YE/D05 - Sickbay

[Paul]

==

[Pax Cassidy]

Cassidy turned the hatch of the autoclave, retrieving another set of freshly-sterilized tools. Most department heads would have left this work to a junior officer, and he would, but he wanted to make sure that everything was set properly in order during this first mission. That way, there would be a template to copy.

Large hospital ships such as the Reyes, where he spent his last posting, boasted dedicated decks for exams, surgery, and other medical functions. The multi-purpose nature of the Yeager’s sickbay necessitated that Cassidy be judicious with his space. Luckily, organization was a particular specialty of his. He slotted the last tray slotted into place on a shelf along the back wall. Every tool was sorted according to function, every instrument calibrated to the finest level of detail. Cassidy tended to have an easygoing personality, but he was obsessive about his workspace. His colleagues aboard the Reyes used to warn new doctors about the lethal consequences of misplacing one of Cassidy's instruments. These were exaggerations, though they were based in truth.

I’ll let ‘em off easy the first time someone screws with the system. Don’t want to scare anyone.

Cassidy’s eyes drifted to biobed number 3, which was partially disassembled. He intended to retrofit it to interface with his cybernetic implants. That would require marrying Riani technology to the complicated mishmash of systems already present on the Yeager, and that would require a better engineer than Cassidy. Until then, he would need to take care not to damage any of his metal.

Satisfied, Cassidy took a seat behind the desk in his office and waited for the rest of his staff to arrive. He hoped that they would have some time to get to know each other before dealing with any emergencies.

== Tag medical ==

[Kal-Geal Beinn]

Kal-Geal, though assigned as medical's liaison to Security, came to sickbay not just to get his usual medical kit, but also to report in. The Child of San-Tarah was actually happy to have someone other than Command to report to, as it let him focus on what he was trained to do by the Klingon Academy.

Unlike most other doctors, Kal-Geal was trained as a battlefield medic first and doctor second. This meant that he was just as able to operate in the field as he was in sickbay, though the latter was far more preferable due to a sterile environment. His wolf-like form also interfered with his bedside manner from time to time, so it was good he was assisting security, since they were the most likely to prefer someone trained in battlefield medicine.

Kal-Geal walked through the doors of sickbay and saw Cassidy at his desk. He approached and said,

"Good to see you've made yourself at home. I have to say, I prefer someone else other than me sitting at that desk. The chair wasn't designed for.....what did the humans call me....a werewolf I think was the term the engineer said. So its good that you're comfortable."

He looked at the biobed in partial assembly and added,

"I think Engineering is going to have a field day with you, assuming the Chief Engineer doesn't come down here to do it himself."

==tag Cassidy==

[Pax Cassidy]

Cassidy tensed as Beinn approached the desk. He had learned during the commissioning ceremony that he would be replacing the wolf as chief medical officer, but they hadn’t had an opportunity to speak about it.

Let’s get it over with, he figured.

"Good to see you've made yourself at home. I have to say, I prefer someone else other than me sitting at that desk. The chair wasn't designed for.....what did the humans call me....a werewolf I think was the term the engineer said. So its good that you're comfortable.” Beinn said.

Cassidy swiveled in the chair, evaluating it. To be honest, it wasn’t particularly comfortable for a human either. He stood up to greet Beinn properly, though the San-Tarah towered over him nonetheless. He watched as Beinn’s gaze drifted over to his little project.

"I think Engineering is going to have a field day with you, assuming the Chief Engineer doesn't come down here to do it himself.”

Cassidy laughed guiltily. “That one got away from me. I’m trying to modify the biobed so that it can interface with cybernetics. I used to help out in my dad’s engine room growing up, but the Yeager is more advanced than anything I’ve worked on before. Sounds like Jadaris has some experience with cybernetics, so I hope he won’t mind lending a hand.”

Cassidy thought of Elliot, the engineering ensign who had been so fixated on him at the party. Maybe Jadaris would send him instead. It wasn’t exactly the type of project that a chief engineer would concern themselves with. He cleared his throat, leading Beinn to a clean shelf near the entrance, which he'd chosen as it could be quickly accessed from the corridor.

“By the way, I hope there are no hard feelings with me taking over sickbay. I’m glad that you’re sticking around on the ship, because I was really looking forward to working with you. Let me know what tools you need in your emergency kit and I’ll make sure you always have one packed.

What do you say, friends?”

== Tag Beinn ==

[Pax Cassidy]

== Main mission timeline ==

Cassidy tapped a stylus against the frame of his reading glasses. There was no room for oversights when it came to preparation for this mission. Even in the Federation, high speed shuttle races were far from safe. A small mistake could be fatal. He pictured himself in the cockpit of a shuttle, taking a wide turn along the outer edge of an ion storm, barely edging to the front of the pack. Proximity alert, red lights, something on sensors, coming in fast. Then, nothing. Dead.

He sighed. In that case, there wasn’t much that he — or any doctor — could do. He was glad that Amethyst would be aboard to deal with radiation and plasma burns, but they needed to ensure that nothing more serious than that would befall the crew of the Glennis.

“Cassidy to medical staff,” he said, tapping his combadge. “I’m heading to Engineering to see if I can lend a hand with finishing touches on the shuttle. Call me if you need me.”

>>>> Engineering >>>>

[Mika Bowman]

== Ens Katherine ‘Kat’ Manx ==
 
Although she did not particularly wish for severe injuries, it tended to help time pass more quickly. Despite the unusual characteristics of the Yeager itself, occurrences of trauma among personnel were rare unless someone acted recklessly. Consequently, their travel time had been rather uneventful, with little need for the presence of their Chief Medical Officer in Sickbay, which she understood.
 
While conducting an inventory check to ensure adequate medical supplies, the Caitian pondered how Doctor Cassidy might assist the engineering staff with their isolated shuttle. Upon noticing the third biobed, she began to form some assumptions.
 
Perhaps he has expertise in biomedical engineering as well as medicine. Given his cybernetic components, it is logical that he possesses knowledge to maintain them. As physicians, we often think ourselves nearly invincible due to our frequent interventions saving lives from the brink of death, believing we can heal ourselves. Alternatively, he might simply be bored and prefer to be elsewhere, rank certainly has its privileges.
 
Nevertheless, this situation presented her with an opportunity to demonstrate her capabilities. If she could not manage responsibilities while Cassidy and Beinn were away, how could anyone trust her to remain calm during crises? With her preparations complete for any potential emergencies, Kat returned to the office, where she had a clear view of the entrance and could catch up on medical journals. Her mentors had emphasized the importance of embracing new perspectives. Just as she seated herself, an explosion occurred within the ship, causing her to use the desk for leverage to prevent being thrown forward.
 
"What the hell?"
 
Given she was alone, the question was purely rhetorical. She quickly turned to monitor the readouts indicating the explosion originated from the Aeroshuttle Bay. Considering the mission details, she anticipated the bay might have been occupied by several crewmembers. Initial casualty figures appeared to be two individuals, though whether they were deceased or merely unconscious was unknown to her.
 
No communication had been received from the Chief Medical Officer, suggesting he was either unaware of the incident, attending to other injuries in Engineering, or potentially one of the unaccounted-for individuals. Recognizing she could not simply wait, Kat sent necessary alerts to the medical staff, placing them on standby until Engineering cleared the area of any additional hazards.
 
Furthermore, Kat communicated with non-critical areas of the ship to ascertain if others were injured. Interrupting critical operations during a crisis would be counterproductive; however, if crucial departments like the Bridge or Engineering required assistance, those communications would have already been relayed to Sickbay. Finally, she established a channel to Cassidy, hoping he remained unharmed. Otherwise, her primary contact would be the Child of San-Tarah. Although she harbored no issues with him personally, unfamiliarity and his canine attributes induced slight discomfort.
 
"Manx to Cassidy. Sickbay has been alerted to the explosion in the Aeroshuttle Bay. The medical team is on standby, awaiting clearance from Engineering to proceed."
 
== GM-Input: Are any of the other areas onboard the ship reporting casualties? ==

[Pax Cassidy]

Cassidy's voice sounded over the Sickbay comm system:

[Cassidy to Manx: prepare to receive multiple casualties with severe burns. Hopefully not including myself.]

[Mika Bowman]

== Ens Katherine ‘Kat’ Manx ==
 
The only downside of being in Sickbay was that, for a significant period of time, Kat did not entirely know what was transpiring elsewhere on the ship. Unless she were to leave the medical facility itself, she could be the sole remaining individual onboard. She recognized this as an exaggeration, but it did not diminish her feeling. One positive aspect was that the Chief had not been involved in the immediate aftermath of the explosion.
 
[Cassidy to Manx: prepare to receive multiple casualties with severe burns. Hopefully not including myself.]
 
Upon hearing this last remark, Kat could not help but release a frustrated hiss. Fortunately for the Caitian, the channel was not fully open, so her frustration did not extend beyond the medical facilities. The doctor was uncertain about the equipment Cassidy had on his person, but realistically it could not be more than emergency supplies intended to stabilize a patient just long enough to reach Sickbay. Kat believed it was an unnecessary risk, as the individual responsible for providing medical aid in a crisis should not place their own life in jeopardy.
 
I would not be surprised if he believes all his mechanical components render him invincible. I am not even certain how much medical assistance I can provide to him if he sustains injuries. The biological aspects are straightforward, but for everything else, I will require an engineer. Just breathe, Kat, and do not let your frustration show. Time to adopt that good bedside manner.
 
"Acknowledged."
 
Even as she submitted her acknowledgement to the Chief Medical Officer, Kat subconsciously squeezed the bridge of her nose. She wished to express her strenuous objection, but the midst of a potential crisis was neither the time nor place. For the moment, what the brunette needed to do was prepare Sickbay to receive the injured. In light of Cassidy's warning, Kat ensured dermal regenerators and dermaline gel were ready at each station. Until examinations were conducted, the doctor would not know if something more powerful was required.
 
The nursing staff began entering the facilities, and Kat could not help but wonder where the other doctor was. Bremner should have arrived by now, which was concerning. The newer doctor was supposed to participate in the Aeroshuttle mission later, so perhaps she was there attempting to make preparations. For all Kat knew, Bremner could be one of the two individuals who remained unaccounted for. This thought was too grim for the Caitian, so she quickly stowed it away. She would address that issue if, and when, the time came.

[GM-04]

==Manx==

Aside from some bumps and scrapes easily tended to with first aid materials on-hand, no other area of the ship reported casualties.

[Mika Bowman]

== Ens Katherine 'Kat' Manx ==

As Kat continued waiting for any injured arrivals, she began to receive reports from other areas of the ship. Fortunately, it appeared that the primary danger was concentrated around the Aeroshuttle Bay. She anticipated that this would be the main challenge for her skills as a physician. While she hoped that Cassidy would not place himself in excessive danger, her concern stemmed from her lack of confidence in her ability to treat him specifically.

The waiting is becoming increasingly difficult.

Briefly, the Caitian considered the repercussions of heading to the incident area herself. Although technically abandoning her post, it could be argued that she would be moving towards the emergency to provide assistance. Nevertheless, she understood the importance of remaining in Sickbay to ensure immediate action could be taken upon the patients' arrival.

[Kal-Geal Beinn]

[Beinn to Sickbay, prepare for incoming emergency medical transport to trauma biobed. Extreme internal damage, will require artificial support and potential stasis for starbase assistance due to severity.]

[Mika Bowman]

== Ens Katherine 'Kat' Manx ==

[Beinn to Sickbay, prepare for incoming emergency medical transport to trauma biobed. Extreme internal damage, will require artificial support and potential stasis for starbase assistance due to severity.]

Kat froze as she received Beinn's urgent message. Although the wolf-like creature made her uneasy, this was not her immediate worry. Given the dire report and her medical expertise, injuries like these offered extremely slim chances of survival, even if they managed to reach a Starbase in time. Plus, there was the potential for more patients needing attention.

We may need to triage, depending on how many others they send. While I strive to provide the best care for every patient, our resources are limited; we don't have the facilities of a Vesta or Odyssey class vessel. Let's handle it as it comes.

Determined not to waste any time, Kat headed briskly to the trauma biobed. Expecting minimal downtime, she decided it was wise to send an acknowledgment. As she set up at the medical station, she also began preparing transport to the morgue holding area. Though a grim task, freeing the biobed might be necessary if saving the patient proved impossible. A containment field could preserve them until extensive treatment was available at a Starbase; however, Kat wouldn't be surprised if the morgue slot had to serve its intended purpose. She tapped her commbadge over her medical coat.

“Sickbay acknowledges. Standing by.”

Despite her discomfort with Beinn, Kat kept her tone neutral and professional. She embraced her feline heritage but didn't let it define her workplace demeanor. Still, certain traits were hard to ignore. If she'd grown up among other Caitians on Cait, she might feel more comfortable around a Child of San-Tarah. She suspected other crewmembers shared similar sentiments.


== Patient welcome. Please make sure all blood avoids staining the carpet. Unless, of course, you'd like a visit from the Friendly Neighborhood Janitor. He just got the last batch out of the carpet. ==

[Pax Cassidy]

<<<< Ancillary Locations <<<<

Cassidy shouldn’t have been walking. Every nerve in his body whined as he slumped toward Sickbay. His body had never felt so heavy. Thankfully, his cybernetic spine held him mostly upright as he shuffled along the corridor. He looked over his shoulder toward d’Tor’an as they walked. Klingons were notorious for hiding their pain. Even though she seemed to be walking fine when they’d left the aeroshuttle bay, he wouldn’t be surprised if she collapsed without warning.

The sickbay door slid open to reveal a frightening image. Cassidy’s skin was blistered and red in large splotches. Parts of his uniform had burnt away. He steadied himself against the wall, short of breath. It seemed to require a great deal of effort for him to turn his head toward Manx.

“I look bad, but d’Tor’an was in there longer than I was. She’s your priority,” he rasped. He guided himself toward a biobed, ready to help d’Tor’an if necessary.

== Tag sickbay crew ==

[Mika Bowman]

== Ens Katherine ‘Kat’ Manx ==
 
As Kat finished preparing the trauma biobed for its patient, due to be transported in, the entrance to Sickbay opened. She turned to see who would require medical attention and first noticed Cassidy. A visual inspection showed that he had not been exaggerating about being a potential burn victim. However, his injuries were not as severe as those of the Security Chief.
 
“I look bad, but d’Tor’an was in there longer than I was. She’s your priority.”
 
Even if his burns had been more serious, Kat assumed that he would likely prioritize treating others over himself. Doctors often tended to believe their injuries were less severe than they actually were. According to triage order, d’Tor’an was given priority over Cassidy. Although it might have been his Sickbay, he was still a patient and needed a passable bill of health to be effective in treating others.
 
“Nurse Zihr, please see to Doctor Cassidy, for the moment.”
 
Kat intended to be stringent with their Chief Medical Officer, and her words made it clear he was still receiving treatment. It wasn’t a matter of disrespect, but rather an understanding that running into a blaze is expected of security personnel, not medical professionals. Perhaps he believed his mechanical aspects made him suitable for that task, but that did not make him invulnerable.
 
Where is Doctor Bremner? A second pair of hands would be extremely helpful right about now. At least we’re not at the level of needing to bring the Emergency Medical Hologram online.
 
Redirecting her attention to the Klingon woman, Kat assisted her towards Biobed One. Her interaction with the Security Chief was markedly different, especially considering that it was Artemis's responsibility to undertake the 'dangerous' tasks. Manx did not consider the other woman expendable in any way, but they were also not expected to perform life-saving surgeries. Upon reaching the biobed, Kat ensured she displayed the utmost professionalism in her bedside manner.
 
“How you doing there, Lieutenant? And please, none of the Klingon bravado for the moment.”
 
Kat regretted having to include the final sentence, although she maintained a polite smile. She understood that d'Tor'an might disregard any injuries she had sustained, given the Klingons' renowned ability to endure pain. Despite the brunette's potential attempt to conceal her condition, the active medical tricorder in Kat's hand would reveal the truth.
 
== Nurse Dor’pam Zihr, Androian Thaan ==
 
Dor’pam was taken aback by the Chief's unexpected visit to Sickbay, especially given his injuries. Fresh out of nursing training, Dor’pam felt as if he was being thrown into the deep end of a very challenging pool. Doctor Manx wasn't giving him much choice either, adamant that their superior needed immediate medical attention.
 
Walking up to the towering figure of the Chief, Dor’pam couldn't shake the feeling that he was in over his head. He had expected their First Contact mission to be fairly routine. Instead, he found himself treating a burn patient who also happened to be his boss. His nerves were so rattled that even opening the tricorder, a simple task, became a struggle.
 
"If you would hold still, I will commence the scans," he said, his voice wavering slightly.
 
In his flustered state, Dor’pam momentarily forgot that his patient was Doctor Cassidy. Treating him like an ordinary patient, rather than his supervisor, dawned on him too late. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected his manner.
 
"I mean, please hold still, sir," he added, trying to sound more professional.

== Tags to d'Tor'an and Cassidy ==

== GM-Input: What do the medical scans reveal for d'Tor'an and Cassidy, especially the injuries from their trip into the blazing inferno? ==

[Peter Jensen]

When Peter made his entrance in Sickbay, had to stop and do a double-take...and force himself to calm down. He had used the short trip to try to mentally come to grips with the fact that they had just lost two crewmen.
What he had somehow not prepared for, was for Art to be hurt by teh fire too. Nowhere near life-threatening, but still bad enough to require medical attention, and he headed over towards the bed just in time to hear Manx' remark about Klingon bravado, which forced a slight smile and chuckle from Peter.

"That's going to be a tall order", he said softly, then gave Art the kind of look that said "I'm beyond relieved you're not very badly hurt" without him having to say it out loud.
And then, seeing as Cassidy was CMO and therefore the ranking officer apart from himself. Of course he realized that the man was, himself, being treated for the moment, so he made sure to step back far enough that he wouldn't get in the way of anyone needing to work.

"What in the name of all of Confucius' nosehairs happened?", he asked with frustration. "How long until we know who we just lost?".

"And I'd like as full of a report as I can have", he added finally, to both of them.

== What a mess for a First Contact-mission! Tag! ==

[Artemis d'Tor'an]

Walking was the one thing Art concentrated on fully. One foot… in front… of the other. Left… right… left… right… She chuckled as a memory from childhood popped up: her father, drilling her and her brothers, on the ‘proper’ way to march. Though she was the youngest child, that did not mean he went easy on her.


“Left! Left! Left, right, left! Kaden, keep the pace! L’upo, keep the right distance! Art! What in the name of Gre'thor do you think you’re doing?!”

“Notice he didn’t yell at Ja’rok…” L’upo grumbled under his breath.

“Ja’rok is the only one paying attention!!” Their father yelled and growled at them.

“Break time!” Sang their mother’s sweet voice. It turned instantly when she addressed her brutish Klingon husband. “To’ran, 'aqgh!” She showed him the contents of a large bowl, which from Art’s distance, smelled delicious. Again facing the children, “Wistan gagh!”

Everybody broke formation, and Tor’an laughed, taking the bowl. “Catch me, first!” He challenged, running off for the house. Erica rolled her eyes, grinning as she watched her brood engage in a new game.


They had arrived at Sickbay, and now all Art could think was that she wanted home-made gagh.

“I look bad,” Cassidy told the medical staff that greeted them, “but d’Tor’an was in there longer than I was. She’s your priority.” Art shot him a dirty look, but dutifully got up on the biobed. The feline Ensign was on her in an instant.

“How you doing there, Lieutenant? And please, none of the Klingon bravado for the moment.”

Art growled lighty at her, turning her arms to showcase the extent of the damage. By then, Peter had arrived, and smiled gently at Art after that sentence. “That's going to be a tall order.” He said, directed more towards Art than to Manx.

“It hurts.” Art told the Ensign dryly. She suppressed the urge to reach out a hand to the First Officer.

Then Jensen stepped back, out of the way of the doctors working, and gave both Chiefs a hard look. “What in the name of all of Confucius' nosehairs happened? How long until we know who we just lost?” The look Art gave him back could best be described as confusion and amusement. Where did he come up with these sayings?

“And I'd like as full of a report as I can have.” He added.

Art took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as she felt again the tightness her burned skin created across her chest. “Identification is Medical’s job.” She replied, side-eyeing Cassidy. “I’d suggest transporting the one body over… the one I got. Don’t want it to be damaged more by handling it. The other will have to wait to be retrieved once the area is safe.”

To her, the bodies were no longer considered people. Their spirit had gone, leaving behind the husk of what it had once inhabited.

“Do you want me to take off my shirt?” Art asked the Ensign who was treating her. “The uniform is starting to …irritate… the wounds.”


==Taggities!==

[GM-04]

==Manx==

The tricorder scans revealed exactly what would be expected from two people who had changed head-first into a fire without protective equipment. Second-degree burns to the face and hands which had been exposed to the full force of the flames, first degree burns to the neck and wrists where the heat had been blunted somewhat by the flame-retardant uniform. Despite both officers having held their breath, there were signs of smoke inhalation and minor thermal damage to the airways.

==All==

The surgical bed sprang to life on its own as a figure materialised. The surgical arch immediately closed over the body, providing immediate life-support, though the sensors detected neither a pulse nor significant brain activity.

The bed's internal sensors also displayed the unfortunate young man's name above the diagnostic board.

[Campbell, C.]

[Scarlett Papaver]

>> Ancillary Locations – Deck 6. Sensor Maintenance >>

It took a couple of minutes for Papaver to travel from deck six up to deck five where sickbay actually was. Thankfully the computer knew where it was when she asked in the turbolifr.

From the time of her injury when she'd initially fainted, to her coming too. Forcing herself to function and assist where she could, through to now was probably about twenty minutes or so she would later guess. But in that time, her facial injury hadn't got much worse other than her right eye had now swollen completely closed.

The caduceus on doors were the giveaway that helped her on her last few steps. As they parted, she tried to put on a brave face, but the moment she saw the number of people already there, she stopped dead. The smell alone that permeated the bay was enough despite her best efforts to remain chipper took her back to that day all those years ago.


== Tag anyone who wants to deal with a minor head injury. ==

[Peter Jensen]

Peter nodded as Art spoke. In truth, he had  meant to ask Cassidy, but apparently not made that clear. He didn't blame her, of course. He was just glad she was safe....ish.
He was about to say something else when the results came in.

Campbell.

Shit

That was always tragic. Someone that young, just starting out....cut off like that.

"Understood", he answered solemnly and made a note when the identification was made. "Inform me when the other identification is made.", he added, then took a deep breath:

"I'll get out of your hair very shortly, Doctor", he said to Cassidy, then looked at Art: "Anything more you can tell me?", he asked softly. "I would rather not have this happen again at all, of course, but...certainly not in the middle of a first contact"

== Always thinking tactically...no tears now. Only focus ==

[Artemis d'Tor'an]

A person was beamed in - no - a body was beamed in. The same body she had just carried out, the same body she had just dragged through smoke and flame. The body was identified, and Art’s posture noticeably changed. Campbell. She thought, feeling dejected. I liked him…

Usually-bright-faced Papaver arrived in Sickbay; she looked like she had been through the wringer, too. She stopped short after the doors had closed behind her, just looking at all of them. The Chief of Security followed her gaze: first to them, and then to the dead body. She could have sworn she saw the woman’s nose twitch, and then realized with a start how Sickbay must smell.

Humans already tended to complain about the smell of Klingons, in much the same way that Vulcans not-so-secretly did not enjoy the scent of Humans. Burnt skin was enough of a strong, acrid smell – a lightly-charred Klingon, alongside a completely-crisp Human, was at the very least mostly likely to make one want to gag.

Maybe that’s why Peter stepped back? Art looked to him for a fraction of a moment before shooing the thought away. They had drunk poison tea together, the man wasn’t about to make a face at her odor.

“Hey, Scarlett.” Art said, letting her voice carry. “You at least win your fight?” It was a bit of gallows humor, something both her Klingon heritage and Security-minded self was apt to do. As a nurse scurried over to help the Science Officer to a bed -away from the deceased- their First Officer turned his attention back to her.

“Anything more you can tell me?” His voice was softer now, kinder, as he had dropped the official-like tone of ‘Commander Peter Jensen, First Officer of the USS Yeager, sir!’ Again, Artie wanted to at least touch his hand, let him know that though she looked bad, she would be fine. “I would rather not have this happen again at all, of course, but… certainly not in the middle of a first contact.”

That entire sentence had multiple meanings, to Art. Of course a First Officer wouldn’t want an explosion to happen on his ship; no one wanted to have officers die under their command; and any missteps during a First Contact could easily turn into very scary situations. But also, there was a man, telling his parmaqqay that he was worried about her. Art smiled.

“Fire bad.” Art replied. She showed him the one hand that was worse than the other. “Ouch.”


==Tags! And if no one wants to play nurse to Papaver, I can have something up.==

[Scarlett Papaver]

“Hey, Scarlett.” Called out a woman's voice from across the bay. “You at least win your fight?”

The mention of her given name seemed to bring Papaver out of her memories, and back into the room. She hated her name, and had for years managed to avoid giving it out. Insisting people just called her Papaver, then one day, someone had found it out. And now people were using it willy-nilly. But short of transferring, there was little to no hope of putting that genie back in the bottle it seemed.

She turned her head so her good left eye could make out the speaker. Her limited gaze landing on d'Tor'an, who was now already interacting with Jensen. The act of focusing her good left eye across the room meant she had to screw her face up which in turn made her right eye and nose hurt more.

Owww... She internally groaned.

Instead, she just nodded to the Klingon woman, made a 'Uh-huh' sound and gave a weak smile. But as she turned back, she wasn't sure. Maybe it was her fuzzy brain, or her current lack of depth perception, but something in their interaction was... One of the nursing staff had appeared before her out of her field of view, and startled her.

“Jeaz!...Where'd you come from?” She exclaimed taking a step back, tottering a little on her feet as she did, grabbing hold of the nurses shoulder for balance and blinking wildly to focus now at such close range.


== Tag to Nursey ==

[Micah Ellis]

Long shifts were nothing new to those who had dedicated their lives to medicine and aiding the needy. Hours of boredom could stretch on, but Micah had learned early on to treasure those moments of ennui. In this line of work it rarely lasted, and when the excitement hit, it generally meant someone's life was on the line. 

But then, that is what he had signed up for a long time ago.

Coupled with the long hours, Micah had been surprised just how much minutia accompanied working on a Starship - as a junior medical officer, he was responsible for not only his charts, recordings and logs, but also ensuring that his old habits weren't seen as BAD habits, that he was meeting the standards of his new superiors and doing things the way they wanted, and most importantly to him, that he was contributing meaningfully.

Truthfully, Ellis had chafed under the oft need to alter his routine, but he had eventually reconciled that if he was to benefit from Starfleet's resources, training and opportunities, he had to let the adventure seeking 'disaster doc' thing that had defined him for so long go. He no longer could run into every crisis within a 50 light year radius, and that meant doing things the way Starfleet wanted them done. He was legit now. He signed up for this - minutia included. 

Sadly though, all of the changes had seemingly resulted in a side effect that he hadn't anticipated - or maybe it was that he wasn't as young as he once was - but since beginning his Starship rotation on the Yeager, he often arrived back at his quarters completely exhausted. It had gotten better over the last few weeks as he acclimated to ship board life and the new demands thereof, but this night, like many others before it lately - he had barely hit his rack before he was sacked out. Later, he would look back on just how well he had been sleeping before he was brazenly awoken by an alert tone. He was needed in Sickbay. Apparently a mass casualty incident had occurred. That old excitement that he both loathed...and loved returned.

Micah had bounded from his bed and rushed out into the hall, only stopping long enough to tie his long braided hair behind his head and out of his way. It wasn't until he had almost arrived at Sick Bay that he realized he had forgotten to put on his boots, though He honestly probably would have forgotten his shirt also if he hadn't been wearing it when he passed out.

Oh well. Barefoot Doc it is. Maybe things haven't changed so much after all.

Ellis entered the bay, and was immediately struck by how many trauma cases were already here. He had only been on the ship a small amount of time, and knew very few people outside of those he worked with directly, but their faces - all their faces - were familiar to him. He helped one young enlisted woman onto a cot in the overflow triage area, and then noted a very young looking midshipman's body that was lying unmoving on the surgical table. 

Micah spared a thought for him. He wished he had learned his name. He always wished he just knew their names.

Snapping his attention back to the people he COULD help, he placed a couple more people into triage as best he could - handing a medical hypo or response kit to nurses and emergency personnel as he came to them, or offering a bit of advice or a hand as it was needed. He realized the triage was running as best it could, whether he was there or not, and he turned his attention to see if he could find Chief Cassidy. He was happy to just jump in, but he was part of a machine now - he needed to be where he was needed.

It was then the dark skinned human saw his boss, and the pained look and obvious injury on the broad-shouldered man stopped Micah momentarily in his tracks. The pause was not for long though, and Ellis quickly made his way over to him.

"Hey. Chief. Heyyy." He placed a gentle hand on the bigger man's arm and he narrowed his view in an effort to meet Cassidy's gaze, "Hey there man. Let me see you." He did his best to effect a gentle, yet firm concern into his voice, not knowing if Pax might be suffering from shock, or worse an injury that wasn't so obvious.

"Chief, hey man, it's Micah." He glanced around quickly, and then took the muscular cyborg by the arm, taking on as much of his weight as the man would give him, urging him to move along with him to an examination table. Micah worried about possible TBI's and how they might interact with the man's cybernetics. Or even the possibility that something was ruptured or malfunctioning internally.

"Chief Pax, I need to take a look at you brother. All kinds of things might be going on, and the quicker I see what's happening inside that big ol' body o' yours, the better you'll be to take over this clown show?" He shot the man a warm, half jokey smile, but his grey eyes betrayed his attempt at levity with concern.  "You with me?"

==tags Pax et al (first post on Micah! Glad to be here!) =