A Little Frontier Medicine

Posted on Sun Feb 2nd, 2014 @ 1:41pm by Captain Liarra Von & Lieutenant Commander Miranda Keller MD, MBBS

Mission: Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Main Infirmary

ON:

Liarra rubbed her temple as she stepped into the foyer of the main sickbay. It was a good sign to her that the evidence of triage was starting to fade, but it was still clear that there was a shortage of bio beds on the station, or rather, an abundance of injured. It was the latter that had her the most troubled.

Generally Liarra tried to stay out of the infirmary. She let the doctors run their departments in relative peace, letting the chief of medicine take care of things instead of her trying to micromanage. Liarra didn't know the first thing about medicine, and new it was best that she just stayed out of the way. But part of the reason that she steered clear of here was the trauma she suffered from seeing the chaos immediately following the attack. It was there that she spoke with Nilani Prax, shortly before she was sent back to Trill. It was here that she learned of the death of her friend and mentor, Alex Gunning. It was here that she so often returned to in her dreams. That was actually the reason for her visit this night. For too long since the attack, Liarra has been unable to get a full night's sleep, spending the entire night tossing and turning, and reliving nightmares. She hoped that there was something that the medical staff could do.

She stepped up to the receptionist, who's face held a friendly smile. "Good evening, Captain. We don't see you down here often. Is there something that I can do for you?"

Liarra looked around, part of her almost ashamed to be asking. "Uh, yes. I was hoping that I could speak with one of the doctors."

The receptionist nodded and checked the schedule. "Of course, Captain. I see that Doctor Keller should be available shortly. I'll page her for you." She gestured to a few chairs near her desk. "She'll be right with you shortly."

"Thank you," Liarra replied. She left the receptionist desk as she paged Dr. Keller, and Liarra took a seat, somewhat nervous about the visit.

Sitting in her office, Miranda was going over some paperwork from the latest deluge of injured. Most of which were only minor, but there were a few more complex cases that she chose to either handle personally or hand over to the staff she'd trained. Hearing the page from the front desk, Miranda put down the PADD she was reading any walked out I to sickbay.

"Ah, hello Captain. Is there something I can do for you?" Miranda asked, as she walked over to where Liarra was sitting.

Liarra stood up and looked around. She wanted to make sure that no one was close enough to overhear their conversation. "Uh, yes, doctor. Actually, I've been having trouble sleeping lately."

"Hmm, well let's take a look shall we? Hop up on a bed and I'll take a scan" Miranda said, walking back into sickbay, followed by Liarra. "Have you changed your diet recently?"

Von followed the Doctor to a biobed and took a seat. "No, Doctor, at least nothing drastic. I've been trying to keep to regular eating habits, though I don't always have much of an appetite."

Nodding along, Miranda continued to scan, "have you noticed any changes to your body. Strange spots, swelling, rashes, something like that?"

Liarra offered a shallow laugh. "Not that I've noted, but it can be difficult to keep up with all my spots."

Miranda smiled, realising her mistake, "I mean other than the ones that are meant to be there" she said, finishing off her scans, "well, I don't see anything physical. Maybe it's something Psychological?"

"I figured that was what you meant. It could be. I've been under a lot of stress lately. We all have."

"You can say that again. The only treatment I can recommend is rest and relaxation, but I know a CO's time isn't their own so..." Miranda said walking into her office for a second before returning with a bottle of blue liquid and two glasses, "how about some Ale?"

Liarra smiled. "You're right, rest and relaxation isn't exactly an option right now, but who am I to turn down a prescription like that."

"You'd be a fool. Besides, Doctors orders" Miranda said, setting the glasses down on the biobed next to Liarra and pouring out the Ale into both, "what's that Vulcan saying? Peace and long life?"

Von nodded as she took one of the glasses from Keller. Romulan Ale was still illegal, but there were advantages to being on the fringes of the Federation. She clinked the glasses and raised it in a toast. With a smile, she completed the Vulcan mantra. "Live long and prosper."

After a sip of ale, Miranda smiled, enjoying the after taste, "I'm glad I was able to get a bottle of Romulan Ale. The way I hear it, they're going to become quite rare"

The captain took a sip of her own. "It is good stuff. It's too bad relations with the Romulans aren't better. There was a time just after the Dominion War when it looked like the embargoes would be lifted. I guess some things just aren't meant to be."

"They were for a short time during the War. That's when I got my hands on a stock of Ale. This is my last bottle. I was going to save it for something special, but sharing it with a friend seems like a good way to finish off my stock."

Liarra smiled and raised her glass again. "That sounds good to me too, Doctor." She took another sip of the potent drink. "I'm going to bring the people that did this to justice. No one is going to attack my station, and my friends, and get away with it."

Miranda smiled, "I don't doubt it. I'd hate to have you chasing after me."

Liarra laughed, a sensation that she felt she had been missing for some time. "Don't attack my station and you won't have to worry about"

She starred down at the blue drink for a moment, as if she was contemplating something, before taking another drink. "Tell me, Doctor, are you regretting staying behind? Three-Three-Two hasn't really been a tourist destination lately, and a lot of good officers have been trying to get away. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're here, but did you ever consider trying to leave?"

Miranda was quite surprised by Liarra's question, "You're asking the big questions now hay?" She said, thinking over her response, "Have I ever thought about leaving? Yes, plenty of times. Would I ever look into leaving? Not any time soon. I'm a spacer kid, so I tend to think of whatever posting I'm on at the time as my home and right now, I'm needed here."

"Maybe it's the Romulan Ale talking. It seems to be bring down barriers rather quickly. But I'm glad to hear that you're staying with us. I just worry sometimes that it's a losing battle." Liarra stared at her glass again. "But we don't have to talk about such somber things. I've noticed that you and Commander Ratchford have been spending some time together. Do you two know each other well?"

Miranda smiled, "in a way. We did serve together on the Vesta, but we didn't actually meet until we were both assigned here. We are currently dating but I'm not sure if it will go anywhere"

After a few more hours of talking, Miranda was getting drowsy from the Ale, "I think we should call it a night before we have to use the transporters to get home"

Liarra too was feeling a little tipsy. She looked over at the empty bottle sitting between them. "I think you're right. We're going to be feeling this in the morning." Von paused a moment before continuing. "Thank you for tonight, Miranda. I needed that."

OFF:

Captain Liarra Von
Commanding Officer

Lieutenant Miranda Keller
Chief of Medicine