Checking in the family

Posted on Fri Jan 23rd, 2026 @ 12:22am by Lieutenant Rio Kholin MD & Lieutenant (J.G.) Calista Devon MD & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari

1,836 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Short Treks
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Prior to mission

Daughter held by the hand, the newly arrived Trill officer stepped into the ship's medical facility. He seemed fairly at ease for the moment, the child next to him once more seemed to try and hide behind her father's leg as she tried to take in the place.

Aidan touched a nearby nurse on the arm to draw her attention and ask for the chief medical officer. The nurse pointed towards the office and continued about her duties. Picking up his daughter, Aidan made his way over and knocked on the door frame. "Doctor? I'm Lieutenant Commander Datari, I'm here for my boarding physical. This is my daughter Saeri."

Rio looked up and when she saw her visitors she came around her desk at once, a warm welcoming smile on her face. She held out her hand to Commander Datari and said. "Welcome Commander, please come in." Looking up at Saeri, held high in her father's arms and looking around curiously. "Hello Saeri" the CMO smiled. "I'm Doctor Rio."

"Lieutenant Kholin" she elaborated to the Lt. Cmdr, just to be respectful and complete her introduction to him in an adult format. "i'm happy for you both to call me Rio, if you would like to." she added.

"How can I help you? Routine Incoming Medical?" she guessed.

"As I just said," Aidan confirmed with an easy smile, "how about doctor in formal settings and whatever you prefer off duty?" He lifted the little girl onto the bed. "Saeri is half Human," he explained, "unfortunately her mother chose to leave not long after her birth and chooses not to have any contact. I still hope she'll change her mind though." The Trill paused for a moment. "Does this vessel entertain a vet?" He then queried. "I have a unique companion, who won't roam the ship unattended, but he may need medical care from time to time."

"I'm so sorry, Sir, you did say you were here for your boarding physical, I didn't consciously register that, I was focussed on your lovely daughter, I do apologise." Rio went back in her own head and remembered what he'd said and blushed for realising the fact that she had moved over the important detail.

"As for the Vet, we did have one but they were unable to make the launch due to a family emergency but my ACMO - Cali Devon - has a great affection for animals. She keeps 'domestic' pets of her own and might be able to assist if you have any worries about your companion?" Rio offered. "Cali will be on the beta shift today, so she'll be here late this afternoon if you want to catch her? Would you like me to message her or perhaps book you an appointment or would you prefer to pop in and catch her when you're free?"

As she was talking, the CMO was setting up two side-by-side bio-beds in a side cubicle for the Lt Cmdr and his daughter so she could do their physicals. Her fingers seemed to flutter over the control LCARS as she deftly and quickly put in the settings and called up the medical files. "Would you like a whole bio-bed of your own Saeri?" Rio asked the little girl who was almost at the same head-height as her father when held in his arms like that.

The girl nodded slowly and her father promptly eased her down in one of the beds. "Just listen to the doctor Saeri," he told her, "I'll just be a bed away." He took a single stride and sat on the other bed "she's half Human," he explained, "I'm all Trill, but I was raised by an Andorian. I love the cold and I really don't take well to heat or sudden temperature raises. Saeri is used to cold too, we spent a lot of time in arctic programs I'm teaching her to skate."

"Aww, that sounds like fun!" Rio included Saeri in her response. "Do you like skating Saeri?" she asked, all the while her fingers flickered with agility over the LCARS of the bed's controls, setting up the medical checkover program for children and adding in the referencing connection to Starfleet Medical Records so that initially her background details would show but also so that any results or updates from today would also be recorded there once they were all done.

The little girl nodded, a small smile touching her features. "I'm not very good at it," she admitted, "but I like snow. Daddy promised we could go build a snowman soon." It was the most she had spoken so far, since introductions happened. "Though Sherlock keeps messing up with that, but he can't help it."

"That's because he doesn't have hands," Aidan grinned, "now sit still for a minute while the doctor finishes her scan."

Rio collected a rather large Terran toy bear from the cupboard and switched it on so its eyes and smile all lit up softly. "I wonder if you'd be kind enough to give Ted a cuddle for me please Saeri?" she offered the toy out towards the little girl. "Its his job to give me readings on how fast your heart is beating and other things we need for our records and to check that you're doing fine, so he gets your hugs as rewards for doing his job and you get cuddles from him as *your* reward for helping me out. Does that sounds fair and something you mightn't mind doing?" she asked.

Saeri looked up at her father as she wrapped small arms around the bear. "He's very soft," she reported.

Aidan looked impressed. "That's very ingenuitive doctor," he commented, "looks like medical made a huge amount of progress compared to when I was a child. I hated being poked and prodding at her age."

"We don't benefit if we scare kids, they don't give us great readings" Rio smiled, rolling off the wealth of information that the 'bear' was reading and adding it all to Saeri's medical records silently as she smiled at her cute patient. "It won't take long and we'll have the whole lot downloaded onto her file and analysed by the main Medical database and software. It will flash up anything it doesn't see as 'within the acceptable or expected ranges for her age, size, weight and species. I'm really pleased with it. And yes, a cuddle with it is a MUCH nicer way to get checked out, even for us 'older' patients." she added. "I once suggested we get something soft and cuddly for use with the whole crew, you know a kind of adult version but my enquiry brought me back some unwanted possible alternatives so I went back to cuddly toys for everyone." she laughed.

Aidan snorted at that explanation. "That's adults, and more likely mainly Human adults for you. There's nothing wrong with a teddy bear or similar alternative. I've known adults who still took their childhood stuffed toys to bed, simply for the comfort of it. My Sherlock, not a stuffed toy by the way, likes to snuggle up too. I've seen him cover Saeri with a wing if she trashed away her covers."

"A wing?" Rio wondered. "Is he a bird?" she asked, curious now.

Aidan smiled, his expression a mask of amusement. "Not exactly," he answered, tilting his head a fraction as he communicated with his companion. come to sickbay Sherlock, and please don't scare the doctor, and don't overdo it. he knew his beloved pet could make a show of things to get attention. "He'll be here in a second," the Trill announced.

Indeed, within a few seconds, a blue mini dragon glided seemingly from out of nowhere onto the bed the little girl occupied. He chirped a query which earned him a warm smile from her, even if she didn't understand the query. Aidan did however. "She's not sick," he reassured the blue. "Sherlock, this is Doctor Kholin. Doctor, this is my winged friend Sherlock. As you can see, he's very protective of my daughter. He's fully grown and very friendly when he needs to be."

Rio was amazed. "Wow" she almost gasped "What an extraordinarily handsome and loyal friend you have" she was wide-eyed in admiration of the gorgeous creature. "How stunning! And how very lovely to meet you Mr Sherlock!" she said, addressing the dragon even though she had no illusion that if he were to answer her, she wouldn't be able to understand that response but she was so taken aback and filled with awe that she was trying hard not to stare or be impolite.

Sherlock chirped, his eyes a mix of blue and green as he hopped forward towards her. "He understands quite well and he's pleased to be called loyal," Aidan 'translated', smiling at the same time. "You can touch him and take readings if you like, he'll sit still as needed. The only condition he has is that he won't be picked and prodded but he's not opposed to being petted." In response, the blue slightly extended his wings and chirped again.

"If you're done with Saeri he's happy to oblige, or perhaps I should go first. He can stay here while I get my daughter to daycare."

"Thank you both, all three!" she corrected. "It was lovely to meet you all. I have completed my scans and assessments on you Commander, your lovely daughter Saeri..." Rio nodded deferentially to the little girl and helped her down off the bio-bed with a warm smile. "..and although I would adore an opportunity to talk for much greater length with the fascinating Mister Sherlock......" another derential nod, this time in the direction of the dragon. "I think I've delayed you here for as much time as is reasonable for a simple boarding check. I'll update your medical records and if you have any queries or need for any medical advice or help, please don't hesitate to contact me at any time. In the meantime, I hope we can meet again, especially informally, so I can study the wonders of your charming friend here." Smiling at Sherlock again and turning back to Aidan, Rio handed over two small black slick Datarods containing the updates to their records, instantly copied off as was standard.

"These are for your own records" she said, handing them to the Lt Cmdr with a cheery goodbye handshake.

The Trill scooped up his daughter and accepted the rods in the same movement. "Of course doctor, I'll be happy to meet with you informally. On a holodeck would be best, or an arboretum as I promised the first officer that Sherlock wouldn't be flying around the ship unattended. He can just zip himself there without scaring anyone." He smiled at her, while the little girl offered a small wave. "Until then doctor," he added, then turned to walk out.

"Thankyou, I'd like that" Rio replied and waved to Saeri as she and her father departed.

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