Nurse Chapel surveyed Elle's handiwork. "Good job, you have the wrapping technique down but you need to do it tighter or it's not going to provide support where you need it. Try it again."
Elle nodded and started to unwrap the pressure bandage from her own ankle. "Kay."
The comm whistled. "Medical emergency incoming!" Chief Kyle's voice shouted.
Elle blinked as sickbay transformed into a whirl of productivity and Nurse Yen ushered her to McCoy's office. "Stay here, kiddo," he said, and closed the door behind him.
The only thing Elle could hear was alarms beeping and the steady voice of McCoy presiding over whatever crisis was happening. She focused on re-wrapping the bandage. There was nothing she could help with right now.
The door swished open an hour later and McCoy entered. He heaved a sigh and sat at his desk before he realized Elle was sitting on the sofa. "Oh," he said, and straightened.
"No, it's okay, I'll get out," Elle said, hastily standing up.
"Wait," he said, holding out a hand. "You don't want to leave yet."
Elle sank back down. "Who died?" she asked, her stomach sinking to her toes.
"Two security officers. And Ensign Rizzo is barely hanging in there." McCoy shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it."
"What was it?" Elle asked quietly, curling into the sofa.
"They were completely drained of red blood cells," McCoy replied.
Elle dropped her PADD. "What? Did anybody say anything about a smell? Did it smell like honey?"
McCoy eyed her sharply. "You know what's going on?"
Elle nodded hurriedly, dread forming in her gut. "There's a, a sort of cloud creature that absorbs all the red blood cells from people. It killed everyone on the Farragut when the captain was just a lieutenant, oh, he's gonna freak out."
"Freak out how?" McCoy asked, frowning.
"I don't want to say he's gonna be obsessed but," Elle shrugged. "I'm sorry."
McCoy muttered something under his breath. "This is the last thing we need, we have to rendezvous with the Yorktown. How did we defeat it in your show?"
"Uh... I think you blew it up."
"Of course we did."
"It's really evil," Elle added.
The door swished open and Chapel entered. "Autopsy results, doctor," she said, glancing at Elle. "Elle-"
"I'm good," she said soberly.
Kirk burst in a moment later, a tower of righteous fury. "How's Ensign Rizzo?" he asked. He was wound tighter than a new hair tie on a wrist.
"Still unconscious," Chapel reported.
Elle decided to brave the lion and touched Kirk's sleeve. "Captain, it's going to be okay."
He locked his gaze with her, his eyes tortured. "You know what it is?"
"I know," she affirmed.
"How do we destroy it?" he asked.
McCoy spoke up, concerned. "Now hold on, Jim, I don't think we have that kind of time-"
"When I want your opinion I'll ask for it, doctor," Kirk bit out. "Elle?"
"Explosives," Elle said simply. "And we should really get it before it leaves."
"Leaves?" Kirk turned on his heel. "I need to talk to Mr. Scott." He left before anyone could move.
Elle turned to look at McCoy. "Um."
He ruffled her hair. "It's all right, kiddo. Go on back to your quarters."
Elle sighed. "Yeah."
She went to her quarters and sat on the bed. She kicked her shoes off and curled up on the covers. "Might as well watch TV." She scrolled through the database on her PADD until she found a good show to put on her computer monitor.
Stargate SG1. "Oh, hey, I know this show..." Elle grinned. "All ten seasons, and Atlantis! Yes! I know what I'm doing for the next month... stop talking to yourself, weirdo." She started the first episode. "Oh my goodness, that's really MacGyver's actor. That's cool. No, shut up." She grabbed her pillow and tried not to think about Kirk going all Captain Ahab over a giant gas cloud. Right now, it was none of her business.
She was on her third episode when the doorbell rang. "Come in!" She scrambled off her bed and darted out to the living room.
Kirk entered the room. He looked like he needed a good night's sleep. "Elle."
"Is it over?" she asked.
He nodded and dropped into the corner of the sofa. "Thank you."
Elle shifted uneasily. "I'm sorry."
"For what?" He rubbed his forehead.
"That it happened to you in the first place."
He sighed. "It was a long time ago, Elle."
"But you're still feeling guilty."
"How do you know that?"
Elle raised an eyebrow. "You picked Lt. Garrovick."
"Ah. Of course." He gave her a wry smile. "I forget you know me better than I know myself."
"You should talk to Bones," Elle suggested. "He's really good at the whole therapy thing. Plus, he's worried about you."
"Can't have that," he said dryly, standing up.
"Are we gonna make it to the rendezvous?" she asked.
He nodded.
"Good."
He ruffled her hair. "Thanks, Elle."
"Night, captain."
"Night."
-/\-
The next day, the Enterprise arrived at the colony Theta Seven, only thirty minutes behind schedule. All Science and Security personnel, as well as anyone with rudimentary medical training, were assigned to handle the medical crisis, so Elle spent the day in Engineering.
The Enterprise stayed at the colony for a week until the medical ships arrived to handle the rest of the crisis. Elle emerged from the depths of Engineering with a custom set of tools to fit her smaller hands, thanks to the engineering crew who spoiled her rotten. They were probably breaking regulations by letting her clamber in and out of Jefferies Tubes helping with maintenance, but Elle had passed her safety drills with Scotty so she was allowed. Not to mention she was smaller than everyone in the department...
"I thought Elle was in this section?"
Elle heard her name and shimmied forward out of the Jefferies tube. "Huh?" She smiled at the captain. "Hi, sir."
"You've been eaten by the ship," he said, amused.
Elle glanced back at her legs, still inside the tube. "Yup. I'm helping Cmdr. Karindar with the overflow valves."
"I see." He nodded. "I just wanted to inform you that our mission at Theta Seven is over and we'll be heading back to unexplored space, so our literature lessons will start back up tomrrow evening. Have you been reading?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good." He huffed a laugh. "Carry on."
She grinned at him and shuffled back into the tube.