Concussion Snarking

Posted on Wed Apr 14th, 2021 @ 10:26pm by Captain Bethsabée Leroux & Lieutenant Avira zh'Kenarh M.D. & Ensign Michael Sloan

Mission: Mission 4 - Eden
Location: Deck E - Sickbay
Timeline: Day 159 20:30
1620 words - 3.2 OF Standard Post Measure

Beth had been silent the whole way from laundry to the deck that held sickbay. She was biting her tongue after feeling a little stupid after the chair had collapsed on her but more so that she was practically being escorted with a potential head injury when she had thought it would be a simple laundry chore. It was daft but she knew as well as Michael did that she had forgotten how to language after the stunned moment of smacking her head against the wall. “I’m here,” Beth said to the man giving him the chance to go back to laundry.

"I have to make sure the Captain is alright, and we haven't even made it to the exam table yet," Michael explained. He stayed close enough to catch the Commander if she fell, but far enough away so that she could make it on her own power. "Doctor, we have a patient for you," the former Chief Armory Officer called as they entered into the medical room.

Avira lay on the biobed and felt her eyelids struggling to stay open when suddenly the doors parted, she immediately sat upright, her antennae darting back and forth to quickly scan the environment, "Commander, welcome, how can.." She saw the captain holding something against her head, that was usually done with bruises to cool them and prevent swelling or if there was an open wound to keep the blood in, "please, take a seat," she darted forward to escort her further into the sickbay, one hand locking into her hand and the other grabbing her arm right above the elbow in the hope that she could cushion the fall if the patient were to lose her footing due to the head injury, "can you please tell me what happened?"

Beth had hoped that Daglish might have been the one on duty but there was no luck with the chief medical officer stood there bustling her onto a biobed. "I fell off a chair and hit my head," Beth said simple feeling like it was a bit of overkill but she noticed Michael's face and remembered what part of it had worried him. "... and I slipped into my native tongue after it. So Ensign Sloan here has escorted me." She murmured taking the shirt she had been using with water on to calm the bump that was brewing.

Knowing it was more than a simple slip off the chair, Michael chose to stay quiet. The doctor would be able to tell fairly quickly if there were something seriously wrong with Beth. It was part of the marvel of modern medicine, some people used to have to wait hours or days for results that a few minutes of scans could determine today. Besides, their rocky relationship had started with him trying to speak over her and for her, it was not a mistake he was going to make again.

"Please, take a seat," Avira immediately stepped around the cupboard and grabbed a couple of things from the surface, "I'm going to ask you a couple of questions, alright?" The most immediate important check was whether there was a severe concussion, and exactly what parts of the brain would've been affected. She put up a finger in front of the commander, "please follow my finger. Do you remember what year it is?"

Beth moved to where the bio Ed. This was totally over the top but the dull pain in her head reminded her for a moment she had been stunned enough she had spoken French. It had been years since that was the first language she defaulted too. “2155... no wait 2156. It was New Year’s Eve a few days ago.” She murmured following the finger. She had gotten drunk and had a heart to heart with the Marine Commanding Officer.

Avira didn't really seem to respond as Beth answered her, "What is the name of the vessel you are on?"

“NX05 Atlantis,” Beth answered.

The Andorian doctor gave a single nod, moved her hands next to Beth's ears. She clicked her fingers of her right hand, "What is your role aboard?" she then clicked her other fingers. She remembered having problems with this exercise because she couldn't consistently click her fingers. She still remembered the cramps in her fingers from the week of practice.

“Officer I.... Commanding Officer.” Beth murmured with a roll of her eyes feeling slow for slipping back into her old phrase for what she was of the Atlantis. “I know who I am.” She assured.

"Can you please focus on the following three words repeat them after me, and remember them for later, Girl, Warp, Purple," Avira was really meticulously working through the checklist.

"Girl, Warp, Purple." Beth said with a frowned.

"Starting with today, list the names of the days backwards," Avira looked up from her PaDD, on which she had just made a note, waiting for the commander to follow the instructions.

"I do not even know the day of the week at the moment. I stopped thinking of it as lundi, mardi. mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi or dimanche a very long time ago." Beth commented looking at Michael.

Avira nodded and gave a bit of a smile, it seemed like any impact that occurred hadn't severely concussed the commander, "I will call out a number, please swap the numbers around and tell me what number you get," she took a moment to make sure Beth understood the instruction, "Thirty-six"

"Sixty-three." Beth replied instantly.

"Alright then, finally," Avira looked at the commander, checking the time to make sure enough time had passed, then fully serious, "can you tell me which three words you were supposed to remember?"

"My sex, what I wish we had more of and Ensign O'Connery's favourite colour. Done right? I can leave? Get back to my laundry?" Beth said hoping off the bed pretty proud of herself for passing before she frowned at the brewing headache and sat back down on her butt.

"Cocky doesn't suit you, Commander," Avi put a hand on her shoulder and looked deep into her eyes, it was clear she had gotten a good wallop on her head. Though there didn't seem to be any strong indications of acute brain trauma it would be a good idea to keep a close eye on her. The doctor also knew she was never going to convince the Commander to stay in sickbay, "you'll need to be woken up three times tonight," she tried to breach the topic carefully.

Beth knew it did not suit her at all, it was not something she did often nor did very well but trying to be brave for everyone around her was starting to make her try it out. "I know." The Captain admitted with a sheepish look. She knew better but she was eager to just get out of there and back to what she was meant to be doing that day. "Three times..." Beth repeated raising an eyebrow that seemed a lot of times for a woman who rarely got enough sleep as it was. "I have an alarm clock." She assured standing slower the second time.

"I'll be around to your quarters, the whole point is that we can check whether you're still doing alright," Avira made a note of it on her own PADD, it wasn't like she was getting a steady eight hours herself either. When it came to the Commander she knew that it was her responsibility that she was fit for duty. So she'd set her own alarm clock and be chiming her door three times that night. She already hated herself for it, "Will you make sure she takes it slow?" She looked over at Sloan, who had been milling around in the sickbay for the entire duration of the examination.

"As much as she'll let me," Michael replied, giving a look over to Beth that basically screamed listen to the doctor. "At least she's mostly well," he added.

Beth pouted just a little at being dismissed and looked at Sloan expectedly. “I will just be gathering my laundry and going to bed. I promise. Could do with an early night.”

"I can help with that," Michael offered. He was eager to skip a little of his usual routine of returning to his quarters and staring at the ceiling or out of the viewport until it was time for bed. "I may have to reschedule a few events, but I think I can manage it," he tried to joke. It was not the best of jokes, and it probably was not the right time, but at least he was trying now.

Beth had the grace enough to at least smile at what was quite possibly the worst joke she had ever heard but out there in the great unknown you got the laughs and kicks where you could. "Please reschedule what you can. I really would hate to put either of you out." She said playing along for the most part. It had been a long time since she had, had an early night so it made sense.

"Done, all events have been rescheduled," Sloan added. Offering a hand to help Beth off the medical bed, the former First Officer said, "I'm ready whenever you are."

Beth smiled and took the offered hand pulling herself a lot more stable that time to her feet and able to keep herself there. "I am ready." She said squeezing the hand around hers for a moment before letting him go. "Thank you for the escort Michael and thank you doctor for not judging me to much." She added with a little more humour for the Andorian.