Battle of wills

Posted on Sun Dec 29th, 2019 @ 11:00am by Commander Hades,MD & Admiral Deela T'Lar & Lieutenant Commander Carolyn Corrigan MD

4,650 words; about a 23 minute read

Mission: Episode 101 - Peace During War
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: MD 05 1915 hours

ON:

Perhaps there was a perfect alignment of stars somewhere in the galaxy, a prophecy for what turned out to be a never ending series of consultations. By the time the day shift was over and the night birds began rolling in for the next shift, however, all was calm. Save for a two year old running amongst the empty beds pretending to be a lion while his twin brother was being treated.

Content in his make believe world, the child was quite oblivious to most things until he collided with the giant who had suddenly appeared in his imaginary jungle. Falling onto his behind, the boy looked up. And up. His eyes widening. “Mommmmmmy!!!! Doctor Caroleen!!!!”

Doctor Corrigan leaned back on the stool to make sure he was okay. She grinned, “it’s okay, Jake, that is Doctor Hades. Just do your loudest roar and he will know you are the boss.”

The boy looked up, swallowing hard before letting out a very adorable and not at all frightening roar.

Carolyn bit back a laugh, flashing Jake’s mother a reassuring smile. The harassed repair technician was on the wrong side of frazzled, trying to stop Jake’s twin from squirming off the bio bed or trying to eat the dermal regenerator.

“You are all good to go,” Carolyn told her. “Any problems, call us...”

Turning away she saw Jake still staring at Hades until his mother ushered him out the door. “I think you made a friend, Doctor Hades,” Carolyn commented as she tidied up. “And you are in early... wanna do your physical?”

Hades sighed, "No." Hades sighed. "Kalani asked me to come in late. She has a surprise for me and as for the medical it can wait."

“Sounds interesting,” she replied as she walked around him, “and you cannot put off your medical. It sets a bad example to the cadets and may make less suspicious people think you are hiding something. Join me for coffee? "

With that she disappeared into the doctors lounge.

In between dealing with her grandmother and an evil headache yesterday she had done everything Harris had asked for, aside from getting Hades to take - and fail - his medical. It was the one part which she didn’t really want to do.

Hades joined her in the lounge. "Alright. I could use Coffee." He studied Carolyn. "An observation if I may," he said clearing his throat. "You've come a long way Carolyn. I'm very proud of you and soon, when you get your own CMO posting you will make a fine team captain."

“Is this because I drank a Klingon under the table?” She asked, trying not to snap at him. It was hard when she knew what he had said in his log. “Besides, like I already told my babysitter I have no plans to be a CMO. Ever.”

He studied her. "You never know. You might even be called to be CMO here, on the station one day." Sooner then she thought. He shook his head to keep his mind from going there.

“And then I too get to ignore my physicals,” she declared, “if you go, I go.”

He had been about to say something when Kalani walked in. She smiled. "Hi you two!" She walked over kissed Hades and then walked over to Carolyn giving her a hug. "Carolyn! We have to have a girls night soon."

“Soon,” Carolyn promised. “Help yourself to some food. I’ll leave you two alone and go do my reports. And you will have your medical tonight.”

Her last comment was aimed solely at Hades.

Kalani smiled. "Why don't you stay. Hades I have your surprise. Close your eyes."

Hades looked from one woman to the other. "Are you in on this," he asked Carolyn.

“This? Nope,” she said with a firm shake of her head.

Kalani stepped out and motioned for someone who was standing behind the door. It took a moment but a young woman in civilian uniform walked in. She was tall and striking. Her eyes as blue as those of Hades' She had her hair up in a pony tail exposing the slight Vulcan points to her ear and her Klingon ridges were less pronounced. She looked to be about 17 years old and a gentler version of Hades' features jumped out.

Carolyn stared at the girl, eyes widening a little. While she had agreed to stay, it felt distinctly wrong and she took a step back to give them more privacy for the girl’s resemblance to Hades was undeniable.

Kalani winked at Carolyn. "Alright Hades. Open your eyes."

Hades sighed and did as his wife asked; his gaze was immediately draw to the figure beside his wife. His mouth opened, closed, no sound came out.

"Hello Father." The girl spoke.

"K..Kitana."

She raised an eyebrow in perfect mimicry to Hades, "You are cryi..."

Before she could finish Hades was up out of the chair and enveloping his long estranged daughter in a hug not caring that he was indeed crying.

Kalani stepped towards Carolyn and wiped a tear from her eyes.

“Much better than sedating him,” Carolyn whispered in Kalani’s ear as she watched Hades. “I’ll go take rounds, you can have some time.”

She smiled. She followed Carolyn out giving father and daughter some privacy. As they exited Kalani put a hand on Carolyn's arm. "Carolyn...Harris sent me the recording. I heard it this morning."

“Sorry you had to see that,” Carolyn said after a long moment, “But we aren’t giving up on him.”

"I know you're not. I'm glad Harris told me. If Hades dies...my heart won't make it." She looked around. "Kitana knows as well. Now that she has found her father she won't give up." Kalani looked as if she was ready for battle. "Prepare for what you have to do. I'm going to see Admiral T'Lar. We'll need her help Hades has a stubborn streak that will out stubborn anything. We can't let him die Carolyn." She gave her friend a hug. "Thank you for being such a good friend to him."

“I haven’t done anything yet,” she pointed out. “But I’m about to. You don’t have to be here, probably best not, but I’m going to do what I planned. He needs the truth and a reminder there is not just himself to worry about. He is a father and a husband. It might get loud. Perhaps Kitana would like to meet the Admiral within the next few minutes before he throttles me.”

Kalani smiled. "Let's go." They walked back round the corner and to where they'd left Hades and Kitana only to find an empty room. When they inquired one of the nurses said that Doctor Hades was giving a station tour.

Kalani let out a frustrated sound. "That man is quieter then an Earth ninja!" She looked at Carolyn. "Get it ready. I'll go find him and shoo him back here."

“Tell him I need him in Treatment room 2,” Carolyn told her, “it has everything I’ll need to run the physical.”

Kalani gave a nod and headed out to find her husband.


=/\= Promenade =/\=

Hades and Kitana had toured a few places and found themselves on the promenade that was still under repair. As they walked they bumped into T'Lar. "Admiral. Hello."

Deela was surprised to see Hades. She didn't recognize the other person, "Dr. Hades. Fancy bumping into you. Who is this with you?" Deela thought that there was something familiar with his guest.

Hades gave a nod. "I was just showing Kitana around. She will be staying with us for a while. Kitana this is Admiral..."

"Deela T'Lar, Executive Officer of the star base. I did my research."

Hades sighed, "Yes well we'll talk about tact at a later time." He turned to T'Lar. "Admiral this is my daughter Kitana."

Deela smiled, "Hello Kitana. It is nice to meet you. And do not worry about tact. I actually find it quite refreshing that you did your homework before coming here." She glanced at Hades then back at Kitana, "Sorry about the mess. It is a work in progress."

Kitana smiled. "Yes well fortunately I hate mess. My mother tells me I got that from my father. I'm good at making order out of chaos."

Hades raised an eyebrow. She'd just used a phrase he was quite fond of.

Kitana studied the admiral. "You are quite pretty. I understand you are part Vulcan and part Betazoid and Part Human. I am Klingon, El Aurian, Vulcan." She turned to her father. "My father has written of you in his personal logs. He respects you a lot."

Hades raised an eyebrow in surprise but kept his temper in. "Personal logs?"

She turned doing a perfect impression of him with her own eyebrow. "Come now father you did not expect me not to get into your personal logs. Even though I did not know about you I have read the letters you've written over the years. Kalani had given me access to them to convince me that you did truly care about me. I am more angry at mother for not showing me those letters. I logically deduced that your personal logs code might be something to do with the people you love so I imputed my birthday and it happened to work. I wanted to assure myself you were who you said you were and that nothing was hidden."

Hades scrubbed his hand down his face. He looked at T'Lar "She should work in Starfleet Intel."

Deela chuckled, "Yes, she should. If she does decide to join Starfleet, I would give her a nice recommendation." She looked over at Kitana, "Of course young lady. They are called personal logs for a good reason, because they are, personal. I would not make a habit of it."

She smiled. "Of course not." She took Deela's arm. "Admiral I would love to see the station a little more." She glanced at her father. "No offence you are great but we Klingon warrior women love to deal with other warrior women."

Hades sighed. "Yes well I'm sure the Admiral is busy."

"Actually, I would like to show your daughter around."

He sighed. "Alright."

The two woman walked a ways before they heart a thud and a scream from a few patrons on the promenade. Kitana turned first ready for a strike. What she saw was her father on the ground clutching his rib cage. "Father!" She ran from Deela's side towards Hades.

Deela didn't know what happened. She was quite concerned and followed behind her.

Amid all the commotion, the sound of a transporter filled the air and the gathering crowd moved aside as the medical team pushed through. Setting down her kit, tricorder already open, Carolyn knelt down at Hades’ side, “I’m right here,” she assured him, her voice low so that only he would hear. Pressing a hypo to his neck she shook her head, “we need him in sickbay, now...”

Deela nodded, "Go. I will take Kitana and meet you at Sickbay." She looked over at Kitana and then gently took her by her arm, "He is in good hands."

Carolyn flashed the Admiral a small but grateful smile. She did not know the woman well at all but was grateful she was there for the worry was plain on Kitana’s face. “Okay, let’s move people...”

Kitana watched as they disappeared. She looked at Deela. "I did this. Maybe If I had let him take me on the tour. Perhaps I said something...."

Deela put her hand on her shoulder, "No, you did not do this to him. Sometimes things happen that is out of our control. He will be okay, I promise."

Kitana held on to Deela's hand. "Will you come to sickbay with me?" For a Klingon... or half Klingon she sounded lost. Her mind went to her step mother. They would need to call her.

Deela nodded, Yes, most definitely." They walked to Sickbay together.

=/\= Sickbay =/\=

"... someone find Kalani and anyone who is not on my team, you have three seconds to clear out. Move, now!" Doctor Corrigan ordered as she worked on their patient. The space around the biobed was becoming too crowded as word spread. Unsurprising. This was their department head and someone many thought of as indestructible.

And he was dying.

They were quickly running low on options, able to treat some of his symptoms but not the cause. He was certainly not in pain, he was comfortable, but with every minute, he was weakening and the need for artificial support grew.

In a small moment of calm, she initiated a body scan, focusing upon his vital organs. From his personal log, she knew his self medication had impacted on his other organs and they needed to know the extent before their treatment killed him faster than his condition. It was just as the scan started running that she heard the doors to sickbay open, glancing over her shoulder to see Admiral T'Lar enter with Kitana.

Kitana and T'Lar entered the sickbay. Kitana moved to the side hugging herself. She watched on as the team worked on her father. She'd just met him, she'd been wanting to meet him all her life and now she'd loose that chance after a few brief hours. She felt lost.

"Chloe, can you take them into Doctor Hades office, please?" Carolyn said, glancing across at the medical student. "And try again to reach Doctor Harris, flag the message as urgent."

"Yes, Doctor," Cadet Winters said quickly, peeling away from the medics around the central biobed, gesturing towards the nearby office. "Please... follow me, Admiral."

"Okay." She did as she asked.

Minutes ago Kalani had felt as if her chest would explode. She didn't know why but she recovered quickly. Her fellow science officer was just helping her to a seat when something washed over her. She stood and ran. "Hades!"

It didn't take long for her to reach the sickbay. She fought her way through a few of the nurses and doctors until she pushed into the room where Carolyn was working on her husband. She ran to his bedside. "Hades!" She looked at Carolyn. "I felt ... I felt him fall." She couldn't explain it. The Science offer in her knew that their bond was why. They were linked and for the first time she felt the panic and her husband must have felt when she was ill. She touched his arm. "Help him! Please!"

Keeping one eye on the read outs, Carolyn guided Kalani away from Hades. “I promise, I’m going to do everything I can.”

Out of earshot of the other medics she added, “I’m going to have him transferred into ICU but to be frank, he needs surgery. Now. We can wait for the specialist but from the initial scans, he doesn’t have that kind of time.”

She glanced at Kalani, knowing it was a lot, “I can stabilize him to an extent but our only chance to save him is surgery. Obviously his ... unique physiology is not going to help. But we cannot wait much longer. I guess I’m asking, do you trust me?”

Kalani gave a nod. She took Carolyn's hands. "I do, Hades does..."

"I, however, do not." Kitana had snuck in proving to be as silent as her father when she wanted to be. She also took on his cool demeanour. Gone was the earlier panic. "How have you accounted for his blood. He has a rare T Negative blood type. There is not enough blood in stock of his type. Oh there are Vulcans but not with the El Aurian mix and the enhancements?" She smiled. "Lucky for you I have a solution."

Carolyn turned to face the young woman, "let me guess, you want to volunteer? You are correct that his blood type makes it difficult, yet if we use bypass, we can minimize blood loss. You've been tested before to confirm you are a match?"

"Bypass will not work. He's genetically altered. I am T Negative, part Vulcan, part El Aurian, the Klingon elements can be filtered out as my blood," she said taking a lazer scalpel and making an incision in her arm, "Is green as you see. I am his offspring. My mother is also one of the people who was in Rebirth. I am the offspring of two genetically altered parents and carry the markers you will need." Her smiled looking all Klingon at the moment. "Plus have one more advantage...two really."

Carolyn sighed, glancing at Kalani as she whispered, "your family dinners are going to be something." To Kitana she simply said, "time isn't on our side here, explain. Quickly."

She saw Cadet Winters appear, the young woman mouthed one word. "Harris."

"Very quickly," Carolyn added as she turned her attention back to the half Klingon.

"I'm part Klingon. Comes with extra organs, back up fail safes. Will help with the blood producer increasing your chances of success by 75 percent."

She saw T'Lar had joined them. She was glad. She liked the Admiral. There was something about her that felt like home. She could not explain it. "Then there is this." She held up a PADD. "My father's personal logs this segment that I can send you has the procedure you need, step by step. The only thing it can't tell you is how to use my dormant enhancements but according to the logs there is a Vulcan doctor that can guide you through it. A holo consult perhaps." She stood her ground. "Shall we do this doctor. My father's time is running out and if it should I would not be a happy Klingon."

Kalani scrubbed a hand down her face. She looked at T'Lar and then Carolyn. "Carolyn is she right?"

“I’m not endangering you, I value my life and I’m more afraid of him,” Carolyn told her before looking at Kalani, “yes, she’s right. With her blood match, it is a better position. I can memorize the procedure, I can holo consult but Kalani it is still a dangerous procedure. You need to be aware of that. But I will have him back with you. I swear.”

She looked at Kitana.

"Do not be stupid! Take this chance. He is my father. I am willing to risk it. He has more chance with me helping."

Kalani sighed. "Carolyn...." Her heart was pounding. She knew what Kitana meant to Hades. "Carolyn is right."

She didn't finish her sentence before Kitana turned to T'Lar. "Admiral you are neutral. I wish for you to make the choice keeping in mind that I am still a Klingon citizen who is a member of Starfleet. According to high council regulations I, as the child of Hades can make this choice." She was desperate to help her father.

Deela thought for a moment, "If memory serves me correctly, there was a similar procedure performed and it was quite successful. There are risks but I believe the odds are much better. Whatever you decide, you need to make it quick. I can feel him slowly slipping away." No matter her rank, she couldn't order then to do anything. It was their decision together.

Kalani looked at her step daughter. "I can't ask you...."

Kitana waved her hand. "You are not asking. I am offering. Make the choice or I will. You said you trust this woman to save his life. You do not trust her to save mine if necessary?"

Kalani sighed. "Carolyn, do the surgery. If Kitana is a match and it can help I consent."

Kitana smiled. "Good." She looked at Carolyn. "I am ready."

“Of course you are,” Carolyn sighed. “Move him to the OR, I want a full team on him until I’m ready to start.”

She ushered Kitana towards the door. “Okay, I need to run some scans on you,” she told the young woman. Hades was never going to forgive her for this...

Kalani watched them go. She looked at T'Lar. "Thank you for being here. Will you stay with me?" She realized too that she had perhaps made a bit of a selfish decision. She loved Hades, she didn't want to loose him. Would he have risked Kitana, no but she trusted Carolyn.

Deela agreed to stay, "Whatever you need, I am here for you." She had faith in her crewmembers and their skills.

As they settled back into the waiting room. Kalani realized something. She turned to Deela. "How are you doing. I know that Commander Solomon was not well."

"He is still unconscious unfortunately. I am doing okay as long as I stay busy." She paused for a moment, "But enough about me. Right now, this about you and your family."

Kalani reached out and took her hand. "We're both going through rough times. Jack will be alright," she promised. "They have a great staff here."

"Yes they do." Deela wasn't just saying that for her sake. She meant it.

Away from the others, Carolyn handed Kitana a PADD, “you need to read this and consent. To be clear, like a vampire, I am only interested in your blood. I don’t intend to test all this redundant organs you have. Until I can see for myself how much damage he has done to himself, I cannot make a call on if we need a donor.”

In the meantime, we can also stimulate blood production so that anaemia is not a risk.”

Kitana took the PADD and signed without reading it. She looked over to see a nurse with a hypo. Her eyes narrowed as the hypo got close to her father's neck. "What's she giving him?" Kitana moved closer to Hades taking up a protective stance.

The nurse somewhat shakily replied, "It's...something to keep him asleep."

Kitana looked at Carolyn. "Check the dosage." Her manner gave her an air of Hades' authority.

“Administer the hypo, Ensign,” Carolyn said, making no move to stop the nurse or question her competence. She stared right back at Kitana, stepping closer, “you may be his daughter and I appreciate he is your father but understand this...”

Her tone shifted, doing her own imitation of Hades, “you do not get to issue orders to me or question my staff. Like your father, I trust them implicitly. They would not be in this department otherwise. You will be a model patient or I go ahead without your help. Are we clear?”

"You will go ahead without my help and condemn my father to death? If he dies you will be the head of the department. Is that your plan?" She growled. "If he dies then you and I will be having a very Klingon conversation doc-tor." She moved closer to her father protectively. She was lashing out but the worry for her father, the man she'd just met and had dreamed of meeting all her life was as plain as day in her eyes.

"You are obviously worried, scared for him," Carolyn replied, her voice betraying nothing of her urge to give the girl the response her accusation deserved, "so I will let that slid. Listen to me very carefully. He.Is.Not.Going.To.Die. I wont let him. I really don't care what you think of me, or my motives, but I am the best surgeon on this station. I am not going to start letting people die on my OR table. Especially not him."

She realised she had stepped closer as she was speaking so stepped back, just in case the girl's Klingon temper got the better of her. "Your father is going to taken into the OR, I have to speak with Dr Harris and get familiar with the procedure. Behave, let the nurses do what they have to do or I will have you thrown out of sickbay."

With that she nodded to the nurses who were standing by to transfer Hades and turned and walked towards the office where Cadet Winters was waiting. "That looked fun," the cadet said with a nervous smile.

"Just warn me if she comes to bury a knife in my back," Carolyn signed as she rounded the desk. Harris was already on screen. "Did Chloe send you an update on Hades?"

"She did. The Vulcan doctor is on his way we'll meet half way. How's he doing?" Harris asked as he scrubbed his hand down his face.

"He is deteriorating rapidly. I don't think we can even wait an hour, don't suppose by some miracle you will be back here in time?" she asked without any actual hope.

He sighed. "No." He looked tired and worried. "Okay, it'll be okay. You have to do it. I can give you the coms code for the shuttle of the Vulcan. He can holo in."

“Okay...” she gestured for Chloe to leave. “Harris, I have never done this procedure before. And this is Hades we are talking about. There is something else. Did you know he has a daughter? She is here, on the station. Demanding to be a blood and organ donor if necessary.”

Harris smiled, "First...I did know of a daughter. I am surprised that she's there. Drucilla was clear she wanted him to have nothing to do with her, the witch." He sighed. "Alright. This is actually positive. I don't think the organs will be necessary but it is good she has them. You can do a direct transfusion, give Kitana the Rigalin to stimulate blood production. You'll have to supress her Klingon fragments but that should not be hard. She also has dormant cells in her of the genetic mutations of what we all went through. Hades' chances have just gone up. This is better then using replicated blood."

He then looked up at her. "As for you having not done this before.... I know you're scared but Carolyn you are the best surgeon there. You will and can do this. I have faith in you. It's time that you saw how special you are. I wish I was there with you not to watch over you but just as a support. You can do this. If this was me, on the table, I would want you to be the one to do the surgery, even over Hades," he confessed.

Carolyn rolled her eyes, “well isn’t it lucky he has me then. Although you being this nice messes with me you know. And don’t worry, she is keeping all of her vital organs, even the redundant ones. Send me the code so I can find out what to do.”

She frowned as she saw someone approaching the office. “Perfect timing,” she sighed before looking at Harris, “sorry, not you. Send the code. I’ll start scrubbing up and find some of that Klingon coffee. Stay safe and come back soon.”

He gave a nod. He'd wanted to say something else but their untimely visitor stopped it. "See you soon. I'll let the Vulcan doctor know to expect to holo in." He sent the code and then closed the channel.

Leaving the office, Carolyn met the woman half way, “I’m headed into surgery, can this wait?”

“Delightful welcome,” Elise Corrigan quipped. “It can wait, certainly. Lunch, 12 tomorrow.”

“Just let me know where and I will be there, promise,” Carolyn assured her as she kept on walking. Reaching the OR she stood for a moment, watching as Hades lay on the operating table. Her operating table. She took a deep breath, expression one of grim determination. He was going to come through this.

If she said it often enough, maybe it would come true.

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