Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Main Sim - Sickbay: Five Days Later

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Leah Hart (Nurse Practitioner/Counseling) in Main Sim - Sickbay: Five Days Later

Posted by Captain Rende Asam (Commanding Officer) in Main Sim - Sickbay: Five Days Later
Posted by… suppressed (8) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“It’s working!” Hunter said. “But her heart is weak. I don’t know how much she can take.” This was beyond her expertise in endocrinology, but a part of her understood that they were making… whatever it was inside the captain unhappy. “Can we target the other pattern more specifically? Force it out?”

~Med Staff

Kreed’s mind raced through scenarios and finally settled on one. It was a huge risk, but the lizard-logic part of his brain said She is dying anyway. A small chance is better than none. He moved to the biobed controls and began tapping commands. “Clear the bed. Do not touch it or her for any reason.” He programmed in a defibrillaton command but, rather than being a single large shock, it was a series of smaller shocks repeating in time with Asam’s pulse. If he could increase the electrical signal just slightly, he anticipated that the boosted electrical pulse would supplement the interference from the rest of the equipment.

Kreed, CMO

The biobed accepted Kreed’s input with a sharp chirp, its display shifting from standard resuscitation protocols to a tightly sequenced cascade of micro-shocks. There was a pause as the paddles reconfigured beneath the surface, and the first controlled pulse discharged into Captain Asam’s chest.

The effect was immediate.

The harmonic trace was disrupted. Its steady double-beat stuttered as the timed electrical pulses struck in rapid succession, forcing interference directly into its rhythm. On the display, the previously smooth oscillation split into uneven segments that struggled to realign. The flatline flickered again—longer this time—small deviations appearing where there had been none. The captain’s body attempting to regain control of its natural rhythm.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Kreed watched for several seconds as the signals struggled against each other. He then reached out to the biobed controls and tapped a black talon against the power selector… and increased the charge.

Kreed, CMO

The biobed responded with a rising whine as power output increased. Each pulse struck harder,no longer just disrupting the harmonic pattern, but forcing it to break. On the display, the subspace oscillation buckled under the pressure, its once-perfect rhythm collapsing into jagged, irregular fragments. For a moment, it tried to reassert itself—two pulses, then a third that didn’t belong—before the next surge of electrical cadence slammed through it.

The flatline broke.

A sharp spike cut upward across the cardiac monitor—then another, weaker but real. The rhythm wasn’t stable, not yet, but it was hers. The chaos of interference and failing harmonics struggled a moment longer before collapsing completely. The biobed lit up indicating ROSC (Rreturn of Spontaneous Circulation) as Captain Asam’s natural cardiac signal returned. It was uneven and fragile, struggling to reestablish leaving her in a state of cardiomyopathy.

Cpt. Asam, CO

The CMO relaxed slightly. “There. The interfering signal has been disrupted. Her heart muscle tissue is damaged, though.” He looked at the readings and then said “Physiostimulator for six hours. Monitor for any signs of distress and ensure neurological function is at normal levels.”

Kreed, CMO

“Understood,” Hunter said as the rest of the team went into action.

Once the seal on Sickbay was dropped, Leah stepped in and looked around, taking in the mood and overt situation, the captain on the biobed. She had been in Engineering when the captain had left the bridge, so she wasn’t sure what all had gone down. All Hart knew was that the captain had not acted like the captain on the bridge. Asam was not the one she would have thought to reach for a weapon against one of her own crew. She knew this, and the scene down in Engineering had given her a surface understanding of what had happened. She understood it professionally, but it had been different personally. She didn’t hold it against Rende, truly. But if the captain had forced her hand, Leah would have been placed in a very awkward personally situation. One she was still struggling to fully understand and accept.

It hadn’t happened, so they would move on. And for now, Leah could keep her secret a little bit longer till she was ready.

~Leah Hart, NP

There were no obvious signs of distress other than the ones that indicated the physical strain her body had just endured, but Asam was stabilizing. Her neurological function returned to normal, but she didn’t wake. Whether from the strain, the sedative Kreed had given her, or both, she wasn’t awake yet.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Rand had been busy, she always was, but now she entered the medical bay and looked around for a familiar face. She was carrying a book under her arm. She had no idea if Lt. Ra’Ti had come to see the captain. She was aware of their friendship, but she would never tell anyone. If she wasn’t the captain’s yeoman she wouldn’t know about it. She wasn’t sure if the Lt. would come by himself. Captain Asam had no one, and after what she went through… well Rand would feel very uncertain and lonely to wake up alone. She didn’t fool herself into thinking she was the captain’s friend, but … well she could be for a little while.

Also Cmdr. sh’Kellirathras wanted an update on her condition. She scanned the medical bay, looking for someone who could tell her if she could sit with the captain for a bit or not, and let Dr. Kreed know about the commander’s recquest.

Yeoman Rand

Kreed made sure that the physiostimulator had been placed and was working before he stepped back. “Someone will remain with her at all times. Any change… any change at all, positive or negative… contact me immediately. Two hour shifts beginning now.” The other doctors and nurses nodded in acknowledgement and began all of the follow up work that came with a near fatality.

Kreed turned and saw the Yeoman standing near the door. “Yes, Yeoman? What do you need?” he asked flatly.

Kreed, CMO

Rand looked up. Kreed made her nervous, really nervous, but she also respected and liked him. “Cmdr sh’Kellirathras wants an update on the captain’s position. And… ummm,” he made her so nervous, she never knew if what she would say was okay or the correct things to say, “I was wondering if it would be alright to… to sit with the captain.” She held up the book awkwardly as if that would explain everything.

Yeoman Rand

Large black eyes sat fixed and motionless, staring at Rand for several long seconds. “I will send an update to the Commander as soon as possible. The Captain is heavily sedated and recovering, I doubt she will know of your presence or lack thereof. However…” and vertical eyelids blinked, followed by horizontal ones, “… perhaps the voice of a more personal connection would stimulate her cerebral functions. Yes, Lieutenant. You may stay with her for a while. Just please do not interfere with the medical staff’s activities.” He turned and looked at Nurse Cathaway. “Get the Yeoman a chair and put beside the Captain’s bed.” He looked back at Rand, clasped his hands behind his back, and then turned and walked away towards his office.

Kreed, CMO

“Of course! I will stay out of the way. I promise,” Rand rambled and then after Nurse Cathaway. She took the chair and left it exactly where it was put. The book she brought was on the history of the British Isles. Rand knew the captain enjoyed history and archeology. She was sure, given the Captain’s background Asam knew all about Ireland, but Rand hoped the familiar topic would be comforting. She opened the book and began to read. Her voice took on a cadence and rhythm that was pleasant to listen to and drew the listener in. Years of voice training taking over.

Yeoman Rand

Asam’s neural activity began to even out slowly as her vitals stabilized. The physiostimulator still had a long time to go when Rand sat down and began to read to her. Slowly hour by hour her functions continued to stabilize and slowly strengthen. Her neural activity showed increased cerebral activity and instances of REM sleep.

Cpt. Asam, CO

Having spent awhile sorting things out in the back, Leah appeared again and moved over to Asam’s bedside. She ran through the vitals and gave a nod, first to herself, then at Rand. “She’s doing better. Everything is moving in the right direction.”

Hart studied Rand a moment. “How are you doing, Rand? It’s been quite the day.”

~Leah Hart, NP

Rand smiled gently. “I’m alright, Lt. I’m worried about the Captain. I can’t imagine what that thing was saying and doing to her to make her act like that. I’m just glad she’s getting help. Cmdr sh’Kellirathras is keeping me busy. I prefer that. Staying busy helps me process. How are you doing?”

Yeoman Rand

Leah looked over Asam’s readings again, a reflexive habit borne of both wanting to keep an eye on her patient as well as giving herself a moment to think. She gazed back at Rand. “I’m okay. Just wanting to make sure the crew is okay. It was a lot for everyone and, well, this is when my work really begins sometimes.” She smiled softly at Rand. “If you need anything, please let me know. I’m here for you too.”

Rende dreamed. She dreamed of things from a lifetime ago.

Rende nodded, “Not much I can do about stopping them from seeing in. There isn’t anything out here to cover the windows with. But I’d rather see anyone coming than find out once they come in the door.” Rende looked around the room but didn’t see anything to cover the windows with, not even outside shutters. “You see anything we could use?” Rende wasn’t pleased with the exposure, but she would still make the rounds anyway. Like she said, better to see someone coming, even if they could see her too. She made a mental note to pass on El’s comment to ‘Dorin. He’d appreciate El’s ability to analyze the situation. She walked over to Lt Black, “El made a good point, it’s easy to see in here. I don’t see anything to cover the windows. Do you want me to go scout around?”

She was a second Lt in the MACOs back then. Her CO reached into his back and tossed her a roll of duct tape. “Use this.”

Rende looked at the silvery roll of demon spawn from Black and glared at it. She took it staring at it like it was going to explode. “You’ve been talking to Eldorin haven’t you?” She moved off muttering low under her breath. The private earwig activating automatically at the low vocalizations. ‘Demon spawn, who invented this stuff. All shiny metallic and colors too! Sticks to anything but what it’s supposed to. Created by a genie, exactly what you want but cursed.’ She spat almost as if she was superstitious. And when it came to this stuff maybe she was. ‘Thank the gods there are no designs on this stuff.’ Eldorin would know exactly what she was talking about. She hated this stuff. ‘What in the world am I supposed to do with this? Strips of it on the windows? Do you know how long that will take. We’ll be done here or discovered before this would work.’ She ripped a strip off moving towards a window and it stuck to every thing and then folded in on itself and could not be fixed. She balled it up shaking her hand like a cat that just dunked its paw in water, trying to get the offending sticky fiend off her thumb. Then she tried to stick just the edge to the window and roll it down. That worked great till she tried to rip the piece off and of course now it would not tear. She reached for her knife and of course the roll unrolled, collecting dirt and dust as it went. She cursed not quite silently at the offensive material. ‘What do they think I’m MacGyver? This stuff is useless except in old TV shows.’

Cpt. Asam, CO

It was a few more hours, but the monitors beeped indicating that the captain was waking up. She was asleep and then instantly awake. Her hand moving under her pillow before her eyes recognized where she was. Sickbay. She felt like she’d gone 4 rounds with a Gorn and then lost a drinking contest with a Klingon. Ugh....

Cpt. Asam, CO

Leah was at her side in a moment. “Easy now, Captain. You need to take it easy,” she said, her voice soothing and pitched low enough that her accent came through more clearly.

~Leah Hart, NP

“The crew?” was all Rende asked.

Cpt. Asam, CO

“They’re okay. The danger has passed,” Leah said in her most reassuring voice. “Right now, you need to focus on getting better. Commander sh’Kellirathras is holding the fort.”

~Leah Hart, NP

Rende nodded and let out the breath she was holding. “Thank you Lt.” She scanned the medical bay and her eyes fell on Rand and her face softened with a smile. “Hello Rand.” She looked back at Hart, “Can you tell me what was wrong with me? Or should I wait for Dr. Kreed?”

Cpt. Asam, CO

“Kreed should be here shortly, but yes, I can give you the overview.” She stepped over and rolled a stool back to the bed, taking a seat so she could be eye level with Rand. “Essentially, there was some sort of consciousness in that nebula that seemed to be affecting you and some of the others on the ship. Controlling your behaviour. I came in after they were treating you but they had to get creative to try and force that other consciousness out of your body. I say consciousness, but it was hard to fully describe. It seemed to be having a significant effect on your body, especially your heart. It was touch and go there for a bit, but they managed to evict your guest and then began treating the effects on your body. Your body has been through a lot, but so has your mind. You’re going to need to take it easy,” Leah said, her tone becoming more firm.

“What do you remember?” Hart asked.

~Leah Hart, NP