round 17 Lieutenant Commander Udas - "A Rock and A Blue Place"

[Ensign Ambrosia Hayley]

((Deck 5, Sickbay, USS Doyle-A))

::The Andorian First Officer grumbled and folded his arms across his chest, looking over at the attractive, albeit angry, medical officer.::

Sundassa: Commander, you are the First Officer of this ship, how would it look if one of your officers died from blood loss... Someone from your own species. It's more likely that someone will find out about your lack of involvement than your involvement.

::His antennae angled forward and pointed at the woman standing opposite of him. He was standing along one side and Tel-ar and Sundassa on the other. It was though they were battling over him.::

Udas: Oh yeah? And how?

Sundassa: Medical records can be sealed, but even so, most people don't know the donors of blood or organs unless it is authorized by the donating party. Not only that, but how would anyone besides those in medical know that Commander Tel-ar needed a blood transfusion.

Bishop: It's even possible that medical records go missing, or just aren't filed when someone doesn't do their job right.

::Udas turned and looked over at Bishop. For months, he had thought little of the Constitution and now Doyle's Chief Medical Officer, but recently he had seen the man in a different light. He considered the missing medical records clause as Sundassa continued speaking.::

Sundassa: You've seen his medical file, this is common for him, he is a frequent visitor of sickbay. What's to say there isn't a stock of blood for when it does?

Bishop: Which we can certainly take care of for future concerns.

::Udas pinched the brow of his nose, considering what they were saying. Every inch of his frame, every cell in his body, hated what Tel-ar stood for and what it would mean, if world ever reached Andorian authorities, that he had helped The Outcast. The man wasn't an Andorian in the slightest, renouncing all things from his culture and history. The First Officer knew he was a prideful man, but his species were a proud people. They had fought off numerous invasions, conquers, and internal struggles to emerge, alongside the Vulcans, Humans, and Tellarites as one of the Founding Members of the Federation. And Tel-ar shrugged millennia of history off as though it was a dirty old coat.::

::But Sundassa had a point. As much he didn't like it, he had a duty to save the lives of his crew. He was the First Officer of the ship, the right hand man, and if someone died, it would be a black mark on his record. He had to be pragmatic and professional about this, as difficult as it may be.::

Udas: So what then?

Sundassa: Once blood is donated, it goes to who needs it most, the donors don't know who it is generally, and the recipient doesn't know who gave it. The blood goes through screenings before it is stored anyway, and there's no way to tell whose blood is whose unless you DNA match it to its donor.

Udas: And the records would be sealed? It would be locked away? I'd prefer if you just destroyed the [...] thing.

Sundassa: Besides, while you wouldn't have to disclose that you were the one who saved him, and we wouldn't do so as part of patient/doctor confidentiality, you'd have the bonus of knowing you were responsible for him still being alive, in a way that Starfleet officers should be proud of their actions... The unfortunate thing is that while good news spreads, bad news spreads faster, which is why if you don't do this, it is more likely to get around that he needed blood, and you refused. First Officers are supposed to care about their crew, and take care of them, and the ship. You are responsible for him, the same way you are responsible for Bishop, Danara, and even my brother. Don't let us down...

::He sighed loudly and grumbled. He didn't respond well to being guilted into things, especially things that were as paramount as pride and family history.::

Bishop: Besides, if you really want to look at it critically, you've already assisted him. You saved our lives, including his, back on DS285 when you worked your way out of the handcuffs that were placed on us with the explosives. If you hadn't freed him then, we'd be dead and you would have lived up to your laws.

::Udas was being worked over by the medical staff and he knew it. He wasn't entirely sure if Bishop's arrival had been an accident, but they had their jobs to do - in this case saving a life- just as he a job to do of keeping the ship operating.::

Udas: ::speaking a bit slowly:: You do, of course, realize he has been blacklisted on Andor. No Andorian is to assist him or offer him any quarter. He is persona non grata as you Pink Skins say. ::sighing:: I'd be ruined if it came out.

Bishop: Do you really think your government is going to try to look up absolutely everything you have done and try to tie you in with his lot. :: Alex motioned towards Tal. :: It's a stretch to think they would go that far unless you had aspirations of a great political office back home. But I would think, having risen to the rank of First Officer, you've found a home in Starfleet. If you are constantly holding on to how everyone else thinks of you, then we can make something up that absolves you of any involvement whatsoever. I promise. But, you don't need to let him die just to prove a point.

:: He looked down at Tel-ar, who was oblivious to the conversation taking place around him. Udas knew the man to be an Outcast, a [...]ed fool, and a man who took unnecessary risks. He hoped Shel would toss his blue [...] in the Brig or ship him to some research station where the only security risk he ever had to deal with was a vole infestation. But if Udas wanted Tel-ar to be punished, and he did, he would need to keep him alive.::

::Udas rolled up the sleeve of his left arm, shoving the dark uniform up to just above his elbow. As he was doing this, the Andorian made his way over towards a small table in the room, a stool resting next to it.::

Udas: Do it. Make it quick.

Sundassa: Thank you

::He rested his arm on the table, the cool metallic surface feeling pleasant on his skin. Udas looked over at Bishop, moving his antennae in his direction.::

Udas: So about those missing records, doc...

Bishop: What records? :: Alex said innocently. :: As for what I'll tell people, if anyone asks... You were asked down here so I could apologize for what I said to you in the transporter room. :: Alex paused a moment. :: I'm sorry.

::He sighed loudly, not in anger at what Bishop had just said, but in resignation of the fact that he was violating about everyone one of his moral codes. He would had just as soon let The Outcast die if he wasn't First Officer.::

Udas: And Tel-ar can never know about this either, understood?

Sundassa: As far as he is concerned, we were well prepared, and had a supply of blood for the inevitable, of which we saved his life with.

::He grumbled, thoroughly unhappy, as he watched the two medical professional do what they had to do.::

Udas: Do it. Make it quick.

Sundassa: Thank you

::He rested his arm on the table, the cool metallic surface feeling pleasant on his skin. Udas looked over at Bishop, moving his antennae in his direction.::

::The Andorian huffed a bit to himself as he watched Sundassa grab a special hypospray and loaded some sort of bag to the device. Once she had that, she moved to the table and tied a tourniquet onto his arm. Looking away from the pretty doctor, he eyed Bishop.::

Udas: So about those missing records, doc...

Bishop: What records? As for what I'll tell people, if anyone asks... You were asked down here so I could apologize for what I said to you in the transporter room. ::he paused:: I'm sorry.

::Udas smirked, realizing that perhaps he liked this Bishop character more than he previously realized.::

Udas: And Tel-ar can never know about this either, understood?

Sundassa: As far as he is concerned, we were well prepared, and had a supply of blood for the inevitable, of which we saved his life with.

::It wasn't much of a stretch. The selfish man had displayed a knack for getting himself injured, Udas had learned over their nearly a year of serving together. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he looked over at the two medical professionals.::

Udas: I can't believe I let you two talk me into this.