Trauma care

Posted on Mon Apr 21st, 2025 @ 7:36pm by Lieutenant Commander Savin & Ensign Ezmyrae Varin

Mission: Character Development
Location: Sickbay
1847 words - 3.7 OF Standard Post Measure

Somewhat belatedly, a new file had been delivered to Savin, one he couldn't ignore. The reason for the delay was unmentioned, not did the counselor really care. More important now, was to establish a meeting with the subject of the file, sooner rather than later.

The Romulan didn't have far to go in respect to his own office as sickbay was only a door or two away. Quietly, so not to draw too much attention to her from others, he approached the Trill surgeon. "Ensign Varin, may we speak?" He requested pleasantly, while giving the appearance to others that he was here for a medical consult. It wasn't too difficult as this was sickbay and he did still need occasional checkups since his last injury. Thankfully, they were less frequent now.

It was, in many ways, the quietest Sickbay had been since Myra had arrived. She wasn't quite superstitious enough to attribute the recent spat of emergencies to her presence specifically but there was a vague sense of finding it difficult to avoid calamity in the long run. There was a quiet tendency to expect the unfortunate that the young Trill hadn't been able to shake, though she was deep enough into her recovery to understand it was a mentality generally frowned upon by those charged with assessing her emotional health. That was why, as she looked up from the PADD she'd been studying to take note of who it was seeking her out, there was as much tidying away of random thoughts as there was an effort to tuck the distraction off to the side so that her attention wasn't split. She had anticipated an eventual visit from the Counselor, though there was hope still that he was here for his own sake.

"Of course, Lieutenant. How can I help you?"

"I apologise for the lateness in meeting with you," the counselor started, "had I received your file sooner I would have come to you sooner as well." He sat on the bed to keep up the visual pretense of a check up while studying the young woman in front of him. He was debating how to bring up the subject of her health and still make it clear he wasn't in any way going to force her to talk. It remained a difficult thing to convey as most seemed to consider his visits, or meetings with him as a requirement. "I understand from your file that you have gone through a very difficult time both physically and mentally," he started carefully, "I also learned that recently you assisted in a procedure which was very traumatic to the patient in question." He paused a few seconds to gauge her reaction. "Do you use your own experience with a traumatic event to help reassure your patient? What effect does his experience have on you and your performance?"

The sudden pendulum swing was so abrupt that, for a moment, Myra looked more astonished than reluctant. Almost instantly, the look of surprise turned to a furrowed brow as she tried to make sense of the question amidst the scramble to erect hastily-constructed defenses. Eventually, it dawned on her, what the Counselor was referencing, which seemed like an entire lifetime ago considering everything that had happened since. "Oh, you mean Dr. tr'Rehu." Relief, more than anything, seemed to relax the Trill's shoulders somewhat. "It was more a case of drawing on my family's experience, my grandfather had his voicebox mechanically replaced when he was younger. And there's no need to apologise," Myra thought to add. "The worst of my recovery is past."

Savin nodded though he wasn't aware of any surgery regarding the other Romulan's voice. He studied her closely as he wondered if she'd go along with his pretense of being a patient or whether she'd eventually request to go somewhere more out of visual range of others. "Physically," he agreed, "but what of your mental recovery?" He was treading carefully, "I understand you assisted with the surgery of Lieutenant Zade. That must have been difficult for you."

The dermaglyphs that framed the Trill's features darkened, though Myra lived in constant hope that the people she encountered didn't understand how to recognise a flush of embarrassment. Beneath the delicate patterns, her pale features drained further, and whether she'd picked up his subterfuge or not, Myra quickly snatched up a medical scanner and started to fiddle with it as if prepping it for use. It was a good excuse to avoid eye contact.

"It was far more difficult for her," she pointed out softly.

"That depends on your point of view. I acknowledge Lieutenant Zade was critically if not mortally wounded but her difficulty is yet to come as she recovers, and she will require all the help she can get." He paused, reaching to gently touch her sleeve to make her look up. "Especially yours, as a fellow Trill. You may understand like no other what she is going to go through. But I am here to help you, so we both may help her. I may even require your help, to gain insight in Trill healing. I do not require you to speak to me, but I am here if you wish to. We can meet anywhere you feel more comfortable."

It had never been Myra's preference to let irritation fester. She had inherited the capacity to call things as she saw them from a long line of family members who adopted the cultural tendency but natural optimism and a zest for new experiences had kept a positive spin on most of her intentions. Finding her way back to that carefree independence was quite a journey but it was oddly promising that her first reaction to the Counselor's offer was a faint frown. Stubbornness was a harder habit to break.

"Lieutenant Zade's condition should improve beyond any permanent impairment." Myra like to point out that it meant their situations were decidedly different but it was implied nonetheless. "Her experience has been traumatic but I don't think you will need to be an expert on Trill physiology to help her with that."

She caught herself then, aware that her tone was bordering on belligerent, and forced herself to relax. "Part of my probational appointment requires me to meet with you on a semi-regular basis, I don't have a problem with that being in a formal setting."

"As you wish, but likewise I do not have a problem with meeting you where you feel comfortable." Fortunately any kind of tone would be lost on him, but her entire bearing told him something was up. "Would you like to walk with me? We can go to the CMO's office or mine... Or we keep up the pretense of a medical exam and you can engage the privacy screen." His patient's comfort was important to him, and it was well known on this ship that he would go quite a way to achieve it, if possible.

"You said Lieutenant Zade should recover beyond any permanent impairment, that means there is still a chance she will not..." He paused, searching for a way to ask without upsetting her. In the end, he settled on asking directly and gauge her reaction instead. "I understand if you prefer not to answer but I am trying to determine the best course to help her...do you know if she had any desire to be joined?" He realised he actually didn't know Zade well enough to have this information. He knew some had no desire at all.

For a few blissful seconds, the most complicated thing Myra faced was how to tell a superior officer that their timing was off. As quiet as Sickbay currently was, and as close to the end of her shift as it technically was, Myra hadn't planned on leaving until she'd finished the reviews Ame had set. Those had no specific deadline but the Trill had never found it easy to abandon a task before completion.

Now, she was confronted with a whole new conundrum, one that provoked an instant compulsion to flee whilst simultaneously demanding correction. It took every last scrap of composure to remember her manners, clutching to the refuge of professional protocol to steady herself against the sudden surge of outrage.

"That's not information I'm privy to, and it's not something I'd be able to tell you even if I were, sir. Most Trills prefer to speak for themselves on the matter, I don't think the Lieutenant would thank either of us for speculating."

As much as it wasn't a direct response to his earlier offer, Myra lifted the medical scanner to feign examination.

"I find it easier to schedule appointments, if that's okay. I'd rather have time to prepare myself than be put on the spot."

"As I said, whichever and wherever is most comfortable to you." He held still in equally feigned compliance as she lifted the scanner. "Come see me after your shift and we will make an appointment." He paused as again he studied her. "I had no intention of making you feel uncomfortable with my enquiry, if I have I apologise."

"It's a very private topic." Whilst she might have felt reasonably justified in her reaction, Myra still wasn't proud of it. She was supposed to be proving capable of moving on with her life, not giving anyone grounds to write her up for emotional instability. Trying to explain things, even if she didn't go into personal detail, seemed the least she could do. "I barely know the Lieutenant, but I'm reasonably sure she'd prefer to speak for herself." Myra attempted an apologetic smile. "Most Trill do, we can be pretty direct at times. Communication becomes fairly important when there's more than one voice involved." The young doctor hunched a shoulder in consideration. "Though that could be said of most examples."

Savin nodded slowly. "Even when there is not," he supplied, "as my own situation can attest to. Communication is always important, as is having someone's attention when one attempts to communicate." He offered a reassuring smile. "Will you come to see me after your shift, to make an appointment?" He enquired, as she hasn't answered that suggestion.

Lacking the emotional energy to argue, Myra simply nodded. It was required, in any case, and clearly scheduling appointments was the best way to minimise impromptu welfare checks. "I should be finished here in the next hour."

"I will leave you to your duties," Savin said as he slid off the bed. "Thank you for your time."

"Anytime."

Myra tried not to squirm with embarrassment at the flipped dynamic, being decently sure she was supposed to be the one thanking the Counselor for due diligence. The conflict between residual annoyance and an eagerness to demonstrate professional conduct produced nothing short of relief as Savin took his leave, his exit observed from beneath the pucker of a faint frown. Only the emergence of one of the nurses roused the Trill from her frustrations, startled into returning to her study with an over-zealous redirection of attention.