Taking Stalk

Posted on Tue Oct 8th, 2019 @ 3:27pm by Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD & Commander Hades,MD

1,461 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 100 - A Hatred of Atonement
Location: Sickbay Hades' Office
Timeline: MD 01 1500 hours

ON:

Hades sat back rubbing his temples. He was tired. Kalani had gone home, he'd found out she was hurt during the boarding but only cuts and scrapes. His door chimed. Smiling he instantly knew it wasn't Carolyn. She just came in...usually. "Enter."

The door hissed open and Valentine walked in. "Hi Doctor Hades." She studied him. "You look like you have a headache."

He sighed, "I do."

She smiled walking over to his desk she placed the PADDs there. "All the casualty reports and fatalities."

"Franklin?"

She gave a nod. "Yeah. Died during combat. His body is in the morgue now."

Hades' shoulders slumped. He was really starting to like his new head Nurse.

Valentine walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."

Hades gave a nod. "Have a seat there. I need you take Head Nurse for now."

She gave a nod and sat down as they waited for Carolyn.

A few minutes stretched out before the doors opened again, with Doctor Corrigan handing off a medical chart to one of the cadets who hurried away. As the doors closed behind her she studied Hades for a moment, frowning, “you look like you need some sleep.”

Nurse Valentine smiled, "I told him the same."

Hades rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Let's not start this. Get something to drink and have a seat this will be a long one."

“I make no promises at getting back out of said seat,” Carolyn admitted under her breath as she ordered a hot chocolate. “Anyone else want something to drink?”

Valentine shook her head. Hades reached into his desk and pulled out an oddly shaped box. He slid it in between Valentine and Carolyn. "Chocolate. You both like it so I figure I might as well come equipped." He pointed to his coffee. "I got my poison here."

Nursing her hot chocolate Carolyn sank into the vacant chair, shaking her head when Valentine held the box out in her direction. “Is it really that bad?” She asked Hades.

"Yeah." He sighed, "We've got a lot to cover." He looked at Valentine. "Valentine is now head nurse...Franklin is dead." He let that sink in.

“Oh...” Carolyn nodded absently, staring at her drink for a moment before seeming to snap out of it and offering Valentine a smile. “Welcome to the team.”

He sighed and handed both women a PADD. "These are the members of our team we lost. Some nurses and some doctors. I wanted to do something special for them here and for their families. I need help figuring out what."

Reading through the list, Carolyn said nothing for a moment. Every name she could see the faces clear as day, hear their voices. She pushed the memories aside. “I think that is a great idea. As to the what ... I don’t honestly know. I’ve worked in places where they created dedicated relaxation rooms for people to go. They had art work from patients and it gave everyone somewhere to go to remember people they had lost.”

Hades scrubbed his hand down his face. "Let's do that."

Valentine chimed in. "There will be a memorial I can maybe see to getting some items from each person lost either Art or something personal...a photo to put in the memory room. But what about the families. Maybe we can have you and Doctor Corrigan do a letter to the families and we could do a hand bound book with notes and memories from the staff here."

Hades said nothing. He didn't want to think now. He'd let Carolyn give her two cents first. He'd come to rely on her more and more.

“I like the idea of the memory books,” Carolyn told the nurse with a smile. “Keep the first pages blank and we will think of something fitting to write.”

She made a few notes in her PADD and gave a nod. She stood. "I should get back..."

Hades gave a nod back and watched her go. He then sank down into his chair even more. "Now for the really hard stuff."

“Go for it,” she encouraged, taking a drink.

"The Admiral's wife was injured during the battle. We stabilized her. She had and still has a Concussion. Stab wound to the side and abdomen we got most of it fixed. She took damage to her spleen and liver. She needs a second round of surgery, only minor and I want you to do it. She should be released tomorrow end of day. I just wanted to make sure all is well."

“Is the Admiral fond of airlocks?” She asked lightly, confused. Like her, he could manage the minor surgery with ease.

He smiled, "No. He's not." Hades let the silence stretch. "I can see your mind turning. Yes, I can do the surgery. I will be visiting a few families that are on the station that have lost loved ones, particularly Doctor Winder's and Doctor Elpern's. Their families don't know yet that they are gone." He looked at Carolyn. "Unless you would like to switch?" His question was hopeful.

“I think I’ll risk incurring the Admiral’s wrath,” Carolyn said quietly, offering a small, apologetic smile as she thought of her mother. “Sara Winder is almost due, her sister is one of the school teachers. Perhaps make sure she is there when you break the news?”

He gave a nod. "This part of being a department head I hate." He rubbed the bridge of his nose and then looked at Carolyn. "How are you doing?"

“Tired,” she said with a dismissive shrug, “but so is everyone. I sent Mendez to go have a few hours sleep and he can take my patients for a few hours. It’s been a rough few weeks. For you too.”

"No deflecting." He said with a smile. "I think we're okay enough for you to get some rest before we move the Admiral's wife back into surgery. I'll have Valentine assist. She's the nurse with the most surgical experience."

“I think Joanna would appreciate the break,” Carolyn nodded. “As for the rest, all of my OR patients are in ICU or NICU so I’m sticking around in case we have any complications. I’ll take a nap in the lounge after I’ve found something insanely unhealthy to eat.”

He smiled. "Okay." He stood up and stretched. "I think that I have some letters to write and then I have to make my rounds and get the ... what did you call them? Ah yes Scooby gang off the station. They need to be back on the colony where they will be safe."

“And you?” She asked suddenly. “Are you staying here?”

He gave a nod. "Yes." He smiled. "I'm not going anywhere. I just want my people safe." He studied Carolyn. "Harris is staying too and for some reason Michael won't leave something about ensuring my safety." He sighed and then grinned. "You know....the Scooby gang has a secret handshake. I have to make you an honorary member."

“Let’s not antagonise Harris too much,” Carolyn advised him with a shake of her head. “What about Dr Sage? Is she staying on the station?”

He sighed, "I don't want her to. Once she transitions I want her off the station but...She's in love with Mr. Vercetti. I doubt she'll leave. But the rest...I've ordered them to resign their commissions and leave. I want them safe."

“If they are anything like Harris, I doubt they would go anywhere until Dr Sage has transitioned,” she countered. “Or maybe I’m wrong on that.”

She paused, hesitating before she said, “with everything happening... I didn’t tell you. My mother died. Which is, I know, probably the kindest thing. But thank you, for offering to try and help with her case.”

He looked up. "Oh Carolyn. I'm so sorry." He stood and walked over to her enveloping her in a hug. He wasn't much for them but he could only imagine how she felt.

“Thank you. But I’m okay,” she promised, extracting herself from the hug. “Go sort out the Scooby Gang.”

He smiled, "Are you sure you are alright?"

“Always, now stop worrying and go do what you gotta do,” she chided him gently. “I’ll catch up with you later.”

He sighed, "I should check on Rol too. He seemed...off." He scrubbed his hand down his face.

“Actually some of that unhealthy food was to share with him,” Carolyn admitted. “Why not leave that particular worry with me to check out.”

He smiled, "I think he'd like you there more then me. Besides I'm not so hot on getting analyzed."

OFF:

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