Physician of the Mind Diseased by soapbox_solo38 (First Aid Challenge)
Title: Physician of the Mind Diseased
Author:
soapbox_solo38
Rating: PG-13
Character: Kate Heightmeyer
Summary: There is a reason they call her "Doctor."
Atlantis is her battleground. She wields no sword, does not know how to shoot a gun, cannot launch drones with a single thought - but when the city is quiet and all seems at peace, Kate Heightmeyer wages a war she knows she is losing.
Claire Laison, crippled by a Armiir knife across both hamstrings - the weakening will to live, a despair that deepens every time one of her teammates cannot look her in the eye. She slaps on a mental bandage, stems the thought of suicide and drains the pus from the wound of resentment and anger.
Jerimiah Wiggins, terrified to look at his reflection since MR6-928 - his slowly crumbling sanity, paranoia, a self-hatred surpassing anything she's seen before. Kate gives him a transfusion of confidence and holds out for five hours of soul-searching until his team leader knocks on the door.
Heather Tomey, utterly lost and alone in Atlantis after her twin sister dies in a freak accident. The damage is too extensive; no viable treatment. She sends her back to Earth.
Anderson Branson, recovering after being held as a POW. A quick and dirty charcoal purge of the sickening memories, four intravenous lines of support from his team, and two butterfly stitches to hold together his shredded sense of dignity.
Garret Sandborn, a new recruit who overreacted and shot three Raamun children; Lyndi Knapp, saved at the expense of two other Marines; Royston Bode, dealing with living in a new body; and the names go on, and on, and on...
Surgeons may save their bodies; lovers and friends may tend their souls. But Kate Heightmeyer is the only one who can see the sum of the scars on their minds, and she knows she is lucky if they live long enough for those scars to form. There is never enough time for her to set the broken spirits, to perform the extensive and invasive surgeries when they're needed most. It's always touch-and-go, each time a gamble on who she'll be able to save today, and who will be dead by tomorrow. Even if she had wanted to, Kate could never quit. There are too many injuries for her to surrender peacefully, too many skirmishes and sieges up ahead for her to look beyond the immediate.
She never stops to wonder who will heal her.
Author:
soapbox_solo38
Rating: PG-13
Character: Kate Heightmeyer
Summary: There is a reason they call her "Doctor."
Atlantis is her battleground. She wields no sword, does not know how to shoot a gun, cannot launch drones with a single thought - but when the city is quiet and all seems at peace, Kate Heightmeyer wages a war she knows she is losing.
Claire Laison, crippled by a Armiir knife across both hamstrings - the weakening will to live, a despair that deepens every time one of her teammates cannot look her in the eye. She slaps on a mental bandage, stems the thought of suicide and drains the pus from the wound of resentment and anger.
Jerimiah Wiggins, terrified to look at his reflection since MR6-928 - his slowly crumbling sanity, paranoia, a self-hatred surpassing anything she's seen before. Kate gives him a transfusion of confidence and holds out for five hours of soul-searching until his team leader knocks on the door.
Heather Tomey, utterly lost and alone in Atlantis after her twin sister dies in a freak accident. The damage is too extensive; no viable treatment. She sends her back to Earth.
Anderson Branson, recovering after being held as a POW. A quick and dirty charcoal purge of the sickening memories, four intravenous lines of support from his team, and two butterfly stitches to hold together his shredded sense of dignity.
Garret Sandborn, a new recruit who overreacted and shot three Raamun children; Lyndi Knapp, saved at the expense of two other Marines; Royston Bode, dealing with living in a new body; and the names go on, and on, and on...
Surgeons may save their bodies; lovers and friends may tend their souls. But Kate Heightmeyer is the only one who can see the sum of the scars on their minds, and she knows she is lucky if they live long enough for those scars to form. There is never enough time for her to set the broken spirits, to perform the extensive and invasive surgeries when they're needed most. It's always touch-and-go, each time a gamble on who she'll be able to save today, and who will be dead by tomorrow. Even if she had wanted to, Kate could never quit. There are too many injuries for her to surrender peacefully, too many skirmishes and sieges up ahead for her to look beyond the immediate.
She never stops to wonder who will heal her.