Infirmary, Joint Operations Command, Bungendore NSW
To create the Australian Federal government, a federation-sized hole was cut into each state constitution that the feds were then squished into. The Australian government exists because the state constitutions were changed to allow it. But, like an annoying relative, once the States had the feds, they couldn’t get rid of them. Grat’s Sarcastic Guide to Australia
Joey carefully woke Alexa. She stood and stretched herself and her wings, gave herself a shake and folded her wings back in.
The doctor, Octavio, asked if he could examine the wound and Alexa nodded.
Joey said, "We'll leave you to shift. Doctor, is there a fresh hospital gown for her to put on?"
He nodded and left the room.
"Talk to you soon, Alexa."
Joey and Peta left as well, passing the doctor at the door, where he was returning with a fresh hospital gown.
Alexa perched on the edge of the bed and shifted. When she went to put the gown on, Octavio said, “Put it on the other way, with the opening at the front, so we can examine the wound.”
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Nodding, Alexa secured the gown and continued sitting on the edge of the bed.
Octavio walked over to the door and waved the medical staff in.
A technician, wheeling a portable ultrasound unit, entered and examined the wound site, while a nurse did an examination, noting blood pressure, temperature and the like.
"Except for the scar on your chest, I can't find anything to indicate you've been shot recently. Even that looks more like an injury that occurred a month ago, instead of an hour. The ultrasound shows no cavity."
"That's fairly normal from what I understand, Doctor. Shifting has replaced a good portion of the lost blood and would also replace any lost flesh. The scar will fade and be just about gone within a month or two."
"Does shifting tire you out?"
"Just the opposite, Doctor. I normally feel more energised after a shift, unless I’ve exerted myself while shifted."
"As your treating doctor, I think you should have a couple of good meals, a good night's rest and then I suspect that you will need to fulfill any post-incident requirements from the AFP. Oh, and can we do another x-ray, so we have a comparison?"
"Sure. I want to say I'll be fine, but this seems to have been a recuring theme during the AFP paranormal integration exercise. Because of our ability to heal and longer lifespans, there were concerns about whether the incidence of PTSD and other conditions would be greater over time."
Octavio nodded. "What's your life expectancy?"
"Two-fifty or so? We don't usually lose much mental acuity or bodily movement until the last twenty years, so we can basically work until we want to retire. Many shifters will marry, develop a career, stop and have a family, raise them, develop a career, rinse and repeat. It’s not unusual for a shifter child to have a group or two of older ‘uncles and aunties’, who are actually brothers and sisters.”
“You maintain fertility that long?”
“There’re usually a few eyebrows raised if the mother is over 200, but there have been cases of over. I think about 240 years is the record.”
Shaking his head, the doctor said, “Right, let’s get you to x-ray.”