Follow Up Visit

Posted on Mon Oct 29th, 2018 @ 12:26pm by Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Asa Dael

Mission: Hera v Hera
Location: USS Hera, Deck 12, Sickbay
Timeline: 2395

On the planet's surface of the world Starfleet had designated Meroset 347, the battle had raged as Lieutenant Commander Rita Paris led the away team. By he time the battle was over and the day won by the side of the angels, the buxom blonde of a bygone age was battered, bruised, broken in a few places yet remained upright and in command until everything had been tended to and the situation was under control. Only then had she called for a dust-off then headed to sickbay to get patched up.

Now, the morning after, she was following her doctor's orders and returning to sickbay. Her muscles still ached, the deep bruising from exposure to multiple explosions still felt within her frame. Her collarbone was knit, but the puncture wound had been deep, and it still ached when she used her left arm. The headache from her burst eardrum had not subsided overnight, although it had been knit and patched in Sickbay the night before. Deep bruises to her right shoulder had been the result of the large and heavy weapon she'd borne being driven into it by some of the explosions she'd caused, while her right wrist still bore some tenderness and inflammation from her poor swordsmanship.

So while she was intact and mobile and in no immediate danger, Rita Paris still should have been on bed rest instead of the light duty she had appointed herself.

But her ship's surgeon had instructed her to return to sickbay today for a follow-up, and the fulsome and friendly first officer had long ago made the internal decision not to argue with the chief medical officer on any starship upon which she served. Rita was far too prone to injury and spent far too much time in the care of said officers, and she knew that arguing with or disobeying one's doctor was a sign of flagrant disrespect for their craft and skills. Which a woman in her position, both professionally and physically, could ill afford.

Thus as she strode into Sickbay looking like the prime of health and an icon of Starfleet, if an icon 130 years out of date, she smiled genially and informed the staff that she was here to see Dr. Dael for her 10:00 appointment. Then she sat and waited patiently like anyone else, a PaDD in her lap and work to be caught up on as she bided her time and awaited her audience with the El-Aurian anatomist.

The ensign nurse assigned to Sickbay this morning came into Doctor Asa Dael's office to find young physician slumped over asleep at their desk. After returning from the away team mission, Asa had undergone surgery at the skilled hands of the EMH to repair internal bleeding. The surgery combined with all the various bruises and contusions acquired in their time reaching Hera had left the doctor feeling more exhausted than they ever had in their life.

A tiny speck of drool dribbled from the side of their mouth, and although short, their hair was still a bit of a disaster. The doctor had gone to their quarters after surgery to change clothes, after all, they couldn't keep wearing the bodysuit that was under their MACO armor around the ship. After a quick, unsatisfying shower and two hours sleep, the doctor was properly attired and back in their office in Sickbay. There was so much to be done still, and Asa was hoping their youth would allow them to power through the exhaustion and still be of service. They had promises to keep, to themself and the crew of the Hera after all.

About halfway through a cup of extra-strength Espresso the doctor had started reading through medical reports to understand all the injuries and treatments the crew had undergone in the last hectic 24 hour period. They were only three sentences in when sleep claimed the doctor, and they gone face down on the expansive desk.

The nurse had coughed politely, unsure how to best wake the sleeping figure before him. With a bit of a jolt, Asa sat up straight in a flash and groaned slightly to themself at the quick movement.

"Um, sorry about that, please send the Lieutenant Commander in," they replied, quickly pulling up the records of Rita's treatment from the night before. The door wooshed once, then again to signal that Paris was entering their office, but Asa was not facing her. The doctor had gone to retrieve more coffee from the replicator along with some cashews and Bajoran bread, lightly toasted.

"Good morning Lt. Commander Paris, can I get you anything?" Asa inquired in a forced-chipper voice, hoping to hide their exhaustion from the commanding officer.

"Sure, Doc. Can you tell me if this is accurate?" Paris turned the PaDD toward the dead tired doctor, which indicated their clock ins and clock outs, indicating they had been off duty for 3 hours in the past 25. "Because if it is, you and I are going to have a little discussion about that."

"Yes ma'am, it's accurate. Nothing a little coffee can't help me power through though. After all, so much of the crew is still recovering. You yourself are here for a check up, correct? What kind of physician would I be to turn my back on my patients? I still need to complete a more thorough exam on the counselor and see if I can't determine what, quite literally, possessed her. I need to check in on Hera and ensure she is healing, but also ensure her psychic energies aren't strong enough to kill us all. And we need to get back around to ensuring the transporter is no longer trying to eat you when we can...." the doctor trailed off, realizing they were babbling.

The effort of speaking seemed to have let the little physician run out of steam. They slumped in their chair a bit, having a feeling they had probably earned whatever tongue lashing they were about to get. After all, if this was any other crew member, Asa would have hauled them to their quarters to rest. Somehow though, they expected themself to be able to rally and power through.

"You do have all of that to do, this is true." The first officer eased herself into the chair opposite the chief medical officer, only a bit stiffly. Scissoring her legs, she crossed them smoothly at the knee then tucked her skirt in around her thighs as if she'd been doing it for years. "All of it is important and should be tended to as soon as possible. All of them are duties that ride upon your shoulders, and you have very little practical experience. Diagnosing a goddess is not something I'm sure they teach at Starfleet medical, even in this day and age."

"But you are no good to anyone if you are too exhausted to stay focused, doctor. While your devotion to duty is admirable and your dedication is beyond reproach, you must tend to thyself before you may tend to others." While it was a bit of a scolding, Paris' tone was gentle rather than reproving- an appeal to the young doctor's common sense. "I'm here because I got seven hours of sleep and some therapy and I'm okay today. I'm supposed to be off duty, but I got that sleep, I processed what I went through and I am okay, so I am making the rounds. Your orders were to report in 24 hours at 22:00 last night. I don't even have an appointment, Doc."

"I'm going to assign one of the yeoman to take Ensign Jurot's statement, and your staff will do a full workup on her. I want for her to be your top priority when you wake up. Until then I'm going to confine her to quarters just to be sure. Someone is playing a game with that woman's life one way or the other, and I'm not sure it's done just yet." The Starfleet siren's brows furrowed at the thought. "The goddess will take care of herself- she's immortal, I don't think 12 hours is going to kill her and the computer is monitoring her vitals, so you'd be alerted to a bad turn. I promise to go nowhere near a transporter, you have my word. That, of all your workload, can wait."

"So, Doc? Go to bed. Eight hours of sleep, get some hot food inside you, and you can come back to work at 22:00 hours for my appointment. Understood?" Rita Paris smiled that winning smile of hers as if the exhausted anatomist had won a game show prize.

"Yes ma'am," Asa replied, then more softly, "I-I did try. In my quarters. It was just...too quiet in there when I first woke up from surgery. I don't know, I think I'm still a bit wired. Maybe some throat singing in the background or something...." Then, as if remembering themself, "22:00 sounds excellent. Maybe spend the day in your office though? I know you are healing too, and it might not be the best day to walk every inch of the ship...medically speaking, of course."

The doctor concluded with a familiar blush coming to their ears. It always felt so odd giving recommendations to people who outrank them both in experience, years, wisdom, and well, rank. However in this one regard, Doc Dael was certain of their knowledge. They saw the beating the buxom blonde took the day before, and even with all the healing technology out there, there was no cure for good old fashioned rest. Which made them blush anew at their own folly in trying to work when they were so far past their limits.

"I've been a bit silly, haven't I ma'am?"

"You, Doctor Dael, are trying to live up to the faith that has been placed in you. Which is admirable, and in no way do we wish to curtail that. But it's the command's job to make sure that you take care of yourself as well." Paris paused to peer at the peerless physician, those big blue eyes radiating sincerity. "This has been a lot of firsts for you, these past 24 hours. I suspect we're going to have some conversations about this in the near future, as well as down the line. A day like yesterday doesn't just go away, and get forgotten. It tends to be... formative. In a number of ways. The captain and I are here for you, and I think Ensign Jurot might just be an actual counselor again. So don't be afraid to talk about it and figure out how to deal with it, and how to live with it."

"Yes ma'am, I haven't been around her much, but I get the feeling you are right. I look forward to getting to know the real woman, and finding out who would presume to hijack her mind. But for now...I think you are right about the imminent need for sleep."

"I think so too. Go get some rest, then pick all of this up where you left it off, all right? Yes, I promise to stay on very light duty. I promise to take it easy and pretend I am an old lady who would like to live to be a much older lady," Rita joked, easing herself back up out of the chair. "And I promise to come let you check me out and see how I am doing, 12 hours from now."

The doctor let out an easy laugh, a welcome feeling after the last 24 hours. “Affirmative to that, ma’am. Shall we?” they asked, rising slowly from their chair, preparing to retreat for some much needed rest.

“I’ll walk you to your quarters, Doctor. It’s the least I can do… after all, we can’t have you falling asleep on your feet and riding the turbolifts for 5 minutes as you doze…”

 

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