Checking on Leo

Posted on Sun Sep 4th, 2011 @ 8:30pm by Commodore Samantha York & Major Leroy Mangalia & Master Chief Petty Officer Barbara Tarango & Lieutenant JG Jason Hart

1,625 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Shades of Gray
Location: Sickbay

ON

Samantha walked into sickbay to check on Leo. It had been several hours since he'd beamed aboard and she hoped the doctors were able to take care of him.

She first met Nurse Tarango. "How is Captain Mangalia?" she asked.

The nurse led her to Leo's room. Sam walked in quietly and stood looking at the Marine lying in the bed. It was hard to see, s she'd feared seeing Damon in just such a position before he'd retired from the SFMC.

The room was dark, almost like a large shadow, Leo preferred it that way. The explosive device had been an almost perfect mixture of concussive power, and flame. His neck, face, and head survived, but he could feel the dull ache of a fire long ago touching his body. Being slammed against a wall had only smothered the flames, thats why it had been almost perfect. He could move, if he wanted to, but spent most days in the tiny ward, his eyes closed and not answering anyone when they came by.

Leo hadn't been in a coma for a month, he had been too scared to talk to other people, even those he had considered his friends. I'm leaving tomorrow Leo, he remembered hearing Erin Tal say to him, while he feigned not being able to hear her. Take care of yourself, and maybe we'll get to see each other again,. Leo felt the presence of one person who continued to show up to his dark little haven of pain and healing.

"Can I help you?" he asked roughly, his voice dry, just like his throat and mouth.

"Yes, you can. You can rejoin the world of the living," Sam replied.

"Now wheres the fun in that," Leo said getting up slowley from the bed, and reaching for the button that would turn his lights on dimly. The computer never registered his voice, not after the explosion. His eyes were the same, but he was still red from the flames. "Some things aren't meant to rise from the grave Captain." Smiling, he felt his lips crack from lack of water, and grabbed the canteen that he kept by the bed. Taking a short sip, he almost smiled wider. "But if that's an order, than what can I say?"

"Yes, but you're not that far gone, Leo. So I'm afraid that, like the proverbial South, you will rise again." She chuckled softly, not sure he'd get the reference to the United States Civil War. "Besides, I don't like losing good men to apathy."

"Apathy?" Leo said, standing from the bio bed, he was dressed in full combat uniform, minus any of the extra gear, and the uniform was fresh. He looked like hell, but fires burned in his eyes. "I don't want apathy, I just don't want to get blown up again Captain."

"I don't want you to get blown up again, either. I've lost too many good people lately," Sam said, relieved to see the fire back in his eyes. "What happened was a freak accident. This planet has so much archaic and unlawful tech it's hard to keep track of it all, let alone find it. Right now, I need you to get better. Mentally and physically."

Nurse Tarango pulled the curtain aside, seeing two people talking. She didn't realize that the ship's Captain was in sickbay. "Captain and Captain. I'm sorry to break this conversation. Captain Mangalia needs his rest and he was recently was downgraded from intensive care." She picked up the prepared hypospray, "Time for his medication which will make him sleepy."

"I don't need it," Leo said looking at the Nurse. "I think it's time I returned to duty."

Barbara wasn't going to take no for an answer because her job was to follow the doctor's orders. She glanced at Captain York before she looked at her patient with a stern frown. "We can't let you go."

"I agree with Nurse Taranga," Sam said. "You're not ready to go back to duty. You might be ready to go back to your quarters, but that would be up to the doctor." She understood Leo's desire to get out of sickbay. She'd feel the same way if she were in his shoes.

"Can we at least forgo the drugs that knock me out? I need a sitrep from Noelle, and find out if anyone else has been caught by these traps." Leo looked frantic, not wanting to go back to sleep. Sometimes healing took movement, not a drug induced coma.

Sam looked at Nurse Taranga. "As long as he stays in his quarters, he should be able to talk to the Marines on Michnar VII and still rest."

Barbara kept the loaded hypospray in her hand as she thought about what Captain York suggested. "I'll check with the doctor to see if we can do that. But," she looked at her patient, "you still need your medication for pain. We have some that doesn't sedate. I'll be back...", she turned and left with the instrument in her hand. She let out a sigh by the time she reached the office.

The nurse walked into Doctor Bowen's office, knowing that Doctor Hart is in charge of sickbay until the Chief comes back from the planet. After she found Jason sitting behind the desk doing paperwork, she coughed to clear her throat.

Doctor Hart looked up, thinking that a patient just walked in. He sat back in his Chief's chair. "Something you need?"

Barbara explained the situation about Leroy Mangalia.

"Alright. At least he has been downgraded from being severe...just assign that Vulcan nurse to him and he will need to keep the monitors on him to record his vitals to sickbay. He can have a mild dose of a pain killer with less effects on sedation." He picked up the patient's PADD and signed the orders on it and handed it to her. "At least he will be happy with this."

I'm not, she thought. Barbara disagreed with it as she believed that the patient's condition is no where near being better. "Yes, sir." She accepted the PADD without question.

Sam nodded when she heard Doctor Hart's orders conveyed by Nurse Tarango. "Thank you." She turned to Leo. "If you don't relax in your quarters I'll have the doctor sedate you and bring you back here. Understood?"

"Yes Ma'am," Leo said, bowing his head slightly in her direction. I do have one request. Feel free to think about it before you shoot it down, but if taking down the presiding government comes to a pitched battle, let me lead my men. I will not order them to do something that I'm not willing to do. I lead by example Ma'am. Much like Damon did."

Mentioning Damon made Sam smile. Leo was right, Damon wasn't one to let someone else lead his men. "If it comes to that, I'll consider your request," she promised.

Barbara quietly pulled the curtain around her to give them privacy. She discarded the loaded hypospray and replaced it with the new order by Doctor Hart. Less sedation, she thought as she prepared the dose. Ever since she has been a nurse for nearly twenty-seven years, Barbara has gained a lot of nursing experience to know and understand how the human body works along with being injured or having an illness. The problem with this situation was that she disagreed with Doctor Hart's orders of placing a recent ICU patient to their quarters after being downgraded. Then, having less sedation means little time to heal. She doesn't mind working with Doctor Hart, but there are times that she feels like she knows more than him because of his age. Most of the time, she has kept her opinions to herself.

"Thank you Ma'am, I've been out of it for a month, what have we learned so far? Or do you want to continue this discussion in my quarters?" Leo was anxious to get out of sick bay, he hated being injured. He hated not being able to help his men if something went all to hell.

"We can continue this. That will give me a chance to get you a copy of the reports," Sam said.

Leo nodded and looked at the Nurse. "Is there a way I can take these in pill form, and the Nurse can make sure that I am taking them Nurse?"

"No, not in pill form. Is there a problem with getting the hypospray? Whether you like it or not, you will have to take the medication by this," she waved the instrument. Barbara approached the biobed. "Turn on your right side," she ordered.

"I'll see you shortly," Sam said, wanting to leave Leo with his dignity. With a nod to the nurse, she turned and walked out of the room.

Leo did as instructed and sighed. He hated hypos, they didn't feel right.

The nurse injected the medication to his left hip and disposed the instrument. "All done. I will get your papers ready and we will transfer you to your quarters with an assigned nurse, which will be Laura Tay'ork. Any questions?"

"Yea, does this Vulcan at least have a sense of humor?" Leo asked with a chuckle. "You don't have to answer that Nurse, Miss Tay'ork will most likely be able to tell me when I need to take my meds, and any side effects. Thank you for understanding."

OFF

Captain Samantha York
Commanding Officer
USS Calypso

Marine Captain Leroy Mangalia
Marine Commanding Officer (Injured)
USS Calypso

Lieutenant J.G. Jason Hart, M.D.
Assistant Chief Medical Officer
USS Calypso

MCPO Barbara Tarango
Head Nurse
USS Calypso

 

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