Carpathia IV: Episode 181 - Dr. Darius
Lift, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Lifts on the Shadowdancer-A were fast, but today, not fast enough for Aire. Inside, he stood awaiting arrival on the shuttle bay deck, drumming his fingers on the railing. When the lift slowed to a halt, Aire rushed through the doors before they were even fully open. From there, he ran down the cooridor, crew flattening themselves against the bulkheads instantly when they saw him coming, and did not stop until he reached the shuttle bay. There, he spotted Sorchae, gripping her tablet tightly and studying its contents intently.
Aire: Doctor!
Sorchae didn't say anything, but held up her hand at Aire's face. Then she started speaking into her tablet.
Sorchae: Systolic pressure now?
Mikado: 93.9
Sorchae: That's good. Keep a close eye on him, Darius. With that hole in his heart, things can go south in a hurry. I want you to do a full scan of the wound area and relay the data to me. I'm going to run some predictive algorithms.
Darius: I won't take my eyes off him until we get to the ship, Doctor.
Sorchae: Can Nalma hear me?
Nalma: Affirmative.
Sorchae: I want a six-axis scan on that piece of vine with particular emphasis on genome and secretions.
Nalma: Got it. I'll start right away.
Sorchae: How's Kit?
Darius: Tuomas is getting bandages on him. It's a nasty gash on his side. Not life-threatening, but it's more than our handheld dermal regenerators can handle.
Sorchae: Apprise me of any changes. Sorchae out.
Sorchae lowered her tablet and, without so much as a howdy-do, turned to Aire.
Sorchae: Time to arrival?
Aire: 12 minutes. I ordered Teek to position the ship to provide the shortest route possible.
Sorchae: Okay, stay here. Things could change in a...well, heartbeat.
Aire: I'll be right here, Doctor.
Sorchae nodded and held up her tablet, studying the readings coming in from the runabout.
Runabout
Despite the improving situation, Kit on the mend and Amenaru stable, there was still a healthy amount of tension in the runabout, particularly the bio bed where Amenaru laid. Mikado stood at the end of the bed, keeping a close watch on the readings on the screen above Amenaru's head while Darius worked on the scans that Doctor Teagan asked for.
Darius: Keep an eye on that screen. Tell me if any of those numbers turn red.
Mikado: I'll let you know.
Darius: Amenaru, how's the Naproxeline working?
Ameanru grunted and muttered barely intelligible words.
Amenaru: Mm... Issa goo.
Darius: Good enough. Just hang tight while I scan you for Dr. Teagan.
No more shaky handheld scanners for Darius this time, as the runabout was equipped with a more stable, more precise scanner attached to the bio bed. Darius slid the scanner along the track attached to the base and carefully began to calibrate the scanner to the exact position to get the readings that Dr. Teagan wanted.
Darius: Thanks for helping out, by the way.
Mikado: That's what we do, right? Still, you're pretty skilled for a cadet. You could be an official nurse on the ship already.
Darius: I'm not anywhere near that level yet. I still have a long way to go, but I did do pre-med in high school. Anything medical and you're in for a long journey.
Mikado: I guess so. I wouldn't know, really, but you seem to have it together.
Darius: Time will tell.
Mikado didn't know what Darius was doing, but he seemed to be concentrating. Best to leave him alone for now, he thought, and focus on his own task of watching the bio bed monitors. He didn't have time to watch for long, a minute or two at most, before something on the screen caught his eye.
Mikado: Darius, nothing's red yet, but that systolic number is dropping fast. 85... no, 80...
Darius's ears pricked up on his head immediately. By the time he looked up at the readings, the number was already below 65 and still dropping.
Darius: Get Dr. Teagan!
Mikado didn't have to call anyone, as his tablet beeped.
Mikado: She's already calling us.
40... 35... 30...
Sorchae: What's happening down there?
25...20... Darius climbed onto the bio bed, straddling Amenaru as he put his paws on his chest.
Darius: He just started crashing. I'm starting CPR now!
Zero, just as Darius started chest compressions.
Sorchae: Darius, listen carefully. You may have to use a Cardi-Bee. Have you ever used one before?
Darius's speech came in staccato bursts while he tried to answer Sorchae while doing CPR at the same time.
Darius: I've seen... it used... before... briefly... Never used... one myself.
Sorchae: Okay, here's what's going to happen. I'm relaying instructions to Mikado. He can get the Cardi-Bee. You need to find someone else who can do CPR while you get it running. Mikado will give you the instructions. While Mikado is doing that, get an auto-venti on him. I'm going to get the triage bay ready.
Darius: Cardi-Bee! CPR! Triage bay! Acknowledged!
Sorchae: I'll contact you again as soon as I can.
The comm went dead and, before Darius had a chance to start asking around, Teren stepped forward.
Teren: I can take over, Cadet.
Darius looked up only momentarily, just long enough to nod. Teren moved to the bedside and jumped onto the bio bed as soon as Darius dismounted, resuming the CPR.
Shuttle bay, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Back in the shuttle bay, Sorchae tapped close on her comm channel and immediately scanned the room for people she needed.
Sorchae: Tamati, get the triage bay ready. I'll join you in a moment.
Tamati: Right away, Doctor.
Tamati darted to the triage bay, a small medical facility in the back of the shuttle bay for extreme emergencies. Next, she turned to Aire.
Sorchae: Get Minnie, Trex, and Teek and send them to the triage bay lab.
Aire: On it, Sorchae.
Sorchae tucked her tablet under her arm and pulled a smaller one clipped to her belt. After catching sight of Sylvar, she looked down and furiously typed on it.
Sorchae: Sylvar!
Sylvar, farther back in the shuttle bay, jumped at the unexpected bellow of his name and ran toward Sorchae.
Sylvar: Doctor!
Sorchae thrust the small tablet into Sylvar's hands.
Sorchae: Take this to sick bay. They'll give you a box. Bring it to me and wait in the triage lab with the others.
Sylvar took the tablet, not that he had a choice, as it was already in his hands.
Sylvar: Sick bay, box. Got it.
Sylvar took off out of the shuttle bay and down the corridor while Sorchae sprinted to the triage bay to assist Tamati.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
