LtJG Jovenan & NPC Dr Tevet Elain – Dogs can't talk about their feelings

[Jovenan]

((Vets N Co, Dekoa, USS Artemis))

 

Elain: So, your partner. What are they like? Do I remember wrong, didn’t you have a type as a teenager? ::smirks, side-eyes to Jovenan::

Jovenan turned fast to see Doctor Adea’s face turn entirely red. His eyes were running side to side and all over the room, although never at Jovenan. She wondered if he was deliberately trying to avoid looking at her. She would never say anything to make anyone awkward, and even after witnessing banter or being a target of it several times over the years, she still couldn’t help to feel anything but sympathy to her colleague.

Still, she was utterly surprised how easy it was to embarrass him.

Adea: A type? Well, I guess you could say I was attracted to the bad-boys… and girls. ::he laughed:: But Kalianna’s different. She’s a Commodore!

Doctor Adea’s past preferences came in as a shock to Jovenan. He, the very model of modern Medical Commander, had been attracted to bad boys and girls! She had never understood well the nigh universal obsession with physical appeal – she couldn’t identify ever having such a thing as a “type” – but that one would specifically find it in immorality and crime was beyond her comprehension. Happy that Doctor Adea had got over his peculiar interest, Jovenan still decided to keep an eye on him in case he’d relapse.

Tevet, instead, just laughed. It felt so good to sense the presence and emotions of her old friend after so long. She didn’t want to let the conversation distract her from the job at hand, or to reveal that she didn’t know in which place would the rank of “commodore” land, so she chose not to press it any further. Besides, there must be limits in how much you want to torment your long-gone pals.

Elain: ::laughs:: Okay. Now, tell me how Toto’s been doing. Is there anything I should be looking for in particular?

Doctor Adea shook his head. Jovenan looked at him, hoping he would remember that one episode in the previous mission.

Adea: Not really - just a usual check-up. ::a pause as Genkos caught Jovenan’s eye:: He and I were trapped in my quarters for a few days, so he might be a little dehydrated. He seems happy enough in himself, and he’s eating, drinking normally but thought it best to check.

Jovenan: They were in different rooms, so Doct… Genkos couldn’t give him food or water.

Tevet made a look that was equal parts stern and worried. She had known an active starship was a dangerous, stressing place for a pet, and as much as she wanted to scold Genkos for forcing an innocent animal in those conditions there and then, being trapped in a small room for days didn’t do good for Betazoids either.

Elain: Days? What happened!?

Adea: Oh it’s a long, classified story, but suffice to say it wasn’t a fun time for anyone.

Jovenan shook her head, lowering it. Tevet tried to interpret what that meant. The younger woman’s mind was very open, it almost tempted Tevet to take a peek, but she knew better not to do anything like that. Instead, she concentrated on Toto.

Elain: Well, I’m happy that you survived at least. Would have been sad if you had died in something you can’t even talk about. ::reads tricorder:: Okay, the good news is that there doesn’t appear to be any obvious long term harm done by dehydration. Chronic kidney disease is still possible, so you need to have regular proteinuria analysis for urine samples for the time being. You can send the samples to us… Or I suppose you can have the tests done in your ship’s clinic and just send the data, if that’s preferrable.

Adea: Response

She kept reading while also visually inspecting Toto’s fur, mouth and other details that might tell her something about his wellbeing.

Elain: But I’m reading elevated levels of aldosterone and other glucocorticoids. It indicates stress, maybe prolonged so. ::lowers the tricorder:: Genkos, be honest with me. Do you think a starship is a safe place for a dog?

Jovenan looked at both doctors in quick succession, trying to interpret their reactions.

Adea: Response

Jovenan: And there’ve been studies as well. If I correctly remember one paper I read, T’tkija and Lkri didn’t find significant difference in stress levels in pets on planets and starships provided they have…

Doctor Elain raised her hand a little to get a turn. Jovenan stopped immediately, pressed her lips to a thin line and looked apologetic.

Elain: Yes, I’ve read that paper. And I’m sure you, Genkos, give all the attention and care for Toto he needs. But he was also trapped in his room for days. The ships in that paper were just regular intra-Federation couriers and patrol vessels. Something tells me that’s not what you guys are doing.

Adea: Response

TAG/TBC
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Doctor Tevet Elain
Vet N Co, Dekoa

and

Lieutenant JG Jovenan
Assistant Chief Science Officer
USS Artemis-A
E239911J11