Ships in the Sky Chapter Six- Herbs

Jonathan Archer entered sickbay to check on their guest, he was surprised to find the room lacking the Doctor. The Elf was on the bed, but no Phlox. He looked around the room, but there was no sign of him at all. He was just about to use the intercom to call Phlox when the physician bustled into the room, his hands full of leaves and flowers.

'Doc, I thought you were looking after…him but instead you're out collecting a posie?' Archer asked.

'I am treating him, or at least I'm going to try,' Phlox replied stubbornly. Archer gave him a disbelieving look.

'With flowers?'

'Yes. I've tried everything in the modern pharmacy and nothing works, his body seems to be immune. So I thought I'd try some herbal treatments. I've heard very good reports on their use on more backward planets. Now are you going to help or just stand there?'

Before long Archer was assisting Phlox in sorting and preparing the selection of herbs that the doctor had collected.

'The main problem with young Legolas is the infection that has been introduced into his body through the arrow wound. I can't treat it while he's awake so I need to induce sleep. Then something to cleanse the wound, and something to strengthen the blood.'

'And you think that this lot will help?'

'Hopefully. Anyway it'll do more good then what I've been able to do so far. Now hand me the henbane, which we chop, add to the valerian, add some hops, pour boiling water over, and leave it to make a tea, for a few minutes. Yeuk, that's really bitter, maybe some honey would help.' Phlox tasted the mixture again, 'Yes that's quite pleasant, now to get our patient to drink it.'

Legolas was aware of people talking in the room, but was chary of moving. The last time he had tried he had passed out with the pain. Maybe if he just lay still he would be able to control the wave of burning agony that radiated from his arm.

The strange looking healer was at his side, lifting his head towards a cup. The smell from the cup seemed to be familiar so he took a sip and memories flooded back. This was the same draught the Elrond used when he managed to impale himself on Aragorn's sword when they had been practising and needed stitching up.

'Ah' said Phlox, ' You've used this before haven't you? You recognise the taste.' Legolas managed to nod. 'Well drink it all up my friend and I can try and sort out your arm for you.'

Legolas needed no cajoling. The liquid was pleasant tasting, and soothing to his dry mouth and throat, and he had soon drunk the cupful. He lay back with a small sigh, already the mixture of herbs was numbing the unrelenting throb in his arm. He closed his eyes and let himself drift, it was like going back to his childhood, he smiled as he drifted away.

'That was very encouraging. He's used the mixture before and it's fast acting as well.'

Phlox quickly prepared the other herbs he had bought, mandrake, goldseal and myrrh to cleanse the wound, with echinacea and cayenne to fight the infection. The others he would use when his patient awoke to help to strengthen his blood.

When he removed the dressing from the young Elf's arm he was distressed to see that it look worse than he had expected. The wound was seeping a foul smelling pus, he could also see where the toxin was starting to spread though his body. If this didn't work he would possibly have to remove the arm above the highest point in an attempt to stop its spread.

Using skills honed over many years he begin to removed the corrupted tissue, cutting away to get to new pink flesh, all the time using the herbal infusion to wash the pus away. Suddenly as his flushed the wound again he came across the seat of the infection- a small piece of yarn was imbedded deep inside the wound. As he gently pulled it free there was a welling of venom from around it. Now for the echinacea and cayenne. He liberally spread the paste that he had made into the injury, forcing it through the entire width of the lesion. He then gently bound several nightshade leaves around the wound as a dressing, finally topping with a soft cotton cloth to hold it all in place.

Phlox stood back and stretched to ease the muscles in his back. He was aware that Archer was still in the room watching him work.

'I think I've sorted the problem, there was some debris left behind from the arrow which passed through his arm.' He held out the item for Archer's inspection.

'Good' replied Archer. 'We have a slight problem involving our young visitor. The Klingon whose head he so neatly removed turns out to be some sort of local bigwig. His relatives are looking for a return match, something to do with vendetta during the festival.'

'I hope they realise that he'll be unable to do anything for several weeks yet.'

'That's the added problem. We're not allowed to leave orbit until the vendetta is sorted out, and if we don't hand him over in forty eight hours they'll come and take him.'

'What? Forty eight hours? He'll still be fighting the infection in forty eight hours- he'll certainly not be in any state to fight anything else!'

Archer shrugged. 'T'Pol is trying to get to the Planetary Governor to sort something out, but it doesn't look hopeful. I'll keep you posted.' He turned and left the room.

Phlox sighed, but there was nothing he could do for now. He'd just have to keep a very close watch on that arm and wait and see.