Let The Games Begin

[Ritah Lowen 0]

There were a lot of people in Sickbay and most of them were medical personnel. Fortunately, the patient count was slowly dropping. Two days ago, there had been eight confined to Sickbay. That number was now down to five, including the Lieutenant who had just come out of surgery. Three were released yesterday but none of them were declared fit for duty. All three had been ordered to remain in their quarters and get lots of rest for at least another week.

 

After the initial attack, another eight individuals had been treated and sent to their quarters for bed rest. Since the announcement almost an hour ago, all of them had stopped by, pleading for permission to return to duty. The medical staff had been able to accommodate half of them. Those four had been returned to active duty status while the remaining personnel were ordered back to their quarters. Ritah did a quick count and determined they were down twenty-one.....nine KIA, five still in Sickbay and seven confined to quarters. Hopefully, those numbers wouldn't change during the next few hours.

Glancing up at the chronometer for the umpteenth time, Ritah continued to count the minutes until the "drill" would begin anew. Her calm demeanor would have led anyone to believe she wasn't the least bit concerned about it. The same was true for all of the medical staff now milling about in Sickbay. They were trained to maintain a placid attitude, especially while in the presence of patients or subordinates. But she knew, underneath those tranquil facades, they were all as nervous as long tailed cats in a room full of rocking chairs. Otherwise, most of them wouldn't have reported for duty an hour early.

 

All of the emergency teams had been advised there would be no "simulated casualties" associated with the drill. Whatever victims there were, would be the real thing. Many questioned the necessity of restaging the drill....what would it accomplish? Did the powers that be really think the drill itself was responsible for the actual attack? If so, why? How could that be possible? Now that repairs were complete, why didn't the Manticore leave the area? Couldn't they request assistance before trying to take on this unknown advasary again? The questions were endless.

 

Dr. Lowen had attended that contentious senior staff meeting so she knew some of the answers to their questions. But all she did was listen to their theories. It was better for them to vent their frustrations now and get it out of their systems. She, herself, said nothing, choosing instead to simply nod in agreement or shrug her shoulders.

 

"Times up," remarked one of the nurses who happened to be standing beside Ritah. She again glanced at the chronometer and then smiled at the young woman whose name was Patti Holland. "Yes," she replied quietly. "Let the games begin.....and let's hope we fair better this time around."

Edited October 19, 2007 by Ritah Lowen