Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Paying for Our Sins

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in side - sim: Paying for Our Sins

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in side - sim: Paying for Our Sins
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Rand had set the bowl on top of the cage when Roman told her and turned too fast. “What? Why?” It made her dizzy and she grabbed for the cage to steady herself. She jarred the cage and the bowl fell with a clash to the floor. Rand was barefoot.

Rand

Roman jumped slightly when the bowl crashed to the floor. “Rand! Don’t move.” He stood, too quickly, and steadied himself, then grabbed her shoes and set them carefully next to her. Then he grabbed a small handheld broom from in the room and leaned down to start trying to clean up the glass.

~ Roman

Rand froze, there was ceramic everywhere. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” She kept a hand in the cage, but even anchored to the wall, it suddenly didn’t feel steady. She didn’t think she should try to stand on one foot to try and put her shoes on. So she just stood still.

Randy was on his way back and heard the crash down the corridor. He didn’t bother knocking, just hurried in. He saw Roman bent over with a broom and Rand standing in the middle of a broken dish and vegetables. He hurried over and helped him stand. “Roman, I’ll get that. What happened?” He looked at Rand, “Hang on, we’ll help you.” He just had to be able to get past Roman first.

Rand

Leaning down made Roman feel lightheaded, dizzy, and a little nauseous. He had one hand braced against the floor with the dust pan and with the other was trying to sweep, except he was so lightheaded his eyes weren’t very focused and it was hard to see. But then the door was opening and he heard Randy’s voice and what seemed like immediately after that Randy was steadying him and helping him stand. He leaned on Randy, standing making the lightheadedness worse. “She uhm…” He knew what he was trying to say, but the words weren’t wanting to come out. “she was trying to spoil Pipkin… Got dizzy I think.” Then he shrugged. “I can clean it up, it’s alright.”

~ Roman

“No, I got it.” Randy supported him until his legs seemed to hold him. “Come on.” Randy helped him to the bed, and then off with his shoes so none of the glass got on the bed. Randy hoped it was just dizziness from the meds and not his heart that caused the dizziness and slow speech. Then he made his way over to Rand. He didn’t even bother with her shoes, he just lifted her and carried her to the bed. “Randy I’m okay. I put the bowl on the cage. I…I turned too fast and when I grabbed the cage I knocked the bowl over. That’s all.” Randy set her on the bed and then went to clean up.

Roman settled in on the bed when Randy put him there. His heart was doing better, but it was still contributing to the problem. It might not be as bad without the meds but it would be there. And without the meds he wouldn’t have been resting all day.

Randy came and sat down next to Rand, but looked at Roman. “How’s the dizziness?” He pulled out a bandage and helped Rand sit up. “Elbbirt said I have to wrap your head. The swelling isn’t going down any more.”

Rand grabbed Roman’s hand, suddenly looking very small. She felt that way too and like everything was spinning out of control. “But…”

Randy shook his head as he started wrapping the bandage. “And Elbbirt wants you in bed or sitting tomorrow. You need rest, no matter how hard it is. Be grateful he agreed to let you work from the desk.” Rand tried to lean over against Roman, but Randy kept her still while he worked. They couldn’t! They couldn’t take her off duty again!

Rand

Roman held her hand and squeezed, keeping her up so Randy could work. “You still get your desk work, Rand. Everyone can send you things electronically, isn’t that what they did when you were waiting for me in sickbay?” And a little more rest and she’d be able to go back. Less rest and… Elbbirt might take her fully back off duty. He wasn’t going to mention that though. It wouldn’t help, and it was sort of implied anyway.

~ Roman

No…they couldn’t. They didn’t understand. The longer she was kept away from her work, the less the crew needed her. Being needed and useful was vital to being a Yeoman. Vital to preventing the type of crassness and condescension that was usually aimed at Yeoman. She was the only one on board. If Roger’s felt she wasn’t needed, she would be transfered somewhere else. It wasn’t the same as when he was in sickbay. She wasn’t just handling reports, she was still going and doing her other work. Tracey had her going at random times and locations. People waited for her, knowing the schedule change was for safety. All she could do was nod. She didn’t have a choice or a say.

Randy finished and tucked off the wrap. He kissed her forehead, but Rand didn’t really respond. The look, or really lack of a look on her face twisted his heart. It’s how she looked when she was told she had to stay in the hospital after her relapse. “Alright, let me get your hypo.” He turned to Roman. “I want to give you another booster for your heart. So same stuff as yesterday. Make sure it’s rested and hopefully tomorrow you can go back to work. You will go in late though because I will have to run scans first. You don’t mind doing your reports from your desk do you? And Rand can help.” Randy nodded his head toward the work station and then at Rand. Hoping Roman would understand that if he worked here in the morning it might help Rand a little. And it was reports after all. He didn’t need the lab for that.

Rand

Roman hugged Rand when Randy was done, holding her tight. “It’ll be a fast day.” Then he nodded to Randy for the heart meds. He had been a little worried about tomorrow, about what he’d do. He only had to make it through the morning, then he could work. And Rand would be there. That would help them both. He nodded again. “Morning reports from here. No problem.”

~ Roman

Rand didn’t say anything, nor did she really process that Roman would be there all morning. She let Roman or Randy, whoever, give her the hypo and then she laid down, facing away from them both. Randy gave Roman a grateful nod as he prepped the hypo the same as the night before: heart meds, nausea meds, a tranquilizer. A milder one this time so it would make him quite so relaxed, so he would be able to walk and function. He wouldn’t worry or stress over anything. Since Roman agreed, Randy went ahead and gave him the hypo instead of dragging it out. “You want a shower? I can stay with her, and I am sure she would feel better knowing someone was here to help.” It was said with a small smile as he looked at Rand. Anything to make her feel okay. “Otherwise I’ll leave you alone for the night. I’ll bring a treat back for Pipkin in the morning,” he offered but got no response out of his sister.

Rand

Roman assumed Rand was still upset about being confined to their quarters on medical orders. He normally showered daily and hadn’t been able to yet that day so he nodded. “A quick one would be good.”

The shower took about twenty minutes from the time he went into the bathroom to the time he came out. Then he settled into bed next to Rand with a soft, long sigh. Notably, despite Randy still being there, he’d chosen against putting a shirt on and instead just covered up with the bed blankets.

~ Roman

Randy talked to Rand a little, about home and their family. He tried to tell her about all the work he had covered, but her soft regular breaths and the sudden snort of a snore told him she hadn’t heard a word. He stacked up the meal tray and looked at Roman when he reappeared. “She’s already asleep. I’ll see you in the morning,” and he left.

Rand