"The Busy Infirmary"

Posted on 21 Oct 2025 @ 1:30pm by Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD

1,667 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Fractured Accord
Location: Arawyn Sickbay
Timeline: Following the Jungle eruption on Tarvik III

// Sickbay //

Sandra materialized gracelessly on the padded floor of the transporter pad in Sickbay. She was surrounded immediately by three paramedics and two nurses.

"MHhhmmmhhh," Sandra moaned as she landed on the pad, it may be padded, but it hurt like hell. Suddenly the different position also made her dizzy, as blood drained from her head back down her torso and her heart didn't need to pump so hard anymore. There were limits how long a person could survive upside down, after all.

“Just lay still, Commander. We need to do a preliminary examination before we move you to a bio bed table, in case of back, neck or head injuries,” said the medic.

Nurse Clara Barton stepped in, kneeling to the floor with her handheld scanner to assess Sandra’s overall condition.
“Yes, Commander, please try to mentally regroup even though that may be difficult after your harrowing experience. Just focus on the fact that you are now safe and in competent hands.”

Clara then set to work collecting data on the nature and severity of the woman’s injuries. Sandra’s vitals were stable, and that was a commendable accomplishment after her unexpected experience of being under siege by a surprise and hostile adversary. Nonetheless, there were some worrisome injuries.

Clara could clearly visualize a definite fracture of the midshaft tibia located below one knee. Bone regrowth and remodeling necessary for a fusion of the two ends shouldn’t be a problem. Stimulating electrodes could be temporarily embedded in the bone to encourage production of fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells, which would then become chondroblasts and osteoblasts necessary for creating new skeletal tissue.

However, what was a lot more complicated was a traumatically torn patellar tendon. Apparently, a sudden torquing of the knee in the affected extremity had caused a shearing of what could be compared to a heavy-duty rubber band. Injured tendons could be treated conservatively if the nature of the problem was less severe. But in this case, the two ends of the tissue looked like the frayed ends of a ribbon. That meant a surgical repair would be needed to use another tendon in the leg to do the work of allowing the leg to flex and extend as well as weight-bear.

A tendon repair and the use of the tissue regenerator seemed to be in the Commander’s future, but hopefully her recovery would be swift and uncomplicated.

Sandra didn't speak but nodded very slightly. Moving hurt. Hopefully, they would transport her to a biobed soon, and not do it the old-fashioned way. She knew her leg was broken, and potentially various tendons torn, stretched etc. She was still not sure if she actually hit her head or not.

Ryan materialized in Sickbay. The rush of adrenaline he had during the mission came to an end and for a moment his icy exterior cracked as he coughed heavily. He gripped the edge of...something, he wasn't sure what, as a rush of dizziness hit him.

As with Commander Boren, two medics and a nurse surrounded Ryan, running their scanners over his head and torso, then down arms and legs. “We need some oxygen here,” announced the medic as Collingway grasped the medic’s forearm to balance himself. The medic immediately stepped up closer to support the man. “No mobility issues. Moving him to a bio bed.” The two medics each supported Ryan and walked him off the transport pad and to a biobed in the treatment area.

After Nurse Barton’s report, the medic’s administered a general analgesic. They arranged her in a supine position to be beamed to the bio bed next to where Ryan was being escorted. The first medic remained by her side and the other moved to the receiving bio-bed to await her arrival. Sandra’s broken leg was stabilized by an inflatable support wrapped gently around the entire leg. “Energize,” said the transport technician, and Sandra’s was moved painlessly to the biobed, met by the receiving medic.

Four more individuals from the surface were beamed directly to Arawyn’s sickbay with various minor injuries, two of whom would require an extended stay due to concussion issues, and two would be treated and released to recover in their own quarters.

Riah approached Sandra and Ryan. “What in the world happened down there?” Riah asked. It was as much an effort to give them each something else to think about than the anxiety of being injured as it was to find out information about the nature of the upheaval on the surface. As they shared their stories, she examined the scans for Commander Boren and quietly issued orders to her staff on the next steps in prepping her for the surgical report of the torn tendon and the setting and regeneration of the bone.

"Situation on the ground...stable ma'am," Ryan said to Sandra. His chest hurt as though he had smoked a few cartons of vintage cigarettes, but he tried to push through it. "I'll head back as soon as possible. That terraforming machine...temperamental," he finished with a cough.
“Someone hit the terraforming machine with phaser fire, we had frost, and then suddenly jungle from what I could see from up there... I was taken up as some tree that grew in the matter of seconds.” Sandra replied.
A nurse appeared with an inhaler device, and explained to Ryan how to inhale slowly, hold for a few moments and exhale slowly. “This will calm the lung tissue and purge the toxins. The exhale may taste slightly salty or metallic. The toxins bond with the medication to form another harmless substance in the water vapor exhaled,” the nurse explained in laymen’s terms. “You may still cough a bit, but the pain should subside, and the dizziness be alleviated.”

"Thank you," he glanced at Riah, and a small glimpse of humanity surfaced. "You know, for someone you called unapproachable, I seem to visit you quite often," he said.

“Happy to have you come in for any little hangnail, Collingway,” Riah winked. “Attack by jungle foliage is a little off the beaten path, but if it helps make us friends, who am I to say no?” she laughed. “I want to keep you here for observation for 24 hours, make sure all the metal toxins are gone and not jangling around in your lungs or your head. Once I’m satisfied you’re in the clear, I’ll let you go back to your quarters, but stay off that planet for a while."

Ryan nodded, not really in a position to disagree. "Yes Ma'am.”

An aide helped Collingway move to a bed in the ward. The ward allowed for a large number of people in an emergency, but only a few now lay sleeping or sitting up, resting and recovering. Each bed had sound-deadening curtains around it, which could be pulled back upon request, or engaged to give privacy. It was not an uncomfortable space, particularly when only occupied by 7 other patients.

Riah turned to Sandra. “Commander. I think we will do a little day surgery here. Dr McDavid will be in shortly to talk to you about that before moving you to the surgical suite. On a scale of one to ten, how’s your pain right now?” They had given her a hypospray of pain meds after her arrival in sickbay and they should be taking effect by now.
Sandra checked her bio control, she needed to then translate that back to human speak. “The pain is manageable now, Doctor.”
“Did you breathe any of the unfiltered air from the planet?” asked Riah.
“No, I didn’t my suit was not damaged as such.” Sandra replied.
Clara Barton joined them at the foot of the biobed. “Ah, Clara. Could you get a prep ready for the Commander’s surgery. Dr McDavid is handling surgeries today. He’ll be here in about 30 minutes, I’m guessing. That should give you time to get Commander Boren ready.

Clara nodded. "Of course. The patient will be ready for the surgeon when he arrives.”

“Thank you,” Riah acknowledged her. “Commander, this is Nurse Barton, she’ll see you through prep and surgery with Dr McDavid. It’s a quick surgery, maybe 30-45 minutes. Painless. We’ll repair the break with an osteo-regenerator and the tendon and incision with a tissue-regenerator. You’ll have no scar. You will be conscious under a relaxing sedation. Ask Nurse Barton if any questions arise. You do have a minor concussion but there is no bleeding and the meds for the leg will alleviate any discomfort from that. Do you have any questions of me?”

"No, doctor, I'll await the results of the surgery, and I may have more questions." Sandra replied, she needed to focus too much on her bio control to think, add the meds she'd been given.

“Ok, I’m going to move you to the surgical suite,” Riah said. “I’ll see you again when you are in recovery or back in the ward."

"The surgery went well, but I’m concerned. Her blood pressure was a little erratic for part of the procedure and a scan indicated that concussion was causing a bleed. I’ve stabilized that, but I think there is perhaps something that hid that from us on that first exam,” explained McDavid to Riah.

“I’ll check on her in the ward. That is concerning. I take a look at your scans before I talk to her. I’m hoping we will be headed back to the Starbase soon. I haven’t heard anything definitive on that front. I have two other patients I’d like to see checked out in the hospital there,” said Riah. “Thanks for the good work, Doctor.”

~~~
LtCmdr Sandra Boren
Chief Engineering Officer

LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, xMD
Chief Medical Officer

Lt Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer

Nurse Clara Barton
Medical Assistant

Lt Len McDavid, xMD
Asst Chief Medical Officer
(npc apb Kate)

 

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