Ministering Angel

Posted on Tue Oct 24th, 2023 @ 12:39am by Commander Raiden Kosugi & Lieutenant Lydia Whitlock M.D.

Mission: The Goddess
Location: Main Sickbay, USS Gladiator
1111 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Lydia took a steadying breath before entering the private treatment room to attend to yet another traumatized victim. It was satisfying to know they had been able to find survivors, but it was also true these patients were some of the most badly injured and traumatized people she had ever encountered. Aarfa's haunted eyes weren't ever far from the doctor's thoughts and now she had several pairs of eyes to join them. Lydia's only comfort was that she and the rest of the team were going to do all they could to ease the suffering.

There was a young man, not to far away. He was brought in from the planet below. Being helped in he had injuries that seemed superficial but his eyes were filled with some terror and sadness.

"I will leave him in your capable hands doctor. I was unable to get his name from him yet." said the orderly who then turned to go see to some other patients.

The young man who looked like he could be no more than either nineteen or twenty nervously glanced around looking like he was about to bolt out of the room even if he was injured.

Lydia stayed exactly where she was and deliberately kept her voice just loud enough so that he didn't have to strain too much to hear her, but soft enough that he would have to attend to her voice. There was no question he would attend to her voice. Trauma forced people to be hyper vigilant, especially in the immediate aftermath, and while she hated using his obvious trauma to her advantage, she reminded herself it was only so she could ultimately help him. "My name is Lydia. I'm not going to hurt you or even move unless and until you say it's OK. You don't even have to tell me your name if you're not ready. We can just be here for as long as you want." Of course, she prayed he wouldn't collapse before then, creating a dilemma for her. Not to help him in that instance would be against her Hippocratic oath, but to do so before she had built any kind of rapport with him risked only making his psychological trauma worse. It didn't seem fair that she would have to prioritize his physical needs over his emotional ones, but unfairness was a part of life. Physical injuries could kill a lot faster than the psychological ones, so that meant she may have to risk inflicting additional damage.

"H-hello Lydia, w-where are we again?" was his simple question towards the women in the room with him. He continued, "I am, Crewman Fitzgerald, I think." he gingerly supporting his arm, which was held at an odd angle."

Lydia offered a gentle smile, but continued to stay where she was, not reaching for any equipment or removing her unobtrusive gaze from him. "You're aboard the USS Gladiator. Our team found your ship and brought you here to sickbay. You're safe here, and I will stay with you for as long as you want." It was perhaps a risky promise to make given the number of patients they were dealing with, but Lydia knew the importance of making each person feel safe, not just passed from stranger to stranger, no matter how well meaning. She decided against asking anything further even though he was obviously in discomfort. It was clear to her he needed time to absorb her words.

Fitzgerald studied Lydia's face especially her gentle brown eyes. Looking deeply into them, and seeing that she wasn't going to attack, his shoulders which had been raised as if ready for an attack, lowered. He gasped out as a streak of pain raced through his broken arm. "Gaaah." he whimpered out. "Can you help me. I don't think I can stand this pain anymore." his lips having a white line around them and he was looking rather pale.

Inwardly sighing with relief, Lydia simply nodded. Now she felt comfortable reaching for her tricorder, but as she did so, she explained what she was doing. "This looks like a pretty bad break, but it's still something I can heal with the osteo-regenerator. I'll also give you something for the pain just as soon as I can establish there are no other injuries that could be compromised by a particular pain medicine. Do you know if you have any medication allergies?" As much as she wanted to help him immediately, she knew she couldn't afford to be reckless.

"I am okay with the normal medications, I do want this to stop, the pain.." the young man setting upon the bio bed now feeling a bit more at ease with the cute doctor. "What's your name again?"

"I'm Lydia," the doctor replied, making sure to meet the young man's eyes and to continue to convey gentle intentions before returning to her scans. She was glad his anxiety seemed to be easing, but she was under no illusion that he wouldn't bolt or become agitated if she assumed she could move too fast. Slow and steady was efficient in some circumstances. Satisfierd it was safe to give him pain relief before she knitted the bone back together, she reached for a hypospray and loaded it, but before she leaned forward to administer it, she asked, "This will take care of the pain. May I?"

Fitzgerald "Please, it is agonizing now." his face rather pale with beads of perspiration appearing. As soon as she applied the hypospray the evidence of relief could be seen.

"I-I am sorry I didn't trust you but, I had to be sure."Fitzgerald said softly. "Just what happened was horrible."

Seeing her patient's relief helped ease Lydia's own anxiety. Turning her attention to his words, she offered, "No need to apologize or explain if you need time," Lydia assured. "Medicine is my primary role here, but I also serve as a therapist," Whitlock explained, "so while I would recommend you talking to me or another member of the counseling team sooner rather than later as opposed to trying to manage this yourself, I get that right now, your body and brain need rest and other basics to feel on solid ground. I'm always here for you, whenever you need."

"Thank you doctor I appreciate that very much. I think i shall try to get some sleep and am looking forward to a new day of being back where I belong." Fitzgerald replied.

"Sounds like a good plan," Lydia replied. As she turned to leave, she offered, "If you need anything to help you sleep or anything more for pain, just have someone find me."