To all my readers, Happy Thanksgiving!
stay safe.
Stranded
Chapter 12
"When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully,
everyone is blessed."
Maya Angelou
Nyota heard the water turn off and the shower door open and close. Here in Torreon, the shower arrangement was almost exactly the equivalent of a 21st century home bathroom; a sink, toilet, walk in shower, and a small linen closet . As far as Nyota knew, Sarena didn't even have sonic showers, and she and Bones considered their daily water shower as an unheard luxury. Apparently there was no shortage of water on this planet.
Not so on the ship. Water showers for the crew were taken only by medical prescription from Dr. McCoy or Dr. M'Benga, and for the Command officers water showers were strictly rationed. Even the Captain had to ration his water credits. The water tanks on the ship were enormous and filled as often as possible whenever the ship was berthed at any Starbase, but priority for the use of ship's water was given first to Medical, and second to the Mess. Scotty was very strict with their water rations, and watched the water tank levels with the same obsessive scrutiny that he watched the warp core dilithium crystals.
Now that Len was out of the shower, Nyota could hear his labored breathing as he dried his body. She stood and walked closer to the bathroom. "Do you need any help, Len?"
"I will in a minute, just let me put on my pajama pants. I'mma gonna' sit down on the commode to do it, so don't fret, Ny." There was faint rustling and heavy breathing until Leonard said, "you can come in now, darlin'."
The bathroom was steamy and, Nyota was relieved to feel, still toasty warm. With a shaky hand, Leonard handed her his pajama top and she helped him put it on. Then she helped him slip his robe on to keep him warm. She grabbed his comb and handed it to him and he gave his thick dark hair a few perfunctory swipes.
"Okay, now to bed with you, Leonard," she told him. He was still breathing heavily as he let Nyota brace him when he got to his feet. "I'll take your temperature then bring you more hot tea with honey. Would you like a snack for a little later? Maybe another half of the cakes Killeen brought fo us?"
"Sounds good. I'll probably be hungry by then. Mighty fine, those cakes were."
She settled him in the bed comfortably. "I'll put the cake and tea right here on the bedside table for you," she assured him smiling down at him gently. She pulled the quilt over him and went to the wall to check the heater.
The ringing of the wall comm interrupted whatever else Nyota was going to say. She and Leonard looked at each other. "Who could that be? I hope it's not someone who is ill, because they're out of luck, if that's the case," Nyota said emphatically.
"I could still diagnose a patient over the comm if need be, Ny. I wouldn't even have to walk far to the wall comm, you could help me, so there's no need to turn anyone away," Leonard added hoarsely.
Nyota looked at him unbelievably, shook her head despairingly, and went to answer the call. "Dr. McCoy's residence. Nyota speaking.
"Nyota, it is I Killeen."
"Killeen! We were just speaking about you, saying how delicious your food was. The doctor enjoyed and ate everything. Surprisingly his appetite remains good which is excellent, because he's so thin already. Thank you again. It was such a help to me."
"You are most welcome, Nyota. Tomorrow I will bring another meal."
"Killeen, no, it's too much! You are very kind, but it's too much!"
"It is not too much, Nyota. After everything the the doctor has done for me? It is very little. I am in much better health than I have been for many years because of Dr. Mkkoy and his treatments. But that is not why I called you. After our conversation earlier, I went straight to the Apothecary's shop to inquire about a person who might have the same symptoms as Dr. Mkkoy and Alarik. I waited until everyone left the shop so the Apothecary and I could speak privately. I did not want to alarm any one."
Nyota drew in a long breath, suddenly nervous.
"The Apothecary said yes, Nyota. A young woman did enter the shop to consult with him. He described her and it sounded like the one that Alarik told you about, the one with the bracelet and necklace of metal. He told me she had come into the shop once before when she was ill," Killeen stopped obviously puzzled about what he was going to say next.
"And?" Nyota urged softly, her heart sinking.
"And...at this visit the girl was not ill, the Apothecary said. She looked well; healthy and strong, and he asked her why, if she was not ill, she needed the medicines again. She explained that she had indeed been very ill, but the medicines he had given her one lunar cycle ago, had made her well. In three days, she had completely recovered from the sickness. Now she needed the same medicine for two others who were now ill with the same sickness."
"How long ago was this, Killeen? And where are the two others? If we can find them, perhaps I can go there to discover if it is the same illness. If so, I could get the same medication from the Apothecary. That could be beneficial for the doctor."
"I asked. He said the girl came in to the shop three solars ago. He did not tell me where they were all staying, and I did not think to ask. For that matter, I do not know if he even asked the girl, but I can inquire if you wish, Nyota."
Nyota thought fast. "If you wouldn't mind, Killeen. I hope the Apothecary knows, but you're right, the girl might not have told him. It's remarkable she got well so quickly, because Dr. McCoy is not improving. He hasn't gotten worse, but he's no better. Of course it may be a different illness, and he is much older than this young woman, so her youth and robust health might have helped her recover more quickly. Still, if the illness is similar, the medication she received might help the doctor. Perhaps we can find out."
"Yes, that is so. Also, Nyota, Dr. Mkkoy must be cautious about the medicines he takes, he has just recently recovered from his health collapse, and he is not as strong and robust as he once was."
Yeah, and that was a big fat LIE we told! Oh what's tangled web, she thought. "Yes there is that, Killeen. Please try to find out where the girls are staying. Also, Killeen, I need the names of the medicines the Apothecary gave the girl. I will investigate to see if the doctor is familiar with them, and if Dr. McCoy has them here, or if we need to purchase them. She sighed. "I know he will be hesitant to take any medication he knows nothing about. Doctors are like that," she added ruefully, "but they might be of help to him," Nyota added.
"No, Nyota, the Apothecary will not reveal his potions. Not ever. He says he would soon be out of business if people made their own potions. And I believe that to be true...although that was a good idea," he added kindly. "I should have asked him if he knew where the girl is staying when I there. I will try to find out by comm, perhaps he will answer, but the shop is closed now. If I do not get a response I will go first thing in the morning." He paused. "How is Dr. Mkkoy? I am most concerned about him, as are Doranna and Alarik."
"I put just him to bed, Killleen. He tires very easily and his fever rises if I don't give him the medicine for it. Also his voice is very hoarse, and he has pain in his joints."
Killeen hissed in sympathy. "I am grieved he is no better. All of us who know the doctor will do all we can to help him and you, Nyota."
"Thank you, Killeen, you have been so kind, you, Alarik, Doranna, and Ezio. We appreciate all of your kindness."
"It is of little matter, Nyota. We, all of us here in Torreon, value the doctor, and you of course, we value all that he and you have done for us. It grieves us that you must leave us, but we are grateful for the doctor's time and attention that he has given to us. Nyota, you must rest now. You must stay strong for the doctor's sake and for your own. I will tell you what the apothecary has to say tomorrow morning."
"Yes, I will, Killeen, I'm tired. I'm just going to check on Leonard one more time and then I'll go straight to bed. I will speak to you in the morning. Goodby, Killeen."
"Sleep in health, Nyota."
Nyota went to the kitchen for the other cake and to make another cup of tea with honey. Len could sip it as he ate the cake.
She saw that Leonard was still awake, obviously waiting to hear what the phone call was about. Curiosity was the besetting sin of all the Enterprise officers and crew, she thought. He wouldn't rest easy until she told him, so she placed the cake and tea on the bedside table and sat down in the chair to discuss what Killeen had found out.
"Are you warm enough, Len. Do you need the other quilt?"
"No, I'm plenty warm. My temps gone down too, so I'm feeling better. Who was on the comm, Ny?"
"It was Killeen. He had a lot to say." She sighed. "It's not good news, Len." She told him everything that Killeen had discovered at the apothecary shop."
"Damn! The Orions scouts are here on Sarena then." Leonard looked bleakly at Nyota.
She nodded. "At least three of them are, young women apparently, but not, thank goodness, an Orion raiding party. The girls are probably just the scouts, and two of them are ill. I'll tell Jim everything in the morning. There's no point in agitating him any more than he already is."
"Yeah, what can he do besides doing what he's already doing, coming here as fast as the ship can make it."
"And what can we do, Leonard. Our hands are tied because of the Prime Directive. I feel so helpless. We can't just stand by and let these good people be kidnapped to be sold into slavery. Prime Directive or not, that's not right, or moral."
"You think those scouts already made their reports."
"Probably not, if they're as sick as you are, they're in no shape for reconnaissance. "But what about the other one, the one who was sick and is well now."
"From what I understand, she's the one taking care of the other two, but she might have done some looking around. I hope she's been too busy taking care of the other two. I just hope that tomorrow Killeen can find out where they're staying," Nyota added, her face thoughtful.
Leonard's eyes widened in alarm. "Ny, what are you thinkin'?"
"Just a few thoughts running through my mind, Len. Nothing for you to worry about."
"Ny, I want you to promise me that you won't do anything foolish."
"Of course I won't do anything foolish. I promise, Len. Stop worrying about me. Tomorrow we'll find out more and we'll run everything by Jim to see if he and Mr. Spock have any suggestions. Now then, no more talk about Orions or the Prime Directive. You, Dr. McCoy, are going to sleep. Your cake and tea will be here in case you wake up hungry." She patted the table. "My comm will be set to wake me for your next dose of meds."
"I think I'll use the restroom now, darlin', while you're here and can help me get over there, if that's alright with you."
"Good idea." She helped him get up and held on to his arm as he shuffled to the bathroom. He closed the door, but left it cracked. Once she heard the sink water running, Nyota opened the door and they shuffled back to the bed. "Len, I'm going to get your comm and put it here beside your pillow. That way you can call me if you need me. Your voice is too hoarse to yell, and the comm will wake me up for sure."
"Good idea, but I'll try not to disturb you."
Nyota glared at him. "If you need me you call me, Len. Promise me you won't do anything foolish like trying to get out of bed by yourself. Promise me, Len."
There was a faint guilty look on the doctor's face which told Nyota he had thought about doing just that. "Len?"
"Yeah, okay I promise. Now go to bed, Ny. You're dead tired."
"I'll take a quick shower then I will. I didn't get a chance to take one this morning. You stay put right here," she ordered. "Go to sleep, that's the best thing for you." She turned off his bedroom light and went to get her night things for her shower. Her room, thankfully was toasty warm. She set her comm alarm and put it under pillow. She was so tired, that she was taking no chance that she might sleep through her alarm.
After a shower with the water as hot as she could stand it, in her pajamas and warm robe, she went to living room to make sure the fire was out, and the fire screen in place. She tidied the room, returned the small table to its proper place, made sure all the food had been put away, and made her rounds to make sure the house was locked up and secure. Len usually did that before he went to bed. He'd told Nyota his daddy had always done it at home, and she remembered Jim always
did it for his mother when he was home. Finally she went to the kitchen to make Len's tea and put the small frosted cake on a plate, smiling. Len did have a sweet tooth, the product, he said, of being raised by the outstanding bakers in his family. She carried it to Len's room and saw he was already asleep. She placed them gently on the small table, made sure the quilt was tucked well around Leonard, checked the heater, and went to her room.
Finally satisfied all was as it should be, she got herself in bed, double checked to be sure her comm alarm was on, turned off the bedside lamp, closed her eyes and slept.