(OOC...somewhat of a backlog, this occurs before Rangi treats General
Sharpe in sickbay)
*** Main Infirmary * SB Unity ***
Rangi had been ready and waiting in the main infirmary long before
Chimera was due home. Scott Fisher, CMO on board, had sent detailed
medical records of Major Cortez' condition and it was sobering
reading. Rangi had gathered a team and they were ready in the surgical
unit when Cortez was beamed aboard. The delicate procedure was time
consuming and at the end of it, Cortez survival rate was at best,
50/50 and that was being overly optimistic.
Those who believed in such things would say some entity had a
particular fondness for him and so had given a modicum of protection
but the apparent fact was that if the Romulan Disruptors beam had been
a pinch further to the left, Cortez would have been a name on a'
killed in action' list. His body armor had saved him, that much was
certain but even it could not deflect such a strong beam and had in
fact been fried, disintegrating into crisp flakes and molten liquid
both of which had entered Cortez' chest cavity and done its own damage
there.
'Ironic'. That's the first thing that popped into Cortez' mind as his
eyes opened and he saw Summers face staring at him, he'd expected to
be dead. At first it was blurry, but after a few moments it began to
straighten out and he realized he was still alive. He let in a deep
breath and swallowed. He tried moving, but his entire body felt numb
to the bone. "What the hell have you done to me", he managed to gasp
weakly at Rangi's face as it slowly focused in.
"You're in the infirmary on Unity." Rangi replied. Her tone was quiet
and calm."..and you're sedated because you needed surgery. Do you
remember what happened to you?"
Cortez swallowed the warm saliva that was forming in his mouth, he
paused as if his mind was rebooting, "I failed", he finally said
after several seconds of silence.
"You were injured." Rangi replied. " Quite seriously and that's why
you were beamed straight here."
A nurse, standing on the opposite side of the bed, reached out to dab
at the sides of his mouth with a cooling pad that wiped away a dribble
of saliva.
"You've had some surgery but you need more and I need to explain what
it is. Can you understand me?"
Richard nodded his head at Rangi's question. Glancing to his side he
saw another familiar face. He recognized the nurse from the sickbay
on the Chimera. "I'm sorry if I hurt you", he said now ignoring
Summers.
"You didn't" Natalie replied and gave a small smile. When Scott Fisher
had made arrangements for emergency transport, she had volunteered to
accompany him and he, reasoning that Natalie had nursed Cortez from
the outset, had agreed to it, actually taking little time over the
decision. Scott too was with the group, carefully monitoring Cortez
and the life support. Rangi glanced to him, checking herself and he
gave a short nod and answering her questioning expression replied "
It's ok."
She turned her attention back to Cortez. "You need extensive surgery."
she said and I need your permission to do it."
Richard looked over at Scott who's eye was a bit swollen and somewhat
red and let out a small laugh, which turned into a wet cough. "What
is it you want to do to me Doc", he finally responded switching his
gaze back to Summers.
"I want to give you some new lungs " she answered and saw the shock
and disbelief appear on his face. "The disruptor caused alot of
damage and that was accentuated by your own body armor. You've
suffered a whole host of injuries but basically what it boils down to
is that you have a choice. We can rebuild and we can carry out a
transplant but because of other issues I have to tell you that the
prognosis is poor....possibly depending on a life support system or at
best a relatively short life." She flicked a glance in Scotts
direction. He was looking worried as he studied the sensors. Turning
back to Cortez she said: " There's a new treatment. Its not a
transplant as such but rather a new set of your 'own' lungs.I want
your permission to take that line. I'm sorry to be so blunt but you
have to make a decision."
Richard swallowed. "I don't want to be hooked up to a machine for the
rest of my life, do whatever you think is best", he added rolling his
head back to the side to get perhaps one more glimpse of the pretty
nurse. He gave her a wink, "Don't worry, she's always this
melodramatic", motioning with his head towards Summers.
Natalie smiled to him not caring if he was disrespectful to Unitys CMO
or not. She admired him. {If someone just told me I was dying I
wouldn't be making a joke.} she thought.
Rangi had been watching his face and the expressions that passed
across it and she had seen, or thought she had, a moment, albeit
fleeting, when he had face his own mortality. Scotts voice caused her
to look at him. " Rangi" he'd said to gain her attention and looked
pointedly now at the monitor.She turned back to Cortez. " I want to do
whats best for you." she said.
"I know" Richard said softly, "Because if you mess up I'll come back
and haunt you". He did his best to smile and closed his eyes which
were suddenly becoming very heavy. "Besides" he continued talking,
"You still owe me one, after this we're even.....Or maybe I'll owe you
one...we'll work it out in a few days", he added.
Natalie found herself blinking very fast for it wouldnt do at all to
shed tears over a patient, particularly when he was still alive.
"So be it." Rangi answered, though whether Cortez could hear her or
not she couldnt tell.
In reality Cortez was supremely confident in Summers doctoring
abilities. He'd never seen anyone match her level. If anyone could
save him, she could...not that he would ever tell her that. "Don't
screw up", his voice trailed off before he once again passed out.
=/-\= End Log =/-\=
Commander Rangi Summers
CMO
SB Unity
Major Richard Cortez
CSEC
USS Chimera
Lieutenant Scott Fisher
CMO
USS Chimera
+
Natalie
Nurse
USS Chimera
