Who counsels the counselors?

Posted on Wed May 11th, 2011 @ 7:35pm by Lieutenant Serran & Lieutenant JG Caesonia Kirsgaard

Mission: Shore Leave 2; Picking Up the Pieces
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: After "Remembering those for whom history may yet forget..."

Caesonia Kirsgaard hobbled her way into sickbay. She paused, momentarily, just beyond the door's threshold and quickly panned her head left to right. Her currently auburn-colored hair was in a ponytail that swished from one side of her neck to the other with her action. The junior counselor tried not to let the sight of so many wounded and injured crew people affect her but it was a difficult thing to ignore. Finishing her scan of the room, Kirsgaard's eyes locked in on the person she was looking for. The tall Vulcan Doctor Serran appeared to be concluding some task with a patient and was moving off to attend to another.

Kirsgaard hobbled once more in his direction, careful not to attempt to do so too quickly as the pain from her recently mended right leg was still noticeable. Doctor Serran, perhaps sensing that someone was nearby and approaching him, turned to see the Arizona's junior counselor navigating her way towards him. Kirsgaard had tired eyes and, though she'd had a chance to freshen up a little since her ordeal, she was still a little disheveled.

"Hi, Doctor Serran," Caesonia greeted, attempting to put on a warm smile but failing as her face contorted into a squint of pain. She took a moment to compose herself before continuing. "Do you have a moment?"

"Lieutenant Kirsgaard," Serran responded in his usual calm manner. Reaching for a nearby seat, the Vulcan quickly positioned it in such a manner that the counselor had no choice but to sit. Caesonia, relief momentarily infusing her tired body as she abruptly sat down, was grateful for the gesture from the doctor but refrained from saying so.

"You should be resting, counselor," Serran pointed out, remaining standing as he pulled out his medical tricorder and began scanning her.

"So should you but you'll only tell me Vulcans can go without sleep longer than humans can," Kirsgaard retorted, the barest of smiles on her lips.

"I do not need to remind you of facts that you know of so well, Lieutenant," Serran replaced his tricorder then reached for a medical supply tray. "I see you are experiencing pain again, although it appears to be from a more recent trauma than the one you endured during the battle."

Caesonia sighed in frustration, then started to explain as the doctor tended to her leg. "I'm an idiot! I was seeing a patient out of my office, such as it is in its current state. When they had left I turned to go to the latrine, forgetting that the room was still a mess, and twisted my ankle on some debris I hadn't had the time to clear out."

"You have a partial subluxation of the tibiotalar joint," Serran diagnosed. He had waited for a moment for the pain-killers he'd administered to the counselor take affect before taking hold of her foot and swiftly but firmly wrenching on it.

"What does that mea..." Caesonia never got her question out as a sudden wave of nausea overtook her. The feeling was momentary, though it did cause her to bite her lower lip at the time. Soon, the earlier throbbing she'd been experiencing in her leg was now replaced by a pain-free calm.

"That means, counselor, you had a partial dislocation of your ankle," Serran explained as he now ran a dermal regenerator over the spot. "You will recover but I must insist that you rest. That includes cessation of your duties until a later time."

"Thanks, Doctor," she sighed in relief from the lack of pain, then steeled her features into a determined mien. "But you know as well as I do that I can't stop working. Not right now."

"You are exhausted, counselor," Serran stated. "You will not be useful to your patients if you are overworked...."

"We're all overworked!!" Kirsgaard interrupted the doctor, frustration finally bubbling up to the surface. "Sickbay was in shambles, even with the Commodore helping. And for all the people your staff was able to treat physically, almost as many were mentally or emotionally traumatized on some level. Especially after the memorial ceremony. Our staff was small to begin with and now...well...saying that we're overwhelmed would be the understatement of the century!"

Serran only observed as Kirsgaard continued on, the intensity of the moment reflected in her eyes. The force of her raw emotions was battering away at the vulcan's mental shields but, even at close proximity, Serran was able to keep them at bay.

"So you see, Doctor Serran, I can't stop," Caesonia was able to finally temper her emotions a little. "Just like many of us needed you and the medical staff, so too do they need me and the counseling staff. As long as I'm conscious, I WILL provide this crew with my services."

Serran knew from long experience that once a human had made up their mind to doing something, they remained doggedly determined to perform that task even at their own peril. Besides, on some level, Kirsgaard's logic did have a somewhat sound basis. The medical staff had been able to attend to as many people as they had because they had assistance from people like the Commodore and personnel with even a modicum of first aid training. The counseling department was unique in that not just anyone could step in and assist with the multitude of people that would need counseling. Caesonia Kirsgaard, Kaci Baxter and the like were in an unenviable position, to say the least.

"I understand, Counselor," Serran capitulated. "However, I would ask that you maintain a steady line of communication with me in regards to your health. I can assist you in staying alert enough to perform your duties but only for a limited time. I will personally check on you every hour on the hour from this point on until such time I find it necessary to make you cease and desist any further activities. At that time I will make you rest, for the length of time of my choosing..."

Caesonia was about to object but Serran forestalled her words with an upraised hand.

"After that, if I am convinced you can continue your duties, we shall repeat the process until we reach our destination," Serran concluded. "Starbase 900 will have plenty of available counseling staff to 'take over' your work load. At that point, I will discuss the necessity of the counseling department to take a temporary medical leave with the Commodore."

The counselor thought about Serran's proposal for a moment, then bobbed her head up and down in agreement. Feeling a little better, Caesonia stood from the chair she had been in, the doctor having finished with the dermal regenerator some moments ago, and tested her ankle. The pain had subsided but there was still a dull throbbing, a constant reminder of the two most recent injuries to the very same leg. The ankle felt a little weak but it was a major improvement from before.

"Thank you, Doctor Serran," Kirsgaard regarded the vulcan. "For saving my leg - twice now - and for understanding. Sometimes even counselors need a little counseling."

Serran bowed sagely as Kirsgaard made ready to leave sickbay. "On that sentiment, counselor, I am here should you ever require...someone who will listen."

Caesonia smiled tiredly, then left sickbay.