In the Nick of Time

Posted on Tue Sep 22nd, 2020 @ 3:25pm by Commodore Mardel Shayron-Connor

1,095 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Closing the Rift
Location: sickbay
Timeline: just as the Aldrin is docking to DS9

Mardel made it to sickbay and saw Joy and Kara there. Joy was unconscious and bleeding. No one else was around as they were all out looking for those injured during the crossing. She ducked into a room and changed her uniform real fast and then came out.

“Kara, get Joy on the biobed.” She ordered, on her own as she started out as a doctor before going into command. Then she noticed Kara was also bleeding. “Never mind, you get yourself on a biobed. I’ll take care of Joy.” She walked over and lifted Joy to the nearest biobed and started the scan on her.

“Well at least someone is here.” Kara gave her a confusing look, she could pick Joy up just fine. “Why? I’m fine, I’m worried about Joy.”

Joy was unconscious from the suit depressurizing and bleeding from a fresh amputation of her right leg. The leg was gone from just below the knee, for the most part it was cauterized when the shrapnel passed through the suit, but small bleeds from other parts of the leg where pieces had penetrated her suit.

Mardel quickly got the suit off of Joy and went to work stopping all the bleeds from the various punctures from the shrapnel. She then set up a blood transfer to Joy to help stabilize the thready pulse and weakened blood pressure. “Kara, what happened?” She asked as she worked on her crewman, trying to save the woman’s life.

Obviously Kara didn’t notice she was bleeding, which technically shouldn’t be possible...usually. That can be gone about later. Gasping when she actually saw what all did happen to Joy. “I..I tried to shield her.” Stepping back and shaking her head a few times. Wiping her eyes after a moment and stepping back up. “I can cauterize that. As for what happened, the core was going. No idea unless it was a feedback in the power. A conduit exploded and got her before we could get out. So I just grabbed her and slammed out, then the core exploded about on top of us.”

Nodding, Mardel let her nimble fingers finish the last of the bandages on the smaller bleeds. “The amputation is already cauterized, it appears to have happened when the event happened. However, Joy is in shock as well as having several broken ribs from the suit depressurizing so quickly. When I get the injuries treated, if she doesn’t show signs of coming to, then I will put her in cryo and have her sent to Starfleet Medical. They have techniques we just don’t have on the ships. Joy is too good an officer to let die.” She said fiercely, more for herself than for Kara. If will alone could cure, then Joy would be dancing ballet in the next five minutes.

Then she turned to Kara, when the immediate danger was passed for Joy. “Now, Kara, how about you?” She ran the scanner over Kara and nodded. “Your physical issues are healing nicely and quickly because of your genetic makeup. However, I am concerned with your mental health. You cannot take the blame for what happened to Joy. It was an equipment malfunction, we all knew the runabout was ify and Joy wanted to go. You did the best you could for her. I need you to know that.”

Kara still looked a little confused and leaned to look at the scan, “Huh..that shouldn’t have happened, I don’t think. It’ll heal slower then probably.” Giving a bit of a sigh, “I am aware, but I do have emotions also. It isn’t my fault, but I was supposed to protect her. That’s duty, not mental instability.”

Mardel rested her hand on Kara’s shoulder. “You did protect her, Kara. You got her out of the exploding shuttle when she couldn’t. You also got her safely to the ship. You did that. You did protect her. Yes, she was hurt, but it isn’t like she’s dead, she just needs special help to fully recover. I am proud to call you a member of my crew, Kara.”

A slight movement from the biobed brought Mardel’s attention back to Joy. The thigh of the amputated leg was twitching, like it was feeling the pain of the injury. “Joy, can you hear me? Tsuruchi, report.” She said, doing her best to try to get through to Joy.

“What can I do? I don’t want to just sit around.” Which Kara did sit up and swing her legs over the side of the biobed. Reaching if she could, also a tricorder to scan herself while she waited for an answer.

Mardel watched Joy for another minute and then looked at Kara. “We are docking now at DS9, I can feel the ship in the tractor beam. You can either help find the injured here and bring them either to sickbay here or over to DS9’s sickbay. Or you can take a few days off on DS9 and do what you need to, to get over the self blame of an accident you are not responsible for.” She said simply and without judgement.

Kara shook her head, she already said she personally didn’t take blame the way Mardel was assuming. “I’ll get them here, and the critical to DS9.” Which shouldn't take too long if she ‘cheated.’ If Mardel was okay with that.

Seeing the determination in Kara’s eyes, Mardel nodded and stepped away from her, motioning to the door. Then she turned back to Joy and watched as the blood pressure stabilized and the pulse returned to normal. The breathing was coming normal now, but deep and slow, like Joy was asleep. She sighed and then started to help those coming into sickbay on their own and with security details. Part of her kept attuned to Joy for any sign that she was starting to gain consciousness.

Then if that was the case, there was going to be a lot of blurring in and out of both sickbays and people plopped in appropriate spots.

Joy dreamt she was floating among the stars, flying in and out of nebulas. She smiled feeling free. She smiled as she dove into a black hole, giggling at the crushing forces, as it felt like a light tickle. She soared deeper in space past their known quadrants and deeper yet. Waving as she flew past species she knew and some she didn’t.

 

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