Authors Note:
Another update! I'm hoping to keep the pace up.
Here's a fun fact for you, that Star date below? was yesterdays date with an added 8 in. I always think star dates sound better with sets of two numbers together. I'm not the best at writing with Spock, so any ways to improve him will be greatly appreciated, please PM me if you know how I can make him better. Especially with the Captains Log. I don't feel pleased with it.
But I do hope you enjoy it still!
Chapter Thirteen
Captains Log, star date ; – Acting Captain Spock reporting.
The Enterprise is currently on route to Star Base Five for Captain James T. Kirk to receive the further medical care needed since returning to the ship. Admiral Archer and the USS Lexington are also on route to the same destination. Since returning to the ship, Captain Kirk has been in a highly medicated state. Chief Medical Officer, Doctor Leonard McCoy, assures Admiral Archer and myself this is important to aid the Captain's recovery. It is clear Captain Kirk is under the effect of the Klingon's Mind Sifter technology, the captain is still unable to hear his rank and name. He has requested we call him 'Jimmy' until further notice.
From what I have witnessed, the Captain is in a current fragile state of mind. He appears to be suffering from short term memory loss, however is able to remember crew members and objects important to him.
Due to the strictest of privacy orders, only Admiral Archer, CMO Dr McCoy, Lt. Scott, Nurse Chapel and myself know that the captain is alive and on board the Enterprise. This is to protect Captain Kirk's fragile mind and also the rest of the crews moral. The crew have not been permitted shore leave. This is to protect Captain Kirk and ensure he is given the privacy he needs to recover.
We are expected to arrive at Star Base Five within the hour. Waiting for us there is a small team of the highest ranked medical professionals. Doctor McCoy will be leading them during our stay there, with Nurse Chapel assisting. The ship will also be receiving minor repairs while docked.
To aid the Captain's recovery, I have requested to join the medical team. Command will be handed over to Lt. Scott.
McCoy slammed his PADD down on his office desk, almost knocking the, half full cup of strong black coffee, over in the process. "God dammit." He hushed under his breath as he flustered through all the paper work scattered around the PADD. "Where is it..." he continued to mutter to himself.
Nurse Chapel popped her head in the open doorway. "Doctor, we are ready to leave. Do you have everything you need?"
McCoy didn't even notice the doors open until he heard Nurse Chapel speak. "Yeah, just… give me a sec." he said, without looking up.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Nurse Chapel asked as she stepped into the office.
McCoy stopped flustering and ended up throwing the paper work over the floor with frustration, again almost knocking his, now cold, coffee over. "Jim's music. I had it on my desk but now it's gone. A bit of music therapy always makes him feel better."
Nurse Chapel smiled as she walked over the desk, stepping around the bits of paper now scattered over the floor. "You mean this?" She asked, as she opened one of the desk drawers.
McCoy looked into the drawer and saw Jim's music stick and ear buds sitting next to an empty silver flask – an old gift from the captain himself for last times stressful medical stay. "Whats it doing in there?"
"It's the back up one you kept hidden away. You got fed up with the captain always coming in and taking the medical bays one and never returning it… so you hid one from him." Nurse Chapel continued to smile as the fond memories of Captain Kirk's friendship with McCoy filled her mind.
McCoy picked them up and popped them into his brown satchel. "He would never forgive me if I forgot this. Thank you Chris."
"Forgive me for intruding, Leonard. But when was the last time you slept?" Nurse Chapel wondered if she had crossed the line by calling him by his first name in such a formal statement.
McCoy wasn't even paying attention, he was too busy chucking all sorts of office bits into his bag to take to the Star Base. "What's that? … Oh I'm fine."
Nurse Chapel rolled her eyes. She could see how tired the doctor was just by looking at the limp body language and black circles under his eyes. She took hold of his ever moving hands from across the desk, stilling them so he made eye contact with her. "As soon as Jim is settled, I suggest you get a few hours' sleep." She ordered, loosening her grip on McCoy's hands.
McCoy looked down at his shaking hands. He had no idea how his body was still functioning. Jim had made little progress in the last few days and what they were going to do next seemed like it was make or break for the young captain's mind. It didn't help that Jim's fever didn't want to budge either, indicating he had picked up some sort of out dated viral infection from his time in the asylum. Jim wasn't sleeping through the nightmares, which meant in turn McCoy wasn't sleep either. He didn't want to admit it – but he was feeling the strain. "I suppose a few hours wouldn't hurt."
Nurse Chapel took a silent sigh of relief, "The transport team are almost here. The crew have been confined to their quarters. Are you ready to leave?" she asked.
McCoy stepped out of his office, taking a final look at his sickbay, it wasn't going to be his for a few weeks and he never liked leaving it in the care of anyone else. "What did they say to M'Benga?"
"That you and I are attending a medical training course on the Star base and that we are not to be disturbed." She answered.
McCoy let out a little chuckle. "How did he not find that a little suspicious? I mean there isn't much I haven't had experience with."
"They said it was on Vulcan psychology. Something he has more expertise in." Nurse Chapel grinned, bringing McCoy's ego down.
"Well that's just typical isn't it." McCoy said. "I suppose that green blooded, pointy eared…"
"Greetings Doctor. I trust that the Captain is sedated and ready for transport?" McCoy didn't even notice that Spock had already entered sickbay with a small group of people who were supposed to be assisting him in moving Jim.
He felt the warmth of his cheeks as they flushed red. "He's in his room, ready to go." McCoy said, looking towards Jim and out of the Vulcans view.
Spock led the team over to the room, as McCoy picked up one of the bags full of medications Jim wasn't allergic to and swung his own satchel over his shoulder.
"and Doctor, while you are studying the science of Vulcan psychology, may I suggest you study the Vulcan's increased range of hearing?"
Nurse Chapel couldn't hold back a giggle.
"Was that a joke? You've clearly been hanging around us humans too long!" McCoy called back, as he darted for the doors.
McCoy tossed and turned in his bed, he never settled well in unfamiliar quarters. "Computer – Lights at 40%" he ordered the empty room. He couldn't help but squint as his eyes adjusted to the light.
He sat up in his bed, looking at the empty bed across from his. As he had insisted on bringing Christine Chapel with him they were given no choice but to share a quarters. He didn't mind, he knew her well enough to respect her boundaries. She on the other hand, was used to sharing a quarters with Nurse Payne. McCoy laughed a little as he was reminded of her name, he thought back to when Jim was attending one of his routine medicals – the second she introduced herself Jim sniggered. Although she soon stopped the sniggering when she unleashed her ninja hypo spray skills and got him straight in the arm without a fight.
Jim was transported to the medical bay in Star Base five with ease – the damn kid slept the entire time. To be fair, he had given him a pretty powerful sedative before the trip. Jim was starting to ask questions about where he was and how he got there, while he remembers the crew it would have been too much strain on his recovering body to tell him the truth of it all. Anyway, for all they knew the mind sifter had effected more vocabulary than just his name and rank. It just wasn't worth the risk.
Even though Jim was settled, there was something eating at McCoy. He hated the fact that he had left Jim on his own, while those strangers poked and prodded at him. Sure, he was asleep – McCoy had made sure of that, the last thing he needed was Jim waking up without the only familiar face he knew there but he needed to know what they were doing to him now. He still didn't quite understand what they were going to do to cure Jim in the first place, he had a meeting to discuss his care plan at 1800 hours, which was why he was so desperate to have a clear head before he went.
He looked over to the wall clock, the opposite side of the room. The one thing McCoy did like about the Star Base quarters was how they were given a more homely feel – with carpeted floor, wooden furniture and solid beds. "15:25… is that all?" McCoy spoke to himself out loud. He could have sworn he had slept more than that. He swung his legs round off the bed and rubbed his face. The unsettling feeling in his stomach grew worse as he rose to his feet.
He wasted no time, and headed straight to Jim. Luckily the guest quarters were ideally placed right next to the med bay. It was probably something to do with how they were used for family members of the critically ill and passing by doctors and nurses.
The second the doors opened he saw the swarm of doctors around Jim, holding each limb down into place while Jim screamed out.
"What the hell is going on here!" McCoy shouted above the noise of Jim's pained cry. "Get off him!" he said, pushing past the doctors to get to his friend.
"The captain is experiencing…" One of the doctors started.
"What the hell did you say that for?!" McCoy interrupted as Jim screamed out in pain. "Didn't you read the notes I sent over? Step away from the patient… Now!" he ordered. "Wheres Nurse Chapel?"
All the doctors stepped back away from Jim, every set of eyes were on McCoy and Nurse Chapel as she barged through the doctors.
"Sedate him now – who knows what kind of damage they've done to him." McCoy ordered, looking into Jim's one good eye. The bruising and swelling from his eye socket fracture prevented him from checking the other.
Nurse Chapel swiftly put Jim back to sleep. "I'm sorry, Doctor… I was the other side of the med bay searching for –"
"Its fine, Nurse." McCoy interrupted again, panting with rage. "I know it wasn't you that caused this episode." He watched Jim's vitals ease again and turned to the group of Doctor's surrounding the trio.
"I think we need to rethink the medical team. If you cannot be bothered to read the notes then I don't want you on my team." McCoy could feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising. "I thought you were the best Starfleet had to offer? This patient is suffering some extremely complicated emotional trauma. Not to mention the fact that his body was beaten to a pulp when he found him too. I'll be speaking to the Admiralty about all of you." He said looking at the faces of the complete strangers. He didn't recognise a single face.
Silence flooded the room as the Doctor's moved away from McCoy. He didn't even notice the med bay doors had opened and someone new was hidden behind the group of Doctors.
"Scaring off the Doctors already, McCoy?" The voice spoke, breaking the silence.
"Well, look who it is." McCoy grinned, the biggest smile he had given since he found out Jim was actually alive. "Admiral, it's good to see you." He said, holding out his hand to offer a handshake as the man stepped forward to Jim.
"McCoy, please. I'm just here for… him." The admiral said, nodding his head towards Jim as he took McCoy's hand, giving it a strong shake. "Just call me Chris, it might help him."
"I'm sure you being here will help him a lot, Admiral Pike." Nurse Chapel said, holding her hand out for him to shake, she couldn't help but address him correctly.
Authors Second Note:
So look who it is! Christopher Pike! I really wanted to include him in this some way, so there he is! I've never written with him before, so here's hoping he will stick around long enough to give Jim a helping hand in his recovery!