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Beta Reader: SilverMoonfire
Summary: DeSalle and the crew have rescued the landing party, the medical team worked feverishly to mend their wounds. But Mr. Spock and Nyota were deeply concerning Dr. M'Benga because of Spock's unique physiology.
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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


 

Coming Back to Reality

In the two days since the bridge crew's rescue, Dr. M'Benga had turned sickbay into a round the clock trauma unit. All nurses and doctors were ordered to report any changes in status to DeSalle and himself.

Lola Sanchez was the first to regain consciousness. Nurse Running Deer was alerted when her biobed reported elevated vitals signs. She had just alerted the other nurses and Dr. M'Benga, when Lola broke out in a sweat and began flaring her arms, tossing back and forth in her sleep.

"She is definitely coming around, Running Deer inform Commander DeSalle. Christine prepare a sedative."

"Yes, Dr. M'Benga."

Nurse Chapel hurried off to prepare the drug. That moment, Lola sat up in bed with her fists balled and started screaming:

"BLOOD!"

"BLOOD!"

"BLOOD!"

"BLOOD!"

"BLOOD EVERYWHERE!"

"BLOOD!"

"BLOOD!"

"I SEE BLOOD EVERYWHERE!"

Geoff grabbed Lola's thrashing body,

"Lola it's okay, wake up, Lola."

She kept screaming about the orange blood, tears running down her face. Christine ran back with the hypo tray for Geoff,

"Give her the shot!"

Christine quickly angled the hypo against Lola's upper arm and administered the sedative. Her body quickly relaxed and Geoff carefully laid her down. He looked up at the monitor and watched her vitals relax, Lola looked at M'Benga with tears rolling down her face.

"You're safe Lola, you're here in sickbay, you're back on the Enterprise."

She reached and touched his arm to see if he was real, and then said in between crying and sniffing,

"I thought I was dead, they were all around us, we had nowhere to go." Lola's lips trembled, she grabbed Geoff's arm tighter.

"All I see is orange blood."

Geoff continued to reassure her. "You're on the Enterprise now and you're safe. Nurse Chapel is going to get you something to drink and I want you to rest."

She shook her head. "What about the others?"

"They are all here with you, resting."

Moments later a moan was heard coming from another patient. Running Deer turned to see it was Dr. McCoy, he was rubbing his head and coming to consciousness. As Leonard tried to sit up he spoke in a dry, garbled voice, "What is all that noise, can't a man get some sleep?"

Running Deer smiled down at him and attempted to give him a sip of water. "Dr. McCoy, welcome back to the land of the living, sir."

"I felt like I was dead, how long have I been out?"

"About 2 days. Let me get your lady, she's been beside herself."

Running Deer went to page Christine.

McCoy sat up and continued to sip his water, when Geoff spoke to him.

"Welcome back to reality Leonard."

"Well, if this is the best you got as a welcoming committee, put me back to sleep. I feel awful." Leonard set the cup down and rubbed his head and looked at Sanchez.

"She's okay?"

"Traumatized from that planet. Once we get everyone's report, we can get a better idea of how to treat everyone."

Leonard fell back against his pillow, remembering everything that happened on the planet. He was so close to death, he'd met and shook hands with the grim reaper. He's been on many missions where death was a familiar thing, but this was different. He couldn't save anyone, there was no time.

"Did we... all make it?"

"Yes, except Doyle and Garrison, we found them with you. Care to talk about it?"

"Yeah, but not now. Is the Captain okay?"

"Yes, all the others are recovering at their own pace."

At that moment, a worried woman rushed in and looked at her tired weary man laying on a biobed.

"Lennie! You're awake!" Christine caressed his cheek, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey darlin, I'm alive."

She gently kissed his cheek and whispered, "I know, I've missed you."

"Don't you worry, I would have found my way back to you."

A voice moaned. "OH GOD, get a room."

All the heads turned to Jim Kirk slowly waking up from his coma. Geoff, and Running Deer went to the captain's bed and looked at his bio monitor.

"Captain, I won't ask how you're feeling, but it will help me do my job if you tell me."

"Head hurts, shoulder sore, mouth dry and... who's in command?"

"The ship is in the good hands of Lt. Commander DeSalle."

Geoff got Kirk a drink of water, which he sipped slowly to regain his strength.

"Captain, before DeSalle gets here, you do have two fractured ribs. It looks as if you were thrown."

"Yes. I was tossed, flipped, thrown, kicked, you name it it happened. What about survivors?"

"Most of the bridge crew, except Garrison and Doyle. Sorry Sir."

Kirk laid back and remembered how the two men died in the arena. Starfleet would need to be informed and next of kin would need to be notified.

"Captain, I should warn you that StarFleet is aware of our situation. As the next Senior Medical Officer, I am authorized to inform you that a valid report from a licensed clinician can clear you for duty."

Kirk lay there thinking for a moment, and gave a deep sigh.

"With the ordeal we went through, we'll keep things as they are for now. Give me an update on the landing party."

"I am concerned about Sanchez, she was the first to regain consciousness and woke up screaming about blood. We managed to calm her, then McCoy came to, followed by you sir."

Geoff leaned over and gave a sedative to Kirk, he looked up and asked, "What's that for?"

"Sumatriptan for your headache. After you speak with DeSalle, Captain, you will need more rest for a day. Barring anything unforeseen, tomorrow you can continue to rest in your quarters."

Kirk leaned over and watched McCoy mushing over Christine, and his eyes rolled.

"You okay Bones?"

"Nope, still traumatized from our event, but happy to see my girl."

He responded while looking into her face with a big smile, caressing her cheek.

"Did you hear what M'Benga said? No duty for you."

"That's fine with me, Geoff is doing a bang up job."

DeSalle entered sickbay with a big smile on his face.

"Captain, I see you are well. Thank God you're back on the Enterprise."

"I see you found us in the nick of time, DeSalle, thank you. How did you find us?"

"Chekov reported for duty and found the bridge empty and called me. We first searched the planet after Chekov and the replacement crew got your clue."

Kirk looked puzzled. "Clue?"

"Yes, Sir, each department recorded a beam scanning the ship from the next galaxy. That led us to the planet you were on. We had to engage in a battle of sorts, they attacked without warning after we attempted to communicate our intentions. It's all in the report, but after a brief conflict we were able to find you and stunned the whole area to retrieve you and the rest of the bridge crew. Security Nieves recorded the area where you were found, it was not a pretty sight, sir. We retrieved Doyle and Garrison's bodies, we left no one behind, sir."

Kirk looked at DeSalle, the man was good and took to leadership well. Kirk's heart was heavy, he would never know who abducted them, or why they were taken to the arena battle. He figured Starfleet would review all the reports and ban the planet.

"Thanks for rescuing us in time. What is our heading?"

"I was instructed by Starfleet Command to bring the Enterprise to Starbase 9, since most of the senior officers were off-line. We have been ordered to use their medical facilities until you and the others are recovered."

Kirk looked at DeSalle, he was a good, by the book, officer. The man had saved the bridge crew from certain death, and death had been right in front of him..again.

"Thank you, Desalle, for saving us. A commendation is in order."

"NO sir, I am relieved that you are back on the Enterprise. Now that you are awake.. it's enough."

"Good man, give me updates when you can."

"Yes Sir-speedy recovery Captain."

DeSalle bowed and returned to his duty station.

Kirk sat up and looked around the room. He saw Sulu and his wife Charlene still unconscious next to each other. He looked at their monitors as they both slept, then Scotty with his bruised face. Off in the distance of the recovery room, he saw Spock and Nyota. He could hear everyone's biobed monitors beeping their vitals. Kirk laid back and thought about how everything had turned out.

"The Calvary does come in the nick of time."

 












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Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.