By Jack Hubbard
80727.19
-=Approximately One Year Ago=-
-=USS Hornet: In orbit of Bajor following the Takesian Plains Disaster=-
80727.19
-=Approximately One Year Ago=-
-=USS Hornet: In orbit of Bajor following the Takesian Plains Disaster=-
Hubbard exited the Sickbay, taking slow, deliberate steps. His hands at his sides, a vacant stare on his face. He stared at the wall across the corridor-not seeing it.
The Sickbay doors slid closed behind him. He stepped slightly to his right and rested his back against the corridor wall.
His body bounced slightly from exhaustion-he'd been at it for 16 hours. The casualties had just kept coming, and it wasn't until they were closing up that his exhaustion made its presence known.
He slowly lowered his head and looked down at his hands-they were trembling. He closed his eyes slowly and refocused on his hands and then his gaze went to the carpeted flooring of the corridor.
He felt himself slowly slipping down the wall and he did nothing to stop his progress. Ultimately he came to rest in a sitting position, back to the wall. The corridors were empty as it was 'C' cycle...very late.
He allowed his head to rest back against the wall. He was overwhelmed with the magnitude of what had gone on and he knew that he was griefstricken, and partly in shock...but having to attend to all the injured, he'd had to put it all on hold. And now...it was catching up with him.
A young engineering officer that Hubbard knew quite well was coming down the corridor and slowed her pace as she came to his position. The scene had to be surreal for her because of the unorthodox nature of Hubbard's demeanor.
She slowly knelt down and asked quietly, "Jack...how bad was it?" She knew of the destruction on the planet below, but had no idea what had gone on under Jack's charge. It had to have been horrific.
His blank stare never met her eyes, he continued to look forward.
Several times she quietly asked, "Jack...Jack...can I help somehow?"
Her words finally reached him and all he could offer was, "So many. I lost so many...I tried."
She sat against the wall and put an arm around his shoulder, "Of course you did. Your people are excellent, you did all you could."
He turned ever so slightly and finally looked at her, his voice barely audible, "Thank you. We tried. We tried so hard. They just kept coming...but we tried."
She hugged him and rocked him slightly-he was like a child in her arms.
The Sickbay doors slid open again and one of the med techs stepped out and was startled by the image he saw to his right...he felt that he'd invaded a private moment, but there was nothing to be done. He spoke deliberately, "Doctor Hubbard..."
Hubbard gave no response.
"Doctor Hubbard...there are more injured coming in...site to site transport...it's not good."
Hubbard leaned his head against his friend's, "Thank you," he said. He slowly stood up and rubbed his hands against his face. He nodded and followed the med tech back into Sickbay, Hubbard's pace became more confident and quickened.
=====
Lt Cmdr Jack Hubbard
CMO
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
Lt Cmdr Jack Hubbard
CMO
USS Serendipity NCC-2012