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 (2) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
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

Ellbirt left and Randy just stood there staring at them. “Don’t make me regret leaving you alone for 15 minutes,” then he left. He wasn’t gone long and returned with a tray. He set food on the table and made Rand go eat it. Then he pulled a chair over and sat next to Alden. “Alright you have to eat. I know you probably don’t feel like eating, but it’s eat or an IV. So let’s see if you can sit up and then you have a choice.” Randy helped, if he needed it, to sit up. The choices were soup, a smoothie, jello, pudding, yogurt. All light and shouldn’t upset his stomach.

Roman really didn’t feel like eating. His stomach was still churning just from the head injury and he really wasn’t in the mood. But he didn’t want an IV either so he started to try and sit up. The action made him really dizzy and he ended up needing a little help from Randy. The choices all were light, non-solid foods. Roman picked the yogurt and then started mindlessly mixing it with a spoon.

“Bed rest isn’t all that bad. Basically no lifting or bending over or anything requiring intense concentration, until you can stand up without getting dizzy. Once the swelling starts to go down you’ll be cleared. That could be tomorrow if you don’t push it.” Randy leaned forward, elbows to knees and stared at him. “Seriously, alright. You scared the hell out of us. You could have really gotten hurt.” Then he sat up and turned around, “Miranda don’t you dare try to sneak out of here. You’re going to bed too.”

Roman gave another soft sigh. Again, normally, he would’ve argued, but that day he just didn’t have his normal fight in him. It wasn’t strict bed rest like it had been for his leg but it still meant he’d have nothing to do but sit around and think and that was exactly what he didn’t want. Then Randy leaned forward and Roman found himself locking eyes with him. “I… I won’t. But I can’t sleep.” He knew getting rest would be good for his head.

Randy nodded. He knew, and he wished there was something…”I wish I could tell you to go work with your animals, but until we know you won’t collapse again…my hands are tied. And you’re still slightly slow to respond. I can bring you the reports from the labs or from the fleet communiques.”

Roman nodded, if he collapsed in the lab it would be a major safety concern both for him and for the animals. “I can’t work on reports when I can’t think straight, I’m too likely to make a mistake, and even if that weren’t true reports count as things that take high concentration. And Doctor Elbbirt placed us both on medical leave.” He wasn’t allowed to do reports on medical leave.

“True but it wouldn’t be official. I know all the same tricks Rand used. Or..” Randy grinned and leaned forward conspiratorially, “you could finish that disk of hers. Surely that would be entertaining at least.” Rand groaned quietly at Randy’s look. Randy always enjoyed letting people watch. She knew why, he loved her work and was proud of her. And she had given Roman the disk so she didn’t mind if he watched it.

“I’m not taking it Randy.” She stood where she’d been contemplating sneaking out until Randy left. She moved over to sit on the bed, crossed her arms and glared at him. Randy shrugged, “Well see. Why did you want a Scottish coffee first thing in the morning anyway?” Rand didn’t say anything and Randy looked at Alden to see if he might shed some light on it.

Randy

Roman glanced between her and Randy. She really didn’t seem to want to talk about it with him. “She wanted to sleep. You were right, she worries too much about me. Sorry.” He hadn’t succeeded in eating much yogurt. Maybe a spoonful altogether.

~ Roman

He watched Alden mix the yogurt. “Will you let me give you something to settle your stomach? If you can get food and water in you it will ease the headache, the upset stomach, and the dizziness. And at this point a semi full stomach will probably trigger increased melatonin production and sleep.”

Roman thought about it. The headache was still throbbing and if his stomach got any worse he might be sick. The dizziness wasn’t too bad if he wasn’t move but when he tried to sit up or lay back down it was a problem. All he’d wanted for days was to sleep, but he knew if he did, he’d only have a nightmare. But maybe if he could sleep he’d feel a little better when he woke up. He gave a little, half-hearted nod and set the spoon down.

Rand looked at Roman funny. She did worry about him, but it was the nightmare that had made her ask Roman to make her coffee. Did he not remember or was he covering for her because he knew she didn’t want to talk about it?

Roman planned to tell her later. There were gaps in his memory caused by the concussion, that was not one of them. He couldn’t remember what movie they’d watched, or what it was about, though.

Randy loaded a hypo, “Don’t look at me like that, girly. Your BP is too high and your pulse to erratic and,” he scanned her again, “your adrenaline levels are too high. A few hours of deep sleep will be good for you. I would never do something that would hurt you. Either of you. Though you two drive me crazy enough to want to lock you both in a bubble.” Rand knew that, but who would help Roman if she was sleeping? If she was sleeping how could she help distract him?

Rand

Roman knew that with a concussion you weren’t supposed to be alone, but Rand needed the sleep. He also knew Rand well enough to know she was worried about helping him. He turned to look at her. “If I need anything, Randy will be next door. It’ll be fine while you get some good sleep.”

~ Roman

Rand grabbed his hand and squeezed, she hated the sedatives. It was as irrational she knew. It wasn’t that she slept but when she woke up she was so disoriented at first and things got confused. She nodded about Randy, she knew he wouldn’t heck on them both, but what if Roman got stubborn and tried to get up without help and fell again? She was at least able to admit to herself she was making excuses. Also she didn’t like the idea of Randy being around while she shared a bed with Roman. Even if she was sick. Then again Randy caused that whole incident with the nightgown. How much worse could it be?

When Randy gave her the hypo she squeezed Roman’s hand like she did with the bone fuser, even moving away from Randy and leaning on Roman. Randy murmured to her in Gaelic, mostly reassurances. He rubbed her neck where he injected the medication and then placed the kelpie on her chest. “10 deep breaths.” He counted with her and she was out before they finished.

He moved around and switched the vials. “This will settle your stomach quickly, a minute at most. Some people say it makes them hungry. It also has the added benefit of easing migraines. Not quite what you have. It does it by increasing blood flow which brings oxygen and nutrients, so good for the swelling and pain.” He pressed the hypo to his neck and there was the familiar hiss. What Randy didn’t say was phenagren would also make him drowsy and in a deep dreamless sleep. Great little medication.

Randy