Arrowed Fixing
Posted on Sun Feb 16th, 2025 @ 9:35am by Ka'see 'Cassie' Anderson (*) & Dr. Izriel "Jaxx" Lonn & Evelyn Reynolds
Mission:
Shackles
Location: SS Mary Rose
Timeline: MD02 Early house
2049 words - 4.1 OF Standard Post Measure
Cassie winced as she settled onto the bio bed of the sick bay and held her arm tightly against herslef to stop her shoulder hurting. Of all the people that could have been arrowed it was most likely the best option as they all had skills that were needed but she could not deny how awful she suddenly felt. Was the arrow posioned? Was she having a reaction to something on the planet? Whatever it was she was feeling hot and her shoulder felt like it was burning. "Evelyn, I feel pretty awful." She whispered now that they were alone for the most part.
"I can see that."
The response, though a little direct, was said in a tone that implied empathy. One of the challenges of taking on this role after so long in her specialist field was the Evelyn had been forced to rediscover her bedside manner. People, after all, weren't statistics, and the woman currently turning a very pale shade of green in front of her was definitely deserving of reassurance. Glancing up at the chronometer above the door, Evie continued to prepare the hyposprays she'd been working on and watched Cassie's vitals now that she was finally hooked up.
"I'm running bloodwork and toxicology, if there's something more than blood-loss, we'll know soon. Dr. Lonn is on his way, I'd prefer to defer to his expertise regarding extraction of the arrow."
Stepping forward, Evelyn settled a hand against Cassie's hot forehead and pressed the hypo to her neck. "Some antibiotics and a mild sedative. I can't prescribe much more until we find out what's going on."
Cassie sighed to herself as she listened to the woman explaining that she was not going to be able to do anything for a moment other than check her over. “Lonn… Lonn… Lonn.” Cassie said to herself as she glanced at the green blood all over her shirt. “Well this shirt is for the replicators," she said absently.
"No need for a summoning ritual," came a voice from the door, which had parted to admit the off-duty surgeon. Having been roused from sleep, there was some evidence that Izriel hadn't bothered to check his hair prior to leaving his quarters, though he reached for one of the laundered medical robes and pulled it over his head with reasonable coordination. "Now, what are we dealing with here?" Moving up next to the bed, Jaxx watched the display screen for a moment before dropping his gaze to meet Cassie's. "Looks like we need to teach you how to dodge a bit better."
"Blood pressure's low," Reynolds pointed out, "We'll have to transfuse before we can operate. Toxicology looks clear though," Evie added, watching the data update on the device she held.
"Let's see what we're dealing with then," Izriel replied, pulling over the overhead scanner. "You're alert, at least." He directed his next comment at Cassie, his gaze flicking between her face and the device he was trying to tug into alignment. "Do you have movement in your hand, fingers?"
"I am not a magi. I cannot do magic like summoning... Oh you were not onboard for her. She swapped us. I walked around as Burnie... " Cassie laughed to herself a little which was unlike her. She looked at the man as she listened to his words with narrow eyes and held up her hand to see and wiggled her hands. "Ow.." She said with disgust putting it back down.
Evelyn raised her eyebrows as Lonn glance across at her for confirmation. "It makes for quite a read, though the medical records from the time are a little lacking in places where I'd prefer a more thorough recount." The blonde paused as she regarded Cassie, only a brief hesitation before she continued the prep for transfusion. "Such as any follow-up assessment that should have been made."
Still somewhat incredulous, Izriel returned his attention to the injured limb and pinched the end of the woman's index finger before jotting down his observation. "Let's get an updated scan then, figure out what the damage is, and we'll leave the body-swapping to the holo-novelists." As he reached up to initialise the first scan, the Betazoid once again reached down to pinch the end of several fingers. "Can you feel that?"
“Safer. I would rather not be Burnie again. Nollel and him were very upset over it. Thank goodness I was not with Jake then… that would have been awkward.” The woman laughed most to herself before she sobered. “You should read the Ishimura reports. Much more interesting.” She glanced down at his questioned as he pinched her fingers. “Ow… stop that.” She added with a frown as she realised she felt dizzy again.
"You can slap me once we're done here," Lonn promised, giving a small, reassuring grin as he nodded to Reynolds. The other doctor moved to the side to begin work calibrating the respirator and Lonn turned back to Cassie, his tone soft and steady. "But until then, just focus on breathing. We'll take good care of you." With a gentle pat on her hand, he straightened up and drew the portable monitor overhead down level enough to allow him to take notes. "Let's get her under," he instructed several moments later, moving out of the line of sight to scrub up.
Cassie wanted to argue that she would never slap him but the thought was loss as she put under and she soon found herself sitting on a porch she had not sat on in 150 years looking at a woman she had not seen in even longer. Sorcha McAvoy was not a woman to be messed with at all. She had married a Vulcan and survived living on Vulcan for many years before she had enough when her daughter had been set up for marriage without her permission. She had returned to Earth alone and carried on her work but she was staring at Cassie and smiled.
“Well you have certainly gone far and wide little bird.” Sorcha commented. Cassie did not know how to react as she knew it was a dream but her brain was making it so real.
“I did.”
“You have. You are.” Sorcha threw her hair over the shoulder and looked at the view. “Have you ever seen a view as nice as this?” Cassie shook her head. She had never seen a. View as amazing as sunset looking across the highlands. It was her favourite place and she had considered taking Jake to investigate to see if anything was still there but she had never thought any further. She was not sure she was wanting to open that can of worms yet. “You are okay you know Ka’see. They all like you yet you do not open up to them.”
“I know but it’s hard when they do not know the human side of me. I have relied on the Vulcan side for too long.” Cassie commented softly as she side. “Mother… why did you leave Vulcan? Why…” She asked the question but the imagery changed in front of her eyes and she was blinking up at Lonn. “Wha… hmm?” She questioned confused at the bright light.
"Welcome back."
Despite the sensation of time having floated to a stand-still, there was some evidence that a decent amount of it had passed since the last point of conversation. Reynolds was gone, or at the very least out of sight, and the sickbay once again bore the distinctive traces of gentle perfume that suggested Beya wasn't far away. Though he had opted to remain in the main surgery to keep an eye on his patient, Lonn had spent most of the past hour sat off to the side managing record upkeep. His immediate attention at the signs of returning consciousness was partially prompted by the fact that the part-Vulcan had taken a longer than average time to shake off the effects of the anaesthesia. An improvement in Cassie's vitals was encouraging but the Betazoid doctor still hid traces of concern behind a warm smile.
"How do you feel?"
How did she feel? Well, that was a loaded question when it was taking her several long moments to catch up to what was going on and she felt like she was floating. Cassie blinked several times as the bright light faded away and she saw Jaxx and started laughing a little. "You are a beautiful man... not handsome like Jake but beautiful." She declared as her eyes whirled around trying to take everything in. She was sure that she had been somewhere else for a moment but the dream was fading.
Lonn raised his eyebrows. A glance sideways to check the woman's vitals was reassuring at least but didn't provide much by way of elaboration when it came to determining why he was being placed in the Executive Officer's firing line. Casually reaching for his tricorder, the telepath's features twinged with faint amusement as he fought to keep his response conversational. "You may continue to feel the effects of the anaesthetic for a while, we've also loaded you up with some pretty strong painkillers that will hopefully keep you comfortable."
“Thank you.” Cassie said politely before she laughed to herself as if she made a joke. “Did you know in one of the futures you and Jeassaho had a baby? I had a baby too? We all had babies. I think that’s beautiful, like your eyes. Much more compassionate than Leiddem.” She rambled on as she shifted a little trying to get her bearings but instead just said everything that was was in her head.
"It was certainly an interesting experience." Reaching up to tweak something on the display overhead, Lonn kept his composure but spared a moment's consideration for how that last comparison would go down. A compelling tease at some point, perhaps, though certainly not his disclosure to make given the privilege of professional confidentiality. Cassie, after all, was not exactly in a condition to consent to being quoted. "One I won't be in any hurry to repeat, if the universe would be so kind."
“Me too. I held my son and… it makes me sad.” Cassie admitted before she could stop herself and let out a big sigh. “I would give a lot to have that life after everything that I’ve been through since 2246.” The jovial feeling was fading fast and the emotion was becoming the opposite.
"Well, you have plenty of life ahead," Izriel reassured, seeking a balance between empathy and playing too much into a conversation the woman likely wouldn't remember after a decent sleep. "Opportunity enough to pursue options." Determined not to dwell on the matter, since his own experience within the fractures had left him with more confusion than he'd chosen to process, the Betazoid moved to begin loading a hypospray and smiled in a way that Jeassaho would have immediately called him out on. "And two perfectly-working arms. A couple of days rest and you can try some light duties. Until then," he held up the hypospray to check its dosage setting. "You need a good night's rest."
Cassie said nothing for a few moments as she took his reassurance to heart and closed her eyes for a moment savouring it. She needed that reassurance if she was honest when she felt that suddenly she had let people down by getting shot by the arrow. "I like to think I have plenty of life." She decided hopefully a life with all the people on the ship as they had become her family. "I will in a little bit now I feel calmer." She said sleepily.
The hiss of the hypo put a nice, neat punctuation mark at the end of that sentiment. "We can adjust the pain meds if you start feeling any discomfort. I'll be right over there," Izriel pointed to where he'd been working earlier. "Just call out."
Cassie nodded and settled back feeling the heaviness return instantly that made her want to close her eyes again. She just hoped that she did not go back to the dream that she had been happening before she really did not want to speak to Sorcha McAvoy even if it was all in her head.
