Stranded Chapter 7

"I'll do everything in my power to help you."

Neus Figueras

Nyota breathed out in relief as the bathroom door opened and Leonard stepped out. He'd washed his face, shaved, and combed his hair. Len, she knew, had always been fastidious and meticulous about his appearance and personal hygiene. It came from the influence of his doctor father and later his own medical beliefs and inclination about cleanliness and what the proper appearance of a doctor should be when he was with patients.

Nyota smiled sweetly at him.

"Feeling better I bet, and looking more like your usual handsome self."

Leonard snorted unbelievably.

"Let's get you to bed, Len, and we'll comm the ship so you can speak with Jim and Geoffrey."

"Just wanted to look better before Jim saw me, and the hobgoblin too. You know Spock always looks perfect. I would've really suffered by comparison," Leonard smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

Nyota felt a sudden lump in her throat. Len always thought of others first, weak and sick though he was, he knew that Jim would be even more worried if he saw that Bones looked really ill. Spock too, in his own understated Vulcan way, would be "concerned" about the doctor.

Nyota helped Len get his robe off, plumped up the pillows, and helped him settle comfortably in the bed. The room was toasty warm now.

He nodded to Nyota. "Okay, I'm ready to talk to Jim and Geoff, darlin'."

Nyota walked to her own room, unlocked the drawer and opened her comm. "Uhura to Enterprise. Come in Enterprise." She waited patiently for the comm relays to do their magic, and soon Lt. M'Ress' soft sibilants could be heard. "This is Enterprisse, Lt. M'Ressss here."

"M'Ress, this is Uhura. Please connect me with the Captain."

"He isss in the briefing room, with Dr. M'Benga, Nyota. They have been waiting anxiously for your comm. I'm transssferiing you now."

"Captain Kirk, Lt Uhura isss on the comm for you, Sssir."

"Thank you, put her through, Lieutenant."

"Captain." Through her small comm screen, Nyota could see Jim and Geoffrey sitting at the briefing table looking at her on Jim's large wall screen.

She walked back into Len's bedroom. "Here is Dr. McCoy, Captain," she said, handing Len her hand held communicator.

She backed away, but sat close by on the chair.

"Bones!" Jim's worried hazel eyes roamed over him. "How are you feeling?"

"Been better, Jim," the Doctor answered hoarsely. "This hit me fast and hard. Nyota is takin' good care of me, though." He gave his "nurse" an affectionate smile.

"I know she is, Bones." Jim glanced at the chrono on the wall. They'd been at warp 8 for two hours, since the beginning of alpha shift when Nyota had first commed. Scotty was pressing the pedal to the metal and the faint thrum of the ship's engines under his booted feet set at maximum warp sounded smooth and effortless. They could keep it up a while longer. Jim thought with relief.

Leonard's face turned serious. "Nyota said you're comin' fast as you can, Jimmy," the doctor said, reading Jim's mind. "Was glad to hear it 'cause I'm not sure how to treat this flu. It's hit me real hard. Don't know how much sicker I'm gonna' get neither, and I'm worried about Nyota being around me, takin' care of me. What if she gets sick too?"

Nyota made a sound of protest and Leonard held up a hand. "I know you're takin' precautions, darlin', but we're dealing with an unknown here, and I sure don't want you to get this."

"Bones...we'll get there as fast as we can. Scotty's pushing the engines, but meanwhile here is Dr. M'Benga for you to talk with about all this."

Leonard raised a hand in greeting and Jim was alarmed to see how the usually rock steady hand was trembling.

"Hey, Geoff, good to see you."

"Hey, Len. I'm sorry to hear you've contracted this illness. Why don't you fill me in?"

"Well, accordin' to the medical scanner, this 'pears to be a variant of the Levodian flu, but so far it's presentin' differently, much more virulently, and apparently the Levodian vaccine didn't offer me any protection for this variant. My temps down to 38.0 (100.4 F) with the antipyretic. Thought you might be able to offer some suggestions since epidemiology is one of your specialties."

"What have you done so far, Boss?" Geoffrey asked, putting on his professional mask and hiding his worry from Leonard. He was aware of Jim sitting next to him, his clenched jaw, tense shoulders and rigid stance giving his worry away.

Leonard mentioned the antipyretic, the analgesic, and the fluids Nyota was pushing into him. "I still have the anti-viral I gave Alarik when we stayed behind to treat him, Geoff."

Uhura interrupted. "Dr. M'Benga, Doranna said that when Alarik's symptoms began they were just like Len's, but it's been almost three months since Alarik got sick."

Geoff nodded. Too long for an incubation period.

"I asked if there's been anyone she's heard about that has been sick. She said no, but she's going to inquire further. Doranna seems to know everyone in the village, so I'm sure she'll have an answer for me soon."

"That's good, Lt. Uhura. That's important to find out. The more information we have the better to get a handle on this. Len, I know you don't have the equipment to check exactly what we're dealing with, but if it's a variant of the Levodian flu, then you're doing all the right things even if the virus is presenting in a more aggressive manner. For now, at the initial stage, you have to give your body a lot of rest, maintain good nutrition, and drink plenty of fluids, as much as you can manage to get down you. I want you to stay in bed and rest, don't get up or exert yourself unless it's absolutely necessary. A high fever, especially in an adult, depletes your energy fast, and the last thing we need is for you to pass out or fall and injure yourself because you're weak. If you have any doses of the anti-viral you used on your patient I want you to go ahead and dose yourself with it."

At this, Leonard looked dubious. "You think it'll do any good, Geoff?"

Geoffrey shrugged. "Don't know, Boss, but it's worth a try. If it worked on that patient of yours, it might help you too. I know it's only a general antiviral, but it's what you have, so it's worth a try until we get there and do more tests."

"I guess you're right...should've thought of that," Len added, chagrined. "I'm afraid my thinkin' is none too clear right now."

"Bones...don't...don't even think about blaming yourself," Jim interrupted. "You're sick, you have a high fever, it's no wonder you're not thinking clearly about everything."

"Jim, I'm a Doctor, have been for a long time now, should've been the first thing I thought of." Leonard sounded thoroughly disgruntled.

Dr. M'Benga next to Jim shook his head minutely.

Jim nodded, understanding the caution. It was no use arguing with a sick, stubborn Bones, agitating him wouldn't be good for him at all.

"I want you to take your first dose of the antiviral now, Len," Geoffrey went on with his orders. "Also I'm seeing some signs of dehydration. So a short session of IV fluids this afternoon after your soup would also be appropriate. Keep pushing the antipyretic and analgesic every four hours. I want you as comfortable as possible."

"Lieutenant Uhura, are you doing the cooking right now?"

"I am, Doctor. There are no replicators here. I'm cooking some chicken soup right now, with vegetables and rice. Len had an egg and toast for breakfast, and he's drinking tea with honey as often as possible."

"All good choices," Geoffrey told her. "I'm most concerned with keeping him hydrated and well nourished. High fevers in adults deplete body reserves quickly. In the Sick Bay we give nutrition and fluid support continuously. If Len's stomach is okay I'd like for you to add some higher caloric foods, more carbohydrates and fats; potatoes, noodles, rice. Add cream or milk, whatever they use there to enrich his foods. Butter, cheese, etc. if his stomach will tolerate them." He looked a question at Nyota. "Do they have those there?"

"They do, or foods that are very similar. Local fruits too. I'll see to it, Geoff."

"Len, whatever Nyota makes for you to eat, you get it down you, okay? You're already thin, don't want you any thinner." Jim told him anxiously. "And stay in bed! Rest as much as possible. You never seem to get much rest on the ship."

"I'll do my best, Jim," Leonard assured the worried face. "And I promise to stay in bed. Don't feel much like walkin' around anyway," he added morosely.

"All right, Len, let's get that antiviral in you. Do you have your Med bag?" Geoffrey asked.

"I have it here," Nyota pulled it to her lap.

"It's the cartridge with the yellow top, Lieutenant. How many cartridges are left? As I recall I sent down a box, not knowing how long it would take the patient to respond. It's a once a day dosage," Geoffrey added.

Leonard pointed to the box with a shaky finger and Nyota opened it. "There are six cartridges left, Geoffrey."

"Good, that should do until we get to you, right, Captain?"

"We'll get there sooner than that even if Scotty and I have to get out and push." He gave Bones a small reassuring smile. Bones looked very tired, Jim thought worriedly. "Get some rest, Bones. We'll talk later. Nyota I want to hear from you this evening. From now until we get back to you, I want a twice a day report from you."

"Yes, Captain."

Leonard snorted. "Now, Jim, you stop your frettin' right this minute. Geoff, Nyota, and I'll get a handle on this you'll see. I don't want you to be worryin', not sleeping or eatin' right when there's not a thing you can do for me right now," he frowned at Jim

"Lt. Uhura, do you know how to load and administer the hypo?" Geoffrey interrupted the small rant.

Nyota nodded. "Dr. McCoy taught me, and I've already done it a couple of times."

"Good, go ahead and administer the antiviral now. It can go in the bicep or the carotid if Leonard prefers. Mark the time. It should be administered at the same time every day." He watched keenly as Nyota quickly and efficiently loaded and administered the medication. Geoffrey nodded satisfied.

"I better go see to the soup," Nyota told them. "It's time to put in the vegetables and I'll add potatoes or rice." She smiled at Jim. "It's Winona's recipe, Jim, or as close as I can get to it with the slightly different fowl and other ingredients they have here. We've used several of her recipes. Len and I have been taking turns cooking. We've enjoyed it."

"She'll be pleased to hear that, Nyota. I'll tell her during our regular Thursday comm."

"Now, Jim, don't you be tellin' tales of woe to Winona about me being sick. I don't hold with worryin' people who are too far away to do anythin' for the ill person; all it accomplishes is that it worries them for no reason. You hearin' me about this, Jimmy?"

"Yeah, Bones. I hear you. I won't worry Ma and Peter, but if she gets mad at me later on for keeping it from her, I'm telling her it was all your idea."

"That's fine by me," Leonard nodded, satisfied.

"By the way, Bones, Spock sends you greetings and said to tell you that he wishes you a speedy return to your usual robust state of health and well-being."

"Damn hobgoblin, he could've just said, hope you feel better soon," Leonard groused hoarsely, "instead of makin' it a whole damn paragraph. Tell him I said thanks. Just that one word, Jim. Just thanks."

Jim laughed, inordinately pleased to hear the usual irate grouse about Spock from Bones. "I'll tell him. Get some rest, Bones, and behave yourself."

"I'll have a report for both of you this evening," Nyota assured them.

Jim nodded. "Kirk out."

Nyota closed the comm and locked it in the drawer again. Alarik would be coming to bring the second heater after lunch and it wouldn't do for him to catch a glimpse of it.

"Do you need anything, Len? I have to finish making the soup. I'll bring it in to you. I don't want you getting up to eat; bed's the best place for you."

"Don't need a thing, darlin'. I'll just sip the rest of my tea and then close my eyes for a bit. I'm feelin' tired again and I'm not due for any meds until after lunch."

Nyota handed him the tea and watched him like a hawk as he drank. He sighed, put the cup down on the table with a shaky hand, closed his eyes and was sleep immediately.

In the kitchen, Nyota chopped the vegetables, and added them to the soup pot. Another 30 minutes and it would be ready for the rice or potatoes. She'd shredded the fowl into small bite size pieces so it would be easier for Len to eat. After she finished with the vegetables, she looked in the larder for the rice and saw there was a large bag. There was also plenty of potatoes and flat wide noodles made with the local flour which would do for another meal. She had plenty of butter, but, she thought worriedly, mindful of Geoffrey's high calorie injunction, they only had a small amount of cream. She'd have to ask Doranna to pick up a few more groceries for her. She stirred the soup pot, lowered the heat, and added a cup of the rice to simmer for another 20 minutes. She hoped the soup was worthy of Winona's tutelage.

While the soup simmered, she sat down to make the grocery list for Alarik to give to Doranna. She'd give him the grocery list and credits for the groceries, ask him to sit for a few minutes, ply him with tea, then question him gently about possible strangers in the village. She mustn't let her worry about Len make her forget their secondary mission. She'd have to be discreet. Maybe, there was a way she could link her questions directly to Leonard's illness. Suggest that it might be someone new to the village who had come to the office for treatment and had given the illness to Len. After all, she would say to Alarik, she and Len didn't know everyone in the village, so they wouldn't have known that the new patient was a stranger. Yes, she thought, that would do as a cover story.

Alarik, much like Doranna, was acquainted with all the residents in Torreon. She and Alarik had lived in the village their entire lives, had lived very happily here in this peaceful, largely secluded small town. Doranna had told Nyota her entire life story. The two had been born here in Torreón, gone to the local schools, met through mutual friends, courted, then married. They'd had their two sons here and they too, had followed the same life pattern as Alarik and Doranna. Their sons had grown up here, gone to the local schools, courted and married local girls and still lived in the village with their young families.

Nyota well knew that the Orion Syndicate was utterly ruthless. They operated without honor or scruples, and wouldn't hesitate to subjugate any population they deemed weak or unable to muster resistance to fight back. Any species who dealt in murder, illegal drugs, and slavery, would stop at nothing to accomplish their goals. This tiny village was ripe for plucking. An isolated town like this one, and others like it on Sarena, would be perfect for the Orion's purposes. They could come in suddenly, raid the villages, take captives to be sold as slaves and be gone before any resistance could be mustered. In large cities with police forces, or military presence, it wouldn't be nearly as easy.

She sighed. It was difficult to concentrate on Orions when she was so worried about Leonard. She sniffed, and smiled. The soup smelled great. She'd serve it in a mug for Len, easier for him to handle, but she had to let it cool a bit before giving it to him; his hands were not steady. She'd have some too. It wouldn't do for her to get run down, Len, Jim, and Geoffrey were all depending on her to take care of the doctor. She filled the mug with the soup, added some bread with butter, a spoon, a napkin, then grabbed a tray from the pantry. She carried the laden tray to the living room.