The Misery of Suffering (pt 1)

Posted on Thu Apr 14th, 2022 @ 11:20am by Lieutenant Commander Shoniara T’ghann-Travis Dr & Lieutenant Commander Callie Raven-Grayson & Petty Officer 1st Class Amethyst Reece

Mission: Jupiter Mystery
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After Away Team

Shon and Amethyst waited for Callie to arrive. Whist she waited she ran another brain scan which showed his brain was at rest, neither dreaming or visions he was at least sleeping peacefully.
The scan also showed a problem within his hippocampus as she had suspected. Possibly something that surgery might correct but it was far to early to suggest that.

Arriving at Sickbay Callie walked inside offering Shon and Amethyst a smile as she approached them. “What can I do for you Shon?”

“Thank you for coming Callie. We have a patient for you” she indicated Zack. “Do you know Ensign Ravencroft?”

“I know him in passing but we haven’t spoken as yet” Callie looked at Zack curiously. “What happened to him?”

“He has had an emotional breakdown possibly a psychotic episode. I have been trying to befriend him since he came on board. He has a long history of rejection, he was an orphan, didn’t really make any contact with his foster parents and as much as he has sought romantic liaisons he tells me he is always rejected. I saw that Amethyst was very interested in him and she has been trying to befriend him. I thought he was fairly stable until earlier today when Amethyst heard him wrecking his quarters. We found him conscious but unresponsive. I sedated him and put him in non rem sleep as he has ‘bad dreams’. I am going to have to take him off duty and wondered when he wakes if you will see him as a matter of urgency. Something also came up in his scan, his hippocampus has some what looks like scarring on it but, of course to see more I would have to perform something more invasive.

Callie nodded. “I see. I can see him as a matter of urgency any time he needs it, is there anything in his medical records to suggest what might have caused the damage to Zack’s hippocampus? If that’s part of the problem it’ll need to be sorted out.”

“No nothing,” she handed Callie the PaDD with his medical records. “Physical fit, above normal intelligence. Maybe he has always had it and that is why he has been as he is. I was going to give him 12 hours of restorative sleep then wake him. I would really value your input and help in this Callie, Zack is a really nice guy who is suffering.”

Callie nodded. “Of course Shon, that’s what I’m here for. It will all depend on whether Zack is willing to talk to me, I can’t force him to talk it would have to be of his own free will.”

“He may have to talk as I am going to have to take him off duty for the time being. Do you want to be here when I wake him?”

Callie nodded. “Yes, please. I think it best that I talk to him as soon as I can.”

Shon looked at her friend with warmth. “And my next question is how are you? I can see you have a twinkle in your eyes?”

Callie grinned. “Ohh I do! Let’s just say Jon and I appreciated being able to spend a ‘night together’ after having to wait so long. We needed the closeness that brings.”

“I completely understand that now. Would you like me to do a quick scan, how is the morning sickness now anyway?”

Callie smiled. “I’d love a scan, any chance to see our daughter! The morning sickness is manageable, I’ve been trying various remedies which seem to be helping.”

Shon led Callie over to a biobed and activated the privacy screen. “Right.” She began her scan, “oh my!” She exclaimed.

Callie felt a sudden surge of concern. “What!? What’s wrong!?”

“You had better see this Callie?” She said seriously and turned the screen towards her. She broke into a broad beaming smile “look at those fingers and toes, my god daughter is going to be beautiful!”

Callie sighed a huge sigh of relief, “Don't do that to me Shon! I nearly had heart failure!” She smiled from ear to ear as she looked at the view on the screen in-front of her. “She is gorgeous isn’t she?”

“Look at the length of those digits and those legs are going to be long. I can see Jon standing guard between her and the male sex. I’ll copy that for you so you can show Jon.” She walked over and collected the scan and handed it to her friend. “I am so very happy for you now I just have to catch up. Now you have about another month of morning sickness then it should be gone.”

Callie nodded. “I certainly hope so! It’s no fun waking up in the morning and having to rush off to the bathroom just incase!”

Shon looked concerned “how long is it lasting” she asked.

“Not long, at least not once I get some breakfast into me.” Callie smiled. “I do get terrible indigestion though! Any help with that is gladly accepted.”

Shon walked over to a small storage cupboard which she searched through until she found what she was looking for. She brought the pink coloured bottle over to Callie. 2 teaspoons of this before your breakfast should help, it’s an old Earth remedy called Pepto Bismol. I find it very satisfactory for indigestion. It tastes a bit like peppermint, not wonderful but it does the trick.” She handed it to her. “Right I will go check on Zack. I’ll call you when we wake him. Give my best to Jon.”

She walked back over to her patient and Amethyst who had been patiently watching Zack. “He won’t wake until we wake him, why don’t you have a break now before we get busy?”

Amethyst nodded. “Thanks Shon, I could do with something to eat.”

“I’ll walk with you” Callie smiled as she looked over at Amethyst.