Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in So… This Is It

Posted by Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in So… This Is It

Posted by Civilian Sisnil Zoi (Intelligence Consultant) in So… This Is It
Posted by… suppressed (56) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Dradvia didn’t want to startle him again. She set a hand on his shoulder leaned over where he could see her easily. “Sisnil. Time to wake up.”

Sisnil jolted gently awake and squinted hard, then remembered the glasses and put them on. He smiled. “Hey, Dee.”

“Time for your last dose. Then we have lots of tests to run. Ready?” She sprayed the numbing spray on his neck and took the last blood sample and took it to the computer to run.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

His blood results were as expected. Sisnil smiled. “I’m ready.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia gave him the last dose. “The echtallin is totally gone out of your system. This is a precautionary dose. No more beta blockers. Your body has to start regulating your temperature itself. The stab wound is totally healed too. Though it will be.more tender and weak than the rest of you will be. Pain meds… we’re going to stay away from those too, but anti-inflammatories are fine, and will help the recovery process.”

“So no more meds, basically,” Sisnil said.

“Well… at least until we know what all we are dealing with,” Dradvia said.

She lowered the bed all the way and a frame was put over the bed and then another piece near his head. “Full neurological scans, cardiovascular and muscular too, and immune system.” She started the process and waited.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Besides the little bit of healing left around the stab wound, his muscles were fine. The movement issues and pain was all caused by the nervous system. His cardiovascular system was overall fine, but his heart had sustained some damage throughout everything. He would be fine, though. His immune tests showed he was missing immunisations for most common diseases that immunisations existed for. But the poison hadn’t affected his immune system’s effectivity and there was no sign of infection. Just immune fatigue from fighting so hard.

She could address the missing immunizations later. Now wasn’t really the time - well actually… “Your heart took some damage, but that can be corrected with the tissue migratory. Your white blood cell count is low. It should be exceptionally high after everything. Your immune system is just taxed from everything. When you are recovered I recommend boosters of your immunisations just in case. Your wound is healed, the tissue fully knitted, and no sign of infection.”

The big problems, of course, were neurological. Massive neurological degeneration and damage had taken place all over his body. Decreased electrical impulses, nervous misfires, and other things seemed to run rampant though his nervous system. It would explain his stiffness and difficulty moving, the nerve damage had left him (reversibly, with therapy) partially paralyzed.

Dradvia continued to read the results, “The nerve damage is severe. Akin to partial paralysis. That is why you are stiff and slow to move. The impulses can’t reach where they need to. Neural regeneration and therapy will reverse that. It will be hard work, but you can do it.”

His brain, essentially the main part of the nervous system, had also been eaten by the poison. His optic nerves had just about nothing left of them, and what was left was severely damaged. The occipital lobe was damaged, quite severely, his paracortex had taken damage, but obviously not enough to affect him, or he would have said something by now. There was damage present in other areas, but it seemed where the poison had really sat and eaten away was in the areas controlling sight and movement/pain.

~ Zoi

Dardvia repeated everything to him, calmly and matter-of-factly. “Tissue migratory and neural regeneration will repair a good portion of it, but your eyes, we will have to intervene more like we discussed. Your Psilosynine gland is undamaged and your levels are normal. In fact it looks like your brain is already repairing the damage to your paracortex.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

That seemed to put Sisnil at ease, somewhat. “Well, at least I’ll have telepathy, I guess.” He said. “So how damaged are my eyes? What can we do?”

~ Zoi

“The optic nerve is almost gone. The occipital lobe is equally bad. Where the nerve and lobe meet is almost gone. So the good signals from your eyes can’t reach the good parts of the lobe. I want to start with Neural Regeneration. I will also give you Cortical Analeptic. It’s a medication used to reinvigorate the tissues of the cerebral cortex. Which will then spread to the other parts of your brain. We can also try Neuropathway Induction. We use nanites for the procedure. It’s more indepth than just regeneration. The nanties will be used to repair damaged neural pathway in a humanoid brain.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Okay,” Sisnil said. “Whatever you think will do it, Dee,” he said and smiled at her. “Just tell me when and how.”

~ Zoi

“Well, how hungry are you? I want to start on the neural regeneration today, and it will take awhile. I can put an audiobook on for you, but you won’t be able to watch anything because the frame covers the whole bed.” Dradvia wanted to start now, she didn’t want to wait.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I’m not,” Sisnil said. “I can wait.” He smiled, “As long as you’re here, I don’t really care.”

~ Zoi

“Well, I will be busy controlling the regenerator. So I thought you might enjoy a book or music.” Dradvia stepped away for a moment, but still in sight. She came back with Kgnan, who helped her move the full bed frame around Sisnil’s biobed. She paused, “You aren’t claustrophobic are you?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No,” Sisnil said, knowing regardless of whether it was true or not, he’d never admit it. He settled in like he was getting comfortable. “I’m good.”

~ Zoi

“Alright,” Dradvia squeezed his hand briefly before sliding the frame fully into place. She peered into the microscopic viewer and began programming each are of the neural regenerator to begin working on the damage.

Dradvia stood there, slightly hunched over for over two hours, working to repair the damage to his nervous syatem.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

With the poison gone, it wasn’t a painful process. It did, oddly to Sisnil, seem to tire him out. But he was still and patient while she worked. A lot of the damage was repairable, the nerves or areas that there wasn’t much left of, didn’t seem to be repairing correctly. After almost three hours, Sisnil spoke via telepathy, Dee? How’s it going?

~ Zoi

She was so focused that Dradvia wasn’t aware he had used telepathy. “Slowly. There is a lot of damage. I’ll have to stop so your body can rest and do more tomorrow. There are a couple of spots that are too damaged. We could try nerve transplant. The occular nerve though… I really think we should try the Psilosynine infusions. It will take a day or so, but your paracortex is repairing itself. I haven’t had to work there.”

“I’m willing to try it,” Sisnil said. “Can’t you keep working?” He asked.

Dradvia smiled, but it showed disappointment and concern. “No. Your body has been through a lot, and accelerated healing is exhausting for the body. You could have another cardiac arrest if I push too hard.”

Sisnil sighed, frustrated with his own fragility.

One section at a time, as each sequence finished, Dradvia turned the machine off. She stood up straight and groaned and then let out a soft whimper as her neck and shoulder protested and her lower back spasmed. “You should have more control of your limbs now, and more feeling.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Then he realized she was also needing a break. “I wish I could help you.” He stretched gingerly and carefully. “I’m stiff, but yeah, it feels a little better.” He elbowed her gently, “See, Dee? You’re doing fine.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia’s head turned toward him, her gaze full of curiosity on what he meant about helping. He was. He wasn’t fighting or arguing with her.

She smiled, “I have to. I can’t let anything happen to you.” Kgnan helped remove the frame and then she sat down with a soft groan. She rotated her shoulders and stretched her neck. “Here,” she handed him the bed controls. “Sit up as much as you want. Then we’ll see about moving around some more.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I mean, I could give you a wicked back massage if my muscles worked,” Sisnil said as he raised the bed slowly. It was much easier now, but he still found he needed to be careful.

~ Zoi

Dradvia’s eyes went wide. He would do what?! She looked a bit like a fish out of water as she stared at him. “Ummm…uhhh…”

She stood there for a lot longer than just a simple pause. What was she supposed to be doing?

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed, reached over, and tugged her hand. “Come on, Dee, it’s just a back massage.”

~ Zoi

She stepped over close to him, and she registered his hand held hers more firmly this time, but what was really going through her head was that, No, it’s not just a back massage. Nothing was ever just something with Sisnil. That wasn’t a complaint though, and the fluttering in her stomach indicated quite the opposite.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil smiled at her and tugged her closer. “Come here, Dee. There’s no more poison right? What’s the worst a little hug could do?”

~ Zoi

How could he be so sick and still fill the entirety of sickbay with his presence. He didn’t even have to tug on her hand, just the spoken invitation was enough to pull her towards him. She couldn’t resist returning his smile, even as she bit her lower lip. She was working, and he was her patient. She couldn’t, or maybe it was shouldn’t. Or should she. What if someone saw her hugging him and decided she was… well, what if it was Stevens? He would start bothering her again because he was mean and scared her. He’d harass her about it.

It was inevitable though that Dradvia sat down on the edge of bed, still holding his hand. “Now? Nothing I guess.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil pulled her gently toward him and wrapped his arms carefully around her. Then there was a content sigh from him, his eyes closed against her.

~ Zoi

Her face was hidden against his neck, blocking out the universe and prying eyes. The tension drained out of her as her hands carefully wrapped around him. Then two breaths later a harsh tremor rushed through her. His steady strength making the dam holding her emotions in check shatter. All her fear, grief, worry, anxiety came rushing through her.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“It’s okay, Dee,” he said softly. “Everything’s okay.” That wasn’t quite true, but she didn’t need to think about that right now. “Cry all you like.”

~ Zoi

Dee took a deep breath, then another, and another. She shook her head slightly against him. She couldn’t. Not here. Nothing would feel better than letting Sisnil comfort her while she cried, got it all put, but she couldn’t. Not in Sickbay, in front of all these strangers. All these people she didn’t know and couldn’t trust. She couldn’t appear weak.

She swallowed it down and took another breath before pulling away. She soothed them both by smiling at him. It was all written in her eyes anyway. “If you promise to behave for the EMH for your PT eval, I’ll go feed Simon and promise to bring him to you.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“You’re tying my hands here,” Sisnil complained. He shrugged, smiling, “Fine, for Simon.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia shook her head, “Fine, I’ll stay and you can wait longer to see him.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No, Deeeeeeeee, go get him, pleaaaaaaase,” Sisnil whined like a child. “Come oooon he’s gotta miiiiissss meeeee.”

~ Zoi

“He does miss you,” Dradvia said honestly. “So then behave whole I’m gone.” She paused and looked at him. She had promised to stay with him. “I can stay. I’ll get him after, if you’d rather.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil patted her hand. “Go, Dee. I’ll be fine.” He said. “How does this EMH thing work?”

~ Zoi

“Computer Avtivate Physical Therapist Medical Hologram.” A human male shimmered into existence wearing a medical uniform and stood still. “He will perform a physical assessment to see where you ate. You will interact with him just like you would a real doctor. Just remember he can’t understand body language and tone - like sarcasm. So be honest please. Then I’ll use the results to develop a physical therapy program for you. Kgnan will be here if you need anything.”

She turned to the hologram. “Access patient file for Sisnil Zoi. Begin physical therapy evaluation.” She squeezed his hand and then slipped out of sickbay.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil really, honestly, did his best not to be, well.... himself. It didn’t last. Before the end of it he was up to his usual, stubborn, sarcastic antics.

~ Zoi

Alone, in Sisnil’s quarters, with Simon, Dradvia curled into a corner on the floor and cried. Alone she could let it all out, vent her fear and worry and grief. It shook her body, wrenching quiet, pitiful sobs from her. Simon stopped eating to check on her.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil could sense it from Sickbay. His voice was suddenly in her head. Dee? You okay up there? There was a sense of amusement, Do I need to come up there?

~ Zoi

“Wha…?” Dradvia looked up, expecting to see Sisnil in the room, wondering how he got there. Then she realized it was his telepathy. She wished he could come up there. She wished he was there to pull her into his lap and make everything better like he did when she had night terrors.

Simon meowed and headbutt her hand. She took a deep breath. Getting him and tried to focus her thoughts. She didn’t know if it made it easier for him or not. Yeah, I will be. She took another slow breath. I just… I just can’t do this out there. By ‘this’ she meant vent her emotions, be weak and scared where other people could see. She would much rather be with him, but he understood, didn’t he?

He did, and that understanding was shown to her. There wasn’t another response, he was reminded abruptly he needed to focus.

Simon is eating and then I’ll be back.

She had to coax him to eat and then she had to figure out how to put the harness and leash on him. She had never done it. By the the time she figured it out, she was frustrated, and Simon was very bored with the game.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

By the time she was back his session was finished.

~ Zoi

Dradvia came through the door with Simon. The kitten was snuggled down on her arms looking around at the new place. He got a lot of attention from the other Medical staff, which slowed Dradvia down. She met Sisnil’s eyes and grinned over a nurse’s shoulder.

Finally she made it over to him, but with difficulty. Simon saw Sisnil and began squirming and clawing to get to him. She had a death grip on him afraid he would fall and hurt himself. She tried to set him down carefully, but Simon was too eager.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil’s body was sore and tired, but he still reached for Simon as soon as the kitten was on his bed. He picked Simon up, snuggled him, and then began to pet him while baby talking him.

~ Zoi

If Dradvia wasn’t jealous before, the way half the medical staff were making moon eyes over the taciturn rogue caring for a kitten, she would be now.

She had to smile though at how happy they both were. She picked up her PaDD and went over the results of his PT eval. She snorted once (“Patient claims to prefer being lazy, he claims to have never had a vacation”), then huffed a few times(“Patient states he enjoys pain” “Patient fell while trying to stand, but stated crawling gives him a unique angle to look up at things, patient claims he was never potty trained and would prefer to keep catheter”) sighed (“refusal to state pain level”), and groaned (“Patient made several demands for Dr. Dradvia. Stating she is prettier and he would never kiss me.”)

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil looked appropriately guilty and hid his face in Simon’s fur. The kitten was already getting bigger, and he could hide most of his face with his body. He peered up at Dee from the kitten’s fur. “I did try, Dee.”

~ Zoi

An engineer in for a minor burn sighed with longing at the heart tugging, butterfly fluttering look on Sisnil’s face. She muttered softly to her nurse, “Let him look at me like that, and I would do anything he asked after I forgave him for anything and everything.” The nurse giggled in agreement.

Dradvia heard them of course. Senses in high alert in order to survive tended to do that. She was absolutely not immune to the way Sisnil looked at her, the sheepish boyish smile, and the adorable way he used Simon as a shield. She expected most of it. But the last part… could she wipe that from the EMH memory banks and Sisnil’s file. Sisnil didn’t care if people knew he liked her. It wasn’t so much that Dradvia cared. She wasn’t ashamed, but she didn’t trust others to know things about her. Trusting people was dangerous, anything they knew they could use against her. Sisnil was her secret safe haven.

Her insecurities wasn’t on him though, that was her problem. At least she knew he was feeling better. She shook her head, “I hope you know I’m going to make the program extra difficult for this one right here.” She turned the PaDD around and pointed to his comment about liking pain.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed. Simon burrowed under his blankets, hunkered down, and purred, loudly. “It wrote that? I guess you were right about not getting sarcasm.” He huffed, “That stupid thing made me wanna hack in and delete him from existence.”

~ Zoi

“I thought it might.” Dradvia barely suppressed her grin. “Which is why I made you promise not to alter the program.” She sat down, “If you hate it that much we can always take you back to the star base for rehab.” Dradvia didn’t think that was a very good idea since they were trying to convince the Syndicate that he’d died. It was up to him though.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No, I can’t do that,” Sisnil said. “If whoever is still after me is still there.... I’m way too vulnerable to finishing to job.” He said.

~ Zoi

Dradvia listened to Simon purr and smiled. She was never going to get him back to Sisnil’s quarters now. “Well then you have to put up with the EMH. I’m not trained to handle your rehab. It’s all we have.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“I’ll try.” Sisnil said, looking at her. “I promise. But try is all I can promise.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia glared at him, “You agreed to the EMH over Tessan. You also won’t get better if you don’t do the work, and that’s not you. So you had better do more than try.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil grinned and shrugged. “I will do the work, I never said I wouldn’t. I just didn’t say how.”

~ Zoi

“Fully, following directions, the way you are shown, so you don’t mess up your recovery.” Dradvia’s eyes narrowed as she stared hard at him. “And without modifying the program.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No modifying the program,” Sisnil promised. “No lying either.”

~ Zoi

That was too easy. Maybe she was worried for nothing. Until something else occured to her. “No missing appointments, skipping exercises, and no forgetting to turn the program on or turning it off.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed, “I wasn’t planning to do that, either.” He assured her, smiling.

~ Zoi

She kept eyeing him, certain he was planning something, but she couldn’t figure out what it was. Finally, she nodded, “Okay. Good.” She would have to look over the evaluation and put in what she wanted and then let the program do it’s thing.

“How are you feeling after all that?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Just sore and annoyed,” Sisnil replied with a shrug. “I’m okay.” He smiled as Simon found something interesting, probably a thread or something, and began moving around under the covers.

~ Zoi

“Okay. Sore is better than pain. Can you tell if the neural regeneration is helping?” She wished she had a magic wand.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“It’s helping my movement,” Sisnil offered. “Some, anyway.” He smiled at her. “I’ll be back to normal before you know it.”

~ Zoi

“I know,” Dradvia smiled. Then busied herself cleaning and straightening up. Letting Sisnil focus on Simon.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil played with Simon for a little while and then the cat curled up by his side and began to purr loudly again. Occasionally, he’d turn and lick Sisnil wherever he could reach.

~ Zoi

Dradvia watched as she kept herself busy. She was slightly envious of Simon getting to curl up with Sisnil, wishing she could do the same, but there were too many obstacles on her part.

The longing looks and interesting from others didn’t help. It brought up feelings of inadequacy and self doubt. Focusing on the work kept it smothered for the time being.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer