The Doctor's One Night to Remember

The girl looked unexpectedly horrified. ‘No...no medical centre...please.’

‘I see,’ Isla said, frowning.

Alarm bells were going off in her head. If they didn’t want the medical centre alerted, the chances were it was drug-related and they were hoping that, as the new doc on board, she was the weak link.

‘Step in, please,’ Nikhil’s voice commanded evenly, making them both jump. ‘Let’s not have this conversation in the corridor.’

Isla felt for the young girl as her face paled, and they both looked around the door to where Nikhil was sitting on her couch with a pile of papers on the coffee table in front of him, looking for all the world as though they had been conducting a meeting.

It seemed the crew member wasn’t to know that professional meetings didn’t generally take place in cabins. Or perhaps she was just too distracted with her own medical emergency to think. Either way, she began backing away from the door.

‘No...no, no doctor emergency. Mistake,’ she repeated rapidly.

Nikhil was by the door in a flash. ‘No mistake,’ he told her firmly. ‘If someone is sick, whatever the circumstances, he needs to be treated. Dr Sinclair is coming now. You will take us straight to him.’

‘No... I...’

‘Ready, Dr Sinclair?’

Grabbing her medical bag, Isla pulled the door closed behind them.

‘Ready,’ she confirmed, waiting for the now terrified girl to turn around before mouthing to Nikhil to alert the medical centre.

They both knew that if drugs were involved then he, and the ship’s security, would need to know. However, Isla couldn’t help thinking that Nikhil turning up initially would be counter-productive. With a First Officer there, the other crew members—if any of them had hung around long enough—would be more likely to clam up, and Isla feared not learning what the patient had taken.

Besides, the faster someone got to him with a full medical kit, the better. Her bag didn’t have that much in it.

She was grateful that Nikhil appeared to realise this, turning down a different corridor to head in another direction, leaving the crewmember visibly sighing with relief.

It took several minutes for Isla to reach her patient, even hurrying down the main motorway corridor of the crew decks. But then, finally, they rounded a corner and she saw a cluster of crew around the door to one of the tiny cabins, her fear heightening as they all scattered the moment they saw her.

‘There...’ The crew member pointed, redundantly.

Pushing her way into the tiny space, Isla finally saw her patient. He was lying on his side, his breathing extremely shallow, his body twitching now and then but otherwise unconscious. A quick measure of his pulse confirmed it was reduced, whilst a check of his eyes confirmed the pupils were constricted. At least someone had had the sense to put him into the recovery position.

Briefly, she checked his airway. Clear—that was good.

‘What did he take?’

She didn’t really need to hear it, but she asked all the same. Still, it wasn’t really a surprise when no one answered.

‘The more information I have, the better I am able to treat your friend,’ she continued conversationally, biting back her frustration. ‘Your loyalty won’t count for much if he dies.’

‘Skag,’ a male voice bit out suddenly. ‘Just a bit of Skag.’

Just a bit said it all really, Isla thought, swallowing down a sudden wave of anger. Still, at least it meant she knew the best way to treat him.

‘You can treat...yes?’ someone asked, their accent so strong that it took Isla a moment to work out the words.

‘I need more kit. You have to alert the medical centre.’

This time no one argued. Though no one moved to do anything either.

‘I’m not here to play judge and jury; I just want to help your friend.’

‘Fine...’ Another voice spoke, and Isla thought it was the same man. ‘I’ll go.’

‘Just call them.’ Isla fought to keep her voice even.