Stranded
Chapter 20
"Offering sanctuary is a revolutionary act; it expresses love, when
others offer scorn or hate. It recognizes humanity, when others deny
and seek to debase it. Sanctuary says 'we' rather than 'I'."
Diane Kalen Burkas
It took some time for Nyota to calm Leonard down after Jim signed off. He'd fretted so much, his temperature was going up again, and it was way too early for his next dose of meds.
"Alright, that's enough of that, Leonard McCoy!" Nyota gave him an angry glance. "There's no use in your worrying about Jim. You know he's going to do exactly what he thinks is best and nothing you say or do will stop him, so no more agitating yourself or you're going to feel sicker, and it's not nearly time for your meds." Nyota looked him over noting his flushed cheeks. "I'm not having it! I'll stick you under the shower if I have to, and there will be no arguments or protests about your manly modesty. Am I making myself absolutely clear, Doctor?" She frowned fiercely at him, her anger clear on her face.
Leonard looked at her askance. Not once, had he ever seen Nyota angry, or even irritated at anyone, and certainly never at him! He swallowed nervously. Nyota seeing him stark naked in the shower was not something he wanted in his immediate future, thank you very much.
"Yeah, perfectly clear." He cleared his throat and backtracked quickly. "I'm real sorry about my behavior, Ny darlin'." He said, face contrite. "Last thing I wanna' do is make myself feel worse, or make more work for you. It's just that Jim never has a care for himself, and it worries me, but I'll behave now. Nothin' I can do about it anyway, he's made up his mind and you know how he is." He looked at her under his lashes relieved when her face cleared.
"I know exactly how Jim is, and I also know exactly how you are, Len. Pot meet kettle." She took a deep calming breath. "Alright, let's get you to bed, you need to rest, and I'll take your temp in a little while after you've calmed down a bit. Hopefully it won't go up more, because you're not due for your meds for another hour. Remember you have a big day tomorrow. Doranna is coming with lunch, and the three Orion slaves have their appointment at 4:30. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that meeting goes well and they'll agree to leave here and take refuge on the ship. We'll have to send them back to the hotel, because soon after that Killeen is bringing dinner. I'm going to make sure he won't stay to eat dinner with us, so hopefully the three girls will agree to come back just before Jim and Geoff are due to beam in."
She helped Leonard up off the sofa and they toddled slowly to his bed where she got the doctor settled and comfortable. "Don't try to stay awake, Len. I'll wake you when it's time for your meds," she assured him. "You look tired. All that ranting about Jim wore you out."
Leonard ignored the comment. "I think I will close my eyes for a bit," he murmured and did so.
Nyota shook her head, looking down at him. Stubborn CMO and equally stubborn Captain. She left him dozing and went to check Len's office. It had the lingering forlorn look of a room left too long without use. She decided to give it a good tidying and dusting. She put everything away that Len had left out before he got sick, thinking he was going to come right back to his office. Leonard was meticulous about keeping his office clean and neat. He said a medical office should reflect the professionalism of the medical practitioner who worked in it. Nyota carefully dusted all the surfaces, stacked the medical padds neatly, and tucked them away in one of the desk drawers. Tomorrow the three girls would see an orderly clean medical environment, everything the doctor used in its proper place and the room clean and neat as befitted a physician.
She looked at the wall chronometer. It was time for Len's meds then sleep for both of them, tomorrow was going to be a big day. She decided to fix Len a snack, he always woke up hungry, so it would be cheese, crackers, and a glass of fruit juice. She put everything on a tray carried it in to him, washed her hands, and woke him for his meds.
The medical scanner readings indicated his temp was climbing up again. His meds were just in time. Thank goodness Geoff would be here tomorrow evening and he and Christine would take over Len's care. She was increasingly feeling helpless and frustrated trying to help Leonard get better and seeing that nothing seemed to be working. Hopefully Geoff would be able to compound and replicate the correct anti-viral to eradicate this variant. Nyota looked forward to that moment with her whole heart. Len would get proper treatment, and her dread and constant worry about him would be lifted from her shoulders.
"I'll set my alarm for four hours, Len," She told him handing him the hypo. "If you're hungry when you wake up, your snack is here."
"Thank you, darlin', now you go right to bed and get some sleep. I'm goin' right back to sleep too. Good night, Ny'."
"Goodnight, Len."
—-
Nyota awoke like she always did on the ship, wide awake and fully alert right before her 6:00 am alarm. She'd given Len his meds at 2:00 a.m. and he would be due for his 6 a.m. dose in a few minutes. Today was the big day, it would be a very taxing and busy day. Doranna was bringing lunch, the three slave girls would be arriving this afternoon at 4:30, and Killeen would be bringing dinner at six and best of all, the ship would be here soon after that.
Nyota was debating with herself about Killeen. Maybe it'd be better for him to come a bit later, closer to seven o'clock instead, she thought. That would forestall any possibility of the girls and Killeen running into each other if their 4:30 appointment went overtime. She had a feeling convincing the three girls to escape to the ship wouldn't be a problem. However, they had to be out of the house before he arrived, because keeping three extra people hidden in this small house all through dinner with Killeen was an invitation for disaster.
Yes, she decided. Until the ship came into orbit tonight, the girls would have to return to the hotel after their 4:30 appointment. She couldn't risk anyone seeing them. She could tell Killeen that this evening Len didn't feel well enough for company. He was so considerate, that he'd leave immediately after bringing the food...yes, she thought that would be the best thing to do. She sighed. She was really starting to hate the Prime Directive with her whole heart and soul. The logistics and timing today were going to be critical.
She went to the bathroom, washed her face, brushed her hair and teeth, dressed in a clean tunic, and put on some light makeup. She went quietly into Len's bedroom and saw he was still deeply asleep. She hated to wake him, but wake him she must.
Once he was fully awake, she helped him to the bathroom, then settled him on the living room sofa. She could feel he was feverish again as she handed him the hypo with his meds, and his hands were already trembling.
Leonard huffed in irritation, shook his head, and wordlessly, handed the hypo back to Nyota. She administered the two meds quickly, fluffed his pillow and covered him warmly. "I'll make us some breakfast, Len."
Leonard nodded listlessly, his eyes closed. She looked down at his pale face worriedly. In spite of his good appetite, the fever was burning more calories then he was taking in with his food. Always thin to begin with, Len was beginning to look gaunt, his facial bones more pronounced, his cheeks sunken, and he was getting weaker, his physical reserves dwindling daily. She just knew Jim was going to have a fit tonight when he saw how frail Leonard looked. Seeing him on the comm was not the same as seeing him in person. When he was on the comm with Jim and Geoff, Len made a concerted effort to look and sound better than he really was so as not to worry them more.
In the kitchen she muttered to herself. "What to make, what to make. Toast with lots of butter and jam, bacon and scrambled eggs, a slice of cheese, and fruit juice. I hope that'll be enough calories." She made quick work of the meal, took the food in to Leonard, and went back to get her own.
"Thank you, darlin' Leonard told her, struggling to sit up. "I'm sure it's delicious, and I am peckish," he said. He ate hungrily for a few minutes. "Ny, I think I'ma going to need a shower, a shave, and a change of clothes for this afternoon. And do you think my white coat is clean enough? I think I should look as medically professional as possible for the young ladies."
Nyota looked him over critically. Yes he did need a shower, a shave and a change into Sarenan attire under his white coat. "Yes, I definitely agree, we want you to look neat and professional. I gave your office a good tidying and dusting last night. The office looks fine now. Your white coat is hanging where you left it and I'll run it through a quick cycle in the fresher. You can shower and shave this afternoon after your two o'clock meds, that'll be early enough," she added, thinking things through. "Len, I think it's best if today I tell Doranna and Killeen you're not well enough for a visit. First of all, you need to rest as much as possible before 4:30, and secondly, I don't want that many people in the house before Jim and Geoff beam down this evening. Today our timing is crucial."
"You're right, Ny, the less people that are here the better." Leonard finished his breakfast and sighed. "Sure wish I felt better and stronger for this meetin' with the girls. I don't think the second dose of the anti-viral has done anything at all and it's almost time for the third. Geoff will expect me to take it even though I think it's ineffective."
"Geoff and Jim will comm this morning at the beginning of Alpha, you can address the situation with Geoff and see what he wants you to do. Anyway, Len, you're not due for the antiviral until after their comm, at 9:00am ship's time."
A sudden beep from Nyota's comm startled them both. She pulled it out of her tunic pocket. "It's Jim's code." She looked worriedly at Leonard. "He's calling very early," she murmured, hoping with all her heart there wasn't going to be any delay in their arrival time. "Uhura here."
"Nyota!" Jim's jubilant voice rang out loud and clear through the comm. "Great news! Scotty was able to squeeze a little more speed out of our girl! We've gained almost four hours! We'll be there early this afternoon. Our ETA is 2:00 your time."
Nyota gave a little shriek of happiness.
"Jim! That's wonderful news!" Len's hoarse voice was loud with happiness."
Nyota smiled hugely! "Jim, that is wonderful news. Now when the girls arrive at 4:30, you can be the one to talk to them. I'm sure they'll know who you are, everyone in the entire Alpha quadrant, be they friend or foe, knows who Captain James T. Kirk is. If anyone can convince the girls to escape from the Orion slave traders you can, Captain."
"Damn straight," Leonard said stoutly. "Your silver tongue can convince anyone to do anythin', Jim Kirk! And just the fact the ship is in orbit will go real far in discouragin' any raids on Torreon by those Orions. Might even scare them completely away."
Jim laughed softly, on the comm screen they saw a soft pink flush suffuse his handsome face. He always felt embarrassed when praised for what he saw as only doing his duty to the best of his ability.
"I'll beam down as soon as we're in orbit. Geoff and Nurse Chapel will beam down with me. Geoff is planning to give you a thorough going over, Bones, scans, blood work, top to toe," Jim chuckled softly. "Every molecule in your body will be examined, so be prepared. We've all agreed, Spock, Geoff, Christine, and me. Your medical intervention comes first, before anything else. We've got to get you completely well."
"Add me to the list of wanting to get Len well first thing, Jim. I'll be so relieved to have Geoff here," Nyota interjected. "Len has been very sick, and I've been very worried about him. He hardly complains, but I know he feels terrible." She ignored Leonard's squawk of protest. "Jim, we'll have to tell Doranna, Alarik, and Killeen you're going to be arriving right away. I already told them you'd be coming to help me close up the house and help me with Leonard, getting him home. I said I needed the extra help, that I didn't want to travel alone with him."
"That's a good cover story for my presence, Ny, but Geoff and Christine will have to beam back and forth to the ship in order to avoid being seen, they'll need to stay completely out of sight."
"That's what I thought too. I was getting concerned about the number of people who would be here; the three slave girls, you, Geoff, Christine, Alarik, Doranna, Killeen, plus Len and me. Trying to preserve the tenets of the Prime Directive with so many people coming and going would be difficult, this house is pretty small. Len and I talked it over. I'm going to tell Doranna and Killeen they can't eat with us today. I'll tell them that Len is feeling very weak, very tired, which is nothing but the truth. I'm also concerned about Len's 4:30 appointment with the three girls, and with Killeen arriving at 6, so I'm going to ask him to come later. That way there will be no chance of him running into the girls, unless they've already agreed to go to the ship, or to anyone else either, because you, Geoff and Christine will be here already."
"It's gonna' be like a parade around here," Leonard muttered darkly.
