Star Trek: Theurgy

EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

October 05, 2021, 07:36:09 PM

ANOMALOUS CARE

STARDATE 57655.21
APRIL 18, 2381
2000 HRS

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

The day, one of the most arduous in her life, was finally winding down.

So much had happened over the course of just twenty-four hours, and all around her, Kate could see in the faces of her comrades a sincere worry that yet more calamity would and could occur. She’d bore witness to this kind of weariness before, during the unending siege of AR-558, and it worried her that her friends and colleagues might suffer from degrees of psychological damage as a result of it all. In her own way, she was dealing with trauma as well, unable and unwilling to tempt sleep, even though her shift had long since ended. After all, she was all too aware of the exceedingly high potential for nightmares this evening, and that had been before the battlefield came to her Sickbay, thanks to the lingering yet faint memory of whatever hellish vision Stellan had induced in her. Thus far, she’d only seen flashes of the dream he’d made her experience; a cold wintery landscape on a hillside overlooking a familiar stream. Every time she tried to recall more, it caused an uneasiness to settle into the pit of her stomach in a very visceral way, and so she was desperately trying to focus on anything and everything else. It was why she had so stubbornly refused to head back to her quarters, because she was afraid to dig it up any further.

“Doctor Foster? Shouldn’t you be heading off?” asked Ellison, the one person who seemed to spend as much time in Sickbay as herself.

Smiling back at the other blonde with bitter sweetness, Kate offered an acknowledging nod as she walked past her on the way to check in on a very peculiar case that had been developing in the wake of all the crisis. “Yeah, I umm... I’m gonna head off in a bit, I just wanted to check in on Commander Hathev again. See how she’s coming along, y’know?” Fidgeting with her hands uneasily, Kate decided to hug her arms to her chest, the teal of her uniform undershirt clinging to the slim shape of her torso. “You umm... you should take some rest when you can too, Kitty.” Spinning back around as she continued on her way, she truly hoped that the young woman would take a break sooner rather that later, as among her staff, Kitty had proven herself one of the more steady and reliable hands. For the time though, she wouldn’t press on the issue out of obvious hypocrisy. Instead, Kate continued for one of the isolation rooms connected to the ICU, where patients with more serious issues could be kept in some semblance of privacy.

Sipping at a tall aluminum tumbler of Cardassian Red Leaf Tea, Kate stopped at the edge of the doorway to Commander Hathev’s room, peering back at the room just adjacent, wherein Commander Fisher had been put up for the evening. “Maybe later.” She whispered softly to herself, deciding that she’d rather not bother the beleaguered spy any further this night. Instead, she took a deep breath in an effort to work up some small bit of outward defenses, knowing that it would be obvious to someone like the Chief Counselor that Kate wasn’t exactly in the best frame of mind at the moment, especially as worn out as she was. Still, she hoped that maybe with a soft smile, the Vulcan might not so abruptly broach the subject of her own well-being, and that they’d instead be able to focus on how Hathev was doing in her recovery. Plus, there had been the matter of some strange irregularities that multiple bio-scans had discovered in the woman’s blood chemistry, and Kate was curious if maybe there was an explanation that she’d simply not seen in any medical records that were available.

Once the doors parted at the seam, and Kate stepped inside, she cleared her throat as way of apologizing for barging in, even though it was technically a privilege of her position as Doctor. “Umm... Commander?” Kate asked, checking to see if the woman were still unconscious as she approached the bedside. Above, Kate could see a readout of her biometrics, and felt relief that they were all within nominal parameters. Letting her tangerine-gaze trail down from the monitor, Kate glanced over the condition of her patient’s physical condition, similarly relieved to see that there were no obvious ongoing issues with healing. For the most part, tissue and dermal regeneration had been completed, in no small part thanks to Kate’s steady hand with the advanced medical tools offered by the incredible facility that was Theurgy’s Main Sickbay. Still, it would take time for the severity of wounds Hathev had sustained to fully recover, even with her Vulcan genetics effectively streamlining the overall process.

Setting her cup of tea down on a nearby table, Kate then touched at a console to raise the level of light in Hathev’s room just a smidge; her way of inducing a state of consciousness from the Commander without resorting to a hypospray, and also hopefully a little less intrusive. “Commander Hathev? It’s Ka-- erm, it’s Doctor Foster. You’re in the ICU. Can you hear me?” she asked gently, correcting her informal use of name in an attempt to seem more formal, even though she’d already developed a somewhat fondness of the woman. Something of a minor miracle really, but it wasn’t every day that someone had offered a semblance of credence to the claims Kate had made against her brother. It didn’t hurt that she’d also quite literally save Kate’s life.

“Commander Hathev?” she asked softly again, setting one of her delicate hands unto the Counselor’s bare shoulders.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #1 – October 10, 2021, 07:21:34 PM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev| Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift

Darkness did not bring peace.

She lay on the deck, bleeding out, unable to pick herself back up.  The stab wounds on her side and on her chest causing too much pain too much trauma she could not fight.  Strength ebbed from her with each labored heartbeat allowing the weight of unconsciousness to press down on her, growing heavier and heavier every moment.

Triss…who was dead…as dead as their marriage…as dead as she was about to become……their wedding…utilitarian…logical.  Their life together…orderly…logical.  The raising of…him…do not name him…in the Vulcan way…logical.  Cold.

Touch.  The sensation of physical feeling, her body being moved… manipulated.  Turned.  Blurred auditory stimulus her brain could not unscramble a cold sensation and then the burning.  Muscles firing, tensing, lungs and vocal cords working to emit some sort of sound, unintelligible and primal.  The pain burning her from the inside, her arms flailing uselessly to tear the fire out of her.  Her eyes flaring open, making contact with familiar Tangerine eyes, themselves terrified but focused, before the visage blurred out again, sending her back into the abyss.


The base among the stars…the sharing…the emotions…the union…the weightlessness…the anguish…the knowledge that he is gone…as are you…the spouse offering comfort…useless emotional comfort…that you now crave…since the incident…the meld…

Pain.  A sudden and sharp spike rising above all other physical sensations.  Movement.  Not of ones own, but acted upon her.  The first law in action.  Weight on top of her.  Physical and metaphysical alike. Too much to bear.  Too much to take.  Too much to handle alone… even for a Vulcan.

Him…a depicted intersection…for him…and for her…his therapist…her guide…

Cross

…to her emotions…

thank you.

…her passion…

Our time together

…their passion…

was brief.

A soft rumble in her ears, rhythmic, echoing.  Her heartbeat. Slowing…

But I have

Slowing…

no regrets.

Slowing…

Silence.

---

“…tor Foster…ICU…me?” 

Awareness returned slowly.

“Commander Hathev?”

She groaned as consciousness slowly returned to her.  Foster… the name was familiar… foster… foster….stell…no… female.

“Kate….”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #2 – October 19, 2021, 11:33:35 PM

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

Kate watched closely as the last wisps of unconsciousness slowly withered away from the peaceful face of the Vulcan woman laid out before her. Aside from an ever so slight fluttering of eye movement, Kate might not have detected any outward signs of activity from Hathev. She imagined that the Chief Counselor had been experiencing some kind of a dream as her consciousness wrestled dominance away from that of her unconscious self. It was incredible what manifestations your mind might unleash upon you during the waning moments of sleep; call it a veritable explosion of all your recent thoughts, worries, and considerations as firing neurons besieged you in a myriad of confusing riddles and quandaries. Biologically, it made sense, as those neurons were the most recent that your mind had created and were in effect those which you could most reliably recall upon; but knowing that didn’t change the way it felt or how you perceived it as it was happening. Therein lie the reason Kate was avoiding her own inevitable sleep, as she knew that the neurons her mind had forged over the last twenty-four hours would be the ones leading her dreams, transfiguring, and disfiguring them into the kinds of nightmares that could and would irreparably damage her.

Soon though, Kate found her attention drawn elsewhere by pools of hazel.

Genuinely overcome by a sense of appreciation for a fairer fate, Kate let a broad smile cross her face in a show of outward emotion as the Commander spoke to her, or at least she’d said her name. Given all that Hathev had been through physically, it was no small feat that she’d been brought back to a state of conscious thought in such a relatively short period of time, though it would still be a few days before she would truly be recovered in any true sense of the term. Still, it was a pleasant turn mixed among a thousand unpleasant ones, and Kate felt determined to not let it be lost to her. “Yep.” She answered simply, a slight bit of bubbly happiness immediately evident in the tone of her voice. Carefully, she squeezed her hand against the exposed deltoid of the still recovering Vulcan as a way of emphasizing the realness of everything. “It’s good to have you back.” She admitted, internally surprised by just how much those words weren’t just a form of standard flattery or affair, but rather a truthful expression of something she was feeling. For while Kate understood, and in fact felt an ounce of guilt for it, she had couldn’t deny the hope she’d so hastily placed in Hathev, and that maybe with her help, Kate might be able to finally get a grip on the substantial demons which haunted her, and her strained relationship with her brother.

“You’re... umm... in Sickbay...” She repeated in case it hadn’t yet settled in. “...and the uhh, the ship is in condition green. We made it. Umm... you made it.” She swallowed, not wanting to necessarily explain the unclarified implication that others hadn’t. Still, it seemed appropriate to ensure that the awakening woman not be overwhelmed by any kind of fear or panic, given how things had been when she’d earlier lost her consciousness.

Then again, she was a Vulcan, so she may well have awoken in a similar fashion if consoles were still exploding about them.

All the same, it seemed like the right approach to make.

“You were pretty badly hurt, but nothing that we couldn’t take care of.” Doing her best to hide the sense of pride she felt at the incredible care she and her team had performed for Hathev, Kate didn’t want to come off as arrogant to someone she was hoping to be friendly with. “How... umm, how do you feel?” she finally asked, tilting her head to the right just slightly enough that the asymmetrical locks of blonde hair slipped free from where they had been tucked behind her ear, and cascaded across her face. The lack of any immediate move to correct the sudden freeing of her hair, a habit of hers, spoke to the level of weariness and total exhaustion that the young surgeon was experiencing, as was equally evident in the dark circles gradually forming under her tangerine-eyes. Clearing her throat a few seconds later, one still lightly-stained hand reached over to touch at the controls on the bio-bed, raising it’s backrest just enough to help Hathev sit a little more upright and at an angle that would be more conducive to conversation.

“Any pain?” she added, ready to administer additional analgesics if necessary.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #3 – October 31, 2021, 12:40:21 AM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift 

The concept of “feelings” was a bit of a misnomer in most cultures.  In the traditional sense the word was used as a general descriptor of the emotions experienced by the majority of sentient species.  These emotions were, of course, the very thing Vulcans as a whole had chosen to suppress in lieu of the order and propriety brought on by Logic and therefore it was often said that Vulcans did not have feelings.

Yet the definition implied was not only inaccurate but also incomplete in that the verb ‘to feel’ was more appropriately positioned to describe the physical sensations detected and experienced by any creature with a nervous system.  Given this it was accurate to say a Vulcan did not experience emotions, but it was highly inaccurate to state that a Vulcan did not feel.

The haze around her conscious thoughts had lifted somewhat quickly and she locked onto what Kate had been communicating; her location, the status of the ship, confirmation that she was, obviously, alive and the equally obvious, though unspoken statement that others on the crew had not.  But as this awareness settled in, and she continued to become more cognizant of her situation, she felt.  Oh yes… did she feel.

Her musculature ached in her arms and her legs, the joints resisting her will to move and stretch.  There was no logical reason she should be immobilized as she could still feel her legs and toes touching one another in their natural state.  But as she evaluated herself, realization dawned that the resistance to movement was due primarily to the screaming pain that engulfed her abdominal and right pectoral muscles.  So stiff were they, that any attempt to stretch, move, or in some cases even breathe were met with sharp rebukes from within.

“I am experiencing,” she said, hissing the words as she tried to force herself to even shift slightly in place, “considerable discomfort at the moment.”  She winced.  “Attempting to move at all is proving,” she gasped for breath as pain shot across her stomach, “quite a challenge.  What, happened?”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #4 – November 13, 2021, 03:59:57 PM

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

With tangerine eyes darting back and forth in their focus, a constant balance between retreat and attack on the condition of the slowly recovering Vulcan woman laid out in the bed before her, Kate’s mind raced with myriad medical procedures she was ready to administer in an instant. It was here, caring for people like her Chief Counselor, that Kate had always managed to find her best self, where the chaos of her life was held at bay.

She could see in the labored movements of Hathev, that there was still a level of discomfort that went beyond what was considered reasonably normal, and with little forethought, as though she were programmed into this, Kate reached for a nearby hypospray that had been pre-loaded with a set dosage of asinolaythin, a pain reliever and muscle relaxant that generally worked well on patients with Vulcanoid physiology. As an addict herself, Kate knew the dangers inherent in abuse of analgesics, and as such, she often opted for those that carried far less risk of dependency development in her patients. Pressing the hypo against the exposed deltoid of the lovely woman’s exposed arm, the medication dispersed through her skin with the telltale hiss. Gently, the blonde also placed one a slender hand on Hathev’s blanketed abdomen as she began to sit up a little, hoping to alleviate any addition pain through the comfort of reassuring contact. All the while, out of the corner of her eyes she watched as the vitals registered on the viewer attached to the bio-bed spiked within acceptable parameters, which they did.

“Take it easy. You’ve umm... been through quite a lot.” She explained in a soft tone of voice.

Nearby, Kitty Ellison, a nigh constant presence in Main Sickbay these days, and one of the most reliable members of Kate’s surgical team, glanced over as if to see that things were alright. Glancing over, Kate gave something of a nod, and Kitty returned to her duty. “It’s going to take a little while for you to feel like yourself again.” Spinning on heel, she tossed the hypospray onto a nearby cart, and reached for a transparent cup with a Starfleet emblem emblazoned in black on the exterior. “Here, drink some water.” She held the cup out, know all to well that waking from a surgical procedure generally left you with a mouth so dry, it felt like you’d attempting to drink the Sahara. “You were... well, you got hit... and then, you umm... got hit again.” Not necessarily feeling comfortable enough to relay the full details of the injuries Hathev had sustained, as it had only just happened a few hours earlier, Kate decided to keep it vague. After all, while Hathev had been unconscious during much of the horror and chaos, Kate had been very much awake, and could still distinctly remember the terror she’d felt when a monstrous Gorn had attempted to push through the joining wall from Hathev’s surgical suite, into the one Kate had been working on Tessa in.

Blinking as the nightmare fuel didn’t seem to escape her active thoughts with any sense of haste, Kate froze up for a few seconds before finally being brought out of it by a sudden chime from the bio-bed sensors, displaying another detected irregularity in Hathev’s blood-chemistry. “Sorry.” She apologized, clearing her throat after, and brushing her hair back out of habit.

“We’re umm... condition green, as I said. Captain... Captain Ives was successful in convincing the umm... the High Council to continue to support the Chancellor, and umm... Gorka’s coup failed.” A lot of the information didn’t really make sense to her, given how little Kate generally paid attention to ship wide briefings that came in from the Command Line. It wasn’t that she disrespected the people in charge, but rather she felt unsure how she could really play any kind of role in the grander situation at work, aside from patching them up whenever they found themselves in need of a surgeon. That wasn’t to say she was ignorant either, she had understood the basics of the political ramifications, just she didn’t find them particularly interesting, or see how they connected to her job. So, whenever she had to explain what was happening to someone, just as she just had to Hathev, it very much sounded like a regurgitation of the facts, however chewed up and interspersed with verbal idiosyncrasies it had been.

“The umm... toll, is still coming in, but it’s... its substantial.” Knowing it was something that Hathev would likely want to know, regardless of the grimness of the reality inherent, Kate understood that it was the woman in front of her that had to deal with the future fallout of today’s losses. Whereas the Medical Department would patch people up, it was Counseling that had to guide those people to a safe harbor afterward, lest they end up in a worse state.

Reaching for a nearby PADD, Kate set the latest casualty figures down unto the bed next to Hathev’s thigh for her to peruse in her own time.

“I uhh... I mean, you’ll need to stay in sickbay for at least a night or two of observation, maybe longer.” She added, knowing it was the answer to a question that she might’ve raised next.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #5 – November 20, 2021, 11:26:41 PM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift 

Hathev let out a breath as the hypo did it’s work.  Almost immediately the edge of the pain dissipated, leaving just the dull throbs and aches of tight, injured muscles.  Even so, it was more  than enough to deal with.  She lay still, her eyes closed as she listened to Kate’s comments and felt the human’s hand gently resting on her injured abdomen.  She might have objected but she was too weak, too tired to care, and even through the blanket, she welcomed the contact.

Awareness continued to return to the Vulcan and her situational awareness grew.  She felt the pull against her skin in her belly and on her chest.  Bandages.  The situation was indeed dire if sickbay was so overrun with casualties that dermal regeneration was not readily available.

She felt the PADD against her thigh, but made no effort to access it. 

“I do not believe I am in any condition to be leaving Sickbay right now,” she agreed.

Memories flashed in her mind as she sorted her thoughts.  The attack on sickaby, Klingons, being struck, falling, her sight going dark.  Then the pain and the tangerine eyes.

“Kate,” she said after a moment.  “I do not remember much after I was stabbed by the Klingon.  But the one vivid image I have is a sense of burning pain, then your distinct eyes looking down at me.”

The Vulcan shifted slightly in her place, just enough to turn her head to look Katelyn Foster in the eyes that she remembered so clearly.

“Tell me what happened.”

She took in a ragged breath.

“Please.”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #6 – January 21, 2022, 04:00:52 AM

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

Visually, Kate could sense the easing of tension in tendons and muscles in her patient as the hypo did it’s work; not necessarily the easiest of feats when dealing with a Vulcan, but something she could deftly discern all the same thanks to years of practice. In turn, she felt her own concern wane ever so slightly, truly having adopted a modicum of additional personal care for Hathev that went beyond mere Doctor and Patient boundaries. Sure, Kate genuinely cared for all of her patients and their well-being, but it would’ve been a lie to try and claim that there were times wherein the stakes seemed a little higher, as was the case with the Chief Counseling Officer. Again, Hathev had not only been the first person in years to offer any kind of understanding in regard to her situation with Stellan, but she’d also quite literally saved her life earlier in the day, on no less than two occasions.

“No, you’re umm... you’re definitely not in any kind of wandering about shape.” She further iterated after Hathev pointed it out of her own accord. “After you were stabbed... you went down, umm, bleeding a lot. I uhh... came over and patched you up as best I could. I think the sting of the bio-foam might’ve been a bit too much, and you blanked out.”

Leaving her hand where it had been placed comfortingly at Hathev’s abdomen, Kate breathed in deeply as she tried to correctly recall all that had happened during the nightmarish scenario that befell sickbay after the Commander had fallen unconscious. “Well, like I said, I managed to get your bleeding under control, at least well enough to get you into surgery.” Pausing a moment, she looked down at her teal undershirt, it still dry-stained with differing shades of blood. “Ensign Pierce leant me a hand. She uhh... she came in at just the right time I guess.” Digressing back to the point, she cast a quick glance at the bio-monitor readout once more before continuing. “Anyway, we transported you into one of the surgical bays to better get a handle on any internal bleeding, and to start an infusion. Then umm, we had...” hesitating a moment as she tried to block the image of a dying Tessa from her mind, Kate went on. “....we had another critical patient come in, and while I was tending to her, a... a feral Gorn burst into the surgical suite.”

“Ensign Wright, he umm... he’d stayed to keep an eye on you, and he...” she trailed off, not wanting to get into the specifics of the horrifically brutal end which his life had come to. “The Gorn injured you in it’s attempt to tear through the wall into our adjoining surgical suite, but it was killed before it could hurt anyone else.”

“After that, we just got to work patching everyone up as best as we could, treating the wounded as they kept coming in.” Running a hand through her asymmetrical blonde hair, Kate exhaled in an attempt to stymy any anxiety that had manifested during her regaling of the harrowing events of just a few hours earlier. “The Klingons halted fire soon after, with the battle coming to an apparent close. I think... I think Chancellor Martok’s victory on Qo’noS had brought it all to a merciful end. I umm... a lot of the details are still coming in via ship wide reports, but we haven’t had a lot of time to read them yet.” In truth, Kate had only known the outcome of the battle by what she’d overheard from the various patients as they were coming in, as she’d barely had any time to read reports, beyond those of casualty listings and the most basic updates from the command staff.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” She abruptly admitted, wishing immediately after that she’d not let her personal emotions get the better of her in the moment, though there was not turning back now, the sentiment evident by the tone in her voice, and the mannerisms of her posture and body language.

“Umm... I mean, you’re okay, yeah?” she asked, thinking beyond the medical component of which she was the better judge.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #7 – February 02, 2022, 04:26:07 AM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift‍ 

Hathev made no effort to react, sit up, or even move.  She lay quietly, listening as Kate shared the events she had missed.

“A Gorn,” she asked.  As she took in air, she felt the pull on her stomach, and carefully lifted her bedsheets, revealing the dressed wounds that raked across her belly.  “I suppose that explains these injuries?”

She let the covers drop. 

“I am sorry to hear about Ensign Wright.  I did not know him personally, but from what I knew of his reputation, he was a good man and a fine officer.”

Even in her current state, Hathev sensed Kate’s unease and insecurity.  To a certain extent that was her nature.  But in this moment she seemed even more so.

“From what you’ve told me, Kate, it is clear you performed extraordinarily well under stress and you have my gratitude.”

She paused, hissing in a breath as a momentary pain coursed across her abdomen, and then fell silent as she considered Kates inquiry as to whether or not she was ‘okay’.

“I suppose whether or not I am ‘okay’ would depend on one’s perspective.  My physical ailments notwithstanding,” she paused, “I do not believe I am as sharp mentally as I am normally, which is to be expected.  I am also dealing with some ongoing personal issues.” 

She let that lay there, hoping Kate would not inquire as it was an inappropriate time or place to discuss her emotional issues.  Yes, despite what Cross had said last night, she had to deal with it.  She might never be able to fully suppress them again and if that was the case, she would need to learn to adapt.

“I can not honestly say that I am okay, Kate.  However, I do firmly believe that, given time, I will be ‘okay’, due in no small part to your skills and expertise.  For that, you have my gratitude.”

Hathev winced again, but tried to suppress it. 

“What of you, Kate?  How are you holding up?”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #8 – February 19, 2022, 05:35:00 AM

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

“Yeah... a, umm... Gorn.” She said hesitantly, not wanting to think of the creature that had so ferociously attempted to kill both her, and Hathev just a short while earlier. The memory of it not yet having faded from the periphery of her consciousness, and she imagined it might take some time to truly not have nightmares of the horrific occurrence.

The passing of Wright was tragic, as any passing of a comrade was, but his life had been lost in the defense of those who could not necessarily defend themselves, quite literally in regard to the unconscious Commander Hathev. Still, a heroic death didn’t feel at all conciliatory to the life lost; his memories and experiences no longer a part of this existence, and a host of friends and family left without him to enrich their lives. There were likely many other similar tales of woe to be relayed and shared among the crew, and yet even more still to come over the following weeks and months of this struggle to stave off the end of everything and everyone. In the back of her mind, Kate made mental note to try and remember to write of the man’s sacrifice, maybe even send some word to any family which might’ve missed him now that he was gone. It was the least bit she could do, though she wasn’t sure if she had the requisite prose to do the man’s memory justice.

“Yeah... I umm, didn’t really know him.” She admitted.

The praise shown her, Kate felt a little more discomfort in the moment, never having been one to necessarily bask in the light of introspection from superior officers, and or counselors. Especially, when as far as she was concerned, her efforts had hardly been anything beyond what was expected of her, given her role aboard the ship. Spinning away on heel for an instant, she went to update a file regarding the Commander’s treatment, her mind wavering as she began to question the veracity of the praise afforded. After all, she had frozen up when Tessa came in, the sight of her friend very literally at the verge of death having caused such an override in her mind, that she hadn’t been able to move in the moment. Only when Lauren had called out to Kate, bringing her back from the edge of fright and despair she’d been mired in, had Kate finally snapped back into action and worked to save her friend.

It was an understandable reaction to have, given all that had happened, and all which Kate had been through, but she wasn’t willing to give herself any discount on the matter.

The mention of ‘personal issues’ raised some curious introspection from Kate, who hadn’t expected a Vulcan to be troubled by anything of the sort, nor one who seemed as collected as Hathev so appeared. She considered pressing on the issue, but decided against it, unsure as to whether or not her purview as Doctor warranted it, lest she be told off by someone who would have had a far better idea of what was and wasn’t okay. Besides, physical care was Kate’s domain, the mental and emotional elements belonged to the Vulcan woman laid up before her in bed. Maybe in due time, if they got to know each other a little better on a level that went beyond professional concerns, but as it was, it just felt... wrong, to poke and prod where she probably had no place poking and prodding.

“It’s... it’s no big deal, but you’re welcome.” She snapped back to, barely having noticed the compliment paid her, though it did feel better than the first bit of positive feedback had. “Oh... I umm...” hastily, she tried to find something with which she could obfuscate the sudden reversal of attention, her mind positively awash with the sort of thoughts that all but demanded counseling, but as tired as she was; as weary as she was, she couldn’t get into it. Not now at least. “I’m fine. Really.” Realizing how hastily she answered, the implicit meaning hidden behind, she searched her thoughts, and found a scapegoat. “Actually, I wanted to ask about you... do you, have any medical history that’s not contained within your files? Like... I don’t know, something that was kept off record?” The seriousness of the deviation in Hathev’s blood chemistry not yet entirely understood by her, or anyone just yet, it wasn’t necessarily a pressing matter.

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #9 – March 04, 2022, 03:15:57 AM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev| Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift‍

Hathev sensed the turn of emotion running through Kate and while most of her telepathic and empathic abilities were touch based as was the case for all Vulcans, and while her professional training also would have given her ability to read the signs, it took none of that to sense Kate’s emotional state.  There was much to be had with her.  Moreso than usual for her and Hathev suspected most of the Theurgy crew were dealing with a far wider emotional array than usual.  She might need to pull a meeting together of the counseling department staff in the next few days, if for no other reason than to prepare them for the onslaught of appointments they were likely to receive.

But it was Kate’s follow up questions that drew Hathev’s immediate attention and concern.  Did she have any medical history that had been kept off the record?  The concept almost offended her.  Yes, Vulcans were a private people and no, as a rule, they did not welcome the sharing of their respective medical histories, but to willfully withhold pertinent information was highly illogical.

Still, if she were to regard herself as a professional, she owed Kate the same courtesy and respect.  It was logical to assume that as a professional, Kate would not ask the question unless a reason existed that would warrant such an interrogatory.

“It would be illogical for me to withhold penitent medical information from my official file.”

It then occurred to her the reason why Kate would be asking.

“Are you implying there is something amiss, Kate?”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #10 – March 05, 2022, 05:06:50 PM

[ Lt. JG Kate Foster | Intensive Care Unit | Main Sickbay | Deck 11 | Vector 02 | USS Theurgy ] Attn: @P.C. Haring

It was true, that Kate was a tangled-up mess of emotions, especially right now at the end of an exceedingly long day, rife with deeply troubling events that had happened all around her. To and extent, the transparent veil she wore upon her face which was so easily pierced by any wayward glance was barely holding up, about to break and give way to a torrent of fitful tears and sobbing, yet she mustered on. Stoic in her resolve not to break a second time; not when so many were dependent on her for steadfast and dutiful care. She could, and very likely would allow herself to crumble to pieces later, when in the sanctity of her quarters, picking up the very literal pieces broken glass strewn about during a moment of anger from the night prior. But for now, she simply took deep, though tenuous, breaths in an attempt to hold back the storm surge of emotion. In a very real way, she suddenly found herself envious of the Vulcan laid out before her, emotions so easily held in check.

“No, I didn’t mean to imply... umm, that you were hiding anything.” She hastily stammered an explanation, not wanting it to seem as though she were accusing Hathev of deliberately withholding important Medical information. Just as quickly though, she noticed how the expression on the Chief Counselor shift, a subtle shift, but detectable, nonetheless. “It’s...” hesitating a moment as she debated whether or not the anomaly detected was worth mentioning, Kate certainly didn’t want to alarm Hathev unnecessarily, and suddenly she had very real doubts as to veracity of the bloodwork that had been run by the computer. Maybe Thea’s systems had been overloaded by all the action? Or maybe all of the damage wrought through Main Sickbay had left their scanners working at a deficient rate. “...no, it’s umm, I mean... no, there’s nothing wrong. Probably just an issue with instrumentation.”

Turning back for a moment, Kate was about to step away, when instead she turned round once more, reaching out for the PADD settled at the side of the Vulcan’s blanketed thigh. “I’m probably just... overthinking something.” She affixed her gaze on the screen of the handheld computer, doing her best impersonation of a poker face as she accessed a local library of files and moved some things about, downloading one in particular that had randomly come to mind. In her estimation, it would maybe be a source of distraction for the woman who was about to be confined to a bio-bed for the foreseeable future. Besides, every woman needed a chance to dream and imagine something better than whatever the hell reality they were mired within, and this seemed like just the perfect sort of literature to inspire exactly that. After all, it had been a source of plenty of such dreams for her when she’d given it a read through, or twelve.

“I’ll umm... check the computer and re-run an analysis in the morning. I’m sure the engineers will have things back up and in order by then. In the meantime, you should probably get some rest.” Settling the PADD down once more, she afforded Hathev a genuinely reassuring smile. Taking a step away, she intended to leave Hathev to do just that, though she lingered for a faint moment as if to ensure that there wouldn’t be any objections on the matter.

“Seriously, you’re fine. You’re better than fine, really... given what you’ve been through. But... you really should rest.”

Re: EPI: S [D03|2000] Anomalous Care

Reply #11 – March 06, 2022, 05:39:10 AM

[ Lt. Cmdr. Hathev| Main Sickbay | Deck 11 |Vector 02 | USS Theurgy] Attn: @Swift‍ 

Kate’s demeanor was growing more erratic as the conversation continued.  Of course, Kate Foster almost always appeared erratic in general, her baseline tending to a higher state of erratic behavior than her peers.  But in this case, Kate’s behavior was certainly above her own personal baseline, eliciting concern from the Vulcan.

Yet just as quickly, Hathev found a logical flow that explained things.  For some reason, Kate must have thought she’d detected something odd in Hathev’s scans, thus the question about any withheld medical information.  Hathev’s truthful denial of withheld records had caused further confusion for Kate who had written the oddity off as an error in the scan likely caused by damaged sickbay systems.  Given what she’d heard about what happened down here, yes, that seemed logical indeed.

“Given the situation, I am not concerned.  I would be unsurprised to learn that many ship systems are providing errant data.”

Hathev shifted carefully in her position, turning away as Kate finished making notes in the Sickbay computer.  By the time Hathev had found a comfortable position, Kate was already on her way out but paused and turned back.

“Seriously, you’re fine. You’re better than fine, really... given what you’ve been through. But... you really should rest.”

Hathev regarded Kate one more time before she left.  “I know, Kate.  I trust in your expertise and your skill.  I am in your good hands and I am grateful for everything you have done for me.”

She paused.

“Thank you.”

Hathev reached for the PADD by her hip and tucked it under her leg to make sure it wouldn’t fall.  She let her head rest on the pillow and closed her eyes to meditate.  There was much work to be done.  But first, she had to heal.

-Fin-