Chapter 29

Nurse Kiwishi led K'Rissel by the hand into a small dark office and indicated to her to sit down.

"Would you like a drink?" She asked pleasantly.

"Um yea please." Kiwishi strolled over to the food replicator.

"Anything in particular?" She asked. K'Rissel shook her head and wiped her eyes with her sleeve.

"Wotever." She shrugged. The woman got to her feet. "Look, I know wot your doin' is really nice and everyfin', but this really isn't necessary." K'Rissel paused. "Perhaps if you could show me, me room. I'd...I'd rather..."

The nurse smiled and handed her and old-fashioned china teacup. K'Rissel hadn't noticed that the Chinese nurse had used the tea pot and had boiled a kettle before pouring the tea into two equally as old tiny tea cups. K'Rissel stared down at the tiny cup. She had never seen such a tiny delicate piece of pottery like that before.

"Where did you get this?" She said. "It looks very old."

"It belonged to my great-" K'Rissel interrupted her.

"Then it's really old. Some kind of heirloom?"

"Yes," said Kiwishi. "When I bring them out they usually bring conversation with them."

"So there an ice breaker." The nurse nodded. K'Rissel sipped the tea and sighed.

"You know your baby really is in the best hands." She smiled at her. "We have some of the best doctors on this ship."

"He's all I got," muttered the woman. The nurse reached out and touched her arm.

The sickbay was a large area taking up nearly a whole deck. It comprised of a large intensive care department. A research facility with top of the range equipment and highly trained scientists, the doctor's offices, out patent department, private patent rooms and the status room with several built in incubation units.

The bay itself was white in colouring and was softly lit. It appeared that at this present time it was night, as the in patents were asleep. Many people who had been injured by the Arkhictoura were transferred to Anagossia. Only a few remained behind in the sickbay. This area was obscurely lit with a warm purple blue light to give a calm relaxed feel.

Spock lay unconscious on the newly designed examining table in the centre of the main hospital area. A heavy examining monitor was positioned over his chest. He hadn't been anaesthetised for long. Saavik stood at his side.

The medical staff had struggled for a long time to keep him down, but every time he fought the medication he was given and he broke through the red haze of unconsciousness, which resulted in weakening him furthermore.

The examining monitor device was a large piece of recent technology, which was literally placed over the patents body, as he/she lay completely flat on the bed.

For Spock it's readings were erratic and out of control. The devise was similar to the old-fashioned wall mounted scanner in which a patent had to lie completely motionless on a connecting bed. The life scans and patterns were replicated onto the large screen these methods were simply not as convenient as later models which are compact and easily movable to the patents bedside.

The doctor rubbed his head for a moment and studied the read out on Spock's condition.

"I'm afraid you will have to bear with me," he said. "Vulcan anatomy is not one of my specialities." Saavik raised a surprised eyebrow.

"The late Doctor Salok who was an expert was killed in the Arkhictorian disaster," he said. "But I can tell you that his heart is beating well over the safety limits of his species. And other internal organs are virtually working overtime. He was lucky that he survived this long. Other than that I'm afraid that there is nothing else I can do for him.

"He continues to fight the sedative that I have administered so I had to prescribe a stronger substance. Anything higher and it could kill him." With a hand on a hip he sighed deeply and shook his head.

"All I can do is put him into status until we get him to Vulcan."

"It will not be necessary." She glanced down at Spock. "There is another way," she said as flatly as possible. "If you would kindly release him to me."

"I can't let him out of this sickbay," said Berger with an apathetic tone.

"There are Vulcan methods that you humans could not possibly understand," she said coolly with a slightest hint of annoyance in her voice. The doctor moved around the diagnostic bed to face Saavik.

"I am not releasing my patent, not even to you sir. I'm sorry. You would be sentencing him to death."

"You would be offering him a chance to live doctor." Saavik sounded glacial. She permitted herself a moment to glance down at Spock. The doctor seemed to struggle to remain placid. "I assure you that the Captain will not be harmed."

"When we get him to Vulcan-" Saavik interrupted him.

"There is not time. I order you to release Captain Spock." The physician did not seem to hear her.

"Must I repeat myself SIR," he said a little louder. I can override direct orders even from you if a patient under my care is medically unfit. I'm saying he is. If I release him over to you Captain Spock will die. If it makes you feel better I will contact his family myself and explain the circumstances and I'm sure that his-"

"Doctor you completely misunderstand the situation." Saavik struggled to keep her manner imperturbable. "He is part of my culture, my life. He trusts me. I served under him at one point." Do you not think that if he did not permit me to help him I would continue?" The doctor remained silent.

"We are logical beings I would not jeopardise his life for your petty human arrogance." She waited. Waited for a response that did not come.

"Please. Let me help," she finally said a little softer. The physician finally came around.

"If he dies then you are solely responsible. What are you going to do? If it's mind melding I need to monitor you both because he may draw you down with him and if nobody is around we may never get you back. Is that understood?" Saavik stared at him a little shocked, but the expression quickly changed back to the custom blank gaze.

"I still do not think you comprehend," said the Vulcan. "I must be alone. This is not of any your concern." Suddenly the reason clicked in Berger's head. He stared shamefully at the floor. "I advise you study Vulcan physiology in more depth," she said almost smugly.

"All right, all right." Eric Berger threw his arms up into the air in exasperation. "But I want to perform a full medical on you tomorrow."

A second later Spock once again came out of consciousness despite the stronger sedative, which was still being forced, into his blood stream. He broke free from the restraints with remarkable strength considering his present predicament and tried to get up. This time the physician took a step back and did not hinder.

Saavik pulled the monitor of him and the doctor extracted the various tubes and equipment. This time the Vulcan did not struggle. Instead he slumped back against the pillow exhausted.

"We must leave now," she said. Saavik pulled his arms, but he did not yield. She turned to the doctor. "You must help us." The doctor looked exasperated.

"Me help you. I thought you could cope all by yourself." Saavik ignored the sarcasm in the human's voice.

"I require you to help me get him to some private quarters. I may be a Vulcan, but I can not carry him by myself."

"Fine," he said. "Hang on for a second and I'll arrange for your quarters." The doctor turned to an intercom station and pressed the button, which relayed him to the quartermaster.

"Har'tec I need double quarters for Captain Saavik."

"I need authorisation from the commanding officer," came an alien voice.

"You have it," Saavik said.

"Um, okay sir. Hang on a moment I will check." Saavik heard the beeping of distant computers on the other end of the transmission.

"I've only got VIP quarters. The others are in a pretty bad state," he said.

"Very well."

"C deck section three room twenty two B."

"Understood. Saavik out." The doctor released his finger from the intercom.

K'Rissel exited the room and managed to smile despite her worries for her young son. As she passed the three children of her race were chatting among themselves. Evidently they had just undergone a full medical examination and they were discussing how awful it had been.

"How did it go?" K'Rissel said.

"Orrible," muttered the eldest child. "We can't wait to get back and see our parents."

K'Rissel smiled sadly. She hoped that the children would find them. Many people had been killed by those aliens and many perished in the fire in the cave. K'Rissel wondered about her husband whether he was still alive or dead. She felt at a loss and depressed.

Someone came and led the children out of sickbay. They would probably stay with some of the fellow crew personnel until Nova made a rendezvous with another Federation starship carrying the other crew and the remainder of her people. She didn't know whether they would return to Earth or somewhere else. No one had been told anything.

She suddenly caught a glimpse of Jean Luc Picard. He now was wearing a fresh Starfleet uniform and was heading towards her. K'Rissel managed to smile, but it was more of a grimace than anything else.

Picard responded.

"Mrs K'Rissel," he addressed pleasantly. "How are you and your son?" K'Rissel hated being asked those sorts of questions, Picard had been the first, but really it was only politeness to ask. She guessed many more people would ask her. She permitted herself to nod.

"I'm fine," she shrugged ever so slightly. "As well as can be under the circumstances. Yocan, well I'm not sure. I was just goin' to see im. The doctor said they were going to keep im in an incubata until they find out wots wrong." Picard bowed ever so slightly.

"I offer you my hopes," he said.

"Thank you." She smiled properly this time. "Really." Picard patted her shoulder and departed. Suddenly he backtracked.

"Oh I meant to have asked you. Have you seen Captain Saavik?" He asked. K'Rissel shook her head.

"No I haven't. Sorry. If I do I'll let 'er know you asked."

"Thank you." Picard said and left. K'Rissel sighed once again and headed towards the status room and to her baby.