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

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Lost in Thought

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Lost in Thought
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Roman flinched his head away when she touched the forming bump. It already hurt. He still felt weak and dizzy and the dizziness got worse when he sat up but now it was starting to subside. His heartbeat still felt a little fast, too. His elbows and his back were a bit sore from colliding with the floor but it was definitely his head that hurt the most. He put an arm around her as she hugged him, his other hand against the floor. It took him a moment to answer her, “I was… looking for something. On the counter.” He thought another moment, “Tea. Decaffeinated tea. And then I fell. I think it’s just because I haven’t eaten, I’ll be fine.”

~ Roman

His answer was hesitant, he had to think about it. That wasn’t good. But he was talking clearly if slowly. She moved carefully so she could look him in the eye. His eyes didn’t look overly dilated in the sim light. She reached for the controls on the desk and turned the lights up but not too bright. She watched his eyes to make sure they reacted. “Do you feel like you might be sick?”

“A little, but I can’t say whether it’s because I hit my head or because I haven’t eaten.” Roman was honest because he felt bad. Rand moved around him and looked into his eyes. He looked just a bit dazed still, but when she turned the lights up, his eyes reacted normally. He had a headache coming on, he could tell.

She sighed, “Don’t say that. You aren’t fine, and we both know it. Here, lean back against the chair.” Then she stood, carefully. She didn’t need to fall too. “I’ll be right back.”

She pulled her robe on and then slipped out the door. She was back shortly, alone. She lowered herself to the floor next to him and handed him a cup. She didn’t let go right at first, not sure how steady he was. “Juice, it will bring your blood sugar up.” She took a slow deep breath, preparing herself to be firm and say what she knew he didn’t want to hear. “And then you’re eating something. Whether you want to or not. I should have gotten dinner last night instead of going to bed.” Guilt…she was supposed to make sure he took care of himself and she had gone to bed instead.

Rand

Roman sighed too and leaned back against the chair. He expected her to come back with Randy. He’d deserve another lecture. Now she was all worried about him again. He closed his eyes while he waited for her to come back.

It didn’t take Rand long to get back, and to Roman’s surprise, she was alone. “No Randy?” He asked. He wasn’t sure if he felt good about that, because it meant he wouldn’t have to hear from Randy, or bad about it because it was strange that Rand wouldn’t run right to him. He took the cup. His hands were still shaky so he held it with both hands and took a drink of it. Then he nodded. “I will, I promise. I’m sorry. And it’s not your fault. I should’ve gotten myself something.” It was obvious he felt bad. Especially as he was still thinking about his answers, talking a little more slowly. “I’m sorry.” He said again.

~ Roman

“No, no Randy. You have never had one of his ‘I was right and you were so wrong’ lectures, and I don’t want him asking why I smell of whisky. Besides, I promised him I would see him this evening and spend a couple hours with him.” She looked Roman over and making sure he drank the juice, “Do you want me to get him?”

“I’m sure we could explain the mistake with the coffee,” Roman said. He was drinking the juice, slowly. What was the best answer? For Randy but also for Rand? Yes, to be safe, so he didn’t worry Rand? Or no, because he always said no, and saying yes would scare her? “You seem to know what you’re doing, so I don’t think so, unless you want to.”

“Only you know how you feel. We can always get him after if you don’t feel better.” Rand didn’t think he had a concussion but if the juice and a few minutes didn’t help she would. She shrugged, “Advanced first aid is required for yeoman. Not as skilled as a trained medic, but close enough to be useful if needs be.”

She hugged him and nodded slowly her reply just as thoughtful as his. He wasn’t arguing with her and that was more worrisome than the bump on his head, “Yes…you should have, but you weren’t able to, not then. That’s why you have me and Randy. People that love and care about you. You’ll eat and then do something.” Another sigh, “You can’t go to the lab. You hit your head too hard. Unless you want Elbbirt to check you out. But that might raise more questions than you want to answer.” And the whole time she was talking it was a fight to say what needed to be said vs her building anxiety. She hugged him when he said he was sorry. “Just…please be careful.”

Rand

No, letting Elbbirt look would raise more questions than he was willing to answer. Elbbirt would check his head sure, but he’d want to know how it happened and if Roman answered that he’d want to know why he fainted. If anyone needed to check it out he only trusted Randy. He sighed at her words. He was supposed to be able to take care of himself so he could help her. Finally he spilled the beans, “I’m not supposed to work at all today. Randy said… The system would flag me because of the hours I’ve been working and I’d probably get pulled for a physical. I’m only supposed to drink water, too. No caffeine. I’m dehydrated.” He hugged her back, “I’ll try.”

~ Roman

Roman must not feel well to tell her what Randy said. “I was wondering about that. We put in way too many hours. They will probably flag me too even though I used leave time.” So low blood sugar and dehydrated and now he fainted and hit his head. And she was slightly tipsy from the coffee and having a panic attack that was bad enough to make her chest hurt. Suddenly she lit out a little laugh, more ironic than humor. “I think we know why Randy worries.” She pulled the small tray over. There were three sandwiches on it. “Pick one. Then we’ll try to get up.” Pipkin was sitting between them nosing Roman’s hand. “Then we’ll get you some water.” Rand grabbed a sandwich as well. She thought she ate lunch the day before but it wasn’t much. They didn’t both need to fall down.

Rand

Roman put a hand to his head, the bump really hurt, but the headache he felt like he was getting was coming in too. She laughed and he shook his head. “He’s your brother, he’ll always worry about you.” He picked a sandwich and forced himself to take a little bite of it. Pipkin was nosing his other hand, so he gave her some pet. He took another little bite of the sandwich.

~ Roman

As much as Rand wanted him to devour the sandwich, she knew it was better to eat slowly incase his stomach disagreed. Rand shook her head. “I know he will, but he will about you too. And not because we’re…dating.” Rand wasn’t sure dating was the correct term anymore, but it got the point across. “Randy might be polite to someone for me, but he won’t care unless he really feels that way. No matter who it is.” She noticed the tightening at the corner of his eyes from pain. She got up and rummaged in a drawer and came back with an ice pack. She’d kept a few from when he hurt his leg, just in case. She cracked the capsule and shook it to get it cold. Then she very carefully held it against his head.

Rand

It was after the third bite that his stomach started to hurt more. Not enough that he thought he might be sick, but more than it had before. “I can’t tell what he thinks,” he said after a minute. Setting the ice pack against his head initially hurt more, and then started helping. He took over holding it there. “Think we can try getting up yet?”

~ Roman

“I’m his twin and I can’t figure it out half the time. Just ask, but only if you really want to know.” She took the glass and sandwiches and set them on the table. “Whenever you’re ready.” Did she worry he would push himself too soon, yes. Staying on the floor wasn’t a great idea though. If he was getting a headache and dizzy from the bump on his head she would rather him off the floor sooner rather than later. She scooped Pipkin up and moved her into her cage. “You don’t need to be underfoot right now.” Then remembering her first aid training, “Slowly, make sure your feet are under you. If you feel dizzy or like you might fall, stop. You can use me or the chair to steady yourself.” He knew that, she was sure, but she was supposed to tell the person that, calmly and soothingly incase they were confused or hurting and had trouble concentrating.

Rand

That was a question Roman would never ask. He wanted to know, but at the same time he didn’t. He handed her the cup, now empty, and the sandwich, and nodded to her statement. He didn’t feel too bad sitting down, besides the headache. He got his feet under him and started to stand. He wasn’t quite all the way up when the dizziness came back and he steadied himself with one hand on the chair and one hand on her.

~ Roman

Roman put a hand on her shoulder and she moved closer to help steady him. If he fell again she would have to get someone. Even if he didn’t hit his head again, she could never lift him on her own. Then when he was ready she helped him to the bed. Then she went back for the ice pack, sandwich and water. She set all three on the side table in easy reach and then sat down next to him. “How are you feeling?”

Rand

He didn’t fall, but he felt like he was going to, so he kept his hand tightly on her shoulder until the dizziness got a little better. Then he let her walk him to the bed and sat down. It still felt the artificial gravity was off, the way the room felt like it was spinning. His stomach was still upset and his head was throbbing - both in and out. “Not well. My head and stomach hurt and the dizziness isn’t going away very quickly.”

~ Roman

Rand looked concerned. It had been at least half an hour since he fell. It should be some better now. She ran her fingers over his neck and head again, giving the bump plenty of clearance. She got up and grabbed a towel from the bathroom and rolled it. Then she set her hands back on his neck, “I want you to lay down, on your left. That will help with your stomach and keep you from laying on the bump on your head.” She placed the rolled towel under his neck for support and to keep the spine in line. “I have to call Randy. You should be feeling some better, not completely but some. It shouldn’t be getting worse.” She flipped open her communicator. =C=Nurse Farquharson what’s your location?=C=

In sickbay Randy rolled his eyes, where did his sister think he was. And he was with a patient finishing up a round of inoculations. He gave the hypo and rubbed the spot on the man’s arm. “We’ll keep you for a few minutes to make sure there is no reaction and then you’ll be able to go.” Rand felt like it was forever before Randy answered her. =C=Hiding in a supply closet with the medical lab tech. How can I help you Yeoman Farquharson?=C= If she was going to be formal so could he. Then a static rhythm started in the connection 1…3…1…repeat. =C=I need your professional services.=C= Randy heard the pattern and felt horrible for being sarcastic with her. =C=On my way.=C=

Less than 5 minutes after that there was a knock on the door and Rand reached over and pressed the control for the door. Randy stepped in, expecting Rand to be curled up with her kelpie struggling to breathe, but instead she had one of her hands on Alden’s neck and shoulders to stabilize his neck and the other was holding an ice pack to the back of his head. He didn’t even get to ask. “He fainted and hit his head. He didn’t appear to have a concussion, not a severe one anyway, but he’s feeling worse rather than better.” Randy was already pulling the wand out of his tricorder. He moved Rand out of the way, and she moved to the other side of the bed. The glare he gave them both was enough to make naughty children squirm. It reminded Rand of their father. A man she never wanted to have upset with her. Worry, concern, frustration, and a twinge of anger in the frustration were swirling in Randy’s stomach, but at the same time a bit of awe for how Rand could handle this and not panic, but other…well time for that later. He began scanning Alden looking for the problem. “Cmdr can you tell me what happened?” Sure Rand told him, but he had to see how addled his thinking was.

Randy