Lt. Cmdr Robin Hopper: Love and Discipline
Robin Hopper
((Recovery Wing – Sickbay, USS Artemis-A))
Robin sat up in her biobed, sipping on a cola-flavoured bottle of water one of the nurses had replicated for her and slowly reading a copy of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None.’ Honestly, it was a terrible choice for reading material in the aftermath of all that had happened; A psychological murder mystery. However, it wasn’t her first time reading the novel and there was something oddly comforting about already knowing all the twists and turns.
The strangers gathered on Soldier Island had just discovered Mrs. Rogers’ body and were beginning to unravel the mysterious circumstances surrounding her death, when Robin noticed Dr. Adea approaching once more. She set the PADD down and offered him a wearied smile.
Hopper: ::Tired:: Hiya, Commander… Thank you for stopping by again. I appreciate the updates.
Adea: That’s my job.
Hopper: I squeezed some information out of Kraal. He tried to tell me things were looking up, but I pulled rank and put the screws on him a little… He said something about a “not insignificant effect on healthy lung function?”
Adea nodded then sat on the bed next to her. He placed his cane alongside him, and gave her a small smile.
Adea: Yes, although I did ask them not to tell you anything just yet. But I understand why he did. I won’t coat it in sugar for you, Robin, but your lung was seriously injured. Although we were able to seal it back up, it is going to take some time to heal. I reckon about 6-8 weeks. I’ve already let your CMO know back on Amity.
As he spoke, Robin pressed her lips together firmly, furrowed her brow, and nodded with the silent acceptance of a student being told they’d only passed by the skin of their teeth.
She had a long history with the healthcare system – from regular visits with the orthopedic surgeon when she was a girl and outgrowing her prosthesis every few months, to routine blood workups to ensure an adequate dosing of her anticoagulant, to scheduled sessions with counselors to overcome her troubled teenage obsession with holos… Since becoming a Starfleet Officer, she’d remained true to form, it seemed.
Hopper: Thank you, Doctor. I guess I should just feel lucky that things weren’t worse… and that you were able to operate quickly. ::Pause:: So – what can I do to ensure things heal properly? I try to be a pretty diligent patient.
Adea: For at least the next two weeks, I am forbidding you from carrying out any activity that increases respiration. No aerobic exercise of any kind, nothing faster than a small walk, certainly no sexual activity or away missions. Although I am certain that if you did try something strenuous, your body would warn you off it.
She couldn’t help but respond with a sardonic comment, having just been steeped in the dry understated wit of Agatha Christie.
Hopper: No sexual activity or away missions? Guess I’ll need to update my dayplanner, then.
If Adea was amused, he didn’t let on. (He probably wasn’t.)
Adea: I’m not confining you to your bed, but I highly recommend staying seated or even lying down for as much time as possible, and do not forget the healing benefits of sleep. However, that goes hand in hand with this. ::he held up a vial:: I am putting you on a course of treatment for radiation sickness and burns, hyronalyn and bolamite, two vials of each a day. Before bed, and when you get up. Hyronalyn will prevent you from getting nauseous and should stabilise your symptoms, whilst the bolamite will heal the actual burns. Do you have any questions?
Robin screwed her mouth up to the side as she considered what she’d just been told, trying to work out if there were any hangups she foresaw.
As far as sitting around went, she figured that was covered. Nobody had even properly been able to make contact with Amity Outpost yet, since the Frontier Day incident and, while she’d been working with Captain MacKenzie’s team, she wasn’t officially part of her crew… all of which meant she was currently without orders and kind of ‘between the cracks’ administratively until she made contact with… who? Wil, she figured. If she could reach him.
So that left the medication.
Hopper: I guess I should confirm that I am not drinking those vials – they’re hypos, right? I already self-administer Edoxaban weekly, so I’m familiar with the procedure.
Adea: Response
Hopper: Actually, I’m due for a dose tomorrow but I don’t believe I can replicate my own supply here on the Artemis. Permission to use your dispensary, Commander?
Adea: Response
She responded with a small affirmative nod before another question popped into her mind.
Hopper: Speaking of which… ::Closing her eyes in mild frustration:: Is there anything I should know about Lieutenant Richards? I overheard your conversation and, while we may be.. ::awkwardly:: romantically involved.. I am also still his superior officer.
Adea: Response
TBC
