'A Medical Intrusion'

Posted on 18 Dec 2025 @ 6:34pm by Lieutenant Commander Adrian Sorvak & Ensign Mira Quinn & Lieutenant Commander Riah Amberlyn XMD & Ensign Ryan Collingway

1,373 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: The Displaced
Location: Sickbay

///Eirian Ship///

Ryan and Mira watched as the orders came through as coms were established. They would be beamed back to the ship very quickly. Ryan knew they didn't have much time. "Mira," he said. "If there is fallout from this...tell them it was my idea. That I ordered Zodeil to leave. My reputation is already messed up with Starfleet. It can't get much worse at this point," he said.

Mira's eyes grew wide as Ryan spoke. "I appreciate the offer... but I can't do that. Not to you and not to me."

"It was the right thing to do," she said quietly, almost to herself. "I'm not going to lie about it."

She knew that if she lied now, it would haunt her for the rest of her life.

Ryan looked away. "I lost my best friend to these type of decisions." He released a breath. He wasn't trying to blame anyone, but he was worried about Zodeil. "I hope it ends differently this time."

Mira glanced sharply at Ryan, about to say something, but then Kleat waved his hand, sensing their time was at an end. "Goodbye, Ensigns. The ship says...thank you. And to always...listen."

The two of them felt a tingle from the transporter beam, and reappeared in Sickbay for assessment.

// Sickbay //

Preparing to move the Eirians to their ship was challenging. Dr Amberlyn wanted to be sure they had everything they needed to continue their recovery in case the sickbay on their ship was not functional. All of the aliens remaining on Arawyn were assembled in the cargo bay common room and transported smoothly after some very heartfelt goodbyes. The medical staff had become very attached to their patients, particularly after vocal communication had been established.

“Dr Amberlyn to Sickbay. The Away Team is being transported back aboard Arawyn to our decon chambers,” came the voice of the Medical Department Yeoman.

“On my way.”

When Riah arrived, all lights were green and the team members were now seated on the benches and beds in decon, awaiting full release for individual medical exams. All three doctors - Amberlyn, Kim and McDavid - had been called to duty in case there were problems.

Among the first to arrive were Ryan Collingway and Mira Quinn. The Head Nurse, Lt Tella, a Bajoran woman of considerable intensity, approached the decon room. “Ensigns Collingway and Quinn, you were together on the ship, I gather? You are clear to leave decon, and Dr Amberlyn will see you now. If you’ll step through the airlock please, and follow me.”

Lt Tella led them into the exam area, and asked each to have a seat on two bio beds, facing one another. Amberlyn entered almost immediately, with a second physician’s assistant, Ensign Amy Carter.

“Hello, I will try not to keep you long. I know you need to get to your stations as soon as possible,” she said warmly. “There are developments with the rift in space. It appears to be reforming."

Ryan nodded. It hadn't escaped his attention that the ship was on yellow alert.

“Decon was clear,” Riah said. "No obvious bugs from the Eirian ship. Did either of your suffer any injury aboard the ship, a bump or bruise or fall, even a minor cut?”

Ryan was more concerned about Mira after her encounter with the creature, but he let her explain it. "I interfaced with the alien ship, which was not a familiar process," he admitted. "It left me with a headache. But that's all. It's already fading fast.”

“Interfaced telepathically?” Ryan nodded in the affirmative.This prompted Riah to run a brain and nervous system scan, which the med scanner above the bio bed did without more than a hum. As she did the same for Mira, she explained the procedure. “Ensign Collingway, your nervous system is still a little excited by that encounter, I think,” observed Riah. “I’ll give you something for the headache before you head out of here. Ensign Quinn, you are showing evidence of nervous system stimulation as well. Did you interface with the ship?”

"Uh... " Mira looked at Ryan, then back at the doctor. "Yes, I did. I... I interfaced with their memory modules. I'm not sure it was telepathic. I'm not telepathic..." she added.

She wasn't sure that was a good reason. She'd never experienced a telepathic session, so she wasn't sure she'd know to recognize it if this had been one.

"I..." she tried to describe it. "It was more like music. Harmonics. Playing through my mind."

"She wasn't very coherent when I found her," Ryan said. "They believed the alien child was speaking through her. But I'm honestly not sure how."

The door to Sickbay swooshed open and Sorvak came in. A quick look around and he homed to where Mira was sitting.

Approaching the exam area, he nodded at the small group, ensigns and doctors.

"Ensign," he turned to Mira, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, sir," Mira said, starting to get off the bio-bed.

Sorvak turned to Riah. "Doctor, I'd like to debrief Ensign Quinn. I understand she's been cleared from decon."

Seeing this, Ryan tensed a little. He considered Mira as a friend, and was probably acting a tad overprotective after everything he had been through. But from his perspective, a senior officer had barged in, while they were still being medically assessed and had gone through quite a lot. He hated that. But at the same time, he was just an Ensign, and his control over the situation was limited. The story of his life, in a way. Still, the tension from him was very obvious.

“Commander, I’d like you to wait in my office, please,” said Amberlyn firmly, but not angrily. “I appreciate your sense of urgency, but this is a private medical exam area. When I am finished with their private medical exams, I will release them for debriefing. It may take about 15 minutes. Ensign Carter will walk you to my office.”

Whoever had allowed the Commander to charge so deep into the Sickbay without objection would be on Riah’s list for at least a verbal reprimand. She looked to Nurse Carter, who nodded curtly and replied “Yes Ma’am.”

"We are in an emergency situation," Sorvak said. "Both Ensigns are needed at their stations". He turned around and headed for the CMO's office, Carter trailing him.

Ryan watched this, faintly astonished. Now it seemed like the tension was building up from everyone. "I'm sorry your boss is a little overbearing," he said to Mira lightly in an attempt to defuse things.

"Maybe..." Mira watched the Chief Science, then turned back to Ryan. "But he's right. We're the only ones with experience on the Eirian ship. And Cmdr. Batenburg, of course."

"I guess you're right," Ryan said. But at the same time, he didn't exactly see Lieutenant Evans try to pull him away from medical. He had to wonder how much of this was an 'emergency' or how much of it was Commander Sorvak's personality. Those were thoughts he didn't really want to discuss with Mira here though. He could only shrug slightly and let the doctor work.

Which Riah did quickly. “There is no evidence of physical harm, but both of you have residual high levels of epinephrine and norepinephrine. That will taper off pretty quickly. The cortisol will remain in your system longer term. When the former start to wear off, you will likely feel a let-down response, tired, perhaps even sleepy. Just be aware that is part of the hormonal changes in your system. If either of you do develop any other issues, please notify me by comm immediately!" This was a firm admonishment. Do either of you have questions for me?”

"No Ma'am," Ryan said, shaking his head.

"I don't either, ma'am," Mira added.

"Then if you’ll wait here, I will go invite Commander Slovak to meet with you immediately in the medical conference room, or he wherever he would like."

~~~

Ensign Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
USS Arawyn
&
LtCmdr Riah Amberlyn, XMD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Arawyn
&
Ensign Mira Quinn
Science Officer
USS Arawyn
&
Lt Cmdr Adrian Sorvak
Chief Science Officer
USS Arawyn

 

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