Star Trek: Starbase 777 - dæhlenal-treatment﹢boarding

@waryfalcon

[D] Safely tucked under his arm, the little blue epohh wiggled about in her father's grasp. She was wearing a collar, but no leash as she typically could follow her father wherever he went. However for this particular outing, it seemed like she had an idea where they were going and was clearly not having a good time. Blue antennae wobbled about as her head turned from side to side and her tri-cloved hoofs pressed into her father's side. Renakir was tall and gray, a gangly bitch if 'gangly' meant very muscular and Reman. He wore tinted sunglasses that were transparent enough to show his light silver beady eyes and fluffy black eyebrows hidden beneath them. He was only half Reman so he was still able to enjoy the luxury of hair. Black fluffy locks were styled in an undercut fashion, his longer fringe swept to the side. He was dressed in his full uniform as he was coming from work, golden bands around his shoulders signified his division and golden pips his rank. He approached the clinic holding his daughter like an American football. He was trying to hide the discomfort from his face, but the tightening of his brows and heavy breathing were obvious to any onlooker.

The first impression anyone would get of the clinic was the muted green sign, boasting the name along with a simple Sehlat and Chihuahua illustration. However, once inside it became quickly evident that at least the lobby area was still a work in progress, even without the lanky Romulan in constant motion around the lobby, a half grown Targ underfoot to the point it was a wonder he didn't trip over her. There were chairs, sure, but they were currently just pushed against one wall with a datapad sitting on one of them, and then there were mostly empty shelves against the next. Then there were the plants. It was best to pretend those didn't exist, lining what would once day be a check-in counter, fortunately it wasn't needed yet, as it was unusably buried. The Romulan, Æn'Kae, was hard to pin a height on. On one hand, he just didn't seem very tall, but on the other he had no trouble placing a plant on a high shelf, and then promptly removing it. He wore muted blues and had curly hair on the top that fell to one side of his forehead, though it kept slipping forward and he pushed it back with some regularity. Scars covered much of his visible skin, but they were all old and while visible, they were not starkly so. Æn'Kae turned to face the doorway when someone entered, hurriedly setting down the current plant of much debate to cup his hands in front of him and offer a half bow. "Jolan'tru," he said, voice soft, perhaps a bit nervous, but that faded quickly as he focused his attention on the Epohh and then back to her person. He smiled, eyes light up when the Targ bumped against his legs, apparently trying to hide behind them. "I am Æn'Kae and the ferocious Targ behind me is Roj." He didn't comment on how very little the Epohh wanted to be there. He'd dealt with more wild animals than pets, but he did remember that pets seemed to be wary of vet offices, and honestly, given his feelings on med bays, he couldn't help but relate to them.

Not to knock the other animal clinics on the starbase, but Renakir felt a lot more comfortable going to a Romulan establishment. Not only did his people need the patronage, but he also felt much more comfortable explaining his needs in his native Rihannsu without using the UT. As great as it was, if there was an option to forego it and speak either French or Rihannsu he would. Renakir eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail. Yep, definitely a work in progress, he thought as he tightened his grip on his blue epohh tucked under his arms. Did all animals know when they were going to the vet or something? Renakir never was met with such resistance when taking his daughter out. Or maybe it was the Targ that was bothering her? But the epohh loved other animals, she was very friendly, especially to non-Romulan animals. "Jolan tru," Renakir replied with a bow of his own. This Aen'Kae reminded him a bit of Rojin, similar vibe. Maybe it was that ex-Navy feel he was getting? And moreover this person's Targ was named 'Roj'. A brief moment of wondering if this was some sort of grand plot, two ex-Navy officers running civilian establishments, both with 'Roj' associated with them. When he realised he was staring at the polite vet for way too long he opened his mouth to speak again. x_divider

13:59

"I'm... Umm," Renakir paused, wondering how best to go about this introduction. "Solait, Solait Renakir," He decided to give his Romulan name first as it was probably easier to pronounce for Aen'Kae although omitting his Reman name would be silly as it was pretty obvious he was not fully Romulan. "And this is my daughter, Kali-fal Madeleine," Just like Renakir, Kali-fal had a double name; his favourite blue drink and his favourite French pastry. "We're here for a check up and I'd like to make sure she's up to date on her vaccines," As soon as he said 'vaccines', Kali-fal let out a soft and worried yip, knowing that 'vaccines' meant shots and she clearly was not excited to hear that.

Æn'Kae shifted his weight from one foot to another nervously in the silence before Solait spoke, but the warmth never faded from his smile. When Kali-fal yipped he very politely withheld from a laugh at her distress. Oh he very much related to her in this moment. "Ie, sure, let's go to a room where she'll be more comfortable." He scooped up the stray datapad and then gave a hand signal to Roj who flopped to the ground with a resigned sigh. "Right uh, right this way, I guess." He typed into the datapad as he led to a room just off the back, giving a final glance to make sure Roj didn't try to sneak back up to follow. He might bring her in the room if Kali-fal seemed like she'd be more comfortable with another animal around, even a stranger. This room had clearly gotten first priority. There were screens on the walls, already swapped around to show information on Epohhir based on what was known. This included a set of pictures showing what they looked like at varying weight levels and pointing out the ideal, a diagram on how to trim their hooves, and then a list of good treats alongside what foods to avoid, all of the text in Rihan. None of it needed to be looked at per se, but it was all helpful information if it had been a more busy day and there were a wait time. In addition to that, there was a well stocked counter with a table extension that could go all the way down to floor level and then raised so an animal could be guided on and lifted if they were too large to lift comfortably, though right now it was at working level. Next to it was a comfortable padded bench, large enough to fit a couple people comfortably, or a person and an animal in the case of multiple patients or a wait time. "Do you have her history available so I can check up the recommendations against it?" He avoided actually saying the word vaccines, for Kali-fal's sake.

Renakir watched in amusement at the brief interaction between the vet and his pet Targ. It gave him peace of mind to know this doctor was a pet owner as well and had a similar relationship to Renakir and Kali-fal. If only Kali-fal was just less jittery, her hoofs were really starting to hurt being pressed right below his ribcage. Good thing he was holding her on his left side or else she would be kicking him in the heart-- not a good feeling at all. It was times like this he wished he was part human and had the luxury of having his heart higher in his chest. Stepping into the examination room it looked a lot more put together than the lobby was. The familiar writing put Renakir at ease. He could read Standard without issue, but he always preferred his native tongue. Due to his father's allergy, Renakir had to rely on the station's occupants for his epohh needs. It was nothing out of the ordinary from any other Romulan vet, but having such a place that reminded him of home whilst still on a Federation starbase made him overjoyed. "Oh, yeah, umm, let me put her down," Renakir moved to put Kali-fal down on the table, but as soon as her hoofs touched the surface, she wriggled away from her father and hopped down on the floor. "Kali-fal Madeleine!" Renakir clicked his tongue in disappointment and shook his head. "Come on, hop up," He patted the table, his black fingernails gently scraping the surface as he performed this action. "Like this, like this," He said as he got down on all fours and imitated the jumping motion. Kali-fal plopped her butt on the groun and just stared at her father trying to do the action. She then turned her head to the doctor in a way that said, 'look at my father, I taught him tricks', she seemed very proud.

Æn'Kae completely failed to hold back from a laugh at that, shaking his head in amusement. He took a seat cross-legged on the floor, still grinning widely at her antics. "I can get to know you right here, if that makes you more comfortable, Kali-fal." He tapped his fingers on the floor near her and looked her over from where he sat, not immediately reaching for her, but instead radiating an overall feeling of safety. He could look her over while Solait recovered his dignity and got her immunization history. "Well, she's a good weight and has a nice looking coat. And uh. She's obviously very bright," a pause to withhold a snicker, "quite clever." Translation, she at least looked to be quite healthy and happy, even if she wasn't happy to be here. "Do you mind if I pet you, little friend?" Pet, examine. She didn't need to know the difference. He reached a hand out close enough for her to sniff, if she didn't recoil she'd even get some nice scratches out of the arrangement.

Renakir stopped his attempts at jumping when he saw the vet sit on the ground. Oh thank the elements Aen'Kae was not going to force her up on the table, because Kali-fal seemed content on the ground. Renakir imitated the Romulan doctor's sitting position and pulled out his PADD to pull up his daughter's file. She had been a gift from his dinam who got her from a breeder on Mol'Rihan so all of the information was comprehensive and easy to read. Kali-fal waddled over to Aen'Kae when she heard the tapping of his fingers. She loved new people! The new girl swayed her hips from side to side as she walked, all six beady little eyes looking at the stranger. "Thanks, I brush her regularly and she has a steady diet of epohh feed and I give her baguettes as treats," Renakir hoped that wasn't bad that he spoiled her with the bread. It was fine in moderation he assumed. "I have been training her diligently and teaching her many tricks. She... Doesn't seem to want to show other people though, I think she's just shy," Or really she had taught him tricks and wanted to show people. Kali-fal had done tricks for other, just not on Renakir's command. The blue epohh gave the doctor's hand a biiiig lick with her long tongue. She took a few steps closer with her head down as if to try and headbutt his hand. "Okay, I got the info here," Renakir handed the PADD to the doctor, smiling when he saw how his daughter interacted with him. She had been so nervous initially but it seemed she had relaxed quite a bit now. On her file Aen'Kae would see she had been gifted to Renakir a year prior to this visit and she attended pet day care regularly. The only slightly concerning thing was her sleep levels, she didn't sleep nearly as much as she should. This was probably due to Renakir's Vulcanoid sleeping schedule which didn't require him to sleep every day. Her diet also consisted of nearly three baguettes a week too. That was "moderation" in Renakir's opinion.

Aen'Kae laughed at the lick and started alternating between giving her scratches and slightly more exploratory touches to make sure everything seemed right under the surface and that no spots seemed tender. As he did, he pulled a scanner from a belt pouch with his free hand and set it running facing the blue epohh, continuing to scratch her, and well, keep her in range of the scanner. He took the offered PADD with a small smile, looking it over. "Hmm. She's clever enough that she may have put it together that you spend more time," And treats for that matter, "training her if she doesn't perform for others than you do when she does." As he spoke his attention switched between Kali-Fal and the PADD. "I think there are a couple immunizations I'd suggest, since she's in daycare and on a space station. Outside of that she's only due for two at this point. Would you like to take care of all of them now, or, uh, would you like time to look into the suggestions first?" He'd get to the rest of the discussions after the immunizations. That way her parting impression of him was scratches rather than the dreaded hypospray.

Kali-fal didn't seem to mind the scans, although initially seeing the device she jumped a little. It was more because of the sudden action and strange new gadget, not the fact that she had any idea what the scanner was or was made uncomfortable by being scanned. Renakir watched patiently as Æn'Kae lovingly gave his daughter pets and head scrathes. He was thankful that the Romulan veterinarian was a good new person to Kali-fal as he feared they wouldn't get along and future visits would be difficult. "That is probably true, she misses me a lot when I'm at work. She does have epohh friends," Renakir told Æn'Kae with a soft smile as he thought about the bio lab trio. Chopin, anklebiter, and Amelie were their names. Three epohhs each with their own sass. "I think we can do them today. Do you need me to hold her? I have some pieces of baguettes to distract her," As soon as he threw out that suggestion, Kali-fal's head shot up and a bolt of energy rushed through her body as she hung her mouth open as if expecting this new person to have a baguette for her.

Æn'Kae returned Solait's PADD and shook his head, grinning wider again in amusement at Kali-Fal's reaction. She really was too clever. "I uh, I'd rather do it. I don't want to get her mad at you." He entered something on his own PADD and a faint hum came from the medical replicator in a wall directly above the counter. He then shut off and replaced the scanner into his belt pouch. "I, uh, I will take you up on the baguette piece since it is clearly very familiar, but I also have some other treat options for you." He turned his focus back to Kali-Fal. "Well little friend, Mind if I stand up for a bit so I can get those treats for you?" He stood slowly then, giving another scratch as he did so. Once on his feet he went to the counter. The needed vials for the immunizations sat waiting in the small replicator and he loaded them into a hypospray. That ready, he made the required entry to replicate a treat, a small cluster made up of a frozen paste with some seeds and tiny fruit pieces. He knew, in theory, he could say what he wanted. But, particularly with animals this smart, he didn't want to turn certain words into a promise (or a threat, in the case of 'vaccines'). ... ... And that was the excuse he would insist on if asked, while fiercely denying he always seemed to just forget that he didn't have to manually enter things. "Would you mind giving her that treat now?" He wanted her full attention on snacks so he could more easily hide the hypo from her view.

"That's fine," Renakir said in response as he grabbed the bits of baguette he kept in his pocket for Kali-fal. The blue girl backed up so Aen'Kae could get up and waited patiently, unaware of what was to come. She just knew this was a friendly face who gave her lots of love and that she was going to be eating a baguette soon. "Yep, here's your baguette, Kali-fal," Renakir got up on his hands and knees and crawled towards Kali-fal and held out the piece of baguette for her. The little blue epohh was as happy as ever and began to chow down on the French bread. Her little antennae wobbled and her tail wagged to show her excitement at the treat. All the while Renakir just watched with a sharp toothed grin, happy to see his daughter was doing so well at the vet! He'd have to give her extra baguette later for how well she was acting.

Æn'kae smiled in gratitude to Solait and then lowered himself to the ground beside Kali-Fal while she ate her snack. He held the new frozen treat where she'd be able to see but not reach it and the hypo in the other hand slightly out of view. He pet her with the back of his fingers a couple times. "I have a new treat for you, want to try it?" He set the treat on the ground right in front of her. And switched to petting her with the hand it had been in, using it to apply just enough pressure to keep her in place for a moment while he applied the hypo. At the very least he had no doubt it would startle her, but he wasn't sure how it would go beyond that.

Kali-fal was way too distracted by the baguette to notice anything her new friend was doing. She used his long tongue to lap up the crumbs that fell as she chewed, being careful not to munch too close to her father's hand. Not that her teeth could do any damage, but she had been scolded more than a few times for accidentally nipping at Renakir's hands. Her tail never stopped wagging, showing her utter delight at the attention she was getting from her father and the vet. When the other man spoke, she stopped noming the baguette to turn her attention to the treats in his hand that seemed to have appeared out of thin air. She extended her long tongue to wrap around the man's fingers and munch on the treats. At the same time she felt a strange jolt in her back, causing her to flinch and her mouth to open, letting all the treats fall to the ground. Renakir quickly moved to scoop up the falling bits of food to feed it to her, along with more baguette. He cooed softly at his daughter, muttering a string of words in French that were much too soft for the UT to pick up.

Æn'kae smiled, grateful that had gone well. He pushed the hypo into one of this his belt pouches allowing her father to continue feeding her treats, unable to work out what he was saying, but then, it wasn't for him. "You did a good job, little friend," he said, radiating a mixture of calm and pride as he reached to pet her again.* He looked from her back to Solait then. "She is healthy, but I do have some tips to best keep her that way." He waited for an acknowledgment before he would continue.

Kali-fal happily munch the rest of the baguette along with some of the treats that the vet had provided. She seemed to like both foods equally, but wagged her tail the hardest when the baguette was involved. She, just like her father, loved baguettes. "Oh, I am willing to hear them," Renakir gently pulled Kali-fal closer when she had finished the treats. The blue girl sat on her father's lap and rested her head down on his knee, clearly very tired from all the treats an excitement. He hoped the doctor would give him some good tips for caring for Kali-fal, he had never had an epohh before her so any tips to be a better father were welcome. "And if you have any tips to help with her training I'd like to hear those too. She can perform tricks in private alright, but she doesn't like to listen to my commands when we're in front of others, I worry she's stage freight or something," Renakir voiced his concern, completely missing the mark. Kali-fal was good at her training, she just found it more amusing to watch Renakir do the tricks.

Æn'kae leaned back then, hands resting on the floor to support his shifted weight better. "So uh, the first tip I have is to remember she needs a lot more sleep than you do. I would set up something of a den for her in your quarters. Give it a flap so it stays dark and encourage her to sleep there and then uh. When she's in there just leave her be." He chewed his lower lip then, trying to work out the best wording. "Second kind of relates to training. I think you need to work on moderation with the treats she gets. While there aren't many dedicated Epohh trainers out there, you could look at training guides for other animals for ideas. Now uh, she's very clever and will only perform the tricks if she feels like. I wouldn't be too worried. You could always try using some of her food as a reward too, since you can be more free with it. Just uh... save her favorites for the big things. She is very small and a moderate amount for you is a lot for her."

"Oh, I do have a little space for her on the RRW P'Low," Renakir said before realising just how weird that sounded. "I mean, I made a pillow fort in my room with the same design as a warbird, it's called the RRW P'Low, like the Standard word 'pillow'," He explained slowly, knowing very well it sounded weird that a Romulan was out here making pillow forts. It was the closest he was going to get to a Reman cave. "But I will keep it in mind and make sure she sleeps more," This would mean he would probably not be able to play with Kali-fal every day when he got back from work. She slept a little at the pet daycare, but he knew she much preferred sleep at home in his quarters. When the vet mentioned the second thing, Renakir had a feeling it was coming. He knew feeding her baguettes 'in moderation' wasn't the healthiest thing for her. "I think you're right. She jams to her own beat," Renakir looked down at his now sleeping epohh, happily nuzzled in his lap with her head on his knee and her mouth hung open. "And I will limit her treat intake. I will say I have been... Trying to combat train her. She can dodge disruptor blasts and I've trained her to pick things up if I tell her to. It really helps if I drop my sunglasses," Renakir pointed to his cool shades. "Do you have any recommended epohh treats? She seemed to like what you gave her."

The expression on Æn'kae's face was about as far from judgement as you could get. He didn't make any audible sound in addition to the reaction, but if he had an 'aww' probably would have fit that expression. Instead he just nodded taking a moment to listen to everything before replying, and to stifle down the urge to ask to see the RRW P'Low. Did it occur to him that such a question could be misunderstood? Absolutely not! But he did at least realize it was unprofessional. And then came the record scratch moment. Combat training an Epohh???? Wait. He was still talking. What else was he saying? "Uhhh. Oh treats. Other treats, ie, I can send you a list, but uh mostly foods along the lines of gourds, nuts and seeds, and fruits sparingly" A heavy pause, before he continued with mannerisms that would almost seem Vuhlkansu if the he weren't stammering so much. "Can uh, can I inquire as to why you are combat training her?"

Renakir was glad the other wasn't going to judge him for making a pillow fort for himself and his epohh. He was aware that sleeping in confined spaces was not usually a thing for Romulans-- they preferred spaces they could easily escape from, but closed spaces reminded him of the caves on Remus. Renakir's life was honestly just trying to recreate his home on Remus, he missed it so much. He understood the circumstances were problematic, but what he missed was his family and sense of community. In a way, he had been successful in cultivating that on the station, a group of friends who all had fun together and.. Kissed sometimes. "Thanks, I'll await the list. I want to try and feed her more variety. I know she likes the umm... bread," Renakir made sure not to say baguette as he feared waking his daughter up by name dropping her favourite snack. "Oh and I was told epohhs were non-combat pets and whilst I understand that they are not made for combat, I.. It sounds weird but I have always wanted a pet that could help defend me or herself if something were to happen. It's purely so she can take care of herself when I am not around. Plus, she loves playing with my watergun disruptor. It's a real disruptor I modified to shoot water and she's gotten very good at dodging the shots," Renakir explained in a completely serious manner. As he spoke he waved his hands around to gesture firing a disruptor rifle. It did not occur to him how weird this probably looked to a former Navy officer but he didn't actually know if Aen'Kae was, it was just a theory. "I run a few defense simulations with her too, mostly having her fetch my sunglasses if an enemy knocks them off my face. You know, be prepared for anything, like.. I don't know the uhh... Secret police," He couldn't think of anything but the Tal Shiar so that's what he said. But obviously not by name, he used the phrase 'ih'faehht dyyhti'theirr', literally 'secret police'.

"Fortunately, she's not overweight. I feel like she would fight you," and win, "if you tried to put her on a diet." He nodded while following along with the rest of what Solait said. Over the course of the conversation Æn'kae's expression had, well, closed off was not entirely accurate, but gone neutral, and he didn't even seem wholy aware of it. "If it's only water and fetching, then that seems like harmless enrichment for her. So I don't see the harm in it. I may have overly abruptly considered the training Ujehk gave me to complete with Roj as she gets older, so uh, I imagine you can understand why I was so confused." He gave a small smile then, still neutral but warming up a little again as he shifted back to focus on pets. "I believe the Elements could not have brought a better match for her than you. You clearly care for her so much. Now, uh, I've never had an Epohh myself, but I'll look into what trainers on Mol'Rihan have learned and am more than willing to research any other questions you come across, just send me a message or swing by. They'll likely benefit any other Epohh owners on the station."

'She would fight you', yeah Renakir knew that reducing her treats would not end well, but he was glad the vet had other treat options that were a little more nutritious than just baguettes. He noticed the slight change in tone as the vet continued to speak, only to mentally kick himself beause-- of course he acted Romulan, he was Romulan. It had been only a month since he had visited Mol'Rihan but maybe it was because he had been living within Federation space for over ten years that he still felt some form of reverse culture shock whenever he interacted with his own people. "Thank you, that means a lot," He returned the smile with a toothy grin of his own, which was one of his iconic Reman features. His teeth and gray skin, the traits he had been so self conscious of his whole life were traits he also shared with his mother. He was trying not to be ashamed of them anymore, especially around other Romulans. "And I will look forward to your treat recommendations and any training tips," He said as he held Kali-fal with his hands and stood up, very impressive! Renakir was a strong guy, another thing he got from his mother. The movement woke Kali-fal up and the blue girl lifted her head to look around to see she was still in the strange office. "Jolan tru," As Renakir said that, Kali-fal opened her mouth to make her epohh 'yip' noises at the same cadence as her father said his goodbye. It was as if Kali-fal was trying to repeat Renakir's words too!

Æn'kae pushed himself back to his feet and had to hold back a small laugh at the little Epohh goodbye. Ie, he liked Kali-Fal a lot. By this point all trace of the neutrality had faded back again. He gave another of the traditional half-bows. "Jolan'tru, both of you." Well, he at least had a little epohh research to do before he got back to fighting with the lobby. But he could do that with Roj, so he followed the pair out, at least as far as the lobby, using his PADD to shut the screens off behind him.

Today Æn'kae had dedicated some extra time in the morning to putting the lobby in order. He already had the exam room screens setup with information on Terrha housecats and tips and tricks for kittens. Much of which he'd spent the night prior digging into himself just to make sure he was ready. But this morning? Well. This morning the array of plants had finally found homes on the shelves along one wall, as had pictures of various animals in digital frames. He'd considered and then promptly dismissed having display holos as those might be too close to reality and make animals uncomfortable. Now, was he still messing with the shelves? Yes. But at the very least his check-in counter was visible rather than buried. Roj lay down almost half asleep in the corner, the young targ had followed him around during the initial frantic organization, but now she was bored with it. And she gave a sort of huffed sigh to make it clear. He gave a small laugh and took a seat in the lobby chair beside where she lay and scratched at her fur. "I guess it's done enough, huh?" Now to just wait for the patient and her person to arrive.

Allan had a little pet carrier off his shoulder, although he was also carrying it with his hands because he was a little too paranoid he might drop it. Wouldn't that be just the worst look? Dropping the Captain's cat in the middle of the promenade? Yeah, no, that was not going to happen to him. Despite the pregnant cat's desperate pleading meows to be let out of her confinement, Allan carried the carrier safely to her destination: the veterinarian's office where Mephistopheles had made an appointment a while prior. As he approached the check-in counter, he looked slightly over st the young targ and smiled, recalling conversations with Eshen about possibly getting one, or something of some other kind, always undecisive of what to get. "Hi! I'm here for uh, appointment for Bandit?" He said when he walked in, and a sad little meow could probably be heard from the carrier. Yearning for freedom. And probably wanting Allan to give her a treat. He did a lot of that lately.

Roj lifted her head, making a concerned grunt for the animal making the sad sound. Æn'kae rested a hand on her head an extra moment as he stood, grateful she seemed to have picked up how to react to animals in distress from him. If she ever showed signs of aggression in that he would have to leave her at home far more of the day than he liked. Concerned or not, he signaled for her to wait in the lobby as he headed over to the person and his carrier. A pause. Oh! He recognized this person from that party, he couldn't remember if he'd gotten his name though. He decided that was irrelevant and did the traditional almost half bow, "Jolan'tru. I have the exam room ready for her," he said warmly as he waved in that direction.

Oh, Allan absolutely recognized this guy. He was also completely aware that the last time he'd seen him was when he was incredibly drunk and engaged in very intense kissing with multiple people, so - perhaps it wouldn't be exactly appropriate to bring that up here, but he at least could greet the man.. "Oh, sweet! Um - Æn'kae, isn't it? You... did end up liking the funnel cake, right? Sorry, I - I like, definitely remember things from then, but like, I also mostly remember Renakir, so.." nevertheless, he carried Bandit in her little cat carrier over the exam room, looking around, "where should I um, put her down? Sorry, never done this before, actually, um- last time I'd been to a vet was probably when my parents took my dog there when I was like, 18. It was like, really awkward for me, but Hamlet was just fine." Hamlet being the dog, himself being the person everyone recognized as the very recent hacker in the news. "Soo um- how does the process kinda go?"

Well, it was good to know the man hadn't been so far gone that day. Though yes, Æn'kae was quite certain the man remembered Renakir the most. "I did enjoy the funnel cake, though it was quite ah... messy?" The exam room had a table connected to a well stocked counter and a soft bench on one side of it. The table could raise and lower to accommodate animals stepping onto it, but it was currently at full height. The screens on the walls had pictures and tips on cats and kittens all in a language Æn'kae couldn't read without using the Universal Translator, but it was there for the guests, not him. He gave a small chuckle, unable to hold it back. "Well, for a start you can set her carrier on the table, I'll look her over and take some scans while I do." He set a hand on the table to indicate where to set the carrier.

"Messy? Oh, yeah, you gotta like, lick the sugar off your fingers, I guess, and if you're not careful, probably could get on your clothes," Allan laughed, and then looked at Bandit throught the carrier as he set it down gently on the table where Æn'kae so generously showed him to place it. "Kinda like cats, I guess- I mean like, the licking thing, not the - we're not feeding her funnel cake," he quickly clarified. After placing the carrier on the table he looked around at the screens on the walls, which did indeed appear to have pictures and tips on cats and kittens, and he started to read some of it, having already attempted to read some stuff online about the subject as well. "Sounds good, um- if she gets feisty or something, just like, give her a treat, that'll probably make her agreeable for a while," he said, she didn't act very feisty lately but... who knew. She was a cat. Completely unpredictable.

There was a pause. Huh. So it hadn't just been the alcohol. He was just like that. Though he seemed a bit more awkward here? Not that Æn'kae had any kind of room to talk about being awkward since that was basically his state of being. "I'm glad to hear you aren't feeding her funnel cake," he said in a tone dry enough to make a Vuhlkansu proud. "Though uh, I would note that giving her treats if she's being difficult is telling her the behavior is desirable. I have no experience training cats and from what I've read it's not easily done, so I don't have alternatives. But uh... that is pretty universal." He dedicated his entire focus to Bandit at this point, making his presence soothing, it went from body language to a mild hint of empathy that he wouldn't have been able to tap consciously even if he tried, though his tone didn't much change as he was always very soft spoken. He pulled out the scanner and started it going so as not to startle her with it after and then opened the carrier. "Want to come out little friend?" He slid his fingers on the table by the opening, not just trying to coax her out, but seeing if she was relaxed enough he could reach in without stressing her out. He didn't know her yet and he planned to add as little stress to this visit as possible.

It was probably a good thing that Allan didn't have any telepathic abilities. "No, yeah, absolutely not, um- oh," he laughed nervously, not having wanted the veterinarian under the impression that he was just giving the Captain's cat treats whenever she acted out. Oop. Was he nervous about this? Maybe a little. It wasn't exactly comparable, maybe, but it felt a little like he was taking his boyfriend's child to the doctor for the first time. And in a way he was, right? Something like that. "We um, definitely- I think I just said that like, just now, but I don't think I've actually done that, I think I..." maybe it would be best if he stopped talking. But he was Allan H. H. Allen and so he did not ever stop talking. "I think I just said that to like, um, give you a quick fix? But also, like, you're the professional, so you wouldn't really um, need that, you definitely have better methods, um... so... yeah! Um, she's - she's a uh, pretty good ki- cat. A pretty good cat." He finally shut up as he watched Æn'kae take out the scanner and open the crate. At first, Bandit scooched back into the corner of the crate, wary of the stranger, just staring at the opening of the crate for a moment before slowing poking her head forwards to sniff by the entrance of the crate and look out a little, trying to better assess the situation, after all she did still see one familiar person here.

This time Æn'kae did chuckle, smiling to Allan and letting Bandit come out in her own time. He was already getting scans, so he could take a little extra time. "It's okay. I understand what you mean. But um, you'd be surprised how often people don't really get what they're doing so I feel a need to point it out." His smile shifted to a bit of a wry grin, "but I'll keep it in mind. I want each animal to have the best possible experience their first visit, and I'm not above bribery to manage it." That went doubly for this pregnant girl, as the first visit with the kittens would be with her as well, and if she was stressed or just plain disliked him, odds were against that visit going well. He glanced down at the scanner readings on his PADD and continued giving as safe an impression as he could, but otherwise didn't really look at Bandit, though his hand remained near enough to the opening for her to sniff at it if she chose. "So far so good from the scans, and while she's not exactly jumping out to meet some stranger, she also is very curious. I take it she's been decently socialized?"

"Right, yeah, absolutely," Allan agreed, chuckling as the veterinarian mentioned not being above bribery. He watched as Bandit slowly sniffed towards the door again and then saw the vet's hand, and sniffed at that too, and then looked at Allan, who offered his own hand for her to sniff at as well, and then she bumped her head against Allan's hand and stepped out of the crate and onto the table, stepping away from it and looking around the room and the two men around her. "Yeah, she uh- she likes to be sneaky? She'll steal things if you're not careful," he joked, but it was true. Her name was, in fact, Bandit, mostly for the mask-pattern around her eyes that stood out from the mostly white fur on the rest of her body, but also because she literally was a thief. Of both things and hearts. "Very socialized, yeah. She's like," he crossed his pointer and middle finger together, "this with the Furberus, you know? Totally besties." He wondered if the 5 kittens she'd have would also be besties with the 3 heads of the Furberus. Only time would tell.

Æn'kae grinned widely. He didn't know what the Furberus was, but it sounded like she had another animal friend? And that was no bad thing. Not to mention thief or no, he liked hearing about her personality. "Oh you're lovely," he said softly, focusing attention back on her as she ventured out. "Mind if I see how the little ones are doing?" He didn't expect her to understand what he was saying. But it wasn't about the words so much as being non threatening as he reached his hand out to her.

Bandit sniffed Æn'kae's hand again when he spoke, then bumped into it and meowed softly, walking around the table still, peering over the corners, before realizing there was nothing to steal here... yet... and sitting down on the table, her tail flopping back and forth against the table as she sat. "Yeah, she is-" Allan had to agree that the cat was very lovely, and he really would have been lying if he said otherwise - he also would have been lying if he said he knew anything much about the kittens she was about to have. He knew they would be dependent on her for a time, and that they would be super tiny, and he glanced over at the screens on the wall as if to confirm that, yes, the kittens would be super tiny. Sometimes he wondered how Bandit held all the kittens in her, but it made sense considering how tiny they were. Literally the size of or smaller than the palm of a human hand, which was insanely small to him - but then again, he'd never seen any animal that small in real life, well- other than bugs and frogs and such. Clarification; never seen a baby pet that small in real life.

Æn'kae reached out to pet her as well as to add his own impressions to what the scanner told him. He was gentle near her round belly, but in particular that was part of what he needed to check, so he couldn't avoid it, whether it made her grumpy or not. He supposed he could have trusted the scanner entirely, but that wasn't in his nature, and besides, he had always had it stressed on him that he needed to be able to do this without scanners if needed. "Well uh, all five of the kittens seem just as healthy as she is," he said quietly. "Well. To start, while cats don't really need intervention during birth, I will answer at any time if any issues come up. I uh, I doubt anything will, to be clear, but uh, still, the offer is there." He shifted his attention from Bandit back to Allan, grinning. As he did he stepped a bit to the side to open a drawer with some treats stashed inside. Hey, he'd said he wasn't above bribery. "Is there a den of some sort set up at home for her to use?"

Bandit was not very grumpy today, actually, despite her desperate please while she was trapped inside of the crate, now that she was out and chilling on this (relatively cool-temperature) surface of the table, she seemed more calm, letting the veterinarian do what he needed, simply keeping a close watch on his movements. "That's ... that's good, I'll um," Allan took out his PADD and quickly typed that down, not knowing if vets did the same thing doctors did when they ended the visit and gave you the information they told you in a little recap report - and so, he wanted to make sure if they didn't, he would have the info to tell Mephistopheles later. "Sorry, just wanting to make note here- oh, definitely, will take you up on that offer if needed, and, we'll probably take the kittens here to check that all's good with them... um, a den," he paused, unsure of what was meant by that, as evident by his head tilt and slightly confused smile. "What do you mean by den, like... like her little hiding spots?"

Æn'kae smiled when she remained calm, very happy to get in some pets while he checked her and the over. He glanced up and saw Allan entering information on the PADD. "If uh. You want I'll send you everything later, by the way. Along with some other pointers like, what you might need to call me for. Stuff like that." He focused back on the scanner readings and then on Bandit. "And I mean like umm." *He chewed at his lip as he considered how to say it. "A hiding place large enough for her to give birth, with bedding that will be easy to clean without disturbing her or the babies too much. Maybe something like uh, a box so the babies can't climb out to early?" "I'll be glad to give the babies a look over, and I can start them on their immunizations starting when they're about six week old as well." He pulled out one of the treats he'd stashed in the drawer and offered it to Bandit for her inspection. "What's her diet like right now, anyway?"

"Oh! Cool, cool, that's - really, good, actually, I'd appreciate that, yeah," Allan smiled and put his PADD away knowing that all the useful info would now be sent to him, and looked back at Bandit when Æn'kae did, listening carefully as he described what exactly he had meant by a 'den' as the mother herself shifted to curl into a bit more of a ball shape. "Ohhhhhh. Yeah, yeah, she's got like - I wanna say, at least like, three places in our quarters that fit that description." At least. She definitely had like, at least two boxes alone. "Really? Just six weeks? Wow, that's like," he thought for a moment, "like, about two months? A little less than that. Her diet is pretty good, I'd say, it's been pretty consistent, actually, which is... good, I think? Like, it's varied, but we alternate her between things on the same schedule, if that makes any sense," he actually didn't know too much about what was actually in Bandit's food, he just knew that Mephistopheles did and he trusted Mephistopheles with cat food because well... he didn't know shit about cat food, simple as that. Meanwhile, Bandit's head perked up immediately when she smelled Treat, moving closer to it and sniffing it, then eating it. Yummy.

Æn'kae nodded. "Good, that will be good for her and the kittens both." He grinned then at his stunned Allan was at the age. "Two months would work okay for that first round, and then a couple more rounds at three and four months." Æn'kae listened with an occasional nod as Allan described the food, and smiled as Bandit took the treat, giving her another ear scratch. "I would suggest switching her to higher calorie food than her norm if you haven't yet, the kind designated for the little ones and keeping her on it until they are weaned. But uh, I would do it gradually, wouldn't want to make her sick."

Allan nodded when Æn'kae said it would be good for her and the kittens, and informed him about the higher calorie food than normal thing - that's something he would have to ask the Captain about, not really knowing the details of what Bandit ate himself, simply knowing that she had somewhat of a schedule and sometimes Allan was deemed the One to Feed Her at a certain time if Mephistopheles was otherwise not free to do so (or rather, too invested in a book). "Yeah, I'll make sure that's what she's getting - not exactly sure on that, but I'll make sure to check with the Captain," he said confidently to the veterinarian as he watched Bandit eat the treat and then lay her little head against the vet's hand. "Is there anything else I should be aware of? Like any uh, signs of her being sus or something?"

Æn'kae grinned when Bandit rubbed against his hand, happy to just scratch her as he spoke now that he had the information he needed. "You're a good girl," he said softly before returning his attention to Allan. And was, of course, immediately confused. 'Suss' did not exactly make sense in that sentence, so he looked blank for a moment before shaking his head. "I um, I'm not entirely sure what you mean. But for things to be aware of, I would say watch for her not eating and hiding more than normal. Those are good indicators she's about to have her babies. If she goes more than an hour between each, feel free to contact me. There's a couple other timing aspects to keep in mind, but I'll send those to you with everything else."

Bandit seemed perfectly happy to receive the attention, circling around the vet's hand before she just plopped down onto the table again, curling up into a little circle. "Oh, that's exactly what I meant," Allan said after Æn'kae had explained the behaviors he would have to look out for in terms of Bandit's behavior. "More than an hour between each, okay," so that meant more than what, 4 hours total? Something like that, probably. He was sure the details would be on the report and that Mephistopheles would also read them thoroughly, and in that case there would be no room for confusion. The way that man read things so well was admirable, quite honestly. "Sounds great to me, um-" he laughed as he tilted the cat carrier a little so it'd be easier to get Bandit back in, "by the way, I know - this isn't exactly work related, but if you ever do want to try some like, non-replicated funnel cake or even just a bottle of Torre'vnau RPA, I'd be more than happy to get you some."

After a few parting scratches, Æn'kae took advantage of how calm Bandit was to ease her into the carrier. She really was a good girl and he looked forward to meeting her little ones later. From what he'd learned it would be a bit before their personalities really started to shine , but if everyone who was taking one in was on the station, there was a fair chance he'd get to see that. He smiled to Allan then, honestly touched and a bit surprised by the offer and it was a moment before he replied. "I will admit that I am not much of an ale drinker. But I wouldn't be adverse to trying the non-replicated funnel cake some time. I uh... thank you." He flushed slightly because he wanted to offer something back and wasn't sure what.

Bandit crawled back into the carrier, slightly surprised by the fact that she was having to move but liking the scratches and so she went into the carrier with ease, and subsequently, Allan shut the carrier gently before she could escape again. To which, of course, she immediately stood up and whined, as if she hadn't been in this situation a hundred times before. "Sure, sure, no ale, but - the funnel cake? Yeah, I got you on that, maybe some - how much do you like desserts? Or are you like, more of a savory guy?" Was he formulating an entire of menu of things he could make for this guy in his head? Maybe. It was both an excuse to cook for a possible friend, which he always loved to do, and if the other had the time, a possible opportunity to cook with his boyfriend as well. Always a great and fun activity. "Either way, I got you, like - literally, anytime you're free," he said, smiling as he picked up Bandit's carrier.

Æn'kae took a step back from the table now that Bandit was back in her carrier. He knew not to stretch this stage too long, since she did not enjoy being confined. He gave a parting smile at the door of the carrier and focused his attention back to Allan. "I mean, uh, I'm not too picky. I kind of like a mix of both. I know how to make a stuffed mushroom dish I could probably modify." Y'know, make sure none of the ingredients were toxic to Terrhasu. "Oh, and uh, I don't really do any kind of meat," he rubbed the back of his neck as he added that, not embarrassed by any means, but not really wanting to add an inconvenience factor to a generous offer. "But, ie, sure. I'd like that." It would be nice to get to know more of the people here in a non wild party setting.

"Oh, man, stuffed mushrooms? That sounds really good, actually, maybe we could both make a dish or two and have a little cookout or something," Allan said, his eyes lighting up with interest as the other continued and noted he didn't do any kind of meat. "Yeaah, totally, we can work with that," he took out his PADD with one hand and typed that out to remember it later, keeping Bandit's carrier in the other arm. "I'll send you my calendar over in a few if that's good, and like- for real, you can come over anytime if you want too and I can whip something up real quick, I'm in the uh, same quarters as the Captain, real easy to find," was he just blatantly offering to cook this man food at any time of the day now? Apparently so. "Oh, and - thanks for the kitten information, it's really, really helpful, genuinely." He said, as if it wasn't what the whole appointment was for.

"Oh don't make that offer, I might use it as an excuse to come play with the kittens after they arrive." Yes, because he definitely seemed like the sort to show up unannounced for any reason, much less with an ulterior notice hidden behind a thinly veiled excuse. Yup. Very realistic claim. He grinned, relaxed as he waved the way back to the lobby area, heading there himself. "But uh, it's my pleasure. I'm glad they have good people and a good mom." Roj looked up when they came into the lobby, promptly getting up and heading over, trying to snuffle at the carrier. She stopped at a tongue click from Æn'kae, but she made absolutely sure both people could see how unfair this was. "I'll work on getting you the complete info and we can try to figure out a good time for a get together after that."

"It is an excuse to come play with the kittens, actually, so please do take that offer up if you'd like to," Allan chuckled, following Æn'kae over to the lobby area and smiling down at Roj with a small wave as he moved the carrier to his other hand. "Yeah! They sure do," he couldn't really keep the grin off his face as he said that, thinking about said other person and the mother - both of them very endearing, in their own ways. "Sounds good to me! Hopefully sooner than later, and - oh, if you think of like, any recipes you really like or drinks or like, literally anything - and I mean anything, Æn'kae, really, anything - just send it over, okay? I'll, like, keep a list or something." What? He was genuinely thrilled at the idea of food get-togethers, they were something he'd always enjoyed since he was like, a small child.

Æn'kae snickered as the offer changed to match his joke. Not... not that he'd mind spending time with baby animals. But he didn't know the other person so he definitely was not about to drop by unannounced. The very idea of trying was more stressful than he liked to admit. But he could toy with the idea, especially for after the get together that it seemed was definitely going to happen some time in the not too distant future. Not an outcome he woulda called after a visit with a patient, honestly. "Yes. Of course, and if there's anything you don't like or allergies or... umm, anything like that, let me know. I uh, I don't want to bring something you can't eat or anything like that." He rest a hand on Roj's back, giving her some scratches to make up for her not getting to shove her nose into the carrier of an animal she didn't know. Manners. He was definitely going to have to work on her manners.

"Will do! I pretty much like anything, but you know, if my boyfriends happen to be over, they like different things, like, so, it depends, but like - me? I'll eat anything you give me, probably," he laughed, swinging the cat carrier lightly from the fact that he wasn't currently using that hand to talk and it clearly wanting to be, "like, anything, deadass. I'll eat it." And he was so, so serious about that, genuinely. "I'll see you soon, then?" He asked, and if the answer was in fact a yes, he waved goodbye, hefted the cat carrier up a little so he was carrying it with both hands, and left to go take Bandit back to her quarters. Yes. Her quarters.

Their first day. Their first day aboard the station! Tal had no idea what to expect, they were too jittery from excitement. So many possibilities flashing through their mind, it was impossible to know which one was actually accurate. Maybe they had thought of it in some deep corner of their brain, but it certainly wasn’t coming to mind now. An Alfa-177 canine. So, like, basically a dog. Stuck. In a maintenance conduit. How in the hell did it end up there? Tally hadn’t even gotten to go to their quarters when they heard the faint barking. Nobody else heard it, it was behind so many layers of metal. Faint clicking of paws, whimpers, coming from right above them. Strange, they must’ve checked the bulletin a thousand times already, no reports of a missing dog. It’s gait had a limp! Oh, this wasn’t good. One turbolift trip and a very confused engineer later, Tally was lifting a shaking puppy out of a conduit. Their heart (or equivalent, they supposed) sank, feeling the soft ball of fur wriggle in their hands. The engineers posted nearby informed them that it was orange, and had faint scorch marks on their fur! This poor thing almost electrocuted itself to death! How could it have possibly slipped in there without anybody noticing? The tube’s entrance had been closed since early that morning… Tally had been holding the mystery dog for all of 5 seconds before they decided they would die for it! Without a single goodbye, they rushed off. There was a vet here, right? Or is it just medbay? No, no, there’s a vet, they’d heard about it in orientation. Tally rushed into Dælenthal’s so fast the door nearly clipped their arm. “DOCTOR!!! UM. UH. P-P-PATIENT!!!” They buffered. Their brain was working much faster than their speech at the moment. Dog. Hurt. Bad! They think they got it across. (edited)

Tally and the Alfa-177 canine were greeted in the lobby area of the clinic by a Targ who approached with surprising gentleness, letting out sounds of concern before her person even had a chance to respond to the call. Æn'kae came out of one of the back rooms only moments later, taking in what he saw of the canine and the android who had brought it in. "This way," he said not sounding worried, but also putting on a bit more authority than people who interacted with him outside of work ever would has expected from him, nodding to a different room than the one he'd come out of before leading the way in. "Can you tell me what you know about it?" The exam room was not setup for a specific animal type, so the displays on the wall were blank. He reached out, offering to take the canine after gesturing to the Targ to wait outside. She let out a huff, making her displeasure known as she obeyed the unspoken command. But for the moment he ignored that, his attention on the new patient.

Tally heard quadrupedal, hooved footsteps approaching— was that the vet? Then, humanoid footsteps, and a ‘this way.’ Ah, that was not the vet, then. They followed the veterinarian, making small beeps to get a gauge of the room they just entered. The little creature, likely a Targ based on the frankly adorable sounds it was making, huffed and exited the room. They’d have to pet it later. After asking his question, the veterinarian’s sleeves ruffled—Tal let out another beep—ah, he had his hands out. Tal gently placed the puppy in his arms. “I don’t know much, honestly! I-I-I found it inside a locked maintenance conduit, it’s been in there all morning! Nobody reported an Alfa canine missing either… It boggles my mind! It’s a puppy, right? Feels small enough to be a puppy. Oh, it’s not gonna die, is it? I’d just hate that so much. Bad omen…” Tally rambled on, unsure of what the vet was doing.

Æn'kae took the small canine gently, placing her on the exam table, and starting to take scans. "First. She'll be fine. She has some mild burns, but nothing life threatening. I think she was more scared than anything." He continued checking her over, not just for injuries but general health, broadcasting calm to the small dog. Odds were against her having been on her own without discovery for long on the station, but he didn't want to neglect the very idea. "Thank you for bringing her to me so quickly. I uh, I'll happily keep her until her owner claims her, unless you would like to?" Huh. Was he going to have to post a bulletin about the found canine? He had mostly avoided using the network for anything so far.

The vet’s calm voice soothed Tally’s nerves. “Oh, that’s really good to hear! The last thing I’d want my first day on duty to contain is a dead puppy… Makes me wish I could cry just thinking about it…” Tal rolled their shoulders as if shaking out excess energy. “I can definitely take her! I looove dogs!” Tal’s screen changed to a big “<3” for emphasis. “I’ll take perfect care of her, I promise!” Tally had always wanted a puppy. He’d certainly petsitted for a lot of them, but he’d never had one. His mother was allergic… Tally patted her on the head. Maybe selfishly, he hoped that she really had no owner. Perhaps she snuck in on a freighter, somehow? Or was abandoned? They’d just have to wait and see if anyone claimed her. “So, what’s your name? I’m Tally! Ensign Comms officer!” Tally attempted to puff out his chest as much as his metal body would allow, grinning proudly.

Æn'kae grinned at Tally's reaction, glad to see he'd guessed correctly at the bond already forming. Also? The display was kind of cute and he ducked his head as he tried to avoid a soft chuckle. "Nice to meet you, Tally, I'm Æn'kae." As he spoke he worked, replicating treats for the small canine and using them as a distraction while he treated the small burns. Not that the process was painful, but it worked best if she wasn't squirming around too much. And the better she felt, the more of a likelihood that seemed to be. "And your little friend really seems to like you." He paused to give the canine a scratch at the base of the horn, figuring she might like that spot the way Roj did.

“Its nice to meet you too!” This guy was cool. They should be friends. To be fair, that was Tally’s impression of most people, but that didn’t mean it meant any less. Tal leaned over pet the puppy very gently. Æn’kae scritched near the horn, and she seemed to like that very much! Her tail wagged and her back leg did that cute thumpy thing that Earth dogs do when they’re happy. It appeared to be universal. She let out a little bark and licked Tally’s hand— once. The taste of plastic probably wasn’t that good, huh? Oh well. She still seemed to like him, even if he was made of wires. “I’ve always gotten along with Earth dogs, I suppose these guys aren’t much different. I like that she likes me,” Tally couldn’t repress a shy smile. “It’s my… first day posted here, actually, so it’s nice to have a friend. Aren’t you, girl? Aren’t you just the cutest little thing?” Once certain Æn’kae was done treating her, he picked her up and nuzzled her, or as much as one can with a flat screen for a face. She appeared to enjoy the warmth of his monitor quite a bit, actually. “So, Dr. Æn’kae, can I just… leave with her? Or is there, like, procedures left? There’s probably procedures left, sorry, I’ve never actually been in a vet before… which is weird now that I think about it, since I love animals so much, but I guess it just never happened… Tally prattled on absentmindedly, cradling the puppy like a baby.

He grinned wider as the two interacted. Yeah, Tally would be a good person to watch the happy little canine. Much better than just boarding her. "For now, uh, I'll just need your contact information I guess?" He rubbed at the back of his neck. "I'll make the found posting and I'll contact you either if her owner responds, or in a couple weeks to schedule a visit to check on immunizations and to see where you want to go from there. Does that work for you?"

“Ah, of course! My subspace link should be accessible with my full name: Tally Romeros. All of that works for me, doc, keep me updated. Thanks so much!” Tal, still cradling the puppy, left the office, petting the little dude and whispering little affectionate nothings all the while.