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 Ensign Dradvia (Medical Officer) in So… This Is It
Posted by… suppressed (63) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
Dradvia scratched Simon’s under his chin. “Here that Simon. He’s going to put that stubborn streak to good use finally. Come on. Let him eat, and I will feed you. If he is very good and correctly extra stubborn you’ll see him in a couple of hours.” She picked up the kitten with a playful grin on her face and took him out and back to Sisnil’s quarters.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil gave her a look and shook his head, smiling. Soon he was done eating and ready to go.

~ Zoi

It was 10 minutes later that Dradvia returned. Simon did NOT want to go back and had tried several times to chase after Dradvia as she left. She had to put a forcefield up to keep him in.

Dradvia walked over, “Alright, lay back and we’ll get this next round of regeneration treatment done.”

The frame was slid over his bed and for the next hour and a half, Dradvia continued working on his neural network and repairing damaged muscle tissue.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil put the bed down and lay back. It really was oddly exhausting. When she was done, he looked like he was hiding sleepiness. “How am I doing?” He asked her.

~ Zoi

“Good,” Dradvia stretched her neck side to side and then reached up to rub her shoulder. “One more treatment tomorrow and that should be it, except your eyes, and putting in the work. How do you feel?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil shrugged. “I feel fine. Guess we’ll see when I head to my quarters.”

~ Zoi

“Well, sit up slowly. Get oriented. Then we’ll see about walking.” Dradvia had a walking frame standing next to biobed and his shoes.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil sat up, and it was slow. Then he slipped his feet into his shoes and tried to stand. It was as hard as before, as soon as weight was on his legs, he had to grab the frame to avoid swiftly finding the floor. His arms, also weak, were barely able to hold him to the support frame. He swore under his breath.

~ Zoi

Dradvia stayed within reach, but didn’t offer to do anything. “Your pace. Take your time.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil held tightly to the frame. There was that look of stubborn determination on his face as he made his way out of sickbay.

~ Zoi

Dradvia stopped him once to correct how he was using the frame. He did look like an old man, but the frame was meant to help him stand up straight and walk normal. It also stopped him from bumping into things that he couldn’t see well. She set a hand to his back to give him some spatial awareness around him. Other than that she stayed quiet and moved at his pace.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He let her help him. It seemed more helpful after she corrected his posture. He was lucky he had good visual memory. The only things he seemed to have trouble with here things that weren’t there last time he was. If it was something new, he’d hit it every time.

~ Zoi

After a few stumbles, Dradvia realized what the problem was. She had to think back over the last couple of days, what had changed. She had a good memory and was able to recognize each thing. She started giving him quiet descriptions so that he wouldn’t keep running into things.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil appreciated it, though it embarrassed him. She spoke quietly enough no one could hear. Soon they were on the turbo lift. He looked exhausted, his muscles trembling and twitching.

~ Zoi

There was no one else in the lift. “Lean against me. Let your legs take more weight than your arms and shoulders. Your legs are weak, but they are made to hold your weight, your arms are not.” When the lift stopped she helped him stand and stayed behind him as he moved into the corridor.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil leaned back against her. “I’m alright, Dee, I promise.” He said. His quarters weren’t that close to the lift. As they headed down the hall, people gave him these looks of sympathy and pity. It made him feel vulnerable. He looked weak. He put as little support on the frame as possible.

~ Zoi

“I know. You’ll get there.” Dradvia shook her head, glaring at the looks of pity. Sympathy she could understand, even empathy, but pity? It was cruel.

“The recovery is as bad as the poison.” She walked along. She had to admit she was impressed by the sheer will Sisnil displayed. “Almost there. Oh! I need to remove the forcefield and grab Simon. He kept trying to get out.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“It hurts,” he told her softly. It did. He was pushing on, though. He refused to give up. He couldn’t look any weaker than he already did.

~ Zoi

“I’ll give you something as soon as we get there. She stepped around him to the door and reached over the waist high forcefield to grab Simon. Then removed the field. Dradvia quickly.moved out of the way so he could get in.

As soon as the door shut she put a hand to his back, holding Simon with the other arm. “Lean on me. We’ll get you to the bed.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil stepped in after her. He leaned carefully on her and let her lead him to the bed. Then he collapsed onto it with a sigh. “Who knew my quarters were so far from Sickbay?”

~ Zoi

“I’m impressed for your first time up.” She set Simon down. “I’ll be right back.” She left and hurried across the hall. She returned quickly carrying her medkit.

She opened it and loaded a hypo. “For the pain. It’s not a sedative, but you may feel sleepy after it kicks in. You did a lot.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded and let her give it. He pet Simon as the kitten jumped up and settled in on him. “At least I’m back here instead of sickbay.” He said.

~ Zoi

He would be more comfortable here. “Do you want anything from the mess? I can get it and bring it back.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil named a snack food and a drink. “Thanks, Dee.” He said. “And get Simon a treat, please. Some bland shredded meat or something.”

~ Zoi

“Sure. I’ll be back soon.” Dradvia left. She was gone longer than expected. Getting snacks for herself and Sisnil was easy. Getting shredded meat for Simon was more difficult. She had no idea what kind Simon would like or what was best. She ended up getting four different kinds.

She pressedthe chime so he would know she was coming in and then opened the door. She set a tray full of snacks and drinks on the desk and then brought over four containers. “For Simon.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil grinned. “Couldn’t decide?” He said as he looked at the four containers. He opened one of them, struggling with the lid, sniffed it, then offered a piece to Simon.

~ Zoi

Dradvia shrugged, “I don’t know much about cats. What was a good choice and what wasn’t, so I just asked the computer for a variety and picked a few.” She gave that self conscious shrug, “I wanted Simon to like his treat.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil grinned. “Dee, that’s sweet.” He said. Simon gobbled down the piece Sinsil had given him. “I think he likes this one. Let’s try the other ones.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia took the container and handed him another one. She didn’t take the lid off, he needed the practice, even if it was hard. If it got to be too much, Sisnil would ask, or not. She flushed though and shrugged again. “He’s been lonely and missed you.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil had to pull the lid off the container again. She was right, he wouldn’t ask, even as his fingers refused to cooperate and he uttered swears under his breath until it opened. Then he took a piece and offered it to Simon. The cat sniffed it, took it, and ate it, but didn’t seem as enthused about it as the first one.

~ Zoi

Dradvia set the container she took on the table and grabbed another one. “He’ll probably eat it all just because it came from you.” She wandered over to his food dishes and poured some water she brought with her into one of the bowls. “How are you feeling? Has the hypo helped with the pain?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil nodded. “It’s come down.” He said. He offered Simon another. “No, if he doesn’t like it, he won’t eat it.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia watched as Simon sniffed and sort of sighed as Sisnil gave him another piece of the not so favorite meat. “I think right now he would do anything for you.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed. “Alright, give me that one.” He pointed to one of he closed containers. Then, after struggling to open it, he gave Simon a piece out of it.

~ Zoi

Dradvia watched as Simon sniffed the meat and pulled back then sniffed it again before looking at Sisnil. Then he took the offered piece and shook it violently like he was trying to kill it before eating it. Dradvia covered her laugh with a cough.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil laughed. “Simon! It’s not a rodent!” He said, shaking his head. “Now you’ve flung meat everywhere.”

~ Zoi

Dradvia got on the floor and picked up all the pieces of the meat and put them back in the container. “Well, maybe it didn’t smell dead to him,” she suggested with a laugh as Simon tried to take another piece and do the same thing.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Must not.” Sisnil said, shaking his head. “Let’s try the last one.” He picked up Simon so Dradvia would have an easier time grabbing the small bits of meat.

~ Zoi

Dradvia passed Sisnil the last container while she cleaned up the mess Simon made. She closed the bowls and set them back on the desk. Then she sat down next to him.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil opened the last container with another struggle, then offered a piece to Simon. He smiled at Dee. He looked tired, like he was fighting sleepiness.

~ Zoi

Dradvia didn’t return his smile. In fact she didn’t see it. The only thing she saw was the back of her eyelids. She had sat down next to him and leaned against the wall and promptly fell asleep.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

He had to chuckle a little. But he didn’t want to move and wake her, and laying there with her, he was asleep too in no time.

~ Zoi

Eventually, Dradvia was curled up on her side close to his warmth. She rolled though and the chill seeped into her sleep, and she dreamed.

Sisnil was hurt, he was dying. Slipping away from her. ‘Don’t leave.’ She held his hand unable to stop it.

She was standing in a corridor, Sisnil slowly walking away from her. She could see Noril and a beautiful Orion woman waiting for him. ‘Don’t go. Please Sisnil, don’t leave me.’ She whimpered in her sleep, crying. There was no fear, just aching sadness and a broken heart. In her dream her mind could say what she would never think when awake. ‘Please… please don’t.’

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Her dreams melded with Sisnil’s, influencing his, becoming his. He saw himself dying, Dee trying desperately to save him. It became a nightmare about the starbase: The bleeding wouldn’t stop, the poison was too aggressive, nothing she did could help him. His own trying to stay with her, summoning all his strength.

Only to leave her, without the ability to say goodbye.

Suddenly his ship had come to get him, and he was leaving with Vash and Noril. He couldn’t leave her, but he couldn’t stay with her. He reached for her, but Vash and Noril each took a hand, leading him away.

In her own dream, Simon darted past her, jumping onto Sisnil’s shoulder. He got to leave with Sisnil this time. She cried and begged. She pleaded. He was leaving her, just like everyone else. There was something wrong with her, no one could love her. She tried to chase after him, but she couldn’t find him.

His body was sweating and he tossed in his sleep. He wasn’t used to such vivid nightmares. Everyone in the Syndicate had them. But most of them were shut down and compartmentalized enough it just wasn’t like that.

~ Zoi

She searched and searchedfor Sisnil. Someone was searching for her though. She could feel it. She was running trying to get away. Someone grabbed her…

Sisnil tossed in his sleep startling Dradvia awake. She gagged on a swallowed scream. Someone was in the bed with her. Terror and panic moved her across the room, (tripping on a toy), trying to find somewhere to hide.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil was awake in an instant, attempting to leap defensively out of bed. Instead, he collapsed onto the floor, not ready for swift, unsupported movement. “Dee?” He asked in alarm.

~ Zoi

Dradvia swallowed a whimper and tucked herself deep into a corner of the room. She covered her head with her hands trying to be as small and invisible as possible. The sound of the thump didn’t communicate weakness to her but anger and danger. She wasn’t really awake, trapped in a sort of living nightmare mixed with hellish memories. “No,” she thought she screamed but it came out a pitiful whimper. “I don’t know where he is.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil moved over towards her. It wasn’t easy and he couldn’t quite pull himself to his feet, so he was more awkwardly crawling. “It’s me, Dee. You’re in my quarters. You’re safe, okay?”

~ Zoi

“No. No. I don’t know. I won’t tell you.” Terror filled her rolling off in waves, but also heartbreak and loyalty. He (though who the he was was unclear and more a shadowy figure in her mind) was going to hurt her. He’d kill her but that would be alright. She wouldn’t tell.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil knew who she was protecting: him. He wished he could help. He extended calm to her, sitting quietly with her. “It’s okay, Dee.”

~ Zoi

His calm shifted her dream again. Dradvia calmed as it relaxed and lulled her back into easier sleep. She slumped against him. A sad whimper shook her. “Don’t leave me.” A tear slipped down her cheek. “Please.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hugged her to him, having to lean against the wall. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s okay.”

~ Zoi

His voice seeped into her along with the warmth of his arm. Her breathing slowed further becoming deeper and softer. Her arm wrapped around him, fisting his shirt in her hand. The nightmares left her, and she slept quietly.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil kept hugging her, sitting with her. His muscles were sore and painful and falling had bruised him, but he wouldn’t leave her. She’d feel guilty if she knew. He wouldn’t tell her. He let her sleep until she woke on her own.

~ Zoi

Apparently Dradvia could sleep in incredibly uncomfortable places, and curled next to Sisnil was far from uncomfortable. She didn’t wake up until Simon came sniffing and crawling over them an hour or so later.

Something small and strong was pressed into the space of her knee joint and then between her ribs. It pricked at her shirt. She was warm, but her legs were cold, and whatever her head was resting on was super firm unlike her soft fluffy pillow. Where was she? She peeled her eyes open to a face full of fur as Simon sniffed around. Why was she on the floor? She should be in the chair keeping watch.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil smiled down at her. “You awake, Dee?” He asked quietly.

~ Zoi

“Sisnil?” Why was he on the floor. He should NOT be on the floor. Did he fall and she didn’t wake up? “Did… did I fall asleep on the floor while we… you were feeding Simon?”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“No, Dee, you had a nightmare. You’re okay, though.” Sisnil smiled at her. “Everything is fine.”

~ Zoi

The color drained from her face. “You…” She swallowed finding it hard to breathe. “You got on the floor?” She squeezed her eyes closed and swallowed again. “You… didn’t need to do that.” Once mentioned she vividly remembered her nightmare. She hadn’t cried out loud had she? He couldn’t sense dream purpose.

She would stay in her quarters. She couldn’t watch over him if she was falling asleep and waking him with nightmares. That defeated the purpose. She sifted, trying to slide away in shame as guilt and abandonment filled her.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil hugged her tightly to him. “No one else can stay with me.” He said gently. “I’m fine, Dee.”

~ Zoi

Her voice wobbled, “O… oh… okay.” The way he pulled her closer, not letting her pull away, filled her with a warmth and sense of safety that made her want to cry.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil rested his head against her carefully. “Everything is fine.” He said again softly.

~ Zoi

Dradvia didn’t know what to say to that. Nothing felt fine except that Sisnil was alive. She was too confused and ashamed by her feelings to try and move away or argue. Instead all she could do was to focus on being his doctor. “You shouldn’t be on the floor. It can’t be comfortable for you, and it’s not good for your healing.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

It wasn’t comfortable, at all. He was sore and in pain. Sisnil didn’t want to tell her that. Her emotions felt negative enough. “I’m okay.” He said. “I love you.”

~ Zoi

He always said he was okay, especially when he wasn’t. Dradvia didn’t know if it was true or if he was just saying it to make her feel better. She tucked her head so that her face was hidden, unsuccessfully hiding her guilt and confusion from him. “I love you, too.”

He wouldn’t move on his own. He would stay there with her. “Could… could we maybe get off the floor. I could go get breakfast?” Dradvia had no idea what time it was. It was actually 0127. They should both be asleep. They both needed it. She just didn’t know what to do.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“It’s like, two in the morning,” Sisnil pointed out. He was hurting a lot, but he was hiding it. He’d been contorted on the floor next to her for over an hour now. His body was not happy about it and it wasn’t happy about the fall, either. He hadn’t really been able to catch himself, because he was too weak, so big bruises were forming on his elbow, his hip, and his back.

~ Zoi

“Oh.” Well at least they hadn’t been there all night. “You… you should get some sleep. I won’t bother you with anymore nightmares. Promise.” She rushed out of his arms as soon as she said it so he couldn’t say anything. She brought the support frame over. “I’ll help.”

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

Sisnil reached up and grabbed the support frame and began trying to pull himself up. “It’s okay, Dee, you’re not bothering me. Promise.”

~ Zoi

She was almost ready to let go.of the guilt when he reached up for the frame. There was a huge bruise on his elbow. A loud gasp escaped her, but Dradvia didn’t say anything else. She moved to his other arm and helped him stand and then get back to the bed. She opened her med kit and took out the dermal regenerator. It took a couple of minutes but it was healed.

“It’s not your fault,” Sisnil said as soon as she saw it. He hadn’t realized it would look that bad until she gasped and he saw what she did. He lay back on the bed with her help. She healed his arm and he let her because otherwise she would keep feeling bad about it.

“Where else are you hurt?” Her voice was tight and numb. It was the only thing that allowed her to help him, the guilt would crush her otherwise. She knew it was her fault without asking. He had been fine when she discharged him from sickbay.

Ens. Dradvia, Medical Officer

“Nowhere, I’m fine,” Sisnil replied. “It’s not your fault. I… Um, I had a dream, and I fell out of bed myself.”

~ Zoi