Tattoo Removal and Keeping up Appearances

Posted on Fri Nov 15th, 2024 @ 4:43pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald MD

1,443 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well

Adrianna stepped into the medical bay. She'd just finished her shift and was eager to tick a box. She looked around and saw her favourite doctor, "Doctor, do you have a minute? Literally a minute and I will palm your hand with whiskey that I found down on the lowerdecks." She grinned, the mutual understanding entertaining at this point.

“Still tormenting the minions,” he noted with a nod, setting aside the rota he was adjusting. “What brings you down here? I trust there were no more brawling engineers to deal with since you have come alone. Unless you simply disposed of the body,”

She shrugged with a chuckled, "you know me-- I like to help ease other people's burdens. Why bring them to sick bay when I can just dispose of bodies?" She paused, "I'm actually here on a personal matter and wondered if you may be willing to help-- not sure it's in a doctor's job description, but if it's not, I'll borrow some equipment and do it myself."

“Come into the office and tell me what it is first,” he reasoned.

She nodded following him in. She waited for the door to shut before explaining, "we have a weird tradition in our family. We get tally mark tattoos for every near death experience, and then a tally for if your love dies. Anyway, circumstances have arise which means that one event never actually happened. Long story short, I need a tattoo removed."

“Interesting tradition. Perhaps I should have done that for ex-wives,” he mused. “Where is this tattoo exactly?” He enquired as he rounded his desk and opened up a small storage locker.

She pulled up her top a little and rigged at her trousers showing her hip. "I can cover up the red one and make it black, I just can't remove by myself."

He peered at the offending mark and nodded, “hop up on the biobed. Depending on the ink, it may not be the most pleasant feeling. I can numb the area, it would be temporary and would make it pain free?”

She waved him off as she got on the biobed, "it's only small-- I'm sure I've felt worse. Just go for it."

“Alright,” he nodded, pulling over a stool so he could be better positioned to work. If nothing else he could be quick. “I assume removing this means you’ve had good news?”

"Si, the guy I made the red tally for-- turns out he survived and he's back in my life in the same capacity," she smiled. She could help it. She flinched at the initial removal but breathed through it for the rest.

He did the gentlemanly thing and pretended he did not notice the flinch. “Congratulations,” he offered, brow furrowed in concentration. “We don’t often get second chances.”

Adrianna nodded, "I agree. I think I'm the only one in my family to ever get one of these removed. I'm glad that I am though-- I'm a little superstitious about reaching the same number as a cat."

“I can understand that,” he conceded as he worked. “Almost done… I’m glad none of my wives inspired tattoos. Though most of them I’m sure are immortal, being the spawn of satan and all.”

"Madonna," she chuckled at his comment, "I am still convinced you are that English king reincarnated -- did any of your ex wives get beheaded?" She flinch at a sensitive spot, "also-- my father tells me that stubborn women outlive gods. So Satan's offspring or just mere beings-- you, my friend, need more than alcohol."

He hesitated just for an instant. “I wish I could say for sure,” he lamented. Shaking his head to once more banish his melancholy, he refocused on his work. “I find the freshly brewed coffee aboard something of a healthier alternative. At least when I can sneak some real coffee and not the decaffeinated nonsense.”

"Merde-- espresso not depresso," Adrianna agreed, "I can't speak standard without it in a morning. Nectar of the gods." She paused and looked at him, "are you alright?"

“No,” he admitted, finishing up his work. “But surviving for now. Now, the site around your former tattoo will be a little red, and tender for another hour or two. If it gets too uncomfortable then give me a call. Wouldn’t want to hinder all that good work you are doing hiding the bodies.”

"Keeps the morgue free," she shrugged a little sitting up and straightening her uniform, "I appreciate your help, doctor." Adrianna paused, "anything I can help with? I'm a good listener-- and have alcohol. Or, I'm good at disposing of bodies-- clearly."

“I’ve been - correctly - reminded that drinking my way through this is not a healthy solution,” he explained as he cleared away his equipment. Leaning back against his desk he folded his arms across his chest, attempting to consider where to begin. “This does not leave this room and I trust you to keep this confidence….

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been married once or twice. One of those times was to Rho. Or Captain Rhoda Morrelli, as the crew know her. Or should. We had a daughter, Claudia. A few years ago, she and her husband relocated to start a new life out on the frontier as he called it. They have two beautiful little boys…”

His voice trailed off for a moment. “Long story short. After convincing me to postpone my peaceful retirement, Rho set off to visit Claudia. On Parnassus Beta. All contact was lost with the colony after the Gorn attacked. And I - I am here. Unable to do anything but wait. And hope. And imagine the worst. While pretending all is normal and engineers complain about attitude. It is no man’s land. But the hope, that is the killer isn’t it? Without a body. Always, you can wonder.”

He let out a long breath, shaking his head. “Apologies. It is entirely unprofessional to have even spoken of this.”

Adrianna shook her head, agreeing to it not going anyway. Hearing him, she finally said, "I still have some pull with intel and a few sources from my days undercover. I can try and put some feelers out, see if someone can check in on your family." She paused, "I assumed someone was dead once-- look where it landed me. On your biobed. A wise man once told me that hope is never false-- it's what drives us. If you need anything -- I can try and help."

“Rho is a resourceful formidable woman, and I know she would stop at nothing to protect our daughter and the boys,” he agreed. “The planet is now Gorn territory. There is not much to be done but I appreciate the offer. Besides I have possibly offended enough people in the last few days that I may be off the ship shortly with plenty of time to go searching on my own.

But thank you. For offering. And asking. Beyond Chloe, you and Kerrigan are I believe the only ones who know. Perhaps our new XO but I feel I offended him too by rejecting the take your XO work day notion.”

"I referred to it as 'take your idiot to work day and told him that it was a stupid idea to begin with. That said-- I'd pay to see him work in the coffee place or mess," she mused before returning to topic, "I'd miss you as a doctor here. Your my kind of doctor-- no nonsense and therefore easy to get along with. I may be selfish in saying so, but merde, I want you to stay here." She shrugged, "and there's no leak from engineering-- so it's me saying it in my right frame of mind." She chuckled softly, a strange reminder of one of their first encounters, "if there's anything that I can do though-- tell me."

“For now you are stuck with me and I will keep that in mind. Now go, before my staff think I’m becoming nice,” he chuckled, walking her towards the door. “But I shall remember the offer.”

She chuckled, and the tattoo removal sight hurt and she winced, "Merde!" She sighed, "it's ok, I'll be keeled over as I exit, "keep being a cazzone, doctor."

“I have no idea what that is, but will do,” McDonald smiled, his mood lifted for the moment at least as he reminded her to call if any trouble.

"It means," she lowered her voice, "penis head in a literal translation." She chuckled and left, holding her side a little.

 

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