pNPC Mark Two - Glitter Feelings
Jamie LeBlanc
((Outer Hull, Depressurized – Drive Section – USS Constitution-B))
Sometimes Mark thought like a human. Other times Mark thought like a hologram. And sometimes he forced himself to think like a hologram when he was talking with Georgio. This was one of those times.
And it worked.
Mark was surprised about it himself.
Mark: We don’t have to breathe, Georgio, we can guide the people across the hull if they are in the EVA bubbles. ::He took in a breath he didn’t need and fixed Georgio a look.:: Think of it like when you’re rolling your cart of dyes. It’s full of precious breakable cargo and you roll it carefully to its destination. Same thing, almost.
Georgio: Then let's get the cargo and bring them out of there.
He saw recognition in Georgio’s eyes and felt satisfied.
Barr: Lets do it team!
Georgio: So you are going to use that plasma cutter? Can it cut metal too or only plasma?
Barr: It uses plasma to cut metal. ::He said patiently.::
Mark: Yes, Ensign Barr is going to use the plasma cutter ::he said patiently to Georgio:: Because he’s trained in it and we’re not.
Georgio: Oh. Right. I knew that. ::He actually blushed and then stepped aside:: Then get to work Mister Cutter. We need to get to the glitter.
Glitter. Of course! Anything he could equate to glitter was probably a good analogy for the holographic hairdresser.
It made sense to Mark in a weird round-a-bout way.
Barr: I’m on it.
Mark tried to stand very still and not get into the way while Barr cut through an internal bulkhead
Mark: Almost there Georgio…
He cast a quick glance towards his holographic companion and held out a hand for reassurance, though whether he was reassuring Georgio or himself it was hard to tell.
Barr: Okay, quickly, lets get inside.
Mark: I’ll lead Georgio.
He said with a sudden burst of bravery, taking Gerogio’s hand to help guide him forward.
They dipped and wriggled through the cut hole and past some jagged debris. Gravity came and went and the hull creaked in areas as if it was about to rip off from the ship at any time.
And finally they came through to the other end where survivors were huddled together in the most protected area, many of them laying down and barely moving.
Barr: Right, Mark, you’re on triage. I need to know who’s alive and ready for evacuation, who needs urgent care to keep them alive during evacuation, and who’s dead. We’re not evacuating the latter, they’ll be cared for later.
This was weird. This was really, really weird and new and scary… but triage?
Mark could do triage. His brain was hardwired for medical emergencies, so like a light switch, it clicked on and he gave a very professional response.
Mark: Yes Ensign. I’m on it.
He tried not to listen to Georgio who was cooing and smoothing hair of one of the more stable patients as he get swiftly to work. Pulling his medkit he started scanning the injured, both visually and with a tricorder, moving from patient to patient, organizing and tagging each.
The most stable could be loaded without care. The least stable would need immediate care and immediate loadout. The middle ones might be the last loaded out for they would also need care to stabilize them, but were not in critical need for advanced medical facilities.
He was focused and efficient in his tasks.
Georgio: When you're awake, you come to me and I'll fix that hair of yours, you hear sweetheart?
That was, in fact, pretty good bedside manner. Maybe if Georgio ever wanted to get into a side business he might do well working with stable, recovering patients to help them feel better during their recoveries. Mark put it in his brain to ask Georgio about later.
Georgio: What can I do?
Barr: I have a really important job for you Georgio. ::There was absolutely no sarcasm in his words.:: I need you to lay out the evacuation pods, ready to receive our patients.
Georgio: ?
Mark: I’m stabilizing the most critical patients now, and they should move first. Green tags are the most stable and could be loaded without additional care.
He stayed put, focusing on his job, feeling a little proud of himself for being able to sound competent in such a strange, scary situation.
Barr: You undo the seal here, then unroll it, right? And lay it out on the floor. ::He demonstrated.:: Don’t touch this canister ::he pointed:: that will fill the pod with air once the person is inside.
Georgio: response
Barr: Once you’ve got the pod laid out you open it like this. Then Mark and I can transfer someone into it. It’s really important that it’s laid out straight and not on something sharp; a crease or even a small puncture can cause it to tear when it pressurises. You’re the fashion expert, I’m sure you know more than me about how to care for delicate fabric.
Hey, that was a great analogy. Mark smiled, even as he pressed a hypospray against an injured Denobulan woman’s neck. Barr was getting the hang of this.
Georgio: ?
Mark: Alright, I have two more patients stabilized who need to move. How are we doing on preparations?
Barr: Great. We’re doing really well. We’ll get these people out, and they’ll have all of us to thank for their rescue.
Georgio: ?
Mark: Yes, you too, Georgio! You’re just as important.
Georgio/Barr: ?
With Georgio busy, Mark doubled his efforts on critical stabilizing care with Barr, and pretty soon they had all of the patients stabilized enough to load up. Barr was right, the oxygen rich atmosphere would do each and every one of them good.
Mark: We’re ready to start loading. ::He looked to Barr:: On your mark, Ensign?
Georgio/Barr: ?
He looked meaningfully towards Georgio while they worked.
Mark: Some people might feel scared to be in the pods, no matter how protective they are. Just… be nice. Talk to them. Reassure them and keep them calm. Fragile glitter, remember?
Feelings sometimes were fragile, too. Mark knew this all too well.
Maybe feelings were also like glitter. He didn’t want to think about that too hard.
Georgio/Barr: ?
They kept loading, patient after patient in triage order, getting them safely secured. Moving carefully and steadily from one to the next.
Mark: Keep it up, Georgio! We’re almost done!
Georgio/Barr: ?
~*~
tags/tbc
~*~
pNPC Mark Two
EMH Mark II
USS Constitution-B
~Julian Beck
E239010ST0