Mercy, Mercy Me (Part 1)

Posted on Wed Aug 28th, 2024 @ 11:23pm by Lieutenant Akira Kogami & Lieutenant JG Eradaar Ezazzan & Lieutenant JG Julia Araala
Edited on on Thu Aug 29th, 2024 @ 12:17am

1,683 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: I-402
Location: USS Missouri (NCC-71836), Sickbay, Deck

[ON]

Julia Jeanne Araala sighed as she stood in the middle of her sickbay and turned around in place once, then twice before coming to a halt. The Venture-class starship James Nelson had ferried her at high warp to the Missouri on very little notice from Starbase McKinley, where she’d only been a year and a couple months after the disaster that had been Rochambeau. This woman, known as JJ to anyone who wanted to use it, had been through hell even before that Miranda-class ship had crashed, losing her Chief of Department in one of the phaser bursts, leaving her and a few nurses to care for the rest of the injured crew. Twenty-six hours straight of surgery to save as many as she could, but the loss of the Captain in the middle of that marathon had nearly broken her and she’d thought it HAD broken her career. Now she was in her own sickbay, not in the middle of nowhere this time, on a top-line starship even. And she had patients to care for that weren’t in imminent danger of death. She nearly pinched herself to make sure it wasn’t all just a dream.

Eradaar had been through quite the ordeal through the I-400 situation and its subsequent aftermath. While she had fared better than most, she still had her own version of PTSD to deal with. This had stemmed from the effects of the telepathic enemy she and many others had fought - and won - against. Already she had conferred and counseled several officers and crew over the situation, likely the number increasing.

Through her own unique manner of adjusting to situations, she had injured herself in the holodeck following a unique anger therapy session. She entered sickbay to see a new face, surprising her as she held a wrap to her reptilian wrist.

"Oh, hello!" she greeted. "I had expected Dr. Bakshi! May I ask who you are?"

"Dr. Bakshi is unavailable... For the Missouri, at least." JJ gave half a shrug, her smile already fading as she saw the Gorn that was even taller than herself, "She's been reassigned away and I'm her replacement. Lieutenant Junior Grade Julia Araala, but everyone calls me JJ because my middle name starts with that as well. It really was about three days ago I was told I was coming here, took a fast ship to wherever we are now?" Her eyes were drawn to the wrap on the wrist, "What happened?"

"Oh!" Eradaar said, excitedly. "It's wonderful to meet you, JJ! I'm the ships Chief Counselor. My name is Eradaar Ezazzan, but you can call me Eradaar. I've heard some others call be Era too, but I don't mind."

She looked down at her wrist, eyes widening briefly as a sort of discoloration to her snout cheeks appeared - a flush. She cleared her throat, displaying the wrist as she looked up.

"I was practicing some anger counseling to deal with my experiences on the previous mission," she said, her voice slightly subdued. "I was subjected to some very traumatic past memories. As a result I allowed myself to fight the trauma, and this was the result. I was in the holodeck when the injury happened."

"I can relate, Eradaar, but in a rather non-violent manner." JJ responded, "But usually when someone is fighting a traumatic memory, they really don't mean it literally." The doctor reached out and very tenderly lifted the wrist from the forearm to right in front of her, using the very slightest pressure to manipulate the fingers and forearm around the wrist, but not actively that joint, "Does this hurt much?"

"Slightly," the Gorn said. "I did do some damage to it when I was ... trying to come back from the memories."

Julia took the words in as she made the normal scans with the wand of the tricorder, balancing the main device on her own forearm to continue to hold the Gorn's arm. She'd almost made the comment to perhaps use the safety protocols on the holodeck, but there were some people who preferred their victims to fight back. "I see you've got a partial tear in your proximal palmar tensor and a fracture in distal ulna about three centimeters from the head of the bone." She made a 'tch' sound after she made the pronouncement, "Won't be a problem to fix, just take a few minutes to do it right and proper."

Eradaar nodded appreciatively, visibly relaxing as she allowed JJ to take charge of the examination. "Thank you, JJ. I appreciate your expertise and your gentle touch. It's been a while since I've had a proper check-up, given the chaos of recent events."

She gave a small, rueful smile. "And yes, I realize fighting trauma literally might seem a bit extreme. But for me, it was a way to physically expel the pent-up aggression and frustration from those memories. Sometimes, the holodeck can provide a safe environment to do that—though clearly, I might have overestimated my own resilience this time."

As she watched JJ prepare the necessary tools for the procedure, Eradaar continued, "I've heard about the incident with the Rochambeau. I can't even begin to imagine the strain you must have been under. To endure such a marathon of surgery and still stand strong afterward is a testament to your strength and dedication. How have you been coping since then?"

"It's been... Tough." JJ said quietly, "Losing the Skipper was the hardest, I thought I'd got the bleeding stopped, but whenever I patched up one thing, another one popped up. I'm sure you've seen the casualty list, plus the psych reports done on me after the fact."

Eradaar's tone was both curious and compassionate, her eyes conveying genuine interest in JJ's well-being. "I know that sometimes we heal others at the expense of our own mental health. If there's anything you need, whether it's someone to talk to or just a listening ear, I'm here for you. We both have our scars, seen and unseen, and it's important we support each other in dealing with them."

She glanced down at her wrist, then back up at JJ, giving a soft chuckle. "And maybe I'll consider some less physically intense methods of therapy in the future. Or at least take it a bit easier next time."

JJ put on another smile, though at this point she really wasn't feeling it, but one had to put on a confident and bright face for her patients, "Doesn't even have to be less physical, just less um.. Resistance based. Rather than disable the safeties, program in enough feedback to get the pleasure of actually hitting something, but not enough to risk injuring yourself."

Eradaar listened intently as JJ spoke, appreciating the doctor's advice and the sincerity behind her words. She nodded thoughtfully, her reptilian eyes reflecting a mix of gratitude and contemplation.

"That's very wise advice, JJ," Eradaar said, her tone warm and appreciative. "I sometimes forget that there are safer ways to channel my aggression without risking injury. Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely take that into consideration for my future sessions."

She paused, looking more closely at JJ, her expression softening. "And as for you, I can see that you've carried a tremendous burden from the Rochambeau incident. It's clear you're incredibly strong and dedicated, but remember that it's okay to lean on others for support. You're not alone in this. If you ever need to talk, whether it's about your past experiences or just to unwind, my door is always open."

Eradaar gave a gentle smile, trying to convey her genuine support and camaraderie. "We both have our scars, and it's important to help each other heal. Thank you for taking care of me today, JJ. I truly appreciate it."

"We're both professionals, I've got no doubt you're going to help me just as much as I help you." JJ smiled at Eradaar, "And I think I'll take you up on that offer sooner than you might think."

Eradaar nodded. "While I'm here, Doctor... I don’t suppose I could speak to Lieutenant Kogami? I'm here for her mandated psych evaluation."

"Of course you can!" JJ said with that smile of hers, "She's nearly recovered physically, or at least to the point where I'd be comfortable releasing her to quarters rest if she'd stay there. The report of my predecessor notwithstanding, she did do a good job of getting Kogami to this condition."


Eradaar gave a grateful nod to JJ, appreciating the new doctor's support and professionalism. "Thank you, JJ. I appreciate your openness and assistance. I'll take your advice to heart."

With that, Eradaar made her way through the sickbay, her thoughts already shifting to the task ahead. Lieutenant Kogami's psych evaluation was a critical step in her recovery, and Eradaar was determined to provide the best support possible.

As the Gorn eventually located the ward in which Lieutenant Kogami was being housed, she could just barely make out the sounds of someone singing to themselves. The voice was distinctly feminine, but utilized a heavy baritone that at first made it difficult for Eradaar to identify. It took her a good few seconds before she realized that it was coming from Lieutenant Kogami herself:

"Woah, ah, mercy, mercy me,
Ah, things ain't what they used to be,
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows
From the north and south and east..."

Approaching Lieutenant Kogami's biobed, Eradaar took a moment to observe the young officer. Kogami looked physically much better than the reports had indicated, though her eyes still held a hint of the trauma she'd experienced.

"Lieutenant Kogami?" Eradaar's voice was gentle as she approached, ensuring she didn't startle the recovering officer. "I'm Lieutenant JG Eradaar Ezazzan, the ship's Chief Counselor. I understand you're due for a psych evaluation, and I'd like to have a chat with you if you're feeling up to it."

To be continued...

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