Messages

I hate to be that person, but I'd like to go into the reserves for now. I just don't have the focus to write right now. Nothing bad, just the dopamine going in other directions.

Hopefully I'll be back soon.

Character(s) affected: Buehler
Assigned ship(s): Challenger
Period of time absent: 2 weeks
Date of last period of activity: now
Date returning: 18 July

Any relevant comments:

In a rut.

[[ Ensign Seyefa - Sickbay - USS Challenger-A ]]

[ Ensign Seyefa - Sickbay - USS Challenger-A ]

Ensign Seyefa rubbed her head, "Hit my head, felt like it cut, disoriented and throwing up, trouble standing. I think thats it. Pounding headache. Any way I can get back to work soon? Or least tell the Chief Engineer I am not reporting for duty?"

[Sickbay]

"Don't worry about that right now," he told the girl gently. Evan was glad to swe that she was able to speak, but he didn't like the way it sounded, slow and heavy, like eyelids fighting sleep. "I'm sure your chief already knows you're here, but we'll send her a message anyways, letting them know to not expect you back until ar least tomorrow." Reaching for a hypospray, Evan pressed it to the Ensign's neck. After it released its contents with a soft hiss, he added, "That's should help you feel better in the mean time. But remember, head injuries are nothing to sneeze at, so take things easy for a bit."

[[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir - Sickbay - Deck 7]]

[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir - Sickbay - Deck 7]

Ruth glanced over at the bed where Melly was and gave her a quick smile, trying to reassure the girl that there was nothing to worry about.

Seeing the Ensigns engaging in the game she wasn't sure if Melly would see her smile, but she was grateful that first, she seemed to be enjoying herself, and secondly there was a level of concentration she likened to playing a game of chess... enjoyable yet challenging.

She made a mental note to thank Kina when she had the chance, unofficially, maybe a night of fun with her own sisters, Melly and Kyan, Lahr... younger, or at least mentally younger she reminded herself once again knowing that Melly was quite a bit older than them in years but it was like dog or cat years.... a 15 year old cat in terms of human years, was roughly 80 in cat years.

The CSO turned her full attention back to the doctor, waiting for his verdict on her idea.

Evan listened as the CSO spoke, focusing intently to make sure he processed everything that she said, because audio processing was not his strong suit, and this was an important topic. "I agree with you completely," he replied after a moment. "I did notice the brands and I can see that being a good incentive for her to continue the journey towards recovery. I do not currently see it posing any risks to her physical health and it could very well improve her mental health."

[USS Challenger-A - Sickbay]

When they finally reached the Sickbay, Aarwendil helped the other Ensign enter the room. "œDoctor, she hit her head." he said to the man that was there. "œThere are others like her coming. I think that some are even in worse conditions."

[Sickbay]

No sooner had the thought of casualties crossed his mind than the doors to sickbay opened to admit his first patient. "Thank you, Ensign," Evan said to the young man in yellow. "No doubt you're right," he added as he transferred the injured woman onto a biobed with the young man's help.

"Are you yourself injured at all, Ensign ---?" Evan asked, not finding any visible marks as he gave the kid a quick once over. He turned his attention back to the woman on the biobed, running a scanner around her head to check for internal bleeding. Thankfully there was none, and the gash on her forehead, though considerable, wasn't quite as scary as it looked. Flesh wounds on the face tended to bleed like a stuck pig. The concussion, however, was another story.

[[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir CSO - Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Challenger-A]]

[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir CSO - Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Challenger-A]

"Buehler it is then Herr Doktor!" she said with a smile.  "Do you have a moment to discuss something, privately?" she said trying not to make it overly obvious that she was talking about Melly.  The CSO had had an idea and wanted to run it by the doctor before running it by Melly.  Mostly because she was wary of promising something that wouldn't actually be a medical possibility.
...
Ruth too eyed the board.  "Kotra, hmmm.  After I've had a word with Mr. Buehler, if he's free now, perhaps you'd let me observe.  I'm not familiar with it."

[Sickbay]

Evan observed for a moment as Nural interacted with their patient. Miss Melly seemed absolutely delighted to try a foreign food, and perhaps the treat would be enough to redirect her focus, allowing her mind to relax while her body enjoyed the meal.

"Hmm?" he replied, the question nudging him back to the present. "Of course, Commander." Only after the words came out of his mouth did he remember her preference to avoid formalities. "Just this way." He stepped out of the room into the small hallway, taking half a dozen steps so they were just far enough away to be out of earshot but close enough should an emergency arise.

[Challenger - Sickbay]

Evan did not need to be on the bridge to know that they were being fired at. The ship rocked and recoiled, her normally graceful movement stuttering like a man walloped against his chest. He should have known it was coming, but the first jolt still caught Evan off guard and he had to grip the edge of his work station just to keep from falling out of his chair.

Once the ship settled long enough to stand, he rose, shaking the stiffness from his hands. Thankfully, everything in sickbay was secured in place as it wouldn't do to have important medicine or tools flying across the room and breaking. The same couldn't be said for the people. Evan heard a few groans, knowing it was only a matter of time before other members of the crew started to trickle in.

[Three days later.]

Three days later.

The Challenger had dropped out of warp and could see the Breen station on sensors. It was time for the 'show' of pursuing Cloten's ship. The long wait was over, it was time for action.

"Red Alert. Battlestations. Raise Point of Impact Shields. Helm, full impulse. Attack pattern Gamma Two ta starboard. T'Kel, full load on the photons, we have ta make this look real, but perhaps be a wee bit off target for once. I'm sure'n the away team will appreciate that."

At that point, the Challenger drove a straight course on Cloten's ship, firing four torpedoes at maximum range. At 250,000 km distance from the target, she executed a one quarter-roll and dove hard off the galactic plane. Once 50,000 km below the plane, she banked back to port as she circled to fly around to Cloten's flank firing a pair of phasers as she closed. Thanks to T'Kel's excellence marksmanship, Cloten's ship was rocked by four near misses by the photons, but taking two solid phaser hits on her starboard shields.

[Sickbay]

With the ensign Melly successfully out of the 72 hour hold, sickbay was a lot quieter. She might not realize it, but the crew was already rather fond of her. It was only a matter of time before she saw the worth in herself that others could already see.

He was just finishing up the case notes when the klaxon of the red alert jarred him from his thoughts. Evan closed the file, bringing up a short to-do list he had written to stay organized during a red alert. Quickly working through each item, he got sickbay ready should any casualties come through.

[[Sickbay / USS Challenger]]

[Sickbay / USS Challenger]

Kina walked into sickbay and offered a soft smile to Lieutenant Buehler. "œHello Lieutenant. I brought something for Melly. I'm hoping it will help her with her recovery."

[Sickbay]

Another face joined the party. "Ah, great idea, Miss Nural," Evan said with a smile, grateful to have a thoughtful ensign within his own department. "That was very kind of you."

[Lt. Ruth Sigurdsdottir - Sickbay, Deck 7 - USS Challenger]

"Oh, Lt. Buehler.  I believe you have met me but it's been a while.  I've been away teaching at the Academy."

She nodded towards the patient.

"Noted re Melly.  Do you prefer to be called Lieutenant, Doctor or something less formal.  By the way, unless occasion demands such decorum, I'm Ruth, since I'm sure you know this blue reprobate, you'll understand I don't do 'formal' that much!" she replied to the doctor with a smile.

"Á,,Á¤hhm, you're probably right," he told Ruth. "I'm terrible with names and faces." He arched his brows in a playful grimace. "I followed my wife from one ship to another as she was promoted. We've probably crossed paths. Just 'Buehler' is fine. I don't much use in referring to people by rank either. It doesn't affect how the job is done; it's just a title."

[Sickbay]

Lahr's... partner? An awkward tingle ran down Evan's spine, which wasn't altogether uncommon when he encountered unexpected stimuli. The revelation was almost enough to break his brain for a moment. "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," he said to their new CSO. It took a fair amount of effort to not mention hiw his wife had once held that position. With how often he wanted to mention her in conversation, it was clear he missed his family more than he thought he would.

"I've already seen a marked improvement in Miss Melly's temperament," he added. "So at this point, the remainder of the 72 hour hold is more of time to simply rest and relax. After said tike frame, she should be clear to resume duties."

[Sickbay]

As usual, Evan found it easier to listen than to speak. A lot of people took that to mean he was a good person to bare their naked souls to. While he was glad he could serve that purpose for them, he often wound up learning daunting secrets and information he could do nothing with. So he did what he did best and listened.

"I'm sure her moves were a sight to see," he said to Lahr after a moment, noting how the man looked away. Lahr surely understand now the reason for the 72 hour hold. "After my wife was kidnapped, she struggled with similar emotions. It took her a long time to overcome that, and even now it still resurfaces from time to time. It will take time, but you will get through this. Like the blue man says, you are a person. And we will be here to keep reminding you."

[Sickbay]

Evan could feel the Andorian's energy long before he could see the blue man turning the corner. Lahr had a certain presence that was hard to hide, in a way loud without making a single sound. It made a good counterpoint to Melly's more subdued nature and could be just what she needed to come out of her shell a bit.

"Nice to see you in Sickbay for once, Lahr. I promise not to give you any jabs without your consent," Evan laughed. Turning to Melly, he added, "food is ok, provided it's mostly finger foods." Ice cream wouldn't have been his first choice, but the smile on her face was worth it. Sugar was good for dopamine.

[[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger ]]

[ Ensign Myne | Sickbay | USS Challenger ]

"I would be happy to try the blanket. I used to sleep inside a Choraii for a decade. They are a breathable liquid inside. It was so warm and it felt like this blanket but heavier. I would love to try a weighted one. It might remind me of them..", Myne smiled thinking of the singing she would hear inside.

Melting into the Doctors hug.. she was a hugger herself and desperately needed hugs to survive one owner told her. "I... will be called whatever you wish to call me. If your not happy saying Myne... I will respond to Melly. Kyan, my room mate says he will only call me Melly now. So please whatever you want to call me."

"You don't know me Doctor? I would love the chance but I don't know what a stable good family is... I sometimes lay on the floor of my quarters in my pillow fort and imagine I had a Daddy telling me I was good and having dinner and the other things in the holovids that happen? But instead I sleep on the floor, all safe in my pillow fort, and I eat only slave Nutri-Goop. Slaves don't get families. They get owners. Till there not wanted then they are sold.", the shaking started more in ernest as tears dripped from her eyes onto the shoulder of the Doctor.

Seeing what she did she reached up and slapped herself with a firm loud smack, "Bad. This one is sorry."

[Sickbay]

Like with many other problems in life, the simplest solution was usually the best. Evan knew there was a name for this phenomenon, but it was at the tip of his tongue. The point was, hugs were pure magic in a way that even the best meds could never be.

"Well, Miss Melly," he said with a smile, "consider yourself part of the Buehler family if you want. We aren't perfect, but we're happy and grateful for what we have. You're not a slave anymore. You get to choose your family now." He was surprised she only hit herself once this time. Progress?

Then the message came threw. As her padd she had on the table started pinging.

Rather than try to verbalize the name that only had a single vowel, Lahr simple messaged her.

To: Ensign Melly Pwllgwngyll
From: CPO ShranLahr ch'Verret

Hey MP,
I'm on break in the Deck 16 Crew Lounge. If you feel like some company, join me.... or I could go to you if you aren't feeling like too much company.

"Doctor? Could you look please? If that is okay? I don't know what a 72 hour entails so I don't know if I can answer?", Melly whimpered to the Doctor.[/b]

Evan gently took the padd from her, quickly skimming through the message. How serendipitous, he thought. He typed a quick reply.

Heyo, Lahr. This is Buehler. Melly is under a 72 hour psychiatric hold, but you're more than welcome to visit. I'm sure she'd love that.

He handed the padd back to Melly. "You're more than welcome to use the padd, provided you don't hit yourself with it... but it looks like Lahr might pop in."

[Sickbay]

Sometimes Evan forgot that what was normal for him wasn't necessarily normal for everyone else. Like his brain constantly spinning a million miles an hour. "Weighted blankets have sand in them to make them heavier," he explained. "I might just prescribe you one."

Myne's reaction to the name caught him completely off guard. So it was a before name, but not one that had a bad meaning for her. "You're not a slave anymore," he reminded her, hugging her again. He could feel her shaking, like it was trying to reject something that was a part of her.

"There are plenty of real people that only have one name, like the Vulcans. My wife has two names, but that's because her father was human. And when we got married, she decided not to take my name." Evan paused, trying to hold onto his train of thought while coaching it in the right direction.  "My point is, you can choose what name you want to be called by. I will keep calling you Myne if you want, but I won't like it. But I understand that it can be hard to let go of bad things because they get so engrained."

Another idea suddenly popped into his head. "So I know you probably want your own kids some day. But in the mean time, maybe you'd like to be an aunt to my kids. I know the kids would love you and I'm sure my wife would be on board with it."

["Understood. Proceed in whatever manner you deem necessary. However, it is advised that your patient be referred to as Ensign Melly Pwllgwyngyll goin' forward."]

[Bridge - USS Challenger]

Ian felt a pang of sympathy for the young, not young ensign. He typed a quick reply.

"Understood. Proceed in whatever manner you deem necessary. However, it is advised that your patient be referred to as Ensign Melly Pwllgwyngyll goin' forward."

Finished with his review of the drill data. He tapped his combadge.

"Galloway ta Said. How are your simulations goin'."

[Sickbay]

Evan was grateful for a commanding officer who was willing to accommodate his style of communication. He loathed using his comm badge, feeling like he had to fight to catch every word that came through and still lose half of it in the process. Text based was far more efficient and allowed him to catch more of the nuance, like the fact that Myne should be called Melly? Evan shrugged before returning to his patient. It would at least be a good seque to continue their conversation.

He smiled to see Myne wrapped in a warm blanket. "Did you that wrapping yourself in a blanket like that helps produce more of the happy chemicals in your brain?" he asked. "Especially weighted blankets, which really lean into 'deep pressure stimulation'." The physics of medicine were exciting, he thought.

"I do have a question, if you feel up to it," Evan added. "Can you tell me about the name Melly?"