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 (3) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
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.

Randy nodded that was good. And it was almost time for more pain meds which meant the effects were wearing off. He wasn’t going to tell Alden that. Because he would dig his heels in, and when the nerve block was gone he would wish he was dead without the meds. He looked at Rand and pointed at the cup again.

Roman was absolutely going to dig his heels in. He was not going to want any pain meds. It was yet to be seen whether the amount of pain when the nerve block was gone would change his mind. Three years ago, he’d gone with as little medication as he could tolerate.

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.

Rand sipped at the cup steadily, not thirsty, she didn’t want it, but she knew she would be in trouble with Randy if she didn’t.

“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 on 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.

“I agree. You have enough going on, but I want you aware that it’s an option, esp if you can’t keep your heart rate down.”

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

Randy had to turn away. He absolutely was not going to let Alden see him grinning. If positions were reversed, Randy would take kissing a pretty girl as a good distracting activity. And as if on cue Alden’s heart rate dropped. Rand turned red enough to rival a solar flare. “Really Rand what made you think kissing him would lower his heart rate?” He was teasing her and would really rag on her later. Rand for her part wasn’t about to tell her brother that it made her feel better when Roman kissed her. So she had decided to do the same for Roman. She couldn’t miss the glint in her brother’s eye though. He was enjoying her embarrassment far too much. There would need to be payback.

Roman smiled at the bright red colour in Rand’s face. His heart rate had dropped down further than it had been, into the 90’s. Like Rand to him, kissing her always made him feel better. He wasn’t bothered by Randy teasing his sister.

“Do you want to try and eat before Elbbirt comes back to start the next round?” Sometimes the way Randy went from carefree fun loving brother to serious nurse made Rand dizzy. “Randy am I allowed to walk?” He nodded, “Yep but you can’t leave sickbay yet.” Rand nodded squeezed Roman’s hand and slipped off the chair and out of the room. She had to use the little girl’s room. Randy was not above conspiring about his sister not even with her English boyfriend. “You need to convince her to eat. When her anxiety gets too high she loses her appetite and doesn’t eat or drink. We don’t want her blood sugar dropping. How’s the chest? Do you want to try shifting in the bed?” It was almost rapid fire. An effort to illicit honest rather than stubborn answers.

Rand and Randy

Roman didn’t feel particularly hungry but he figured he should at least try to eat so he nodded. As soon as Rand was out of earshot, Randy turned to him. “I’ll see that she does.” He said, though judging by her pain medication bribes he wondered if she’d make him make her a deal like that: if he took his meds without debate she’d make herself eat. He hoped not. Randy asked a couple more questions in rapid fire succession. It took Roman a quick moment to process the questions. “Not as tight as before.” It was true, but not overly descriptive of an answer. “No, I’ll stay how I am.” He did sort of want to shift, sitting in one position was getting tiresome, but he also wanted to stay in a position that would be easy for Rand to stay close.

~ Roman

“Alright, I’m going to go get your food.” He shook his head, “Feel like I’m your yeoman again,” and he gave a mock shutter. “When I get back we’ll lift the bed back up so you can eat.” Before he could leave Rand came back in no longer red and looking much more herself. Randy didn’t seem to be able to help him self. With a wicked grin he glanced at the readings on the screen over Alden’s head. “Whoa whoa whoa, Rand go back out. Out out out.” and he shooed her out. He looked at the readings again, went to the door and waved her back in, then out again, and back in, and then one more time, the grin on his face growing ever wider. He leaned over, and in a very very bad stage whisper, told Rand, “That’s boy’s heart can’t decide what to do when you come in and out of that door.” He laughed and dodged out the door before Rand could hit him. It was worth it, she was totally embarrassed all over again.

Roman watched Randy usher Rand in and out of the room. Catching the look Randy had, he shook his head. And then he heard Randy’s whisper. He was clearly meant to hear it but he still made a face. But Randy was gone before he could say something about it.

There was of course nothing so dramatic going on with Roman’s heart rate, but Randy had managed to make Rand turn red again. She stood there for a long second staring after her brother, mouth slightly open, clasping her hands together, lightly, not sure what to do with him. Then she decided he was gone and that meant she was alone with Roman again. She made her way back over to her chair and sat down, not quite sure what to say about all that.

Rand and Randy

“Your brother has always been a little odd,” Roman commented, but he didn’t seem too bothered by Randy’s teasing. At least they were alone again, though he figured not for long. Randy would be back with the food soon, and at some point he was sure Elbbirt would show up as well.

~ Roman

Rand laughed, softly, but she laughed. “You’re just now figuring that out? I was sure that night on K5 and Randy gave that impromptu speech that Carmichael would throw him off the ship.” She sighed into him. “He did it for me.” And that reminded her of other things from that night and she turned even more red remembering how Randy had teased her then too for taking such notice of Roman then. Of course she hadn’t known then they would end up dating.

Rand

“That was for you? …I suppose that makes sense.” Roman commented, thinking back. It was the only time recently he’d consumed large amounts of alcohol. He turned to her and noticed she had turned colour again. “Is that for some reason embarrassing?”

~ Roman