An Apple a Day (Anti-4th Wall)

((...I have no excuse.))

Using the tongue depressor to keep her view clear, Doc brought the scanning device up and pressed a button to activate it. After a small cheery beep announced the end of the scan, she removed the depressor, placing it on the table and picking up a flashlight. Raising the scanner up so it was level with his eye, she pressed another button and started shining the light in his eye, bringing it away and back again to test the pupil's dilation. Once she had done the same with his other eye, she then moved on to his ears, scanning the canals.

A final beep and she placed the scanner to the side to quietly compare the results collected to that already on Ty's file. Knowing that it would alert her if it noticed any discrepancies, she reached out and placed her fingers on his neck and the bottom of his jaw.

"I'd like you to swallow for me a couple of times, please," she said. Special sensors in the fingertips of the suit's gloves would compare the elasticity of Ty's skin along with other factors to determine the size of his lymph nodes.


"What's the booster shot for?"

"Standard vaccinaaations," one LGM replied, picking up the needle and getting it ready.

"Your previous shots are almost expiiired," another one continued, tapping Booster's folder.

Ginger Gade, hm? Flipping through the papers, the chauffeur LGM saw that while she wasn't on the roster, they did have someone with the same last name, who went by the name of Alan. "We don't have you on file," it said, "but if you can gooo with them, they can heeelp yooouuu."

At that point, three of the LGMs who weren't attending to Booster came forward and beckoned for her to follow them to another table. Once they had gotten the curtains pulled around, one of them brought forward a scale. "We'll start with your height and weeeiiight."

The chauffeur LGM watched them head off, then turned around to see another person...who was leaving without getting checked in. "Waaaiiit!" it called out, waddling past the robots to try to catch up with her. By the time it got out to the halls, however, she was nowhere to be seen...but there were two other females in the hall, one with a green mask and the other looking like she just got here. The LGM wasn't sure if they were personnel or forum members (and therefor needed to come in) or not, but it was better than going back empty-handed.

"Your presence is required in the medical baaay," he told them.

(Ah, no worries. Doc. ^^)

Once the doctor removed the tongue depressor, Ty patiently let her look at his eyes with a flashlight. It stung a little at first, given that he has very large eyes, but his eyes soon got used to the light. Once she was done with his eyes and moved onto his ears, he decided to start thinking about if he wanted to do the extra testing or not, tuning out the beeps of the scanner.

But his attention was brought back when the doctor placed fingers on his neck and lower jaw.

"I'd like you to swallow for me a couple of times, please,"

He quietly obeyed, unaware that the doctor's gloves would pick up on more than his ability to swallow.
-----------------------------------------
Fox took out a watch from seemingly nowhere to check the time.

3:15, eh?

She put away the watch in time for her ears, hidden underneath her fox mask, to pick up on a very nasally tone coming from one of the LGMs.

She watched as he seemed to stop to catch his breath, as if he had been running. What had he been running for?

It didn't seem to matter, for the next thing she knew, the LGM asked her and TyFan, "Your presence is required in the medical baaay," he told them. She didn't know if the LGM was aware that she and TyFan were forum members, but she honestly didn't care. She had a job to do.

And so, she nodded. "Lead the way."

Hearing one of the LGMs come foward and checked to see if Ginger was on the list, which she wasn't but told her to go with them anyways and it peeved MINERVA a bit having to wait a bit longer for her to be examed. She then started to think that maybe should have brought some of her paperwork with her to complete while she waited.

TyFan too heard the familiar sound of a LGM talking to her and Fox and wondered why she was needed in the med bay when she just got there. Rather not get in trouble, she followed the scientist without a word.

Senior Doctor Thalassi wrote:"Standard vaccinaaations," one LGM replied, picking up the needle and getting it ready.

"Your previous shots are almost expiiired," another one continued, tapping Booster's folder.

"Okay... Well, I guess that's important." Booster still felt nervous. That needle looked so sharp... I hope I get candy afterwards.

---

Meanwhile, Ranger (who still had every intention of ignoring the orders to go for a check-up) decided to leave her room and go for a stroll through the halls. After all, why should she hide from the doctors? She wasn't afraid of them. Just let them try to catch her. She'd be ready.

Ginger nodded quietly and followed the directions. She didn't find it curious that her name had been long removed from the roster; she hadn't been an official part of Star Command in almost twenty years. And, really, her internship and political conflict study didn't exactly count. But it didn't matter and she only hoped that she didn't have to explain why she was coming here for a checkup instead of her regular doctor's office.

"Okay." She shook her head when the woman realized the LGMs were speaking to her. She stood and went over to the scales.

Fox and TyFan followed the LGM to the medical bay, where they saw other LGMs and other patients waiting to be checked by the local doctor.

Fox, who was standing near the entrance to the medical bay, saw two other rangers and a cat-like woman she never met before there.

Oh, this is going to be fun! She was feeling a bit giddy at the job she needed to do, but she kept it hidden under her fox mask. She did not want to give anything away just yet.

It took only a couple minutes for the computer imbedded in her suit to compile the data and compare it with that on Parsec's file, soon flashing a message across Doc's viewports that confirmed his lymph nodes to be of a healthy size. Out of the corner of her eye, she also noticed the amber light on the scanner blink and become a cheery green, indicating no differences in results that warranted further investigation.

She took her fingers off the ranger's neck. "Could you please take off the top half of your suit?" she asked as she peeked through the curtains to check on the others. Looked like the LGMs were doing a good job with the other patients, and Ranger Sparkstar was still there as well. Good, good; hopefully she wasn't getting too impatient. There was a reason Doc was going to check her personally and not the LGMs.

She beamed when two more people came in, though Parsec probably wouldn't notice anything from the immobile mask she wore. Already attendance was much better than last year! Strange, though...wouldn't Ranger Lightyear be here by now? He never missed a check-up.

Mentally shrugging that off for the moment, she turned back to Parsec and resumed his appointment. Placing her palms directly over several points on his chest and upper back, she had him take deep breaths to check his heart rate, and then, after pulling out and setting up a sphygmomanometer, placed two fingers right above the crook of his arm to measure his blood pressure.

"Have you had any problems recently?" she asked as she finished. "Headaches? Stomach problems? Dizzy spells? Anything of that sort? And have you put any more consideration into the extra tests?"


At least these two were being more cooperative than the one he had come out here after, the LGM decided as it led them into the medical bay. "Names, pleeeaaase," it said, flipping through the papers until it reached a special section in the back titled "Forum Members."

Why yes, forum members were actually expected to come to these check-ups as well Ranger-Nova. After all, Doc herself was a forum member; did you honestly not expect her to look out for the health of her fellow members as well as the rangers?

After writing down the weight that registered on the scale, Ginger's LGMs urged her to stand in front of a height rod attached to the wall, one of them riding up on a height-adjustable platform to record the measurement.

"Sit pleeeaaase," the second asked, motioning to the table as the third brought out a scanner and tongue depressor similar to what Doc had been using.

As for the ones who had been attending to Booster, they were wrapping up their own check-up and preparing for the shot. "Pull up your sleeve pleeeaaase," one said as it waddled up to Booster's side, tapping the needle to get any air bubbles out. Another got onto the table on the opposite side of Booster and held up a large lollipop, waving it back and forth to get the Jo-Adian's attention. These guys knew their patients well, alright; as soon as he got properly distracted and turned away...

Poink!

"All done," the needle-wielding LGM said as it drew the now-empty syringe out, while the other LGM stepped forward and offered the lollipop to Booster for his troubles.

Walking in TyFan noticed that there was a lot of people already here and a few that were getting checked out already. She saw one, the race Jo-adian she figured, was just about done, one that was being looked over by a few other LGMs, and a robot with wicked cool blue hair waiting for her turn to go. Wow, this is going to be interesting. Hearing one of the small scientists ask for names she replied, "Oh, I'm TyFan10o3 or either TyFan or TF for short."

*********************

Hearing the doors open up again MINERVA watched as two civilians walk in behind one LGM. Huh, must be those "forum members" that she had heard of that come up here from time to time. Well, if they were here they must be required then. She had noticed the doctor that was examining Ty peek out to see the newcomers then went back to what she was doing. Now she was really wishing that she had brought her paperwork at least then more of it would have been finished by now.

The ranger heard a beep go off, and saw a glimpse of green out of the very near corner of his eye. He guessed it must have been a good thing. After Ty completed the doctor's request to swallow, she asked, "Could you please take off the top half of your suit?"

He watched her peek through the curtains as soon as he proceeded to take off the top half of his suit off. He hoisted it over his head and placed it by his left side, looking at her and waiting for further instructions.

As he waited, he couldn't help but wonder if other people showed up. But by the sounds coming from outside the curtains, it was a safe bet that indeed more people came. Although...why didn't Buzz arrive yet? The Pride of Star Command was never one to miss something as important as a medical checkup.

Hmph. He must have found an excuse to avoid coming in. Craters.

He sighed inwardly before straightening up to let the doctor look over him once more. She came to the table and placed her palms over points on his chest and upper back. He only remained silent, wanting to provide no problems for the doctor. When she asked him to take a few deep breaths, he closed his eyes and breathed in and out, calming his mind and body.

Upon opening his eyes, he found her setting up a sphygmomanometer and placing two fingers on his arm. He guessed it was to check his blood pressure.

When she finished, she asked, "Have you had any problems recently?" Headaches? Stomach problems? Dizzy spells? Anything of that sort? And have you put any more consideration into the extra tests?"

Ty thought about her first set of questions. He hasn't had any problems lately. The only thing that came to mind was his exhaustion, but that could have been from the assignments and missions lately. He wasn't as young as he used to be when it came to all nighters.

But as for the second question...well, as eager as he was NOT to take these tests, he really did not want anything to arise like what happened the last time he was checked out by the LGMs. They believed him to be clean, but it was clear they were wrong. He trusted what the little green beans did, yes, but with a doctor like the one who was looking at him right now...it wouldn't hurt to get a pair of fresh eyes to look at him.

There was one thing he was curious about, however. "If I did these tests, what would you have to do?"



Fox listened to the LGM ask,"Names, pleeeaaase," After she heard TyFan giving her name, she just politely replied, "My name is Fox Storm, but you can call me Fox."

She was glad to see other forums members here and that things with Star Command seemed to be going alright. But where the heck was everybody else? She shrugged inwardly at the question. Eventually, they'll have to come to the doctor. If not...well, she'd do something about it later.

She decided to sit down to wait and watched Booster getting a shot and then receiving a lollipop for his troubles. She couldn't help but smile underneath her mask; Booster was really like a little kid.

"Pull up your sleeve pleeeaaase." At the LGM's command, Booster rolled up his sleeve and cringed, waiting for the painful prick of the needle. However, a flash of bright colours caught his attention, and he suddenly found himself staring at the glorious sight of a large, rainbow-coloured lollipop. The LGM waved it back and forth, seemingly putting Booster into a trance.

Mmm, it looks so good! While he was thinking this, the other LGM stealthily positioned the needle above his arm, and a second later he felt a quick jab. It took him by surprise, but before he could react the lollipop was shoved into his hands, and all his thoughts once again turned to matters of food. The large red alien began sucking on the lollipop, and waved at some of the newly-arrived forum members.

- - -

Meanwhile, a certain uncooperative forumite was roaming the halls of Star Command, blatantly defying the orders of the medical staff. She smirked at the emptiness of the corridors - clearly a lot of rangers were in hiding. "How pathetic," she giggled. "They're afraid of a few doctors? Please. What can those medics do? There's no way they'll be able to get me to come for a check-up!"

Python walked back into the ward. She tapped XR on the shoulder curiously. "Excuse me, Who do I have to talk to to see Doctor Animus?" Sadly she wasn't the most patient forum member ever.

Ginger had dismounted the scales and was on an examination table, having her fur checked for mites and such. She flicked her ears as the LGMs looked into her ears and eyes. "Can we please hurry up? I need to get home soon." She hadn't yet gotten out of her house for more than and hour at a time in the last year and wasn't exactly used to social life any more.

When Fox saw Booster wave at her and Tyfan, she gave a small wave back. "How's it going, Booster? Y'all doing alright?"

While she asked him this, she noticed Python walk in and ask XR, who suddenly and randomly walked into the room without her seeing him, if she could talk to someone to talk to Dr. Animus. She looked over at Ginger Gade, who looked like she did not want to be there anymore. Fox only crossed her arms and observed at the scene around her some more.

((Bluh, plots. @_@ Just got a major one finished over on PB, so hopefully I can get this rp moving more quickly.))

"If I did these tests, what would you have to do?"

"Not much, for now," Doc replied. "We would have to schedule another appointment--maybe two, with the tests I have in mind." One claw reached up to tap at the tip of her beak for a brief moment as she mentally went over the list again. "For now, however, some blood will suffice. A few vials to check blood cell levels, iron levels, things like that."


"Ty-Fan-ten-oh-threee and Fox Stooorm." Ah, there they were! Nodding, the LGM checked their names off of the list and motioned to the LGMs who had just sent off Booster. "They will seee you once they finish cleeeaaan up."

Oh, there was that person from earlier. The LGM waddled over to her, overhearing her question regarding Animus. "Animus will need to be caaalled iiin," it said in answer. "These are physical exaaaminaaatiiiooons. Naaame?"

Upon the Zephyrite's request, the three LGMs attending to her looked at each other before looking back at her. "Thoroughness is requiiired when making a neeew recooord." One said.

"But we can try to be faaaster," a second one piped up as the third one brought out a stethoscope and shygmomanometer.

Ginger nodded vigourously. "Thank you. I would like to get home soon." 'Before anyone speaks to me' she thought and frowned but let them continues.

"Python." The girl said quickly and frowned. "I am one of the forum memembers come to visit."

"Alright, sounds good," TyFan replied, moving over and sitting down next to MINERVA.

Watching the forum member come sit down next to her the cyborg started to fidget a bit, her boredom starting to drive her a bit nuts. Hoping that it would calm her down the Spiritoian sat up a bit straighter and began to meditate a bit slowing her breathing down a bit and concentrated on the image of the coast of the Sea of Spiritos Prime and sighed a calming breath of relief. "That's better," she whispered.

"Oh, I'm fine!" Booster told Fox, still enjoying his lollipop. "How are you doing?"

---

Ranger continued to prowl through the halls, growing more and more confident as she went along. So far she'd met with no resistance, and she was beginning to think the medical staff were bluffing about catching anyone who didn't co-operate. "This is too easy," she laughed. "I've practically got the whole station to myself! Everyone's either in the med lab or hiding!"

"Not much, for now," Doc replied. "We would have to schedule another appointment--maybe two, with the tests I have in mind." One claw reached up to tap at the tip of her beak for a brief moment as she mentally went over the list again. "For now, however, some blood will suffice. A few vials to check blood cell levels, iron levels, things like that."

"...Well..I can do the latter part about the blood, but...Two appointments?...how...how many of these tests would I have to do?"

-------------------------
"Oh, I'm fine! How are you doing?"

Fox gave Booster a playful shrug. "Meh, alright, can't complain. Just doing odd jobs here and there in and out of the universe. Heh heh heh...so how's the rest of your teammates? I haven't seen them around."

"...Well..I can do the latter part about the blood, but...Two appointments?...how...how many of these tests would I have to do?"

Doc started gathering up vials, a needle and other required materials."Not as much as you would normally have to do, thanks to the LGMs checking you over right after Canis Lunis," she said in an attempt to reassure him. "The majority of the tests will be scans, trying to see if there's any changes as a result of your visit to Planet Z. There will also be some tests that will require long-term gathering of data. We have a device you can wear on your wrist for that, and the second appointment will be turning the device in to process the data and deciding what, if anything, needs to be done from there."

Phew. That was quite a bit of information, but Doc was pretty sure Ranger Parsec wouldn't want to be making decisions while uninformed. While speaking, she had taken his non-dominant arm, rolled up the sleeve of his thermal suit, tied a tube of rubber around his upper arm, located the largest vein, and swabbed the targeted area with antiseptic.

As she fit the needle onto one of the vials, she turned her mask slightly to the side, like she was glancing at him from out of the corner of her eye. "Considering the...nature of your prior condition, I'm trying to be as thorough as possible." And with that, she stepped forward, easing the needle into his skin and watching as the vial filled with blood. Once filled, she pulled the vial out and switched it with another, the attachment on the needle making sure blood didn't go spurting everywhere during the change out.

After the vials were filled, the needle was pulled out, the blood beading up after neatly swiped off and the opening sealed with a bandage. After marking the vials and storing them away, she turned back to Ty. "If you're still interested in doing those other tests, an LGM can help you set up your next appointment. For now, however, we're done and you're free to go."

Pulling back the curtain and allowing Parsec to go before her, she walked up to the front, glancing over the working LGMs and nodding in approval as she stepped over to the waiting area. "Ranger Sparkstar, if you could come with me, please?"


It didn't take long for the LGMs who tended to Booster to clean up their station, and the LGM in charge quickly checked Python off the list before pointing to them. "Your tuuurn." This was a first come, first serve basis, and Python had been there before the other two.

Though...looking at the group, it didn't really seem like the forum member needed that many LGMs for her check up. Picking up on this through the hivemind, the group split into half, two LGMs staying at the station as the other two wandered over to the seating area. "Which one of you would like to be checked fiiirst?"

And dohoho, Ranger, you just go ahead and keep telling yourself that. Just keep telling yourself that....

As MINERVA meditated the annoyance of her boredom had quickly swept away and the wait time went right with it for no sooner did she find her center the cyborg was hearing the doctor call her name. Opening her optics she stretched a bit, got up, gave a nod to Ty as he came out then followed the medic behind the curtain.

TyFan, watching the next Ranger go, heard the question and deciding to volunteer, replied, "I guess I'll go first, then. Might as well get it over with now than wait forever."

Python nodded. She followed the LGMs into the lab. She looked around at the machinery, the new technology. And she felt at peace, if not a little scared. "There arent any nutty experiments going on here are there?" She asked.

Ginger sighed happily as she got to leave. They would send her the results in the mail. She tried to hurry out the waiting room door but someone distracted her

Ty watched as the doctor gathered up many materials and as he watched, she replied to his question, and what she said surprised him.

"Not as much as you would normally have to do, thanks to the LGMs checking you over right after Canis Lunis. The majority of the tests will be scans, trying to see if there's any changes as a result of your visit to Planet Z. There will also be some tests that will require long-term gathering of data. We have a device you can wear on your wrist for that, and the second appointment will be turning the device in to process the data and deciding what, if anything, needs to be done from there."

Wow....that was a lot of information to absorb...but Ty somehow managed to take it all in. The mention of the tests and the device sounded...interesting. He was not sure what those scans or the device may find, but he also knew that it was all for his own health. And like any Space Ranger, or anyone actually, he had to take care of his health first. The sooner he did these tests and wear this device, the better.

And then without warning, the doctor had taken hold of his arm, rolled up his sleeve, tied a tube of rubber around his upper arm, and swabbed an area with antiseptic.

Oh, he knew what she was going to do now; give him a shot. Alright, that was fine. He watched as she fit the needle into one of the vials and spoke once more about his...condition.

"Considering the...nature of your prior condition, I'm trying to be as thorough as possible."

Trying to not flinch too much, he hid it with a simple nod in regards to the doctor's assurance. But after she gave him his shots and filled the vials with his blood (for some reason this made him feel a little uneasy), she sealed up the opening with a bandage.

"If you're still interested in doing those other tests, an LGM can help you set up your next appointment. For now, however, we're done and you're free to go."

Ty stopped himself from quirking a brow. They were done already? Wow...that didn't take long at all. But he was not to question this any more, and walked ahead of the doctor when she let him go first. After she asked for Ranger Sparkstar to come forward, he turned his head over his shoulder and said, "Thank you, doctor." He saw Ranger Sparkstar nod towards him, and he gave a small nod back.

He turned to the LGM in charge, apparently figuring it was the one with the clipboard, making up his mind. "I think I want to make an another appointment to meet with the doctor again."
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Fox leaned against the wall more as Ty talked to the LGM and Tyfan offer to go first.

"I guess I'll go first, then. Might as well get it over with now than wait forever."

Fox shrugged, not in any hurry and feeling generous today. "Sure, be my guest."

((Woohoo! 100th post!))

With a final nod of farewell to Ranger Parsec, Doc's attention returned to Ranger Sparkstar, leading her back to the station and having her sit on the table as she re-disinfected her hands.

Picking up the measuring device she had first used on Parsec and pressing a button to clear out the previous results (the device had automatically recorded them to his file), she turned to Sparkstar with a clean depressor. "Alright Ranger Sparkstar," she began as she checked mouth, eyes and ears, "the reason I asked you to wait instead of having the LGMs check on you is that I wanted to do a little extra. Specifically, if you wouldn't mind, I would like to look over your new implants, see how your body is handling them."

While Doc didn't doubt the abilities of the Spiritoian scientists, it was always better to be safe than sorry.


TyFan it was, then. "This way pleeeaaase," the LGMs said as they ushered her over to another nearby table. Once the curtains had been drawn, they proceeded to start her check-up, going for the eyes, mouth and ears.

Meanwhile, as Python's check-up was getting started....

"There arent any nutty experiments going on here are there?"

"Not heeere," was the honest answer from one of the LGMs as the other readied the sensor. No, all the nutty experiments were in the science lab.

Upon hearing Parsec's request, the head LGM nodded and, holding up one finger in a "just a moment" gesture, waddled into Doc's office, coming out about five seconds later with an extra clipboard. Carrying the first one beneath one arm, it flipped through the second one before it found the page it was looking for and looked back up. "Any particular date you waaant?"

Ty waited as the head LGM held one finger up to indicate to wait a moment before it waddled away into Doc's office. It was not even ten seconds before it quickly returned with another clipboard and stood in front of the Space Ranger.

It flipped through some pages before it found the page it wanted to find and looked back up to ask Ty, "Any particular date you waaant?"

Ty shrugged before he asked, "Not really. What's open?" He was not in so much of a rush as he was more curious about what days would best work for him. He hoped he got a day to come in early, though. It was better just to get the appointment done early.
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Meanwhile, Fox just stood against the wall, watching Ty make another appointment, caring for now to only observe in everything that happened. She had to wait until the moment was right...

(Any chance I can join in as Mira? :3)

(Sure, I think that would be fine. Gosh, I'm sure I still need to make a post here. I'm sorry, guys. I'm so slooow. D:)