Beep. Beep. Beep.
There was a steady beeping as Jim struggled to pull through the veil of fogginess and haze clouding his mind. Spock had been seated by his bedside the entire time the captain had been unconcious. Exactly 3 days, 10 hours, 5 minutes, 53 seconds.
Jim's eyes cracked open, drowning him in light, and sound. Things he wasn't prepared for. He glanced around, catching a glimpse of Spock standing before the Vulcan was grasping his hand and leaning down to speak to him. The first officer's lips may as well have been pressed against his ear at this point, "Are you feeling well, Captain? May I get you anything to make you more comfortable now that you are awake?"
Beep, beep beep. Beep, beep beep.
Jim hadn't exactly planned on the heart rate monitor giving away the jolt he'd felt when Spock spoke into his ear. "I'm fine, though a glass of water would be appreciated" was all he said, swallowing thickly. He looked around, realizing quickly that there was no one nagging him. No one telling him to stay laying down. No Bones. McCoy was missing, and Jim wanted some answers right away. His memory was fuzzy, and he couldn't recall what happened.
When Spock returned, he sipped the water down and finally got to business. "Where is he, Commander?" the Captain asked, not looking amused with the way the Vulcan tried to gather his thoughts. "Just tell me, plain and simple. Where is my CMO?"
"He was not recovered with you, Captain. We are left to assume he either perished or was taken captive by the natives"
"The Lenali?"
"Yes, sir"
Jim took a deep breath and nodded. "What's the likelihood that they took him?"
The first officer frowned, and proceeded to respond honestly. "Considering the trade and exchange of human beings on their planet, I am almost certain they have captured him and put him to use as a slave of some sort"
"A-a slave?"
"Yes, Captain. The Lenali extort human beings as both a piece of property, and a sexual item"
The last part completly tripped Jim up. A sexual item? They weren't talking, 'Oh I'm gonna beat you around and make you do my chores'. They were talking something far more damaging here. Psychologically and physically breaking.
"I have to go recover him"
"Jim, considering you are not only human, but easily recognized by their people, I do not think it would be wise. I believe that a group of the non-human crew members, including myself, should form a landing party and proceed"
Jim didn't like the idea, in fact, he hated it. He didn;t want to be left here to wonder if Bones was okay. The atmosphere, he recalled, was too thick to make direct contact which is why him and the doctor weren't just beamed aboard right away.
"If you truly think that's the best course of action, Commander"
"I do"
"Who are you planning on-"
Jim was cut short by M'Benga and Nurse Chapel entering the room. "Oh! Jim, you're awake! How are you feeling?" Christine asked, rushing to his side to begin taking his vitals.
M'Benga turned to Spock and frowned deeply, "I told you to come get me when he woke up. He's likely to fall back into a coma without proper care"
Jim heard the word coma and looked past Christine at the replacement CMO. "Coma? How long was I out?"
"3 days, 10 hours, 5 minutes, 53 seconds" the First Officer responded curtly.
"3 days Bones has been down there? And we've had no contact with him, and nobody has even tried to do anything?!"
"Captain, we were awaiting your instruction"
"You shouldn't be sitting down here in Med Bay with me sleeping. You should be down on that planet searching for our CMO" Jim knew it was illogical and irrational to be getting angry with Spock. They had their orders, but with the Captain unconcious, Spock then took his place as acting Captain. The Vulcan could have organized something days ago, and the thought of leaving the doctor down there for even a minute longer was driving him insane.
"There is, however, one problem Captain"
"Yeah? And what is that?"
"We were receiving distress signals from the USS Aleo, we had to leave the orbit of Lenalia"
