Post #42. And so it begins ...

Posted on Wed Sep 30th, 2020 @ 6:10am by Lieutenant T’Mia Rahl & Lieutenant Commander Kristian Long

Mission: Star Base Mercury
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: A few hours after prior release

{ON}

Amethyst had headed home from Sickbay in the morning but she’d returned a few hours later concerned with the rate of growth of the bark on her body. Having been re-admitted she had settled herself in and got down to sleep. She’d woken a little while later uncomfortable from the bark that now covered most of her body. She didn't look in a mirror anymore as she didn't want to see how she looked. She was in a private side room just off to the side of Sickbay. She slid off the biobed to get some exercise when the unimaginable happened ... her water broke and she was wracked with pain Flora was on her way. She’d sensed her husband’s presence nearby and in a moment of panic cried his name. "WILL!" Her cry rang out loudly.

Will had returned late from the station and bolted to Amethyst side.

"Call doctor Long' I'm in labour!!" She looked at her husband with fear in her eyes what if it was too late for the Fetal transfer Kristian had told her about?

=^= MEDICAL EMERGENCY IN SICKBAY. DOCTOR LONG TO SICKBAY STAT. =^= Will yelled.

Hearing the commander yell for her to get to sick bay stat, Kristian grabbed a spare lab coat she kept in her quarters and headed for sick bay. The counselor must have gone into labor. Running into sick bay "Charlie we have an incoming delivery, can you get the fetal transporter and an isolet and have them both on stand by."

"Right away doctor," Charlie said as she hurried off to follow the ACMO's orders and returned a few minutes later with what Long had asked for.

Amethyst looked at Kristian with concern. “What’s happening?! It’s too soon! Flora isn’t due for a few more days yet!!”

"Babies don't follow a timeline, they come when they're ready even if your not," Kristian said as she helped her onto the bio bed. Picking up the medical tri-coder Kristian scanned Amethyst and switched it over to fetal scans and scanned the fetus. Setting the tri-coder down "Are you ready to meet your daughter?"

Amethyst held up a bark covered hand to Will before looking at Kristian. “Yes!” She nodded her head and offered the best smile she could given the circumstances.

Kristian walked over to the fetal transporter and after adjusting a few controls began the process of beaming the infant into the isolet. After several seconds the infant materialized in the isolet. "Charlie check the mother I'll tend the infant."

"Right away doctor," Charlie said

Kristian picked up a warm tub of water and gently picked up the crying baby and placed her in it for her first bath. Once cleaned up and Kristian was satisfied that she was fine wrapped the baby in a blanket, walked over to where the commander and Amethyst were." She's fine, beautiful and normal. Who would like to hold her? Charlie how is the mother?"

"Fine doctor," Charlie said

Amethyst smiled her eyes filled with happy tears as she looked at Will and then at their daughter, “She’s beautiful” she cuddled Flora and kissed her on the head before offering her to Will to let him hold her.

Will was pleased the baby was humanoid and cried loud and proudly.

Amethyst lay looking at them before suddenly slumping into unconsciousness.

Kristian grabbed the medical tri-coder and scanned Amethyst carefully and let out a sigh of relief. Seeing the commander's worried look "She's fine, between the trauma of the pregnancy complications with the Brol, the bark covering her and the birth her body needs time to adjust. She's been through quite an ordeal."

" Yeah me too," Will joked. But then another beep beside the medical bed surprised them all.

" Doctor there is movement inside the secondary placenta. " a nurse reported. " It's some kind of a plant."

I'll lock onto it," Kristian said as she beamed the plant into a second isolet that was nearby.

" Oh no, not again." Will said to himself. He then held his new daughter and whispered her name for the first time.

" Hello baby Flora..."

Amethyst slowly stirred opening her eyes wearily as she smiled at Will. “Gorgeous ...isn’t she?”

" Just like her Mum." Will joked.

Kristian had placed the seedling in a pot of soil and had set it carefully on a table not far from Amethyst. Walking over to where Amethyst and Will were "I hate to say it commander but they both need rest and I need to know what to do with the seedling."

Amethyst looked at the seedling. "It just ... needs somewhere warm to grow." She offered Will a smile before closing her eyes and dozing off again.

Will quickly tapped his comm badge.

" Dr H'iri you're needed on the Amandora."

=/\= Yes ssssir.=/\= she replied.

Kristian took the now sleeping infant and placed her in the isolet and covered her with a blanket and rolled it closer to Amethyst and away from the Brol seedling as she was not sure what if any harm it could do to the baby.

" Someday we will laugh about all this." said Will.

A few minutes later H'iri arrived and collected the Brol seedling. The arboretum on the new station would be its new home.

Both Flora and Amethyst stirred as the seedling left their presence but neither awoke.

Will stayed late until the nurse told him to go.

{OFF}