We didn't even pick a name yet

Posted on Wed Mar 11th, 2026 @ 6:47am by Commander Thomas Johnson & Lieutenant Commander Talia Johnson & Lieutenant Commander Nyxala Valentine

2,319 words; about a 12 minute read

Mission: Flight Of The Valkyries
Location: Sickbay
Timeline: Prior to mission

***

Everything had been set up, now that there weren't mass numbers of casualties coming in and needing to be dealt with. The internal bleeding that had so worried Nyx had been stopped on that first day, but the aftermath of that situation had stared her in the face even as she had dealt with first Amu and then following up on those that were recovering. Even now, after a good four hours of sleep, she couldn't reconcile some of the issues they were facing.

"Good morning, Thomas, Talia," She said as she stood in what were generally known as scrubs, but of an older fashion than the currently 'normal' full body red ones that most medical personnel preferred. These were looser on her and she felt they gave her a much less menacing look than the standard issue ones, besides the pale green color was much more soothing to look at and any bleeding would be much more obvious and easy to locate. "I know this isn't going to be an optimal situation, but I've been reviewing the files and there are some relatively minor issues that do complicate things a bit."

"What ever is better for Talia, but in the end it is her body. She chooses what she wants." Thomas replied

“What are the issues?” Talia looked at Nyx concernedly.

"While it appears that the bleeding from the other day has stopped, the injury site is in a rather poor location in relation to your uterus, so while it appears to be a good blockage, it may only be due to your pregnancy. Given the sensitivity of some Betazoid pregnancies, I'm concerned that a natural childbirth could cause that wound to reopen again. If that happens, along with the other natural tearing, it does pose a sincere risk to your health, Talia, as well as that of your child." There were no images to go along with the lecture she was given, but that was because she didn't want to panic these two, "The second most common option, transporting your child out, comes with other complications. It has the benefit of transplacing them into safety, but he sudden release of pressure could again cause abrupt and catastrophic pressure release on the affected area, to the point I'd prefer the natural childbirth method instead."

Talia nodded as she listened taking it all in.

"What are the options?" Thomas asked, "And what are the risks."

Nyx smiled warmly at the two of them, "There's something that is called a Caesarian Section, not a common procedure anymore except on some low-tech worlds, but it used to be done all the time on Earth and Betazed. It's similar to the transport technique, although it is done as a surgical procedure, but it's much more controllable and with all of the modern sensors, I can monitor everything that's going on and be able to handle it right away." She made a gesture to the first image, which was a standard educational image, more cartoonish, of the procedure, "I've perform a couple of these in the past during some Hearts and Minds operations, so I'm experienced in the procedure and there is really minimal danger, especially in a controlled setting like we're in."

Talia looked towards Thomas, then back at Nyx. “If it’s what’s best for our son, then I say do it. I don’t want to risk losing him.”

"In my medical opinion, it absolutely is." Nyx stated with complete certainty in her voice, "And I'd like to do it as soon as possible, starting within the next fifteen minutes if possible. I can't make any promises, but I'm the right person in the right place at the right time."

Talia nodded, she trusted Nyx and was glad she was there for them.

"I'm going to go finish prepping, I'll leave you two alone until we're ready." Nyx smiled and gave a slight bow before leaving the small room.

“I am making the right decision aren’t I?” Talia looked at her husband for confirmation.

"Its no big deal." Thomas replied. "It is a big deal obviously, that we are having a baby, the way it comes into the world, does not. Just that it does."

***** Twenty Minutes Later *****

Nyx stepped into the room again much as she was before, but also wearing a set of actual gloves to go along with them, face masked as the nurse behind her, similarly garbed, pushed a small cart with a draped cover on top of it before leaving again to bring in another one that was clearly ready for a baby in case it was needed. "Talia, Thomas, this is Ensign Kami Akalaka, she's going to be my nurse for this procedure, she's had some experience in natal care and been a part of several births previously.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you." The high soprano of the nurse was calm and confident.

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Talia offered a nervous smile.”

Thomas nodded

"Now, Thomas, I'm going to park you over here, out of the way, but well within sight of your wife." Nyx gestured over to the most corner-like area in the round room, close to Talia's head, "Talia, I'm going to give you a mild general sedation to go along with the local anesthesia for your abdominal area. It's mostly to help control your blood pressure and stress levels. You should remain fully conscious throughout the procedure. Do either of you have any questions before we begin."

Talia shook her head. “No questions right now, thank you.”

Thomas remained quiet.

"Kami, if you would?" Nyx nodded at the drape and then selected the hypospray on the far right, double-checking the setting before pressing it to Talia's neck, "This is the sedative, Talia, you're going to start to feel as if you're wrapped in cotton and your thoughts may be disconnected. It's perfectly normal, so nothing to worry about." She placed the hypo back on the tray as her eyes watched the vitals, before reaching for the other hypo and watching where she placed it, "This is the local anesthesia. I'm injecting it into the Vagus Nerve and the Lumbar Plexus so that you can't feel anything more than pressure in the area. If you feel anything else, tell me. Any pain I need to know about immediately." There were two more hisses as she made those injections.

As soon as the feeling was lost, Nyx nodded to Kami and the nurse pressed a key on the side of the biobed and the two medical professionals got to work. The incision was expansive but rapid and retractors were put into place to keep the wide gash open, Nyx's eyes flicking around the surgical area and over at the vitals when her hands were still for a moment. Kami read those off once a minute to make sure the surgeon was apprised of them. Using gentle pressors to keep the organs out of the way, they reached the uterus and Nyx paused for a few seconds to look at the scan that was displayed in front of her. "New scalpel." She said simply, despite the fact that laser scalpels didn't lose their edge ever. Then she very gently slid the scalpel down the outside of the organ, eyes sharp, then made another cut and handed the scalpel off again.

She reached in carefully and very gently lifted out a small bundle of limbs, balancing very precisely on one hand, "Clamps." she whispered to Kami, but the nurse was already ahead of her even as a red light played over Nyx's face. She handed the baby off to the nurse with a glance and didn't take more than a moment before picking up the scalpel once more and severing the umbilical cord. Kami bustled over to the second table and began to perform a scan on the small child as breathe clearly rattled through his lungs and the wail of a newborn exposed to the relative cold of the outside for the first time resounded through the room.

It was only a few seconds before Kami brought back the child, wrapped in a light blanket and she gestured over to Thomas for him to approach as a visual blurring field snapped up between them and Nyx. The smile was clear behind her mask as she slightly bounced the wailing infant before presenting him to the parents, "Ma'am, sir, I'd like to introduce you to your son. He's healthy in all respects. Who would like him first?"

“Can I?” Talia looked between Kami and Thomas, seeing her son was one of the defining moments of her life. Her motherly instincts already kicking in as she looked towards the tiny bundle wrapped up in front of her.

"Of course." Kami said with a bright smile behind the mask and she very gently handed off the newborn to Talia.

"Looks just like his mother." Thomas replied as he looked down at his son.

Talia smiled a few emotional tears running down her cheeks. “He looks like you too you know.”

Nyx glanced up as she heard what was going, but it was only for a heartbeat as some warning lights flickered where she could see them but the others couldn't. "Kami." She said evenly, her own hands moving quickly as she withdrew the placenta and placed it into the waiting container. The young nurse excused herself from the parents and came back around the field. "I'm going to need a hemostat and sutures."

"Yes, doctor." Kami bustled off to the side of the room where a couple additional items were set out already, even as the doctor nudged the now empty uterus out of the way while she sought out the active bleed that was showing on panel.

"Hypo three." Nyx requested when the nurse returned, being handed the third hypo that had been lined up, it being placed in her hand without her having to look away from where she was at. It was a blood volume expander which she injected into Talia's thigh, then briefly glanced up, "I'm going to have you seal the uterus while I work on the internal bleed." The nurse grabbed a regenerator and quietly got to work in an unhurried manner. In Valentine's surgery, panic was a bad sign.

Nyx herself grabbed some gauze and stuffed it into the pool that was slowly growing, grateful that the counselor wouldn't be able to feel anything that was going on. The arterial repair had indeed come loose just as she'd feared, which meant that this had been the proper decision. She grabbed the needle and dissolving thread and got to work quickly, tiny stiches that closed the pumping blood into a slow seeping. "Scissors." A small set of scissors hit the palm of her hand and she cut the suture after tying it off, "Regenerator." The scissors left her hand and were replaced by the rod-shaped device and began to run over the sutured injury, binding the arterial walls together as if they'd never been ruptured.

Kami handed Nyx a tricorder without the need for a prompt and the doctor proceeded to make a detailed scan, nodding once when things came up clear. She gathered the gauze and after disposing of it into the container, made a visual check of the abdominal cavity for anything that looked out of place and saw nothing. Finally, she checked the repair on the uterus both visually and with the tricorder, noting that there were no placental remnants and that the incision had been healed properly, "Good job, Kami." With gentle hands once more, she placed the uterus back into position and then released the pressers to allow the body to rearrange the other internals. It always did, one of the more interesting features of the humanoid bodies.

Then it was just a cinch to use the regenerator again to heal the main incision on the abdomen to the point where there wouldn't be any scars on the now somewhat deflated stomach area. Kami took a warm wet cloth to clean up the blood in the surgical area as Nyx stripped off her gloves and outer surgical gown, because it wasn't always a good thing for patients to guess what carnage had gone on. Kami loaded one of the carts with the detritus and wheeled it out the door as Nyx deactivated the field that blurred the vision and re-checked Talia's vitals before removing her mask, "Sorry about the delay, I had that artery to deal with, but everything is repaired. How are you feeling, Talia?"

“A little tired, I was a little lightheaded but it’s going away now” she smiled. “Thank you so much!” She looked up at Thomas. “We need a name.”

"I knew there was something we didn't discuss."

“We’ve got time to choose” Talia smiled and stifled a yawn.

"How about you get some sleep, and we will figure it out after." Thomas replied as he brushed some hair out of her eyes.

Talia nodded giving her son a kiss before gently handing him over to Thomas. “Enjoy your cuddles daddy!”

Gently taking his son, he cradled him in his arms. "We will stay right here."

Nyx had finished with the cleanup and gave them both a broad smile, "Nurse Akalaka will be here to keep an eye on your son and in case you need any help, or any relief. In fact, she can handle any diaper changes that are needed as well. If you need me for anything at all, please don't hesitate to comm me, I'm just a couple rooms away. I'll be back in a couple of hours to do another checkup on all three of you."

"Thank you Doc."

Commander Thomas Johnson
Executive Officer

Lt Commander Talia Johnson
Chief Counsellor

Lt Commander Nyxalla Valentine
Chief Medical Officer

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