Posted by Lieutenant Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim: Illusive Ideals

Posted by Lieutenant Achilleas Petrakos (Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: Illusive Ideals

Posted by Lieutenant Solal Segal (Oncology and Immunology) in Side sim: Illusive Ideals
Posted by… suppressed (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>
“She and I worked on a medical study together. It’s how we met,” Solal commented. It was something he’d mentioned before. He looked at Achilleas, “However you do it, I hope you and she get along well.”

~ Solal

“I think her and I will get along just fine. I think our first impressions of each other was pretty good. I got to tell her that I was your best friend and such a good friend at that.” Achilleas chuckled. “She was duly impressed and agreed with me that your stubbornness is only matched by your Vulcan-esque compassion for patients.”

CSO Petrakos

The comment seemed to make Solal proud of his Vulcan-ness. It actually looked like he smiled a little bit. Huffing a little harder, he stopped jogging and set a hand on Achilleas’ shoulder. “Achilleas… You.... Ah,” he huffed.

Suddenly he seemed really out of breath, his chest heaving with effort. “You really… Are… Ugh.” That hand he’d set on Achilleas shoulder? He was now leaning heavily on it. *Achilleas, I…” He huffed harder. Where he previously looked healthy again, now he looked pale and sickly.

Solal took measured, careful breaths, but it didn’t seem to be helping. He took another big breath and mustered it to get out one more word: “Help.” Then he collapsed on the path, landing heavily on his side, chest still heaving with effort to breathe. He coughed, a hard, long, hacking cough that didn’t end until he was gasping for breath.

~ Solal

Achilleas stood stock still for several heartbeats as the incomprehensible situation took place before him. There was a look of confusion on his face before the full impact of the situation hit him like a physical blow. “Solal!” He said in a panicked and loud voice as he knelt beside him. He began to pat his back in an attempt to aid his breathing in some way, even if he wasn’t sure if it would actually help. He then looked at Solal’s wrist to see if the monitoring bracelet had contacted Dr Bonner, but the bracelet wasn’t there. Of course it wouldn’t be if he had been cured! Was this a relapse of some sort? But the rapidity of the onset of symptoms was too quick!

As they were both off duty neither of them were wearing their comm-badges, so instead Achilleas called out. “Computer contact sickbay for a medical emergency and send personnel to my location!” A few seconds went by but there was no response. “Computer emergency transport for two people to sickbay!” But again there was no response. “Computer, work you damn thing! Respond!” Again the only sound was Solal’s extremely labored breathing and Achilleas’ own voice being overcome with hysterics.

CSO Petrakos

Solal gave Achilleas a pleading, scared look, as if begging for help without his voice, rolling over towards his back with Achilleas’ help. His heaving, laboured breathing turned frantic to match a far too rapid pulse, his hand gripping the collar of the shirt as if it might help breathing in some way.

His hand loosened and he seemed out of it, no longer quite focused on Achilleas, but rather nothing at all. The French sky, perhaps, but not really. His expression dropped from scared to something worse than his old neutral expression, completely blank as his consciousness slipped away. The rapid pulse halted and the breaths slowed to a stop, leaving Achilleas’ half Vulcan friend lying terribly and horrifically still in the middle of the path.

~ Solal

A sickened feeling quickly struck Achilleas as he watched in horror at Solal’s desperate and scared expression. “No.” He said with a whisper while feeling powerless to help his friend. “No… no, no no no NO!” He exclaimed with his voice increasing in pitch and fervor. With shaky hand he reached out to Solal’s neck and felt for a pulse, which couldn’t be found.

“No, come on Solal!” He shifted into a more easily accessible position before he started CPR. Despite not being in medical, every crewmen and officer had undergone the necessary medical training. He might not be able to identify a root which gives a pain relieving effect when wetted and rubbed against a wound, but he could do tourniquets and CPR.

It was several minutes of respiration and chest compressions but still Solal wasn’t responding. During a brief pause to feel for a pulse, Achilleas exclaimed in frustration, anger, pain, and fear. “Damn you Solal breathe! Open your eyes! Don’t leave me alone!” He thumped Solal’s chest several times with his fist. He wasn’t sure if it would be effective but he had heard that it could shock the heart back into beating, but either way he wasn’t in any sort of rational mindset.

He resumed chest compressions and breathing for Solal for what felt like an eternity before he stopped and felt for a pulse again in despair. He couldn’t feel one. Was Solal…? No, there must still be something! He moved his ear by Solal’s mouth and felt for any whisper of a breath but nothing. He placed his ear upon Solal’s chest and listened as well as he could but still no signs of a beating heart. With tears streaming out of his eyes, he whispered with a voice laden with grief. “Please don’t leave me.”

With a start Achilleas jerked upright in bed. His heart was pounding in his chest, his body covered in cold sweat, and tears hotly stained his face. He looked around at the dark room in confusion. Wasn’t he just in the holodeck with Solal? “Computer… bring the lights up low.” The familiar chirp of acknowledgement was followed by the lights softly illuminating his quarters. “It was a dream…” He whispered softly while trying to shake off the nightmare.

“Ha. Hahaha.” He started laughing while fresh tears came out of his eyes. What a ridiculously realistic dream that was. It was such a relief that none of it was real but holy hell his heart was still racing. If he talked to a counselor about this it would be clearly pointed out that his subconscious was struggling with his fear of loss. He could’ve lost his own life recently, he had lost his relationship before then, and now he was afraid of actually losing a friend now. Perhaps he should talk to someone, like actually try to work through it.

Either way he first needed to calm down, take a shower, and go give Solal a visit with a big hug.

CSO Petrakos

OOC: As dark of tone as this was it was also a ton of fun to write. Whoever else may have read this thread I hope that twist wasn’t too dark for you. And to River thanks for a great writing time.