Saving the Ambassador (Part 1)

Posted on 06 Jan 2020 @ 7:34pm by Cadet Senior Grade Jody Scott & Diplomatic Aide Daniel Sutherland & Lieutenant Mikail Kolmak

1,802 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Empty Creche
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: ED2 0200

The night shift was well under way in sickbay and Jody watched, from his usual perch at the side of Dan’s bed, as the nurses and doctors exchanged updates on their critical patients. At first they handed over in the small sickbay office, but after a few minutes they stepped out into the main ward area and began their evening rounds. It didn’t take long before they were standing at the end of Daniel’s bed with concerned looks on their faces.

Without really intending to, Jody started to listen in to the conversation the two doctors and their accompanying nurse were having about Dan. Despite being a nearly fully trained counselor, the cadet struggled to make sense of some of their more technical medical speak. What he did pick up from the conversation was that the outlook for the Ambassador was getting more and more bleak the longer he remained in a coma.

One doctor, an ensign, commented, “We have had to increase the amplitude of the neural stimulator three times in the last eight hours. If Sutherland’s requirements keep going up like this, there will be no native neural activity by tomorrow lunchtime.”

The second doctor, this one a lieutenant junior grade, stared intently at Dan, almost as though the cure for the ambassador’s condition would miraculously pop into his head if he kept at it long enough. “Marshall really worked a number on him,” he said flippantly, refusing to take his eyes off his patient. “It’s a miracle that Sutherland survived such a close-range phaser discharge in the first place.”

“Doctor Afton thought the same thing before she was reassigned to the bridge,” the ensign commented, following it up with a technical conversation about close range energy discharges and immediate cell necrosis.

Jody’s current frame of mind was such that he couldn’t bear to listen in to their conversation any further. He allowed the lieutenant one more comment before he interrupted their conversation. “Don’t either of you have any respect for your patients?” He was more abrupt than he had intended to be.

“Excuse me, cadet?” The lieutenant said in response, emphasizing Jody’s inferior grade.

“I said,” Jody commented, standing up from the seat beside Dan, letting the recent spat with Colonel Blackburn fuel his temper. “Don’t you have any respect for your patients?”

“We have nothing but the…” The ensign started to reply, but was cut off by his superior.

The lieutenant stepped closer to Jody. “I think it wise for you step out of sickbay and get some rest, cadet.” Although his words implied a suggestion, Jody could tell from the intonation that he was being ordered out of sickbay.

“No. I’m not leaving his side.” Jody was defiant.

“I can make it an order,” the lieutenant said. By now both the medical officer and the counselor had squared up to one another.

“You can order me around all you want, lieutenant, but I am not going to leave Dan’s side until you figure out what is wrong with him and fix it!” The cadet stared down the doctor for a moment and then slowly stepped backwards towards the chair by Sutherland’s bed. Today was definitely not the day to mess with him; he had already been relieved of duty and insulted by a member of the senior staff. He wasn’t about to let a junior member of the medical team chase him out of sickbay.

Hearing all the commotion going on in the critical area of sickbay, Doctor Kolmak frowned as he was leaving his office, where he was doing paperwork since he was on light duty. His gait, post-surgery, at the moment was slow as he entered the area with a back brace for support. Mikail noted the young male as Cadet Scott with three of his medical crew members and a patient, Daniel Sutherland. "I'd like to know what is going on here? Higher voices is not allowed in here for critical care patients."

Jody swung round to face Doctor Kolmak, his facial expression hiding little of the anger and frustration that was swelling up within him. Before he spoke, he raised his arm and pointed accusingly at the group of junior medical staff huddled around Dan's bed. "They," he spat out with initial contempt, "are trying to throw me out of sickbay. As the closest thing to family that Daniel has here on the Redemption, I have refused."

"Give us some privacy," the doctor nodded at his medical staff for them to leave. He glanced up at the monitor to read the vitals and looked down at the appearance of a young man. Mikail had read the young man's bio earlier: a diplomatic aide, aged 23, human - with latent telepathic abilities - patient of Doctor Afton, and his name is Daniel Sutherland. He is no longer under the care of Doctor Afton after she was assigned to the bridge. "Take a seat and relax. Tell me about Daniel," he glanced at the cadet, noticing the stress he was under.

Despite the departure of the night shift medical team, Jody continued to feel aggrieved by them and agitated by the situation that he now found himself in. Despite this, aware of the disrespect he had just shown superior officers, the counsellor tried to calm himself down and acquiesce to Doctor Kolmak. He hesitated at first to speak, but after a few false starts was able to find the right words to start the conversation.

"Dan," Jody began, "is one of the most grounded individuals I have ever known, which is surprising given that he was born on a Starfleet vessel and shipped from pillar to post during the Dominion War. I have my suspicions that President Zal has had a very positive influence on him over the years. She knew his brother, Paul, a long time ago; back when she still served in Starfleet. I suspect that's how they met - probably at Paul's memorial service."

The cadet could feel himself begin to ramble, not quite knowing exactly what to say about the Ambassador. They had known each other for a number of years now, with their friendship evolving into something more only in the last few weeks. "Ever since I have known him, Dan has been a good listener. I guess that is why we became friends - who counsels the counsellor, eh?" He smirked slightly at that comment, reminding himself of the hours they had spent in the off-duty lounge chatting about everything from politics, to softball, to lost friends and comrades. "He always knows what it is I need to hear, if you catch my drift?"

The doctor gave him a slight smile. Seeing that the patient had no changes from what Mikail was seeing on the monitor, he crossed his arms to give the young cadet his divided attention. "Funny way to say about being the counselor who has been counseled. I don't personally know this person, but it sounds like a good friendship to have. How long have you been in here with him?"

"Since 2000 hours, I think."

"Why don't you go get some sleep? There are no changes in Mister Sutherland's condition, and even if there is, I can contact you."

Looking down at Daniel, his eyes closed as though he were only sleeping, Jody couldn't help but feel guilty at the thought of leaving sickbay to get rest himself. Exhaustion was slowly beginning to set in, making him argumentative and emotionally labile. His head was telling him to go get some sleep, but his heart cried out for him to remain. "I... I don't know," Jody said in a stutter as he ran hand down the front of his face. "The idiots you just chased away seemed to think Dan wouldn't make it much past morning, at this rate of deterioration anyway."

Mikail felt the frustration coming from the cadet. He even disliked his language about his medical crews. "This is a grey area, speaking of his condition," using his voice for ease. "It may look like deterioration, but don't get discouraged. I have a technician working on a vascular stem cell which is used on coma patients. We don't get a lot of patients in a coma, but I decided to add the Volcryn's blood. The tech is working on it. And it takes a lot of work to remove properties in the alien's blood to prevent necrosis, which kills foreign cells. The blood was found on a planet a couple of months ago that has some healing properties in it, so we saved it and stored it for future use. Don't get your hopes high. Well, if you want to use a bed here, we have an extra off to the side outside of ICU, you are welcome to. I expect quietness and better behavior, that's all."

Jody nodded his head at the doctor - unsure of whether he was agreeing to the nearby bed, better behaviour, or both. News of the untested treatment gave the cadet some hope, although experience told him not to let himself get too excited about the prospect of a cure for Daniel's affliction. "If you don't mind," he said, glancing around for the bed that Kolmak mentioned, "I would take you up on your offer of some rest. It's been a," he paused, trying to find the right words, "...trying couple of days."

"I understand, Mister Scott," he said. As soon as the cadet was getting settled, Mikail left the ICU area to check on the technician that was working on the blood. From there, he pulled aside the two crews who were monitoring Daniel. He got to the point to explain that if anything unprofessionally happens in his sickbay, he will deal with it with reprimand. Mikail added that Jody was not to be disturbed to allow him to sleep.

Having been escorted to one of the nearby beds in ICU, Jody lay down on top of it so that Daniel's bio-bed was still within eyesight. He knew that he had just become 'that' relative, the one person that gives the medical professionals a hard time. Ironically, he experienced the other side of the experience on regular basis during his counselling duties. Guilt began to wash over the cadet as he watched one of the nurses tend to Daniel - had he been too harsh with the brash young medical staff earlier in the night? It didn't matter, as he didn't have long to ponder the issue. Within a minute of lying down Jody felt his eyelids become heavy, and before he knew it he was asleep.


Lieutenant Mikail Kolmak, M.D.
Temporary CMO & Surgeon
USS Redemption

&

Cadet Jody Scott
Counselling Intern
USS Redemption

 

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