The Lines Between: Chapter 10
By Delmantheevil
McCoy swore loudly as the doors to Sickbay swung open and two more crew members walked through. His patient jumped at his outburst, looking scared. He muttered an apology.
The last think in the world he needed right now were more invalids to deal with. He finished sealing the bandage over the deep gash on Isabella Stryder's leg, then patted her on the back reassuringly.
"Alright, we got you patched up for now, but it's only a temporary bandage, so don't move around too much. I want you to sit right there 'til we can get back to ya, alright?"
Stryder nodded, still looking fixedly down at her injured leg.
He sighed, then turned around. "Nurse Gratias?" He called to the nurse on the other side of the room. She turned around to face him, huffing, hair askew. Her gloves were covered in blood and the patient on the cot behind her was moaning horribly.
"Once you've got him in a good position, please work on getting Miss Stryder a more permanent bandage."
Gratias nodded, then turned quickly back to her patient. McCoy forced himself to smile for Stryder's benefit one last time before moving on to the next patient. It was the two officer who had just come in.
"Well, what's wrong with you two?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest and taking them both in.
They looked up at him grimly, then the one to the left said, "There's nothing wrong with me, Doctor, I was just supposed to escort Cedra here. He fell on the bridge, I think his wrist's broken."
Bones grimaced. Almost everyone had fallen when the ship jolted, although, no one in Sickbay was injured. They'd hung onto bunks and desks for dear life. Then, about fifteen minutes ago, it had all stopped. He'd just been in the process of wondering what in heck had gone on, when, like magic, officers had come pouring in from all decks, supporting or carrying injured comrades. The place had been hell, and, despite the admirable efforts of the Medical Team, he'd had to pronounce five of his seven patients dead. His stomach dropped at the memory. It had never been easy and it never would be. As a doctor, he knew that well.
He also knew that his job wasn't to know everything that was going on outside of sickbay, even if the suspense killed him. Heck, their ship had been taken captive once and he didn't even know until an hour later when a patient had told him. And now he didn't know what was going on around him once again, half the ship could be blown apart for all he knew. His small, focused world; his narrow little reality was here in Sickbay. He treated and healed the ill and injured, and then sent them on their way. Then on to the next patient…..He loved being a doctor, but it did get on his nerves sometimes.
McCoy shook his head and put his hand out for Cedra's arm, and the injured man held it out gingerly. McCoy took it and studied it lightly.
"It's a break all right. I'll set it and put it in a cast. You can go back to the bridge." He said to the unharmed man. They probably needed as much help as they could get. The officer nodded, but looked at the doors reluctantly without getting up.
Then McCoy noticed how sincerely…..agonized they both looked.
"No need to look so down." McCoy said, trying to lighten the mood. "I'll get this thing patched up. You can trust this doctor's word. " He chuckled.
The man to the left looked down at his hands, his face hardening. "I think, given the circumstances, any other expression would be inappropriate."
McCoy raised his eyebrows, "Well, don't be so pessimistic so fast. I don't know everything that's goin' on, but I do know that whatever situation we're in, the Captain will find some way out of it and come out on top. Always does."
Both of their heads jerked up simultaneously to look at him, their faces confused.
"Doctor, the Captain--." But he was cut off by Scotty's voice suddenly booming throughout the room via the broadcaster.
"This is acting Captain Montgomery Scott." McCoy, momentarily forgetting his patient, jerked upright and began to listen with the utmost attention. "I want everyone aboard this ship who has any sort of experience in engineering or mechanical work at all to report down to Main Engineering immediately to assist in repairs. I don't care what else ye're doin', drop it and report down there. This is an order, and anyone found ignoring it will be penalized. Scott out."
"Doctor!" Chapel yelled at McCoy, but he was already out the door.
He didn't understand the reason for Scotty's order and he didn't know what was going on, but he did know this: one, Scotty was acting Captain, which meant both Kirk and Spock were gone….somewhere, two, that Scotty hadn't explained anything, and three, that he was completely and utterly furious at the lot of them.
He was pretty sure they weren't dead or that would have been announced, so that meant that they were off on some stupid, self-sacrificing mission to save the ship together. Holy……he hated when they did this. Honestly, didn't they care what he was going through when they were off being selflessly chivalrous? Risking their lives every time without even a thought about how their deaths would impact him.
He didn't care what rules or regulations he was breaking by leaving, or how Spock would raise his eyebrow at him disapprovingly and then commence to lecturing him about human irrationalities, howeveryone has their place, and then he'd probably stick logic in there somehow just to annoy him. He didn't care. He wasn't going to have any more of this mysterious lunacy. He was going to get an explanation and he was going to get it now.
"What the Holy Mother Starship is going on here?!" He yelled, no longer able to contain his frustration and anger as he stormed onto the bridge.
Scotty, who was startled by the furious outburst and the sudden appearance of a grumpy doctor on his bridge, stopped in the middle of giving some orders. "Doctor McCoy--."
"Doctor McCoy my knee! What the blazes is going on here, Scotty? Where's Jim? And where's Spock?!" He suddenly caught sight of the Romulan warship on the screen. "Are they over there? Have they been captured? Negotiating? Did we lose?!" He had been building up with question after questions all day and now they were all exploding out of him.
"Doctor, calm down!" Scotty yelled. McCoy saw that sweat was soaking his shirt. He'd never seen Scotty so frazzled before. "Yes, we did lose. But, the Captain of that ship, " he gestured towards the Romulan Warbird, "agreed to let us go if the Captain and Mr. Spock beam over as prisoners. And so they have."
Bones groaned. Of course. Of course they did. And then he was angry again, "Why did you let them go?! Those are savage murderers! You heard what they did to the the Starbase! They aren't going to survive over there two seconds!"
"It was the Captain's order, there was nothin' I could do to stop 'em." Scotty's face darkened. "And I think the Captain knew they wouldn't survive two seconds over there. He's ordered us to make repairs as fast as possible and get out of here before the Romulans change their minds."
"WHAT?!" McCoy roared. Of all the……stupid…! He couldn't even speak for disbelief and rage. "You---we---no---there's---we can't leave them there! Screw the Captain's orders! We can't just let them die!"
"The Captain's orders are orders." Scotty said with a frown. Then suddenly, he grinned.
Bones gawked at him. "What is---what are---this is ridiculous! You---you can't possibly be thinking of obeying the Captain's orders!"
"Oh, I fully intend to follow the Captain's orders precisely to the letter." Said Scotty conspiratorially.
McCoy just stared at him, beyond disbelief now. He wanted to rip his own hair out and punch Scotty in the face at the same time. What was wrong with this man?
Scotty walked past McCoy and sat down in the Captain's chair. "You see, doctor, I'm the Captain now. Captain Kirk directed me to take command of this ship when he left. So you see, some of the "Captain's" orders have been….well, improved."
Bones stood dumbfounded, his expression blank. Then realization flashed across his face. He was relieved with the reassurance of Scotty's sanity, but he still had a barn-sized load of questions he needed answers to. He chose the one that was confusing him the most. "Why did you order virtually everyone down to Engineering? A fancy of yours?"
Scotty stood up, pacing over to the railing. "Well, since no one seems to be following the rules anymore, why shouldn't I bend 'em to fit my plans too? And according to my plan, only three things need to be fixed on this ship. Shields, warp engines, and weapons. Nothin' else. And, for my new 'plan' to succeed, these three things need to be working as fast as possible. Why should this crew be workin' on anythin' other than what we need right now? Time is short, see. Very, very short." His voice had taken on a much more serious tone.
McCoy nodded in understanding.
"Mr. Sulu," Scotty called, "You have the comm., I've got to get down to Engineering to oversee. Oh, and doctor." Scott said, a slight twinkle in his eye. "I don't think ye'd be much help in Engineering. Best just stick to Sickbay."
"I'll take that as a compliment." McCoy said sarcastically. "And Captain Scott….I hope you have a darned good plan, otherwise I might just be calling you 'Captain' permanently."
Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek Trek
Kirk winced as the burly Romulan officer hit him hard between the shoulder-blades from behind with something metallic to hurry him through the doors of what he surmised to be the engineering section of the ship. It was going to leave a bruise, but did that really matter now?
Spock was being herded on just to his right, but he seemed to be moving at a rate deemed more acceptable by the Romulans, and so had not received as much…..constructive criticism. Both of their hands were chained behind their backs, although Kirk saw no point for this. They were just as trapped with or without them. He wanted to slap himself for thinking so negatively but then, his hands were chained.
Jim glanced around. The Engineering room was crowded with guards. That must mean there weren't to many officers tending the Bridge…..reckless. He knew the Enterprise was severely crippled, they were being too presumptuous. Their were carelessly letting their guard down. He wished he had a communicator to tell Scotty……..
They had nearly reached the far-end of room when he felt hands clamp down on his shoulders and he was forced roughly to his knees. He heard Spock being thumped down next to him.
"Jocav, you really shouldn't treat guests so harshly. They'll never want to visit again after this." Came a deep voice from behind them which was shortly accompanied by a chuckle. Kirk and Spock's heads swiveled around to face the voice.
Trian approached them calmly, hands clasped behind back. He stopped to face and survey them with faux fascination.
"How good it is to see you at last." He said pleasantly." I've heard and read so much about you, I feel as if we've already met." He smiled warmly at them. If they had not been attacked by his ships, and not seen his face on the View Screen ordering them to surrender, Kirk and Spock might have thought they had beamed over to the wrong ship.
Trian took in their expressions. Well, Kirk's expression at least.
"Confused, Captain Kirk?" Trian said softly, "Didn't think a Romulan could be a gentleman?" He laughed to himself again and a few of the guards behind them grunted their amusement. "Well Mr. Kirk, I confess I thought defeating you would be slightly more difficult. I am disappointed."
Kirk did not rise to the bait, but instead took a lesson from his First Officer and remained silent.
Trian turned his attention to Spock instead.
"So this is the infamous Mr. Spock." Trian said, and this time Kirk heard the bitter edge in his voice. No doubt his sister had told him of Spock's personal betrayal of her. Trian paced around to Spock's side. "You know, although our people are not on the best terms with one another, Vulcans are somewhat considered to be cousins of Romulans. A shame you will have to die the way you will."
This brought Kirk's temper boiling to the surface, and he spoke for the first time since boarding the ship. "You think this is a game, Commander? You've killed over 200 innocent people!"
Trian sighed, "Yes, I do feel remorse about that, but I needed something to get the Enterprise's attention. How else could I get you to follow me across the border?"
Kirk was aghast at his easy tone. "I wasn't just a cruel, soulless slaughter; what you did was an act of war!"
"Captain, you seem to have a very short memory. I believe I have said before that I stand apart from the Romulan Government." He looked slightly annoyed.
"And as I said before, you come in a Romulan Warbird, in uniform. Your guards call you 'Commander.' Our federation may not wait to here the exact details, so would you like to clear up the exact separation?"
Trian mulled it over for a moment. "Very well, then. I will make this clear. I am a Commander in the Romulan military. But, this was not a mission assigned to me by my superiors, nor was it suggested for consideration to be one. I was at my headquarters on my home planet awaiting my next orders when I received the news of what had happened to my sister." His face darkened. "I immediately set to organizing a fleet to track down the vagabonds who instigated the atrocity. However, I knew that my superior officers would never consent to such a plan, so I never discussed it with them. I spoke to my crew," He gave his men a respectful look, "and they loyally agreed to follow me in my search for revenge. Without orders and using my army's commandeered equipment, I attacked and destroyed your Outpost and incapacitated your ship."
"But," Kirk interrupted, "we saw other ships, too. A supply ship and mining vessel both used by your government."
"Those," Trian said, his voice tight, "are being commanded by some of my closest friends. They owe me their lives, and I've asked them to redeem their debts now by joining me."
Kirk could not believe his ears. "You would put your friends in that kind of danger? Risk their lives and ask them to betray their own government so that you can avenge your sister's honor? Now they will face charges of mutiny, insubordination, and conspiracy from their own planet, and be associated with the possible start of a war! Do you even comprehend the kind of punishment you yourself will receive for your actions?"
Trian did not lose his cool, "My comrades know what they are risking. As for me, Captain, I believe my government will pardon my actions when they fully understand my story. I will tell you this: on Romulus, revenge is held in high respect. As is honor. The loss of honor is the ultimate disgrace in my world. And for the disgrace and humiliation and grief you have caused my sister, my revenge will truly be nothing short of expected."
Spock had not uttered a sound since the moment they had arrived, but now he spoke for the first time.
"Commander, if you will permit me to make a statement."
Trian looked over at Spock. His silence was his permission.
Spock spoke in a low, calm voice.
"Your sister is a most exceptional woman. She is the epitome of what a commander should be; intelligent and resourceful. She is exactly what any Romulan would refer to as honorable. I can assure you, the only reason we were able to out-wit and out-think her, was due to a carefully planned ambush which my Captain and I were assigned to carry out. Any commander would have done the same in her situation, and no commander would have been able to forsee the events and schemes that were to take place. She in no way acted dishonorably. She admitted and accepted her defeat with the grace of truly remarkable officer. In my opinion, she should have been commended for her actions; if she has been condemned to disgrace for them, then perhaps the condemners instead, are they on whom revenge should be taken."
Trian stared at Spock.
"You think that the only reason you are here today, is because of the cruelty and prejudice of my people?" He stepped closer to Spock, leaning down so that their faces were on the same level. "Mr. Spock, because of you, my sister is dead."
Spock went visibly paler, and Kirk went cold. This was much worse than he had suspected. He had thought that what Spock had said may have softened the Romulan, perhaps given them a chance. But if he had heard some lie that his sister was dead……..that they were the ones who had killed her. None of their convincing would reach him now.
"I held your sister in very high regard. I assure you, we did not harm her." Spock said.
"Oh, no." The Romulan laughed bitterly, "No you did not physically harmed her. If that were the case, I would have simply killed you. No. You did much worse than that." His voice was strained, and he turned away from them for a moment, facing the wall. When he turned back he was composed again. "When my sister was returned back to Romulus, she was considered a failure by all. She caused the Empire a catastrophic loss, and was therefore to be relieved of duty. The morning this was to occur, they discovered her dead in her room. She had committed suicide."
It took him a few moments before he could speak again. "The day before this happened, I was able to meet with her. She had already been disgraced and slandered, and I set to comfort her. She told me of the events that had taken place. She told me of her pain. But it was not the pain of humiliation which she spoke of. No, it was the pain of the betrayal." He looked directly at Spock. Glared at him. "Did you know that she loved you? I do not understand why, but all the same, she did. And you treated her affections like waste. Her anguish because of your thoughtless, emotionless betrayal of her feelings, was more than any military reprimand could cost her. You are the one, Mr. Spock, who broke my sister's heart."
Spock's tone was on the brink of pleading when he said, "My cruelty was mine, and mine alone. Do not involve my captain, he bears no fault in this matter."
Kirk opened his mouth to say something; he didn't know what, but Trian got there first.
"Wrong. He is to blame as well. I hold you responsible for my sister's personal turmoil, but I hold him responsible for her ultimate social disgrace. If not for him, she might have died at least with her good name. Also," The commander said, smiling a dark smile, "now that I know you a little, I think the best way of punishing you, Mr. Spock, is to see your friend have to suffer for your mistakes. Then maybe you will know the pain I have known before you die."
A.N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter; I know I did. Feels good to be writing again and I hope to get the next chapter to you soon. If you want to get it sooner, though, be sure to review! Reviews are an Author's motivation! \\//