Terra Lorn
Medic Specialty
Story One: First Aid

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Tadath,
VEA Stormtrooper Corps
0700 hours

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A single breasted tunic constricted the generous bust of Terra Lorn, her cropped black hair all but invisible beneath her cap. Gray was not a flattering color on such pale skin, but Terra swallowed her distaste - she was proud to boast an Imperial uniform.

A silver protocol droid introduced itself as E-Threepio, ignoring her ravishing beauty and inviting her to her scheduled exam appointment. Terra nodded curiously, adjusting her cuffs as she trailed the waddling automaton through the walls of the Stormtrooper Corps. Anticipation swelled in her chest and she inhaled deeply, feeling her top buttons straining a bit against the pressure.

The halls were a near blinding white, blurred globules of briliiant light focusing into the monolithic Stormtroopers that they actually were. The solemn guards tended their assigments quietly, eyes dark and emotions sober.  Now and then the contrast of black tunics cut a swathe through the amorphous uniformity of the corridor, officers hustling from here to there in anxious gesticulation. Their nostrils flaired at extreme altitudes, elite among the rank and file.

One day, it would be she that strode with such majesty.

Such thoughts subsided as the protocol unit's nasal dialogue interrupted Terra's contemplation. It spoke with a tenor chirp, pleasant and displaying much needed color despite it's mundane instructions.

"We have arrived at our destination. Please continue to your exam."

The durasteel door retracted with an airbreaking squeal, revealing the tall frame of a man in his mid fifties. His white hair was thin and receding, beginning to peak into baldness from the lateral sides of his forehead. His expression was smug, though bored, bearing angular features and a block for a chin.

"Private First Class Terra Lorn, reporting sir. Commander McManus, I assume sir?"

She saluted stiffly, making eye contact with her superior. He rolled his brown eyes, scoffing at the Imperial signet encircling his subject's lithe ring finger.

Terra masked her offense, deeply wounded by the officer's lackluster attitude towards her display of Imperial pride. She felt empowered by the acclaim loaned by the mark of the Vast Empire -why did not this man, an officer?

"Yes, Yes. At ease, Private." he sighed, dismissing her as he probably ousted any who still possessed zeal for their duty. His countenance was that of a swashbuckler who was forced to become a savant - the years had chiseled his humors, dragging his dialogue into a granite drawl and carving tridactyl impressions that tugged at the corners of his eyes.

"Private Lorn," he complained, "Medicine is not to be taken lightly - I presume you have studied the curriculum thoroughly? Do not waste my time - our soldiers will not suffer beneath incompetence."

His eyebrow raised and Terra scowled slightly, recalling the staunch air of her barracks and the long hours spent researching her field. Most of the credits that remained from her life on Naboo had been exhausted on supplies and provisions that would aid her service to the Empire. Perhaps, Terra considered, his scorn was earned as a consequence of her gender?

Recognizing the cultivated aspect on Terra's face, McManus did not provide her an opportunity to respond, rushing his words as her lips began to part.

"Good. Let us begin." he quipped.

Terra Lorn had promptly come to forswear this man - how he had managed to clamber the ranks of the Imperial military with such proclivity was nothing short of a mystery to her. Regardless, he was her superior, and so she lent him typhlotic respect, although grudgingly. The consequences of insubordination were not worth such cheap satisfaction.

"Private Lorn!" McManus barked, "You have ten minutes to articulate the 'Three P's. This stage of the exam is both manual as well as oral. It is a simple textbook regurgitation - you should not require more time."

He presented her a datapad, clasping his hands loosely behind his back. As it slid into her palm, the screen came to life, prompting her to input the appropriate elaborations.

"On my mark..." McManus warned.

Terra traced a fingertip over the touchscreen, extending all four fingers of her right hand horizontally over the small device. As her heart sank into her stomach, she calculated her answers, recalling the information she had repeated so many times.

"Go." he groaned, dryly, the breath that escaped his flaking lips saturated with discontent.

With practiced finesse, Terra's digits danced gracefully atop the datapad. She had invested much time in navigating the apparatus, as certain models had been popular amongst teens as a mobile chatting contraption. She could play it as skillfully as a Bith could a kloo horn.

With time to spare, Terra completed the assigment, much to the disdainful surprise of her instructor. Returning the datapad to Commander McManus, Terra stood at rigid attention, ardently reciting the information she had recorded.

"The 'Three P's, sir! Preserve life - prevent the individual from dying! Our top priority is to save lives - we never leave one behind!"

McManus swallowed, startled by Terra's passion. She paid his reaction no notice, continuing her display.

"Prevent further injury - avert any further damage or affliction, remedy the current wound and, if possible, relieve pain! This is done through proper use of medical equipment and necessities! You don't hit us! We hit you!"

The last snippet was the maxim of Blackjack Squad, and didn't officially apply to the program of studies. However, she inserted the slogan as a means of humor, as well as to distinguish herself by embellishing the otherwise stolid material. She knew he wouldn't resist it, even if he lacked the valor traditionally attributed to an Imperial officer.

"Promote recovery - do whatever possible to abet and expedite patient recovery! Interval based checkups and rehabilitation programs should be made available to any who require intervention!"

Terra kept her hands firmly at her sides, her posture rigid and chin out despite her teacher's relaxed demeanor. McManus paused, pacing before the spirited young woman for a moment.

"Good." he conceded, softly.

Terra restrained a smirk as Commander McManus summoned her to the back of the room. It was then that she noticed the abundance of computers and medical equipment, datapads and labeled containers littering the shelves and desks that flanked the pair. Holoprojectors cast blueprints of various species, the ethereal forms rotating ceaselessly.

"Do you know your ABCs, Private Lorn?" McManus jested, aridly.

What appeared to be a battle dressed stormtrooper lay still on an adjacent hovertable, as if for some invasive autopsy. Beneath the terrifying white armor served a common 2-1B Medical Droid, the humanoid head exposed for convenient practice and examination. The entire person of the imitation was outfitted with motion and contact activated sensors, helping to provide a precise report and evaluation of the student's actions.

"This exercise is also rudimentary. I can only hope that you are as familiar with it as you were with your previous modules."

His speech trailed off, a slight hum accompanying his respiration. He cleared his throat as his pride stifled him, opening a hand towards the practice mannequin atop the floating surgical table.

"Private Lorn, please demonstrate what you have learned."

Terra approached the table cozily, seizing the mood of the room and jumping right into her course of explanation.

"The 'A' represents 'Airways'. The airways of an unconscious person may have become blocked, therefore making it difficult for them to breathe. To clear the airways..."

Terra placed her index and second finger beneath the "mandible" of the droid, whose face was more supine than most sentient beings.

"...place two fingers on the persons chin, while placing the other hand on the person’s neck and tilting the head backwards. Be extremely careful whilst tilting the head, as the subject's neck may be injured."

Terra followed her own directions, gently, turning a sultry glare on her instructor. She pressed her own tongue against the interior wall of her cheek, allowing her eyelids to relax and slit her lurid emerald eyes.

"This is done to ensure the tongue is not blocking the airway." she pronounced, slowly.

Shocked and intrigued by her conduct, McManus lacked immediate response, allowing Terra to merely continue her lecture. Effortlessly, she returned to her previous nature, seemingly forcused on the task at hand.

"Next, the individual's breathing - hence the "B" - should be evaluated. Allow a cheek to hover atop the jaws, or place your hand near the mouth and await the sensation of breath or moisture. If no obstruction is visible for removal, or the subject is not breathing, commence resuscitation."

With her index finger and thumb, Terra simulated the compression of the olfactory organ, the droid lacking the necessary appendage. She imagined what it would be like to lack such a sense, unable to appreciate the finest perfumes, or the wildflowers back home...

Humans certainly were superior, in so many ways.

"Pinch the nose and place your lips tightly over theirs, ensuring that there is a tight seal. Blow two quick breaths, watching for the chest to rise. If an object is present, attempt to sweep it out with two fingers. If vomiting occurs, position the victim on their side and, again, sweep the orifice with two fingers. However, do not place fingers in the individual's mouth if they are rigid or experiencing a seizure. "

Following her explanation, Terra executed it step by step, moving slowly as to convey all aspects accurately. Her motions were nimble and hands soft, her touch one of love and empathy in contrast to the luxuriant dolor of her heart. Seeing such applied paradox was beautiful, akin to witnessing the simultaneous rise of one sun, and the setting of another.

"Always continue to monitor the patient's vital signs, and repeat procedure until respiration commences. Finally, 'C' refers to circulation, though it is certainly not the dimension of least importance. The individual's pulse should be monitored, and, failing the durability of our lifesign monitors, can be done at either the neck or wrist."

Terra abutted her index finger to her second, much in the same position she would if she were to arc brush a patient's mouth. She practiced the approach at both locations, sure to cover all aspects of the procedure. She began to perspire, her limbs alight with a chilly tingle as she neared one more completed interval. She rolled her neck, refusing to submit to her nerves. A subtle surrender in her joints was barely audible, a sudden ecstasy rushing into the young woman's torso.

"If no pulse is confirmed, chest compressions should be used to restart the heart. Place your hands where the breastbone and ribs meet, locking your fingers together. Initiate compressions at eighty per minute, alternating two breaths per every fifteen compressions if the subject is not breathing properly."

McManus stood and heaved. He waved a twin pair of veiny paws over his tunic, straightening the wayward fabric as it creased over his stomach.

"Private Lorn, your progress has been exceptional." he offered, officially, "The final element of the exam requires comprehension of your field tools."

Nodding towards an adjacent davenport, Commander McManus directed Terra to an array of medical components, strewn evenly atop what appeared to be an extended gauze pad.

"You have been provided a randomly selected assortment of field essentials." he clarified, "Your objective is simply to accurately describe their purposes and functions."

Sighing, McManus fondled a pen on his breastpocket, his cheerless eyes volunteering satisfaction with Terra's performance.

"You may begin." he advised.

Terra's cheeks expanded as they propelled breath from between her flushed lips, her hands trembling as she scanned the various utensils and supplies before her. She wished to end the exam promptly, as she knew McManus did, her eyelids hanging heavily.
With a borish drone, Terra hurried to expedite the process, laying a familiar hand on each item as she progressed.

"Field cauterizer. Functioning like a button stylus, it emits a low frequency laser beam to solder wounds closed, as well as disinfect the injury."

She eyed McManus suspiciously, chiming in with a final detail.

"Sixteen centimeters long. I'm not sure what importance this bears, but I'll leave such male preoccupations to the wit of those much more interested than I."

The commander, while stale, allowed Terra much amnesty, due largely in part to his own lack of concern for formality. This time, the comment hardly stirred him.

"This, of course, is a handheld medisensor scanner. While short ranged, it can indeed be used in conjunction with manual techniques to determine a patient's vitals."

Without so much as pausing, Terra pranced alongside the desk, seizing the next  item.

"Hmm. Synthflesh, similar to synthskin, although temporary. It is used, sometimes in conjunction with a cauterizer, to seal large or particularly flesh ravaging wounds until repairs can be made. A small portion of this is standard in medpacs acrossed the galaxy."

Her fingers tiptoed playfully to a small circlet of gelcap buttons, no larger than the tip of her pinky. She turned one a bit, biting her lip.

"Dosaline sedative. A prescription medication used on and off the field interchangeably. If the wounded is near incapacitation, or requires painful medical attention, this sedative is an affective method of relaxation allowing for more uninhibited interaction with the patient's affliction."

A cylindrical container offered itself as Terra's final obstacle. The sensation was deafening, and Terra could barely distinguish her own voice as she completed the exam.

"Extra-adhesive spray bandages. A short time after making contact with the skin, the liquid will stiffen into a thin layer, conforming to even the most awkward contour and providing the patient with a comfortable, no hassle wound dressing."

A sigh of relief fled Terra's lungs, though she was surprised to have studied so much and been met with so little. She considered that it probably kept students on their toes, discouraging cheating.

She said nothing as she stood in eardrum popping silence, McManus approaching her in a manner most official compared to the conduct practiced throughout the test.

"Very well Private. Your results shall be transmitted to the specified datapad shortly. Dismissed!"

Terra Lorn could hardly resist a smile as McManus simply walked to his desk, and sat down.