A/N: I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, folks. My laptop went down in November and since then it's been a slow struggle to restore everything. I'm not done with this, yet!

In other news... I'm officially looking for Beta readers for an original short story I've written. It's a sci-fi/fantasy coming of age tale about a girl who lives in a society where everyone can partially tell the future suddenly finding out the truth about their history. If you're interested in beta-ing, please PM me or let me know in the comments.

In the meantime, enjoy!

Words

McCoy had all the latest medical marvels at his hands, but scanners scanned for what they were programmed to scan for, and if there was an unknown (and there always was, way out here in the black) then it would go totally unnoticed. Hence, part of the reason why he always preferred a personal touch.

However, there were times where even that failed him.

He knelt in front of the crying child in his sickbay. She was one of the many African colonists they had beamed up following a devastating earthquake. Amazingly, it had occurred while the Enterprise was in orbit, and so they were able to respond immediately and rescue people from the small mountain town that was the worst hit. McCoy and his staff had been receiving people all morning.

But the little girl didn't seem to be accompanied by her parents. McCoy hadn't heard of any casualties (yet) and so hoped they were simply missing, separated in the beam outs. She was covered in dust, especially in her curly black hair, except for where her tears tracked dark lines down her pudgy cheeks.

McCoy pulled out his handheld and started scanning her. "Hi there," he said softly. "My name's McCoy. I know you're feeling really scared right now, but everything's going to be alright. What's your name?"

She just kept crying. Children did that when inconsolable, especially when they didn't even know what was going on. McCoy kept patiently scanning her and talking in a soothing voice. She looked to be about 4 years old. Her hands were on her stomach, but his scans weren't telling him if there was something wrong there.

"When my daughter, Joanna, was about your age thunder really scared her. She'd startle at the loud noises and was worried we'd been hit. So we'd sing a little song together." He sang the first few lines to Rain, Rain, Go Away, ignoring the glances his surprised staff sent him.

The singing helped calm her a little bit. The sobs turned to sniffles and she was able to focus on him. McCoy smiled encouragingly. "You're a brave girl, aren't ya? Now, can you tell me if you're hurting anywhere? Anything in pain?"

She just sniffled some more. His scanner showed nothing, but his instincts said otherwise.

"Coming through, Doc!"

McCoy turned his head and saw a couple members from the landing party bringing someone in on a stretcher. Best not stay on the floor in the middle of everything. He scooped up the child – who immediately wailed – and quickly set her on a biobed.

"I'm sorry about that, pumpkin. Are you hurt? Can you point to me where it hurts?"

The little girl cried and babbled something in a language he didn't recognize.

McCoy blinked. All the adults he had treated spoke English. He looked around for a universal translator. There wasn't much he could do if he couldn't even understand his patient. "I'm sorry, sweetie, could you repeat that?"

"She wants her mom." He turned and saw Uhura walking over from where she had helped set down the patient in the stretcher. She looked tired, no doubt helping with the rescues. He was mildly surprised she wasn't coordinating beam-ups.

"What brings you by?"

She smiled tiredly at him. "It helps to have someone who speaks Swahili on hand working with shocked and confused victims. Everyone was taught English at school, but that's not what they speak at home. She said she wants her mom."

McCoy looked back at the child, then at Uhura, brightening. "Then please stick around and we can help her find her mother once this is all over."

Uhura smiled. "Certainly, Doctor."

"Darling, we'll find your mother, but right now I need you to let me know if you're hurting anywhere. Does your tummy hurt?"

Uhura stood next to him and translated. The little girl opened her eyes wide at her and said some words back. Calming, soothing, informative… McCoy was tempted to recruit Uhura for his staff during this crisis.

"Her belly does hurt."

"Alright, sweetie, then I really need to take a look at it. Can you move your arms for me, please? What's your name?"

Uhura chatted some more, distracting her while McCoy got his scanner closer and gingerly felt around with his hands. He frowned. Scans were still coming back in the green. That didn't make any sense…

Uhura suddenly put a hand to her mouth and giggled. He looked up at her sharply. She composed herself, but her eyes still sparkled. "Doctor," she began, relaxing in mirth. "Ayana says she was at a birthday party when the quake hit, and that she ate too many sweets."

The lightbulb went off. McCoy felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth at the info. "Well then," he said, relieved. "I know you've got a mighty tummyache which isn't very fun to have during a time like this, so I've got something that should help take care of that nausea real quick."

As he administered the hypospray, Uhura kept talking to distract Ayana from the shot. He touched her elbow when he was done.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," he said sincerely. "If you see any more young children being brought in, I made need you to stick around."

"Sure thing, Doctor," she said. "Call if you need me. Right now, I'm going to help Ayana find her mom."