Maybe it’s a foolish thought, after all of my experience with them, but a part of me is still surprised at the solid contact from the EMH Andorians besides me. Although the Andorian skin is new to me, there’s shaky memories flying before my eyes, plenty of Humans and Vulcans to recall. Their almost alive presences steady and constant within the chaos of sirens, lights, and death holding its breath over our heads.

Nurse Chyne gave me a hypospray, to relax my muscles from hurting myself further. I can feel the conflict within, the medicine against my instinct to tense up. To fight against this and do… something. It’s all too still, too empty inside, I need to feel something. My hands, hell I’ll throw my body into it, just to stop this. Just to feel useful.

A ringing bell inside my head, emanating from my ears and collapsing together in a crescendo like a lighting rod straight down my body. The Andorian to my right makes a sound and I wince away, not caring to translate what she was trying to ask. (I’m not entirely sure I could speak right now if I wanted to). The one on my left, makes some type of reply albeit much softer, I can’t tell if it’s to me or her.

A slight jolt beneath my feet alerts me, but I don’t do anything about it. 

“Counselor, we’ve arrived at deck seven.” Right Andorian gently says to me. Her voice a light lilt and I find myself giving a jerky nod. Deck Seven was the Medbay, and my office further down the hall.

“Counselor, do you need to be carried?” Left Andorian interjects, and a bubble of shame bursts inside.

I shake my head no, still unable to make my mouth, throat, tongue, anything of that nature- move. I’m not some damn helpless civilian, pushing ahead they are half a step behind before catching up and the momentum keeps me moving. I can hear, even feel their even footsteps against my still shaky steps. Unable to stop comparing, the sensations of moving quell some of the empty inside but it’s not enough. I feel crushed, but the idea of empty air is terrifying like a hole in the hull.

They’re quiet as we make our way down, I half see another Andorian who opens the door, ushering us inside. The sudden jump from quiet hallway to bustling medbay, and the presentation of a bed breaks my resolve and I crumble down onto it, their arms leaving my side and the medicine finally taking hold.

There is so much commotion, catching flashes of what must be a nasty burn on someone’s leg that’s being attended to. I tear my eyes away from their singed mustard gold uniform when the whirring of a tricorder glances by. The two I came here with have dispersed and are helping others, left with the one that ushered us in.

“Counselor Hawthorne, it’s Nurse Rymnek, you’re in here for a concussion, can you tell me how you’re feeling?” Oh… is that the word? Con-cuss-ion? Tumbling the letters and sounds around in my head, it’s familiar and annoying. I’ve had it before, like after a rough current or a fight. I try to focus enough to speak, but the nerves make it hard.

“Head hurts, I feel… lost. Something is happening, something bad and I need to help..” Staring at his dark eyes, the words slip out like a poor imitation of myself. 

Nurse Rymnek nods his head, taking another glance at his tricorder as he prepares another hypospray. 

“I’m not entirely sure myself, but we all certainly got shook around.” I push myself up into a sitting position, the movement echoes within my head like rushing water within my ears. Clenching my eyes shut before opening them back up to the brightness of the medbay; I want to return to the routine of darkness but I must try my best to stay aware.

“Now Counselor, I think it’s for the best that you lay back down. At this stage the best thing you can do is rest; besides in this state your helpfulness is greatly diminished.” He tries to push me back down, but I resist.

“Just give me a minute and I’ll be fine-” cut off by Nurse Rymnek’s aged precision, getting me dead to rights with the hypospray. I try to glare through the shock of the pinprick, but his own ‘no funny business’ stare cowed me instead. 

“You can make it up when you awaken, but I am too busy to argue with you right now, and since you won’t rest on your own…” Gently placing me back into a lying position, there’s a wave of fuzz starting to encompass me.

I don’t bother trying to talk back, not like I even could with the fuzz settling heavy on my tongue, unable to keep my eyes open against the intense beaming lights above. For the last few seconds before the sedative took me, the hurried sounds of the medbay followed me into my sleep.