Domino

Chapter 11 - Islands

'No man is an island, Entire of itself, Every man is a piece of the continent, A part of the main' - John Donne

The answer was in a word that lay on the tip of his tongue, it was so simple! But he couldn't remember it. A face swam before his mind's eye, he just couldn't focus on it, so he tried to call out, but his voice came out as a scratch. Annoyed, he called again but the harder he tried to shout, the more the sound seized in his throat until he could have screamed with frustration... the face swam out of view and was gone. But she'd been there, he knew, even as the realization dawned that he'd been dreaming and he shifted, testing his senses as he pushed toward consciousness.

He became aware that something was stinging him, a little annoyed he tried to bat it away. He grouched to himself, opening his eyes and trying to gain stock of where he was.

His head swam, lips were dry and the steady but too fast beat of the monitor above his head all pointed to one thing - patient. Damn.

It was old fashioned but effective technique; IV re-hydration. But just why would he be needing that now…? He couldn't remember being ill but...

Oh, no.

His heart did a somersault in his chest and he pulled viciously away from the pressure in his arm. He rolled sideways off the bed landing awkwardly on the floor and stared at the blood now smeared over the side of the biobed and dripping down his arm from where the line had been placed. He waited... and it stayed red; it didn't dissolve into a million tiny spores and spread through the room like wildfire - it was just blood.

In the back of his mind he knew it was safe to be here, his grim 'insurance policy' wouldn't allow him to reach the infectious stage of the disease process, but he still sat back onto the floor and let the relief wash over him.

A voice drifted casually across the room.

"I've heard of paint the town red, but really... we're in a sickbay not a bar fight."

He blinked and slowly the room came into focus, "Jim?" He wondered if he was still dreaming.

Kirk maintained his cool stance as he watched the features shift on his friend's face; no doubt Bones was trying to figure out if he could believe what he was seeing. Jim wouldn't give him any reason to doubt it so he stayed calm, arms folded. "That was quite a wake up there." He said, ignoring the dawning expression of horror on the doctor's face.

"Who knows?" Leonard breathed.

In any other circumstance, Jim would have rushed to his friend's side, but he restrained himself, cautious not to make any sudden moves he walked forward casually. Conversationally, belying the urgency he felt, he pressed for an answer, "The question is not who knows what, but what they know. Which isn't much, I can tell you that. Even if Spock managed to hack into that encrypted data PADD of yours I doubt that he'd tell me… something about a promise. So that just leaves you."

Jim had rounded the biobed, and reached out an extended hand. He was relieved when McCoy took it, but noted the look of shame that danced across his features. Spock was right, Leonard had been shielding them both from the truth, and Jim would have to draw on a trust and a friendship that had been frayed and tested - pray that it could be healed. Bones stumbled and came to rest at least more comfortably against the wall. Jim took up the space next to him.

"You scaring the hell out of me…" he admitted, passing across a linen swab he'd picked up on the way across the room. Obviously grateful for the distraction, the doctor took it and focused on wiping away the blood on his arm. His eyes remained downcast as he spoke.

"I'm sorry Jim..."

"I'm not done," Jim interrupted, "perhaps I over reacted before but damn it Bones, you come back on this ship looking like someone just dragged you out of a horror movie, you're falling apart right in front of our eyes but won't tell us why… Is it out of some misguided belief that by keeping us in the dark you'll be protecting us?"

Finally, McCoy made eye contact, "How do you know I'm not?"

Jim sighed, "What do you think would happen if I tried to run this ship alone? Sure I have all the tools but it just can't be done. Everything from the living, breathing soul of the Enterprise – the crew that keep her running, to the voices of reason, the council and guidance of my command crew - is essential. Even all of that doesn't cover perhaps the most important thing of all; the support of my friends. No man is an island Bones, right now I can't help you and I hate it."

"Jim, I..." Bone's tried to interject, but was cut short. He would have smiled, any other day; Jim was on a roll, again.

"You once told me, that in this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million earth-type planets...and in all the universe, three million, million galaxies like this one. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us…"

McCoy remembered the day well, the prospect of interplanetary war, the fate of billions of people riding on the decision of one man. Jim had been that man and it occurred to McCoy that his friend knew exactly the kind of burden he now carried - exactly how it felt – and McCoy knew what it felt like to look on, frustrated by the other's unwillingness to share that burden, as if it was purely his to carry. Damned fool martyr of a Captain... would he never learn?

Jim didn't miss the shift in McCoy's expression, hope rose in his chest.

"I won't stand by and watch you destroy yourself. Like it or not, I'm staying right here."

"The room is safe Captain." Spock declared form the doorway.

McCoy threw a questioning look toward the Captain.

"There's been a… technical glitch. Flight recorder in this room is only picking up static. I'd get a team on it but right now I have more important things to do, one of which involves sitting here with you."

McCoy's shoulders slumped, so he'd been a hypocrite. And worse, he'd brought trouble on board and he was sure that when Jim found out he'd be less than sympathetic. He drew a deep breath and reached for the bed side to pull himself up to a stand, waving off his friend's anxious offer of support.

"I'm alright Jim." He asserted, making his way unsteadily to the nearest seat. He looked uncomfortable, guilty almost, and his eyes shifted around the room before they settled on a point on the floor.

Finally he spoke, "I brought a deadly virus on board the Enterprise."

He looked up to gauge the Captain's response, he was surprised to find that he looked... nonplussed.

"Are you going to tell me something I don't know?" He said, pulling up a chair opposite the repentant doctor, "I'll tell you something else I know; that device you're carrying is capable of disintegrating every cell in your body in under one second. You're a fool if you thought I'd actually believe you would put the lives of everyone on this ship in danger. What I want to know is; why?"

Spock remained quiet throughout the exchange. He'd often seen this scene from a different perspective, with McCoy watching and listening while Jim lay his troubles down, not expecting any answers, but maybe hoping to 'get Bones off his case' as he'd often put it. In this situation the pair's reactions were quite different, instead of creasing in empathy, Kirk's brow drew inwards in anger – defensive Spock noted – and McCoy must have recognized it too, because he did not withdraw from the Captain's scrutiny. He continued, quietly, carefully recounting the details which were relevant, carefully withholding those which he knew would further fuel Jim's ire.

"The guy who helped develop the serum which would subdue the virus was Phelantian, they were responsible for the attack on the research facility. They have a technology, a kind of dampening field that can disable any foreign technology over a considerable distance, but each individual is linked, once their leader is compromised…"

Sitting upright suddenly as he recognised the aliens McCoy was describing, Jim hastily interjected, "The whole system fails." He leaned forward anxiously, "We encountered the people you're talking about at Gia. The day you left..." He trailed off at the pained look on McCoy's face. He knew now there was nothing McCoy could have done to prevent what happened, but the doctor still carried the guilt that had come with the knowledge of what had occurred that day. The Enterprise had been attacked, people had died. McCoy swallowed hard.

"Then you've seen for yourself Jim, how desperate they are."

"Desperate? They seemed more murderous to me, we found some of their handiwork Bones; every living thing on S'toh'ah is dead."

It was Bones turn to be taken off guard, he hadn't known the Enterprise had been to S'toh'ah. His head was spinning, they were all in this much farther than he had thought and he was eager to find out exactly how much Jim knew, but he was getting tired and there was nothing he could do. He knew the answer lay beyond his grasp and he was pretty sure he knew who held his missing puzzle piece.

He frowned and placed his head in one hand, leaning forwards wearily. "Sur'i." He muttered, shaking his head.

Both Jim and Spock straightened instantly, "Wait, that word; Sur'i… what is it?"

"S'not a word," McCoy slurred slightly, "it's a name. She was there, chief researcher at that facility. She was able to exploit the Phelantian's natural resistance, with his help, they developed a serum that almost halts the spread of the contagion. She gave it to me."

Spock and Jim exchanged a look, Spock stepped forward and spoke for the first time since their 'chat' had begun, " 21.4 hours ago we picked up a scout on long range sensors, we received a transmission; a set of coordinates followed by a word; the name of the scientist you mentioned. The coordinates however, remain a mystery, as we have no point of reference in order to pinpoint their location."

"May I see?"

Jim nodded and Spock made his way to the nearest console, McCoy unsteadily following him.

His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the numbers, then widened in realization, "Jim! This isn't a set of coordinates, it's a numerical code…"

With a sudden surge on energy he worked furiously at the terminal, transforming the numerical into a visual representation of mass. He spoke quickly as he worked, "Each number is the combined atomic mass of a component peptide, they're like building blocks for this... a carrier protein."

The finished image rotated on the screen, a tiny cellular component, magnified thousands of times.

"Fascinating."

Kirk leaned forward to get a better look, "How can you just see that straight away?"

"Because it's just what I've been looking for, a way to modify the…" He caught the look on Jim's face and stopped, Jim's forte was never bio science. "I can't find a way of getting the anti-serum into each cell independently, without that, the cure is useless. If Sur'i has this..."

"Then your cure will work."

"Yes!" McCoy exclaimed, throwing himself heavily into the seat in front of the terminal, exasperated by the promise that rotated slowly before his eyes, just out of his reach... it wasn't complete... he'd have to find her.

The intercom sounded, the harsh whistle breaking the tense silence which had settled in the room.

"Captain," Uhura's voice carried a sense of urgency, "Scout vessel has reappeared on long range sensors, it seems to be heading in the direction of the neutral zone."

"Follow it." Kirk didn't hesitate in his decision.

"Jim," McCoy sat bolt upright, worry deepened the lines on his face, "let me go alone, you have no idea of the danger."

"I have a pretty good idea, and every man, woman and child in this quadrant, every potential next victim of this thing is depending on you right now. I think that's worth the risk."

The intercom sounded again.

"Sir, another ship detected, approaching from within federation territory… It appears to be spherical, compartmentalized…its them sir."

Kirk's expression darkened, "And as it would also appear, we also have little choice."

"The scout vessel appears to have seen them too. She's increasing speed to warp 4."

"Adjust speed to match. I want to stay behind at a safe distance without risking losing her. Gentlemen, I'll be on the bridge."

"I'll come with you." McCoy made to get up but Kirk laid an arresting hand on his shoulder.

"No Bones, stay here; at least rest a little before you venture up. I promise, I'll let you know personally if you're required..." He smiled reassuringly and added, "trust me."

Kirk turned and headed out of sickbay, Spock nodded curtly moved to follow the Captain but stopped and turned at a quiet prompt from McCoy.

"Spock…" McCoy reached for his PADD and typed in a sequence of codes before withdrawing a small chip from the side and passing it to the Vulcan.

"If anything should happen, send this. The address is encoded with the information; they'll think it's me. It's everything I have – the 90%, if Sur'i really does have the rest it's all they'll need to make this work."

Spock took the small chip and considered it silently for a moment.

"Pessimistic, yet practical. Am I to assume that your report contains its usual plenitude of grammatical errors?"

"If you mean 'was it written by a human being?', Mr Spock, then yes."

"Preferable then, that you are able to send it yourself. I shall however hold onto it for safekeeping, lest it should become lost in the veritable haystack you refer to as a filing system."

"How very considerate of you." McCoy replied with mock indignation, but smiled to himself as Spock left for the bridge.

The smile however was soon replaced by foreboding; pangs of worry punctuated by the red glow of ship-wide red alert. Jim wasn't taking any chances, that much was for sure, but, McCoy wondered, would it be enough?

A/N: I find myself writing these chapters a long way from home and family, if my updates are infrequent please do forgive, enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing and much love for all the comments and follows :-) stay tuned!