ten_fwd | [Sickbay]: Round 21 Scans and Vaccines

If this is your first trip to Sickbay, you may be surprised to see that it's a fairly ordinary-looking hospital. There are no terrifying devices or humming machines you might see in a sci-fi thriller. The biobeds along the walls are equipped with biofunction monitors, but look fairly standard. Instead of silver trays filled with metal tools and sawblades, there are an array of small devices that look as harmless as cell phones. As for the staff, they're all well-groomed and friendly — even the more unusual aliens.

If you're new to the ship, no doubt you've been escorted here by the security team. Nothing to worry about, the doctors just want to make sure you aren't carrying any viruses or are vulnerable to terrible space disease. Once you've been checked over — a quick scan from a tricorder and any necessary vaccines — you'll be free to go. Lollipops are optional.

"All right, step on in," one of them calls out as you enter. "Don't be afraid. It's just a scan and a hypospray, nothing to worry about."

[ooc: Sickbay is, as always, OTA and open until the next one goes up for latecomers! For new characters: tagging isn't mandatory but IC going to sickbay is. If you'd prefer to skip threading with one of our doctors, you can handwave that your character got a clean bill of health and a shot and were sent on their merry way. There will be a post up in the OOC comm shortly with more details about Sickbay and which doctors are on deck this month, if you have any questions.]

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Cridhe was worried about the Doctor. He had been avoiding her recently and she was less than pleased with that. She knew why. All she had to do was look at him and know. She sees that Beverly's door is open, so she enters and sits down. She is nervously playing with her lips as she debates how to have this conversation. It is a few minutes before she can say anything. Without preamble, she begins.

"Say that a passenger might unknowingly pose a threat to themselves or others, what protocols are in place to keep everyone safe?"

Not that she thinks the Doctor would ever hurt anyone. But he thinks he would and that's all that matters right now.

As is Beverly's way, she just offers a smile as Cridhe sits down, waiting for the woman to speak. Once Cridhe does, well... That gets Beverly's attention pretty much instantly and she frowns.

"That sounds like something that should be brought to our Chief of Security. What sort of threat are we talking about?"

Cridhe's eyes go wide for a moment, this is not at all what she wanted. But humans are funny creatures. Perhaps she hadn't explained it properly. She takes a breath.

"It's medical." She pauses, searching for the right phrase. "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Or perhaps something akin to it. Some societies separate out different disorders in response to trauma, I am just not sure about your time. Currently, I'm most worried about this person having night terrors and then sleep-walking."

She'll stop there. How does she explain the Doctor has been avoiding her? She knows how to help him, but he's too afraid of hurting others or causing others pain to allow for help.

Ah. A threat to himself is different, she supposes. At least in the way she is coming to understand it now. That particular disorder is something Beverly is familiar with, intimately so after Zelien.

"That might be something for our team of counselors in that case," she suggests carefully, watching for Cridhe's reaction. "Is there any danger to his sleep-walking?"

They might be able to give him something to knock him out for several hours, but she would prefer not to have to use that route.

Cridhe is certain she never mentioned a gender. But she'll let it slide for now. Sometimes drawing attention to such things, only makes it worse. Beyond that, her expression is only one of thought and consideration.

"You mean beyond the basic dangers anyone faces when they're sleep-walking? Possibly. It depends, of course, on what nightmare causes the sleep-walking. Though, given what I've learned of this person, I would say they are more likely to run and hide than to hurt others. But, dreams are funny things and reactions can't really be predicted."

Which is what has her the most worried. Besides, the Doctor would never go for counseling. She can't even get him to talk to her....

Cridhe's repetition of the genderless pronoun has Beverly making a mental note to use the same. The explanation doesn't make everything clear to Beverly and she tilts her head, trying to work through it. "I suppose if you could bring him in, one of us could take a look at him and give him the option of an aid to keep him from doing that," she muses slowly. "I assume this isn't someone in Starfleet." If it is, that would make her job a lot easier. Which of course means that it isn't the case at all.

Cridhe doesn't know the medicines of this universe yet. Not to the extent the Doctor does. When she's connected to the Mechanics, these sorts of things are much easier.

"Wouldn't such medicines make it worse? What I mean is, sometimes in the effort to prevent someone from having such dreams or giving them paralytic type sleeping aids, that individual ends up trapped within their dreams. This person... has suffered enough. I wouldn't feel comfortable inviting them into a situation where their suffering is prolonged under the guise of making them better."

She may not have a choice. She knows that. But she also needs to look at the situation from all angles.

"I would never give anyone anything that would risk them suffering further," Beverly corrects gently but firmly. "Especially as someone who suffers something similar. I'm here to help. My oath as a doctor means that I won't settle for anything that endangers my patients or prolongs their suffering."

She pauses to let that sink in a minute and to consider her options before continuing. "I would likely still recommend counseling if that is at all an option, but you can rest assured that I would never put this friend of yours through any additional stress or trauma. If we can find any way to help your friend, I'm here to try."

Cridhe takes a breath and nods. She had to ask, just to be sure.

"I'm not sure they would be open to counselling, but you have given me a bit to think about. Unfortunately, in all matters such as this one, the individual in question must make the decision. I will present the options. And see how they respond."

She bites her lip. "Thank you... I've not really been in this position before."

Especially where her pilot is concerned. She's used to their psychic link, so situations like this rarely happened. She could help him.

"Of course," Beverly agrees, nodding approvingly. At least until the patient becomes a danger. "If your friend becomes a danger to themselves or to anyone else in the meantime, let me know. We have protocols in place to help. Until then, I'll hope you can get through to them."

It's all about choice, especially in counseling, but she hopes that Cridhe will be able to figure something out.

"It's always difficult when you want to help someone but aren't sure how. Or if the other person will be receptive to it. Coming to me was good and I'll do anything I can to help."

That makes her pause before she gets up to leave.

"The brig. I assume that is the safest location for situations like this? Or are there other places similarly secure on the ship? And could those watching over the person allow them out... once they're awake again?"

Because it's an option that doesn't involve medications.

"I would prefer keeping them in isolation in sickbay. It's easier to monitor their movements and the situation and should, hopefully, seem like less of a prison."

She might not be able to offer much, but keeping someone under observation is much easier in sickbay. They have precautions they can set up to minimize any sort of danger to anyone.

"Not sure it would matter if it felt like a prison or not. I think they would be more concerned with people gawking."

But her tone indicates that she understands. She tries for a smile. Even given the seriousness of the situation.

"Thank you. I'll do what I can when I talk to them."

She really doesn't expect it to go well, but it's a place to start at least.

[Sickbay]: Round 21 Scans and Vaccines

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