Keith shook his head to clear the sudden blurring of the repair bay as he attempted to land. Too many attacks. Too little sleep. Too much adrenaline pumping through his body had left him grey with exhaustion. Even his hair, usually unkempt looked limp and tired. Shaking his head again to clear it, he landed with an ungraceful and bone jarring thump. "The academy trainers would give me demerits for that one," he thought and powered down to let the technicians begin their mad scramble to fix Black so he and Keith could return to battle.
Closing his bloodshot eyes for a moment of relief, the Captain knew nothing else until a hand gently shaking him brought him back to awareness. Opening his eyes, he looked into the worried visage of Dr. Gorma. Why was the doctor here? Oh, yes, Keith had requested the doctor to meet him in the repair bay. Why had he done that? Oh, yes, he remembered. Keith tried to straighten up although his body seemed unresponsive. "Dr. Gorma," he started and then stopped. Even his words were slurring now. He had to return back to the sky soon, but in his state he would only endanger the rest of the team.
Dr. Gorma watched as Keith's eyes closed once again, his body at the edge of endurance. Even the captain's well known will-power (stubbornness) could no longer sustain him. The doctor doubted the captain had more than a couple hours of sleep in the last few days, caught in bits and pieces as he came in only to recharge his lion, have repairs made and take his stims and calorie shake. Many of the repairs were patch jobs, enough to keep the lion flying. Gorma had seen the outside of the lion and knew if they made it through this wave of attacks all the lions would require extensive repairs, and he knew little to nothing about them. That did not even count the time he had come in to be stitched, bandaged, and his right foot set and air-casted. All nine of the lion pilots' bodies needed rest and recuperation, but until relief in the form of Garrison troops appeared, they would have to endure. Gorma knew two of the new pilots were flying with mild concussions, in addition to sprains, strains, bruises, contusions, and hastily stitched-up cuts. It was miraculous that no one had received any serious injuries that would prevent them from flying. After three days of continuous warfare, the lion pilots were showing signs of battle fatigue. Not to the extent they were showing signs of impaired judgment, but it would not be long now. Battle fatigue. There was something the doctor had hoped to never see again. In short, it would decrease fighting efficiency. Symptoms ranged from slower reaction times, to confusion and fatigue or exhaustion. There was nothing more than what they were already doing to alleviate the symptoms. As much rest as they could spare, keeping up their caloric intake, and short-acting stims to combat their slowed reactions.
Sighing he looked at his patient, already knowing what his request would be. It went against every bit of medical training and his instincts were screaming at what a bad idea it would be, but did either of them have a choice? The stims could no longer keep the captain alert and functioning. The fact he had fallen asleep twice in the space of five minutes showed that. As the first day of battle had merged into the second day, Gorma had increased the potency of the stims he gave the captain, making sure he was washing them down with as many calories as he could consume in the short breaks Keith allowed himself. Since the stims increased heart rate, his metabolism also increased.
Sighing again, Gorma poked his head out of the cockpit to request the items he needed and asked how long until Black was ready to fly again. He returned to stand by the captain and picked up his wrist to check his pulse. Gorma removed his helmet, and Keith did not even stir. The dark circles under his eyes from exhaustion looked much the same as two black eyes. Even with the increase in calories, the captain's cheeks had started to look hollow. Unzipping the flight suit, Gorma checked bandages around the captain's chest, where he had cracked three ribs from a particularly hard landing due to a RoBeast. The doctor continued his examination, careful to let the pilot have as much sleep as he could. The bandaging was holding, as was the temporary cast around his right foot. As he waited for the items he had requested he pondered what had happened.
Lotor had been detected just over a week ago moving with a massive fleet toward Arus. Castle Control had put out a mayday to Galaxy Garrison, knowing they did not have the resources to defeat the threat. Garrison had returned a priority message that they were dispatching as quickly as possible everything they could spare. It would take a minimum of 10 days for the first ships to arrive. Lotor would arrive in five. They would have to hold out for five to seven days until help arrived. Over 120 hours. Possibly 160. The only thing that had let them hold out so far was the newly graduated class of the Arusian Air Force, the fact the Princess had build up the military hardware as quickly as possible, the arrival of most of the second team for the lions, and the man sitting before him. Though the captain did not know it, he had become an icon and a beacon of hope for Arus. To many, he seemed touched by a higher power. It had become legend if Captain Kogane flew, Arus would take the day.
Gorma thought there was some truth to that, but not for the reasons the people believed. Keith left as little to chance as possible. He devised contingency plans for his contingency plans. Which was what brought Dr. Gorma here. As Lotor's forces drew nearer and the team received their first glance of what they would truly face, Keith knew this would be different from all other battles. There would be no down-time, no breaks. Lotor would be able to throw squadron after squadron and a succession of RoBeasts against them non-stop. It would be only a matter of time before fatigue would take its toll on the Voltron force, the air and ground forces, and all the support staff. Keith had spoken with Dr. Gorma about what to do when Keith reached the point where he would no longer be able to stay awake and alert to let the teams against Lotor's forces.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Keith had knocked on Dr. Gorma's door and entered when bade to do so. He sat in the chair opposite of the good doctor as directed and they exchanged greetings.
"Coming straight to the point doctor. We have to hold out for a minimum of five days against Lotor's forces until Garrison's fleets begin to arrive. I would like to plan for seven. I have already mapped out a schedule for the other four lions and their deployments, but here is where I need your help. The pilots of the Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow will fly in four-hour shifts. What I need to know is if you have some light stimulants which would last about that long to keep them alert. Four hours is too long, I know, to be in a dogfight, but we have little choice. Shorter flights just will not work. They will need to be able to consume their calories quickly and hit the sack for recovery time."
Gorma tapped his data pad, bringing up a file and then looking at the commander. "Ration bars can be made to my specific instructions which would pack enough calories and nutrients for each segment of time. I will have a nurse on duty at the repair bay for as long as possible to track their fitness and fatigue levels. There are some light stimulants we can use, but I prefer to hold off as long as possible." Hesitating, he looked at the commander, "One technique I have heard used, although it would not be my preference, is to give each person a temporary IV port. When they come off their shift, they can be directed to a sleeping chamber and a TPN solution attached. I would prefer to do that only as a last resort, or only in the latter days if sleep becomes an issue." He tapped his stylus against the data pad in thought. "Is there any way you can have a third shift for the lions?"
Keith shook his head, "We are pushing the new team as fast as possible in their training, as it is. Lotor's ships are less than a standard day out, and there is just no time!" Running a hand through his hair, he slumped back in the chair and then rubbed his temples with his right hand. He had been pushing both teams as hard as he could without fatiguing them early. They were all calorie loading and Nanny was loading their meals with as many vitamins and minerals as she could. She had taken to bringing Keith his meals because if she did not, he inevitably missed at least one as he tried to simultaneously to train the new recruits, plan the defenses, work with the air force to coordinate their strategies, work on the castle defenses, move all non-essential personnel to underground shelters, planning evacuation procedures, and the list continued. Realistically he needed more support personnel, but Galaxy Garrison had been spread thin and could not afford to send anyone, and there was a shortage of trained personnel on Arus. Nanny had even gone so far as to slip a mild sleeping aid into Keith's evening meal at Dr. Gorma's insistence. He had slept nearly seven hours, the most sleep he had in a week. Keith admitted he needed the sleep, but was frantically trying to finish preparations for the morrow. Focusing back on Dr. Gorma he realized he had been lost in his thoughts for several moments and the doctor was waiting for him to continue. "It would be more dangerous to have less experienced pilots than tired pilots in the lions. More dangerous for the rest of the team as well. It takes time to learn to work together in them, and once again, time we do not have."
Dr. Gorma nodded, "I understand. We will do what we have to do to keep the lions in the air." He gave Keith a sharp look, "We have discussed four of the five lions. What of the Black?"
The captain straightened and looked Dr. Gorma in the eye. "It must be kept flying at all costs. Black is the most powerful of all the lions, can take the most damage, and has the most firepower."
"Who will function as the second team leader, Captain?"
"The only other person who is qualified to fly Black is the Princess. She is needed in Blue."
Dr. Gorma sat quietly looking at the young man in front of him. The doctor had patched Keith up more times than he could count. He had watched the captain grow into a true leader and hero of the people. Gorma knew what Keith was asking of him, and studying him realized the captain realized the potential cost. He closed his eyes, knowing what the commander would request would be against everything medical school taught, but also knowing there was no other way to protect Arus. Sighing and opening his eyes, he looked at the captain and spoke very quietly and formally, "How can I be of assistance, Captain Kogane?"
Keith let out a sigh of relief. He had thought the doctor would put up more of a fight, and was glad to escape one more battle. "I need to be able to stay alert and awake until the threat to Arus is lifted. We need to buy 5 days minimum for Alliance assistance. As soon as Lotor commits to Arus, Pollux will be able to release help to us, but until we know for certain Lotor will commit…..pardon me doctor, I am taking a tangent here. I need to be able to fly for 5 days. Perhaps 6 or 7. What can you do for me?"
"What other parameters do I have to work with Captain? Will you take any breaks? How long will you be in the air at any given time?" Dr. Gorma pushed back his conscience with a shove. Arus survival would take precedence over the Captain's. This was war, and causalities happened.
"Breaks will be few and far between. Black must fly as much as possible. I will come in for necessary repairs and armament only as needed. Repairs will be as quick as possible to keep the lions in the air. Hunk and Pidge have as many people replicating parts as fast as possible for the lions, the air fighters, and the ground-assault vehicles. The hope is if something happens, come in and replace the whole panel. We will have other people working on repairing parts after they have been replaced. It will not work as well with the lions, but again, I am rambling. Forgive me, Dr. Gorma. The short answer is as few as possible and as short as possible. As to how long I will be in the air, the answer depends on you, Doctor."
Gorma nodded. "Fair enough. Of course the quick answer is stims. You would have to come in for regular doses. As your body fatigued, we would increase the potency. Of course we will have to figure out how to load your body with calories. The stims I have in mind accelerate metabolism and you will burn calories even faster. Hmm, let me talk with one my nurses about this. She specialized in nutrition. In the meantime, you need to be eating as much as possible as long as we have time. Ask Nurse Rader for some of our high calorie ration bars. In addition to what Nanny is feeding you, try to eat three to five of these today. Take them with you in Black and eat as many as you can while in the air. Bites here and there will make a difference." Keith nodded as the doctor continued. "You will need to come in every four hours, I would think. You may be able to stretch it longer at first, but no more than that. I can provide you with one booster shot in case of an emergency which will prevent you from returning in a timely manner, but you WILL come in, young man. Do I make myself clear?" Keith nodded and opened his mouth but Gorma waved him quiet. "You have been my worst patient since the first day you came, but I want your word you will be here ever four hours once Lotor attacks. In addition you will take a sedative and sleep for at least ten hours tonight as well. Do I have your word?"
The Captain studied Gorma for a moment, "I give you my word I will take your sedative and will come in every four hours barring unexpected circumstances. Will this take me through seven days?"
Dr. Gorma looked down at his desk and was quiet. "No." He finally said. "With your level of activity, and what you will be putting your body through coupled with no real sleep, the stims will work for two days, three at the outside."
Keith nodded, "I see. And then?"
The doctor stared at his hands for several long moments without answering. Internally he was battling his instincts as a doctor with the real need of the planet. Without looking up, he began speaking, "Once upon a time, a long time ago, on a planet very far from here lived a good king."
Looking at the doctor, Keith took a breath to interrupt, but realized that Gorma was would not hear him. Settling back in his chair, he took the moment to relax and listen to what Gorma was trying to tell him.
"His father had united many independent tribes to form the beginning of a civilization. The king's father had taught him from the day he took breath that a good king put his people before himself. This had been taught to him by a very wise woman. She had been a seer and predicted the rise of a very great civilization starting with the king's father. Should they work hard, they could bring peace to the planet and prosperity to all the people living there.
"The king's father listened to the seer. He himself was not the brightest of men, but he believed in the seer's vision. The rest of his life was spent starting to build a united people to give to his son to continue the vision.
"The seer had told the king's father one more thing. In the time of his son, or his son's son a great darkness would emerge from the South to threaten everything they were trying to build. They could defeat the darkness but it would take a great sacrifice on the part of the king. He could save his people at the cost of his life. In order to do just that, the seer would give the king's father a secret which would allow his son or his son's son to defeat the darkness. The king's father hesitated. He did not yet have children, but he would be condemning him to death before he was even born. Looking across the land which the seer had told him would house a grand civilization and what she promised for his people, he agreed. A ruler put the people first.
"It came about as the seer had said. When the king's father died, he had united many of the warring tribes. The king continued his father's dream and like his father, taught his children from the day of their births. When the king had been ruling for over a decade, the darkness rose from the South as the seer had told. Strapping on his armor he kissed his wife, his children, and went to do battle. A good king puts his people first. A great king sacrifices all he is for his people. His wife did not send him off with tears or recriminations. She had known this was his possible fate from the day they met. The king's daughter knew that she would soon rule the people. She let fall only a single tear as she bid her father goodbye. She knew he would hold back the darkness for the people and they would sing his name until time itself stopped. Stepping forth proudly he called for the men and women who had trained all their lives for this moment. They left behind their families and loved ones, knowing most of them would never return. Their loved ones sent them off with cheers and love, knowing only a few would return.
"A great battle was engaged and for ten days the king and his people fought. The darkness pushed forward and the people pushed back. At times they despaired the darkness would overcome but the king always rallied the people and drove the darkness back. The battlefield turned to mud, tinted red from those who died. The wounded did not stop but fought until they died. If they could take out even one more enemy before succumbing to their wounds, it was enough. Never in time has a more courageous people fought, knowing they outcome.
"After ten days the leader of the darkness finally came forth. He roared his challenge to the king. Wiping his brow the king stepped forward. He looked at the darkness, weary to his soul and knowing what would come next. Taking the moment to rest, he answered the challenge of the darkness. All fighting stopped as they listened to this great king. As he spoke, his people felt uplifted and refreshed. They stood straighter, stronger, and in solidarity. This is what he said.
"Darkness can never defeat what bands together behind a common purpose. We stand strong together and the darkness fades before us. One person stands before the dark with a single light. Another joins, and another, and another. Soon the people form with a purpose so bright the sun appears dim. Today we make our final stand before the darkness knowing it is already defeated. We stand with purpose, determination, and hope. We stand strong in our beliefs. We willingly sacrifice all that we are for all that will come after us. In the face of this, the darkness is nothing." Bending down he used a finger to draw a line. The soldier to his left drew it a littler further as did the soldier to his right. Soon a single line separated the hoards of dark from the king and his people. Softly he started a rhythm of sword against shield which was picked up by his people. He again looked at the dark and pointed at the line. With the back drop of the sounds of weapons against shields he shouted at the darkness and all heard him. "Over this line the darkness SHALL NOT CROSS!" Without prompting every soldier of the king rushed forward to finish the defeat of the darkness. Not one doubted their victory. They rushed to their deaths. No one knows how long the battle lasted only that the king's people held the line. They would not let the darkness cross. If one of the people fell, another stepped into his place. And the darkness shrunk. Tiring, the king looked up and found the leader of the darkness. Wounded, tired in body, and knowing the end was near the king found the strength to raise his sword and with a mighty yell, ran the darkness through.
"The darkness looked at the sword through its body with surprise. It fell and the darkness fled before the light of the king's people. The king looked around him. He smiled to the soldier on his right and sighed. It was his last breath.
"The few remaining soldiers gathered around the king and reverently carried him back to his people. As was the custom of the people, they buried him as he had come into the world in a field where his body would nourish the crops which would nourish his people. The people had been shocked at his appearance. His hair had turned white, his skin hung loose on his once strong frame. He looked withered as though he was a man of great age instead of one in his prime. It had been the price to be paid for saving his people.
"The seer had given them a great gift which came at great cost. The secret has been passed down through countless generations. It is called Agappon."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The doctor finished his story and remained quiet for a few minutes. "This story has been passed down from before the beginning of history of the planet Obreck. Their planet's monarchy holds the tale as truth and accordingly each monarch lives by the tenants set down by their first kings and queens. Each generation learns from birth the cost of ruling and the requirements of rule. They have the civilization the seer of the tale promised. By tradition, their military maintains the highest standards and no finer one can be found anywhere. Even the Drule do not bother with the planet. They have a tradition of learning and knowledge and guard their technology fiercely. I digress. The culture fascinates me. You probably wonder why I chose to tell you this tale."
At Keith's nod, he continued. "Agappon exists. It works as the story suggests and asks a very high price for its use. Very few people of heard of Agappon and fewer still those who allowed to take it off the planet. It has some very interesting properties. Unlike many elixirs and other medicines it does not degrade with time nor does it strengthen. Once the monks of the planet prepare the elixir, it remains as it is until used. As a doctor I have no explanation for this phenomena. Growing up on a planet with a rich magical tradition tells me that is all the explanation I need.
"Many years ago, our Queen Callia cultivated a relationship with the reigning monarchs of Obreck. While she did not have the full 'sight' of many of her line, she often knew what would be needed. Thus her insistence Alfor duplicate the knowledge of the planet. She also convinced the monarchs of Obreck to give her a supply of Agappon. It has never been used but has waited until a time of dire need, as per her instructions." Rubbing the back of his neck, Gorma sighed. "I believe this is the time she meant. Although we have had situations of difficulties in the past, never before have we faced such overwhelming odds. When the stims fail, I can begin giving you the herb. In legend, the king chewed the herb constantly. Research has shown Agappon releases a compound which was then absorbed into the body through the mouth and though the breath. Think of it like champagne. The bubbles evaporate and are absorbed into the blood stream through breath. It must be absorbed slowly and does not work through ingestion. You will have to take it two ways. I will give you a series of patches to use. They will lose effectiveness over time, much as the stims have. However, this helps to alleviate some of the more serious side effects of taking Agappon in its purest form. When these cease to function, you will have to chew the root, or at least let it sit in the side of your mouth. As it breaks down, you will have to expectorate the juice rather than swallowing it. Once you begin chewing the root, it will sustain you for ten days. This is the good news." Dr. Gorma fell silent, glancing back at his hands and then the young captain sitting before him. As he contemplated the man before him, his thoughts wandered. More than any other single person, Captain Keith Kogane had fought to bring Arus to a place of prosperity. He had touched the lives of nearly every person on the planet. More than that, the captain was willing to sacrifice everything he was for a planet that was not even his. Shaking his head, he brought his thoughts back to the present.
Keith looked at him gravely, letting the doctor take his time to explain. He knew what he asked the doctor fell outside the parameters of patient-doctor relationships. Keith also knew that if they failed, all of Arus would pay the price. After a long pause, he finally prompted the doctor, "And the bad?"
"In the best of circumstances, nothing extended rest and good home-cooked meals can cure." He looked wryly at the captain, "And by rest, it means long sleeps, little activity, and little stress. A vacation, to put it succinctly, Captain."
Keith shrugged and grinned. "I have heard of the theory. Sounds boring to me."
Gorma chuckled without mirth. "Actually, once the Agappon clears the body, you would not have any choice. Without exception, the person collapses into a coma-like state. The time in the state depends on how long the duration of Agappon use, the amount of damage the body takes, and the general health of the person at the end of use. Let me back up a bit, Captain." Gorma paused and closed his eyes gathering his thoughts. "Agappon does several things. First, within several hours of starting Agappon the body stops the digestive process. The energy required is diverted to other uses. The body then begins to burn though stores of fat, then muscle as needed. The stories of the skin hanging off the bones of the king? He had burned through most of his muscle mass, and the loose skin was much like an obese person who has lost a significant amount of weight.
"Second it works much like adrenaline in the system, keeping the reflexes sharp and the mind working quickly. It does not give you abilities you already possess, mind, but it does keep fatigue induced issues at bay. We do not know how exactly it works, the root seems to defy any analysis we try to do. Synthetic compounds which match the root, do not yield the same effects.
"Lastly, and this seems in direct conflict with its other affects, Agappon lowers blood pressure and slows bleeding. Often people who take Agappon feel cool to the touch to others. It seems that the Agappon diverts the energy usually directed to the care and maintenance of the body to the functions of mind and reflexes. Regulating temperature takes energy, so Agappon reduces it. Digestion takes energy, so it is eliminated.
"So where does this leave us when you stop taking Agappon. The less time you take Agappon, the easier and faster the recovery. Realistically speaking, there is a break-even point at about 72 hours. After that time, the survival rate begins to drop. After 96 hours the chance of survival drops to about 10. No one is known to have survived the Agappon crash after five days of usage. When you stop using Agappon, the abuse and neglect of the body hit all at once. To be frank, in addition to whatever damage occurs while in battle, you will be battling withdrawal symptoms, the ramping up of body functions again, and the adrenaline crash. That is in a healthy person, Captain." Gorma took a deep breath to give the Captain the worst of the news. "You cannot take Agappon from the start because you would have zero chance of surviving. If I give you the stims, and you start Agappon later, you will have a 40-50 chance if you can take it less than 72 hours. More than that and I would put it at 25, IF you take no damage during that time. If you are seriously hurt, I cannot put odds on survival."
Keith sat back quietly and looked at the doctor, then stood to stand before a picture of Arus from before the war with Doom. Dr. Gorma sat quietly to give Captain Kogane a chance to absorb what he had been told. The usually energetic man stood quietly studying the picture. Finally he turned with his head bowed. "You will speak with Allura about Cady staying here?"
Gorma nodded, his heart breaking. Neither needed to say what lay between them like the proverbial white elephant. The chance of surviving five or six days of major combat without injury was impossible. Put in the added factor of knowing Lotor would be gunning for Keith in return for all the imagined slights over the course of the war and the continual disruption of his plans to kidnap the princess, and both knew Keith would be signing his own death warrant. Keith continued, "I have already prepared all the paperwork necessary. It is in the bottom drawer of my desk in a sealed file with your name on it, Doctor. There are also some personal letters I would ask that you distribute when the time is right. I would also request you do not let anyone else know of what we plan. We both know there is no choice if Arus is to survive."
Again, the doctor had no choice but to nod his head. Keith glanced at the time and gave the doctor a wan smile. "If you will excuse me, I think the rest of the preparation can be passed off to others. There is a young lady I am going to spend time with in the gardens." With that, Keith turned and walked to the door, pausing only a moment, "Take care of my team, they will need you." The captain continued out the door, already activating his communicator to begin handing off the final tasks of preparing for the next day.
The doctor sat at his desk for a few minutes longer. He finally rose with a sigh and called the staff together to finish preparing what the lion pilots would need for the next five to six days. He would not diminish the sacrifice Keith made but would ensure that his team and Cady would survive. Once he gave out the final instructions to his nursing staff, sent a runner after Keith with the nutrition bars, and looked to see that all was going according to his plan, he sat down to do some research. Time was tight, but Gorma was determined to keep Keith with them after this latest crisis had passed. Arus could ask for no truer King than Captain Kogane. A good king puts his people first. A great king sacrifices all he is for his people. So the story says. Gorma was damned if Keith would be remember only in story. He would save the captain, no matter what.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dr. Gorma stepped outside of Black to check with the crew how long the repairs to Black would take. He wanted to give the captain as much sleep as possible. At this point every minute would count. When he had to wake the pilot, Gorma would have him cram as many calories into himself as possible. Once the Agappon was in his system, he would have only a matter of hours to absorb as much as possible. The word came back Black would need two hours to before putting back into the air. Welding work took time and there were some areas of severe damage.
Returning to the cabin, Gorma hit the controls to flood the cockpit with UV rays to cleanse the cabin, and rotate fresh air into it. He then lowered the pilot's chair into a reclined position. No sense in the captain waking with a stiff neck. Keith did not even stir.
A nurse came in with a clear box with several items. First was the Agappon distillation. Keith would take his first dose orally via a dissolving patch on his tongue. There was also several patches in the box, as well as a clear solution on an IV drip. Taking out a numbing agent, the doctor gently rolled the sleeve of the captain's uniform and swabbed a small area. While he waited for the compound to work, he busied himself setting up the IV bag on a portable stand. While he knew that a nurse could accomplish this, Gorma felt that he could personally care for the captain when he made such a huge sacrifice for Arus. Besides, he needed a break from the hospital where the causalities were starting to increase. He made his staff take breaks from the intensity of dealing with people's pain. It did not make sense to Gorma not to afford himself the same. A tired or overwhelmed doctor made mistakes. He would return to the hospital, if not refreshed, than at least able to look back into the pain filled eyes of those young men and women who fought for freedom.
Gorma sent the nurse away. He would deal with the captain himself. Pulling out a needle, the doctor found and quickly inserted it into a vein and then followed with the IV port. With ease of long practice, he attached the concentrated TPN solution.
The captain slept.
Settling into a passenger seat, Gorma pulled out a data pad and began updating his patient charts. The repair crews would give him a heads-up when the repairs were within 20 minutes of completion. Until then, Captain Kogane would sleep and his body absorb the nutrients of the solution. Gorma made a note to tell the captain of the slight change in plan. Even though he would not be able to eat as such, a communication from Obreck had given the doctor some much needed hope.
After Keith had visited his office, Gorma had placed an emergency communication to Obreck telling them of the situation and asking for any additional information they could provide. Just a few hours ago, a call had come in from the planet.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Gorma had just emerged from surgery where a page was waiting for him. "Dr. Gorma, sir."
The doctor had felt rather distracted and did not particularly want to be interrupted, there were too many people needing his attention. "Yes, what is it?"
"A communication from Obreck is on stand-by for you. They were informed you were in surgery and told us to let you know they would be waiting for you and please come as quickly as possible." Message delivered, the page waited a reply.
"Of course. Have them put it through to the secure terminal in my office."
The page nodded, turned, and ran to deliver the message. The princess used pages except in emergencies. The war had left many orphans and resurrecting the page tradition gave them purpose and a place to live. They learned protocol, timeliness, patience in the course of their duties. The pages were exposed to many cultures and peoples. As they grew older, they trained to fulfill other roles which called for their talents. Several were at universities on other planets training for diplomatic work. Some remained in the castle as domestic staff, some were in the military academy on Arus. All were fiercely loyal to the princess and to Arus.
Gorma hurried to his office, not bothering to change out of his surgery clothes. He would need clean ones later and did not want to keep Obreck waiting any longer. Entering his office, he sat down and waited for the scrambled communication. Sitting back the random thought crossed his mind that even if the enemy monitored this conversation, it would not make much sense.
A face came in view and Gorma greeted the person. "This is Gorma. Thank you for waiting."
"Kavar here. After what you have told us, we could do nothing else. For us, the king has come to life again. This time he will not die, but live." The face in the screen looked determined. Kavar had the pale pink coloring of his planet accompanied with bright red hair. His eyes were a pale blue and serious. On Earth or Arus he could pass for a native with a sunburn.
Gorma took a breath, nodding. "Thank you." The simple words were filled with heartfelt thanks and Kavar knew the sentiment behind them was more powerful than could be expressed verbally. This would bode well for the captain's survival.
"When you presented us with this problem, we were overwhelmed with volunteers to try and find a solution." Kavar began. "We tried several different experiments, and found that if you can continue to give him nutrition infusions with every booster dose, the demands on his body for energy will diminish. It will not completely void the effects of the Agappon. For those who have taken the Agappon with the infusions, the recovery time has decreased by 60. Those who took Agappon for three days stayed in a Coma for less than one following cessation of dosing. I am sending you the blueprint for a compound which has been most effective."
Gorma was stunned. When he had sent the problem and his questions, he did not expect this! "Kavar, I honestly do not know what to say. No one took any harm, did they?"
Kavar had already begun to shake his head, "No. All were volunteers and all knew the risks. None have any permanent damage." He smiled, "I must say, your request invoked a regular boom in the study of Agappon. You shook us out of our reverie and gave tradition a good kick. Obreck has never looked at changing how it is used or to diminish the effects. The seer told us there was a cost and we have always accepted that. Of course, medical science has advanced to such a place as she could not imagine." He looked over his shoulder, "Good, the information we have has been sent. We will have someone watching for any communications from you should you need anything further. I will be available for you at any time. Please let us know the outcome."
Gorma nodded and the screen darkened. Obreckians never gave formal good-byes especially in time of conflict. As their tradition decreed, they sent everyone off with no tears or recriminations. As the data came though Gorma's eyebrows raised, this could make the difference! He would not tell the captain that. No sense in distracting him now. Quickly he sent off instructions to create the compound sent as a priority. The captain should be coming in soon, and Gorma did not think stims would work any longer.
Returning to surgery, Gorma left instructions to be notified as soon as the Captain called for him.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shaking his head, Dr. Gorma tried to focus on the patient logs before him. It seemed a monumental task. He could not keep worry for Captain Kogane out of the forefront of his mind. Already the strain on his body was showing. Adding Agappon into the mix would only make things worse. He would have to send a follow-up question to Obreck. He stood again to check on his patient who had not moved nor twitched. Gorma checked the pulse which remained slow but steady. The captain maintained one of the slowest resting pulses of anyone he had seen. From the little he knew of the captain's background, he had been very active from an early age. Wellness of body and mind had been emphasized in his background, Gorma surmised, as Captain Kogane raised his daughter in a like manner. The arrival of his child had surprised everyone in the castle, except Coran and Magda. He had arranged with them and with Galaxy Garrison to escort his daughter to join him on Arus once it became obvious it would not be a short-term mission as originally thought.
Cady had charmed the medical staff from the first time she had insisted on staying with her Daddy. She had been just four years old the first time Keith had been seriously hurt since her arrival. The captain had been on a patrol when he received word of a cave-in trapping some miner trying to reestablish mining operations. It had turned out to be a trap by Lotor to eliminate the captain. The commander had escaped, but not without breaking several ribs in the process. Inevitably, Lotor had released a RoBeast. In the ensuing battle, on of the broken ribs had penetrated a lung. In true Kogane style, the captain did not tell anyone the extent of the injuries. He had been smart enough to not try to return to the castle via the tunnels, realizing hanging from a line would only worsen things. Of course, rather than summoning a medical team to his lion, he tried to walk to the hospital. One of the castle staff found the captain leaning against a wall, gasping for breath one arm wrapped around his chest.
A medical team had been summoned, and the captain rushed to surgery to repair the lung and set the broken ribs. When they found him groggy after the anesthesia, trying to leave his bed, Gorma had given him the option of staying in the hospital sedated, or just given pain medication. It had come out the captain was worried his daughter might be scared without him and he did not want that. When Gorma suggested a cot, the captain visibly relaxed and let the nurses help him back into his bed. The doctor did not give the commander a sedative, but did give him something to help him relax. Combined with a pain reliever, Gorma hoped the captain would sleep through the night.
When his daughter arrived, her care for her father charmed all the nurses and staff. She became a regular fixture around the medical ward, even when her father was not a patient. As she grew older, she came to keep the children treated there company, and visited her uncles when they were hurt.
Glancing at the time, the doctor forced himself to sit down and concentrate on the patient filed in front of him. For over an hour, he updated files, dictated patient treatments, and checked status reports of those in recovery. He also filled out death warrants for those who could not be saved. Gorma knew he did not have to do this himself, but felt that it was a small gesture he could do for the families of those lost. Too often, though, there was no family to notify. Just comrade-in-arms or friends. Too many had no lover, no life-partner, or even a cousin left. Doom had taken too many. With a sigh, the doctor lifted his arms above his head in a stretch and rolled his head in a circle. Arus would take a lifetime to recover from the devastation wrought in such a short time.
A small knock on the door was followed by a technician letting the doctor know that Black would fly soon. Walking over to the captain, the doctor let a thought fly to the god and goddess that they watch over the brave man in front of him and keep him from the ultimate sacrifice. He deserved a happy ending. Mikko, like much of the rest of the planet, wanted to see the captain paired with their princess and given the crown of Arus.
In every way he already fulfilled that role, unofficially, of course. In addition to his role as Voltron's Commander, as ranking military officer on the planet he and the rest of the Voltron crew had built the foundations of Arus' new air force and army. He had worked to recruit some of the best trainers in several galaxies to come and build a training program. He had bullied and cajoled Galaxy Garrison into providing infrastructure such as training pods, and basic supplies like projectors, computers, and personnel to teach and build. The captain worked with diplomats, acted as a liaison to the people regarding their needs, and ran general interference for Coran and the princess. That did not even take into account his responsibilities with Galaxy Garrison or help with the continued rebuilding efforts. As the doctor thought about it, he wondered when the captain slept. He also managed to spend time with his daughter and teach self-defense or Tai Chi classes.
The doctor took a syringe out of the supplies brought by the nurse and injected a small amount of stimulant directly into the IV line. Gorma brought the chair into a seated position. Just over a minute later, the captain's eyes opened and he blinked rapidly.
"Easy captain, just give the stimulant a minute to clear your mind a bit. You have had just shy of two hours of sleep and Black is about ready to take to the skies." Gorma pulled out a small light and checked the captain's pupils. They dilated sluggishly, but the doctor expected that to improve rapidly in the next ten minutes. He held out a small bottle to the captain. "Take a drink." He smiled ruefully, "Truthfully it is really another one of those disgusting calorie packed mixtures Nurse Rader makes, but just pretend it is something tasty.
The captain forced himself upright and took the bottle with a shaking hand from the physician. He upended the bottle and drank the contents as quickly as possible and could not keep his nose from wrinkling at the disgusting taste. After this battle was over, he hoped to never have to drink anything like it ever again, God willing. Handing the bottle back to Gorma, he took the water in exchange and swished the faintly minty tasting liquid around to chase away the last of the taste of the nutrition drink.
"Are you with me, Captain?" the doctor asked.
Nodding, the captain replied, "Yes, I am getting there. Two hours you said? I did not intent to be here that long."
"The technicians will tell you they are putting you back up as quick as possible. Now, there has been a slight change of plan." Gorma changed the subject. "First I have to ask if you are still going through with the original plan?"
Captain Kogane nodded, "Sven has not been able to break through the lines between here an Pollux and that second attack force is keeping their defensive forces there. Doctor Gorma, there is just no other alternative."
Handing a small square to the captain he gave directions and explanations. "Put this under your tongue and let it dissolve. This is the initial dosage of Agappon. It should take effect within ten minutes. Let me know once it does and I will give you the first of the patches. The Obreckians suggest putting it either on your lower back or behind your ear. I would say behind the ear would be the easiest access."
Handing a bar to the captain, he continued, "Eat that as quickly as possible, and for the next hour cram as many of them into you as possible. It will be between two and three hours from now that your digestive process ceases and I would have as much in you as possible."
Opening the wrapper, the commander did as he was bade as the doctor continued.
"I heard from Obreck just a few hours ago. They have some additional instructions for me. Every time you come in for a booster, I will have either a nurse or myself standing by with a concentrated TPN formula. Your body can absorb some nutrients and calories that way to diminish the drain on your stores." He gave a wry grin, "Not that you have any great stores to draw on, Commander, a downside of staying so fit. At any rate, as long as you are on the ground, you will need to have a TPN bag attached." He held up a hand to ward off any protest, "You do not have to put it on a pole, but at least carry it with you. The technicians working on your lion actually do NOT work better with you hovering over them. You can use the time to go over tactics, check on your crew, or any other tasks you feel necessary. Moving around will be a healthy thing to do after being in this chair for such a long period of time.
"The Agappon may cause you to feel unable to sit still, that is a perfectly normal reaction. The line in your arm right now is just a TPN solution, which I will remove before I give you your first patch. Preferentially, I would leave a IV port in your arm, but I understand it could interfere with your movements, so we will just have to poke you full of holes. Any questions?"
Shaking his head, the pilot popped the last bite of the ration bar in his mouth and took the second one offered by the doctor. Opening the bar, he moved to stand and stretch slowly muscles cramped by long hours in a sitting position. The doctor busied himself gathering his scattered data pads and putting away they syringe. Several minutes passed in quiet as the commander moved through several stretches and the doctor puttered. Finally, the captain broke the silence. "I believe the Agappon is kicking in, doctor. I suddenly feel much clearer and less fatigued."
Nodding, the doctor gestured for the captain to have a seat. He check Captain Kogane's eyes and found the reaction times to be much faster. His heart rate had accelerated slightly, but that was to be expected from the stims. It would slow again as the stim wore off and the Agappon took more effect. Efficiently removing the IV, he sealed the small hole with a clear liquid. The liquid would allow air to pass through, but not water or dirt. It was much better than traditional bandages for sealing wounds, but the effectiveness diminished corresponding to the diameter of the wound. For small puncture, it worked wonders.
Flexing his wrist several times, Keith stood once more to continue stretching, loosening tight muscles. For a few minutes anyway, he could pretend this was just routine. The doctor put away the last few items and handed the captain a small patch. It lay in his hand, only an inch in diameter. It was amazing something so small could bring such huge effects. After a brief hesitation, the commander affixed the patch behind his ear.
In one of those rare moment of perfect timing, his communicator beeped with the news Black was ready to go. The doctor turned to walk out the hatch.
"Thank you, doctor."
Dr. Gorma paused. "Do not thank me, Captain Kogane. What you choose to do today will never be forgotten." With those quiet words, the doctor left.
Less than a minute later, Black lion roared out of the repair bay and rejoined the battle.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .