Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Research & Development) in Dogs are People Too!

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Alexis Kane (Assistant Chief Medical Officer) in Dogs are People Too!

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Dr. Solomon Kane (Research & Development) in Dogs are People Too!
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Alexis looked from Solomon to the security team and back. She opened her mouth to say…something, but he stopped her. No, he was right. This was procedure. He’d be confined to quarters until it was determined what had happened. But her dad? What happened to her dad? She looked from the door to Frigga to Kane. She had to stay, there weren’t…but her dad. She nodded, “Okay.” Then he was gone. “Xavier! Bring me a PaDD.” She turned back to the biobed programming in several vitals and thresholds. She then connected those to the PaDD so she would be alerted as well. “You stay here with her until I come back. You or Jana. Get Dr. Bryson to come too.” Dr Bryson was the PT that Frigga always worked with. She would recognize her when she woke up. “Dr. Bonner?” Jana asked, “Why did security take Cmdr Kane?” Alexis didn’t gossip, but she glanced at Frigga. “He stopped and restrained the woman who attacked Frigga.” Xavier muttered a fierce, “Good for him.” Alexis ran a hand over Frigga several times and much to everyone’s surprise bent over and kissed the top of the dog’s head.

She moved back to the main bed and began to gather the different equipment and separate it between the veterinary kit and the surgical kit. “Jt’nal, I need these sterilized and then stored. Locker 19 is big enough to hold the surgical frame. Put it all in there and mark it veterinary supplies.”

Alexis

A short while later, the doors to the Secondary Medical Suite opened and the brand new captain walked in with Commander Bonner at her side. For a moment Dira just paused, but then she carried on, her strides carrying her more quickly to where the canine lay on a bed in recovery. Dira was calm and collected on duty most of the time on duty, unless it was a moment that allowed for a more relaxed response. But this Dira right now openly showed emotion that was unusual. Tears pooled in her dark eyes as she came to stand beside Frigga. “How is she?” she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Captain Myqian, CO

Anthony glanced about for Alexis and Janna informed him that Dr. Bonner had gone into the scrub room and showers. He nodded and made his way over to Frigga. He ran a hand over her ears quietly.

Frigga was bandaged about her torso, her fur on her chest and side had been shaved off. There was a spot on her neck shaved as well as her lower front leg. That had a bandage and old fashioned IV tubing attached to a bag of whole blood. There was an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, and her upper front leg was propped with a foam support block. The bruises on her chest were fading and an osteo-regenerator was mounted over her ribs and hummed softly as it worked.

Xavier stood when she came over. “Still sedated, Captain. She appears…stable. Dr Bonner set very strict vital thresholds for her, but I’ve never worked on a canine before. So I’m not really sure.”

Frigga

Myqian nodded and moved over, grabbing a stool. She settled in at Frigga’s side and looked at all the medical equipment and then up at the biobed readings, her medical degree at least giving her an idea of what she was looking for, though she hadn’t worked on animals either. Dira looked across the biobed and up at Anthony and gave him a wane smile. “I’m going to try something,” she said, moving her hand towards Frigga’s head, but resting it on the biobed for the moment. She didn’t want interrupt him giving her some much needed affection as well.

Anthony kept petting Frigga, mostly concentrating on her ears and gave her a look, “Umm no disrespect Captain, I know you have a psychiatry degree, but shouldn’t you ask Alexis before you ‘try something?’ I mean that would be SOP for any doctor before working on someone else’s patient.” Alexis may not appear to be to anyone else, but Anthony knew this was traumatizing for her. He also knew that Alexis didn’t tolerate interference with her patients. Pit together was no a pleasant prospect.

Dira looked at Anthony. “I’m just being Frigga’s friend. She knows me.”

When it made sense too, Dira reached out and rested her small hand on the top of Frigga’s head, her arm braced on the biobed. The telepath closed her eyes and dropped some of her mental shields. She let her mind become attuned to Frigga’s energy, much the way she had subconsciously when the dog had been protecting her from William. She let her mind and body feel a clear sense of calm, affection and safety and she projected that to Frigga. “We have you,” she whispered. “She can’t hurt you ever again.” For Dira this was more than just a captain looking out for her crew. Frigga was her friend and when she was trying to escape and save her life, Frigga made sure Dira had had a fighting chance. Most of the time she wouldn’t let herself ponder the number of variables that had had to go in her favour for her to have come out relatively okay, but right now, with Frigga in such rough shape, her gratitude for the creature was immense.

Captain Myqian, CO

Alexis came bolting into the main bay. Totally unconcerned that she was still pulling a clean shirt on. She glanced at the biobed readings and paused only long enough at the replicator and rushed over, pushing Anthony out of the way. “Xavier did you change her oxygen ratios? Or give her anything?” She snapped out, accidently knocking Myqian’s hand away as she removed the old mask and slipped the new one over Frigga’s nose.

“No Dr Bonner. You said to call you first.”

“Get me a clean hose to a separate oxygen line. Check this one and the mask and filters for contaminents.” She took the knew connection and clipped it to the new mask. She reached into the storage and picked up the veterinary tricorder and began a detailed scan.”

Anthony watched and finally, “Alexis, what’s wrong?”

“She’s waking up. She shouldn’t wake up for at least two more hours after the anesthesia has dissipated in her system. Anesthesia has a harsh neurological effect on canines. If she regains consciousness before it dissipates it can profound neurological consequences for her. I have to figure out what’s causing it.”

Alexis

Horrified, Dira drew in a sharp breath. She’d never experienced this with Humanoids before, but of course Frigga was different. “It was me. I was just trying to comfort her, let her know she was safe,” Dira said. “I can tell her to sleep?” Presumably if it worked in one direction, it could work in the other, but she didn’t know that for sure. But she certainly didn’t want to leave Frigga in a state where there would be harm.

Captain Myqian, CO

Alexis looked at Myqian hard for a moment her brow furrowed. Her first instinct was to ignore the woman ranting about it being her fault. That wasn’t really a good idea though, that was the captain and she knew Myqian really adored Frigga, so Alexis tried to reassure her, even as she went back to her scans. “It is not your fault, Cpt. You were just petting her. You went through the aseptic entry anything still on you hasn’t had time to seep through her skin. There is still too much sedation in her system for touch to wake her. It is not your fault Cpt.”

Alexis reached for a blood draw hypo even as Frigga’s brain waves returned to a state indicative of sleep.

Alexis

Dira shook her head. “Patients respond to what is happening around them when they are unconscious. We see this all the time and there is a multitude of research. Extremely perceptive beings often benefit from an empath or telepath communicating comforting feelings to them, even if they can’t respond and won’t even be aware of it having happened later when they are conscious. But it can help when they do wake up and it can make that process less stressful. So that’s what I was doing for Frigga, because she knows me. I didn’t think it would wake her up, but she seems fine now that I’ve stopped.” It was fascinating at the same time as troubling. She was just relieved that the dog was sleeping again.

Captain Myqian, CO

Alexis paused and turned to look at her. It took her several long moments of quiet before she could speak. Alexis was emotionally tumultous and raging. Not from Myqian’s actions, but the entire debacle. It was simply too much. Anthony stepped up behind her and set a hand on her shoulder. Alexis was quite well aware of her prejudice about telepaths and empaths, and that she mustn’t allow it to clog her judgement. So the only other recourse was the science, the data, hard numbers, and proven medical practice. “Yes Captain they do, but those are humanoid patients not animals. Frigga is not an extremely perceptive being. She is a Terran canine. An extremely instinctual and highly intelligent canine, but still a canine. Her ability to reason and perceive and analyze is much different from humanoids. And yes there are many studies on animals interacting with empaths and telepaths and the benefits to both. However, those studies were not conducted while the animals were unconscious or under heavy sedation.” Alexis didn’t even touch on the illogic of ‘I stopped so it’s fine.’ She switched her scans to Frigga’s brain and watched the readings on the screen.

Myqian could counter the claim that Frigga wasn’t highly perceptive, because she knew full well that she was, but it didn’t matter right now. It was knowledge you could only have if you could sense the lifeforce of another creature and it was hard to explain. Some times you had to experience something for yourself to know it was true.

The whole purpose of her getting Frigga was to help her be more present and openly demonstrate compassion. She could yry to be so for Frigga’s sake. “She is quite fond of you, Captain. She enjoys seeing you around the ship. I am sure that when she is fully awake and the medication out of her system, Frigga would enjoy such contact with you. I hope you understand, though, that I am…” Alexis paused, drew a deep breath, and stroked her hand over Frigga’s hand and shoulder several times, “unwilling to test the effects of such contact right now.” She slowly closed her tricorder and put it down. Anthony kept his arm around her shoulders and hugged her tightly.

Alexis

She was right of course, it wasn’t Dira’s place. “Of course,” she softly as she took a step away from the biobed. “I apologize for overstepping. I hope she recovers smoothly.”

With a brief nod of her head, she slipped out of the medical bay.

Captain Myqian, CO

Alexis was quite unaware of having upset Myqian. It had not been her intention at all. Alexis knew that a lot of the crew adored Frigga and cared deeply for her. Frigga in turn liked everyone. She enjoyed spending time with them and took her job as a therapy/assistance dog quite seriously. Cpt Myqian was, if Alexis had to put a number on it, in Frigga’s top four people. Alexis had been told that Frigga seemed to respond to empaths and telepaths more intently than other patients. She accepted that there was something to that, though she’d never run the numbers on it. Selfishly though, right then, all Alexis was worried about was doing what she knew worked, standards of treatment, so Frigga would wake up healthy and stable.

Anthony watched the exchange and then the Captain leave. As much as he wanted to say something, explain that Alexis just didn’t process or view things like others did, but his daughter wasn’t a child anymore and surely after two years on the Ogawa the crew knew her and she them, at least professionally. He wanted to make sure Myqian was alright, she seemed almost as upset over Frigga as Alexis was. However, they were going to have to figure it out on their own. He was just a guest on board.

After Alexis seemed to be done setting everything to her specifications Anthony decided it was time to leave. “Come on Alexis. Sitting here won’t help her. You have everything feeding into that PaDD. You can be back before she wakes up.” Alexis nodded, and after checking Frigga’s vitals again and leaving specific instructions again, she left. “Besides, I’m not allowed to wander the ship.”

Alexis gave her father a quizzical look. “What do you mean?”

“Cpt Myqian has asked me to confine myself to quarters until their report and charges are finalized.” He held up a hand at her protest. “I’m fine with it.”

Alexis was expecting to find a guard outside her quarters, when there wasn’t she scowled. “He’s in the brig isn’t he?” Anthony nodded. “And he put himself there, didn’t he?”

Anthony tried not to grin, much, at the totally long suffering tone in Alexis’ voice. “He did.” He watched as she turned around and left the deck.

---

A little over two hours later, Alexis left their quarters and then returned another hour and a half later with Frigga. Everything was healed but Frigga seemed to think there was cause for caution and moved slowly. The walk did her good to help everything start moving again and get more air into her system and fully wake her up. The door opened and she padded slowly inside. She climbed her way onto the loveseat, front paws on Solomon’s leg, head on her paws, looked up at him and whined.

Alexis and Frigga

Kane didn’t get up when Alexis and Frigga came in, but he did pause the show he was watching and, when Frigga got settled, put his hand on her head and he looked at Alexis. “Everything good? All the anesthesia put of her system? I ask because…” and he reached forward and pulled a small box off the table and opened it. Inside, in smaller-than-bite-sized cubes, was steak. He lifted a piece out and held it on his palm towards Frigga and he said “Ya did real good, girl. You showed that big meanie, didn’t ya? Good job.”

Kane

Alexis sat down on the chair catty-corner to the couch. “That’s what took so long. She woke up and was growling and then whining a lot. She had trouble standing up and moving at first. She’ll be sore for a day or so, but otherwise she seems really alert and everything has healed up well. She’ll be tired for a bit longer, but she’s alert and everything shows out of her system.” Alexis grinned as he opened the box revealing steak. “You’re spoiling her again.” Alexis really didn’t care.

“Nope. Protein synthesis is a critical component of recovery. I’m just giving her the building blocks.” he said and picked up another piece. “Besides, she deserves it.”

Frigga’s tail swept back and forth as she licked his hand and then lapped up the steak. She chewed it, twice and then looked up at him as he talked, her tail giving a couple of thumps and licking his hand again.

Alexis

Another piece came out of the box and Kane patted her head as she took the bite. “So.” he sa9d and looked at Alexis. “How does it feel to be married?”

Kane

This time she did not give him that look. The one where she was slightly frustrated because he was asking about her feelings again. She had expected it, or at least a question similar, anyway. Still she didn’t respond right away, giving his question some thought. “Honestly, I didn’t expect to feel any different, but I do, a little. I feel that I am where I belong. Finally where I’m supposed to be.”

Alexis