked its head up to look at her. “I didn't think it was legal to keep one.”

“It's not, strictly speaking,” answered Mel. “He was confiscated from smugglers nearby along with about twenty others. His leg was badly mangled by something- probably a trap. He's been all patched up, but he has a limp and can't jump. It was determined that he cannot survive in the wild, so a special permit was issued. Now all that remains is to find him a permanent home.”

“Poor guy,” replied Jayla as the little fox pulled himself off his bed, gave a big stretch, yawned, and settled back into a tight ball. “And he just lives in the cafeteria?”

“He's learned how to operate the automatic doors and goes outside from time to time, but otherwise, he won't leave the cafeteria,” confirmed Mel. “Several people have tried to earn his trust, but none have succeeded. You can go say hello to him if you like. It will be good for him to know you, since you're going to be here a lot.”

“What do I do? Just let him sniff my hand like a dog?” she asked.

“You can try, but he's liable to ignore you,” answered Mel. “They're usually friendly, but this guy... I think the smugglers made him untrusting.”

“Poor guy,” Jayla repeated softly. But she crossed the cafeteria, attracting little attention from those scattered throughout it, and knelt next to the little fox. “Hello, sweetie,” she cooed softly, holding a hand out to him.

The little fox blinked, took a single sniff of her hand and then settled back onto his bed.

“That's okay,” she told him. “I just wanted to say hi. My name's Jayla. If you need anything, just call, okay?” And she grinned again and turned to leave.

Unseen behind her, the little fox lifted his head and watched as she crossed back to Mel.

“That's it?” asked Mel. “Most people pet him and talk to him.”

“He didn't seem interested,” she shrugged. “And anyway, I'm supposed to be working, right?”

“Point taken,” laughed Mel as they turned to leave. “All right, let's be going. If you ever lose your way, just ask the computer to point you and these running lights along the floor will show you where to go. We've set you up with a few patients and there's a counseling session we'd like you to attend. No, not for you. There is a young man who was joined too early. He's been coming to regular sessions, but he's making little progress. We thought you might be able to provide him with a unique perspective.”

“I'll be glad to help,” she beamed.

“It'll all be in your schedule, available in the computer,” he told her. “I'll just show you-”

“Doctor Mel!”

They turned to spot a young intern hurrying towards them. “Amin Nol just came in,” he said hurriedly. “He's presenting with dizziness, exhaustion and disorientation. We discovered falling isoboramine levels. We tried benzocyatizine, but it's having the opposite effect! We don't know what to do.”

“I apologize, Kij,” Mel said to her. “I've put you on floor two. Go to the nurses' station for your assignments. If you have any questions, talk to Doctor Loran.” And he hurried off.

She grinned at the retreating forms of both Doctor Mel and the intern and turned to head towards the lifts. After two steps, she remembered she was supposed to turn at the junction in which they'd been standing and retraced her steps. Floor two. Nurses' station. Doctor Loran.

“I got this,” she muttered with a grin as she stepped onto the lift.

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