A Brand New Day

Scotty was next to wake up from his deep sleep, rubbing his head and slowly opening his eyes.

"Agh, I don't remember drinking so much Scotch before, my head feels like it exploded. Where am I?"

Christine approached him and smiled down at him, doing her rendition of Scottish.

"Welcome back to the real world Laddie."

"Awe, that.. that was awful Chapel. I feel like I was beaten by a herd of trolls!"

McCoy sat up in his bed.

"You were."

"Why am I not dead, or in some heavenly place where the angels are singing to me!"

McCoy laughed and said,

"They didn't wantch'ya and they decided to throw you back!"

Kirk was shaking his head as he realized everyone that was waking up was full of jokes.

"Why is everyone sooo comical when they wake up?" he asked.

"It's the sedative that we gave you when you were recovering," said M'Benga. "It will wear off in a couple of hours."

McCoy got excited and looked at Spock's prone body.

"You mean Spock will wake up laughing and telling jokes?"

M'Benga looked at McCoy and shook his head.

"Most likely not, McCoy. Ms. Chapel, can you give Mr. Scott an analgesic for his headache."

She looked at Scotty with his disheveled hair and smiled. "Right away Doctor."

A low moan could be heard from Sulu's biobed just before his arms started flaring back and forth, like he was wielding a sword. M'Benga raced over to his side and watched his monitor as he held Sulu by his shoulders.

"Sulu-Sulu wake up! You're on the Enterprise in sickbay!"

Sulu grabbed Dr. M'Benga's arms for support and slowly opens his eyes, shocked to see him.

"I'm not dead?"

"No."

"CHARLENE!"

In an instant, Sulu was kicking the covers away. As he sat up too fast, he felt dizzy and collapsed back against the pillow.

"Oh doc, I feel...dizzy."

"That will teach you not to get out of bed without permission."

"My wife, is she okay? Is everybody okay?"

"Your wife is still unconscious, doing well, according to her vitals. Everyone else is coming around."

Sulu took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He was so grateful that she was alive. Tears formed in his eyes as he remembered what happened, they were so close to death. Geoff saw Sulu's face and knew what he was going through.

" Give it time. When you are ready... We are here for you."

Sulu glanced at the bed beside him and saw his wife sleeping peacefully, it brought him comfort. But the reality living in his mind is the outcome from the ordeal they all shared, their last moments together, looking into each other's eyes as fear kept them company.

M'Benga gave him a drink of water.

"Charlene is doing fine, her body is recovering from the shock induced by injuries obtained in the arena."

"Ya doc, kill or be killed." Sulu said bitterly. "How is everyone else?"

"We're all here Sulu," shouted Kirk.

"Glad you made it lad," said Scotty.

"We're all alive, Sulu. We made it, somehow," said McCoy.

Then, silence.

"What about Sanchez?"

A very quiet voice spoke up,

"I'm here Mr. Sulu, I'm okay - I guess."

Geoff observed the reunion and determined that they seemed fine. It's only the beginning of their PTSD, the human mind compensates for such events that the crew experienced. They would eventually tell him that 'they're fine', they 'want to go back to work', 'when can they leave?' He was ready for it.

"I'm glad you are all coming around; talking, laughing. Can you talk about how you got there?"

There was silence, then Kirk spoke up.

"We were all completing routine checks and cartography of the planet. Then, like blinking your eyes, we were in the arena. Our minds couldn't process it fast enough Geoff."

The crew looked at each other and nodded, at that moment:

"There are so many of them, how can we defend ourselves.. What the f ck is going on? Karu, KARU!" Charlene sat up, breathing hard, monitors beeping and shouted,

"I LOVE YOU!"

She opened her eyes to see M'Benga in front of her, holding one of her arms. She looked around and saw the bridge crew.

"WHAT? HOW? How did we get here?"

Sulu pulled himself out of bed and stumbled to her, "Honey, I'm here!"

Her eyes widened in shock and gladness as she reached for him and started crying on his shoulder. With her broken voice and tears Charlene asked,

"Karu, I'm so relieved, we survived-I don't understand, how?"

Kirk and the others sat up to see the tender moment between them.

"This time the Calvary came in the nick of time!"

"Aye, the Enterprise saved us all, give credit to those nacelles and warp engines."

Karu and Char looked intimately at each other and touched foreheads, holding each other.

Kirk added a sly remark, "Oh great, another couple that needs a room."

"Okay people, Dr. Robinson should be here soon to fill you in on the next steps to returning to duty. Mr. Sulu, I need YOU to get back in bed." Geoffrey pointed at him, with a stern look.

Sulu started climbing the bed where Charlene laid, Geoff gave a puzzled look.

"Sulu! What are you doing?"

"I'm getting into bed,-with my wife. I'm not leaving her now."

"Kirk said get a room, NOT get in the bed in front of US!" laughed McCoy. The others laughed too at the tender moment.

Lola didn't know what to think or do, the experience in the arena had left her traumatized, and lonely. She was just a yeoman, doing her job, she was assigned as the Captain's yeoman a few weeks ago. She only left the ship briefly but not on combat missions or missions that were dangerous. This was her first one and it had scared her, scared enough to consider leaving Starfleet all together. She sat up, looking around at the rest of the crew. How they seemed to have it together, she didn't know. She was afraid she would be told 'she'll get over it'. Lola kept seeing the orange blood oozing out of the creatures and everyone fighting. Uhura and Masters had kept her going. She looked at Sulu and Charlene, snuggling on the small biobed. Then her eyes drifted to Spock and Uhura, laying there sleeping and wondered how they would handle it. Lola turned to see Captain Kirk staring at her and wondered how long he'd been staring for.

" Are...are Uhura and Mr. Spock going to be okay sir?"

"I don't know Sanchez, I believe so. Mr. Spock is a Vulcan, his body works differently from ours."

McCoy chuckled about Spock and looked at Geoff. "I want to do the honors of completing his healing. I've wondered what it would be like." [1]

Geoff said sternly. "No way Len, you're on medical leave, and don't even think about it!"

McCoy's head hit the pillow with a thump. "Party pooper."

About an hour later, Dr. Robinson walked in with Dr. Chen and Dr. Noel, each one carrying a Padd.

"Good afternoon everyone, how are you feeling today?"

Kirk took a deep breath and stared at them. "I need to get clear and return to command."

"I know you do, Captain. Once we complete our reports, we will clear you for duty."

Geoff reported, "Doctors, most are cleared to return to their quarters for convalescence until you and your team clear them. I have informed them already, that your authorization will release them for duty."

"Thank you M'Benga, I did receive your reports. Dr. Noel, Chen and I have already made arrangements for appointments starting tomorrow."

"How long do we have to see ya?" asked Scotty.

"That depends on you Mr. Scott, this incident affects people differently, if you try to hide it it may have an affect on your jobs. We are here to avoid that, we want you to go back to your jobs. You're the best in the Fleet!"

"And when can we go to our quarters?" asked Scotty

LaToya looked at Geoff, nodded, and said.

"You may leave now if you like. I will have the nurses and aides assist you to your quarters, and your meals will be prepared when you get there. Nurse Chapel will prepare everything for you to leave."

The crew were escorted back to their quarters, with Lola making a request not to be alone in hers. Geoff assigned her Running Deer as a bunk mate for the time being to help with her fears. Lola was scared of the dark and nightmares.

Dr. Richard Chen was assigned Lola and Mr. Scott, even though Scotty was reluctant at first.

Dr. LaToya Robinson was assigned McCoy and Kirk since they were senior officers and needed service as senior officers.

Dr. Helen Noel had both couples; Sulu and Charlene, Spock and Nyota. They needed specialized support due to the fact they were married and fears that stress and frustration would strain their marriages.

Before Kirk and McCoy left, they stared at Uhura and Spock laying on their biobeds. They wondered how long Spock would remain in this state, McCoy remembered Neural [1] where Spock was shot. They both were worried about his recovery then, but now it included Uhura, they were connected somehow.

"I hope they're okay Bones."

"Me too Jim, me too."

With everybody gone, Geoff looked at the remaining couple and wondered what was going on in Mr. Spock's consciousness, he was attached to Uhura. This part of Vulcan psychology, connected consciousness, was new to him. "Would it affect her as well," he asked himself. He needed to ask an expert and decided to make a call to the S'chn T'gai family Healer, Shath, on Vulcan.