Night

            “I need to talk to Phlox.” Mitchell nodded. “Until then, I’m using a delta wave generator to keep him comatose. The bleeding has naturally clotted, more or less a good thing, but he shouldn’t be moved or it could start again. If this doesn’t resolve, he could be blinded or even die.” She stared down at Jonathan.

            “I’ll get Phlox on the com right away. Anything else I can do?” Mitchell reached out and touched Riaan on the hand and she finally looked up at him. “He’s titanium tough,” the Captain said quietly.

            “This is critical. He could die. I can’t live with that, but neither I can’t do anything more about it.” Her voice faltered. Captain Mitchell nodded in agreement and looked at the monitor again. “Can you find something for Brannigaan and Ariannaa to do?” Mitchell nodded again and left sick bay with nothing else to say.

            Riaan pulled a chair up to the bio bed but pulled the curtain before sitting down. It was either sit down or fall down at that point. She took a few deep breaths and held the last one so she could assess Archer’s entire condition, slowly, visually without the scanner. Phlox had told her to think, not to simply interpret data from the scanners. In the soft light she ran her hands over the admiral’s head, jaw, shoulders and arms, searching for anything that felt wrong. She avoided the ribs knowing that the radiograph wasn’t hiding anything there. She checked for any other bleeding, bruising, swelling, dislocated joints or digits.

            She felt again for the pulse, relieved that it was strong under her fingers, not just its appearance on the monitor. She used a small bright light stick to check the diameter of his pupils, and wasn’t happy to see a difference in their size of a whole millimeter. The smaller was on the right, confirming that the concussion was on the left. Archer’s breathing was regular, slow, and shallow. She dressed the few contusions, scrapes, and lacerations she’d come across.  She put a cool-gel pack on a hematoma on one shin.

            “Doctor?” Riaan looked up at Lieutenant Tanner standing by the edge of the curtain. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

            “I want a 24 hour watch. Schedule the staff, and get a cot in here for me. If Ariannaa comes in get her out. Brannigaan can take care of her. She’s not to see the admiral like this, is that clear?”

            “Understood clearly, doctor.”

            “I’m going to the mess, I’ll be back in a few minutes. Do not leave his side and call me immediately if he shows any sign of waking up.”

            “Aye, Commander.”

                                          

            When Riaan finally made it to the mess, she saw a few of the crew dining, talking, star gazing. She ordered some hot tea, not coffee, and no sugar. A number of entrees and plates were set in the coolers, but nothing looked appealing. The queasy dizziness had subsided, but now left a hollow with hint of terror.  She was conditioned for emergencies, minor traumas, routine care, but not her daughter’s father, the man she loved more than she would even admit, injured and depending on her care to save his life.

            “We could sure use Naomi about now,” Brannigaan said as he sat down next to his mother. “I’m not cut out to be a babysitter. Why can’t she stay in sick bay? Something in there?” He tapped his mother’s hand.

            “Yes, actually. Jon’s injured, critically. He was hurt on the away mission. Badly. I don’t want her to see him.

            “Oh, Mom! Is he going to be okay? I didn’t know!”

            “I can’t say. We’re going back to meet Dr Phlox. He’s the only one who can perform the surgery.  Jon’s already had neuro trauma, I don’t know if this will make it even worse. I don’t know if he’ll live through the night. I don’t know anything!” she cried.

            “It’ll be okay,” he told her, glancing away then back. She looked at Brannigaan’s big brown eyes, seeing only herself and none of his father. She shook her head.

            “You’re just like Jon. You can’t lie to save your life.”

            “I’ll keep an eye on Ariannaa. Naomi’s spent too much time with her anyway.”

            “Just how much time?” Riaan asked, her emotions running in ten directions at once. A puzzled expression appeared on Brannigaan’s face.

            “Well, she was staying all night sometimes.  Jon didn’t trust me alone with Annaa, I guess.” Riaan digested that for a moment.

            “She stayed all night because Jon was…out?”

            “Sometimes. I don’t know, he came home after I was already asleep sometimes, so maybe she just didn’t want to go home so late, or come so early in the morning. Well, one night she stayed because he was helping her with her quantum theory class. Maybe that was two nights…” he thought out loud. “Not every night. I went to Geoff’s ‘cause they kept the radio on and I couldn’t sleep. On study nights. Mom, what’s wrong? You look sick.” 

            “Nothing, I’m fine. I’m just shaken up, I’m okay, don’t worry,” she told him. Her mind raced but she wouldn’t allow herself the luxury of a jealous or accusatory thought. She finished her tea and pushed away from the table. “Be sure you two get some dinner. I’ll be in sick bay until…until, you know.” Brannigaan nodded.