Courage Under Fire

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 4:11am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Lieutenant Machwen Adaestron
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 7:31am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After "Candle in the Wind"

ON:

Having spent time checking in with the major departments of the ship, following the Pandora's skirmish with the Tzenkethi, Nyx was now keen to check up on the Sickbay. There had been a few minor incidents during the Tzenkethi attack, as well injuries from the Marine's away mission on the Talarian vessel, and the shuttle passengers shaken up after their rough landing.

This meant the Sickbay was dealing with its first crisis situation, with multiple incoming patients with a variety of different problems. As Captain, Nyx wanted to ensure the Medical team were handling the situation.

The Commander found Ensign Machwen leading sickbay operations and sought him out first.

Nyx gave a serious nod as he approached, "Mr Adaestron, how are our crew?"

Looking up, Machwen saw that the Captain was right in front of him. "They could be better," Max told him, walking over to one patient on a bed, carrying a tricorder with him, "But they could be much worse,"

"Indeed," Nyx remarked, "That is all thanks to the skilful manoeuvring of Griffin and Nash, and the Palatine's support."

The Captain moved over to the Marine on the bio-bed, giving him a gentle pat on the shoulder, "You've done well, Marine, rest up."

Nyx continued to walk around with Machwen, "How did you cope with your first Red Alert situation?"

"I think I did well, Captain, for my first time on the ship," Machwen replied, "How did you cope up on the Bridge?"

"It was pretty darn hairy, I don't mind telling you, Ensign," Nyx answered, "Especially when that Cruiser rounded on the shuttle. I thought the worst..." He stopped and composed himself, remembering he was on duty. "Still, we managed."

Machwen chuckled, "I'm sure everyone knew that you'd work it out,"

"Doctor!" Came the sudden cry of a junior medic.

From behind them, the young medic ran in just as two Engineering officers appeared carrying a crew member between them. The crewman had been badly burnt, with one side of his face and both hands bright red with the fresh lashings of a plasma fire. His teal uniform scorched significantly down the left side.

Machwen ran over, helping the medic carry the crewman, "What's happened to him?" he asked, leading the crewman to the a biobed.

"He was helping in the Shuttlebay when a conduit in the runabout blew right next to him." The Engineer answered.

As the officers carried the crewman over to the nearest bio bed, Nyx gasped as recognised who it was.

"Oh god!" Nyx cried. "It's Lieutenant Kolbeck."

For a moment, Machwen was thankful that Captain Temple couldn't use his telepathic abilities. For if he could, he would have heard a variety of expletives. Hopefully this wasn't the time of an epiphany for the Captain.

"Crewman, get me some gel packs and hyposprays," he told the crewman, "they should be in a cabinet that says 'Plasma burns' on them." The crewman quickly went off to get the medicine.

Machwen opened the first aid kit on the side of the bed, taking out the scissors. He cut away what was left of the Lieutenant's shirt and trousers, removing them to reveal more burns.

"Oh my God." he muttered under his breath.

"Get him stabilised," Nyx ordered, a lump in his throat.

"Daddy?" Came his young daughter's voice, as Katrine appeared and tugged at his sleeve.

Nyx picked her up and turned her away from the awful scene, not wanting Katrine to see the injured man. "Let's go find mummy, okay?"

He looked to Machwen with urgency, "Do everything you can, Doctor."

Machwen looked back at the Captain, "Of course, Captain,"

The crewman then returned, with the various gel packs and hyposprays. "Administer some painkillers, he'll need quite a bit for all of these, then get onto applying the gels" Machwen told him, before turning to Kolbeck, "Lieutenant, Crewman Tannis and I are going to give you some painkillers and gel packs for your burns. We'll try and make this as painless as possible so you might feel a bit light-headed, but that's okay."

Machwen attached the body sensor from the first aid box and attached it to Kolbeck's temple. The machine next to him began beeping, showing he had a high pulse. Machwen then grabbed the tricorder in the box and started to scan Kolbeck. As he did so, he could sense the fear of Crewman Tannis. "You've never treated plasma burns, have you?"

Tannis looked up, "N-no, Sir, never"

"It's okay, Crewman, as long as we treat them right, they only look worse than they are, especially with all of the drugs we're giving him,"

Machwen looked down at his tricorder, and could see that Kolbeck was still in huge amounts of pain. He could sense it too. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant," he muttered under his breath.

Machwen sighed heavily, and looked up to the Crewman, "Get me some phentobarbitone, we're going to have to knock him out."

Crewman Tannis nodded his head, and got the medication. He returned, and Machwen administered the drugs, putting Kolbeck into an induced coma to numb the pain.

Nyx returned a while later, having taken Katrine back to Emilie and managed to speak with a few more of the injured crew members. He looked at the sleeping Lieutenant Kolbeck, covered in gel packs and other medical equipment with a growing sadness.

"How is he, Ensign?" Nyx asked hesitantly.

"He, uh," Machwen paused, "I had to knock him out. He was in a lot of pain, even with the gel packs,"

"If need be, we can transfer him to Carnwennan Station," Nyx nodded solemnly, "He's a hero, you know. The guys who brought him in told me Van was helping to free a passenger trapped in the shuttle. He knew the conduit might blow but went in there anyway, that tough Scandinavian bugger."

Temple hung his head for a moment, a lump gathered in his throat, "I'm sure he will serve with us again in the future. Until such time, Ensign Adaestron, I hereby grant you the field promotion to Chief Medical Officer of the USS Pandora."

"Thank you, Captain, I know I won't be able to live up to Kolbeck's standards, but I'll try my best," Machwen replied, a small smile beginning at the ends of his mouth.

Nyx put a firm hand on his shoulder, "I've seen you work today, I'm absolutely sure you'll do great as Chief." He looked back at Van, that lump still present, "You know, he thought so too."

OFF