Author: Linwë Serégon

Title: Ships in the Sky

Canon: AU, LOTR crossover with Enterprise. So shoot me.

Reviews: Yes please!

Rating: PG-13       No sex (alas), some violence.

Disclaimer: it ain't mine, I'm just borrowing it. Don't bother suing, all I've got is my Next Gen DVDs.

Languages: Elvish, some Klingon. Unfortunately you lose some of the meaning in the translation, which is at the bottom of the page.

Ships in the Sky Chapter Five- Pain

Phlox was changing the dressing on the Elf's arm when he become aware that he was being watched. He looked up into the most striking pair of blue eyes that he had ever seen. They were still bright with fever but there seemed to be an ethereal light in them.

'You're supposed to be sleeping.' He know it was a waste of time, but he always felt better talking to his patients, even if they couldn't understand him, like the Captain's dog.

The Elf tried to raise his head but as soon as he moved he tensed, realising that he was strapped down. He pulled against the bonds, wincing at the pain this caused, and when he pulled again to try and force his body upright the pain came in a rising wave.

'Lay still Legolas, you'll only hurt yourself more.'

The voice was calm and he seemed to be able to understand it, but not completely. He looked at the man who was bending over him, raising his eyebrow in a question.

'You are Legolas.' The man pointed to him. He nodded an answer- even that bought a rush of pain to his head.

'I'm Phlox. Phlox.' The  man pointed to and then raised his eyebrows in question.

'Phlox, you are called Phlox,' Legolas managed to croak out. The man smiled, and moved to one side, Legolas tried to track him but moving his head bought a wave of nausea which he managed to hold back. Maybe he would just lie still. The man was back and gently moved a hand under Legolas neck, lifting his head slightly from the pillow. The room span. Legolas closed his eyes in an attempt to stop the rising bile and felt a cup placed to his lips so took a small sip. The cool fluid filled his mouth, soaking into the dried flesh. He swallowed and it tasted wonderful. He went to drink more but the cup was withdrawn.

'No more, not for a little while, we don't want to overdo it.' Phlox didn't know how much the Elf understood of what he was saying, but at least he was placid. Taking a cloth he dipped it into some water and gently wiped the Elf's face. He needed to keep him cool- he was burning with fever. The wound on his arm was causing him a lot of concern. The poison seemed to be spreading, red lines of pollution ran in all directions from the gaping hole, which although it had stopped bleeding still oozed pus. He was going to have to open the wound more to exercise the poison, but he wasn't sure how. Everything he had tried before to anaesthetise the Elf had failed. Maybe he could try some sort of herbal mixture, that or ask T'Pol to help again.

Legolas smiled his thanks as Phlox wiped his face. The cool cloth felt good.

'Good,' he tried another word, that he somehow know, 'More water?'

Phlox put down the cloth and again bought the cup to his lips,

'Just a little, too much and you'll make yourself sick.' The Elf gratefully drank another two mouthfuls before the cup was again withdrawn. His eyes followed it.

'Yes I know you're thirsty, but you'll have to be patient.'

Legolas again tried to raise himself, more forcefully this time crying out as the pain of his torn and abused arm caught him unawares, leaving him gasping and struggling to breath.

'Legolas, listen to me.' The Elf struggled to control the pain to listen to this man. 'I'm going to undo the restraints, but you must stay on the bed, do you understand?' He answered with a nod, barely more than moving his eyes.

'Good.' Phlox moved out of his line of sight but he could feel the cuffs enclosing his arm being removed, then the strap across his chest. He moved to stretch but the agony invaded his body and there was no holding it back. He groaned and curled in around himself, around the pain, trying to bear above it trying to take control, but the hammering of a tortured body could take no more and he passed out.

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