Oh Doctor My Doctor

Posted on Tue Dec 30th, 2025 @ 9:02pm by Lieutenant Endymion Tox & Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus

1,405 words; about a 7 minute read

ON:

Tox was enjoying a relatively quiet shift. Doctor Marcus was hiding in his office, as per usual, and he figured the rest of the shift would be easy. He was just putting away some equipment when the emergency call came from shuttle bay. After a brief exchange Tox with the Ops officer Tox called a few nurses to get a Grav bed ready.

Tox rand own the hall not bothering to chime. He opened Marcus' door. "Oh DOCTOR MY DOCTOR! Med emergency shuttle bay. One of the Ops officers fell. Team is ready did you wanna come have fun with us or shall we bring the Ensign here? Sound of the call there was a broken leg and arm possible spinal injury."

Aaron forced air through his nose sharply. No matter how hard he tried there was no way he could avoid this, this was his actual job. "Stabilize the patient and bring them to Sick Bay. I will treat them here. Use the transporter if needed." He stood with some doing and took his cane. Without any further fanfare, or speaking he hobbled his way into the triage area which is where the patient would arrive.

Tox and a few team members transported to the site while the gurney came with Nurse Anderson and Tech Holand. When they arrived on site Tox tried not to wince as the man came into view. He hurried and knelt down by the broken man. Tricorder out he hurried to press a hypo into the man's wrist to calm him. He was cry screaming and the way he'd fallen he needed to not move so much.

Tox directed the team to secure everything that was hurt and when the gurney rolled in he helped them gently lift him. "Hurry, but gentle." Transport was not an option at this point. The internal bleeding.... Tox shook his head. He transported back ahead of the team and handed the readings to the Doctor. "I'll prep surgical three." He said in a subdued voice that was odd for him.

"Tox! What is the status of the patient?" Aaron asked with a tone of impatience. Simply arriving and stating that the surgical bay would be prepped was not enough. At the moment it seemed that this may be the first crisis for the nurse.

He pointed to the tricorder he handed the doctor. "Spinal fracture, skull fracture, several broken bones...Doc ...I don't know if..." He sighed. "I gave him standard dose for the pain that won't interfere with anything during surgery, blood loss," Tox turned and pulled some plasma and synth blood. "If anyone can pull a miracle it's you. We couldn't transport him. ETA two minutes." He pulled out the surgical scrubs. "I guess this will be the first time we'll be in surgery together. Tell me what you need, sir."

I need you to get your head in the damned game. Aaron thought. "At the moment we need a level three stasis field prepped and ready. Despite all the injuries the patient is alive and I intend to keep them that way. We will place them in stasis and work the problem one at a time." He stepped as quick as a cripple could into the surgical bay. With a deft toss his cane landed on a stand in the corner. "Now its time to do what they actually pay me for." As soon as he finished speaking the Sick Bay doors opened and in came the patient.

Tox went about prepping the stasis and bringing up the monitors. He helped the nursing team transfer the patient and the stasis filed shimmered first eradicating anything that might harm the patient and then suspending him so that they could buy time. He brought up the monitors each holding the different injuries so that the doctor could see where he wanted to start. Like a fine conductor he got the team ready and dressed in surgical wear and held out the doctor's gown. "Sir. You're superhero cape awaits."

A twinge of disappointment crawled across Aaron's face as he took a cursory glance at the patient. He had hoped for something that would test his skills and what he got was a run of the mill trauma case. "A very famous fashion designer once said 'NO CAPES'. Right, well then activate the stasis field." The machines hummed with life it was almost like the beginning of some orchestral opus and Aaron Marcus was at the baton. "Bring up the imagery of the skull fracture, let's make sure that his brains are not oozing out. Oh, and computer play Teardrop by the musical group Massive Attack." This was Aaron's favorite song and it often helped him think and work."

Tox snorted. "What an interesting name and music choice." Tox brought up the image of the injuries and pointed to an area. "This...well you'll have to be a miracle worker to fix this." He didn't believe it could be fixed. "And doc... if you can I promise to stay silent for a week in sickbay."

"Start with the skull fracture. Brain seems to be intact, although there are three subdural. We are going to have to stop the bleeding on his brain. That said that fracture is actually helping, by allowing the pressure to release. Synthesize as many units of blood as possible. We are going to let him bleed while I look for what is causing the pressure." Aaron stared at the holoimages that floated above the patient. He used his hands to zoom the image in, and stared in silence as the music played.

"Well that's one way to get the blood flowing," Tox deadpanned. He sighed and headed to get the synthesized blood. "Alright Doc, I'm good with going with the flow." He snorted. "Putting up the images for your close inspection."

As Aaron turned the image he found it. A small bone fragment actually punctured the brain matter and caused a cascade of sorts. "Yeah that will do it..." He picked up a laser scalpel and without so much as another word performed brain surgery with it. A moment later the small tink of bone hitting a bowl could be heard. "Right now computer I need you to suture all the hematomas. Tox get to setting the skull fracture. I will move on to the next on the list."

"Aye Aye Captain. I could make a joke here but....not safe for work...or your temper so I'll just head on to the task."

Aaron glanced at Tox with a rather stern look on his face. He decided that there would be a conversation in the Nurse's future. One in which they talked about the proper time and place for comedy. Aaron Marcus knew that he would enjoy that conversation, but Tox would not. As his mind wandered to the randomness of Tox's comedy Aaron managed to save the patient's life and repaired the lung damage. "Well looks like he will live to die another day in this god forsaken place. I will be in my office playing Pong."

"Well that didn't take LONG." Tox said waggling his eyebrows at his rhyming joke. "Sounds good Chief let us Nurses sing the clean up and closing SONG." He laughed. "OHHHH you've got me rhyming." He saw the look on the Doctor's face. "Okay, okay." He moved his fingers over his mouth in a zipping motion. "Quiet like a mouse. You win, my talking is fin."

Aaron took one final look at the patient and the readouts. He was satisfied with the results and knew that the man would indeed live and recover just as well. However, what troubled Aaron right now was why he bothered saving this man's life. He would just loose it in some other stupid endeavor in the name of alleged science. Without so much as a look to the nurses Aaron turned and entered his office. For the time being he sealed the door behind him. There was a lot for the Doctor to mull over in absolute silence.

Tox headed to the nursing office leaving the other nurse to get the young man settled after his surgery. He grinned and shook his head. He owed the doctor silence but didn't know how easy that would be.

Lieutenant Commander Aaron Marcus
Chief Medical Officer
USS Ontario

&

Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Head Nurse (NPC)
USS Ontario

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