Time to wake up

Posted on Tue Feb 10th, 2026 @ 2:55am by Ensign Amanda Turell & Ensign James Arundel

1,805 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: A marathon not a sprint
Location: Sickbay ward
Timeline: Md12

ON:


James Arundel moved around the biobed, frowning as he checked on the patient's obs, logging them on her chart. He sighed softly as he looked down to Amanda, watching her still unconscious form as he shook his head gently. He knew she'd gone through the ringer before, her medical file read like a novel. But this one was taking a toll. "You really went through it this time..." he murmured.

Though the rest of her body didn't react to James' words Amanda's mouth slowly started to move, the words unintelligible and soundless but it was the most she'd moved in days.

James frowned at the change, glancing to the readouts, seeing the elevations. He loaded a hypo to press to her neck, and it only took a few moments before he could see the improvement reflected on the screen. "Amanda? Amanda, can you hear me?"

As the hypo-full of drugs slowly moved through Amanda's system she murmured slightly and her eyes fluttered a few times but didn't awaken.

James watched patiently, the medication helping to stabilise her, but Amanda would have to find her own way to the light. He didn't want to force it along too quickly. A small smile pulled at his lips at seeing the increased activity. "There you are, Amanda..."

A few seconds later Amanda took a deep but slow breath then just as slowly released it, her head lolled to the side slightly and her eyes flickered open but it was several long moments before she lifted her head up slightly and slowly looked around gradually getting her bearings in her new surroundings.

"You're back on the Wolff," he assured calmly, watching her carefully, how she was focusing, her reactions, with a glance to her readouts. "Do you remember what happened?"

Amanda blinked a few more times as she took in her surroundings and the man standing beside her. She didn't recognise the medical officer but he was tall, square jawed and kinda cute. "I remember falling." She eventually said.

James nodded gently. Good, she already had a grasp on the chain of events. "You were knocked out in a firefight on the Marathon. You were seriously injured, we had to operate. You're recovering well though, but you'll need recouperation time."

"Operate." Amanda said her voice still fairly shallow. "Did I get a new scar?" She added with an attempt at a chuckle that turned into a short bout of coughing.

"No, I don't leave scars..." James chuckled softly, shaking his head with a small but fond smile. "That wouldn't reflect very well on my first real surgery here," he added as he moved to get her a glass of water, offering it over carefully.

Shuffling up the biobed a little Amanda very carefully sat up slightly, with no scar the story of this fight would have less gravitas when retold. Accepting the glass she took a small sip rolling the water around her mouth and lips. "How long was I out?"

James took a second to count as he glanced upward.. "Hm...it's got to be over three days by now," he broke the news, shaking his head. "Like I said, you were pretty broken. fractures, internal bleeding, the lot."

"Must have been a good fight." Amanda took another sip of water and almost choked on it.

"I heard impressive things," James teased lightly, but he reached to touch her shoulder reassuringly at the near choke, his other hand moving instinctively to steady her glass. "Something about you versus a whole ship load of thugs..."

"How did we do?" Amanda asked, "This still looks like the Wolff sickbay so I guess we did alright?"

James chuckled softly at the way she put it, nodding lightly as he eased his hand away, convinced she had it back under control. "From what I hear, we saved the day, in style, and now we're back on track."

"I saw Kayra Smith get killed." Amanda told him. Though parts of her memory were hazy she definitely remembered seeing her fellow security officer taking several disruptor bolts to the chest. "Did anyone else get hit?"

"I don't know," he replied softly but honestly, shaking his head with a weak, half smile. "If it didn't happen here, I...don't really know about it until the rumourmill catches up with me."

"You're a medic, you'll have seen them, or helped prep their bodies." Amanda said, the biobed readings showed her heart and breathing rate shooting up.

James shook his head gently, unable to offer anything but a regretful shrug. "I'm a surgeon, my work is out here, I rarely work in the morgue. But I can look it up for you, if you'd like?" he asked quietly. Many might have avoided it, but keeping her in the dark would likely only increase her agitation.

"Please," Amanda said somewhat quietly "I want to know."

"Okay," he gave her a reassuring pat on her arm before moving away to the computer, searching through the casualty list. He said heavily while he was still turned away from her, swallowing hard. He wasn't a stranger to delivering bad news, but it didn't mean he liked it. And she'd already been through the wars. But he also knew she wasn't going to settle without the truth, no matter how bitter it was. He moved back to her, dragging a chair so he would be standing over her anymore. "I'm sorry, Amanda, Jarre Zize didn't make it."

"Fuck," Amanda exclaimed, her demeanor taking a complete 180 from just a moment ago. "She was a great woman, for a Cardassian."

"Looks like she fought hard," he nodded gently, believing her as he gave her arm a squeeze. "I'm sorry it's not the news you wanted."

"She'd have wanted it that way, in a firefight, up close and personal. Just like me." Amanda said, she'd been told before that was tantamount to a 'death wish' deliberately looking for a way to get killed. "When I go, it's kicking and screaming and fighting till I can't anymore."

A small smile pulled at James' lips. He couldn't help but admire that spark. Hell, despite his injuries, he still had that old flicker now and then. "Sure you weren't a marine in your past life?" he teased.

Amanda huffed slightly. "Older sister and my dad were marines during the Dominion war and the Cardassian border wars respectively, most of the rest of my ancestors too." She told him. "I broke tradition by being security."

"What made you break formation?" he asked with surprise and genuine curiosity. It was a pretty bold move, he new what those kind of families were like.

"After my sister got killed my mum wanted me somewhere a bit safer, said my dad had always hoped one of us would become a fleet officer one day, told him just before he died I'd try for the academy rather than boot camp." She chuckled a little. "Should have seen his face.. still couldn't escape becoming security though, seems shooting bad guys is in my gene's."

"I guess you're just too good at it," James laughed lightly, shaking his head as he watched her fondly. "Although, I've seen your medical record. You'd taken more than your fair share of punishment."

"Every line on that file has a story behind it," Amanda coughed a little more before taking another sip of water. "not all of them good ones."

James chuckled softly, because he wasn't too proud to admit that those stories had piqued his interest. "Maybe when you're feeling better, you can tell me some of them?" he suggested before lifting a hand as if to say 'I know, I know'. "Drinks on me, obviously."

"I'll hold you to that.. " Amanda smiled slightly. "Can I get up for a bit?"

"Sure, let's give it a go. You're all healed up, but you're going to feel a bit wobbly," he warned, getting up ready to be at her side.

Shuffling closer to the edge of the biobed Amanda took a deep breath and gently dropped herself down, her long legs hitting the floor before she'd fully left the bed, splaying her hands out a little behind her she held herself there for a few seconds while legs that hadn't been used in several days got their feeling back.

James held his hand out ready, but didn't actually touch her. He'd let her get her own bearings, and only interfere if he had to. He had the feeling this soldier would want to do it under her old steam. He nodded encouragingly though. "I'd suggest gentle exercise only for the next few days," he added for good measure.

After holding the biobed for a few more seconds Amanda gingerly took a few steps. "I don't think you'll get any argument there." She told him. "I feel as stiff as a board."

He chuckled softly, knowing that feeling all too well. "You'll get back to normal," he assured. "Your body's had a rough ride, but you're resilient."

Still walking somewhat gingerly never moving more than a few feet away from something she could grab hold of if she needed to Amanda made a small circuit of some nearby beds before coming back to hers, by the time she got back she was breathing heavier than she was expecting.

"Just take your time," he advised quietly, motioning to her side and staying close. "You had a lot of injury around your torso, breathing is not going to be comfortable, especially when getting used to being on your feet again. I can put together a physio plan if you want, help you do this slowly." Because he had a funny feeling she was the type to push harder.

"I don't have a slow bone in my body Doc, though I do have a lot of bruised ones it seems." Amanda chuckled a little more heartily but the laughter swiftly turned to a groan of discomfort. "Ok, no more laughing, that hurt."

"And no more walking either, come on, let's get you back on the bed for a while," James replied firmly, his best doctor's tone coming out as he motioned her back towards the biobed. "Not for long, I promise, I'll get your paperwork sorted, your physio plan, and then in a few hours we can get you back recovering in your quarters if all your tests come back clear...deal?"

"Alright," Amanda backed up to the bio bed and sat down on the edge. "I ache too much to argue with you right now."

"Ah, so that's how I should keep my patients compliant," James chuckled, shaking his head as he looked to her with a fond smile. "Rest. I'll let you know when I'm done."

Off:

Ensign Amanda Turell
Security officer
Pnpc Taliserra

Ensign James Arundel
Surgeon
Pnpc Ash

 

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