When Time Becomes Lost

[Anika818 0]

Anika wasn’t scheduled to work, but when the Arcadia started transporting people directly to sickbay she could see her work was cut out. It wasn’t long after she started working that she called Counselor Knlwtchr to sickbay as well. It had been apparent that many of those who weren’t physically injured were at least mentally injured—Anika could think of no better plan than to call the counselor in to aid those who needed comforting.

 

Anika saw Merri and BJ laying on the biobeds to her left and walked over to check on them. Merri wouldn’t be in sickbay much longer—she had suffered a severe concussion and would remain in sickbay for observation. BJ wasn’t as lucky. Trichon and Seiben had nearly beaten the doctor to his death. She hadn’t understood why, but the fact that they were ultimately trying to capture Anika and Merri for their gain probably saved BJ. He was no longer in critical condition and lucky to be alive; given time he would heal without any physical scarring.

 

She looked around sickbay and was satisfied with what she saw: all critical emergencies had been tended to, and nurses were scuttling around checking on “their” patients. For now, her work was done. She could only imagine that Dr. Telano felt the same.

 

A wave of exhaustion swept Anika at that moment and she seemed to melt into the nearest chair she could find. No sooner had she sat down did she hear the sickbay doors open, and for a moment a wave of panic washed over her.

 

“Not again,” she thought!

 

She was relieved when she realized it was the graveyard shift and Dr. Netani coming in to take over. And then it hit her: What time was it? How long had she been here for?

 

“Computer, what time is it?”

 

“It is 2130.”

 

She had been in sickbay for a little over seven hours! Now that all the commotion had died down she realized how much she ached all over. She heard someone walking towards her from her left and was too exhausted to see who it was.

 

“Anika, you have been here far too long.” Anika recognized the voice as Dr. Telano’s and looked up. She must have looked up too quickly because the front of her neck stung. Out of instinct she brought a hand to her throat and felt the dried blood.

 

Dr. Telano caught her reaction, “You haven’t had anyone take a look at yet, have you?” Before Anika even had the chance to respond Dr. Telano said, “Come here, let see what’s going on.” Every muscle in Anika’s body ached as she pulled herself out of her chair.

 

There wasn’t an open biobed so she followed Dr. Telano to the supply counter. He grabbed a medical tricorder and didn’t even bother to grab the dermal regenerator. They both knew it was pointless, none the less Dr. Telano looked at her scab and informed her that her neck was already starting to heal and it would be pointless to use it. Outside of her neck a quick examination had revealed only scrapes and bruises. He gave her some medicine to relieve the soreness throughout her body and then told her to get some rest...doctor’s orders. Anika was too tired to argue and immediately left sickbay after saying thank you to Dr. Telano.

 

As she walked to her quarters, oblivious to her environment, she brought a hand up to her neck again. The skin was raised; the scar would probably be about three inches long from the feel of it. She could have prevented a scar, but she had waited too long. She thought about Seiben and wondered what he was doing at the moment. She decided to go to his quarters to let him know that everything was okay.

 

Her mind was in such a haze by the time she got to Seiben’s quarter that she was relieved yet worried when there was no answer when she rang the door chime. She hoped he was okay, but for now, in her present state of mind, there was nothing she could do. She would come back later, after she got some rest, if he didn’t find her first.

 

Anika turned around and started walking to her quarters. By the time she reached her room she could barely keep her eyes open. She walked into her bedroom to the edge of her bed. The sleep and exhaustion she had been fighting finally took over. She looked at her bed and thought how inviting it looked. And with that, she fell face first onto her bed, her feet dangling off and slept—she hadn’t even taken off her dress. There was no doubt that she would not wake up until her body allowed her to wake up.

Edited November 14, 2003 by Anika818