What Options?

Posted on Mon Feb 17th, 2025 @ 8:33pm by Lieutenant Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Captain Gary Taylor & Commander Sthilg

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After a Serious Discussion
1007 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

OOC: This will be part 2 of Lia's fate

IC:

Lia's remained in stasis, her condition remaining stable and unchanged. She wasn't living she was existing, and Gary hated every second of every minute of every hour of every day it continued. He still remained upbeat and positive that Lia would improve but it was getting harder and harder to maintain that outlook, So, he was once again in Sickbay looking at Lia's pod. She looked like a doll, so still, her skin looking pale under the Sickbay lights. He still had a few minutes before Alicia and Sthilg came in. He took his hand and placed it on the pod. "Hi darling, just came by to see how you are doing and here I find you taking it easy. Sweetie, you have it made." He teased even as he choked up and bowed his head, his hand still resting on the pod.

Sthilg had been finishing off his plan and running it through the ship's doctors and EMH. Again he wished the ship virologist had made it, but they had to make do. Walking in he saw Gary talking to Lia. " Ah, Gary it's good that you're here. I have good newsss." he said reassuringly.

Gary turned at the sound of Sthilg's voice. "Good news? Concerning Lia? " He asked hopefully.

The gorn nodded. " My idea has born fruit. If we can cure the cold from her sssystem it should force the virusss back into a dormant ssstate. From then we can quarantine her until we can kill the virusss or flusssh it from her sssytem.

"That's fantastic news Doc! If you can cure the cold and force the virus back to a dormant state, you said Lia will need to remain in quarantined? Any rough idea on how long that will be, and will she still be in stasis?" Gary stopped he knew he was firing off questions and not giving the CMO a chance to reply. "Sorry Doc, didn't mean to fire off questions at you. What were you going to say?"

Alicia had arrived just as Gary was firing off his questions, she gave her father a curious look not wanting to interrupt their conversation.

Gary saw Alicia enter and he greeted her, "Hi Alicia. The Doc has some good news."

" Yes i will have to quarantine her until we can purge the virusss, we don't know how long that will be and ssshe can be out of ssstasssisss. " The gorn replied with a warm smile.

"That's wonderful" Alicia smiled warmly. "Was it the virus that caused Lia to act as she did? I'm just worried about her mental state, if she's brought out of stasis I don't want her being at risk of taking her own life again."

Gary listened as Alicia spoke, she made an excellent point. He didn't want Lia to be a threat to herself. "Good point Alicia. I don't know but it is something to consider." He told his friend as he waited to hear Sthilg's opinion on the matter.

" Mossst likely, hopefully if it'sss back to an inactive ssstate sssuch behavior sssould ssstop. " Sthilg replied. Why had the ship's virologist had to not make it?

"We can but hope so" Alicia offered her father an understanding smile. "I guess only time will tell."

Gary nodded, "An excellent observation Alicia. Time will indeed tell." Gary answered somberly while casting a glance at Lia inside the stasis pod stuck in a frozen sleep, caught between two worlds. Neither truly alive nor dead just existing.

“So, how soon do you think you’ll be able to start?” Alicia looked at her father curiously.

Gary said nothing, just listened in silence to hear what Sthilg had to say.

" Asss sssoon asss i can. We'll need to prep a room for quarantine as well. Hopefuly we ssshould be able to wake her in a few daysss." the doctor replied.

“That’s wonderful” Alicia smiled warmly offering Gary a hopeful smile.

Gary nodded, "It certainly is Alicia!" He replied as a smile came to his face.

" I'll start up a plan and get ssstarted right away. " Sthilg replied with his warm grandfatherly smile. " Everything going to be okay Gary"

Gary nodded at the Elysium's CMO who he not only considered a top-notch physician but also a good friend. "I know Doc. I have every confidence in you and the medical staff. I know Lia is in good hands."

"Not just good hands, the best!" Alicia offered a warm smile. "How's about we let Little Lia know the news? it'll need explaining tactfully so can understand."

Gary nodded, "Yes, I stand corrected Alicia. You are right, the best. Are you sure that's a good idea? letting her know now? or should we wait until we see how everything is going?"

Alicia nodded. "You could be right there, I certainly wouldn't want to get her hopes up before we're sure. Let's wait a while longer."

Gary nodded. "I think it is for the best that we err on the side of caution in this situation."

"Very true, I let myself get a little too carried away I think" Alicia smiled.

Gary shook his head, "Not at all Alicia, you had the best motives you wanted to inform Little Lia. Not a thing wrong with that idea."

" I'll get on with preparing a ssstale room if you have no more questionsss. " Sthilg said calmly yet with hope in his voice.

“None from me” Alicia smiled warmly at her father before looking at Gary.

Gary shook his head from side to side, "None from me either Doc. I'll let you get started on what you need to do. Just let me know if you need anything or my help."

" I will." The doc said as he headed for the door. He had work to do.

Gary took a deep breath and allowed himself to hope. Hope that this nightmare would soon be over, and LL would have her mother and he would have his wife back by his side