Return to sickbay

Posted on Thu Apr 21st, 2022 @ 6:14am by Cadet Third Class Aarfa Barakzay & Lieutenant Commander Timia Svidi & 1st Lieutenant Kyle Walken

Mission: The Goddess
1682 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Timia transported back with Walkin and Aarfa, the moment the transporter beam let them go she saw a couple of her nurses pause with shock at the black fur ball. She snapped her fingers at them, "Get me a full scan on the cadet, check specifically for radiation damage, and give me an idea of any other injuries." she barked at them.

The nurses nodded quickly, one, named Keanna approched, "Hello Cadet, this way." she said hesitating to touch the cadet, not sure what sort of reaction he'd have. "Up on this bio bed."

Timia then looked at Walken, "You. There." she said pointing to the other bio bed. "I'm going to give you painkillers and then set the computer to clean out the temporary bandage on this wound. It will hurt like a bitch, but in order to get a proper closure on the wounds, its what has to happen. Got it?" she said as she grabbed her lab coat from a stand in the corner.

Aarfa nodded numbly, and climbed onto the biobed. She couldn't blame the nurse for not wanting to touch her. Her fur was filthy, making her look more dark grey than her natural tawny brown, and there was still blood caked in her ragged nails. She looked at them and then glanced apologetically at the marine the doctor was treating.

Walken grumbles but keeps his comments to himself, he was never a fan of sickbay visits let alone being stuck in one. He sat on the bio bed that Commander Svidi pointed at. "I understand doc, not the first time nor will it be the last." The jarhead spoke, he looked over at the cadet. "Don't look at me like that Cadet, you did what you did under the worse circumstance I'm sure you've been under. Anyone who had been through the same thing would act first, think second."

"Thank you, sir, but I'm still sorry." Aarfa turned her head, showing her throat in token of the sincerity of her apology. "I acted from fear, hate - blind emotion. My people aren't animals. Using claws against an armed opponent is one thing, but biting," her ears drooped, "that's... something not done except by pups, or in extremis. I should have shown ...better control."

"If there is one thing I've learned in my lifetime Cadet, shit happens. When survival is at state, what's more important? Using the tools you have available to you or just sitting there." Memories of his time in the Gorn prison camp came back, the hope the people had lost in the mines. "Species like to pretend that they're all above fighting dirty or using something that has always been with them trying to hide it away. But when they reach the breaking point they would have done the same thing as you Cadet. Don't let this event control you, use it as a reminder that you didn't give up, you survived."

Aarfa smiled a little at that, the first smile since the ship was taken, but realizing the tips of her fangs were showing and humans sometimes became alarmed about that, she quickly pressed her lips back together. "I appreciate that, sir, especially coming from you."

Timia helped Walkin out of their outer jacket and tossed it aside, "THis is gonna hurt." she warned once again as she laid out his arm along the table and started the process of removing the temporary bandage. "Hows that scan going?" she called over to Aarfas bed.

The nurses glanced up, "About a 1/3 done." one called back. "Just relax cadet." she said soothingly.

"And hey... Cadet." TImia said looking up. "Sorry if I was offensive over there on Gladiator. I don't handle shock and attacks well. I'm not always the nicest person." she admitted.

The nurse looked at Aarfa and shook her head, her back turned to the doctor, "No she is not..." she whispered with a smirk.

In her experience, Starfleet doctors were often 'growly', but hearing the way the nurse affirmed that almost made Aarfa laugh. She swallowed it quickly though. "It's okay, doctor. I attacked a member of your pack. Anyone would snarl at that."

Walken laughs for a second, "And people think I'm the crazy one for hating being stuck in sickbays." He watches the doctor as the process of removing the temp bandages begins. "Should have just let me bring out some of my stash, whiskey is always a good painkiller."

Timia arched her brows, "Only if you are sharing, and no one tells the captain." she smirked. "What... You never have a doctor drink on the job? I have to deal with all you sort of morons all day, drinking aint so bad." she teased.

She finished with the removal and switched tools, starting the actual healing of the wounds. "Almost done, now, once this is complete you need to take a bit of an easy with the arm for a day or so, other wise the wound might open back up. Tech does a great job, but its not perfect for deep wounds like this." she instructed.

The pang of guilt was there, but this time Aarfa did not attempt to apologize, at least not directly. "I will buy you a drink if there is a place that offers other than synthahol," she offered. "I've never had whiskey as human beverages usually taste ...astringent... but I tried bacon-tini once and that was nice."

"Have plenty enough in my stash to keep your whole staff sauced if that's what you want Doc." Walken answers, "Drinking on the job is the only way to go Doc, had I known we share that view I would have brought at least my flask." The marine turns his head and looks at the Cadet, "No need to buy me a drink kid, but I would be happy to drink with you anytime."

Timia let out a bit of a chuckle as she started to put away the tools and looked over her handy work. "Alright, you're all set." she said to Walken and headed over to Aarfa, her eyes already looking over the scan results which were nearly done now. It was enough for her to see what direction she would need to take any treatments.

"Alright you. How are you feeling? Do you have any wounds I need to see under that... fur?" she asked looking over the thick fur. "Do you shed a lot?" she wondered, thinking how much of her own hair ended up in the hair brush every day.

"Great news," Walken announces as he gets up and grabs the remains of his jacket. He looks at Aarfa, "Just remember what I said, kid." He turns his attention back to Timia now as he began to back up towards the door. "Wonderful time doc, but I hope to never meet you again inside this room. Hate sickbays, anywhere else is fine though."

"Yes, sir." Aarfa tipped her head to the marine, her reply ambiguous enough that it could easily be taken as simply agreeing to remember what he said or that and also agreeing with his sentiment about medbay. Looking back at her doctor, she shook her head in a human gesture of negation. "No wounds the nurse didn't get already, doctor. My fur thinned a bit over the last week, but shedding is normally more of a ...periodic thing."

"Hmm, I'll have to check to see if we have any allergic people on the ship who may be impacted by your presence." she commented. "Alright, so you absolutely have radiation sickness and malnutrition, and certainly dehydration." she said. "I'll be giving you a treatment now. Every 12 hours for the next week you will need to report to sickbay for an updated treatment." she said. "The nurses will be able to handle it, if I'm not here to take care of it as its just a hypo injection and a hypo retrieval for a blood test. I'll get the report and make any adjustments to the hypo treatment if needed." she said.

"Thank you, sir. I'll report as needed for treatment," Aarfa replied obediently. However, an ear had rotated slightly back at the suggestion that anyone might be allergic to her. Her species served in alliance during the Dominion War and had begun enlisting in Starfleet soon after joining the Federation almost twenty years ago. Surely someone would have mentioned such a thing to her before now, particularly when she'd been admitted to the Academy? "Doesn't Starfleet mitigate allergies for everyone? I mean I know a lot of humans are allergic to cats, but I shared a dorm with a Cait and two humans and neither of the humans said anything about having to be tested or treated for allergies."

Timia shrugged, "Allergies still exists. Some people respond to frequent treatments, and some people don't. Not many people can actually be fully cured of allergies. THey are easier to catch and treat than they used to be in the past. I'm sure it will be fine. Its not like there aren't domesticated canines on the ship already, I already treat three people with allergies to those dogs. Not trying to say you are a dog like those dogs... Just there have been people who have reacted in similar ways. I wouldn't worry about it." She glanced up as the doors opened and the counselor walked in. "Just in time. I'm going to have Lydia here check in with you, and take you to a room to get cleaned up. Alright?"

People could be allergic to her... you learned something new every day. Aarfa absorbed the information with a sort of detached sense wonder. It felt a bit like what she recalled of being in shock after the disaster on SB621, but it couldn't be that, could it? The medics had treated her for shock. Maybe just exhaustion - the doc had said she was malnourished and had been exposed to radiation. "Alright, sir," she agreed absently. "It'll be nice to be clean. Maybe it'll help me feel Kainan again."