BACKPOST: Recovery Is Never Easy

Posted on Mon Feb 11th, 2019 @ 9:21pm by Colonel S'er'in'e & Captain Liarra Von

Mission: Starbase 332, Where Are You?
Location: Main Infirmary

It was unsurprising to see that the infirmary was full of patients, though Liarra was relieved to see that it could have been much worse. Images of the triage after the first Sojourner attack filled her mind, making her think back to her old friend and mentor, the late Alexander Gunning. That was a very different time, and Liarra was in a very different place now, both literally and mentally. But for now she tried to shake those thoughts from her head. She had already been told that her first officer, Commander Luciano, and her good friend, Colonel S'er'in'e, were alive. Liarra didn't know much more than that, however.

An orderly passed nearby, Von just spotting her out of the corner of her eye. Liarra flagged her down. "Excuse me, I'm looking for an update on Commander Luciano and Colonel S'er'in'e. Can you help me?"

The orderly stopped when she heard Von's voice, and turned back to respond. "Hello, Captain. I don't know about either of them, but let's see what I can find out." The orderly stepped to a wall console and entered her credentials. Von may have been the station's commanding officer, but when it came to medical records, she had little to no access. Even her command codes would have been useless in this case. Fortunately, the orderly did have access to patient records. Limited access, but in this case it was enough. "It looks like they are both receiving radiation treatment, Captain. Two decks up, Section 3. It appears that Doctor Varen is the attending. I can take you there, if you'd like."

Von shook her head. "I'll manage to find my way. I'm sure you have more important work to attend to than serve as my tour guide. Thank you." Von returned a smile from the orderly as she left to attend to her duties. Liarra left the other direction, finding a turbolift and making her way to the radiation ward.

S'er'in'e was recovering slower than the First Officer, mostly due in part to his closer proximity to the reactor while he effected repairs. The treatment while helping had one unfortunate side effect, his otherwise perfect snow white fur now had a noticeable hint of blue colour from the anti radiation bath he had. This was unbearable for the feline, the shame he felt for it and to be seen like it was too much. As a result he requested a screen be put around his bed, multiple notices about 'Medical Staff Only' or 'No Entry' hung from it. S'er'in'e sat on the bed wrapped in a blanket, a small measure at best to maintain some decency of his image.

S'er'in'e was the first that Von had found, though she had not yet been made aware of the extent of his or Leo's injuries. She was surprised to find the screen placed around her friend's bed, but S'er'in'e was prideful, and she had no intention of upsetting him by going around the screen. She stopped just outside and paused to see signs of movement before calling out to him. "How are you feeling, big guy?"

"Liara." S'er'in'e spoke, perhaps one of the rare occasions he would be less formal with her though considering the situation, and it was just them in the room, a suited one. "I am, recovering." His feline inflections more pronounced with only Von's UT doing the translating. S'er'in'e's having been radiated. "I apologise for being absent from my duties." Yet another shame that he felt responsible for.

Liarra leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. She shook her head with a smirk on her face. "S'er'in'e, you risked your life and suffered heavy radiation poisoning in an attempt to fix an emergency reactor from failing and dooming the station. I think you're entitled to a couple of days rest." Liarra could tell that her friend was not feeling his best, but she hoped the hint of humor in voice carried over well enough through the translator.

"As you wish." S'er'in'e spoke, he would have smiled but looking at his now stained fur on his hand the mood escaped as fast as it came. "Our current status?"

Liarra sighed. "Complicated. The storm has passed and we seem to be out of immediate danger." She glanced around the room to see if there was anyone close. Satisfied that they were alone, she leaned closer to the screen. "There's just one little issue. We don't know we are."

"I do not understand." S'er'in'e replied with a noticeable hint of confusion. "How can our position have changed during the storm?" He considered that he was standing on a Stardock class Starbase, not the sort of facility someone can just pick up and dot somewhere else with relative ease.

"If I knew that, I'd be happy to tell you," Von answered as she shrugged. "I have people working on finding out what happened, as well as where we are. What I'm struggling with right now is how I tell everyone else."

"The truth." S'er'in'e replied. "Armed with the truth they act informed, should you lie to them, you will only contribute to the chaos a lie creates once discovered." He explained. "The situation is the same for all, there is no advantage to be had by anyone, we all share the same predicament."

"I have no intention of lying to anyone." Liarra leaned her head back and closed her eyes. "But I'd rather have more to tell them than that we're lost and have no idea if any one of them will ever be able to get home again."

"What you have often will have to suffice." It was hard to give the masses anything else. "I am told I should be discharged soon, when however remains in the hands of others."

Von smiled, even though S'er'in'e might not have been able to see her. "I'm glad to hear it. If you need a little more time off to heal, I'm sure something can be arranged."

"Thank you." Just as S'er'in'e had answered, two female nurses walked into the room carrying a few things. Were S'er'in'e Human, one might be envious of the two attractive nurses coming to tend to him, however being Caitian it came to the fact S'er'in'e would tolerate females seeing him in such a state than males.

Liarra stood and nodded to the nurses. "He's all yours. I'll get out of your way." She turned back towards S'er'in'e one more time before leaving. "Get feeling better. I'll talk to you soon."