"It was just a brief moment, Doctor. He was lucid enough to know we are back on the Enterprise and that he is in Sickbay." The Vulcan met the doctor's gaze and knew he would want to know more but the rest was personal. He saw acceptance in the blue eyes.
"So he will be able to give us his version of the trip down the mountain? I don't suppose he said anything about that to you."
"No. It was clear he knew we were back on the Enterprise but that was about all. He did admit to being very tired."
"Mind telling me what you did to lower the pain levels?"
"I just applied some acupressure, Bowen methods, and some Vulcan methods that I believed might lessen some of his pain. It was pleasing to see that they did."
McCoy shook his head, trust the Vulcan to surprise him. "Mind telling me how the Vulcan methods are different."
The faintest of smiles flashed across Spock's mouth as he nodded, "McCoy, it was nothing to do with telepathy as such, just an ancient touch therapy. Quiet common, actually. Not all that different from what you would call deep tissue massage."
"So you picked up nothing while you are in contact?"
"If he had been conscious and had given me permission I would have been able to assist him more with the management of the pain. As it is I was only able to slightly ease it for him." McCoy heard the regret and some guilt in the barritone voice, "When he has further recovered I will perhaps be able to assist him more."
"You do realize that he may need medical attention beyond what is available on the Enterprise?" McCoy was unsure how to raise the topic he would have to with Spock.
"I am fully aware of that, Doctor. I am also aware that should he not be able to recover to the dictates of Starfleet he will have to leave the ship, possibly for the rest of his carreer."
There was something in the way Spockk had lowered his voice when saying Rallon might have to leave the ship for the rest of his career that made McCoy really study the tall man before him. He usually only heard that deep blame when Spock was referring to Jim or even to a few of the bridge crew but not when it had happened to other crew members. Having known the Vulcan for so long McCoy knew what to look for and saw it, the guilt. He knew Vulcans claimed not to have emotins but as he just looked at his friend McCoy saw the two sides at war. Clearly Spock felt that Rallon's injuries were his fault, that he was the prime cause of the man's extensive injuries.
Gently he put a hand on the slender shoulder closest to him and gave it a squeeze so the Vulcan looked at him, "Now you listen to me, Spock. We have a few days before we need to even think about that. What we have to do is get him to the stage where I can fully assess the extent of his injuries and calculate what sort of he will need, how long it will take, and if that can be done aboard the ship. First things first, Spock. Get him to where he can be properly assessed first. I have spent more than enough time with Rallon to know his rate of recouperation and I think we both know how he will try to push himself."
When the dark eyes kept looking at him but the Vulcan remained silent McCoy continuted, "You have to know that what you did and you being here has really helped him start to come back. For him to admit to you that he was tired is good news. He is acknowledging that he has his limits. There have been times he has been brought in here and refused to accept his body has limits till he was shown proof that he had saved whoever he went out to get."
"He was on Starbas Ten because of saving Jim and myself, Doctor. I was part of is first injuries and I only compounded them further on that mountain."
"And just how did you do all that, Spock? How did you do that all by yourself?"
"Doctor, I was the senior officer and,"
"That would have meant nothing to Rallon. Every instinct in that man has, through his family bloodlines, his very natural genetic structure, been atuned to helping others. You had no way of stopping him doing what he did. Like I said, I have spent a lot of time with this man and the only way," gently McCoy placed both hands on Spock's shoulders and looked directly into the dark troubled eyes, "Spock, the only way you could have stopped him from doing for you what he did would been to have killed him."
In the blue eyes looking at him and deep within himself the Vulcan knew it was the truth. He had seen how Rallon had been on the mountain. He had realized that Rallon would not stop till they got down the mountain. Through the hands on his shoulders he felt McCoy wanting to help him see the truth. Slowly he nodded and McCoy nodded back and released him.
"He did ask me to tell you he wanted no more medications."
"His exact words?"
"No. His exact words were, 'Tell Doctor McCoy no more meds.' which I took to mean he did not wish to have any more of your medications. Obviously they upset his systems as they do mine."
"Difference being that with him they make him more placid not more argumentative."
"They do not," Spock stopped as he saw the twinkle about McCoy's eyes and realized he had reacted just as the doctor had wanted. He glanced back at where Rallon lay. "There is a Vulcan herbal tea that will help with his pain as well as mildly sedating him that I would like to prepare for him."
"That one you have sometimes given Jim and even to me on occasion?"
"Yes."
McCoy remembered only too well the few times he had had the tea and how it had eased his muscular pain and given him a good sleep. "That would be acceptable, Spock."
"I will make enough for you as well as you, Doctor McCoy, have been avoiding having sufficient sleep."
"Blasted Vulcan, I just had a sleep. Who is the doctor here? I told you I had a sleep."
"One in how many days, Doctor? You are the doctor but I can tell from looking at you now that you are in need of a deep refreshing sleep. I believe that what you term as a sleep is what others, including the Captain, would term a long nap. Is my assessment in error?" The dark eyes were watching him and McCoy could tell the Vulcan knew the tell-tale signs he could not hide.