[snip]

More time passed and no one had entered sickbay ‘’ Might as well relax cause…’’ Cross did not had time to finish the sentence when a crewman came running in out of breath ‘’ Someone is stuck in one of the Jeffrey tubes. I tried to help but realized one of the tools he was using has penetrated his side and he’s bleeding ‘’.

‘’On our way’’ Cross replied without hesitation.

Upon hearing this, Faith gazed over at Kate and gave her a look. Leaving Sickbay to climb Jeffries Tubes in the dark, with nothing but unshielded candles, seemed like a recipe for more injuries, but you could never stop Cross from doing what she had in her head. Her impulsiveness might make her dangerous sometimes, but she got things done. Faith continued caring for the existing patients and hoping that the lights would come back on soon.

Cross followed the man.

The other crew member came back to sickbay and told Kate, “Doctor Cross has a PT with a Pneumothorax and an injury from a screwdriver ..she said you’d know what she needs and to bring them on the double ‘’.

Kate left the Sickbay with the other crew member, leaving Faith alone there. She wished they could at least have some security to act as a porter or triage these patients.

As more patients with trips and falls came into Sickbay, Faith decided that she really ought to wake up Doctor Kim from his nap now.

Faith went to Doctor Kim’s office, ignored the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign, and knocked heavily on his door.

The door opened and Faith saw Ade, the Ship’s Dentist. “Can’t you read?” Ade asked her. He looked like he had been sleeping off a hangover. “And what’s wrong with all the lights? Has one of you blown a fuse with your hairdryers?”

At that moment the nursing officer arrived back in sickbay just in time to hear the dentist grumbling as usual, she was by now used to his character.

Under other circumstances, Faith could have reported him for several reasons, the comment, his drinking… he was already banned from both of the Lounges for fighting, and he didn’t help himself with his attitude. But she felt sorry for him and let it slide. “I’m sorry,” Faith said, “I was looking for Doctor KIm.”

‘’Why yes’’ Kate replied ‘’We were doing each other’s hair ,isn’t that so Faith ?’‘.

”**** off!” Ade said, and shut the door again.

Faith was shocked. She’d never been spoken to in that way on the Merrimack before.

‘’Don’t take any notice of him Faith ,he’s always whining.’’ Kate then went on to explain about the injured crew man and how Cross had to stay with him for the time being ‘’Between us and doctor Kim I’m sure we’ll manage ‘’ that’s when they saw the doctor coming towards them ‘’Faith’’ Kate whispered ‘’ Are you seeing the way he’s walking ..he reminds me of the novel of the Hunch back of Notre dame!!’‘.

“What’s wrong with him?” Faith asked, seeing Kim. “Is he okay?”

‘’What’s wrong with me you ask ‘’the doctor for as long as Kate knew him was one of few words ‘’I’ll tell you what’s wrong , try sleeping on the floor in a corridor !’’ he was by now raising his voice ‘’ Look around you ,nothing works ,the ship has no power where are our know it all engineers ! ‘’ the man exclaimed ‘’Such incompetence I’d say , it seems we are living in the dark ages ‘’ and with that he started to walk away ‘’Oooo…my back’‘.

Dr Kim.

“Please Dr, Kim,” Faith implored him, “You should come and lie down on one of the biobeds and I’ll take a look at your back. With your permission, I can give you some heat therapy to ease the pain?”

‘’Leave me alone ‘’ the doctor muttered ‘’How could I have slept in sickbay with all this noise!’‘.

To Kate, Faith said, “Someone needs to go back and help Dr. Cross bring her patient to Sickbay. Why are there no Security down here to help us?”

Morris walked into sickbay to a bit of commotion. A little out of place, having recently come aboard, he made his way to the nurse. In his Scottish brogue he said, “Excuse me, Miss, can I be of some assistance? I believe I’m meant to be down for a medical exam, but I’m sure it can wait if you’re in need of help.”

Crewman Morris, Security.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” said Faith. “I could kiss you! ” Faith didn’t intend that to mean that she literally wanted to kiss Clifford, but rather that she was feeling a very strong positive emotion towards him, and overjoyed at his arrival. “Doctor Cross needs help with a patient. They’re up a Jeffries Tube and she can’t carry him alone.”

Kate the nursing officer looked at both Faith and the new comer ‘’I’m afraid you have to wait for your medical,it cannot be done nothing is working .As for the injured man I believe Cross does not want to move him with a partially collapsed lung at least not for now,its not going to be an easy task getting him through the tubes there is hardly enough space for one person’’ at this point she sat down looking at the candles here and there as the only source of light ‘’I don’t know what is happening ,I feel so incompetent ‘’ covering her face with both hands Kate started crying.

Kate N.O

Morris gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Now, hold on there, dear,” he said, “I realize I’ve joined you all in the midst of pickle, but I’m sure we’ll get through this. Let’s just take a moment and see what needs tending to.” With that, Morris pulled out a small flashlight and began to shine it about the room. “It’s been a bit since my Academy medical training, but I’m sure I can make do in a pinch. Just let me know what I can do for you two.”

Crewman Morris, Security Officer.

“Kate you’re doing a outstanding job here, running this place single-handed,” Faith told Kate. Faith then turned to Clifford. “I’m Faith, this is Kate. It’s been a difficult morning. If what Kate said is right, then best to leave Dr. Cross with her patient where they are… but there is still work to do here. We have a corridor full of crew with minor injuries, and somehow we need to triage them in the dark to separate those who need urgent care and those who could go to their Quarters and rest up.”

Faith, Yeoman

Meanwhile, nearby to Sickbay in a Jefferies Tube…

‘’There are oxygen cylinders! ‘’ Cross exclaimed as she had been worried about oxygen not being available for the patient ‘’Listen up ‘’ she told Kate and the crew man who had found him ‘’ We need to get him out with care ‘’ the plan was for the crew man to help raise him up from under the armpits wild Cross and Kate could manage to each take a knee and all of them slid him down with ease.

‘’Steve its a good thing you fell way down that we could reach you ‘’ and they proceeded to carry out the plan, slowly but surely they managed to bring Steve out and laid him on the floor. The crewman and nursing officer did not wast time to go and bring the oxygen cylinder plus a couple of blankets .

For awhile the CMO was left alone with just some candle lights ,she checked him again. Without chest x ray,ultrasound or arerial bld gas test, the doctor had to relying on her experience . She took out a hypospray and gave him a shot of painkillers while she waited and explained to Steve what needed to be done for the partially collapsed lung.
‘’ Its called Thoracentesis I will place a temporary needle between your ribs on the side of the pneumothorax to evacuate the air in your chest and oxygen therapy ‘’.

When the others came back ,Steve was placed on a layer of blankets and when the procedure was done ,an oxygen mask was put in place as Kate opened the cylinder.

Seeing the patient relatively calm and nodding off , Cross send the others to sickbay while she sat down on the floor her back against the wall so to keep an eye on him, for awhile gazing at the flicker of the candle light.

Steve opened his eyes, he could see Cross’s silhouette ‘’Doctor ‘’ he called out ,the CMO’s eyes fluttered open, she had dozed off ‘’What’s wrong ? Are you in pain?’’ she asked concerned.

‘’Oh no doctor I already feel much better thanks to you ‘’ in a soft voice she replied ‘’Its what doctors do ‘’ the patient chuckled ‘’I guess you’re right ..is it your first child ?’’ he asked .It took the female doctor by surprise ‘’ Y..yes..yes it is ‘’ for a moment he took the oxygen mask off ‘’I have a little boy back home , he’ll be four next month I wish I can be present for his birthday ,still I try to keep in contact with him and my wife and visit when I can..is it a boy or a girl? ‘’.
‘’A boy ‘’ Cross answered , Steve nodded putting his mask on.
He never saw the tears running down her face while she whispered ‘’Oh yes I’m the great pretender ‘’words that were lost in the darkness that surrounded her.

Cross CMO.