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

(snip)

Randy looked concerned at that but Rand shrugged, “What’s the last star date you remember?” At least that would tell them if he thought it was the correct month and year.

He listed the stardate and then standard date he last remembered. It was about six days ago. Roman remembered things from the six days since then, but the days all blended together, and then on top of that the bump to his head, he just didn’t remember the dates.

Rand nodded to Randy. That was the last normal day they’d had, when they’d started with the video recordings.

Randy checked the tricorder to see what it had to say.

Randy

The tricorder was showing a moderate concussion with a bit of swelling in the brain and that was probably causing his confusion. There didn’t seem to be any bleeding in the brain and that was good. Roman was looking up at him as if waiting for his answer.

~ Roman

Randy shook his head. “Daingead!” He cursed in Gaelic. “Your brain is swelling, still instead of going down. Now I have to take you to sickbay. Why couldn’t you just listen? Really, I’m the medical expert not you. But no....” then he finally looked at Rand. “And why the hell do you smell of alcohol. Good, high quality Whisky?” Rand looked at Roman with a ‘I told you he’d notice’ look. “I had a coffee…”

“Since when do you take whisky in your coffee?” Randy was checking Alden’s head like Rand had while he waited for her to answer. “I don’t. Roman made it for me, but…”

Randy laughed but it sounded so strained that Rand winced, “You didn’t tell him did you? That’s rich, Rand. Are you okay?” Rand shook her head no. Not really she wasn’t. But she wasn’t concerned with herself at the moment. “You don’t move,” he ordered like a drill sergeant to Alden. “You aren’t walking anywhere with that head. I’ll be back. You” he pointed at Rand, “Just…just stay here with him.” He rubbed his neck, “I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’ll loose my license. We’re blaming the rabbit. He tripped over the rabbit.”

After the last time the idea of going to Sickbay terrified Roman. He didn’t want to go, but he felt so bad about the last couple of days he just didn’t say anything at all. He shifted slightly in his spot. Randy was checking his head, and when Randy’s hand came close to the large goose egg that was now on the back of his head, a bit to the left, near the base of his skull, Roman would wince and flinch away like he had for Rand. He tried to interject into their conversation but their replies were quicker than him so he ended up talking at the same time as Randy when he said you didn’t tell him, “I didn’t know she doesn’t drink.” Then Randy pointed at him and Roman shrugged, the last time he stood he nearly fell. He wasn’t going anywhere unless he fancied another meeting with the floor. He shook his head when Randy offered up a reason why he fell. “No, no, don’t lie for me. Don’t risk your nursing license over it…”

After a intense but quick discussion Randy returned about 10 minutes later with Elbbirt. Elbbirt walked in and the dramatic sigh he let out and the huff, “What is with the two of you? I’ll examine you here, medical is busy and we don’t have room for you anyway, so no need to drag you there just to send you back here.” Elbbirt was quick and skilled, but not as gentle as Rand had been, though he wasn’t mean about it. After getting an account of what happened and Rand explaining the rabbit had been behind him and he’d tripped not knowing she was there Elbbirt looked from her to Alden and back, “Don’t blame that cute fur ball. You two are not as sneaky as you think you are. Just because you took leave time young lady but you still worked too many hours and so did he.”

Elbbirt

Had Roman’s luck finally turned? Elbbirt wasn’t making him go to Sickbay because they were too busy? Yes!! Elbbirt’s physical exam was more heavy handed than Rand’s or Randy’s and Roman kept flinching away from him, vocalising a quick “ow” each time.

When he was done Elbbirt finished he patted Alden’s shoulder. “Sorry about that, but I had to get a good feel for what was going on in there. It was that are down to sickbay for an x-ray or CT scan.”

Rand told the story Randy had suggested, that he’d simply tripped over the rabbit, but Elbbirt’s look told him Elbbirt didn’t believe it. If Elbbirt scanned him, he’d know anyway. The dehydration would show up, the low blood sugar wouldn’t be as low as it was because of the juice and little bit of sandwich but it still wasn’t within normal range, and the scan would probably also show signs that he hadn’t been eating or hadn’t been eating well and signs of lack of sleep. “It was an important project, Command wanted it ASAP.” Roman said. Not exactly the truth, there had been no time limit, but it wasn’t entirely a lie either.

~ Roman

Elbbirt nodded, “Oh I know how that goes, but these scans tell me you haven’t been eating, sleeping, barely drinking. I could believe that fur ball was underfoot, but you fell because you’re ill. No other reason.” He looked at the side table. “More juice and then water. I’ll see if Chef will make soup. His stomach isn’t going to handle anything solid with how hard he hit his head.” Then he pulled Randy aside. Randy could only confirm that he had been treating Alden on a mental health level during the whole thing. That he had warned both of them to take care and checked frequently, but Elbbirt wasn’t happy. He didn’t blame Randy, but he turned a glare on Rand. He blamed her and Alden. Undertaking such a crazy schedule for a project. “You know Command is like a giant toddler throwing a temper tantrum all the time. If you always give in they expect unrealistic results. And you both bought into it.” Then he approached Rand, wand in hand and began scanning her. “Don’t you dare get up to go get juice and soup. Oh I know all about you young lady. You’re barely lucky it wasn’t you on that floor.”

Roman looked away. He knew Elbbirt didn’t understand, he wasn’t sure he would even if Roman explained the truth. He had to finish that project. Despite falling because he hadn’t been eating and now all this, he still did not actually feel like eating. And he still didn’t feel like he could sleep, injured brain or no.

Rand had in fact been getting up to leave to avoid this. She had been sleeping and eating more than Roman had. But not to make him feel guilty she’d eaten almost as little as him, and only ate what she offered him. What she knew he would at least attempt to try. “Well you aren’t dehydrated at least....” but the adrenaline levels in her system were concerning and so was her erratic pulse rate. “Well young lady you will be coming off of leave and going directly on medical leave for at least 2 days. And you Cmdr until the swelling begins to go down. So that meds bed rest for you both.” Elbbirt looked far too happy about it and then turned to Randy. “Might want to move your sister. And a mild sedative for these results.” Now if he had been an unprofessional man he might have indicated that Rand and Alden wouldn’t sleep if left together for more amorous reasons, but Elbbirt was above saying such things, but the thought did make him chuckle mentally.

Rand did NOT want a sedative, Randy knew it, but he knew it was probably best. “Well children, I’m done here. You’ll have Randy to take care of you and I’ll be back this evening to check your head again. Don’t make me clear sickbay to make room for you two.”

Elbbirt

Roman hated bed rest. He did not want to spend two or more, depending on the swelling in his head, days in bed. But he still had no energy or will to fight about it and there was none of his usual complaining. Instead he deflated into his spot with a soft unhappy sigh.

~ Roman