<snip>

Alexis pulled up the the genetic mappings he requested. “Already at your console. I’ll get a tissue sample and have it brought down immediately.” A quick kiss in return and she nodded. “That’s the plan. We’ll be down in a couple of days. Sooner if you’re ready.” The door opened and then closed behind him and she stared at the medical records for a very long moment. Then she got up, and went into the maternity ward for the tissue sample. She sent the sample immediately down to R&D and then took the trip up to primary sickbay and knocked on Walkers office door.

Bonner, AMO

“Come,” Brad answered, surprise on his face when the door slid open to reveal Alexis.

“Dr. Bonner, I wasn’t expecting to see you until after the Ambassador’s party arrives.”

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

Alexis nodded, sending him the names for the Amvassador’s care team could have been a simple memo, but the other topic could not. “You asked for recommendations for the ambassador. I was considering Dr Marshall and Dr Solal. Marshall is trained in emergency medicine and has worked in ERs. If we allow him to do the intake and process her like anyone else arriving to the ER he may catch something, and at least get a clean medical history. And Dr Solal because given what little history we know from the meeting, I feel his expertise in Immunology would be beneficial.”

“I can certainly see the benefit in that,” Brad agreed. “I think we should also consider running our initial diagnostics twice: once in our Sickbay, under Earth-normal conditions, and once in their quarters, in normal conditions for them, to see if it could be something about Earth that is causing her issues.”

Alexis nodded, “I agree. Their respiratory device may help them breath in other atmospheres but it could also not be healthy in the long term.”

“I also wanted to update you about Lt. Damu.” Damu was a Denobulian science officer who was pregnant and having severe complications. “She is nit doing well and neither is her child. I consulted with Dr. Kane because we simply don’t have the technology to do better for her. He has suggested a fetal life support unit. Not monitoring the mother and supporting the baby through her, but to monitor and support the fetus directly. It would be quite invasive, but would take the strain off of Damu. Cmdr Kane said he would have something for us to look at tomorrow.”

Bonner, AMO

“It’s a bit radical,” Brad hedged, pulling up Damu’s chart on his wall monitor to see the latest developments. “How far along is she?”

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

“7 months. It is radical. She’s not doing well though. I can stabilize her but then the baby goes into distress and vice-versa. I considered a surrogate, but no one is compatible. We discussed an artificial womb as well, but Cmdr Kane didn’t think he could complete something like that in time. She’s getting worse every day. There was some improvement after the cardiac valve surgery, but it didn’t hold steady.”

Bonner, AMO

“28 weeks…” Brad mused. He’d received the required training in obstetrics and gynecology in medical school, years ago, but hadn’t had much opportunity to practice on the knowledge over the years. “Have you considered simply delivering the baby premature? It’s not ideal, but the baby should be able to survive outside the womb at this point, and we would certainly be able to provide more direct support.”

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

Alexis shook her head, “If she was human maybe, but Denobulian gestation is almost a year, and the fetus is half Trill. Half Trill pregnancies are notoriously difficult and very high risk. I would like Damu to be able to carry the baby as close to term as possible. If bot we won’t have a choice but to deliver.”

Bonner, AMO

Brad nodded, studying the chart further while considering the options. “I presume this implant will be a temporary measure, and will come out after delivery?” he asked. Obviously, if the lieutenant sought another child in the future, she would likely choose a different method, as fraught as this natural gestation had been. Or, perhaps, a different father for the child that would be less complicated.

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

“That would be my presumption. Once the baby is born there would be no need to continue to support the womb seperately. Cmdr Kane will have the specs ready for review the day after tomorrow. I have not mentioned this to Lt Damu, yet on the possibility it won’t work or Cmdr Kane can’t fabricate the system.” Alexis highly doubted that though. “Of course she always has the option of refusing.” Alexis doubted Damu would do that either. She was already quite bonded with the fetus.

Bonner, AMO

“Of course,” Brad said. “Let me know when it’s time to review it.”

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff

Alexis nodded, “Of course. Is there any brief you would like to give Marshall and Solal? Or call them in blind when the ambassador arrives?”

Bonner, AMO

“Well, it won’t be wholly blind. Marshall was with us in the briefing, and I saw he’s logged in to read the history they sent us, but yes, I’d prefer to keep at least Dr. Solal blind as to our patient’s history.”

Cmdr. Dr. Brad Walker
Chief of Staff