Stranded

Chapter 5

"No one loves the messenger who brings bad news."

Sophocles

Antigone

When the bathroom door closed, Nyota stood tensely by it waiting. Once she heard the sink water running, she relaxed. The door opened and Len stood by the sink. "Knew you were right by the door, worryin'. I'm just gonna freshen up a bit, wash my face, comb my hair, and shave. Jim's always told me that when he's in Sick Bay, he feels better after he does those things. Feeling clean goes a long way towards feeling better."

"That's fine, Len, but I'm not moving from this spot."

She waited patiently while he slowly went through his ablutions and shaving routine leaning heavily against the sink. She noticed his hand trembled while he held the sonic shaver. When he finished, he stretched out his hand for assistance and Nyota took it. They walked slowly out through the freezing bedroom into the warm living room where she helped him recline on the sofa.

"I'm weak as a new born kitten," Leonard announced hoarsely. "Don't know if it's the fever or the virus. Let's see what the medical scanner says this time, Ny. I've deleted the other bunch of possible results, they were useless." He ran the scanner over himself and they waited the requisite time for the results. He peered at the results on the screen.

"What does it say, Len? Does it say what you have?"

"It says it's probably an alien variant of The Levodian flu."

"Is that very bad?"

"Not usually. The Levodian flu is fairly common on Federation worlds, and if someone gets it, it usually only lasts a maximum of two days. Symptoms are real similar to the traditional Terran flu. I've gotten the vaccine for the Levodian flu, Ny, and so have you, everyone on the ship has, but since this is a variant or possibly even a mutated strain, it's presentin' differently, lots more aggressively. Much higher fever, generalized severe weakness, pain in the joints and hoarseness." He looked at Nyota with worry evident in his blue eyes. "Don't really know what to expect from this, Ny, darlin'. We'll just have to treat the symptoms as they arise." He sighed. "Have no idea how I got it. Maybe from one of my patients that came in feelin' poorly. In Sarena the flu may present as mild, but for us humans it may be a variant that the Levodian flu vaccine doesn't protect us from. Its symptoms may present more seriously for humanoid species other than Sarenans."

"Well at least now we know what it is, Len." She got up from the chair. "It's time for your medicine and I'm going to fix you a nourishing breakfast. We have to keep you hydrated and well nourished in order to fight this flu."

Leonard nodded and Nyota opened his med bag, loaded the cartridge and injected the antipyretic and then, as Leonard directed, an analgesic. Leonard put his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

"I'm bringing you some hot tea first, then your breakfast." She looked around the small living room wandering how to make eating comfortable for him. There were two small lamp tables in the room, one by the sofa, and one by the big chair. She put the table lamp on the floor, and quietly moved the small side table to the front of the sofa. Leonard would be able to eat on it without getting up and expending more energy or getting chilled sitting in the kitchen.

"I'll be right back with your tea, Len. You rest."

In the small kitchen, Nyota quickly fixed the tea and poured the honey in. It was good and hot, and the sweet honey would provide a little kick of sweetness and hopefully give the doctor some energy.

"Here it is, Len. Drink it all." She placed it on the little table and Leonard opened his eyes and looked with surprise at the table which was now in front of him.

"Can you sit up to eat you think?"

"I would say yes, but I'm not really hungry, Ny."

"I'm sure you're not feeling up to much food, but you have to eat something, Len. With this fever, you'll waste away to nothing without proper nourishment. I'm sure if you were on the ship, Dr. M'Benga would have you on a nutrition supplement."

"Yeah," he sighed. "You're right about that. Okay, I'll try to eat some, thank you, Nyota."

"I'll be right back with coffee, soft scrambled eggs, toast with butter and jam. Try to finish your tea, Len, your body needs the fluids, unless you want to give yourself an IV?" she added.

"No need yet," Leonard responded, wearily. "Urine output was good this morning. We'll keep pushing, tea, juice, and water, and hope the fever stays down."

"Lie back and rest. I'll come back with your breakfast in a few minutes."

In the kitchen, Nyota washed her hands again and began preparing breakfast for them both. She had to keep up her strength too if she was going to take care of Leonard. She checked the time. It was only 0600. At 0700 she'd comm the Captain before he went on shift. She hated to worry him but she needed advice from Dr. M'Benga, and the Captain needed to know about Dr. McCoy's illness. She'd get in serious trouble if she didn't let him know the doctor was sick.

The Captain was extremely protective of the doctor, both on a professional and a personal level. Good CMOs...no, make that great CMOs, were hard to find, and Len was the best CMO in the Fleet. He was also the Captain's best and dearest friend. From what she'd heard, their friendship went back to the Captain's first posting as a Lieutenant on the Farragut. McCoy had been a Starfleet Doctor posted on the same ship. So yes, she thought, the news that Len was ill with an alien flu would not go over well. She was not looking forward to that comm call.

She carried Leonard's plate to the living room and placed it on the small table. "Time for breakfast." She saw he had finished the tea, time to make another cup. "Do you need help sitting up, Len."

"No, I can do it; fever is starting to go down." He struggled a bit, but managed to sit up.

Nyota put the quilt around his shoulder and gave him his fork. "Please try to eat it all, Len. I'll go get my own breakfast and keep you company."

"Wash your hands, Ny. Every time you touch me you need to wash your hands, don't forget. I'll try to eat everythin', it looks good. Maybe I am a little hungry after all."

Nyota went back to the kitchen, washed her hands again and served herself. She sat across from Len in the big chair and ate hungrily. She was happy to see he was eating slowly and steadily.

"Len, I'm going to comm the ship before Alpha shift begins. The Captain needs to know you're sick, and maybe they can get here faster. Also, I think it'll be a good idea to speak with Geoff. Maybe he can suggest something for this virus."

Leonard looked unhappy. "I hate for you to worry Jim, Geoff, and Christine 'bout me," he murmured.

"Be that as it may, but Jim would have my head if I kept it from him, yours too for that matter. Besides you and Geoff need to talk. This is not just some little flu virus, your fever is too high. Are you still having joint pains?"

Leonard nodded reluctantly. "The antipyretic and pain med is taking care of most of them, Ny, so they're mild."

"That's another symptom for Geoff," she told him, sipping her coffee thoughtfully, thinking how she could make Leonard more comfortable in the living room until she could get a heater. The fresher pinged loudly. Leonard's pajamas were now clean and dry. She went into the kitchen, put her plate in the dishwasher, took the pajamas out, folded them neatly and went back to Len. He had finished his breakfast and was sipping his tea. He looked a little better, and, she was happy to see, his hand didn't tremble as much when he drank.

"I'm going to ask Doranna to get us another heater, two if it's possible. I had no idea spring would be so cold here. It seems more like winter to me. Each evening it seems to get a little colder," she added.

"Problem is we had no idea of how the seasons work here," Leonard mused. "I agree we need another heater for sure. I don't want you gettin' chilled, Nyota. This house is too damned cold."

"It's you we need to worry about, Leonard McCoy, you're the one who's sick." She looked at the time. "It's time for me to call Doranna," she announced, picking up his plate and fork. "She told me she always wakes up early. I'll be right back."

The local comm unit was on the wall in the kitchen. She picked up the receiver and said, "Doranna." Instantly the comm began to buzz. It was an efficient if a bit old fashioned system, but it seemed to do the job in this small town where everyone knew each other.

"This is Doranna speaking."

"Doranna, this Nyota from Dr. McCoy's office."

"Nyota," Doranna sounded surprised. "Is something wrong? It is very early for a comm call."

"Yes, Doranna, something is wrong. The doctor is ill. Very ill. He has a high fever, chills, aches and pains in his joints. We're going to close the office today in case this illness is contagious. From his symptoms the doctor thinks it may be some kind of flu. Do you know anyone else in the village that is ill with these same symptoms?"

"I have not heard so, Nyota, but today is market day, so I will inquire."

"Thank you. Dr. McCoy would like to know in order to determine a more specific diagnosis. Also, Doranna, it's very cold in the Doctor's bedroom and in mine too. I had to bring him to the sofa in the living room and light the fire to warm him up. Do you think you could purchase two heaters for our bedrooms? He can't sleep in his bedroom not with a fever and no heat. It's much too cold in there"

"I should have thought of that, Nyota. Spring can be very cold and I should have remembered the house has no heating. I'm very sorry. Let me send one of our heaters to you. We don't need it since our son moved out and our house now has a central heating system. I will send it with Alarik immediately. I will do my best to purchase another heater for you at the market today. Is there anything else you need?" She asked sounding anxious. Nyota knew Doranna thought the world of the Doctor since he had saved her husband's life.

"I want to give the doctor some nourishing soup for lunch. Will you please buy a fowl, some tubers, leeks or onions, and some carrots so I can make soup for him? Also I need more tea; I'm trying to keep him well hydrated."

"Yes, of course. I will purchase all you need, Nyota, and bring everything to you this morning after market."

"Thank you, Doranna. Please come by for the credits needed to purchase everything at the market. I'll have them here ready for you."

"I'll collect afterward. It is of no consequence. Alarik will be there shortly with the heater. Goodbye, Nyota."

Satisfied with her comm, Nyota went back to the living room to check on Leonard. He was fast asleep. She checked his breathing, adjusted his quilt and went to wait for Alarik. Once the heater was here, she'd comm Jim.

Alarik arrived quickly. Nyota watching for him through the window, opened the front door and put her finger to her lip. He looked over her shoulder at McCoy and nodded. She stepped outside closing the front door behind her so they could talk.

"How is he, friend Nyota?" Alarik asked in the formal mode of address the people in Torreón used when they didn't know a person well.

"Not too well, friend Alarik, but please just call me Nyota. You know Doranna and I are good friends."

"I do know, and so it shall be, Nyota. I also wish to be called only Alarik. Let me take this heater and place it in the doctor's room. I will get it ready for him so he can rest in his own bed. It grieves me that he is ill," he added somberly.

"It grieves me as well, Alarik. In all the time I have been the doctor's ward, he has never been so ill. To tell you the truth, it has frightened me to see him so unwell."

"We will all help you, Nyota, to take care of the good doctor. Do I not owe him my life after all? Come let us go inside, it is cold out here. I will set up the heater in his bedroom."

They walked quietly through the living room so as to not wake Leonard. Nyota led Alarik to Len's bedroom, which seemed even colder after the warm living room.

Alarik nodded. "It is indeed too cold for an ill person. Doranna feels badly that you had no heaters in the house." He put the heater down and bent to connect it. Nyota glanced at the rumpled bed. She moved quickly to strip it. She'd wash the sheets and put them back on the bed before moving Leonard back to his room.

"Thank you, Alarik," she said as he turned on the heater. "Doranna is shopping for another heater for my room. I hope there's a connection for one," she added.

"Let us see," Alarik said. They went into the other bedroom and Alarik found it immediately, built low on the wall. "It is here, so I will come back if Doranna finds a heater. Also to check if you and the doctor have need for anything else."

"I appreciate that. Now I better wash the sheets and remake Dr. McCoy's bed. He will be much more comfortable in his bed than on the sofa." She saw Alarik out with a soft goodbye, locked the door, put the soiled sheets in the fresher, washed her hands again, and went to get her comm. It was time to contact the ship.

Nyota retrieved her comm from its hiding place and went into Leonard's room. It was much warmer now than her own bedroom. She would definitely move Len in here after he woke up. Meanwhile she'd let him sleep; he needed to rest as much as possible. She flipped open her communicator, keyed in the long range communication code and waited patiently for the relay stations to push her signal through. "Uhura to Enterprise, come in Enterprise. Uhura to Enterprise," she repeated when the comm signal indicated ready.

"Enterprisssse here." M'Ress, her Caitian communication relief for Alpha shift, answered her hail. "Uhura, isss that you? Ssso nicesss to hear your voiccce."

"Thank you, M'Ress. I'm happy to hear yours too. M'Ress I need to speak to the Captain. It's urgent."

"He'sss right here, Nyota. Let me route your call to hisss chair." She turned to Jim busy with one of his report padds. "Captain, excussse me, Sssir. It's Lt. Uhura for you on your consssole, she sssays it'sss urgent."

Jim looked up surprised, and consternation appeared on his face. Spock, at the Science console turned to look at him, eyebrow raised. Jim toggled his comm on the arm of his chair. "Uhura? Is something wrong? What's going on, Lieutenant?"

"Captain. Yes, Sir, something is wrong. I'm afraid it's Doctor McCoy, he's sick! He's very sick."

"Bones, sick? Bones is never sick. What happened?" Jim asked. His face took on a worried frown and his hazel eyes darkened in concern.