Lieutenant Talia Ohnari & PNCP Lieutenant JG Jack Morrow ~ A Leg up Part II

[Roxanna Dorion]

((Deck 6, Sickbay, USS Khitomer, Docked DS33))

Morrow: About as ready as I’ll ever be. ::he tried to smile his way out of a grimace::

She really meant that she would be swift. Barely had he finished telling her it was OK before the prob was activated. Her fingers were as light as possible, but the probe sent a dull electrical pulse, measuring the nerve responses. 

Ohnari: ::steadily:: Almost there…

With the exam underway, it was silent except for beeps and the general background noise of a Sickbay aboard a starship—not that he knew what that was like. He didn’t like the silence at all, so now it was time for some small talk or something, just so there was noise.

Morrow: You’ll get a kick out of this doc; most do. The Ronin is my first starship posting. 

He waited for a second, knowing the kind of reaction that would garner; it was true. All of his postings up until the Ronin were either planet-side or space stations. His last posting, of course, was Deep Space 33.

Ohnari: First ship…? 

He wasn’t sure what she had touched, but it made him squirm and a bit of pain. Nothing he couldn’t handle because, you know, macho and all. 

She mouthed an apology, working as swiftly as she could. 

Morrow: No, seriously. Up until recently, I had been stationed here at Deep Space 33, before that JAG HQ in San Francisco, and then on a couple of different planets, where I acted as Liazon between Starfleet JAG and the local law enforcement. And then, on my first mission aboard my first starship, we get attacked by killer robots, and I lose a leg. Is karma coming back around to kick my arse?

Talia snorted. Finally done with the probe. 

Ohnari: That I believe is what we call, an unfortunate series of events. But by the Gods man, that's a lot. ::straightening:: on the bright side, I think I have all the information I need. Now we can get to the fun part, picking out our options!

Tapping in a few commands on her PADD, the holo-projections began populating. A chorus line of prosthetics appeared before them. She adjusted the bed to allow him to sit, and plopped down next to him like a child preparing to peruse a Christmas catalog. 

Ohnari: So; we have several options. But first, I will say I'm pleased with the nerve responses and am entirely confident we could, if you so desire, go with a partially cybernetic option. What that means, is essentially the prosthetic is grafted to your body, it would not be something to pop on and off. You would go about your life with just a slightly shinier appendage. Pros are it is advanced, you would control it as you would your own leg; we modulate the nerves to allow the impulse firing to the movement. 

Jack looked at the options before him like a kid at a prosthetics candy store. He was sure he knew what he wanted, not the pop-off-and-on type. He felt a lot more comfortable since entering Doctor Ohnari’s sickbay, and maybe that had something to do with the fact that she just plopped down next to him like an old friend.

Morrow: ::rubbing his chin, feeling the five o’clock shadow:: I’m partial to the partially cybernetic option. It would make life a lot easier than the other method you described. ::he smiled:: What are some of the downsides?

Ohnari: Yes, the downsides are that it is essentially a transplant. Any problems you would run into may require surgical interventions, as if you were to develop a problem with your own natural limb. If you decide to remove it, it will also require a surgery and once the neural pathways are removed, there is a higher chance of rejection should you change your mind and wish to replace it. 

Morrow: Good to know, probably won't change my mind. Now, the downsides of the standard removable option?

He asked, but he already knew what he wanted. He really wanted to get back on his feet again; he needed to work. All play and no work makes for a cranky Lieutenant 

Ohnari: With a standard prosthetic, it is entirely removable. We will work based off the injury site, create a mold, and then have the prosthetic snap in place via a guide. Either choice of course will take some time to get used to, and you may experience discomfort for the first few hours as you acclimate to the change. Also, if you need some time, I can send you home with my suggested options and you can review at your leisure. No need to feel pressured. 

Morrow: Nope, like I said before, I’m down for the partial cybernetics. While having a removable what has it’s advantages, I mean, I could take it off and beat someone about the head and shoulders with. ::he flashed a playful grin::

Then it dawned on him.

Morrow: Crap on toast. 

Now, he was nervous, and he’d probably never hear the end of it from Beck or Kel, for that matter. He had yet to meet the actual CMO, who was on sabbatical during the last mission.

Ohnari: ::brow raise:: Um….what?

He tried to stifle a chuckle.

Morrow: Well, it’s like this: doctor Beck and Kel have no clue I’m here. I’ve kinda just gone out on my own. It’s not their fault or anything. Our inorganic replicators are down, and the likelihood of them being restored is highly unlikely, as the Consortium stole one when they boarded the Ronin. I have no clue what engineering has in mind; I tend not to wander down there. ::he chuckled::

For a moment,Talia's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

Ohnari: Well…that certainly is…a thing….

Morrow: I forgot to ask initially if I will have to use a cane at least at the start.

He had some ideas, and heck, maybe he should walk with a cane anyway, more sophisticated. He should just lean into the arrogant lawyer thing and go the whole hog.

Ohnari: Honestly it depends. Some people take to the prosthetics right away. Others it's a bit of a shift. But, we can have a cane ready just in case. So, you've decided full cybernetic, ::her eyes shown a manic sort of joy:: fantastic choice, if I may say so. We have a lot of options. 

Her fingers went back to the PADD, removing the non-essential options. It was then; that the perfect option hovered above them. Only one small problem: It was Legatha. For a moment; she thought the crack of her heart would be audible. Like a glacier shedding a crag before crashing into the sea. Blinking several times to banish the sting; she looked at it practically. It was a gift. Nothing more, and it would give Lieutenant Morrow his life back. Something beautiful to come from the sorrow. 

Ohnari: ::Voice slightly thick:: Ah. This is a favorite….::clearing her throat:: it doesn't just come in pink….we can do any color. 

Morrow: As much as I look good in pink, do we have something more metallic? Like a gunmetal finish?

Laughing; she adjusted the display to a traditional metallic finish; Minus the rocket propelled heel as well. 

Ohnari: Lieutenant Morrow? Meet Legatha. Or; I guess, Legory? Either way, your new leg. 

Morrow: How about Leg-olas? ::his grin was a mile wide::

Ohnari: ::grinning:: You sir, are a genius. 

((Time Skip))

((Deck 6, Sickbay, Recovery, USS Khitomer))

Jack awoke slowly, unsure of exactly where he was, then he remembered, a new leg. So that meant that he was still on the USS Khitomer docked at DS33. He tried to shake the cobwebs out of his head, that seemed to fog everything up. He looked around spied Ohnari who was working with her back to him in the recovery ward. 

He propped himself up on his elbows.

Morrow: Who must I bribe to get some green jello around this joint?

The surgery had gone beautifully. Legatha, now Legolas, was streamlined and oddly perfect. She had a good cry by herself post replication. Having to let go of her feelings for what wouldn’t be was somehow easier when she placed the physical limb as a symbol. She was letting it go, thankful for the memories. Plus, the nerve integration was perfect. She was already finishing her notes to submit for a medical journal about prosthetics. 

Ohnari: I give you a leg and you still want more? ::fake scoffing:: typical. 

He scootched himself up off his elbows and now sitting up on the bed; he felt different, Jack was not sure what kind of different, but something was catching his attention. It was then he pulled the covers from himself, or at least his left leg. And there it was, looking out of place, even if it was a polished gunmetal. He was somewhat relieved, yet a bit apprehensive. 

Morrow: So how'd it go doc?

Ohnari: ::smiling:: Really well, actually. How does it feel? 

He gave her a half grin.

Morrow: It’s a little strange now, I’ll give you that.

Ohnari: Now is the hard part….time to wiggle your big toe….

Jack smiled at the doctor and went about wiggling his big toe. It was a strange sensation at first and most likely would be until he got used to the new limb. 

Morrow: Weird…that’ll take some getting used to.

Ohnari: ::clapping happily:: Oh yay!! I mean, the metrics indicated it should have work, but the more we learn about medicine the more we realize we don’t know….

What he wanted to do was stand again. Granted, he’d only been in the chair for a little while, but walking upright was the goal. So, he swung both his legs off the bed. He sat there for a moment, hesitating, unsure what to do next. Well, he knew what to do. Jack slid off the bed, and his feet hit the ground. He winced, noticing a little pain when he put weight on his new leg. 

Morrow: ::wincing:: Is it supposed to hurt, doc? I mean it’s not an excruciating pain, but I definitely noticed when I put my new foot down. More…irritating than pain really.

Ohnari: ::nodding knowingly:: I did warn you there would be some initial discomfort, also you have been overcompensating on the non-injured side, more than you may have realized. You may notice some aching from overused muscles on the opposite side. My recommendation…forgive the term, but is to “Walk it off”, once your body gets the hang of the equilibrium being restored, the discomfort should fade. 

Morrow: Understandable.

He smiled at the doctor, she had a great bedside manner, and that she was easy on the eyes helped. But all in all he was grateful for the Khitomer’s doctor.

Morrow: ::leaning back on the edge of the bed.:: You got me this new leg, and I didn’t get you anything. ::he smiled a Cheshire grin:: At the least let me buy you lunch or maybe dinner?

He was nervous, so he went from eye contact to staring at the floor. He felt he should do something for the doctor, who had an unknown patient showing up begging for a leg. Maybe dinner was too much. He should have kept his mouth shut and just sent some “Thanks for the leg” flowers.

Ohnari: ::raising an eyebrow:: I give you a leg and you offer me dinner? ::playfully winking, before her eyes lit mischievously:: No way, we’re going dancing.

End.

---------------------------------------------

Lieutenant Talia Ohnari, MD

Chief Medical Officer 

USS Khitomer

C239205ME0

&

Lt. JG Jack Morrow

Judge Advocate Officer

USS Ronin - NCC-34523

Capt. Karrod Niac Commanding

D240008MT1

Simmed by

Lt. JG Marty Tucker

Chief Of Engineering

USS Ronin NCC-34523

Capt. Karrod Niac Commanding

D240008MT1