Medical & Mental Care

Posted on 24 Jul 2019 @ 8:50am by Lieutenant Commander Alexanderia Cahill & Lieutenant Lamia ‘Mia’ Kildare
Edited on on 24 Jul 2019 @ 9:01am

2,620 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 01: Family Of Slaves (incidentals)
Location: USS Tomcat sickbay
Timeline: Mission 1 S3 -Day 14.2a

[ON]

With the successful rescue of captives now safely on the USS Tomcat, medical teams rush those who cannot walk to sickbay while the rest walked, there were four non-humanoids in the mix, the emergency medical team would need both doctors and the Counsellor in the room so the call was put in for it.

With the Captain’s permission, Lamia had made her way down to Sickbay to see if she could help. If there were those among the rescued that couldn’t be communicated with then her abilities could prove useful. Walking through the doors she remained out of the way allowing the medical staff to do their jobs unhindered.

Dr Cahill went to the cargo bay after they returned. She stood back in a command role, there if needed, but wanted to see how her crew would do.

She used her time to see if her staff could do everything they needed too. Something she had to review every so often.

Dr Cahill noticed a young human female that looked extremely scared at what was taken by on. She walked over to her and spoke softly. “I am Dr Cahill and am the CMO on the Tomcat. Do not be afraid you are safe now. We are here to help. What is your name?”

She replied, “I am Starla Jameson. I was travelling with my parents who are Starfleet Officers. They were both killed while protecting me. I was to be sold as a sex slave. Can you help me? I don’t trust anyone else but you.”

Dr Cahill hugs her in her arms, “I will treat you as if you were my child sweetie.”

Lamia could see that Doctor Cahill was going to be needed, with Lamia herself not being part of the medical staff she would be available to help out. She walked over to Cahill and the young woman she was holding. “Excuse me, Doctor, it looks to me like you’ll be needed, can I help to look after…Starla, wasn’t it?” Lamia could see and feel that Starla was afraid.

As Lamia approached Starla hid behind her. Dr Cahill smiled, “this is a friend of mine Starla, she wants to be your friend too.” Starla continued to hide from her.

Starla looks at Cahill, “can I stay with you, Doctor? I will not get in your way. I am extremely scared. They planned to sell me as a sex slave. I get to feel I can trust you.”

“Ok sweetie, with one condition. You got to get something to eat out of the replicator there and we will get to work.”

Starla got a typical teenage lunch of hotdogs and nachos. She sat down close by but where she was not in the way.

Luna noticed a young girl. She liked young of all types, and she was feeling lonely and bored, and intuition whispered to her that perhaps this girl needed a friend. She went over to her cautiously, trying to keep small and non-threatening with her ears relaxed and off to the side a bit. She gave a slight yip as she approached to not startle the adolescent. Keeping her head and gaze down, she wined and cooed a little, her tail wagging in a friendly manner. She approached cautiously pausing just out of reach in case the human lashed out at her or shooed her away.

The little girl silently called Luuna over and made a fuss of her when the dog did.

All casualties had atmospheric effects, malnutrition and breathing issues where the atmosphere was below normal, but all would be good once they were free and got some rest.

Doctor Aldana made hir way through the cargo bay led only slightly by one of her quadruped roommates. S/he found that through all the commotion and chaotic randomness of the cargo bay that a nose was better than a set of eyes for finding those s/he in specific was qualified to treat. They came across a furry quadruped about Luuna’s size and crying.

Aldana crouched down and reached out cautiously clicking softly and talking in a soothing voice out loud to try and calm the beast. To the animal s/he added, ~can you hear me a friend?~

~This one hurts, won’t move, stuck. This one. Stings. Burning. Flowing. This one maw work not.~

Sombra tried to approach cautiously, he was crouched and whimpering softly trying to seem small, non-threatening and sound puppy-like.

~Safe now, friend. Peace. We’re here to help. May I help?~

~K.~

~Pick this one up. Okay? Place on the table. Look-see. Help, this one.~

~This one, yes, this one helps this one. Help need help, this one help?~

Doctor Aldana reached out to the animal and stroked it gently. S/he discovered a restraint device imbedded into its neck, perhaps that’s what “stuck” meant. It was also not hard to discern some sort of mandible restraint to prevent biting, so at least that wasn’t a threat, but it was too tight and all wrong.

~Alpha, I am here, feel my courage.~ Sombra brushed up against hir, and s/he was able to compose hirself before the damn broke. S/he gently brought the animal to hir, pressing its side to hir chest, supporting its chest and rump. Using a safety lift, s/he placed the furry animal on the table to initiate a precursory exam.

Starting at the head and working hir way back, Doctor Aldana first discovered the muzzle was too tight and the animal had managed to dislocate its jaw in trying to open its mouth even just enough to take in the smallest bits of food, or even water.

Aldana tried to put hir feelings into check and went to work on the creature, starting with some basic vitals, then administering some pain killer. The dislocated jaw was life-threatening so it would be first to get hir attention.

Amiri got right to work. Getting the animal to a nearby biobed, Aldana took readings on an accurate mass, respiration, and heart rate among other important vitals. Next s/he anaesthetized the mammal to keep the animal still for surgery, and to help manage its pain. With the animal in a more manageable state, s/he called for assistance. “I could use a surgical assistant.”

Lieutenant Arderne sided up to the AMO. “I can try and help!” Lamia rolled up her sleeves as she approached Aldana. “I’m no vet but just tell me what you need me to do.”

“We need to get this muzzle off, but unfortunately the straps have started to get into the skin. Are you squeamish lieutenant? I need you to hold the buckle while I cut it free, then when I say so you can unbuckle it, and you’ll need to start peeling it away as I use a laser scalpel to cut the strap-free. There will be some blood, there are gauze pads over there, try and keep the area clear so I can see.”

Lamia nodded. “I’m not squeamish but I’m no vet either. I’ll do what I can be provided you stop me if I start doing more harm than good.”

The animal was asleep, so there was no risk of it biting, just yet. In its limp state, however, it was struggling to breathe, so they had to work fast. “We’ll stitch it later, just apply a bandage quickly, doesn’t have to be neat, use surgical tape if you need too. Then I’ll need better light so I can see.

Lamia nodded and did as she was instructed. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t nice but it had to be done.

After that s/he set about attempting to insert a tracheal tube so it could breathe under anaesthesia.

As Dr Cahill moved around taking care of patients Starla followed behind her. She seemed to have become attached to Dr Cahill. She recognized it was nothing more than being through a traumatic event and having Stockholm Syndrome along with survivors’ guilt. She just had to be there for Starla and help her with her ways.

“Tell me, Starla, what were your parents like?”

She smiled, “They were very special people and enjoyed living life. They were Starfleet Officers. Mom was a scientist, and dad was an engineer. Grandpa was a Captain when he died. He commanded a Starbase in the Bravo Quadrant. he died when the Borg attacked it.”

Lamia watched as Starla followed Cahill wherever she went, she couldn’t force the poor girl to want her help, so she was happy for Starla to talk with Cahill. She could only imagine what she and the other captives had been through.

“I am sorry to hear your Grandfather died in the Borg attack. A lot of good officers and innocent people died in that war. did your mom or dad have any siblings? If they did, they may be able to take care of you.”

Lamia smiled politely as she walked over to Cahill and Starla. She looked at Starla. “Forgive me for asking this, but is there anything you can tell us about your captors that could help us? The slightest detail you can think of might help us to help others like you.”

Starla looked confused at Dr Cahill. “It is ok Lamia, is my friend and wants to help you as I do. You can trust her.”

“When I am not here or on a mission, she will help take care of you. You can trust her Starla.”

Iria walked into the Cargo bay, she had only heard the most recent comment that Lamia would look after them when Cahill was busy, that made her frown softly, as she walked closer. In time to hear the teenager’s reply.

“They were big and mean to me. Said they were going to sell as a slave to someone as a sex slave. I had no chance against them.”

“If I can help?” Iria said very softly, as regarded the teenager that appeared to have latched onto Cahill, she had no idea what the girl had been through and she had a feeling by the end of the day from hearing the girls’ responses it was going to be a very trying day indeed. Iria also had the hard part of gaining the girl’s trust since Cahill as CMO and Lamia as Chief of Operations would need their time freed up.

Tamara walked in a few moments later. She headed for one of the cages and peered incautiously.

There was a very large raccoon-like mammal huddled in the back. Even though it looked like a raccoon it was about the size of a dog and had a pouch. It was some form of omnivorous female marsupial. She had an Elizabethan collar (the lampshade collar) around her neck and the tag on the cage indicated she had recently been treated by Doctor Aldana.

Tamara saw the marker that the patient had been treated by Aldana and then moved on to check another cage carefully to see if there was anything she could do.

As Tamara moved off the creature, which was different than the one Aldana was presently working on ventured forward of the cage. It was curious about the being who didn’t try and force her out of the cage when she wanted to be alone… or to… touch her. She made a pitiful noise for attention.

Tamara paused and looked at the cage she was walking away from. The face of the creature reminded her of a fox, but it had lots of fluffy looking fur – almost like a chinchilla – she wasn’t great around animals on most days let alone ones she knew nothing about. The sound it made though wasn’t threatening, she hesitated then slowly opened the doorway of the cage offering her knuckles to the critter first. She figured if it bit, she wouldn’t get too hurt.

The animal cringed at first, but after a moment its little nose twitched scenting the air. It ventured its nose forward, its large ears twitching about instinctively, listening. One of the ears had a few sutures in the shape of a large raged ‘U’ reminiscent of something like a bite – luckily there had still been enough attached and enough blood supply to save it – but the stitches itched slightly. Sensing the proffered appendage was of no threat or concern the marsupial licked it gingerly, giving a light ‘PII…’

Cahill smiled at Starla, “Iria is someone you can talk to as well. She is the ship’s counsellor. She can help with your fears and also help you help us out.”

Starla looked at Lamia, “I will try to do it. It is hard to trust people now.” She looked at Iria smiled and waved.

Iria smiling reassuringly as she returned the girl’s wave, “We are here to help you and the others,” she noticed that the girl had some food but none of the others had tried to get any for themselves. “Like Doctor Cahill said my name is Iria, trusting folks is easier when you know their names.” Small steps at a time.

Near-by in another cage, a medium, brown, fox-like creature with a cream tuft around her neck made a great ruckus. It was pawing at the cage, whining, and crying, and generally carrying on. It had no immediate signs of injury, but it wouldn’t hold still, and if it kept on carrying on like this it might soon need medical attention. It had a bowl of water which had been fastened to the cage door by a holder, but the little vixen had managed to dislodge it and currently, all the water was coating the floor of the cage, some was even leaking out. Her cushion was getting all wet.

Lamia smiled warmly as she noticed Starla look in her direction. Noticing one of the medical assistants struggling with one of the computer terminals Lamia walked over to see if she could help.

“Stupid thing has been on the fritz all morning!” The nurse looked at Lamia. “It’s been temperamental for a while, never got around to reporting it!”

“You go help the doctors I’ll sort it.” Lamia smiled as she tapped the terminal controls before sitting on the floor to pull the lower workings apart. It wouldn’t take long to fix and at least she was still helping out.

Starla smiled, “friends are nice,” she looks at Lamia and walks over to her to as Iria follows. “I am sorry I backed away from you, I was scared, and Dr Cahill made me feel safe and she is so friendly. I hope we can be friends?”

Lamia smiled and nodded. “Of course! Just give me a second…” She tapped the console she was helping to fix and smiled as it came back to life. “There, one console up and running.” She grinned. “Can you…tell us anything that we might be able to use against your captors?”

Iria nodded, the girl was opening up to them, it was a promising start. “Do you want to sit down and talk?” she asked softly, towards the teenager.

[OFF]

Lt. Cmdr Alexanderia Cahill
Chief Medical Officer/2XO

Lieutenant Jg Iria Walon
Chief Counsellor

Lieutenant Jg Amiri Aldana MD, DVM
Assistant Chief Medical Officer/Counsellor

Lieutenant Jg Lamia 'Mia' Aderne
Chief Operations Officer

CWO Sombra C.G.CA/U, PSA,C.ESA [P: Aldana]
Counsellors aide/Morale Officer

CWO Luuna (Luna) C.G.CA/U [P: Aldana]
Security Officer

 

RSS Feed