Disclaimer - Please see Chapter 1
Chapter 28 - "Burunik Nosh" - Critical Condition
On entering the flitter Sordd turned the lighting inside from ambient to green, this was to make the displays more visible. The pilot, Arev, had already started take off protocols, while T'Kar, a Vulcan nurse, locked Mimi's biobed in place. As soon as Mimi had been placed on the biobed it had lit up and started to output readings, making it clear that it was tracking every aspect of her health. This information was immediately transferred to larger monitors above the biobed, providing readouts from the various scans that were being performed continually. This information was also being transfer to medical centre at the Vulcan Embassy, which would be combined with the data obtained from Mimi's medical records on Earth.
Sordd was irritated regarding the intubation tube, it was so very invasive. He wanted to remove it and place her in a healing trance, however, with her current mental state that was not possible. He began to study the readouts from the scans.
The central monitor was providing a 3D scan of Mimi's body, it highlighted the areas of concern with varying shades of green, dark green being the most life threatening:
*Pneumothorax - left lung
*Two fractured ribs - left hand side
*Spleen renal space free fluid, third level tear (dark green)
*Small hemothorax
*Abdomen - free fluid
*Pelvic space - free fluid
*Abdomen - slightly distended
*Pelvis - stable
*Femur fracture - left side
Sordd raised an eyebrow, all of the injures posed their own risks. However, intra abdominal injury with internal bleeding, could be fatal if not dealt with swiftly. Sordd turned to T'Kar, "Contact the embassy and request a theatre and Tela'at Hakausu Sakht's assistance, 'CODE GREEN.'"
"Yes Hakausu." T'Kar walked toward the communication panel and contacted the embassy, "Mission 5 to Vulcan Embassy."
"Mission 5, this is the Embassy, go ahead."
"CODE GREEN. Inbound, Twenty five year old human female. Requesting an operating theatre and trauma team. Hakausu Sordd is in attendance and requests Tela'at Hakausu Sakht assistance. ETA 8.57 minutes.
Other monitors were providing Stats, they automatically compensated for her being human:
*Blood pressure 90/60 - low
*Tachycardia 147 - high
*Pulse oximetry O2 84% - low (normal range is 95–100%)
*End tidal CO2 Capnography 26 - low (normal range 35-45 mmHg)
*Rate of ventilation 10bpm - normal - (range for ventilator 10-12bpm)
Sordd carefully inserted an IV line into a vein on Mimi's right arm, it was a primitive device but necessary, hypo sprays could only do so much. There was extensive internal bleeding and this was the most efficient way to deliver fluids into her body, helping to restore and maintain her tissue fluid and blood flow.
The filter was moving at speed, being a diplomatic vehicle they had clearance to use emergency lanes and travel at faster speeds than would normally be allowed. Arev was a highly skilled pilot, he managed to make up some time and they arrived earlier than the initial ETA. He swiftly landed the flitter on the flitterpad.
T'Kar unlocked the biobed from where it was being held in place. The flitter doors had already automatically opened and Sordd and T'Kar began to transport Mimi down the ramp.
Inwardly Sordd breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Tela'at Hakausu Sakht standing beside the trauma team. Elder Healer Sakht tooked like he was in his early sixties, he was actually 150 years old. His hair was a silver grey colour and he had bright blue eyes. He was 6', on the short side for a Vulcan. What he lacked in height he made up for with striking features married with a symmetrical face, which made him deeply attractive to both Vulcans and Humans alike. Sakht had worked with humans for over one hundred years. His experience was going to be invaluable if Mimi was going to survive.
Sakht spoke first, although he had spent many years on Earth he still retained his crisp Rall accent, "We have received the scans from the biobed and have accessed her medical records. Blood group AB-, Crystalloid solutions; 0.9% normal saline, Lactated Ringers and D5W and other IV medications have all been made available. A theatre room had been prepped for surgery."
"Thank you Tela'at Sakht, I appreciate your diligence." Sordd said.
"I come to serve Sordd." he replied.
Sordd spoke again, "It would be logical for you to take the lead Sakht, you are more experienced."
"As you desire Sordd. It will treat the ruptured spleen. Can you treat the pneumothorax?"
"That is logical. The other injuries can be stabilised at a later point." he replied.
Before entering the theatre Sordd and Sakht performed a surgical scrub, decontaminating their hands, then donning a sterile surgical gown and pair of sterile gloves. The door of the theatre swished open to allow them entry, they were hit with the smell of antiseptic. The lighting inside was green as per Vulcan theatre protocol. As they stepped into the room they both adjusted their biocontrols, the temperature was cooler than normal for a Vulcan operating theatre, it had been adjusted to make it more suitable for Mimi's human physiology. The biobed was placed in the centre of the room. It continued its output of readings from continuous scans of her body, these were relayed to monitors around the room. Mimi had been prepped and was ready to go. Sordd and Sakht stepped forward and began to perform the required surgery.
The initial surgery to stabalise Mimi's spleen and lung took just under an hour. When this was complete Mimi's other injuries were attended to. Hakausu Sakht had attempted a meld to induce a healing trance; he had met the same resistance as Sordd. They both agreed that removing the ventilator would pose too great a risk on her already stressed system. They would review the situation in the morning, after a night of full ventilatory support. Mimi was transferred to a private room in the medical centre.
It was currently 0035 hours. Sordd was in his office, Sakht having managed to show Sordd the logic of leaving Mimi in T'Kar's capable hands; he would be contacted immediately if Mimi's condition deteriorated. Sordd had meditated for a few hours and was currently monitoring Mimi's stats on one of his PADDs. He became aware of a presence. He looked up, T'Vol was standing in the doorway.
"Excuse me, Hakausu Sordd. I found this little one wandering the corridors in his evening robe. He is in need of emotional assistance." She said neutrally, her expression unfazed.
From behind her legs appeared Avarak, two fingers stuck in his mouth and his toy sehlat in his hand. She stepped sideways to allow him entrance into the room.
"Thank you for your aid T'Vol." Sordd said.
"I am here to serve, Hakausu Sordd." She bowed slightly, turned and walked back along the corridor to continue her patrols.
Sordd beckoned Avarak to come in, he had left him four hours ago soundly asleep in his room. When Avarak was a baby he had sucked his fingers a lot. Now that he was a bit older he only did so under extreme emotional distress. Sordd lifted him up on his knee. "What is troubling you Avarak."
Avarak dropped the sehlat. Instead of speaking, he placed his free hand on his father's face so he could speak telepathically. In the past Avarak had discovered that when he spoke out what he was feeling it was harder to keep control of his emotions, it was therefore logical to communicate with his father in this way.
"You would like to see T'Sai Mimi?" Sordd asked through the link.
Avarak nodded his head. "Yes, Sa'mekh."
Sordd paused assessing the situation. "As you desire pi'veh." Sordd collected Avarak's toy sehlat from the floor and stood up. Still holding his son in his arms and they went to Mimi's room.
Sordd walked along the corridor carrying Avarak in his arms and the sehlat in his hand. "T'Sai Mimi is very unwell." he said, "At the moment some medical equipment is helping her to breathe and she also has an IV which is giving her body some fluids that she needs. You are not to be frightened when you see these things, they are there to help." Sordd stopped at the door. "She has some serious injuries down her left hand side, some of which is manifested in deep bruising. Sa-fu, Tela'at Hakausu Sakht and I are doing everything we can to help her to heal. Do you have any questions before we go in?"
Avarak shook his head, "Rai, Sa'mekh." he spoke out loud.
As the doors opened Sordd could feel Avarak cling a bit tighter. They both entered the room. Avarak was immediately struck with the green lighting and a smell of antiseptic, he recognised the smell from the many times his own injuries had been cleaned. He also noted the room was also cooler than the Embassy corridors. Sordd gave him a few moments to acclimatise.
T'Kar, who was sitting beside the biobed, looked up when they came in. She gracefully stood up, gave Sordd a quick status report then left the room.
Sordd approached Mimi's side while speaking, "Tomorrow we will take T'Sai Mimi off the ventilator." he said, "If she allows, we will place her in a healing trance which will aid her recovery."
Avarak turned to look at his father. "Sa'mekh, why would T'Sai Mimi not let you help?" There was a confused look in his big brown eyes.
"T'Sai Mimi is frightened, she does not have the disciplines that we can call upon. She has had a major trauma. Sometimes that makes it hard for humans to accept help."Sordd sat down on the seat beside the biobed.
Avarak frowned. He started to suck his fingers again as he tried to make sense of everything around him, the machines, the monitors... He also tried to make sense of why Mimi was afraid... Suddenly, without asking permission, he reached over and touched her face with his free hand. Sordd moved to intervene, but then sensed it would be better not to. Avarak kept his hand on her face for a few minutes before removing it again. He leaned back into his father and his face visibly relaxed.
Sordd sat in stunned silence. He could now detect a thin crack in the wall that Mimi had been holding up in her mind... this would bode well for the morning.
"It is time you should be sleeping Avarak."
Avarak turned to him. "Sa'mekh, can I stay?" he asked softly.
"You can stay on the condition that you go to sleep, it is only 0100 hours, you still have 5 hours of nocturnal rest until you need to be awake."
Avarak rested his head on his father's shoulder, he had stopped sucking his fingers and now just held onto his Sehlat. He was content now that he had seen Mimi. His breathing became more settled, he drifted off to sleep.
Notes
Tela'at Hakausu - Elder healer
Rall - a coastal province on Vulcan that was located on the Voroth Sea.
Pi'veh - little one
Rai - no
Ha - yes