<USS Avalon> Survivors: Day three...the aftermath...

Rae fell to her knees between Linc and Mac. "Shit, TRAN GET OVER HERE. Linc, 
what do I do? How do I help?"
 
Linc looked at her blankly a moment then seemed to snap out of it. "we,um...we 
have to..." He said slowly, trying to focus."We need to.."
 
"It’s okay, Doc. I’ve got it." Tran interrupted him, kneeling next to him, 
quickly assessing the situation. 
 
"He’s shocky. They both are," he told Rae quietly, noting the change in pallor 
of both men. 
 
"FIELDING," Rae said, spying the supplies that she knew, like the lights that 
now surrounded them, were not there before. "Scan that shit over there to make 
sure it’s not tainted then bring me the medical supplies. All of them. Now."
 
"Where did that come from?" Fielding asked curiously. 
 
"don’t know don’t care," Rae said gruffly. "MOVE!"
 
"Yes, ma’am," Fielding responded, quickly scanning the supplies and dragging 
over the bandages so they could tend the wounded. "They scan clean." 
 
"Good, distribute food and water as needed then resume your post." Rae 
directed, turning back to Tran. "What’s next?"
 
Packing Linc’s shoulder with gauze and wrapping it tightly to help stop the 
bleeding, Tran answered, "You’ve got to control the bleeding. There’s not much 
else we can do right now. Apply direct pressure to the wounds. I’ll help you 
pack them and wrap them as soon as I’m done here." 
 
"How is he?" she asked, looking at Linc critically.
 
"He's lost a lot of blood but I think he'll be okay. We'll want to get him to 
drink something in awhile, keep him warm and let him rest," Tran answered as 
he eased Linc into a prone position, elevating his feet and covering him with 
blankets, then turned to Mac. He began packing the wounds, wincing when Mac 
cried out.
 
"Son-of-a-bitch," Mac hissed.
 
"Sorry, sir." Tran answered sincerely. "But we’ve got to stop the bleeding." He 
glanced at Rae and said quietly. "See if we have anything to start IV’s with." 
 
Rae rummaged through the supplies but came up empty. "Nothing. Plenty of 
bandages, but that’s about it. I guess whoever left the stuff didn’t know much 
about medicine."
 
"It’ll have to do," Tran answered. "I’m really worried about the fluid loss, 
but I’m not sure we want to try too much by mouth with injuries like this. If 
they’re internal, and I’m betting they are, we could be begging for more 
trouble than we’ve already got."
 
"So what do we do?" Rae demanded, looking at her friend’s ashen features as 
Tran helped him lay back and, as he had with Linc, elevated his feet and 
covered him with blankets.
 
"Just watch him. I’ll try to rig up something if I have to." Tran answered 
nervously, then added. "Just pray I don’t have to."
 
"Can you though," Rae asked. "If you have to?"
 
"I think so," he answered uncertainly. Looking at her then, he admitted. "I’m a 
xenobiologist, not a doctor. I covered the basics, but that’s it. I’m not 
really equipped for this."
 
"Just do the best you can," Rae sighed, not wanting to stress the young man out 
too much. Especially not when he was all they had left. "What else should we 
watch them for?"
 
"Signs of fever – chills, cold sweats – um…delerium…" he said, trying hard to 
remember all the cautions he’d learned so long ago. "Altered consciousness…"
 
"I think we’re beyond that," Rae replied, looking at the two men. "Linc’s out, 
and Mac…well…"
 
"Still here," he answered weakly. "awake…" forcing himself to smile, though it 
didn’t reach his pain-filled eyes, he added, "some people won’t shut up."
 
"Smart ass," Rae responded, trying hard to keep it light for his sake. "Some 
guys’ll do anything to get out of their turn at guard duty, huh?"
 
"guess so," he whispered tiredly. "...will it work?"
 
"Sure…this time." Rae answered, glancing at Tran, who scanned him quickly with 
a tricorder and frowned, shaking his head. "You rest." She told Mac, trying not 
to panic at Tran’s expression. "I got this one."
 
"Thanks," Mac sighed as his eyes drifted closed. 
 
Tran handed her the tricorder so she could see the readouts herself, suggesting 
sadly, "Pray help comes soon."


      

Other related posts: