Star Trek Discovery*

Human Error

Chapter One

New Eden - The Aftermath

Lieutenant Detmer successfully performed the Donut maneuver causing a cheer to erupt from the gathering on the bridge. When Commander Saru glanced around the room he was both delighted and relieved at the same time, he wanted to jump up and click his heels together but restrained himself as he thought of what signals that might send to the rest of the bridge crew. He wasn't a child but a serious and seasoned Starfleet officer, the first Kelpian in fact who'd made it into the Academy. He was immensely proud of what he'd achieved and who he'd become through hard work and determination. He was therefore a bit disappointed not to be trusted with his own command but decided it had been for the best to settle into the role of XO once again, at least for a little while. He would never demand to have his own ship, it was not his way of doing things instead he wanted to earn it. Maybe Admiral Cornwell had been right when she'd told it him it was too soon to expect the rank of captain even though he'd performed exemplary during the war.

Saru sighed as he glanced around the jovial faces of the bridge crew of the Discovery, there was hope in the eyes of his fellow officers again. How he'd missed to see the genuine smiles around him. It had been trying times. He would never forget the day Michael Burnham betrayed their Captain Philippa Georgiou, he would never forget the news of her death, never forget what happened afterwards. After the tragic yet heroic demise of his friend and superior officer and the detainment of her XO, Michael Burnham, Saru had been temporarily lost, his faith in humanity gone. It hadn't been until the new ship, the USS Discovery, had been introduced to him and some of his former colleagues that he felt hope returning again.

Never in his wildest dreams could he have foreseen the fact that the man he'd come to respect as his new commanding officer, even though he seemed a bit rough around the edges, had been an impostor from another universe. Saru grew dismayed every time he thought back upon the little things Captain Lorca had said and done during the year onboard, it had been pure and simple manipulation of everyone and everything around him that eventually drove them all into great danger and prolonged the suffering of others. In the surrealistic reality Captain Lorca called home he'd also lost his life, ironically killed by the woman sharing the very form of Saru's old commanding officer, Philippa Georgiou.

Saru stared out the view screen without really seeing anything, caught up in thoughts of old friends and foes. He had lost so many that he was afraid he couldn't bear to lose anyone else. Therefore it felt good to save all those innocent men and women on the planet and it was of great relief to him when Lieutenant Commander Airiam reported that the landing party was finally back onboard.

Not only had they avoided a disaster on the planet, they'd also gotten their people back. Saru was so confident in Michael Burnham and Joann Owosekun that he never bothered to call down to the transporter room to make sure everything was in order. Therefore he was both troubled and surprised as the turbolift doors swooshed open a few minutes later to reveal only Owosekun.

She looked around the bridge with a look of remorse and hesitated slightly before she walked up to him where he sat in the captain's chair. "Captain Pike has been injured," she said in a subdued voice. "It's bad, sir."

Saru felt his mood plummet, his throat suddenly dry. Feeling ashamed of himself for whishing a command only a few minutes earlier. He liked what he'd seen of Pike so far. "What happened?" he managed.

"He saved a child from being vaporized by one of our phasers. He didn't hesitate, he lounged for it and shielded the rest of us with his body. It seemed like a reflex," she explained. "Why would he do that?"

"Because he's a true Captain bound by the rules of Starfleet," Saru whispered under his breath.

However, Owosekun obviously hadn't heard him as she continued, seemingly in shock. "Is the Captain supposed to be put into such a situation at all?"

Saru swallowed, he was technically Pike's XO now and the Discovery their ship. Even though in reality the interim captain already had a loyal crew, a ship of his own and an XO Saru still considered Pike to be his responsibility. He sighed inwardly, Captain Pike was not just any captain, he happened to be commanding the Flagship of the Federation. It was easy to forget at times as the man seemed so down to earth and kind yet Saru had seen first-hand the determination with which the captain acted when his mind was set.

The Kelpian nodded at the woman in front of him and silently thanked her for the information even though her words had created a tension amongst the officers around him. "Bridge to sickbay," he called.

"Sickbay," Michael Burnham's voice filled the open com channel. "Saru, it's good to hear your voice."

"And yours, commander," he replied politely. "Although I was expecting Doctor Pollard to answer."

Burnham didn't reply at first and when she finally did, her voice sounded hollow and strained. "She's working on Captain Pike at the moment," she said. "It would seem that our new captain does things the hard way or not at all."

"I won't keep you," Saru said seriously. "Please let us know what happens."

"Yes, sir," she answered curtly and killed the connection.

She let out a sigh and leaned heavily against the wall opposite the small room where the captain was currently residing. It was an ugly wound, a third degree burn that had scorched the flesh and tissue. The shockwave of the blast had cracked or broken several ribs, his respiratory functions was affected and she guessed the right lung had been bruised as well. She marveled at his resoluteness, there had been no hesitation on his part, he'd acted on instinct, on instinct to save others. It was an unselfish act but far from harmless and Michael feared for his life. She'd learned to school her feelings while living on Vulcan but no matter how many hours or how much effort she put into it she could not erase her humanity. She willed for her new captain to stay alive, to fight the pain and shock the wound was causing him. The memory of Philippa Georgiou impaled on the floor of the Klingon vessel was still fresh in her mind and Captain Lorca's deception. She couldn't lose another superior officer so soon after what she'd been through, she refused to accept it.

"Come on, captain," she whispered. "You've got to fight this. Not only for the Discovery and her crew but for the Enterprise and her crew and for the sake of my brother. I hear he looks up to you."

OOOOOO

Doctor Tracy Pollard sighed as she sat down behind the common desk that the officers and privates shared next to what had been nicknamed the ICU. She stole a glance at the semi-dark room that housed the captain, she could make out his silhouette and the screen above his head that dutifully reported his vitals to her. It had been close, too close for her liking. She was a junior grade, she wasn't supposed to have this kind of responsibility. She really whished Doctor Culber was alive and there to help her, he was well and truly missed amongst the staff. The CMO was more of a science officer that liked to spend her days drooling over a cryotube with various specimen.

Pollard sighed once again and ran a tired hand through her black hair. 'Captain Christopher Pike,' she mused. He had an interesting medical file to say at least, it seemed he was a man of action and quite daring too.

As a physician she'd met a lot of people officers and privates alike. There was no division among them, all should be treated accordingly but there was something about the man lying on the biobed before her that made her slightly nervous. She couldn't put a finger on it but she felt anticipation. He instilled hope in people all around her. On her meal break only hours ago she'd heard a few crewmen from engineering talking about him and then she'd heard Detmer and Airiam mentioning his name.

One of the younger nurses had hesitated when he'd been brought in and after calling her on it after she'd finished treating Pike the woman had blurted, "It's the captain of the USS Enterprise, he's a flagship officer. What if I hurt him?"

Tracy had smiled at that but strangely enough she knew the feeling. The unconscious man before her looked serene and kind but there was aura of authority that seemed to surround him even in his sleep. She got out of the chair and carefully made her way over to him, careful not to disturb him. The doctor quickly noted the various readings on the monitor above the captain's head and a faint upward curl was displayed on her lips. Christopher Pike was going to be okay, his vitals was slowly returning to normal but it wouldn't do for her to let him out of sight for at least a day or two. She wondered briefly how he would react to that. His record told her he had a high threshold for pain and she pondered the idea of cutting back on the pain relievers if he was adamant to leave early but decided against it. She'd deal with that later when it came to that. For now she was just going to make sure he was resting peacefully.

OOOOOO

Ensign Tilly was exhausted, her head felt like it was going to explode and her eyes hurt but she couldn't go to bed. She was mulling over her friend, her mind going into overdrive as she stood alone in the turbolift. 'She didn't even know that May was onboard the ship. How come she hadn't run into her earlier?' she wondered as the lift stopped and the doors opened on deck five. "Something is seriously wrong here."

"So it seems," Michael Burnham deduced as she stepped in to join her friend. "Are you all right? I heard you tried to take a sample of the asteroid. That's-"

"I succeeded," Tilly blurted. "That's right, I'd forgotten all about it. I better go down there."

Burnham quickly stepped in front of her. "No, no, Tilly," she admonished, having been briefed about Tilly's appearance on the bridge earlier and that the asteroid was off ship. "Why don't I walk you back to your quarters?"

"I can't sleep," she said sincerely.

"Saru said you looked worn out and a little lost on the bridge. He is worried about you, we all are," Burnham said softly. "If you'd rather go to sickbay."

"No, no. I've had enough of Doctor Pollard for the time being," Tilly replied absentmindedly as she carefully glanced around the small room.

"Stilly," May's voice floated gloatingly over the small space.

Tilly gulped, her long lost friend's voice suddenly sounded tantalizing and-

Michael followed her gaze. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Tilly refocused on Burnham. "What? No, I was just-" she trailed off and smiled insecurely. "Don't you see her?"

Michael frowned. "See who?" she asked.

"I guess you're right. I am tired," Sylvia blurted.

Michael narrowed her eyes slightly but said nothing as she studied her former roommate. Sylvia reached up with her hand to rub her temples.

"How was Terralysium?" she asked suddenly.

"Interesting," Burnham replied succinctly without elaborating.

"Don't be like that. I know you. There is something you're not telling me," Tilly fired off. "Something's happened, hasn't it? Did you see the red angel?"

Michael sighed. "No, nothing like that. But I believe there is evidence of it having been there before," she let on.

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Tilly asked jovially. "What does Captain Pike say?"

"The captain is dying, Stilly," May whispered faintly.

"Tilly," Michael began.

The ensign stiffened. "What?" she whispered somewhat in shock.

"Tilly?" Michael repeated, worriedly this time.

"Just ignore me," she replied. "You were saying?"

"Nothing that can't wait. I think we need to get you to bed," she said.

"No, no. Something's happened to Captain Pike," she deduced with dread.

To her surprise Burnham nodded. "The captain took a phaser blast to his chest," she explained.

Tilly gasped as May nodded where she stood behind Michael. "Maybe I should check in with Doctor Pollard anyway," she said quickly. "I mean, I don't feel so great really."

Satisfied that Tilly seemed to see the logic behind her suggestion to go to sickbay, Michael gently began to lead her out of the turbolift.

Tilly glanced over her shoulder and saw to her despair that the woman she'd considered to be her friend in junior school was walking behind them, following them. She gulped miserably but said nothing. She forced herself to focus and take a deep breath. However, as they entered the dimly lit sickbay Tilly's worry about May was long gone and replaced by an increasing concern for a certain captain she'd hardly gotten to know yet. All she'd managed to do so far had been to make a fool of herself by trying to break his little finger and tell him he'd beautiful nailbeds. Tilly groaned inwardly. That wasn't the worst of it, no she'd also managed to put his classified file on display for the entire bridge crew to see.

"Will he be all right?" she whispered, unable to take her eyes off the pale man lying prone on the biobed.

OOOOOO

*This was written by a sleep-deprived in the middle of the night and had some inconsistencies to the episode, therefore I have reposted the chapter. Thanks for your lovely feedback!