Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Three More Days

Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) in Three More Days

Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Three More Days
Posted by… suppressed (51) by the Post Ghost! 👻
A what? No, no, no. NOT happening. Not ever, this guy was high as the sun if he thought Roman was doing that. But before he could argue, the doctor had moved on and Roman was left sitting on the biobed in shock. Then he exited sickbay in a hurry, waving for Rand to follow him.

~ Roman

Rand was still sitting in the chair waiting for him. When he came out, he was in a hurry. That didn’t surprise Rand, so she got up and hurried after him. She would have gone back there with him, but he hadn’t asked and she was too shy to just follow. She wanted to ask him if he had his clearance back. If he finished his physical and what he thought about the new doctor. He looked very upset though, and so she didn’t say anything.

Rand

Roman ushered her into his CSO office and sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He looked like he wanted to say something but he was struggling to phrase it or get the words out.

~ Roman

Rand sat down on the other chair and waited. It wasn’t like Roman to have a lack of ability to speak. Something had happened with the doctor. So she just waited.

Rand

Roman’s mind flipped back and forth between the telespace psych eval and the pacemaker. Why had he thrown that in right at the end? Roman couldn’t tell Rand about that. She would worry too much. That simplified things without taking any of the pressure off him. “The new CMO wants me to do a psych eval, within the next three days.” He looked, almost desperately, at Rand, “Isn’t there some way… I mean… that I could… not do that?”

~ Roman

A psych evaluation? Rand hid her relief. Ever since Randy left she had been worried about what Roman would do. The new CMO wasn’t messing around. Rand used the pause to appear as if she was thinking. “If he gave it as a direct order? No. The rules and protocol are quite clear. When it comes to the physical and mental well being of the crew, the CMO has and is expected to give orders to ensure such. They have the authority to remove anyone from duty based on health or physical unfitness. You could appeal to Star Fleet Medical Command, but that would take weeks and if he has given you 72 hours, we will be relieved of duty for a long time.” She took a breath. They both knew he wouldn’t win the appeal. “It’s just an evaluation. Just talking. You can do that.”

Rand

Roman’s face fell. No, no he could not do that. “He’s put me on anxiety meds and I have this-” he reached into his pocket and tossed her the new rescue hypo, loaded and dosed for him for an anti anxiety mild sedative. Rand would be familiar, it was for panic attacks. He looked at her and shook his head. “I don’t want to do this.”

~ Roman

Rand looked at it and nodded. “Anxiety goes hand in hand with PTSD. I know you don’t want to hear that. You didn’t like when Randy told you, but…” that’s the way it was. “Ròmanach, chan fheum thu a dhèanamh, ach tha an roghainn eile a ‘fàgail Star Fleet … agus mise. (Roman, you don’t have to do it, but the alternative is leaving Star Fleet … and me.)”

Rand

Roman moved his chair by hers and then hugged her. “I can’t do that. You know I can’t leave you.” His breaths were shaky but controlled, his heart rate slightly elevated but within range. Kreed’s anti anxiety dose in action.

~ Roman

“I don’t know what rules Lt Kreed set down for you, but I will be there if you want. But I can’t talk for you. I can rearrange your schedule so you have the whole day free. Then you can do whatever after it is over.” She hugged him, “I don’t want you to leave. So we will get through this. Just like everything else.” He needed help and it looked like Kreed was capable of making sure Roman got it.

Rand

“Whatever I do, I want you there.” Roman replied, leaning his head against her. He stayed there for a long while before he finally said, “What do I have scheduled for the rest of the day? Can it be moved?”

~ Roman

“Then I will be.” She sat with him, just hugging him. She didn’t say it, but if the new CMO could upset Roman this much, it made her worried for her own exam the next day.

At his question, Rand got up and moved around the desk to the computer. She logged in and pulled up the schedule. Franks had already handled the end if shift for science, and the XO reports could be handled the next day. He had a meeting with Helpful to schedule installation of some new equipment but that was quickly moved to the following morning, and then there were just his own personal studies and experiments. “Done. I’ve moved two things to tomorrow, the rest is your own experiments.”

Rand

Roman nodded. “I’m going to head back to our quarters.” He stood and gave her a little, stressed smile. “Are you coming or are there still things you need to do?”

~ Roman

“I just have to submit my reports, and then I’ll grab a tray and come up.” As much as she would like to put off work and go with him, she couldn’t. She still had to finish her work and check on the captain before she could be done for the day.

Rand

Roman nodded and stood. “I’ll see you in a bit, then,” he said, and stepped out of the office to head up to their quarters where he promptly curled up in bed and covered himself with the covers and stayed there.

~ Roman

Rand watched him leave with heavy concern. She hurried through the rest of her duties (which was not unusual) and then collected trays for the captain and their dinners. She delivered them all and then was finally able to be done for the night.

She entered their quarters about an hour after Roman. She put the tray down and went and sat on the bed next to him.

Rand

Roman was still on the bed, unmoved from where he had laid down. He shifted slightly when he felt her body weight shift the bed but he did not look up nor speak. To him, it was like his carefully crafted world was suddenly crumbling around him, everything he’d managed to rebuild falling apart. And if he didn’t do the psych eval, or the eval deemed him unfit, he’d lose everything he cared about. Everything.

~ Roman

She seemed to understand what he was feeling. “You aren’t going to lose everything, Roman. Remember I told you, it’s scary to deal with, but once you do, everything is going to be so much better. Remember, it was true with Randy. It got better, and now that he’s gone, someone new will help you. It will only get worse if you ignore it. You can’t ignore the data Roman. That causes false conclusions.”

Rand

Roman lifted his head and looked at her. It looked like he might’ve been crying. She knew he liked when she used science speak like that. But it did little to change his mopey expression. “I can’t to talk to someone new.”

~ Roman

“Yes you can. You don’t want to, but you can. It’s confidential and they can’t tell anyone what you talk about. Only if you are cleared for duty. I’ll be here. Just be honest.”

Rand

Roman plopped his head back onto the bed. It didn’t matter that it was confidential because that wasn’t the problem to him. He didn’t want to talk about it at all. But he was going to have to if he wanted to keep his career, stay here with Rand. He reached for her to hug her and shrugged.

~ Roman

Rand hugged him tightly. “I know you don’t like to talk about it. I know it is all connected, but it’s your aversion (she didn’t say phobia) of sickbay that caused the confrontation. No one expects you to get over the loss.” She kissed him gently, “And it’s okay to be afraid, but it’s controlling you.”

Rand

“I’m getting by, I’m fine. I like how things are.” Roman said softly after a long silence. “No other doctor has made me do this.”

~ Roman

Rand wasn’t comfortable forcing the issue. “Yes they have. They just went about it in a way that was less direct. They used kid gloves for you. You can’t serve and not have your annual physicals. And you’re not getting by when they have to constantly badger you and corner you into showing up. You would never allow any of the other crew to do that. You won’t even allow me to do it.”

Rand

Roman rested his head against her quietly and shrugged. Then a whispered, “I know.”

~ Roman

She simply held him. “It will be alright, I promise. We can handle this.”

Rand

Roman sat against her until eventually he fell asleep, his breaths evening out against her. The dose of anti anxiety meds Kreed had given him were still in effect, helping him relax, and soon he was in a deep sleep.

~ Roman

Rand got up, ate, and put the extra food in the small pantry. She fed and played with Pipkin for a bit and then she got ready for bed. She tried not to worry about her own appointment with the new doctor the next day. She worried anyway.

Rand

The next morning, Roman was awake with his alarm. It took him a moment to fully wake up, he’d slept hard. Then he glanced quietly at Rand, seeing if she was awake or not.

~ Roman

Rand was awake. She had been up late for the captain and hadn’t been able to sleep well after that. Nothing was wrong, she was just so tired she hadn’t been able to sleep. She was groggy and sleepy and it showed. She smiled over at him. “Morning.”

Rand

“Morning,” he said, looking at her. He studied her for a second and then reached over and hugged her. “Did you sleep? You look tired, Miranda.”

~ Roman

Rand smiled softly, her cheeks turning pink. She loved the way he said her name. She relaxed in his arms and shook her head against his shoulder. “Not much. The captain needed me last night. She paged me after you fell asleep and we were up late.”

Rand

“I’m sorry I fell asleep so early.” He frowned for a second, “Isn’t your appointment with the new CMO today?”

~ Roman

“It’s okay. I’m glad you got some extra sleep.” Rand nodded. “Not until later though, before my evening rounds.”

Rand

“I’ll go with you, like always.” Roman said. He rested his head against her and sighed, not wanting to get up. Two and a half days and counting to schedule a psych eval he didn’t want… “You’re not too worried about it, I hope?” He asked her, meaning her own appointment.

~ Roman

Rand sighed, “I don’t mind doctors, but I’m always afraid they will find something wrong.” She sighed again very heavily. “I always have a hard time with new people. I wish Elbbirt hadn’t retired.” If she skipped her morning run she could stay there with him just a little bit longer.

Rand

Roman nodded and hugged her. “You’ll be fine. They won’t find anything.” He smiled, “I’ll be there with you, and I’m sure Doctor Kreed won’t be as bad for you as he is for me.” Rand was a lot more compliant than Roman.

~ Roman

Rand didn’t say it, but she thought Dr. Kreed was excellent for Roman. “I know everything is better, but … ” she bit her lip, worrying at it. “I was healthy, no signs of problems before… it happened. What if they find something?”

Rand

Roman would, of course, disagree, no matter how right Rand was. He hugged Rand and shook his head. “You’ve been so much better. There won’t be anything to find.”

~ Roman

Rand nodded and let his certainty push away her worry. Nothing could be done about it and it would just upset her. She held him tightly for a bit longer. “I’ll make tea while you get ready. You have things to make up today.” It would keep him busier than normal.

Rand

Roman nodded and got up and started to get ready, reluctantly. He didn’t want to do anything. Not even work. He headed into the bathroom, then came out and changed, and then sat on the bed with a sigh.

~ Roman

Rand came over with a mug of tea, made just the way he liked it, and a small plate of the lemon blueberry scones he liked so much. They were warm and crumbly. She kissed him and then went to get dressed.

Rand

Roman munched on one of the scones and sipped his tea. They were perfect. He didn’t feel hungry but they were so good it would be shame not to eat them. It was good he’d be busy today, it would keep his mind off things.

~ Roman

Rand came out of the bathroom slipping a final pin to keep her hair in its neat bun. She picked up her tea and sat beside him, taking a scone as well. She didn’t interrupt him with talk. He needed to eat, even if he was forcing himself.

Rand

Roman finished one more scone and then passed the plate to her, sipping more of his tea. Then he stood. “They were very good, thank you.”

~ Roman

“I know you like them. I’ll make more my next day off. Gorshin doesn’t mind me using the kitchen.” She finished her own scone and got up. “Well, might as well get started. We have work to make up this morning. Here or do you want to work from the lab?” She knew the best thing was to do something rather than wallow.

Rand

“Let’s work from the lab.” Roman said, wanting normalcy. He headed out the hall and down the corridor. “Reports, that meeting with Helpful… What else is today?”

~ Roman

Rand lifted her PaDD and pulled up his schedule. “Ummm, your own experiments. Franks said he is concerned about one of the chinzillas. You have a meeting with Valos about,” she read it and shrugged, “microcellular chemical alterations in the soil bacteria in the ecology lab.” She kept scanning, “Stellar cartography has a course alteration request, and mechanical sciences has a prototype for you to review.”

Rand

“Okay, I can handle all that before your appointment.” Roman said, after a moment of thinking. His day would be busy, but doable.

~ Roman

“Well, let’s get started.” The previous days reports were already on his desk and Rand made a bee-line right for Nibbles. She fed and played with the mouse until she heard the ping on her PaDD the the morning reports were arriving. She locked the cage and moved toward her stool and got to work.

Rand

Roman did all of the reports in record time. Once he was done he started on the other work he had stacked up. It would be obvious to Rand he was nervous, he was doing everything he had piled up, leaving himself no extra time.

~ Roman

Rand let him. She went and picked up reports herself, leaving him to compile the morning ones on his own. It gave him work to do. It was better than sitting around and waiting. Before too long Rand was leaving the lab for the morning to attend to the rest of her duties.

Rand

Roman kept working, keeping himself busy all day. By the end of his day he was tired but he’d gotten everything done. He spent time with his animals, especially Mushu, until time for Rand’s appointment.

~ Roman

Rand almost hoped something would come up so Roman couldn’t go with her. She wanted him to go, but she knew he wouldn’t be allowed in the back with her. It also would just add to his worry to be there again. But she knew it would hurt his feelings if she went without him. So a few minutes before her appointment she stopped by the lab.

Rand

Roman saw her step in and finished cleaning up what he was working with. He headed over to her. “Ready?”

~ Roman

Rand had on a very calm look and a pleasant smile. She looked for all the world’s like she was simply going for a stoll. Inside she was stressed and worried over what the new doctor might fund or what he might say. She loved serving and didn’t want to be sent home. “Yep. It’s Just a physical. From what I’ve heard they are going very quickly. I might even have time after to see Nibbles again.” She sounded unconcerned and carefree as they walked the short distance down the corridor to the med Bay.

Rand