Don't Look Away
Chapter 6
"When sickness chills thy breast with pangs unkind,
Or ruthless sorrow preys upon thy heart;
The task be MINE to soothe thee to repose."
Mary Darby Robinson
Jim led the way, running at a steady pace, mindful of Bones beside him. The security guards flanked them as was protocol, always looking right, left and behind them.
"All right, Bones?" He asked softly, mindful that voices carry farther in the quiet and dark of night.
"I'm fine, Jim. I do keep up with my exercise program. CMO's have to have stamina to do those long surgeries, you know."
Jim grinned at the testy reply. "I know, Bones, but you were already tired when you came in from the hospital. We'll stop to rest for a minute if you need to get your second wind."
"Keep goin'; I'll let you know if I have to rest."
Jim noted that Bones' breathing was regular and his speech was not breathy, so he kept up the steady pace. He ran 10 kilometers after shift almost every day along the corridors of the ship. His crew was used to seeing him in his workout clothes on almost every level of the ship. Sometimes he ran alone, other times with Giotto, Bones, Sulu or Chekov. He also practiced hand to hand with Giotto and with Spock on a regular basis and lifted weights twice a week. A Star Ship Captain always had to be at his physical and mental best and a stringent regular exercise program was part of his daily routine. If he even thought of skipping a day, Bones was on him like a hairy and scary spider!
He turned his head back to speak softly with Giotto. "Frank, the rendezvous point was 5.4 kilometers from the house. I estimate we're half way there."
Giotto nodded, and looked at his chronometer. "It's almost midnight, ship's time. We should be there long before dawn and we'll have time to get organized and stay well hidden."
"They'll know we're gone as soon as they bring breakfast and they'll start the search. At 0700 we'll miss our third check in, so Spock will have his plan of action ready to implement. I hope that even if the phasers and communicators still don't work, the bio sensors might." He said no more and they continued their run silently
The night was very still and quiet. If there were any indigenous animals out and about, they were keeping away from the strange smell of the humans. The Beta Niobe moon was waning apparently, so there was very little moonlight. The ambient light from the city was at their backs, and it was dim so there wasn't much of it to light their way, but Jim's acute sense of direction led them surely where they were supposed to go.
"Jim…" Bones soft voice on his right slowed him down. "I think I might have to rest for just a minute after all."
Jim stopped and the others stopped behind him. "We'll rest for 5 minutes, Frank. It's not too much farther," he whispered.
The three security men flanked Jim and the doctor as he leaned over and placed his hands on his knees. Jim pulled out the carafe of water. "Here, Bones drink a little water."
Bones shook his head. "I don't want to use our water; I'll be fine in a minute. Guess I was more tired than I thought," he added softly.
Giotto timed the 5 minutes on his chronometer and nodded at Jim when the time was up. "You ready, Bones? Or do you need a little more time?"
"I'm ready." Bones' voice was grim, but he looked determined.
"Let's go then." Jim kept his pace a little slower and stayed close to the doctor. He could hear that Bones was breathing a little harder now and Jim looked worriedly at him. Bones never seemed to have any trouble keeping up with him when they ran on the ship.
"We're almost there, Bones. Feeling alright?"
"Good," Leonard said. "I'm okay, Jim, but I'll be happy when we get there."
"Captain," Giotto said, "that's the rendezvous woods just up ahead."
Jim stopped and looked around carefully. The area was covered by trees and shrubs, and it looked wild. In the darkness he couldn't see if there were any foot paths, but he thought not. They would have to be careful and not leave signs when they went into the woods.
He leaned over and took his long boot knife out. "Carver, Bardoli, you stay behind us, single file. Bones you're in the middle. Frank you and I will take point, right and left. Use your boot knife to move the branches out of the way gently and be sure not to break any. We don't want anyone to see signs that we've entered here. Let's try to be as quiet as possible. It's going to be slow going, but this is great cover," he said looking into the thick foliage.
Jim and Frank entered the woods, very carefully lifting and moving the branches to the side. The other three followed closely behind, keeping strictly to the path the two point men cleared for them. They had flash lights as part of their communicators, and at least the light worked even if the communicators didn't, but Jim was afraid that even one light might be spotted. Jim's attention was on the path they were clearing, but he was also listening to Bones' breathing which was getting more labored. They had traveled about 45 minutes when they reached a small clearing. The trees and bushes were less dense here; they could stop and rest. Jim's black undershirt was wet with sweat, and so was Giotto's. It had been very difficult to make their way through the dense underbrush growth.
"Okay, we'll rest here," he whispered. "Everyone sit down while I look around. Bones, drink some water, and no arguments," he said, handing him the carafe.
Leonard nodded tiredly. He took two small gulps of water and handed it to Giotto. Frank shook his head as did Carver and Bardoli. They needed to conserve water unless they found a stream close by and the water was fit to drink.
Jim came back. "Okay. The underbrush is even thicker up ahead. Frank, do you think we're in deep enough if we camp here for a while?"
Giotto looked at the way they had come. They'd done a good job, there was no sign that anyone had come through. "I think it'll be fine, Captain. We can even try to contact the ship from here, Mr. Spock would have no difficulty in finding us if there's a search party beamed down."
"Then here we'll stay for a while; try your communicator, Frank." Jim sat down next to Bones. He could feel the heat radiating from Leonard's body and his cheeks were flushed. Jim reached up to feel Bones' forehead. "Bones! You're burning up!" he said alarmed.
Bones fingers came up to cover Jim's hand. "I know, Jim. I've known for a little while that I'm running a fever." He looked into the worried hazel eyes. "I think I may have contracted whatever is making the children sick and it's comin' on fast." His slightly shaky hands opened his med kit, and he took out his medical tricorder and ran it over himself and looked at the readings. 103.8," he reported. "No rash yet, he said, "but I do have slight pain in my wrists and ankles." He sighed. "It feels good to rest, Jim, but I can go farther if we need to."
Jim shook his head and looked up at Giotto who shook his head; there was no contact with the ship. "We're staying here for a while, Bones. It's as good a place as any to rest. What can I do to help you, Bones?"
"Hand me the hypo with the purple tag, please."
Jim searched through the medikit until he found the hypo Bones wanted. "I'm gonna' give myself an analgesic to reduce the fever," Bones told Jim. He injected the hypo into his carotid artery, knowing it would work faster that way. He leaned against the tree trunk and let the medicine do its work. Jim brought his hand back to his forehead and Bones did his best not to lean in to the coolness of his palm.
"How long before the medicine works?" Jim asked.
"It'll just be a few minutes. Stop worrying, Jim. I'll feel better soon."
Giotto came to squat by the two men. "It's all quiet, Captain. The three of us will stand watch, Sir. You take care of Dr. McCoy."
"Thanks, Frank." Jim stood and the two men stepped away from the doctor. "I don't like this, Commander. Bones is never ill, so whatever these kids have, it's obvious he caught it from them. He spent hours in those wards."
"Do you think we'll get sick too, Captain?"
"I don't know, Frank. The three of you stay away from McCoy. I'll take care of him. I've already touched him so if anyone is going to catch this it's me." He sighed. "We'll just hope it won't be too long before Spock can retrieve us before Bones gets any sicker. We'll need to work on the communicators. I'll go sit by Bones. You, Carver, and Bardoli eat something, drink a little water if you need it and rest."
"Aye, Captain. I'll take first watch." Giotto walked over to his men and gave orders and everyone settled in to get some rest.
Jim sat down next to Bones. His eyes were closed and he seemed to be asleep. Jim felt his forehead again; he seemed cooler.
"Jim…"Bones murmured.
"What is it, Bones?" Jim asked softly.
"Thirty," he muttered. "Are we in a desert, Jimbo?"
"I'll get you some water, "Jim said, ignoring his surge of alarm. The fact that Bones had actually asked for water was not a good sign. Ordinarily the doctor always put his needs last and his question to Jim indicated a little delirium too. He got the carafe and poured a little water in the lid and gave it to Bones. He opened his eyes and drank thirstily. "Thanks Jimmy." The blue eyes were shiny with fever, but he looked more alert. Jim saw him shiver.
"Are you cold, Bones?" he asked anxiously.
"Am havin' chills," he admitted.
Jim opened his duffle and pulled out Bones blue uniform shirt. "Let's put this on, it'll warm you up," he said, carefully pulling the shirt over Bones' head then helping him put his arms through the sleeves. "Better?"
Bones nodded, without speaking. The effort seemed to have exhausted him. Jim pulled out his own shirt in case the chills became worse.
"Jim," Bones murmured.
"What is it, Bones?" Jim leaned in to hear the soft words.
"I need for you to raise my shirt and see if there's a rash starting…a purplish or reddish rash on my chest and torso. I'm starting to feel a tingle."
"Bones! Do you feel worse?" Jim tried to check his rising panic. If Bones got sicker what could they do for him? How long would it be before Spock retrieved them? What the hell was this sickness? He felt Bones forehead again, it seemed cooler to him, but that was probably because of the drug Bones had taken. He sat on his haunches and this time he used the light from his communicator to see well. He pulled up both of Bones' shirts. His stomach sank. There has definitely a purplish rash starting on Bones' chest and torso.
"Jim?" Bones opened his eyes. "What do you see?"
"There is a slight rash, on your chest and stomach, Bones. It's not very pronounced yet, but it's there."
Bones sighed and nodded. "I was afraid of that. It's the next stage of whatever this is. It seems to be progressing faster in me than it did in the children from what the nurse told me. Jim, you may have to leave me here. You and the others will make better time without me. I can just sit here, and when Spock comes, you can come back and get me."
Jim brushed the bangs off Bones' sweaty forehead. "Forget it, Bones. We're not leaving you here, and if we have to carry you that's what we're going to do. Frank," he called out softly. "How much further do you think before we reach the coordinates?"
Giotto came over to his captain and looked worriedly down at the doctor. "Not much further, Captain. About 400 meters due north."
"See Bones? It's not far at all. Like I said if you can't walk we'll take turns carrying you, your favorite way, fireman's carry. Once we're there, Spock will find us in no time at all."
"Jim!" Bones protested. "No, I'm too heavy."
"No arguments, Dr. McCoy. I'm not leaving you here, and that's the end of it. The three of us are strong and fit. You know the Enterprise crew…we never leave any man behind. Frank, let's get going. I want to get to the rendezvous point before Dr. McCoy feels worse."
P"Aye, Captain. Carver, Bardoli, let's go," he called out softly to the two men.
Jim, handed his duffle to Giotto, gently helped McCoy to stand, put Bones' arm around his shoulder and his own around the doctor's back and they headed out again. He could feel the rising heat from Bones' body. His fever was going up again. The meds hadn't helped for long.
A grunt of pain escaped Leonard's lips when Jim hoisted him up. "Joint pains are starting to get worse, " he stated clinically. "That's the next symptom."
"I'm sorry, Bones. Do you need any pain medicine? Are you thirsty?"
Bones tried to straighten up and take some of his weight off of Jim. "I'm okay for right now. When we get to the rendezvous I'll drink more water and take something for the pain, but not right now."
Jim nodded, trying not to let his anxiety show. Bones didn't need to take care of him right now. "Frank, how much longer until dawn, do you think?"
"The tree canopy is too thick to see the night sky, Captain, but I estimate we still have two to three hours before they discover we're missing."
"Frank, you and Bardoli take point, Carver, you stay behind Dr. McCoy and I. Let's just keep moving; slowly and steadily. Carver, you keep your ears alert for any noise behind us."
They set out again slowly, Jim trying to ignore the cut off grunts of pain that Bones would make now and then. He tried to take most of the weight off of the doctor as they walked, but Bones had to walk too and it was obvious it was causing him pain.
They trudged silently on, until at last Giotto, looking down at his communicator and held up his hand. "We're here, Captain; we've reached our coordinates."
Jim released a sigh of relief. "Bones, I'm going to sit you down now. We're here."
"Well thank God for that, Jim. You were already getting tired hauling my skinny ass. I think you're out of shape, Captain." His blue eyes twinkled affectionately at Jim.
Jim grinned, happy to hear the grouse. "Out of shape, huh? I'll have you know I could have gone another ten miles with no trouble." He turned McCoy in his arms to face him, and gently set him down, his back resting against a tree. "Okay, water for you, and pain medication, and no arguing with your Captain." He brushed a hand against McCoy's forehead; his fever was up again. Jim opened the med kit and pulled out the tricorder and the red hypo. He was very familiar with that hypo. He ran the tricorder over Bones and showed him the readings. "Your fever is higher, Bones, 104. He pressed the hypo to Bones' neck and opened up the carafe of water, poured some in the lid and brought it up to his lips. "Drink it all, Bones."
"How's the rash, Jimmy, will you look?" He raised his shirts and Jim saw that the joints of his fingers were swollen and that the rash had spread and was now a darker purple.
"A little worse, Bones." He caught Bones' hand. "Your fingers are swollen," he said.
McCoy sighed. "Hope the hobgoblin doesn't take too long." He looked into Jim's worried hazel eyes and pressed his hand in comfort. "The next thing that might happen is unconsciousness, Jim. That's what the nurse told me happened with the children. If that happens before Spock comes, just try to keep my fever down and if you can get some water down me, that'll be good, okay?"
Jim swallowed hard and nodded. "I'll do my best, Bones, but I gotta tell you, I really don't like being on this side of the sick bed. You're not supposed to get sick, you know. I don't think I've ever seen you sick before, injured yes, but never sick." His smile was a little shaky.
McCoy huffed a laugh. "Even doctors get sick you know." He patted the gold sleeve reassuringly. "Stop worrying. I'll be okay, as soon as we get back to the ship. Geoffrey and Christine will have me back on my feet before you know it." He closed his eyes. "I'm gonna rest now. Wake me when pointy gets here." His breathing slowly evened out and he slept.
Jim got on his feet. "Let's work on those communicators, Frank," he said softly. "We need Spock to get us out of here fast. Bones is definitely getting worse."
"Aye, Sir. Carver you and Bardoli stand watch. Grab some food if you're hungry," he said handing them Jim's duffle.
They sat down, Jim sitting shoulder to shoulder by McCoy, communicators in hand to begin the task of taking them apart.