The Curse of the Enterprise
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, then I don't own it.
A/N: For 2021 Whumptober #22 Cursed
The damn ship was cursed.
The CMO of the Enterprise fell into his chair with a groan. It had been a long day, not that you could tell that it was daytime in the deepness of space.
His day had started out pretty normal for a regular Starfleet ship on a five-year mission. Doing a few routine inoculations and annual checkups. Curing a few cases of space bugs or rashes. Nothing too life-threatening and easy fixes.
The Enterprise gave a harsh shudder as he finished updating a personnel medical file for the patient he had just completed examining. His Padd fell from his grasp, hitting the floor with a thud. The loud klaxon sounded as the ship enter red alert. His comm blew up with alerts as more and more crew members became injured in the ensuing battle. They were under attack for the third time that week. The Enterprise was not a normal Starfleet ship.
"A little suffering is good for the soul," He mumbled to himself under his breath. His grandma had always told him that when things were tough. Right now it was about to get tough. He rolled up his sleeves as he triaged the worst hurts first. His staff worked alongside him without a word needing to be said. The Med bay started to flood with the walking wounded. "There goes my easy day."
The ship gave a vicious lurch as it was violently hit. Probably caused some kind of explosion based on the chaos he could hear from the hallway.
"Damnit," He growled at the ship as he assisted his newest patient back unto the bed she had fallen from, "Your timing is lousy."
He had been looking forward to reviewing his well-loved medical textbooks in the slow time between appointments. It felt like there was never time between crises to catch up on his reading. He was elbow deep in burns, broken bones, and gaping wounds. Time passed slowly as he struggled to save each life under his hands. Each wave of casualties came at faster and faster increments until he'd seen them all. Most he saved but the ones he couldn't weighed heavy on his soul.
"Do you need help, Bones," Jim limped in, followed closely by his Vulcan minder. The Captain would not be here, clearly hurt, before the ship had been completely settled after the battle had ended if Spock hadn't escorted him there.
"You make my job difficult," The doctor growled, making his way over to one of his most difficult patients. His shirt was ripped… again. He was probably in an explosion or caught under some debris or some such nonsense.
"Just trying to keep you from being bored," Kirk quipped. He tried to hide his pained wince as he sat on the closest unoccupied bed with Spock hovering close by in case he lost his footing.
"What gave you that impression I was bored? Is it the dozens of wounded crewmen strewn about?"
"I told you to not antagonize the Doctor," Spock spoke up.
He gave the Vulcan a look that said he was full of shit. Like the pointy-eared hobgoblin wasn't antagonizing him every other sentence, when he was a patient or overwise.
"Don't argue with your primary care physician," He held up his tricorder in a threatening manner against both of them, "Cooperate and I'll have you out of here in a jiffy."
"Thanks, Bones," Kirk said sincerely. His friend was under a lot of stress and pressure from his important responsibilities. He may joke and avoid medical care until he was sure the situation had passed and that his people were cared for first, but he still appreciated his CMO's good work. He trusted the man with his life and the lives of every person under his command. The man was practically a miracle worker with the amazing medical feats he'd managed to accomplish, although the man would venomously state he was just a doctor, not a miracle worker.
"There, that should hold you," The doctor adjusted the bandages.
The captain made to rise when Bones' strong grip kept him in place.
"But I thought," Kirk argued, "I need to go help with damage control."
"Not right now, you're don't. Now lay back in that bed," He ordered in his best doctor voice, "My patients only walk out of here when I say they can."
"I shall oversee them, Captain," Spock assured as he turned to leave.
"Spock, you get your Vulcan butt parked in the bed next to him. Don't think I didn't notice you favoring that arm. Now git," Bones barked out his new orders, giving the Vulcan no room to argue.
"It is illogical to have both the Captain and First Officer out of commission for minor injuries," Spock lifted one dark eyebrow.
"Spare me, Mr. Spock," Bones got to work on his other most difficult patient, "I'll decide what is minor or not."
"That is most illogical," Spock stated but allowed the doctor to work.
"I'm gonna finish with you two idiots then I need a drink."
"Regulations states," Spock began only to flinch when the doctor found his worst injury and preceded to poke it.
"To blazes with regulations," Bones worked quickly but efficiently, "I've had me a day."
"We all lived the same events that transpired today," Spock argued.
"You take over my job and see how the events transpire differently," McCoy growled as he fished up with the Vulcan patient, "Without me, you'd all be dead."
"Indeed Doctor."
"We know Bones."
"Good, don't you forget it." He softened his righteous ire, "But do you think we could go one day without entering a medical crisis?"
"Not a chance, Bones."
"Unlikely Doctor."
"I was afraid you were gonna say that," The Doctor sighed in defeat, "We're all out of our heads up here."
"Perhaps you should work on that problem, Doctor."
"I'm a doctor, not a shrink," Bones snapped back at the Vulcan, "Besides what this ship really needs is someone to remove the curse on it."
"The Enterprise isn't cursed, " Her Captain defended her honor.
The red alert alarm sounded once more. The two bed-bound patients looked to the doctor for permission, not daring to leave without it, even if half the ship was on fire. He gave a reluctant nod with a defeated sigh, sending the two men scurrying off to the heart of the trouble.
"The whole damn ship cursed," Bones grumbled looking up at the ceiling accusingly.