[sb118-resolution] PNPC C2 Hamsan Dwich — And his little dog, too

[Genkos Adea]

See this is why we love @Yalu; a throwaway line from me, and he gets some truly beautiful mileage out of it. Thank you for being such an amazing collaborative writer.

 

(( Sickbay, Deck 2, USS Resolution ))

Dwich’s training prepared him well for most things.  Despite having worked in such diverse settings as large city hospitals, starbase infirmaries, and on the frontiers of Federation space, his EMT duties remained remarkably consistent no matter where in the galaxy he executed them:  assess a patient’s condition, keep them breathing, stop them from bleeding, and generally keep them from coming apart until a real doctor can get a look at them.  Then, fill out the PADDwork and it’s back out onto the floor to await the next emergency.

When Resolution went to red alert and he felt the first rumbles and shakes of an incipient space battle, Dwich kept his head down and remembered his training.  Anytime the ship came under attack, casualties were to be expected.  Resolution’s sickbay, though small, was well equipped to handle them, even severe ones, provided they came through the doors one or two at a time.  As the attack grew in intensity, and he had to brace himself against the biobed to avoid being thrown over it, the young Bajoran worried that they’d quickly become overwhelmed.

And they were.

Within minutes, the biobeds were occupied, and the room was filling quickly with everything from broken wrists to plasma burns, and worse.  With Dr. Adea in command, Dr. Morgan on the station, and every one of Resolution’s 249 other qualified medical practitioners–Nicholotti, MacKenzie, and Yalu, among them–off the ship, there was little Dwich could do but press into service anyone who walked through the doors capable of holding a tricorder and waving the doohickey back and forth at the same time.

Adea: =/\= This is Captain Adea to all personnel. Drop what you’re doing and head to the nearest escape pod. This is not a drill. We are evacuating the ship. =/\=

Speaking of doohickey.  The doctor who coined the term, referring to the portable scanning device nestled inside of a medical tricorder, had just shifted the priority from “triage and stabilize” to “get everyone the kosst out.”  With Sickbay occupying a privileged position along the ship’s outer hull, the escape pods were relatively easy to access, and the procedure was clear.  Dwich quickly conducted a headcount of everyone who would need assistance moving.  Fortunately, there weren’t that many.  Yet.

Adea:  =/\= Adea to Hamsan; can you stop off at my quarters as you evacuate sickbay and pick up Toto? Thanks. =/\=

Hamsan:  =/\= Will do, Sir. =/\=  oO If there’s time. Oo

Dwich pushed up his sleeves and waved his arms to get everyone’s attention.

Hamsan:  =/\= All right, everyone.  You heard the captain.  Everyone who can lift, bend, stoop, and carry: Congratulations, you’re our new field medics.  ::points across Sickbay::  Anti-grav stretchers are over there, work in groups of two.  If you can walk, proceed out into the corridor in an orderly fashion and head directly for the evacuation point.  ::beat::  If you can’t, sit tight.  We’ll get you.

Thankfully, the assembled officers and crew didn’t need to be told twice.  The ones who could lift lifted, the ones who could carry carried, and everyone else remained reasonably calm.  As Dwich started to feel the stress of the situation rising in his chest, he closed his eyes and prayed to The Prophets for peace and clear headedness.  His recent experience at the hands of the time-bending Q had done more than fuse together two versions of himself from alternate dimensions.  EMT Hamsan and Vedek Hamsan actually complimented each other quite well, the former inspiring the latter to action, and the latter inspiring the former to contemplation.  When The Prophets had “fixed” him, he was afraid of becoming so muddled that he lost himself.  The opposite had come true.

 

(( Timeskip – A few minutes later ))

Dwich was tired and his muscles were sore from making multiple trips between sickbay and the evacuation point, but there was no time to waste.  The alarms continued to sound, so the danger–whatever it was–was still present.  With the last person safely out of sickbay, and some escape pods still yet to be launched, Dwich ran the short distance to Dr. Adea’s quarters to make a special errand.

Hamsan:  Computer, open this door.  Medical override Hamsan-kappa-eight-one-seven.

Not exactly an authorized use of his medical override clearance, but he had been given specific orders from his boss and captain to collect the dog.  Dwich stepped through the doors and scanned the room quickly, but didn’t see Toto.

Hamsan:  Toto!  Toto!  Here boy!

No such luck.  Poor little guy was probably scared out of his paws.  Without considering the propriety of his actions, Dwich ran from the living area into Dr. Adea’s bedroom, dropped to the carpet and looked under the bed, then behind the furniture, and in the closets.  Finally, he found him, huddled under a collection of blankets, pillows, and dressing gowns.

Hamsan:  Come here, boy.  We’re going on a little trip.

It took some coaxing, but not much.  Clearly the dog possessed enough intelligence to know that Dwich was there to rescue him.  He was bigger, and heavier, than Dwich realized, but the EMT’s arms, legs, and back were warmed up from having helped so many people out of sickbay.

Once back in the corridor, Dwich looked forlornly at the turbolift.  There wasn’t time to go down to deck four and retrieve anything from the quarters he shared with Meidra.  Maybe everything would be fine?  Maybe they would fix whatever was wrong with the ship and everyone could come back home?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Hamsan:  oO There will be another lilac. Oo

Turning away from the turbolift, Hamsan ran with the dog in his arms to the evacuation point.  Stepped through the small opening, and waited for the remaining seats to fill.  It didn’t take long, and before anyone could process what was happening, the pod launched with a g-force that momentarily disoriented both Dwich and Toto.  Only after they were far enough away did he see through the small viewport how bad things truly were.

 

TBC

 

PNPC Crewman 2nd Class Hamsan Dwich
Emergency Medical Technician
USS Resolution NCC-78145
Justin D238804DS0