An Unexpected Development
Posted on Sun Jun 16th, 2019 @ 5:27am by Captain Akiva ben-Avram & Warrant Officer Laena ben-Avram
Edited on on Wed Jul 31st, 2019 @ 11:14am
858 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
S1E3: Barbarians at the Gates
Location: Memory Theta
Timeline: MD 2
The pain was sharp and direct as it shot through the right side of Laena's lower abdomen. The stylus she had in her hand fell to the floor with a loud clang as the glass tip shattered against the cold metal of the deck plating. A groan echoed through the room as the woman doubled over, grabbing the holographic projector to stabalize herself as she crouched to the ground in pain. Tears drifted down her cheeks as a trembled hand reached for her combadge.
"Medical, I need help," she said, her voice barely louder than a whisper, her knuckles turning white from her grip on the metal station she was holding onto.
It took a few minutes for help to arrive, in the form of a female nurse wearing a teal-collared uniform. The woman rushed to Laena's side, wrapping an arm around her waist as she tried to lift the woman to her feet.
Laena shook her head, "I can't move," she said, her voice strained from the pain shooting through her.
"Alright, let's get you to Sickbay quickly." The woman stood, walking to the nearest console and activating the transporter system.
The sounds of screaming filled the room as the nurse rushed to bring the fetal monitor to the biobed. "I'm just gonna take a look," the woman said. "Unfortunately the doctor isn't answering her page. Not sure where she is."
Laena just looked at the woman, "What's wrong with my baby," she said, speaking between deep breaths as she tried to handle the pain as best she could.
"I..." the nurse's voice trailed off as the doors opened and a reptillian officer walked in, also in a teal uniform. The nurse sighed in relief as she turned on the fetal monitor. "Doctor, there you are."
"What'sss going on?" the female reptile asked as she walked up to the biobed, gently touching Laena on the forehead.
"Patient presents with sharp abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding," the nurse stated quietly, trying to keep her voice away from Laena.
The reptile nodded as she gently cupped her fingers along Laena's pregnancy bump. "Laena, I need you to take a deep breath," she said, flipping open a tricorder and passing it over the woman's body.
"What's happening, please," Laena said, her tears dripping to the soft cloth that covered the biobed.
"Laena..." the doctor looked to the nurse, nodding to her, before turning back to the Orion woman. "Laena, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you've suffered a miscarriage. I know it hurts, we can give you something for that. Is there anyone you want us to get to come down here? Captain ben-Avram perhaps?"
All Laena could do was nod through her tears as she rolled to her side. She pulled her knees to her chest and sobbed until the nurse pressed a hypospray to her neck and she fell asleep.
Hours passed as moments while Laena slept, blissfully unaware of the tortuous reality that when coupled with physical shock had driven her unconscious. Despite the best of modern medical technology, some fates were not easily averted. Prenatal mortality neared the top of that list.
Akiva sat beside the biobed, clutching the roughly cylindrical mezuzah from his office in a death grip. Almost literally so. The contents--a tiny torah--remained enclosed. He had supposed it would bring him a modicum of comfort, but thus far all it did was absorb the friction of his white-knuckled fist. There were no words, no thoughts, or prayers. Only pain. When Laena began to stir, he didn't notice until her eyes fluttered open.
"Laena."
Laena looked at the man, confused for a moment as to why she was in sickbay. But that moment didn’t last long as the flood of memories came back to her and the tears started to stream down her face. “Our baby...” she said, her voice a whisper between cries of pain and guilt.
"I know." The words came in a hoarse whisper. "I... I came as soon as I heard. But... I was too late." His face contorted in a grief that was ineffable. "I'm so sorry, kallati."
Laena reached for his hand and pulled it to her chest, cradling her face in his elbow. "I'm sorry..." he said, her voice barely audible through the tears.
"You have nothing to be sorry for..." The words weren't out of his mouth before he was on his feet, letting her pull him into her. His other hand wrapped around her shoulders and came to rest on her back where he let it rest with gentle patting. "We will get through this. HaShem natan, HaShem laqah..." The G-d giveth, the G-d taketh away. Though he said the words in sincere faith, he still had to bite back an angry sneer. "I'm not going anywhere, my heart."
Laena pulled the man onto the biobed with her as he wrapped her into his solid embrace. As she cried, she could feel his tears fall on her shoulder as they both endured a pain neither had experienced before.
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