An Ear to Listen, A Hand to Lend

Posted on Sun Jan 17th, 2021 @ 9:20pm by Lieutenant JG Sarah Wilson & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Lieutenant Aurora Vali & Lieutenant Anna S. Thesia M.D. & Lieutenant Jessica Holland

Mission: Healing of Minds
Location: Bridge
Timeline: Current

The Liberty was currently loitering two systems away from Bajor but close to return in a matter of minutes at high warp and retrieve Captain Kaylen and her husband, as soon as they got the signal the pair were ready to return to the Liberty.

They were currently going through targeting exercises with the main phasers. Aurora was seated to his left in the counselors seat. Mr. Churchill had the Conn and Lt. Holland was at tactical. All was proceeding normally until Lt. Holland broke the monotony by speaking. "Captain, I'm receiving a distress signal! It's faint but understandable." Savar looked at Aurora before addressing Jessica. "On the main speaker Lieutenant."

Static burst over the speakers before a voice was heard. "This is the Bajoran science ship Ona Cine. We've had a propulsion failure and are currently in orbit above the fourth planet but our orbit is decaying and we are falling towards the planet's surface. we are also experiencing radiation exposure."

Savar looked back at Jessica, "Lieutenant" He questioned. "Got them sir. I read a crew of 95."

"Very good." Savar looked to Churchill at the Conn. "Mr. Churchill, alter our course so we reach the Bajoran ship."

"Aye sir. Altering course."

"Aurora are you sensing anything?" He asked before calling Sickbay.

As he waited for Aurora's reply, he thought better of it and not wanting to waste precious seconds, contacted Sickbay.

"Dr. Thesia. we are enroute to aid a Bajoran science ship that is also experiencing radiation exposure. Please have your staff ready to render aid."

"What's our ETA, how many people can we expect?" Anna asked. Those where the most important questions, the rest were details. While waiting for the answer, Anna started changing from her dress she had wanted to wear for the date with Jessica, and back into her uniform.

"You may be facing upwards of ninety five patients Doctor." Savar informed her " Our ETA is five minutes."

Aurora was doing her best to get a sense. “I’m not getting that much of a sense yet, once we’re closer I’ll be able to give you a better idea.” She offered a smile. “I’ll keep monitoring.”

"Thank you Aurora." Was his simple reply.

Anna was in sickbay a few moments later, seeing that her department had already been informed, by the looks of the activity happening.

Sarah looked towards Anna as new of the distress call came in along with the detail of radiation exposure. Such an illness was debilitating and rather unpleasant for the victims and would need to be promptly treated to avoid permanent damage to several key organs.

"On it Captain" Sarah replied as the medical team gathered to strategise their triage and treatment options.

"Very good Doctor. I shall keep you apprised of the situation as we draw closer to the Bajoran ship." Savar informed Sarah.

"Gamma shift, set up a treatment centre in cargo bay two", Anna ordered. It was right next to the shuttlebay, and there'd be evacuees arriving by shuttle as the transporters couldn't be relied upon when there was too much interference. But even if this wasn't the case, it was still a good location.

" I'll start replication treatment packs, hypos and the like" Sarah commented as the team split up into groups to get the task done. It wasn't often they were called on to treat this many potential patients, but it was something they were trained and drilled to do regularly.

As the ship got closer to the location of the Bajoran ship Aurora started getting a better sense, rapidly wishing she hadn’t. “Captain ...” She looked at Savar. “We have to get them out of there! The sooner the better.”

"Understood Aurora. We are moving into transporter range as we speak." Savar replied to his wife.

Sickbay was a flurry of activity as the teams scrambled to prepare for the large number of patients. The cargo bay was nearly set up and a team rapidly replicating supplies and finishing their triage stations.

"Stand ready Doctor Thesia. We are moving into and preparing to beam the crew directly into the cargo bay where you and your staff may render aid." Savar told the CMO.

Sarah nodded towards her boss indicating that they were as ready as they were going to be. Rows upon rows of emergency stretchers filled the cargo bay, clearly seen dividing lines grouping the status of the patients into life threatening, urgent, non-urgent, and unable to be saved. Sarah hoped they wouldn't have to use the beds in the final catagories, reserved for those too ill or too badly injured to save.

The Liberty moved to within transporter range. "Savar to medical team, be prepared to receive patients as we are commencing to transport them off their ship."

That done, he looked over to Aurora. "How is the situation Aurora?"

Aurora had strolled around the bridge and was standing further forward. She didn’t answer for a moment until she snapped out of her empathic fuelled world. “It’s err ...” She paused for a moment. “It’s not getting any better Commander.”

In the cargo bay Sarah hurried around putting the final pieces of equipment in place - blankets on the stretchers, a corner for any children who may be involved with comfort toys and colourful things on the walls.They would be inundated soon with patients soon - but they were ready.

"Wilson to sickbay - Dr Thesia the cargobay is ready" She announced, proud of the work the team had accomplished in a short time.

"And not a moment too soon", Anna said. Five minutes was cutting it close, but then there was little else that could be done in that time span. "I'm sending you an extra supply of hyronalin. Send everyone who needs additional treatment here." If a patient was in bad enough shape to also need the lectrazine, they had other things wrong with them, and should be treated on a biobed.

"Savar to transporter room. Commence transporting the crew of the Ona Cine to the cargo bay,"

"Aye sir." Came the crisp reply. An instant later the crew of the science vessel appeared in the cargo bay where they could be treated by the Liberty's medical team.

Before long, everyone in sickbay was busy treating the more severely affected, not only radiation exposure but also other wounds sustained during the Bajorans' frantic effort to prevent their orbit from decaying too quickly, and thus not receiving aid in time.

For the first time, Anna could see how the Liberty's medical staff responded in a crisis, and how well different shifts and professions in the department worked together. "I like this lot", she said to Aurora.

Aurora had made her way to Sickbay to help out as best as she could. She smiled as she looked at Anna. “You have fine staff Anna, people to be proud of.”

"First time for me to see them in action", Anna said, helping to lift a patient onto the bed and preparing for surgery. Several of these people would need sharp objects removed from their bodies, as something must have blown up over on the other ship.

Aurora nodded. “I noticed, there were wounds other than just the radiation burns and exposure.

On the bridge, Savar watched dispassionately as the Ona Cine continued it's downward trek into the planet's atmosphere, burning up in a fiery display of pyrotechnics and was gone.

Down in the cargo bay Sarah and her team of secondary Medical staff swung into action the minute the first patients materialised. They arrived in batches of 5 at a time, barely a few minutes apart. Sarah worked triage whilst the rest of the team prioritised treatments according to the severity of the injuries and illness. It would be hours before there was any reprieve, but this was what they lived for.