=/\= Sickbay =/\= Athena had seen a spot where Mr. Bear needed stitch and showed it to Scott. The two of them explained to Melissa how that wanted to fix Mr. Bear as well as clean him for her and that the best place to do that was in sickbay. Melissa had made nods as they talked with her but when Athena tried to go and get a quick shower the child started crying again. Finally, Athena had agreed to go with them to sickbay. Athena had been ignoring the pain in her ankle ever since her fall in the mess hall, but with Melissa's extra weight it was beginning to become harder to ignore. She listened as Scott explained about Mr. Bear to Rangi. Melissa had yet to speak a word and Athena was beginning to wonder if it was some form of separation anxiety. "There was a little bit of a...an incident in the mess hall" Scott explained "..And Mr. Bear was caught up in it." "Riiight," Rangi said, wondering what the incident was that had caused the AMO and counselor to be in such a state not to mention the child and an injured bear. Scott smiled at Melissa and told her.."This is Rangi...she's the CMO here...that means the doctor in charge of everything." He looked back at Rangi. "Mr. Bear has torn his arm and is some discomfort. We thought it best to bring him straight here." "Right," Rangi said and met Scott's smiling eyes. She smiled in return. "Certainly!" she said rising to the challenge. "Please run a diagnostic at once." She too smiled at the little girl sitting on Athena's lap. Scott did as he was bid and activated the biobed on diagnostic setting. The effect was spectacular for a child to see, but told the medical team merely that the biobed was working without fault. Athena watched the diagnostic display lit up and as that caught Melissa's attention Athena reached up and rubbed some of the tension from her neck. She whispered in Melissa's ear and the child nodded as she continued to watch the light show on the display. Athena stood and hissed quietly as a bit of pain shot through her ankle. She set Melissa back down on the biobed with Mr. Bear. Athena gingerly took the two steps over to Scott, "I'll be back in a few minutes. I'm going to take a quick shower and change." Athena took a couple more steps but was unable to hide the pain on her face but didn't make a sound to indicate that she was hurting. Rangi glanced at Athena and gave a slight shake of her head, willing her to wait. She looked at the child. "And what's your name?" she asked. The little girl looked down at the floor and whispered something. Rangi looked at Scott. "She said 'Melissa,'" he translated. Rangi nodded "Well ..Melissa...Mr. Bear isn't feeling too well at the moment but there's nothing seriously wrong. Scott will be able to make him feel well in no time. He can explain all about the lights and what they mean...can't you, Scott," she added glancing at the AMO. "Oh...absolutely." Scott replied. " ....And while he does that I'm going to talk to Athena...just over there." Rangi pointed to the next biobed. "OK?" Melissa looked where Rangi pointed frowned but nodded. Athena went and sat on the biobed Rangi indicated to Melissa. She didn't want to argue and upset Melissa even though she badly wanted to have a shower, she was beginning to feel more than slightly sticky. Athena stretched her neck and rubbed her temples a bit and gave Anne a small smile while she waited. "OK..." Scott looked up at the overbed display showing Mr. Bear's vital signs." Well....see that green light there in the middle?" he asked and turned to Melissa. "That's his heart rate...and because its blinking, it means its alive so that's OK isn't it?" Melissa nodded. Anne raised her eyebrows and Scott, taking no notice went on. "Now this next light...that shows...err...the state of his fur right?" Melissa looked up at the lights and nodded again. "Athena?" Rangi whispered to the counselor "...what's happened to you..you're in pain...what's wrong?" "I think I twisted my ankle during the food fight," Athena whispered. She wiped her sticky fingers down her pant leg and continued, "I'm sure I'll feel better as soon as I've had a shower and I change of clothes." She gave the CMO a smile of appreciation for her concern. "Food fight?...what food fight?" Rangi asked. "Let me look at the ankle...first things first." As Rangi began to look at Athena's ankle she replied, "The one in the mess hall when I took the kids to eat." Athena sucked in a breath of air sharply and let it out slowly and said, "Thank goodness for Scott." Rangi glanced at the AMO and his attentive audience. " ...so that's why Mr. Bear doesn't have to eat as much as you," he was explaining to Melissa who nodded wisely from her position on the biobed and pointed up to the display. "What's that one?" she asked. Scott hesitated. "That one?...err..that's...his respiration..that means breathing...do you know that Mr. Bear only breathes once an hour?...no?" Rangi smiled. "Indeed," she said and took a tricorder from the instrument trolley. Athena smiled as Melissa began to open up and talk to Scott before she returned her attention back to Rangi. "The food fight isn't nearly as interesting as Scott's new admirer," she paused for a moment, "and I don't mean little Melissa over there." "Really?...what new admirer? " Rangi asked as she began to scan Athena's ankle. Athena gave Rangi and impish smile and flashed one at Anne who was standing close by. "Ask Scott how Gina is and see if he flinches," the counselor replied. "Gina?" Rangi caught Athena's mischievous smile and glanced at Scott, now well into explaining that bears only breathe once an hour and that you have listen very carefully to hear them do so. "Isn't that one of the children?...don't tell me he's running a nursery." "Well, yes. Gina is one of the children but I'd guess that the transporter chief and Scott both have a few other choice words for her." Athena looked at Anne encouragingly, "Go on ask him about Gina." Athena flinched a little at Rangi's touch. She gave the CMO her attention and said, " I offered to help him out but I was afraid the cure could be more dangerous." "Sorry...this will help ease things..." she switched the small regenerator on and a yellow beam sent a tingling sensation into Athena's ankle. Anne moved across to Scott. "Who's Gina?" she whispered into his ear. The effect was immediate. Scott stopped in mid sentence, looked at the nurse suspiciously and opened his mouth to reply. He caught sight of Athena's amused smile and gave Anne a withering glance. "So we now know Mr. Bear is fit for minor surgery," he told Melissa. Anne grinned at Rangi and the counselor. "Thanks," Athena said to Rangi as they both saw Scott's reaction. "Do you still think I'll have time to run and get a shower and a change of clothes. Plus I have some new toothbrushes to deliver," Athena added. Rangi nodded. "I'm sure we can keep Melissa occupied until you get back," she said. "Just give this a few minutes to settle though. Its going to be sore for a while...you realize don't you?" Scott lifted Melissa off the biobed and gently handing her the teddy bear, turned to Rangi and Athena. "We're just going to clean Mr. Bear up prior to surgery," he said gravely. "Be right back!" Rangi nodded and looked to the door as Lucy and Steve walked in. "What toothbrushes?" she asked Athena. "Just replacing the ones I made the kids scrub the mess hall with, " Athena replied calmly as she watched Scott and Melissa go off to wash the teddy. Rangi looked amazed. "Right!" she said and shook her head smiling at the counselor. "It seems I've missed quite an event there." Watching Scott and Melissa head off on their clean up mission Rangi said. "I'm sorry I had to leave it all to you Athena. I got caught up here and even now I have something to see to before I can help out again. Lucy is free though and Mercedes too I think...I can come later...in an hour or so." She felt a little guilty laying the responsibility at Athena's door and smiled apologetically. "No, sweat," Athena said like on of the kids that came aboard as she slowly stood up. Her foot was only a little sore now and she could ignore it. "I better hurry, "she said as she started to go to the door and sequestered Steve as she went. "Take it slowly," Rangi warned, "don't worry about Melissa she'll be fine with Scott. I'm sure the surgery will be a success!" She smiled at Athena. Athena smiled as she dragged Steve off with her looking less than thrilled. =/\= End Log =/\= LtCmdr. Rangi Summers CMO USS Chimera & Lt. Athena Wellington Counselor USS Chimera & Melissa, Scott, Anne, Lucy and Steve NPCs apb: Rangi and Athena