150: Get a Charge Out of That

By Lieutenant Dr. Terasha
And Ensign Warren Dalca
80215.11
Following Triage and Sweating It

-=Aboard the USS Alchemy=-


Terasha had been very busy, going from one part of the ship, to another, monitoring everyone for radiation exposure levels. So far, no one was in any danger. Heading back to the bridge, she moved toward Commander Blane first, but was interrupted by an emergency code white call from engineering.

“Beam the patient to sickbay!” ordered Terasha as she bolted back to the turbolift.

“Transporters are off-line,” someone shouted.

Terasha muttered an expletive in Andorian, as she entered the lift.

“I’ll go with you.” Dalca squeezed into the lift as the doors hissed closed.

“Engineering,” said Terasha to the computer, “and don’t stop along the way. This is a medical emergency.” She looked at Dalca.

“Do we know who was injured or how bad it is?” she asked.

Dalca, who was closest to the terminal in the lift, kept tapping the same commands, all resulting in a flat buzz. He glanced at the Doctor and shook his head, dark eyes flashing with impotent anger. Knowing that whatever had hit the ship was some form of attack, he felt directly responsible for not being prepared.

Terasha tapped her comm badge.

“Terasha to Sickbay. Kathy, get an antigrav litter and portable life support equipment down to engineering, stat.” Without waiting for a response, she tapped her badge again.

“Engineering, this is Terasha. Give me a report of what’s happening down there.”

[Commander Lair was struck by an electrical discharge. Lieutenant Breaux is trying to help her.]

“I’m on my way,” said Terasha. “Hold on.”

Terasha noticed that Dalca was fuming.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said.

Warren glanced sideways at her, studying the Andorian’s expression which was calm by comparison. Her antennae remained alert but still shifted lightly, and the look in her eyes was one of measured trepidation. He locked away his own anger by sheer force of will, and shifted his weight slightly.

“Of course, Doctor.” He managed to put enough confidence into his voice, but she was clearly perceptive enough that he doubted she didn’t see through the act. Even if only slightly. So he smiled grimly at her, hoping that charm would cover the anger more effectively. “But now that we’re in this situation, I’m going to do what I can to set things right.”

Terasha silently studied Dalca, not sure what he meant.

The lift stopped and the door opened. Exiting, the two ran down the corridor and into engineering. Quickly searching the area, Terasha saw a small cluster of engineers standing around two people; one lying on their back, the other kneeling over the one that was injured.

Lair and Breaux.

“Give me some room, people!” said Terasha firmly. The engineers moved back and she saw Breaux doing old-fashioned CPR on Lair. Kneeling beside Breaux, she began scanning Lair with her medical tricorder.

“Second and third degree burns in the upper chest area. Positive brain activity, but the beginnings of oxygen deprivation. Full cardiac arrest,” said Terasha in rapid-fire procession. She reached into her medkit and pulled out a hypospray of cordrazine. Quickly adjusting the dosage, she pressed the instrument against Lair’s neck and injected the drug. Scanning her again, Terasha frowned.

“Don’t stop, Mr. Breaux,” said Terasha grimly.

The panic and uncertainty in the engineering crew was palpable. Dalca stepped past them and pulled an engineer aside. “Have all the damaged systems been secured?”

“Yes.”

Dalca nodded. “Secure them again.”

“But…”

“Just do it. And get a few more of the crew,” he nodded toward the other engineers hovering near Lair. “Examine the breach thoroughly, and then double-check your work.”

“I don’t see the point.”

“The point is, everything is being done to help her, and we’ve got more medical officers on the way. Have the crew get back to their tasks. So we can be prepared.” Dalca smiled. “Focused. And out of the way.”

The engineer looked down at Lair’s body. “Right. Right.”

In the next minute, Dalca had dispersed the nervous on-lookers and was waiting by the lift entrance when the medical team came with the antigrav lift and other accoutrements. He stepped aside and watched them go to work, arms crossed. Sweat gathered on his brow, but he simply ignored it, a solemn statue and quiet as the night.

When Kathy arrived with the litter and life support equipment, she and Terasha quickly got everything set up and running. Studying the read-out, Terasha let out a sigh of relief, her antennae going from rigid, to drooping slightly.

“She’s stable enough to move. Get her to sickbay.”

“Yes, Doctor,” said Kathy. The nurse nodded to the orderly that had come with her and they left for sickbay.

“Thank you, Mr. Breaux, you saved her life.” Terasha stood and followed her medical team out the door. Lair was indeed stable, but she was far from being out of danger.


Lt. Doctor Terasha
Chief Medical Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012


Ensign Warren Dalca
Security Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012