(no subject)

[dancingmd]

Who: Beverly Crusher, Wrath, The Vision, Jennifer Keller… and maybe you?
Broadcast: No
Action: Iskaulit, Surgical Suite
When: Today!

There’s a new room on the Iskaulit, though it’s not obvious where it is, if you don’t know about it already, as it is inconspicuously tucked away in one of the unused corridors of the ship. More importantly, it’s equipped with biometric security systems, so only a select few can enter without being accompanied by one of the room’s designers. Under Dr. Crusher and Captain Vision’s guidance, various engineers and doctors in the fleet have come together to build a surgical suite with one specific goal in mind: fixing Wrath’s back and removing the ports put there by Compliance. For over a year, Wrath and Beverly have been pursuing this goal and now it’s finally happening.

In the operating room itself, there are only three people, besides Wrath: Dr. Crusher, Dr. Keller, and the Vision, in case they run into any issues with Wrath’s cybernetic implants. However, for those who wish to watch the surgery, there is a small observation lounge looking down into the OR, where you are welcome to stay and watch. The two doctors and Vision are all covered head to toe in scrubs, masks, and gloves, while Wrath lies prone on the operating table, with cushions supporting her neck and hips, and her limbs securely strapped in to keep her safely in position. An IV delivers her pain meds and anesthesia. Gently, Beverly kneels in front of an already fading Wrath and places a respirator over her face. “All right, Wrath, ready? I’m going to count backwards from ten. 10, 9, 8…”

Hours later, Beverly has successfully removed the shattered ports, working from her experience with Borg implants. It’s delicate, tedious work, but she never falters, her hands steady throughout. If there was any doubt as to her surgical skills before, there can be none now. Afterwards, Wrath is back in traction in the recovery room. She may still be a little drowsy, but no doubt she will welcome visitors.

((ooc: this is a catch-all post for anything relating to Wrath's surgery, especially post-op, for anyone who is involved either as a friend or as another healer))

Comments

Some point after the surgery

[experiencepoints]

[Nightingale is no stranger to blood, given her career at home as an adventurer. But surgery... Surgery is rare, when anything up to and including death can be fixed with magic. She's not used to that.

So first, she uses her sleep magic to keep Wrath out. Then she had to break to switch to healer to provide healing magic, which she's terrible at- She burned through all her MP, and wasn't even sure she made a real difference- The other mage there might have been handling all the real work, as far as she knows. Her new staff from the planet helped, but... Even equipment boosts can only help so much.

After all of that, Nightingale's just going to line up a few chairs so she can flop over to rest on those. The magic itself didn't exhaust her so much, but the mental cost of seeing the hospital and surgery... It brought back memories she had to suppress to avoid freaking out. Now she just needs to rest.

Of course, considering she's laying across like three chairs, this might be blocking off some other people from resting, but she can care about that later.]

[dancingmd]

[After she's all cleaned up and has gotten Wrath settled in, Beverly comes back to find Nightingale passed out on some chairs. It doesn't exactly look like the most comfortable bed in the world, but its no wonder Nightingale is exhausted. They all are.

Gently, she rests a hand on Nightingale's head to wake her up. Her voice is soft, barely above a whisper.]

Nightingale?

[experiencepoints]

[Nightingale starts slightly- She wasn't asleep, but lost enough in her own memories that she couldn't help but jump in alarm, trapped in her thoughts of that evil Echo.

("Belt's leg was infected", Sparrow had told her. "We had to cut it out of her." But what could you expect from someone who had taken the name Sepsis?)

She sits up quickly, shaking her head to clear it.]

Hey. Sorry, I'm up. How is she?

[dancingmd]

[Beverly gives her a soft smile.]

Wrath is fine. She's sleeping. I just wanted to tell you there's another bed available, if you want to use it. Much more comfortable than these chairs.

[experiencepoints]

No, I'm fine...

[She stands up, slightly unsteady.]

I don't sleep much, anyway. But thank you.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly throws out an arm to steady her.]

You don't look fine.

[experiencepoints]

[She puts her hand over Beverly's to catch her balance, and nods gratefully.]

I'm okay, really. Just... I'm only used to magic healing, remember? Something like that is just a little...

[Well, it's not wrong, but definitely not all.]

[dancingmd]

Overwhelming?

[experiencepoints]

Freaky as hell.

[She shudders, despite herself.]

I mean... It's not like I'm not used to blood, but seeing it like this... It reminds me of some bad stuff.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly's brow furrows with concern.]

Oh, I'm sorry... If I had known....

[experiencepoints]

[So, a lot of Nightingale's understandings of what is socially acceptable came from her team. And there was one thing her team always did when Nightingale blamed herself for things that stuck with her.

She is raising her hands and putting them on Beverly's cheeks and very lightly smooshing.]

You do not need to apologize. I haven't been saying anything, and my magic was the best thing we had for her. The good incredibly outweighed the harm.

[dancingmd]

[Beverly starts at the gesture, blinking in surprise. After a moment, she gently takes Nightingale by the wrists and moves her hands away.]

I don't want you to feel like you tell me these things though. Your well-being is important too.

[experiencepoints]

[She lets her move her arms away, at least.]

... There's a lot I can't talk about. But... My being squeamish does not even compare to someone having that sort of stuff inside them. I'm not the one in danger, and my well-being isn't at risk, just feeling shitty.

[dancingmd]

Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical. And while it is good to set aside your fears in order to help others, there are still steps we might have taken to make it a little easier for you too.

[experiencepoints]

... My... mental well-being? It's not like we were under attack in there, I don't have any status effects or anything.

[You might have to walk her through the concept.]

[dancingmd]

Your mental health doesn't just matter when you're in a fight. It matters in every day life too, and it's... [She frowns.] It's not something that's really quantifiable.

[experiencepoints]

... What do you mean...?

['not quantifiable'? sounds fake but ok.]

it's been 84 years...

[dancingmd]

Well, I mean...

[Her brow furrows again. This is difficult. Beverly's not a psychologist - even if she has more than passing familiarity with psychology, it's more on the medical end of things, not the therapeutic.]

How do you know when you're happy? Or sad? Or angry?

pets

[experiencepoints]

[Her brows furrow.]

I can feel those now?

['Now' being the important word in there.]

[dancingmd]

[She picks up on the "now" but she tucks that away to deal with later.]

Right. You can feel them, they're not really something you can measure, at least not in any precise sense. But the important thing is that you don't minimize them - you're still allowed to feel what you're feeling, even if someone else seems to have it worse.

[experiencepoints]

The stats probably exist, but... That still doesn't make sense. When other people have it so much worse, I don't really have any right to complain. Especially if that complaining would stop me from helping the ones who have it worse.

[dancingmd]

Acknowledgement of your feelings and complaining about them are not the same thing.

[And now she starting to look a little more stern.]

Besides, this isn't a contest of who has it worse. Not telling me about this isn't helping you or Wrath.

[experiencepoints]

[Stern makes her look away, unable to meet that look.]

... It's fine, really. It's not like this is my home world anymore. If I can't go back, then I have to get used to the way things are done here, right?

[dancingmd]

But you don't have to do that by yourself. I can help you.

[experiencepoints]

How?

[She doesn't mean to sound doubtful, it's just that she doubts she can be helped.]