Hail the Conqering Heroes [closed]

[meat_mooks]

It was one exhausted, tired, alien puke-covered, acid blood-burnt group of people that trundled out of the hangar and into the ship proper. Their mission? Had sucked. Their intel had been wrong. Their lives had nearly been forfeit

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Post-Surgery

[meat_mooks]

A hologram of the doctor was still with Hiccup as another hologram came to those waiting for news on his condition.

"You are the boy's father, I presume?" said the Doctor to Stoick.

Re: Post-Surgery

[stoickthevast]

Stoick's large hands curled into fists as he nodded. "I am. H-how is he?" It hadn't looked good from his viewpoint, but maybe, just maybe there was some hope left that Hiccup would recover.

Re: Post-Surgery

[governorkang]

Kang stayed where he was, leaning against the wall, and listened intently. His own feelings were obvious by the set of his wings, though, and how quickly his head snapped up at the voice of the doctor.

Re: Post-Surgery

[meat_mooks]

"I suggest you sit down," the doctor said to the hefty Viking.

Re: Post-Surgery

[stoickthevast]

Oh gods, his son was dying. He didn't so much sit, as collapse, unsure how much more of this he could take. Hope was beginning to dwindle as the doctor seemed to be stalling.

"Hiccup...is he...?" He didn't dare say more, but he had to know.

Re: Post-Surgery

[meat_mooks]

"I have good news and bad news. The good news is that he survived the surgery, and he is currently in critical condition, but has been stabilized as best as circumstances will allow."

Re: Post-Surgery

[stoickthevast]

He heaved a sigh of relief in spite of the fact he had only heard the good news. Hiccup was alive. The gods be praised.

But the chief in him knew there was more. Heavily he asked, "And the bad news?"

Re: Post-Surgery

[meat_mooks]

"His long-term prognosis is rather grim. I had some assistance from Katara, and her spiritually-based healing improved his chances significantly, but the issue isn't the original wound. The parasite exuded a caustic enzyme in his chest, most likely meant to soften the surrounding tissue so that it could break free. While the creature was weakened by the inhibitor I introduced, and that led to it finding an alternate route through his abdomen, those enzymes still caused significant damage to the tissues in his chest. His lungs are damaged, the bones of his rib cage have softened and leeched calcium. He's at tremendous risk for infection, for blood clots, for embolism, for any number of complications."

Basically, he could keel over and die at any time.

"It's going to be very touch and go."

Re: Post-Surgery

[stoickthevast]

Half of that--scratch that, two-thirds of the medical jargon meant nothing to Stoick. The list of injuries, however he understood and he paled, grateful for the firmness of the seat beneath him.

He buried his head into his hands at the news. His son was mere steps from death's door and there was nothing he could do. "Is there nothing more you can do?"

[meat_mooks]

"Any problems will be dealt with as they occur, and the utmost attention will be devoted to his care."

A pause.

"Would you like to see him?"

[stoickthevast]

He could ask no more than that.

So when the offer finally came, Stoick nodded, his voice hoarse as he mustered the response. "Yes. Please." He wanted to see his son more than anything.

[governorkang]

"I'll inform Command," Kang's wings rustled, and he looked directly at Stoick. "Go see your son."

[stoickthevast]

Stoick hadn't forgotten about Kang, but his attention had been focused on Hiccup and the doctor. He met Kang's gaze with a grateful one of his own. The 'thank you' never made it to his lips, but it was there all the same.

[meat_mooks]

"He's currently under sedation and unconscious, so you won't be able to speak to him. He's also hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe."

The EMH led Stoick to his son's bedside and drew the curtain aside to let him take a seat on the chair that sprung up next to his bedside.

[stoickthevast]

The sight of Hiccup hooked up to contraptions the like of which he'd never seen before was odd and intimidating for someone like Stoick. That his son's life was now dependant on something like this was probably the hardest to take.

Still, seeing his son on the brink of death, his body even thinner than he seemed to recall, his face paler than ever; it was like his son was just a step from death. Probably because he was.

He approached hesitantly and sat down heavily in the chair provided. He had no idea what to do, let alone what to say; so he buried his head into his hands.