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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))

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Surgery is grueling.

He's never done it before, and technically he still hasn't considering all he did was stand aside in a gown and a mask and cast whatever spells he could think of to help. The other mage present was a blessing; he's not sure he could manage such long term and sustained magic without a partner in it, and though Nightingale's magic was about as strong as his in Creation, with the both of them combined they did some good. According to Beverly anyway.

It's good to have that confirmed though.

After Wrath has been moved back to recover, Hawke having cast one last spell on the wounds where her implants had been to hasten the time it takes for them to heal, he drops himself into a chair - any chair - and lets out a long breath he hadn't even been aware he was holding. Then he smiles. It's wonderful to feel as if he'd made a difference, especially since he didn't have to knock out anyone's teeth to do it. This mode of helping is far preferable to what he usually has to do.

If anyone would like to approach and talk to him, now's the time. In a few minutes, once he's recovered a little energy, he plans on visiting the patient.

And then taking a very long nap. Mana depletion is a killer.

[Initially nothing feels that different to Wrath; with the ports out, her back is still shattered and needs time (and possibly a bit of magical assistance) for the nanobots to reassemble her bones back into working order. Until that happens, she's still in traction. And after?

Just being able to move a little feels so good. And as much as she normally tends to have only one speed--balls to the wall--she's taking it very, very carefully. She doesn't want to screw this up. But over the course of the week, her artificial parts and synthetic nerve and muscle fibers get put back online and into working order, and it feels weird, like she's waking up a little bit at a time and remembering how her body works again, but it's amazing.

And when she's allowed to walk a little? She feels out of practice, but it doesn't hurt. For the first time in a year and a half. Bring on the physical therapy, she's ready to execute any plan to the letter.

Through this whole time, she's happy to have any and all visitors, though just being able to move puts her in a much better place. She's really recovering. She didn't really believe it would happen, but it has, and she has Beverly to thank for it. And for a little while at least, she can put aside her fears that her being fully healed will just put others in danger, and be happy.]

(ooc: Any and all visitors are welcome, as always! Just specify when, please.)

[It's been about a day and a half since the surgery when Adalwolfe peeks into recovery, just his head and shoulders through the door to hide what he's brought with him.]

Psst. Wrath, are you awake?

[He whispers it, not wanting to wake her if she's dozing.]

[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.]

[As luck would have it, she's awake! Just looking at stuff on the network to keep herself entertained. And look, a visitor! Visitors always make her smile. Adalwolfe especially, even if he is wearing all his clothes this time.]

Hey!

[Beverly comes to see Wrath every day, just as she did before the surgery, but now there's less worry and more hope. Every day, with help from the mages and from the physical therapy, Wrath gets stronger. At first, her exercises were confined to the bed, but today, Beverly has obtained a set of parallel bars to see how Wrath does with walking.

After the usual tricorder scan and some chatting, Beverly offers her arm to Wrath.]

Ready to try walking today?

[This should be exciting. And it is! But it's also hard to forget that this moment, a year and a half ago, was when Whiskey had destroyed her entire life as she'd known it. Some positive things had come out of it, but some negative things as well -- and she'll never be able to forget, Lieutenant Wrath is no longer competent to make her own decisions.

There's a lot riding on this. What if it's just that all over again, the first step, the horrible grinding sensation from her back and pelvis, the pain that starts then and only gets worse and worse and never really goes away? Beverly is a good doctor and Wrath trusts her. But Whiskey had also been the best doctor they had, and she'd trusted him.

But she also knows that staying in bed forever isn't an option. She chose, in whatever way, to try this. She has to keep moving forward. And all she can do is hope for the best.

So Wrath smiles, and if it's a little pensive, hopefully that's understandable. She takes a firm hold of Beverly's arm.]

Okay. Let's do this.

[If Beverly senses Wrath's apprehension, she doesn't let it show. Instead, she exudes confidence and belief not only in her own skills, but in Wrath's relentless determination, strength, and good cheer. Wrath can do this, no question.]

All right. Move slowly and lean on me as much as you need - I've got you.

Surgery was most definitely exhausting. While Jennifer was in the moment, of course, she felt nothing but razor sharp focus and the surge of adrenalin that came with knowing she was doing what she did best, but afterward... afterward was when everything hit.

So once she'd cleaned up and Wrath was all set up in recovery, Jennifer, too, flopped down, taking a chair next to the mage, but she managed to give him a tired smile.

"Thank you for your help in there."

Okay. Okay.

[She leans on Beverly a lot, unabashedly. She's been down this road too many times to be shy about it any more. And she takes one step, then another, very slowly, but without too much difficulty.]

...it doesn't hurt.

[It's a surprise.]

Nightingale has flopped on over on a few chairs nearby. She doesn't seem physically exhausted- Mana depletion isn't that big of a problem for her- But that level of emotional exhaustion is a rare thing.

She just lifts a hand to wave weakly to Hawke, in a form of feeble thanks for their work together on Wrath.

Good. That's good.

[Beverly smiles.]

You're doing wonderfully. We're going to try to walk over to those bars now.

Hey you, want some company? I brought you some stew from the planet. [No meat in it. She made sure.] And even as I'm saying that I realize you actually like the ship's food so maybe not your thing, but I'm sure someone would be up for it if not you. Hi. [She's been worried. Are you okay?]

Understood. [And she's still going to take her time and lean on Beverly, but she goes at this with a sort of driven determination that doesn't leave any room for smiling, not because she's unhappy, but because she's focused entirely on the act of walking.

Slowly but surely, they get to the bars and she transfers her grip over.]

Hey Kitty! It's really great to see you. [Yes, she always wants company. Always. And food?] Oh man, thank you! I feel like I never fucking stop being hungry now. I think the nanobots are stealing all my calories or something.

I'll try anything twice!

[She relaxes a bit at that. Wrath is still Wrath.] You should eat all of Vision's rations too then. [She says this as if it isn't something Vision would suggest himself.]

Hey yourself.

[He smiles broadly and steps inside, bringing the small basket from behind his back around front. It's laden with all sorts of exotic flowers and pleasant smelling branches from the planet below. One of the flowers seems to be fuzzy and moving if she happens to look closely.]

I thought your recovery room could use a little color.

"You're welcome, though I don't feel I was all that much help. Creation magic is something I made a point of learning but I've never been any more good at it than patching wounds until they can be properly healed later. This was extraordinary."

He smiles gently to her, turning his head to finally get a good look. He was too preoccupied with keeping Wrath stable before to really take in anyone else involved besides Beverly.

"If doctors in Thedas could do what you did in there, they might garner more respect."

He waves back, similarly exhausted even if the cause is different.

"Thank you. I think she'll be able to recover fully, now. And more quickly than without magical help."

[The Vision has been in and out several times daily, both so he can coax Wrath's mechanical bits into working together properly and to check on her in general as he's her captain. Between the surgery itself and the magical healing, he doesn't seem surprised at all that she's up and walking (if tentatively) after only a few days.

When he ducks into the room this time, it's with a tray of some fresh food he'd acquired on the planet - bread, nut butter, fresh fruit, and what looks like a trail mix with seeds and candies mixed with nuts and cracker bits.]

Good afternoon, Wrath. How do you feel?

[You have earned a squee. She loves flowers!]

Real flowers? Oh, those are so pretty! Thank you! Wow... they must have cost a fortune... [Still operating as someone who has grown up in a dome her whole life, where real flowers are a Very Big Deal.]

...why is one of the flowers moving? Do flowers move on this planet? That's so cool!

[Wrath is always Wrath. Much to the chagrin of all at times.

Grin.]

Do you think he'd notice? But I'll try not to eat all the bacon kelp. That would be mean.

How's the planet? Are you having lots of fun?

I feel really great! Beverly let me walk a little more today, and it still doesn't hurt! So maybe I'll get to go see outside soon. I heard there's a beach and stuff...

[Oooh, food. She's always hungry right now.]

That's very good to hear.

[He hands over the food and sits back with a smile.]

A beach, an ocean, and a very impressive forest. I've been having very good luck getting new herb seedlings for the garden, and even their currency is acorns. I've traded some of the chemicals we brought from the toxic moon to merchants here and received a good price, so you've a certain allowance as you won't be able to work much just yet.

I'm most excited about the beach, just because the last one was so fun, but the forest sounds really cool too. Hopefully I'll be able to walk around enough that I can explore it a little bit. I want to do everything under my own power.

More stuff for the garden is good. And... wow, thanks for the money? I'll try to find some kind of work though, still. I wonder if I can sell paintings. People like that kind of stuff sometimes.

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OTA - after the surgery

Wrath (a week worth of recovery...)

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Some point after the surgery

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a few days after surgery

Re: a few days after surgery

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Next day or so?

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Sounds good!

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shortly after she can walk

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