Authors Note:
Thank you all for your support with this story! The reviews have all been lovely to read and so very encouraging. Thank you again, I hope they continue as the story continues. Its so encouraging to know you enjoy what I write.
Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Chapter Four
Pike gripped the rope tightly. Every scream of pain he heard from Jim echoed all around him. He started to thank his lucky stars that the roads around them were closed, he really didn't want to explain to civilians that this was a Starfleet matter. Whenever that happened, the press hit hard, filling the news and media with lies and scandal about Starfleet. Recruiting was hard enough, the last thing they needed was this to be all over the media too.
He looked down at the PADD, still only able to see Jim's arm, but maybe that was for the best. He really didn't want to see him in pain.
Before he even had a chance to turn around, he heard the small hums of hover cars pulling up behind him. Starfleet's own emergency services had arrived.
"Sorry about the delay admiral, we weren't expecting to travel this far from campus." A tall man dressed in high reflective uniform said as he approached Pike. "We saw the car on the way up, I'm assuming this is just a quick clean up job?"
Pike gripped the rope tighter again, as to ensure McCoy was still on the end of it as Jim's screams quickly grew silent. "You've got to be kidding me. I've got a cadet and a doctor down there!"
The young man's face suddenly dropped, "I wasn't informed this was a rescue mission – my apologies sir." He sensed the frustration in Pike's voice. He quickly looked down at the rope he was holding. "And you're holding them up with that?"
Pike rolled his eyes. "Who's in charge of this operation?" He called out to them all, waiting for a response from someone.
The man he had been speaking to slowly put his hand in the air, his cheeks flashed pink as he was embarrassed to have to be called out in front of his team.
Pike rolled his eyes again. "Not anymore. Take this." He said, passing the rope to him. "Do not let go."
The man fumbled slightly as he took the rope, but did as he was instructed.
"The rest of you, gather round. We've got a cadet trapped in a car, balanced on the edge of a crumbling ledge in a critical condition and a doctor with limited medical supplies, hanging from a rope next to him. How they got there, is not important. Right now, my main concern is that J…the cadet and his doctor are brought up here pronto." Pike said, being careful to keep Jim's identity secret.
"We could beam them up, sir." A young voice said from the back of the group.
"Not possible, you couldn't get a stable enough signal on them this close to the edge of the cliff. Not to mention the metals in the soil here. Next idea!" Pike ordered.
"How about sending down a mountain rescue team?" another voice spoke up.
"You guys call yourselves an emergency rescue team? We can't get civilians involved." Pike groaned.
"You do know they are only cadets themselves, right?" The man gripping the rope spoke up from the cliff side.
Pike marched back over to him, "I called Starfleet for the emergency services and they sent cadets?! Do they know what we are dealing with here? … What's your name?" Pike asked, fumbling his words with frustration.
"It's Payne, sir. Commander Payne." He replied.
"Well then, Commander Payne, what would you suggest?" Pike asked, rubbing his forehead to soothe the pain from his growing headache.
"I would say the top priority is to get the cadet trapped in the car, out of it." He dared to speak his mind. "If the doctor thinks he can be moved, we would be crazy not to do it."
"And what does the Doctor think?" Pike said, looking down at the PADD on the floor, even though the video link was still obstructed by Jim's arm, the sound worked perfectly.
"Well it's nice to be included in this conversation. Moving him is damn crazy, I've cauterized his bleeding but it's not a permanent fix. Jim needs surgery in a sterile environment. Any sudden movements could cause the bleeding to start up again and I can't promise that I can stop it again." McCoy began explaining, refusing to take his eyes off Jim, who was losing his fight with consciousness more and more with every passing minute.
"Not to mention, even if we do get him out the car, he's the only counter balance it has. The car will fall off the cliffs edge and probably take out most, if not all of the ledge the doctor is currently sat on." Pike continued on from McCoy.
"Then it seems we only have the one choice." Payne said, listening to all the explanations. "First of all we need to get a proper harness and safety line down to the doctor."
"Now that I agree with." McCoy said cutting in as he rubbed his thighs, "This rope is starting to give me rope burn."
"Then, once the doctor is secure, we lower another one down for the cadet. The doctor will need to attach his to the cadet and we can then pull them up together. The car will fall down but we will have both of them attached safely." Payne continued with his plan.
"That sounds just great, the only trouble is, how am I supposed to attach a harness around Jim when he's stuck in the car in the first place?" McCoy grumbled down the video link. "Any sudden movements from him and he falls before I can even attach him to me."
Jim sniggered a little at the innuendo, he may not be able to open his eyes but he could listen just fine. In fact the grumblings from Bones was proving to be a great distraction from the growing pain he was having to deal with… not that he wanted to look any weaker than he already did.
McCoy noticed Jim laughing and smiled, it was good to know he was still awake, even though he did laugh at the most stupid of sentences.
"You'll have to attach the harness around his arms and shoulders." Payne said.
McCoy almost laughed. "You know I haven't even looked at his dislocated arm, right? There's no way he can be moved like that. The pain he will be in… it's not even worth thinking about."
There was an awkward silence as the three of them attempted to think of a new way to lift Jim up, until finally one of them spoke.
"Do it." Jim said – taking them all by surprise.
"Are you out of your freaking mind, Jim? I've already told you, I don't have the pain medication or the medication to put you out for it. You'll be awake and feel everything. Not to mention the fact that we could cause even more damage to that arm of yours… lasting damage. I can't say for sure without looking at it properly." McCoy answered, he couldn't believe what Jim had even suggested.
"No other way." Jim said, finally opening his eyes again. He turned to look at his friend, his eyes were bright red and blood shot. "I want to go…home." He began to cough.
McCoy noticed Jim's overall appearance. "There's got to be another way."
"No time." Jim continued to cough, causing every limb in his body to ache all over as the pain medication he received earlier started to wear off.
"It's your call, doc." Pike said back down the video link.
McCoy had almost forgotten they were there. He stumbled for a second, assessing Jim further with his eyes. It was clear they were running out of time, Jim needed to stay awake as long as possible yet with every passing second he was fighting a losing battle. Who knew how long the temporary seal on his spleen would last, not to mention the fact he hadn't seen Jim move his fingers once on his right hand yet, for all he knew Jim was going to lose the arm anyway.
"…fine, ok, there's no choice. But I need an ambulance up there for when we are up, Jim needs to get straight to Starfleet medical. I'm not happy to move him until it's there." McCoy finally spoke.
Pike turned to Payne and took the rope off him. "You know what to do." He said, nodding at him. "Time to prove yourself... Chief."
