The Dreaded Sickbay

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 4:34am by Lieutenant Kalin Brennan-Griffin PhD & Cailus Griffin & Lieutenant Machwen Adaestron
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 8:01am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After "The Big L Word"

It took a little more time than usual, and there were some close calls as Shae nearly unloaded her breakfast on the deck, but she and Cailus finally made it Sickbay. With Shae's hand burning hot in his own, it took considerable effort for Cailus to stay disgruntled and stern rather than show his worry at what was happening to her.

As they hobbled through the doors, Shae's arm interlinked with his own, he called out gruffly, "Hey, Doc? Anyone home?"

Shae smiled as Cailus tried to remain all gruff and surly; it was one of the things she liked best about him! They made their way to an empty biobed and she sat herself upon it while Cailus kept her steady.

Hearing Calius call out from the main room of Sickbay, Machwen walked out from his office to see what was wrong.

"Lieutenant Brennan, are you okay?" Machwen asked. Using his Betazoid abilities to see if he could find out what was wrong with Shae, and could sense that she was feeling unwell, and that she was nervous too.

Shae could feel his mental prodding, and though she knew he probably didn't mean any harm, she couldn't help but react, closing off her thoughts and emotions like slamming a door in his face, a well practiced skill from her time with Section 31.

"I, uh..." Shae said nervously. "I think I'm having a bad reaction to the treatments Dr. Kolbeck gave me; I feel like I'm on fire and I went and lost my lunch just a moment ago. Though Lieutenant Griffin thought I might be pregnant, could you give me a quick scan to ease his mind," she said, that last little bit thrown in there to hopefully add a touch of levity to this otherwise tense moment.

"Of course Lieutenant," Machwen replied, grabbing his tricorder off of his waist and turned it on. With the detachable probe, he started scanning Shae's waist area.

Standing next to Shae with his arms crossed, Cailus looked at her gratefully as Machwen was focused for a moment on his tricorder.

After some uncomfortable seconds of beeping, Machwen put the probe back in its slot, looked back up at Shae and Cailus, "I can tell you that you're not pregnant, though I will need to run a few more scans on you,"

"Aye, as expected," Shae replied with a nod. "You mind if I lay back? I'm still feeling a bit queasy...." And tired, not to mention hot and shaky and dizzy and tired!

"Of course, let's get you a bed, shall we?" Machwen responded, and began to walk over to a biobed, before turning to Cailus, "Would you like to stay with us?"

After helping Shae onto the biobed, Cailus glanced at her as he held her hand. "I've got nothing else to do for the next hour or so, if you want me here. The doc and I need to discuss that...other...thing, anyway." Plainly restraining a smile, he added lightly, "It'd be good to avoid any more scares."

"Yes, the 'other' thing," Shae said with amusement. She felt terrible, but there was something about his restrained smile that brightened her mood. Anyway, she was glad Cailus was sticking around, it was helping to keep her calm with her anxiety towards medical officers screaming in her head to run away; his hand in hers was keeping her grounded as the doctor began his scans.

"Doctor," Cailus said with seriousness as Machwen worked, "I don't know if you're aware, but due to some cryostasis nonsense, I ended up sleeping for most of the last century. Contraception was done...differently...back then." He glanced wryly at Shae, and even in her obvious distress, the merriness in her slit-pupil eyes made him smirk unwillingly. "I've been reliably informed that currently, men take monthly contraceptive injections rather than women. Would it be possible for you to...ah...do the same...for me?"

Machwen paused for a moment, before turning to face Cailus, "Of course. If you speak to Crewman Tannis, I'm sure he'll be able to arrange an appointment for you. I believe's he's in one of the examination rooms, but I don't think there's a patient in there."

Shae gave Cailus' hand an encouraging squeeze. "I'll be alright if you want to step away for a moment," Shae said, the amusement poorly concealed in her eyes.

"I'll be right back," Cailus said as he reluctantly let go of her hand and awkwardly started walking away. "Shouldn't take long..."

Machwen turned back to Shae, "Now Lieutenant Brennan, I'm just going to start doing a full scan, is that okay?" he asked.

Shae nodded, then closed her eyes and tried to relax while the medical scanners went to work. Her biochemstry was in flux, a direct result of the treatments that Kolbeck had given her, more than enough to cause the upset to her stomach. The treatments did seem to be working though, the scan revealing the softening and regeneration of her extensive internal scarring; glands and organs which had previously been impeded by scars where now beginning to operate more efficiently. But not all was well; Shae was also suffering from severe fatigue, she was stressed, overworked, and clearly not sleeping enough.

Machwen took a moment to take in all of the information and images that were on the screen. "Interesting," he said, slightly under his breath, before looking towards Shae, "The treatment that you've been given seems to be working, although it also seems to be the cause of your current illness. I should be able to give you some medication to ease the side effects, but you've also got to do less work and sleep more."

"I know," Shae replied. "I'm still adjusting to being a department head, I'm not accustomed to delegation and I've been trying to do too much myself. And then my daughter requires so much attention..." With a sigh, Shae ran a hand over her face. "I think I need a vacation."

"I could see about getting you extra time in the holodeck," Machwen responded whilst he typed some commands into the replicator, "There's a few holiday resort programmes, Cailus could probably come with you too. And I'm sure your daughter would be happy in the crèche."

"I've got a few programs I like, I just need to make time to use them. As for Aoife, she gets overwhelmed at the daycare, and if I leave her with Nurse Davies just a little too long in the afternoon, she gets terrified that I'm not coming back for her." Shae's mind drifted back to the evening she tried to have a nice dinner with Cailus, and ever since then Aoife had been overly clingy. Shae sat up and waited for Machwen to return with whatever he was replicating. "If it's alright, I'm going to take the afternoon off, try to catch up on some rest; I'm no good to my staff or my department as I am right now," she said.

"You're one step ahead of me, Lieutenant Brennan," Machwen replied then administered Shae's medication, "I was just about to write a sick note for you, though I'm not sure who I'd write it to." Machwen let out a small chuckle. "Your hormones are ready, and I'm sure that Tannis and Cailus should be done by now too."

"Well, I think in this case... you know, I don't know, maybe the First Officer should know? And I don't have an Assistant Chief to inform either..." Shae said with bemusement "But my department is pretty self-reliant, I think they'll do okay for the afternoon, maybe even tomorrow if things aren't any better."

"I'll make sure that anyone who needs to know is informed," Machwen said, a small smile forming on his face.

It was then that the doors to one of the adjoining rooms opened as Cailus and Tannis walked back in. Leading the way, Cailus looked supremely awkward as he rubbed his right arm gingerly, moving back to Shae's side.

"Well, that's done," he said sourly, scowling. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm alright," Shae replied meekly, but then she looked back to Machwen. "Do you need me to stick around, or may I rest in my quarters?" she asked.

"You're free to go," Machwen told Shae, "but come back if you get any more nausea."

"I'd wait a few hours for that contraceptive to kick in, though," Tannis told Cailus, before chuckling to himself.

Shae blushed, going practically crimson with embarrassment; the crew knowing there was a relationship there was one thing, but she had no desire to hear chatter about their sex life. "Thank you, Doctor, I will be sure to contact you if anything else arises as well," Shae said, then hopped off the biobed. Her knees felt like jelly, and she leaned against the biobed to keep from falling over.

Instinctively supporting her shoulders from behind, Cailus sighed, realising the only logical course of action. He knew how much Shae hated to be near doctors, especially with Machwen and Tannis' misplaced teasing, and he threw the doctors a dark look before focusing on Shae.

"I may have been joking before, but I can carry you to your quarters if you like," he murmured, his voice so quiet that only she could hear. "It isn't far, and the corridors should be pretty much deserted right now."

"Please," Shae said softly. She wouldn't be able to truly relax until she was back in her quarters, and the sooner that happened the better.

The plaintive tone in Shae's voice only made Cailus even more worried. He carefully bent down to scoop up Shae's legs, lowering her back onto his other arm gently, and stood still as she curled up slightly in his arms to get more comfortable. She fit neatly, even with her bushy tail. Thoroughly disgruntled he then walked with her to the Sickbay door before pausing, glancing back at Machwen and Tannis.

"Doctor-patient confidentiality, gentlemen," Cailus said sternly, glaring quite unfairly at the two doctors. "If you disclose anything, I will know, and I will be...displeased."

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