Dr Rice ran the medical scanner along the back of Lieutenant Ilanré Iresia and then paused at the base of hir head before slowly sweeping the scanner across hir crown.
"Dizziness and headache, you say?" he said as he continued to scan the Vissian lieutenant.
"With nausea," s/he replied firmly.
"Hmmm," Alexander said as he put the scanner down and moved to the readout monitor above the biobed. "We've had a number of crew exhibiting similar symptoms while we were travelling through the Great Banks."
"Yes, I'm aware," Ilanré said. "I assisted Commander Ra-Zerphimi in compiling a report on the nebula."
"Good," Alexander replied as he continued to study the readout, then turned back to hir. "But it's not that."
He hesitated before adding, "You're entering menopause."
Ilanré just looked at Rice, hir face slightly pale. "I hadn't thought of that," s/he confessed.
"Age 30 is more or less the time when cogenitors cease sexual function," Alexander mentioned.
The science officer just nodded solemnly.
"The sensations you've had will flare up periodically for the next few months until it settles down," he explained as he moved towards the medtray to fetch a hypospray. "I'll give you something to help with the symptoms. If you're interested... there are medications that can delay the phase for a good couple of years if you're interested in having children."
Ilanré quickly shook hir head. "No, doctor, but thank you." Ilanré had spent most of hir life fighting to leave her home planet. As a member of the marginalised and oppressed Vissian third gender, s/he had to petition the government's permission to allow hir to leave Vissia and enter Starfleet Academy. There were other Vissians in Starfleet, but to date s/he was the only cogenitor allowed to join and the moment s/he left hir planet s/he knew s/he never wanted to return.
Alexander nodded and pressed the hypospray against hir neck to inject the medication. "There, all done."
"Thank you, Dr Rice," Ilanré said formally as s/he got off the bed and then left the Sickbay.
= End Log =
Lt Commander Alexander Rice
Act. Chief Medical Officer
[NPC by Bren]
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Lieutenant Ilanré Iresia
Dep. Chief Science Officer
[NPC by Bren]
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USS Chimera NCC 96899-C