Stranded

Chapter 6

"The farther away, the closer the home becomes."

Dejan Stojanovic

"It started last night, Captain when we went for a walk. We've been doubtful that the Orion Syndicate would send someone here, but then thought since the village is so small, peaceful, and out of the way, it's possible, and not just here, but to other small unprotected villages on Sarena. Their small size would be perfect for slave raids and kidnappings. Anyway, we decided to begin looking for anything or anyone out of the ordinary. We stopped to chat with one of the doctor's patients and we told him we'd be leaving the village soon, and he invited us to dinner. We thought it'd be a good idea for the word to get out that we're reurning 'home'.

When we got back to the house Len told me he felt tired and chilled. The evening was cold, but we had on our warm jackets and scarves so I was a bit concerned. We drank a hot toddy to warm up, but Leonard said he still felt tired and he went to bed. At 0230 I suddenly woke up because I heard Dr. McCoy moaning in his sleep. I immediately checked on him and he was burning up with fever. His bedroom was freezing, because unfortunately this house has no heat. I woke him up, lit the fire in the living room, and got him settled on the sofa. His temperature was 102. He took an antipyretic at 0300 and we used cool compresses to bring the fever down. The doctor scanned himself and told me it's some variant of the Levodian flu. Len thinks it's mutated because everyone on the ship is vaccinated against that particular flu strain and his fever is much higher than the usual temperature for that flu. Also the doctor is very weak, Captain, says he has pain in his joints and he's hoarse.

I've been keeping him hydrated as much as possible with herbal tea, and I got him to eat this morning, eggs and toast. I told him he has to eat because he's so weak." Nyota stopped talking and took in a deep breath. She felt as if she'd run a marathon. "Captain," she said into Jim's shocked silence, "Leonard said he doesn't really know what to expect from this virus, that he'll just have to treat the symptoms as they arise."

Jim ran his hand down his face. He felt frissons of alarm running through his body. Bones was never sick. In all the time Jim had known him he'd never known him to catch anything. He'd jokingly told Jim it was because he'd been exposed to so many Terran and alien bacterias and viruses that he'd developed a great immune system.

"What kind of meds does Bones have there, Lieutenant?"

"He doesn't have all that much, just what he got from Dr. M'Benga before you left, Captain. He's been very careful not to treat anyone who's severely ill. He made it clear to the Torreon council that severely ill people must go to the nearest large city. He told them he came here to recover from exhaustion and he's severely limiting his practice. That went over pretty well, really. He wants to consult with Dr. M'Benga, knowing that infectious diseases are one of his specialties."

Jim nodded, tamping down his anxiety. "I'll arrange that right away. Where is Bones right now, Nyota?" Jim asked, dropping the command formalities. "Can I speak with him?"

"He's still asleep, Jim." Nyota too dropped the cumbersome SF formalities. "I need to wake him up soon to get him back in his bed now that his room has a heater. What worries me is his extreme weakness...his hands are shaking," she added somberly.

"What? Bones hands never shake! He's famous for his rock steady hands no matter what gets thrown at him."

"I know," Nyota agreed. "It really scared me when I saw that."

"Okay, hold on a minute, Nyota." Jim toggled his chair.

"Engineering, Scott here."

"Scotty, we're going to have to crank her up. Bones is sick, very sick. We have to get back to Sarena as quickly as we can. Best speed as long as we can manage it without stressing the dilithium crystals. Keep a close eye on the warp core, Scotty."

"Aye, Sir. We'll get back to the good doctor as soon as possible, have no fear of that. Scott out."

"Mr. Chekov, plot our course, Mr. Sulu best speed to Sarena."

"Aye, Captain" came from both men.

"Nyota, tell Bones we'll be there as soon as we can get there. When he wakes up, comm the ship again so I can speak with him, and I'll alert Dr. M'Benga that you'll be getting in touch."

"I'll tell him, Jim. I have to go, someone's at the door. It's probably Doranna with the groceries and another heater...I hope. I need to hide the communicator," she added hurriedly. "Uhura out."

Nyota quickly locked the comm in the top drawer of her dresser and hurried to open the door. "Come in, Doranna," she said softly. "I was checking on the doctor." Cold air blew in with Doranna, who was laden with parcels. "Let's go in the kitchen," Nyota whispered. "Dr. McCoy is still sleeping. He's very tired. His fever goes up and down and he's very weak. Rest is the best thing for him, and the nourishing soup I'll make for his lunch." Careful not to make noise, she led Doranna to the kitchen and closed the door.

"How is he, Nyota?" Doranna asked setting her bags on the counter. "I brought everything you asked for making the soup, and more tea leaves. I also found another heater for you. It is a used one, which will save you credits, the new ones are expensive, but it's is in good condition. Alarik will bring it to you after our noon meal."

"Thank you, Doranna. How much do I owe you?"

"Here is the tally, Nyota, but the fowl is a gift from me for the good doctor. I regret that I had not given any thought to providing a heater for you. It had escaped my memory that this house is minimally equipped. Our weather can be quite cold at this time of the year. Alarik and I, after our children moved away, invested in a unit that heats the entire house." Doranna opened the shopping bags and placed Nyota's groceries on the table. "How does the doctor heat his own house when he is residing there?"

Nyota thought fast. "The same as you, Doranna. Since I was a child when I came to live with the doctor, he, too, had already invested in a heating system for the entire house. His office is also in the house, so his patients must feel comfortable when they come to see him."

Doranna nodded. "It is the best and most efficient way."

"Sit down, please, Doranna. I will make us some tea and I want to speak with you about the doctor. While the water is heating let me go get the credits I owe you. I appreciate your shopping for me. I didn't want to leave the doctor alone."

Nyota quietly checked on Leonard on her way to her room to get the credits. She paused to listen to his breathing. He sounded all right to her untrained ear and he was still asleep, so she was loath to disturb him. She got the credits she owed Doranna from the stash in her chest of drawers. Thank goodness, at Jim's insistence, the quartermaster had been able to replicate plenty of local credits. It was legal tender, authentic local money, and no one here in the village would end up with "fake" credits because of them. She went back in to the kitchen and gave Doranna the credits then went to the stove to pour the hot water in the teapot. She had to think carefully about how to ask Doranna if she recognized Len's symptoms, and also find out what, if any, local remedies or medications the locals might know about.

"Doranna, I was wondering if you've heard of any of the doctor's patients, or anyone else, who may have contracted this illness. Since we came here for the doctor to rest and gain back his usual robust health, it worries me that he contracted this illness just when he was feeling like himself again. We were almost ready to return home so he could resume his medical practice."

She handed the mug of tea and the jar of honey to Doranna, and sat down across from her.

Doranna stirred her tea thoughtfully. "I forget you and the doctor are not from here, Nyota," she said.

At her comment Nyota kept very still, steadfastly keeping her eyes down, holding her breath, not saying word. Had Doranna somehow guessed they were not natives of this planet? Had she and Len inadvertently broken the Prime Directive?

"I forget that you will be leaving us, that you must return to your own home. You two have become a part of us here in Torreón. We hate to see you and the doctor leave," Doranna sighed sadly.

Nyota breathed again. "We hate to leave also, Doranna. We like Torreon very much. It is calm and peaceful, with pleasant, kind, people and the doctor has been able to get away from his heavy work load to recuperate without his usual worries. However, we must return to our home soon. The people there depend on the doctor; his practice is quite large." That was nothing but the truth, Nyota thought. The entire ship depended on Leonard for healing, for counseling, for his sometimes acerbic advice, for his listening ear, for his loyalty, and for his deep compassion. "Yes, we must return to our home, but we will be sad to leave here."

Doranna went on. "And to answers your question, Nyota, I have not heard of anyone being ill, except for Alarik, of course, who was healed by Dr. MkKoy. I remember his illness began like the doctor's. He felt very tired, and he had a high fever. Then as you will recall, he began to have trouble breathing, and he began to cough. But that was almost three lunar cycles ago, Nyota. The doctor could not have contracted this illness from Alarik."

Nyota looked at Doranna thoughtfully. "Perhaps not from Alarik, Doranna, but from someone else who came to see the doctor? Someone who came as soon as they felt a bit ill and the doctor intervened early enough so they didn't get as sick as Alarik. I will go back to our records and check." She stood. "If you remember or hear about anyone with a similar illness please let me know. Now I best begin making the soup. I want to have it ready for the noon meal."

Doranna also stood. "If you need anything else, Nyota, do not hesitate to call upon us. We are ready to assist you and the doctor. If you need more food, medicines, or help caring for the good doctor, I, or Alarik, are at your disposal. He will come this afternoon to bring the second heater for your room. Do not fear, it will be much warmer tonight for both of you."

"Thank you, Doranna. I will let you know if I need anything. Oh, yes, I almost forgot. Doranna would you please call Killeen and tell him the doctor is ill and we will not be able to join him for dinner. He kindly invited us when we told him we would be leaving soon. I haven't had time to let him know."

"Of course, Nyota. I'll call him when I get to my home. Killeen will be grieved to hear the doctor is ill." She sighed heavily. "We are all grieved. Dr. Mkkoy is a good man and a fine physician. It is my hope he will be well soon. Goodbye, Nyota."

Nyota saw her to the door and locked it behind her. She checked on Leonard again. His profound sleep was beginning to worry her. She put the fowl to simmer with the herbs Doranna had brought her. She would add the vegetables later. She glanced at the clock. It was almost time to check his temperature again, and then comm the ship to speak with Geoffrey. She quickly fixed more tea, added the honey, and went into the living room to wake Leonard.

She shook him gently. "Len, wake up, it's time to take your temperature again, and we need to get more fluids in you. I bought you some more tea. Wake up, Len." She shook his shoulder again, and Leonard opened his eyes.

"Nyota, what's the matter?" he slurred, still more asleep than awake. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Len. I just need to take your temperature again, and get you in your bed. There's heat in your bedroom now, and you'll be a lot more comfortable there. Can you sit up?"

Leonard nodded sleepily, and Nyota helped him sit, his back against the armrest. "Drink this down, Len. You need to keep well hydrated, there's honey in it too. We'll take your temperature in a minute." Leonard sipped, cupping the tea mug with hands that were still shaky. Nyota noticed the trembling, not good, she thought.

"It's good, Ny. I'm real thirsty," Leonard murmured. "It's the fever. Gotta' keep pushing fluids into me," he muttered.

"I'm trying. I'm making some chicken soup for your lunch, or as near to chicken soup as I can get with the kind of fowls they have here, but it'll be nourishing and tasty, I promise. Also, I contacted the ship." Leonard's eyes met hers in surprise and she nodded gravely. "I thought it was time, and just as you thought, Jim was very upset. He's ordered best speed for their return, so they'll get here as fast as they can manage."

"Damn it, Nyota, the man's gonna' worry himself sick," Leonard muttered. "He's not gonna' rest or eat right. You know how he gets when he's worried."

Nyota nodded. She knew, all the Command crew knew how Jim sometimes fretted and worried himself about his mother, about Peter, about Joanna and Bones, and those few others he considered family and his closest friends. "I know, Len, but it can't be helped. He said to comm the ship again when you woke up, and he'd have Geoff available for a consult. But first let's take your temperature, give you the antipyretic, and get you back in your bed. I put fresh sheets on the bed, and your room is toasty warm." She took the mug from his shaky hands, placed it on the small table, and got the medical scanner to run it over Len's head. It beeped with the results and she handed it to him.

He peered at the readout. "Temps goin' up again, but I'll take the antipyretic right now. Head that fever off at the pass." The hypo was in his hand before he finished speaking. "Thanks, darlin', you're gettin' real good at this, not quite as good as Christine, but real close," he murmured.

Nyota smiled. She'd have to share that with Christine. "Len, it's time to get you back in your bed. Do you think you can stand and walk to the bedroom if I help you?"

"I think so, if we go real slow. I'm weak as a kitten."

He was, Nyota thought worriedly. She helped him up, made sure he was steady on his feet, that his warm robe was on him, and they started walking to the bedroom. Even through the pajamas and robe she could feel Leonard was warm, that his fever was rising again. His thin frame seemed to weigh nothing against her as the made their way slowly to the bedroom.

"Ny, I want to freshen up a little in the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth, and use the facilities. I'll feel better after doin' that. Gotta' keep myself as clean as I can," he told her. "You can stand right outside the door again if you want to."

"I do want to," she responded firmly, as she led him to his room. Earlier she had opened the bathroom door on his side of the bedroom, so it was not as cold as it had been. She walked him to the sink, turned on the hot water faucet, got him a fresh towel, and left him to it. She closed the door, but left it cracked a bit. Leonard was very weak, and she was taking no chances with a locked door in case he felt weak or fell over.