T'is but a scratch

Posted on Sat Jan 25th, 2020 @ 12:01pm by Chief Warrant Officer Man'darr [Naxea]

Mission: Casperia Prime - A lesson in relaxation
Location: Main Sickbay; USS Elysium
Timeline: After "Recovery"
1160 words - 2.3 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

Man'darr entered Sickbay, still dressed in his armor which was dirty, tattered and burnt along with parts of his uniform. He paused in the entrance to sickbay--he never liked Sickbay and hospitals. Personally, he wanted nothing more than to be planetside looking for the Major.

Tallia noticed a man walk in who looked like he should've come out of a GI Joe comic book, muscular to almost comical proportions, she also noticed he looked like he had been through Hell, "By looking at you I can tell you need me." Tallia stated the obvious, "I'm Dr. Strode, why don't you grab a spot on diagnostic bed 'C' and tell me what happened and who you are so I can access your charts?"

Man'darr looked at the woman and nodded as he complied, making his way to indicated bed. "I'm Warrant Officer Man'darr. I'm a new addition to Major Azhul's Detachment," he stated, sitting down on the bed, letting out a heavy sigh. His side was bothering him, as he shifted his weight.

"So, start by telling me who took a jackhammer to your ribs." Tallia instructed, looking over Man'darr's charts as she did, ~If all the Marines looked like this guy we'd never have another war~, "But talk slowly so it doesn't make them hurt, I'm going to prioritize the ribs to avoid any internal bleeding or injuries, then I'm going to work on that concussion, and the other stuff is cosmetic, it can go last." Tallia always felt it sped things up if she set her patients at ease right away by explaining why she was doing what she was doing, it kept them from asking.

"PFC Durak said a photon grenade exploded near me during the ambush. No jackhammers were involved," Man'darr stated. "I only remember fighting Orions and then hearing one of our sergeants yelling at PFC Durak about the Major being kidnapped." Saying it out loud, seemed to finalize what really happened and it caused him to tense as his anger rose.

"Okay, I'm going to need you to stop that like twenty minutes ago." Tallia stated as she watched the Warrant Officer's BP spike to an insane level, "K, thanks." As she ran the osteoregenerator over his rib cage the live feed scan playing on the screen across from her showed his rib bones starting to knit back together, "Okay, no signs of internal bleeding or injury, very nice." She saw his bp was still far too high, and shook her head, "Okay, hold still." She ordered, getting a hypo full of beta blockers and pressing it to his neck, "There, that'll take care of that nasty spiking."

"I'm fine," Man'darr stated gruffly. "Or at least I will be when we find those bastards." It wasn't long before he felt himself feeling calmer due to the hypo injection. "Have you been here long, doctor?" he asked, attempting to make small talk, which was something he was still working on despite serving almost 20 years in Starfleet.

"On Elysium, only a few months." Tallia replied, beginning to work on relieving his concussion now that the ribs were back together, "But I've been in Starfleet counting Academy time for almost ten years. Came here for the Marine Cadet with the head wound, wound up staying. You?"

"Just got assigned to the Elysium. Been in Starfleet for almost twenty years. Started out enlisted and earned a Warrant Officer commission a year ago," Man'darr explained. "And I apologize, but a Marine Cadet with a head wound?"

"Apparently the Elysium was boarded by hostile Romulans a few months ago." Tallia began, "And a Cadet named Robeson took a shot to the head. Our Chief Surgeon at the time was able to stabilize him, I saved his brain. Surprised you hadn't already heard."

"Ah. As I said, I've only just arrived on board a day ago," Man'darr stated. "It is good to know that such skilled medical staff are on board the Elysium." His head was beginning to feel better and the lights in Sickbay not bothering him anymore.

"Lucky for you it seems." Tallia laughed as she began to repair his skin, "You should be good as new in.... now." She held up a mirror to show him the cosmetic work she'd done, "Well, satisfied customer?"

"Still the best looking guy on the ship," Man'darr boasted with a grin. "Thank you, doctor."

"Yeah, not bad I suppose." Tallia shrugged, she was so not going to feed this guy's ego, ~Not that he needs me for that. I'm sure there are plenty willing to help.~ "Now, I'm going to give you some medication for pain, should you have any sort of lingering issues, though I don't expect anything. If anything major comes up, I'll expect you to return so we can fix the problem."

"Keep the pain killers, Doc," Man'darr said as he got off of the bio bed. "I don't need them." Pain was something Man'darr grew accustomed to over time.

"Take them anyway." Tallia instructed, "Their essentially large aspirin and it wouldn't look right if I let you walk out of here empty handed."

Sighing, Man'darr took the pills and shoved them in his right pants cargo pocket. "Fine. Again, thank you, doctor but I should get back with the Detachment to regroup and find out our next orders."

"Should I be prepping for mass casualties, Man'darr?" Tallia asked, "I mean, we're ready, but if I need some extra stuff on standby I'd be grateful for a little advance notice."

Man'darr paused as he thought for a moment then shook his head. "No. Once we find the Orions, the Marines and I will leave few, if any alive." He couldn't shake the anger he felt at the Orions for causing him the dishonor of allowing his CO to be captured and not defeating them in battle--every Cappellan instinct within him wanted to rip the planet apart, but he knew he had to be patient.

"There's no need to turn everywhere into the OK Corral." Tallia sighed; Marines, they were all the same. "And the casualties I was worried about was more geared towards our own people."

Man'darr nodded. "I know. They got the drop on us once--they won't be so lucky next time now that we know what to look for. Don't worry about our casualties. We have training, technology, willingness to fight, and honor on our side, Doctor Strode."

"I hope it's enough." She replied, remembering the hundreds of thousands of dead who went into a hopeless battle with this same things on their side.

"It will be. Have faith in us. Besides, keep it up and I'll get hurt again just to give me a reason to visit you," he said with a smile and wink before heading for the door.

~Okay, that was pretty damn smooth...~ Tallia admitted, if only to herself, as she watched GI Joe Kung Fu grip his way out the door.

-off