Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side-sim: The Reckoning

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side-sim: The Reckoning

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side-sim: The Reckoning
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“They were probably stuffy ‘proper’ English tutors, so I’m not too worried about them wanting my head,” she teased back, grinning. “No, I don’t think you need all that here. We don’t want to move in here permanently. Just relieve the boredom.” It was then she realized how she’d worded the previous statement and made herself nervous, but she didn’t move from where she was resting. But she stiffened slightly and her hand twitched where she was holding his. “I always like whatever we do together. I’ll find a chess set.”

“As your ‘proper English’ boyfriend I hope I am not too ‘stuffy’,” Roman replied, still smiling. He noticed her tense slightly and unsure why, he gave her hand a little squeeze. “The recreational room likely has one.”

Rand blushed when he said he was her boyfriend. He was they just never said it, and she liked it. “You aren’t stuffy.” She didn’t think he was stuffy just serious and dedicated. She smiled when he squeezed her and she hugged him.

Roman smiled his mischievous smile as she blushed. “You sure? I’m very proper, traditional English,” he said, teasing her. Then she hugged him and he hugged her back.

His Kelmao notes! She was going to let him have them? Nothing had made Roman so happy all day. Except maybe hugging her, that was comparable to new planet notes. “Then we can have another look at those pictures you took while we were down in the caves.” He’d looked over them with her on the planet but hadn’t had the chance to properly study them. Rand had taken some really good ones. She mentioned double checking them before they were submitted and he nodded again. With her checking them over he wouldn’t have to worry so much about making mistakes because of the medications he was on. He’d trusted her second set of eyes on his work almost more than anyone else’s since the report dilemma.

~ Roman

“I’ll make sure to get them all. I’m pretty sure they are all transferred to the data disks, but I’ll make sure when I go get them. When Franks came by earlier he said they put everything in a storage closet till I can come down. They didn’t want to mess up my organizational system and then get fussed at. So I’ll help with that when I pick up reports this evening and show Franks the departmental reports he has to do. I don’t think I can get away with bringing your samples in here, but when you get back to your quarters I will.” Rand shifted slightly onto her side, which was awkward on the chairs, but it put her a little closer and it just felt better and warm to be able to hug him and be close after the sink hole and injuries and the storms. Honestly, Rand thought she could probably sleep a week after all of that, if she was allowed to. But right now she was thankful Elbbirt hadn’t discharged her from sickbay yet.

Rand

Roman shook his head. He would love to be able to see and go through his samples, but… “The samples stay in the lab. Strict rules. Prevents cross contamination of any kind. Or loss of the samples.” He wished she didn’t have to leave to deal with the evening reports, but she would have to. He reminded himself it should only be a few hours in the evening she was gone. During that time he could read those science command reports to try and distract himself. Rand shifted in her spot, and it put her closer to him, just a little bit. It didn’t look like it could be comfortable in her chair, but she looked happy and he liked when she was sitting close to him like that. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed but he hoped there was still plenty of time before Elbbirt was scheduled to come back.

~ Roman

“Okay.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. She knew he would have strict rules about the samples but the idea made him smile at least for a moment. They say there like that for awhile and then quietly now that they were alone, “How are you?”

Rand

What made him smile more was her little kiss to his cheek. Quietly sitting there with her, Roman felt the most relaxed he could get in Sickbay. Then she spoke up quietly and he glanced up and around to make sure they were alone. He assumed she meant mentally, again. The truth was, he felt like he’d be okay as long as she was there with him. Nervous, but okay. What he was worried about was when she had to leave to work. He didn’t want to say that, it would just make her worry about having to leave him and there wasn’t a choice in that matter. “I’m better than earlier this morning, but I still want to leave. I’m worried about getting to sleep,” he admitted with one last glance to make sure no one was around. “I’ll admit that after so long with pain it’s a relief it’s gone for a while.” The nerve block was effective, and though it was weird to not feel his leg, two weeks had been a long time to be in constant pain. “And… my chest feels tight. It’s a bit uncomfortable.” That part he hadn’t really wanted to share but he knew she wanted to know that kind of thing.

~ Roman

“I know it seems like a long time, but another 2 days isn’t so bad. And your in your own room so that’s better than having someone talk to you all the time, or worse watching you.” She squeezed his hand when he said that it was a relief to be out of pain. That was probably part of what was making him tired. “I should be back before you are ready to go to sleep. Your chest though....” that worried her and she placed her free hand on his chest over his heart, “it might be the medicine for the potassium or…stress from being in here. That’s how I feel with my anxiety. My chest feels tight and like there is a weight on it. Sort of like I’ve been running a long time and can’t catch my breath.” She was quiet moment considering, he wouldn’t like it, “you should tell Elbbirt. It might be nothing or it might not be.”

Rand

Roman nodded. “It is better to be separated from the rest of Sickbay at least.” But that wouldn’t prevent the medical staff from being around if he had a nightmare and that bothered him. At least she said she’d hopefully be back before he was supposed to be sleeping. He looked down as she put her hand on his chest and he forced a deeper breath. “It does feel like I can’t quite catch my breath. It’s not too bad, I’m sure it’s nothing. It’ll sort itself out in a few days.” She was quiet for a minute, looking like she was considering saying something and then she said it and he hesitated. That was exactly the sort of thing he’d been afraid she’d say. “I don’t know, I’m sure it’s nothing serious…” He said, but he sounded unsure.

~ Roman

Rand didn’t know what to do, she was scared for Roman and frustrated with Roman. Letting it resolve on its own is what got him into this mess to begin with. She didn’t know if she should tell Elbbirt for Roman or not. Roman may be mad at her for not keeping his secrets, but this one could hurt him. She tried to think of what Randy would say. Wouldn’t it go a long way to help Roman manage his fear of sickbay if he told Elbbirt himself? But she also knew that sometimes the fear was so big you needed someone to help you because you couldn’t move forward on your own. She licked her lips, but she didn’t move from where her head was resting against him, one hand on his chest, the other holding his. “Roman…” she paused, for once not because of her anxiety but trying to find the right words, “I think if you can’t tell Dr Elbbirt you should tell Randy. He can check you and if it’s something expected from the surgery or medications he can tell you. If it’s not, then you know you have to tell Elbbirt. Letting things resolve on their own is why you are here now.” She wasn’t accusing him or berating him, her voice and the way she kissed his cheek again would tell him that. She just wanted him to see the dangerous cause and effect he was creating with this behavior.

Rand

Rand seemed to be considering something for a moment. She didn’t seem angry with him, at least. She hadn’t moved away, her head still against him, one hand in his and the other on his chest. Her tone was still soft, not upset when she did speak. And then she kissed his cheek again. She was right, Elbbirt had been more than clear his under reporting of symptoms was to blame for his current condition. He still didn’t want to tell either of them, but if he had to tell someone, at least he could tell Randy. That was better than talking to Elbbirt. His answer was a little hesitant and he gripped her hand a little tighter. “Alright. I’ll tell Randy, next time he comes in. Okay?”

~ Roman

“Okay.” They were quiet for awhile. Rand thought about telling him another story, but she couldn’t think of one at the moment, and she was working through how quickly she could get done with her reports and get back to Roman. She also knew she needed to pause and stop letting her worry dictate. If she rushed she’d make mistakes, and that was something to be avoided.

Roman would not want her to rush her work, even if it meant being alone here longer. They sat quietly like that and he was liking just sitting there with her, with her head on him and his arm around her. There were still several hours before she needed to go for evening reports, and he just wanted to focus on the time now, rather than worry about the time she wouldn’t be there. The tightness in his chest was a little worse than before, and he tried not to worry about that. It reminded him he’d promised Rand he’d tell Randy.

Randy came back in a half hour later or so. The biobeds monitored all of Alden’s vitals, so he didn’t need to worry. If something went really wrong the alarms would sound. However, it was Rand and Alden in there. Both with strong aversions to sickbay and other issues. A biobed couldn’t tell him about their emotional state. He’d peeked in every so often, but hadn’t gone completely in the room. He figured he’d been nice enough to his sister and her....he sighed…boy friend - her English boy friend. Alden really wasn’t a bad lad after all, it was just the principle of the thing.

He entered making enough noise to warn them, and spotted the untouched water. “Well Cmdr it is after lunch and I was going to ask if you wanted food, but you haven’t touched the water at all. Not thirsty or is your stomach queasy?” Rand hadn’t touched hers either, but that just confirmed to Randy that her anxiety was high. She tended to avoid food and drink when it was. He moved over toward the computer interface and recorded Alden’s vitals as he talked. “How is your pain level? On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being no pain and 10 the worst pain you’ve ever felt.”

Rand and Randy

Roman looked up as Randy entered. “I think I’m just not thirsty. I haven’t touched it,” he replied. He glanced at Rand and then back to Randy as he headed to the computer interface, looking at the biobeds readout and then entering data. His heart rate was running high, still, but it was in the mid to high 110’s now, which might explain how Roman felt. “My leg’s still completely numb, but I still feel a little sore, so a two or three, maybe?” Roman had always hated the pain scale. It felt too subjective. A ten to someone else might be his five or six.

Randy nodded, walked over and handed them both a cup of water. “Drink. Neither of you have had anything since you were planetside.” He looked hard at Rand, her respiration, her pupils, and if she was fidgiting with her hands. Then turning back to Alden, “General soreness or a particular area?” He wasn’t showing any physical signs of distress from pain, but it was good to know for later. It could be general from the surgery or specific from the removal of one of the clots.

“Generalised,” replied Roman.

He was distracting himself. He’d promised Rand. He didn’t want to make her worry, or angry again. If he wouldn’t ask for himself, he’d do it for her. He looked at her again before looking up at Randy. “I err… My chest feels tight. Doesn’t really hurt, but it feels like I can’t quite get my breath.” He was uncomfortable, and it showed. He wasn’t used to telling someone when he had a problem.

~ Roman

Randy picked up a tricorder and another device used to draw blood. “Have you ever had an allergic reaction, to anything?” He walked over, “Rand.” He took her hand and pulled her to sit up, but didn’t move her away. He circled around as he took several readings. “I’m going to take a blood sample.” And before Alden could say anything Randy was done and had the small vile inserted into the computer. “Finish that water.” Shortness of breath could be the sign of anaphylaxis. Randy wanted to rule that out. The beginnings of dehydration could also cause shortness of breath. While the computer worked he scanned Alden’s airway and heart.

“No, no allergies,” Roman replied, shaking his head. He kept hold of Rand’s hand as Randy made her sit up. He had been about to protest, but Randy was finished before he got the words out and he remained silent instead, watching as Randy scanned him. He took a drink of the water.

The computer beeped and he read the results. “Good no histamines in your blood so it’s not an allergic reaction to any of the medications. The myoglobin and potassium in your system is going down and the right ratio to the medications.” He walked over and sat on a stool. Alden knew that look…Randy was about to tell him something he probably didn’t want to hear, but would be honest and direct about it. “Your adrenaline is up mostly likely brought in because you don’t want to be here. It’s anxiety. Deep breaths, meditation, distracting activities, maybe one of Rand’s teas are non-medication ways to deal with it. There are anti-anxiety medications I can give you if it gets really bad. Let’s start with lowering the bed to relieve some of the physical pressure.” Randy reached over and lowered the bed 5°. “Normally it wouldn’t be a problem, but with the medication for the toxins already increasing your heart rate we need to be careful. Prolonged elevated heart rate can be dangerous. Try that for a few minutes and see if it makes a difference.” He got up and went back to the computer to type a few things in.

Roman was glad it wasn’t anything wrong. Randy was right, he didn’t like it. He would argue he wasn’t anxious but the blood sample agreed and Rand had said that was how she felt. The evidence was not in his favor on that one. “I don’t want any more medications if we can help it.” He also didn’t want his bed lower, he wanted to be closer to sitting fully up not further from it, but it did help a little fairly quickly so he didn’t say anything.

Rand knew he wasn’t happy with the whole situation, and she hated he was so upset his chest was hurting. So she leaned over and kissed him....Randy looked up suddenly at the sound of the monitors as Alden’s heart rate went up. “Good lord’s you two! Knock it off!”

Rand and Randy

The sudden increase in heart rate made his chest worse, but he was in no hurry to end the kiss, even at Randy’s words. When it did, he grinned at Randy. “It went up now but what if it goes down more? That would make it good for me, yes?”

~ Roman