Aftermath
Posted on Fri Jan 4th, 2019 @ 3:41am by Commander M'Mira & Major Michael Tritter & Major Sam Braddock & Lieutenant Calista Aereen MD & Lieutenant Kylean Amidok MD, PhD & Lieutenant Leyla Aiman-Tamar & Lieutenant JG Casshan Kincaid & Candy Templeton
6,929 words; about a 35 minute read
Mission:
Mission 2: Into The Breach
Location: Main Landing Bay
Timeline: MD04 - 1000 Hours
As far as M'Mira had been concerned, the party the previous night had been a success. Everyone seemed to have had a good time and she was excited that her best friend was pregnant, even if she could not understand why she would be with someone so old. After all, she could be his daughter! The whole thing was entirely confusing. With all of Refellian's kids and grandkids, how would there be sufficient resources for their child? Well, that's why I probably will never have anyone. I'm too practical.
Lost in those thoughts, she barely had time to register the BOOM. M'Mira called out on her commbadge, =^= What was that?! =^=
Quickly taking in the details, M'Mira ordered as she rushed to the scene, =^= Ensign Armidale, securrre the scene! Lieutenant Barrrden, I need you with me. We have to determine the extent of the damage. Doctorrrr and Lieutenant Kincaid, prrrrobable injuries in the landing area. Set up trrriage and rrreporrrt to me. =^=
Rune, who had just arrived at her quarters, stopped in her tracks as she heard the explosion. She unceremoniously dumped her gear just inside the entrance and spun in place looking for the nearest computer terminal. After a quick consult with the nearest computer terminal, she took off at a dead run for the Main Landing Bay. She had no idea who had contacted over the combadge without identifying herself but she figured that would sort itself out once she got there. Just look for the highest ranking officer (in this case, female from the sound of her voice).
She arrived and found a Caitian Commander whose voice matched what she remembered and said, "I'm Barden, ma'am. You said you needed me with you?"
M'Mira looked over Lieutenant Barden from top to bottom and assessed the Assistant Chief Engineer. Slim, boyish, kind of cute. No threat. "Yes, Lieutenant. You arrre with me. We need to find out exactly what this explosion was caused by, what happened, fix it, and make surrre it does not happen again. Can you handle it?"
While Barden was responding, all M'Mira could think was, I'm never going to get appropriate naps here, am I?
Rune caught the calculated appraisal and made her own though much less blatantly. Having grown up on a world that had bastardized its culture for the sake of the tourism, she had become a good judge of character. "Yes, ma'am," Rune said. "Its a mess in there though. If you prefer, I'll do the digging around and then report back?"
M'Mira clutched her heart joyously. Somebody else was willing to go into the mess and do the work?! Lieutenant Barden and her were definitely going to have to get mani/pedis and drink White Russians with extra cream! "It is a mess," M'Mira confirmed. "Dig about and rrrreporrrt back. I look forrrrwarrrd to yourrr rrreporrrt," she purred.
"Of course, Commander," Rune said as pulled an elastic out of her pocket and worked her long hair up into a messy bun. "Once I know, you'll know." She pulled out her tricorder and disappeared into the wreckage to figure out what was going on and hopefully, stabilize the structure so that medical could get in safely.
Leyla had barely managed to sit down at her desk when the explosion went off. She was late, had missed the party due to a last minute reassignment to Faltan, and now this? Not knowing where or even who was on her team yet, she grabbed her science tricorder and rushed out only to be met with what her mind could only say as a disaster. Skidding to a halt, she looked around for whoever would have been in charge and spotted M'Mira, who seemed to be taking command of everything.
"Looks like I'm late to the party, Commander," she stated, no smile on her face. "Do we have anything yet?" Her science-y mind was already running a million miles an hour, there was a lot to investigate here before any information was lost.
"Nothing," M'Mira answered with a scowl. "Lieutenant Barrrden is in therrre trrrying to dig around and find out what happened. Assist her and trrry to discoverrr the cause of this incident. I want to know if this was an act of sabotage."
Glancing around, not knowing anyone, Leyla sighed slightly but took off to go looking for Barden, figuring she'd gone inside. She set her tricorder on active scan as she went so it wasn't hindering her trying to get through the wreckage. "Barden?!"
Rune, who was half way beneath the subflooring, popped her head up out of an opening and said, "Over here," then dived back in. The ship had been well constructed and from what she could see of the systems located in this area, there should have been no reason for an explosion and certainly not one this massive. That meant tracking down the source of the blast; she was doing a blast radius calculation as the woman approached.
Going over after hearing the voice, Leyla still couldn't believe the wreckage. "Any luck," she asked as she pulled her tricorder from it's active scan and started in on a closer scan of the area she was in.
Rune held up an index finger while she finished the calculation and then spoke. "Well, I've figured out where the blast must have originated," she said as a frown settled atop her brows. "Only thing is, I don't think it was accidental. From what I can see, what power runs through this area even if there was a malfunction wouldn't be sufficient to cause a blast of this magnitude."
"Not accidental," Leyla stated as she raised an eyebrow, looking down at her readings. "I don't know much about Klingon ships, and I'm no engineer, but I know enough from the Academy and years on ships." She turned her tricorder to face Rune. "I'm in agreement with you. There is no way this was accidental, not with the focal point being what it is. But everything is so mangled that we have to sort out any tech that shouldn't be here...quick."
Rune frowned slightly. "It doesn't look like there's much of the device, I"m afraid."
Blinking at the new readings as she turned the tricorder back to herself, Leyla's eyes went wide. "I...think we have a problem," she stated as she re-ran the scans. "We need Commander M'Mira." She said extremely seriously. "There are Federation explosive and tech readings in here, ones that were used..."
"... for ..." Rune prompted. Having barely arrived on the station, there were about a million things she wasn't privy to as yet. As she waited for the Lieutenant to continue, she started running scans on the structural integrity of the damaged area with an eye to making estimates on what it would take to repair the damage.
"All this. Federation explosives. But how the hell did they get here in the first place? This had nothing to do with any malfunctions...not that I can see. I'm not an engineer, but far too much Federation tech in here." Leyla sighed and tapped her combadge. =^= Aiman-Tamar to M'Mira. We have a problem, Commander." =^=
Having just told the Lieutenant that the blast had not been caused by a malfunction, Rune shook her head and returned to her own examination.
What else is new? I could have been on some space ship with routine problems like fixing replicators but no, I figured a station would be easier. Once running, all I would have were cat naps. Ha! I think I have lost all of my beauty sleep. I wonder if it is showing. I'm going to have to look in a mirror. The Caitian tiredly responded, =^= Go ahead. What is it?=^=
Hearing the tired response, Leyla looked over at Rune before responding. =^= Commander, we're showing Federation tech and explosives. This was caused by our tech. =^=
=^=Barden, here, Ma'am. No need for you to come in, I'll bring the data to you. I concur that what remains of the device has a Federation signature in terms of component pieces and materials. There's just not enough of it to get a clear picture though I can reconstruct the device if that will help at all.=^=
M'Mira paused noticeably at the news that Leyla and Rune shared. =^= So we arrre not absolutely cerrrtain that it was created by Federrration. It could have been adapted? =^= Why would Federation citizens do this to themselves? It makes no sense. M'Mira made a decision. =^= I apprrreciate the offerrr to trrry and save me the trrrip, Lieutenant Barrrden. However, I think this is something I need to see immediately. This is not a comment on yourrr abilities. =^=
=^=Thank you for saying so, Ma'am. We'll wait for you, then. Barden out.=^= While Rune waited, she busied herself clearing a space, removing debris and sharp objects that had no bearing on the situation but would make passage hazardous.
Hearing M’Mira’s questions, Leyla started in on a deeper scan. They had to figure out whether or not it was the Klingon’s adapting Federation tech into their ship or actually planted by someone working for the Federation. “I’m not liking how this is looking...I don’t think the tech was adapted into the ship..."
M'Mira arrived and looked at her officers. "I want to know everrrything. And please keep yourrr voices down. We do not need the prrress finding out about this yet. Show me what you have and tell me if you have any conclusions and how you got therrre."
Having cleared the space, Rune was in the process of laying out the pieces that didn't fit. Most were damaged, barely recognizable,
Looking to M’Mira, Leyla finished her next scan and then went over. “Federation explosives,” she said in a hushed voice and showed the tricorder to her. “And the tech I’m reading that reads as Federation isn’t anything they could have integrated into their systems.”
Nodding, Rune added, "True. Most of the remnants seem to be from easy to get parts but there are one or two that Security could use to maybe track back to the bomb maker." She held up a half-component, fried on one side and relatively whole on the other. "You couldn't pick this up just anywhere."
An annoyed growl rose from M'Mira's throat as she started to speak. Traitors were something that were not to be tolerated. This seemed to speak to an inside job and that was a violation against the clan of the Federation. "I think that I must take this and speak to the Captain." She gave a more thoughtful growl and asked, "Would you like to come with me, Ms. Barrrden?"
"Yes, Ma'am," Rune said as she gathered up what few pieces remained from the explosion and straightened.
“I’ll stay and see if I can pick up anything else that might point us in the right direction,” Leyla stated before going to do just that.
"I think that is a wise idea, Lieutenant Aiman-Tamarrr." There was something of a definitive swish in M'Mira's tail as she finished her sentence. "If you find anything, let me know immediately."
“Understood, Commander,” Leyla stated over her shoulder as she got deeper into the wreckage.
"Good," M'Mira replied with her tail casually swishing behind her. "Let's find the Captain, Lieutenant Barrrden." She put her hand-paw on Rune's shoulder and started to lead her away.
Rune nodded and allowed the commander to lead her away from the scene. She admired, with the eye for detail that was essential for someone in her line of work, the immaculate manicure curled over her shoulder. Not something that she could cultivate given her line of work but still, beauty was beauty in whatever form it showed up. As Assistant Chief, interaction with the senior officers had generally been left to her Chief on her last ship and because he had been much more politically savvy than she would ever be, she was content to let it be so. Solving the problem, restoring order, doing her part of keep the crew safe and the ship on mission. That was enough. She suspected that if the Chief weren't away, it would be the same here and really, she was fine with that. The work was what mattered.
Leyla watched as they left and went back to her scans and digging. Gathering up a few samples that had the Federation tech in them, she looked to make sure there was no one around that needed her help or was trapped nearby. Crawling back out of the wreckage, she looked over the samples by eye before heading back into the station. This required some research and analysis.
Already running to the scene, Casshan having come from Refelian's office, was headed for the closest person when the call came over his combadge. He hit it. =^= This is Kincaid, who is this again? I'm still new here and haven't got to know everyone's voice yet, I'm already on scene, I wish I had- =^= he cut himself off as he began assessing the Klingon he got to.
An annoyed voice came back over the comm, clearly the same as before. =^= I am Commanderrr M'Mira, Acting Executive Officerrr while Commanderrr Prrrescott is away and Chief of Operrrations. Furrrther questions, orrr can you handle the duties now? =^=
Calista was is her office in the medical hub reviewing paperwork, the shockwave from the explosion rumbled the entire building. She spun in her chair and thick dark smoke rising from the area of the main landing bay. Rushing out of her office she saw the medical staff glued to the window. "Let's move people." She shouted before pressing her palm to a computer panel. "Computer active medical code orange mass casualty protocols." The computer beeped in acknowledgment as a series of orange lights began to pulse throughout the hub.
"Get the surgical bays prepped stat. All triage teams report to the main landing bay. Alert all Starfleet and allied vessels in the system we're going to need any medical support they can provide." Aeeren order as she swung a large triage kit over her shoulder, the rest of the team moving into position around. "Computer emergency site to site transport, 9 to beam to primary landing bay. Energize."
As the trauma teams began swarming the landing bay Calista took a moment to survey the scene. "We're going to need engineering teams to secure that Klingon ship so our people can get in there and begin assessing." She shouted at a terrified looking group of engineers. "Now who's in charge?"
"That would be Commander M'Mira," Rune said as she joined the engineers who really should be working and not cowering. "I believe she's over that way," Rune added helpfully pointing in the commander's direction.
The Caitian was watching as Rune did her work. M'Mira decided that she was better than Cat so far. She might have to groom her further....
=^= Yes Commander, and no more questions. Kincaid out, =^= Casshan's voice came back.
"Commander." Calista said approaching M'Mira, "I need you to get me an engineering team to stabilize that Klingon vessel so my people can get inside, and any transporter enhancers you can get brought in we're going to be taking over the sickbays of every allied vessel in the system."
"I alrrready have an Engineerrring team in therrre, Lieutenant Aerrreen," M'Mira half-growled and purred. This one reminded her of the marines trying to presume to tell her what to do. Annoyed with the Trill, M'Mira commanded, "What I need YOU to do, Doctorrr, is to get in there and searrrch for surrrviorrs and conduct trrriage."
The CMO tapped her combadge, "Triage team 9 and 10, you're cleared to begin assessing the Klingon vessel."
"Copy that. Teams moving in now." Came the reply.
She closed the channel and opened another to the command centre, "Anyone who is not currently rendering direct aid that is able should report to medical to donate blood, please arrange this." She closed the channel without waiting for a response and began triaging the nearest injured.
Sam was on the deck, a searing pain radiating through his legs and what felt like a weight on his chest. Attempting to prop himself up, he felt a bolt of pain in his body force him back down. As his head hit the deck and his vision began to swim he could see smoke and hear the pained groans and screams of Marines and Klingons who were trapped and grievously injured by whatever had happened. Had there been a fire? Or an explosion? In his trauma induced confusion, he couldn’t figure it out, and after everything, all he could do was lay there, listen to the screams pierce the air, and stare at the sky.
Calista moved from patient to patient, quickly assessing and triaging as she went, a stack of tags indicating the treatment protocol, and an unfortunate number of black tags being used on those already gone. She moved onto the Major and quickly began scanning him with her tricorder. "Major, can you hear?"
There was a gradually swelling ringing in his ears but he could make out the voice of Doctor Aereen. “Sort of-“ Sam said, trying to lift his head again.
"How about being a good boy, and lay still so I can examine you?" she kidded with him. "Hmm," she murmured then turned to speak to the medic assigned to her, "let's get a team in here to carry the Major to Triage. Major, I know you aren't going to like it, but it looks like you have a pretty serious concussion, and I'm not about to let you try to stand to walk." The medic was able to muster a litter and 4 Marines to assist in moving the Major. "This will probably hurt," she said as she pulled out a hypospray and slid in a pain control cartridge. "This will help. I'm not going to give you anything too strong, as I need to keep you conscious until we can lower the pressure on your brain. This should also help lessen the ringing in your ears, so hopefully you'll be able to hear better as well." She pressed the device to his neck, and injected the given medication.
"It's very important you try to stay awake until I can free up a doctor to start working on your injuries. Right now, critical patients are taking priority. You have a serious wound, but the bleeding appears to be under control thanks to that shrapnel. Just don't try to move around too much, the medication I just gave you won't help much for your belly. You are not critical, but you'll be in the group right behind them, so hopefully it won't take us long to have someone free to attend to you."
She could see he was still wincing in pain, but she really didn't dare give him much more than the medication she'd already injected. "Major, can you tell me what hurts besides your head, and this hunk of metal you have in your belly?"
Sam tried to prop himself up again and felt a sharp pain radiate through his chest along with a stinging tightness that was making his breathing ragged. “Well, everything in my chest, doc.” He said, laying back again, his breathing becoming shallow.
Casshan could feel a marine fading away and was crying, well he had the tears but not the weeping. He was struggling to block the powerful emotional output of everyone around him. Only barely able to keep the mental barriers from overwhelming him his strained self performing CPR was hard. It wasn't enough and he felt the marine die, the injuries too severe.
He fell back on his butt and looked at his hands covered in the marine's blood. "No." He cried out, rocking slightly.
“You did you best.” Haversford said, his voice hoarse as he struggled to sit up. He winced in pain but couldn’t tell where the pain was coming from.
The voice snapped through the haze and Casshan focused on it. Haversford's pain suddenly registered on Casshan's senses and he scrambled over to the Colonel. "Can you walk Colonel?" He asked attempting to look the marine over to see what injuries he could help with.
"I think I have some shrapnel in my leg..." The Colonel said looking at his bleeding shin. "And this." He added as he pulled his hand from a bleeding wound in his left side.
"Don't take the pressure off." Casshan placed both his hands on the wound and pushed on it. "Someone please help!" He cried out.
The Major heard Casshan's call for help, he wasn't far away, but his bell had been rung pretty good and he had some superficial contusions and a fairly nice looking gash on the forehead. However, once he got his bearings, he than made his way towards Casshan. He than scanned over the Colonel, while he wasn't a medic, he had a fairly decent idea of what was going on with them.
Once he approached, he than stated, "We need a more permanent way to apply pressure" He then turned towards Casshan, he wasn't much of the type for those fancy dancy medical devices, in fact, he'd probably take someone's eye out with it. He proceeded to pull a few strips of cloth from a nearby deceased's uniform.
He proceeded to wrap two strips over the Colonel's injured leg. There wasn't any way for him to put pressure on the injury to their side without restricting the breathing, it would go against the ABCs. He than stated, "Colonel, you are going to have to keep pressure on your side, we need to get you out of here" He than shifted his focus to Casshan briefly, the Major was curious if they would be game or not.
"I don't see any stretchers, I'm not sure if they are using transporters. Medical is pretty far," Casshan said worried.
“I’m not important, see to my men and the Klingons.” The Colonel said wincing in pain.
"Without leaders such as yourself who are the men and women under your command Colonel?" Casshan challenged before he smiled. "They need you as much as you need them," he added.
Haversford couldn’t argue with the Starfleet Lieutenant. He groaned in pain again, “I’m not sure if I’ve got shrapnel lodged in my side, moving causes me great pain.” The Colonel said, his breathing laboured.
=/\= This is the USS Farragut to Faltan Station approach control, requesting permission to enter orbit. =/\=
=/\= Standby, Farragut, we've had a situation here. It may be a few hours before were able to clear you to approach Faltan for security reasons. =/\=
Whoever was handling approach vectors at the time must not have known of the system wide broadcast for any assistance available from ship in the sector. One look to the Captain of the Farragut made it clear the Admiral was in no mood to play games with an ill-informed traffic controller. =/\= This is Ambassador Chadwick, we are entering orbit whether you want us to or not. Log our arrival, and let your Commanding Officer know we are sending our entire medical staff to help as needed, including one of the new doctors being assigned to your facility. Tell your Commanding Officer, I would like to meet with the command staff to discuss the situation as soon as they feel they have the time and it is safe enough to do so. =/\=
=/\= Yes, Admir... I mean, yes, Ambassador. You are clear for geostationary orbit above the crash location. I've already sent a flash message to the Captain's PADD noting your request. =/\=
Turning his attention back to things on the ship, Captain Danner said, "Put us in orbit as requested, Lt Benbeck." She complied without comment, as there was enough chatter going on. Doctor Mathers happened to be on the bridge at that moment, so knew what orders were going to be coming his way. It was only a matter of seconds before their departing guest, Dr Kylean Amidok, the newest member of the Faltan Station's medical crew, entered the bridge as well. Being a Betazoid, Kylean already knew what was happening below them.
"It's bad, gentlemen. The longer we're here, the more lives we will lose. Dr Danner, I'd like to beam down directly to the triage area with as many of your staff as you can spare," he said softly.
"You'll be taking them all. I've got people setting up 2 of our holodecks to act as emergency surgical wards. Let the station medical command know we can offer as many as 15 more nurses, and maybe 12 more doctors besides those you will be taking, and we'll be able to create as many virtual surgeons as needed on the holodecks."
"Understood, Doctor," Kylean responded. He then turned to the Captain, "with your permission, sir, I'd like to beam down immediately!"
"Granted," Brock replied. What came next kind of took both men by surprise.
"I'm coming with you."
Taking note of the possibility the area below may not yet be properly secured, Captain Danner responded, "Admiral, I don't think that's such a wise idea. Perhaps you should wait as you suggested a moment ago before going down. Let the station security and Marine forces properly do their jobs before we place you in danger!"
"Is my life any more or less important than those of the doctors and nurses you plan to send down momentarily?" Obviously there was no immediate response. "If they are going down now, I will be going with them," he finished with his voice raising in intensity as he finished. And so it was. Dr Kylean Amidok, Federation Ambassador Robert Chadwick, 10 doctors, 15 nurses, 15 medics and Ambassador Chadwick's security detail, including 4 marines, along with enough medical supplies to fill an entire Sickbay were prepared for transport. "Put us right in the middle of the triage area. I want our medical staff to hit the ground running, and I want to inspect the damage for myself."
Moments later, both Kylean Amidok and Robert Chadwick dematerialized from their places on the bridge. Doctor Mathers would join them as soon as all the preparations were completed for the surgical wards on the holodecks, and enough supplies had been spit out by the replicators to meet any needs the first round of medical supplies may not have been able to meet.
As soon as they materialized on the ground, Kylean spotted his new Chief Medical Officer already busy attempting to triage patients. He quickly went to her side and without doing anything to distract her from her duties, he announced himself and his team, as well as the load of medical supplies that were brought with him. His new boss let out an audible sigh of relief at hearing so many had come from just the one ship, however she had no way of knowing the Farragut was carrying medical teams that were scheduled to augment or replace existing medical crews on starbases and ships in the region, so the ship had plenty of hands to spare, just when they were needed the most. "Obviously there will be time to formally meet later, where would you like me to start? Would you like help with triage, or would you prefer I organize the teams to start treating those you've already tagged?"
Nearby, Ambassador Chadwick's security detail quickly set about learning as many details as possible from the base security teams, leaving the 4 heavily armed marines to guard the Ambassador himself. Robert couldn't help but feel a sense of panic, being so utterly overwhelmed by the chaos happening before his eyes. It was at that moment he found a new respect for any Betazoid member of the staff, or any other empathic or telepathic races might have felt when confronted with the same situation.
M'Mira walked by with Rune. She heard the questions and replied, "Do what is necessarrry, keep me inforrrmed of yourrr prrrogrrress. I must take Lieutenant Barrrden away and speak with the Captain. I hope that you understand. You arrre trrrained for this. You can handle it, I assurrre you," M'Mira replied authoritatively and warmly.
Casshan saw multiple transporter beams as light from them shone on him and the others from different locations. "There must be a ship in orbit," he said to the Colonel. Louder he called to the new arrivals. "Please someone help!" He did see a few other marines around that need help to, though they seemed to be getting up as the new arrivals dispersed among the injured. He turned to the Major, "Do you think we can help him up?"
Lieutenant Amidok heard the plea for help come in his mind before he heard it audibly. He knew instantly it must have come from another empath. Without waiting for a response from his new CMO, he went immediately to the aid of the Colonel. Using his medical tricorder, he knew the Colonel was bleeding heavily internally despite the direct pressure. If immediate care wasn't rendered to his wounds, he would die very quickly.
Deciding time was of the essence, Kylean messaged Dr Mathers. =/\= Amidok to Dr Mathers, I have a patient who needs immediate surgery. I'm going to have him beamed aboard directly to Sickbay. I think you'll be able to help him more than I can. =/\= Doctor Mathers acknowledged the signal and headed to meet the patient in the main Sickbay. "You're going to be in good hands, sir," Kylean said to the Colonel. "Sir, I'm sure you'd prefer to stay down here with your men, but in looking at the situation, I don't think there are any surgeons that can be spared here to give you the level of help you need." Kylean then sent the message to the Farragut, and the transporter officer transported the Colonel directly to the Sickbay far overhead. He then said mentally to Casshan, 'We can formally meet later. Let me know if you find any one else with injuries as critical as his were.'
Amidok returned to the triage area and found Dr Aereen temporarily halting triage to attend to a severe wound on a Marine. "Sir, you continue with him," he said to her reassuringly, "I'll take over triage while the others start working on the priorities you've already flagged," he said to Aereen. The reply was a simple, "Thanks." As he turned away to start his triage efforts, he became aware of the odors that permeated in the air. It was a mix of odors he wished he'd never have to become accustomed to, no matter how many times it enveloped his nasal senses. It was the unmistakable smell of blood. It was the unmistakable smell of burnt flesh. It was the unmistakable smell of death. All of them hung in the air like a cloud of fog he could never outrun. Most thankfully he'd be able to block the smells out in just a few minutes, so he could focus only on the tasks at hand.
Kylean turned to the next patient awaiting triage. He was momentarily startled to see a very large and still armed Klingon male laying before him. Using his tricorder, he scanned the Klingon's injuries. They were relatively minor in comparison to the others, but was still going to need a lot of help to avoid permanent damage to his left leg. Nodding to a medic who was following the doctor, Amidok rose two fingers to indicate the triage level for the patient, in this case orange, or level two, for those considered urgent. Patients who were red tagged, or listed as level one, were the highest priority and considered critical. Those who could walk without aid were generally considered green, or level three. Finally, those who didn't survive were given black tags, level four, and would be sent to a temporary morgue facility.
As the doctors moved their way through the patients, they found themselves wanting to stop and render direct aid instead of continuing the triage efforts to determine the patients whose help was needed the most. Even Kylean had to fight the urge to stop and render aid, although he did stop long enough to cauterize an artery spurting blood from an open wound. Looking to his medic, he said, "Just think, before modern medicine, they had to use hemostats to stop bleeding like this. On some patients like these, you'd have enough metal from all the hemostats to fashion a very sturdy medical table." The medic tried to look as sincere as possible responded, "What's a hemostat?" For a moment with the mental confusion around him, Kylean took the question seriously, until the medic lost his controlled and broke out in a smile. For a brief moment, Kylean forgot about the chaos around him, and for a fleeting instant took heart at the pleasant gesture. It felt so foreign for such an act of positive energy to be seen in the unfolding spectacle of terror and confusion pervading the scene surrounding them.
He became abruptly aware he was procrastinating, even if for a moment. He turned his head toward the row of patients awaiting their turn to be tagged. Thankfully their numbers were beginning to be outnumbered by those already tagged, however he could see more patients being brought in, some serious patients a few at a time, and others, like the walking wounded, in groups of five to ten and sometimes fifteen. The walking wounded were quickly given scans by nurses to see if they had any serious internal injuries or bleeding that may warrant a red or orange tag. If no such injuries or conditions were found, they were green tagged and sent off for another section further away from the point of origin of the bomb. These patients could either be transported by a vehicle to a facility on base for eventual treatment, or could be transported up to a waiting ship to be taken care of. Every now and then, a green tag or two would accompany a red or orange tagged patient to give the medical staff something less serious to work on while waiting for their next serious patient to be brought in.
Dr Amidok noted some of the Klingons recovered from the heavily damaged Bird of Prey were mentally riled almost to their flash point at losing comrades to such a cowardly attack on their ship. Most of them were still armed with hand disruptors and of course knives of various size and intimidation factor, when they were brought to the triage staging area, and he wasn't sure whether he should sedate them for everyone's safety, or to treat them as any other and continue the triage effort. Since the Klingon warrior was alert and oriented, Kylean asked, "May I attend to your injuries, Klingon warrior?"
Amidok knew he probably never could best a Klingon, including possibly a mortally wounded one, so he wasn't going to take any changes, so called the Klingon by a title he felt would garner a calmer response. "You honor me by referring to me as a Warrior of the Klingon Empire. You may proceed, doctor. My left leg seems to be injured the most." Kylean scanned the soldier's injuries and held up two fingers to his medic. The Klingon's left leg femur was fractured and displaced. If it were to dislodge or move ever so slightly in the wrong way, he could very easily sever his femoral artery and exsanguinate (bleed out), rather quickly. He summoned a nurse over, and gave her strict instructions to brace the patient's limb to keep it as stable as possible until a surgeon could repair the damaged bone.
As he prepared to move on to the next patient, he heard two words he had never heard uttered by a Klingon before... "Thank you." Kylean turned his gaze directly at the patient's eyes and said very sincerely, "You are most welcome. We'll have you patched up and ready for revenge just as quickly as possible."
At once, Kylean's eyes shut in pain, as he felt the life essence of a patient four men down from him depart its body and enter the energy of the Universe. He said a silent prayer, and continued his way through patients between them. When he finally got to the deceased Marine, he tenderly closed the Marine's eyes, and held up four fingers to the medic assisting him. The medic looked confused, as the doctor hadn't used his tricorder on the patient. Then he remembered the Doctor was telepathic, and so affixed the black tag on the patient. Kylean turned his head to look at how many patients were waiting their turn for a tag, and felt the back of his hand wipe the sweat from his chin. He was relieved to see the next waive of doctors had arrived, and were possibly being augmented by personnel from additional ships. With the chaos around him, it just wasn't possible to tell, even for an empath.
His attention was diverted for another plea for help coming from near the ship. He handed over his duties to another doctor in the triage area, and took a nurse, his medic, and another medic to see to the injured patient. As he approached, he knew it wouldn't be good. Even he didn't have to indicate these patients were both level one. To complicate matters, the patients, one a human male, one a Klingon female, were impaled by the same object. It was the same bulkhead fragment which was keeping both patients from bleeding out almost immediately from the large arteries the piece had severed. He immediately sent his medic to request aid from Dr Aereen. He was a trained surgeon, but it wasn't his specialty. He was an infectious disease specialist. Both of these patients required someone with far more expertise than his.
Calista soon came to his side to see the problem for herself. Using her tricorder, she quickly confirmed his prognosis.
"Do you think we can save them both?" he asked her sincerely. "I'll help as much as I can, but these injuries need surgeons more capable than I am."
"Thanks for being honest," Aereen replied. She rubbed her forehead, and requested four more doctors and two Engineering officers to come to assist them. It would be complicated, as the bulkhead came from between two decks of the Klingon ship. The deck flooring attached to the fragment separated the patients from being able to even see each other. The piece had been completely torn from the ship, so it was possible to transport the entire entangled mess, patients and all, somewhere where they could each be treated without causing further trauma to the other.
"Do you have the facilities to handle this on the planet? If not, the ship I came here on has its holodecks setup as surgical bays. That, and you'd be able to create as many holographic doctors as you need to assist," he offered her.
After talking it over with the Engineering officers, the transporter teams and a few other base personnel, she opted for the option offered by her new colleague. Once the Engineers placed transporter enhancers around the mass, Dr Aereen, two other doctors, the nurse and a medic were all transported to a holodeck aboard the USS Farragut. Once they were gone, Kylean turned his attention back to the triage station area to assist with those flagged as most critical. As he made his way across the landing area to the triage station, it finally occurred to him... what if there were one or more bombs waiting to detonate in the area? The triage station was a hefty walk from the damage area, but still in a very vulnerable spot should there be another device explode with a similar magnitude of the first. Realizing the danger, he tapped his comm badge and asked for the base command staff. He still had not met any of the officers in command of the base, so was not sure of who they were, nor how his intuition might be received.
The Ambassador seemed to keep pace with one of the Engineers trying to sort out the cause of the explosion. Looking around at the mess before him, he suddenly agreed with Captain Danner. He shouldn't be there. It was already done, so he tried to make the best of it. He saw a Caitian officer heading toward what he thought may be the base command center with another officer in tow. He pointed in their direction, and he and the Marines with him turned to follow the pair. He had no power to yield here. He could not demand action from anyone. He wanted to stay out of the way, but the Starfleet Admiral in him still urged him forward to see what help he could offer, if any. If he was told to get out of the way, he would quickly and obediently do so. Yet, somehow he felt his presence was needed. If not to help directly, perhaps to make the response for calls of assistance of any kind that much more expedient, or maybe to help calm the nerves around him by his command presence. Although he felt utterly powerless in the moment, he still just wanted to help, in whatever capacity he could.
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