It’s nice to have something to do again. To be needed. And that the need is greater than the apprehension people might have towards me. I do not blame them – of course I don’t. But being judged for what I do now rather than what I did is liberating nonetheless. 

— from Trovek Arys’ personal log

Dravani had followed a group of survivors into sickbay. The sterile smell seemed strange and overwhelming, but brought a certain sense of nostalgia with it.  Back home, most medical facilities had a the same, unique smell  to them.  As she pressed herself into a corner, she remembered being a little girl, and that one time she had to see the doctor for a broken arm.

She remembered how scared she was then. And how the good doctor made her feel safe. Part of her was hoping that these Starfleet people were like the doctors she remembered from her home world.

This place however, seemed so different. The other species so strange.

Dravani felt like she was outside her own body, floating somewhere above the unrest. She could hear people talking, but she really could not make out what they were saying. Her mind was desperately trying to catch up with everything that had transpired – For the past few days, she had been in a flight or fight mode that only gradually faded as her adrenaline was starting to crash, now that she felt a little safe.
But not entirely. She was still afraid to let her guard down, fearing that a Vaadwaur soldier would jump out of the shadows, or that this Starfleet would turn out to be everything they had assured them they weren’t.

“No reason to be scared.”, said a voice behind her, and Dravani nearly jumped out of her skin. She turned, finding the voice belonging to one of the doctors rather than an invader, and relaxed – if only ever so slightly.

“Hop onto the biobed for me.”, the woman said, trying – but not quite managing – a reassuring smile. “I’m Doctor Trovek – but call me Arys. What’s your name?”

Hearing Arys’ simple command seemed to snap Dravani back to reality. She took a seat on the bio bed, as requested, and hesitated before she spoke. Her own voice sounded like it didn’t really belong to her – hoarse and exhausted.
“Dravani” she said carefully, the followed to woman’s gaze to her arm. It was the first time she had notice the wound, but likely why the others had told her to follow them here.

She was desperately trying to recall what had happened to her, but her memory was blurry, as if protecting her from things she that were better to remain forgotten. She remembered running from the Vaadwaur, but she could not recall how she got the wound. Eventually, she settled on what seemed a believable story.

“One of the invaders hit me with their weapon, and I fell, cutting my arm on a piece of Debris.” she said vaguely, feeling bad for not telling the truth, but remaining unable to recall it.