Chapter 2

Interlude: Captain's Log

Stardate 2258.62

We have received word of a distress signal nearly from the U.S.S. Madeleine. Being the only ship in range, we have made the decision of launching a rescue mission. Unfortunately, the Enterprise is currently undergoing repairs from our last encounter with the Klingons. We need to…secure new batteries to recharge the activation of the dilithium core in order to power the ship's engines, as I have been informed by Chief of Engineering Montgomery Scotty. We are planning to secure them from a certain smugglers' hideout on the nearby planet Nilai Seven. My First Officer, Commander Spock, has reminded me that this is against regulation, and I acknowledge that, but the way I see things, A: the crew of the Madeleine is in danger, and B: the smugglers probably stole those batteries in the first place. If I had the opportunity, I would be giving the order to capture their outpost as we speak. Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S. Enterprise out.

***

Engineering deck six, en route to the U.S.S. Madeleine.

Scotty winced as he stood from his seat in the transporter room. Dammit, Spock, he thought, starting carefully for his tiny office, could've warned me about that damn drop…oww…a bit sooner…

"Sir, are you all right?" one of the nearby cadets asked.

"M'fine," he replied, hoarsely, slowly hobbling out of the room.

"Sir, you look like you're about to collapse," the cadet said, "You should see Dr. McCoy."

"I just need a minute or two of rest! Calm down," he snapped, irritably, trying to straighten up.

More pain shot through his lungs and back as he bent back over, making his way to his office and gingerly taking a seat on the couch.

You should get that looked at, a voice in his head told him, quietly.

Shut up, Scotty thought.

A knock came at the door.

"S'open," he called.

Spock entered, his normally grave expression on his face. "Are you all right?"

"Honestly, why is everybody askin' me that?" Scotty demanded, "I'm fine."

"You are not fine. You fell twenty feet straight down and landed flat on your back."

"No thanks to you."

"One of the cadets in Transporter Room 7 was cornered."

"Was it tha' little dark haired girl? She's a bloody hypochondriac if y'ask me."

"You can barely walk. Are you experiencing pain?"

"Changing th'way ye ask th' question won't make me answer any differently."

"So you are imitating an old, crotchety man with a back problem for no reason?"

Scotty opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again, then closed it again. "All right, fine!" he muttered, "I'm not ok. My back and lungs are killing me every damn time I take a breath."

Spock nodded, expressionless, then tapped his communicator and said, "This is Spock to sickbay."

"What can I do for you?" came Bones's reply.

"Please send a wheelchair down to the Engineering Deck."

"What? I can walk!" Scotty protested.

"Very, very slowly," Spock replied.

"Be right there," Bones said.

Scotty mouthed silently and furiously at the First Officer before crossing his arms and sulking like a child.

***

Jim Kirk blinked and did a double-take as Scotty was wheeled into Sickbay, a murderous look on his face.

"What happened to you?" he demanded, as Nurse Chapel wrapped a bandage around his wrist.

"I fell down a bloody airduct," Scotty snapped.

Spock, who was pushing the wheelchair, rolled his eyes. "He has a back injury," he announced. "I am recommending that he be admitted until further notice."

Bones stepped out of his office then, an annoyed look on his face, carrying a tricorder. He ran the machine's beam over Scotty's chest, huffing an irritated sigh.

"How far did you fall?" he asked, wearily.

"Twenty feet," Spock answered for him.

"Should've been here sooner," the doctor said, chastizingly.

"Why, what is it?" Scotty asked.

"The shock of impact has chipped bits of bone off your ribs which are now sticking into your lungs. Your spine has been slightly shifted inwards, which explains the back pain."

"…Oh," the engineer remarked, slightly mildly.

"If you hadn't come to get this treated the back condition could've escalated to type six advanced scoliosis, which is fixable, but a big pain in the ass."

"Ah." Scotty laughed nervously and humorlessly.

"Luckily, I can fix it. You'll be here for awhile, and you'll probably miss the rescue, but seeing as how at the moment you're completely useless, that won't be a big deal. Spock, for once I'm gonna thank you for being a pushy bastard," Bones announced.

"I will take that as a compliment, Doctor," the Vulcan replied, nodding, then left.

"Right. Get up," Bones said to Scotty.

Slowly, the engineer stood, grimacing with the pain. "So. How exactly does this get fixed?" he asked. Then: "OWW!" (As Bones injected something into his neck.) "What was tha' for?!"

"It's an enzyme that'll take the bone fragments back into your ribs and reattach them. The spine issue should right itself too, so long as you're on your stomach when it happens. But it's gonna hurt like hell, so I'm going to sedate you and stock you up on painkillers."

"Right…okay."

Scotty sluggishly made his way to one of the nearby cots and laid down on his stomach.

"Count down from ten," Bones said, injecting something else into the engineer's neck.

Scotty took a breath. "Ten," he began, "Nine. Eight…"

Slowly, his eyes fluttered shut.

"Patients," Bones muttered, and walked away.