Diagnosis: Dawn (2/2)

Posted on 12 Feb 2013 @ 12:40am by Lieutenant Dawn Meridian & Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn M.D.

1,476 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 03 - Frontier
Location: USS Galileo - Sickbay, Deck 4
Timeline: MD-1 1448 hours

Previously.....

Wincing slightly, Pola started to compare the vitals she'd collected and compare it to Dawn's base line on file. "Aside from the Klingon's already onboard, I'll be quite happy if I don't see another one for quite sometime. In relation to medical staff there's myself, the two Jessicas of which one's an intern and the other a nurse, Eda and Varek."

"I look forward to meeting them," she said cheerily. "It's odd actually being able to know the entire medical staff. I was stationed on a big ship before - a Galaxy - and it seemed like every time I went to sickbay, it was filled with people I didn't recognise." She let out a breath. "It wasn't very... welcoming. Not like this."

And now.....

Smiling at the comment which she perceived as a compliment, Pola rubbed the back of her neck as she looked around. "It can be hard when there's a ship wide emergency, generally we receive aid from the counselling staff but...I like it. For my first opportunity to be Chief Medical Officer it's nice. My staff know me as more than a face and can have a true confidence in me. It's just difficult when we lose someone, it hits hard."

A wave of pain moved across her eyes as Pola remembered the people they had lost including their nurse Vera. Smiling softly, she looked back around to Dawn. "Sorry...get carried away sometimes."

Dawn shook her head softly, her grey eyes wide. "Don't worry about it. That's the best and worst part about smaller ships. On a bigger ship, when you lose someone, you don't always know them. The hole isn't as big." She closed her eyes. "But if you think about it... at least here, you had a chance to know them. Sure, they leave a bigger hole, but at least they meant something to you."

She smiled slightly. "It's bittersweet, I guess. But I don't think I'd trade it for anything."

Looking at Dawn for a moment, Pola touched her arm slightly as she remembered Kate. Feeling tears welling in her eyes, she was unable to stop herself leaning in to hug the woman, whispering very softly, "Thank you..."

Dawn hugged Pola back. Her paranoia about sickbay wasn't the only reason she'd decided not to be a doctor. As a counsellor, she dealt with knowing people, with learning as much as she could about them, with helping them. Seeing them fade away before her eyes... hurt her, more deeply than almost anything else. "That's what I do," she whispered, fighting back a sudden wave of sadness.

Lingering in the hug for a few moments more, Pola finally pulled away as she swatted at her tears and attempted a smile. "Sorry. I'm gonna blame that on hormones, time of the month...whichever excuse works for us girls when we need to explain sudden spurts of tears."

Dawn tilted her head. "You don't have to apologise," she said softly. "Everything's been rough, as far as I can tell, classified or not." She lightly pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's strange to be outside of all that, at least for now. I feel like I'm missing something."

Moving back to the scans, Pola still couldn't believe that she'd allowed herself to loose control so easily. "Sometimes it's easier to be out of the loop. A lot happened, people died, other's have been scarred. In all honesty...we've had so many people leave and be replaced that you're not alone in being out of the loop at least."

"Maybe," Dawn said, glancing down. "But just because it's easier doesn't mean it's better. I like to understand people. It's why I do what I do. So missing out on that kind of thing makes me feel a bit empty." She rubbed the back of her head. "Apparently I'm really depressing today."

Realising that she wasn't the only one in a weird mood today, Pola placed her hand against Dawn's arm as she tried to make a joke. "Maybe it's that time of the month? Isn't there an old wife's tale about women in close quarters managing to end up syncing?" Wincing slightly, Pola blushed slightly, "Sorry...I think I'm developing Cyrus' sense of humour."

Dawn couldn't help smiling. "That would explain a lot. Not going to be so great if the entire medical staff is offat the same time, though." She laughed softly. "Cyrus... Kiwosk, right? I've heard a lot about him. Sounds like a troublemaker." Her smile widened.

Picking back up her PADD to update the woman's medical file, Pola couldn't suppress the laugh which bubbled up inside of her chest. "Troublemaker...may I ask what stories you've heard?"

Dawn shrugged. "That he somehow managed to be fired and re-hired in the span of a few days. That he punched a tree hard enough to split the bark. That he has a psych eval with me pretty soon." She blinked. "I guess that last one isn't much of a story."

As she finished the final notes, Pola pressed her thumb against the screen in order to sign the counsellor as medically fit for duty. "It sounds like you've heard one side of the story and you haven't heard about the soft, kind hearted and loving side of him who'd do anything for a friend or somebody he cares about."

Dawn nodded. "He sounds like a wonderful person," she said. "I make a point of not judging books by their covers. Or people by their rumours. Even if those rumours include punching trees." She paused. "I like trees."

Laughing, Pola powered down the PADD and took a step back. "If it helps make you feel any better, I'm fairly certain that he hurt himself more than he hurt that tree. He needed quite a repair job done afterwards."

"I'd imagine," Dawn said with a laugh. "So I'm not dying, then?"

Shaking her head, Pola nodded her head towards the exit as a smile alight her lips. "Nope, you'll survive to see another few years. I'd recommend making a run for it before I find something medical orientated to try keep you here."

"Good idea," Dawn said, hopping off the biobed and stretching. "Wouldn't want to be stuck here. People might think I enjoy being around." She grinned. "I have an appointment with my swivel chair. I mean... a patient. Very psychiatric work." She started for the door, paused, and gave a slight curtsey. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Pola," she said brightly. "It's good to know that the Galileo's doctors aren't all needles and doom."

Giving the woman a mock salute with a smile, Pola leaned her hip against the biobed which Dawn had just vacated. "No...we are just needles, doom and lollipops." With a glint in her eyes, she extracted a lollipop from her pocket. "Would you like one?"

"You... keep lollipops on you?" Dawn narrowed her eyes playfully. "If this is a trap, it looks like you've got me." She hesitated. "Yes, I would like one, please."

Laughing, Pola held the lollipop with reaching distance for Dawn. "One of your colleagues in counselling has a young daughter, I find it handy to keep one or two in my pocket. It also helps soften up the men who think medicals and seeking medical help is above them. You should give it a try in counselling."

"I hadn't thought about bribery." Dawn winked and took the candy. "That... actually makes a lot of sense." She shrugged. "It would work on me, anyway. Apparently."

Laughing, Pola put both her hands back in her overcoat pockets. "Well we don't know that for definite. I offered you the lollipop after he'd gotten your medical finished and signed off. You did pretty good without any bribery from my perspective."

"This time." Dawn slipped the lollipop into her mouth. "Now that I know you're a source of candy, sickbay is doomed." After a moment, she smiled. Cherry was her favourite.

Laughing, Pola shrugged her shoulders. "I'll just have to ensure that I replicate more. Just don't let the secret out, only my favourite people get to be offered one."

"Deal." She paused. "Thanks, Pola. For everything. If you ever need any extra help in sickbay, just let me know." She nursed the lollipop. "I'm not bad at the doctor thing. Usually."

Waving the woman off, Pola smiled as she headed off to ready for the next medical, delighted that a medical for a crew member had gone so easily and so well. Here was hoping the rest of the mission was like this.


[OFF]

Lieutenant Commander Pola Ni Dhuinn
Chief Medical Officer
USS Galileo

Lieutenant (JG) Dawn Meridian
Counsellor
USS Galileo

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