Something's A Foot
Posted on Fri Apr 28th, 2023 @ 7:43pm by Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren & Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke & Lieutenant Junior Grade Mignon Mejia
Edited on on Sat Apr 29th, 2023 @ 9:57pm
0 words; about a 1 minute read
Mission:
Episode 14 - The Poseidon Adventure
Location: Sickbay - Deck 5 - USS Pioneer
Timeline: MD002 1100 hrs
Mignon woke up and looked around. She was in sickbay, but something was wrong. She tried to sit up and realized she had two feet. She was only supposed to have one. "Doctor?"
Hermia came over to Mignon. "Good morning, Ensign. Please lie still, your body is still healing." She said.
"But it's not my body. At least...it's not my foot. I thought I got rid of it... I have to get rid of it."
"Try to stay calm." Hermia said. "You were under the influence of a drug, and you cut off your foot." She explained. "We reattached it." She paused trying to send out calming emotions to her patient. "We are currently administering an antidote to the drug, and the drug's effects should wear off soon."
"Drug? I don't remember a drug." To be honest, she didn't remember much of anything that happened, just the feeling that there was an alien appendage at the bottom of her leg and a voice telling her she'd be okay once she got rid of it.
"From what I can deduce, you and the rest of your Science team were captured by Romulan scientists that were experimenting with drugs in order to control people, and you became an unwilling test subject." Hermia said. "You're safe now." She told her.
"A drug?" Mignon repeated. Then she remembered the woman. "The Romulan." It was still hazy, but she could recall what the woman said. "How are the others?"
"They are fine." Hermia said they've been treated with the same antidote, except for Chief Petty Officer D'Tem, the antidote is incompatible with her biochemistry, but her metabolism is able to break the drug down naturally." She explained. "Alyssa is going to be glad you're awake, she was very worried about you."
Mignon was glad to hear that the others were doing well. "Did any of them amputate anything?"
"No, but apparently they had to try hard not to." Hermia said. "You're all going to need some time with the counsellors before you can return to duty." She paused a while. "Would you like me to contact Alyssa, or would you rather rest?" She asked.
"I don't want to rest." Mignon had done plenty of resting. "Yes, I'd like to talk to Alyssa."
Hermia tapped her comm. badge. "Commander Maren please report to Sickbay, there is someone here that wishes to talk to you." She said.
"On my way." There was still a mountain of messages, articles, and reports to go through, but hearing that Mignon was awake had Alyssa marking where she'd left off and heading to sickbay.
"Hi," she said to Hermia as she made her way to Mignon's bed.
Alysa reached out telepathically to assess her friend's mental state as she paused by the biobed. "Good to see you're awake."
"I don't remember what happened," Mignon said. "I have bits and pieces, but most of it is lost in a fog."
"It'll come back to you as you recover." At least Alyssa thought it would. At the same time, she wasn't sure remembering would be a good thing. She still wasn't sleeping well herself and what her friend went through was a lot worse.
"The doctor says I cut off my foot." She looked down at where her two feet lay under the light covering. "I still don't feel like it's mine."
"We were drugged. It was part of an experiment conducted by a team of Romulan scientists," Alyssa said. "I don't know all the details. I've read the report, but I haven't had a chance to ask any questions."
"How did we get out?"
Alyssa considered sharing it with her telepathically, but she wanted the memories to return naturally. "An intel officer was at the facility. He got us out."
"I want to talk to him."
"I don't know. I haven't spoken to him myself. Not yet, anyway."
"He's here, isn't he. On the Pioneer." It wasn't a question.
"Yes. I believe he's been transferred here."
"I want to talk to him. I want him to tell me what happened." She knew she was being stubborn, but she didn't remember and she needed to know.
"When you've been released and the doctor and counselor certify you as ready to go back to work."
Mignon frowned. "I need answers."
"I know you do. But not all at once. You just woke up," Alyssa said, looking over to Hermia for support. "You need time to heal first. Then we can work on your memory--if you don't remember by then."
"Alyssa's right, you've been through a lot of trauma, you've got to give your body and your mind time to heal." Hermia said.
Mignon sighed. "How long will I be in sickbay?" It wasn't that she minded sickbay, but she would prefer her own quarters.
"I'd like to keep you in for another 12 hours for observation, after which we can decide whether or not you can return to your quarters." Hermia said.
Mignon nodded. "Okay."
"I think she should see a counselor first," Alyssa said. "I can stop by and let the counselor know she's awake if you'd like," Alyssa said to Hermia.
"Agreed." Hermia said. "How are you, Alyssa?" She asked.
"Improving, but it'll take time." She smiled wryly. "Sometimes I wonder if the Klingons have the right of it. Part of me wants to physically fight this and get rid of it once and for all, but I know it doesn't work that way."
"I guess it would be interesting to slay a disease with a Bat'Leth." Hermia said. "Personally I've found meditation quite useful." She added.
"Normally I'd agree, but right now, meditation just makes me aware of what's wrong. I know it's the drug, and I know it'll go away. It's getting better every day, but I still have moments when I have to focus on something specific, like work. Or darts. I'm going to learn to throw knives, too." She grinned at the doctor. "New skills require focus. I have a...friend who is Klingon and for some reason, this made me think of him." She frequently thought of Jek'Lar--especially after seeing him on Empok Nor. While they were trying again, she wasn't sure exactly where their relationship was at the moment. Her darts might help with that, too.
"Well anything that takes your mind off it, is good." Hermia said. "Knife throwing as among the things my father taught me growing up." She added. "It takes a lot of concentration at first, but after a while it becomes muscle memory."
Alyssa grinned. "Good. It sounds like a perfect skill to develop right now as my concentration is a bit lax at times." It was not something she was comfortable with, so learning something that required concentration sounded like an excellent idea. "You're welcome to join us if you like, I'm going to show Jayna how to use a blowgun and she's going to show me how to throw knives."
"Thank you for the invitation, Alyssa, I'll see if I can find the time." Hermia said.
"You're welcome." Alyssa smiled, hoping the doctor would indeed have the time. But she also understood that sickbay came first.
She turned back to Mignon, who was looking a little strained. "Do you need some quiet?" she asked telepathically.
"I hate to admit it, but yes. I'm tired. But please come back."
"Of course. I'll come back after my shift to see how you're doing." Alyssa assured her.
"Thank you for letting me know she was awake," she said to Hermia. "I'll stop by again this evening."
"You're welcome, Alyssa." Hermia said. "Okay, I'll let the duty medic know, in case I'm not around."
"Thank you." She gave a nod to both Hermia and Mignon and went back to her office.
A Joint Post By
Ensign Mignon Mejia
Alien Archaeologist/Anthropologist, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Hermia O'Rourke
Chief Medical Officer, USS Pioneer
Lieutenant Commander Alyssa Maren
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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