Chapter 9: Practical Application: Straleb

"We need to bring down her blood pressure, it's too high for my liking. Dammit! Cadet, didn't you hear me? Nurse, give me that hypo!"

Boom!

"Doctor, those shells are coming in pretty close, we need to pack up and move!"

"We finish with this woman, we move when I say we move! Cadet, I thought I told you to bring down that blood pressure!"

"Yes, sir!"

Rat a tat tat!

"Doctor!"

"I know, dammit! She's almost stable. Are the rest of the patients and doctors away?"

"They moved out a half hour ago, doctor."

A high whining noise pierces they're eardrums, it was getting louder. Leonard glances upward, shit.

"Everyone take cover!"

The building shakes around them, the structure hardly holding together. Bits of it collapsing, thankfully the ceiling was still holding. McCoy looks around and then back at his patient, he just needs to close the opening and then they could retreat. He pulls out the dermal regenerator and passes it over the opening, it was just a quick fix, and he would have to redo it once they reach a more secure location.

"Okay, let's move out!"

They push the gurney through the hallways, dodging fallen debris while trying to keep their balance as the explosions shake the ground like an eight point nine earthquake. A Stralebian soldier moves ahead, raising his weapon and ready. He pauses at the gaping opening, searching the area for unfriendlies, he signals to the medical staff behind him: clear.

McCoy looks around him suspiciously; he has been doing this ever since his unit had been ambushed some weeks before. They strap the injured woman in the bed of their vehicle and climb in themselves and then they're off. They weave in and out of blown up structures. The road out of the city was obliterated, but their tiny transport takes the dips and crags with ease.

Once they reach the country road there is a collective sigh of relief. McCoy checks the patient again, she was stable. He turns to the nurse, "Make sure to replace the plasma bag when that one is finished."

The young nurse nods. Bones rubs his face and turns to the cadet, he points a finger into his chest, "When you freeze up people die, cadet. Remember that. If you can't handle this than Starfleet isn't for you."

The cadet was pale, he nods. Truthfully, they were both cadets, they were both in the same class: Practical Application. McCoy snorts, his first thoughts of this class was that they were going to ship them off-world to work at some Starbase to use their skills out on the field. He looked around, well, they were out on the field alright. Straleb and its sister planet, Altec, were usually very peaceful planets. It just turned out that civil war erupted on Straleb.

The planet was a member of the Federation, so Starfleet had offered military assistance. The government refused, but they would accept a little help from Starfleet's medical personnel. So here he was, in the middle of war. Leonard had decided that this had to be the worst class in all of Academy. He hadn't even been able to contact anyone outside the planet, since the government had decided to cut all communications to the universe. This was their problem, they would deal with the rebels.

But it sucks if you are in Starfleet. It has been two and a half months since he has said hi to his little girl, two and a half months since he has whispered sweet nothings to his girlfriend, Nancy. That is, if she hasn't already left him for some other guy. Leonard shakes his head, Nancy wasn't like that, she was very kind and gentle. She would wait until he was home to dump him.

A bump in the road almost sends the good doctor flying out of the vehicle, he glares at the soldier, "Watch the road, will'ya! We have someone injured back here!" The soldier just nods.

McCoy huffs. Sometimes he really wishes Jim was here. Jim. That kid has to be sick with worry; that or he was getting drunk every night and partying because Bones wasn't there to hold him in check. McCoy had assured Jim before he left that they would most likely be able to keep in contact. Yeah, that was obviously a load of bullshit. He just hopes the kid stays out of trouble.

The nurse changes the plasma bag. The nurse, what was her name again? Well, whatever her name was, she was pretty good. From what he gathered from her, she was Stralebian, one of the youngest people to pass the tests that allows her to practice medicine. Apparently her brother dissented and joined the rebels, she didn't know if he was alive or not.

"Are you alright, sir?"

McCoy startles and looks at the nurse. She was looking pointedly at his ribs where he was unconsciously rubbing his arm back and forth. Oh yeah, it seems that getting thrown back by a concussive explosion into a wall hurt and results in bruised ribs. Who knew.

Leonard waves his hand, "It's just protesting a little. They're healing up nicely, much better than they were a couple of days ago."

She nods.

It was dark and by the smell in the air, it was going to rain very soon. McCoy told the soldier to hurry up and get them back to the base; he doesn't need his patient to get a cold on top of everything.

The rain starts falling when they pull into base. Their unit quickly transfers the injured woman into the medical tent. McCoy proceeds to clean up and finish what he had put aside. This woman would live, thank God. So many don't though. That thought hurt the most. He was a doctor, someone who, for as long as he could remember, has wanted to stop the pain of the people around him. To make them healthy and happy.

With a snap McCoy returns his instruments into their proper places and cleans up. He checks the woman one last time. With a nod he turns away, pauses. He really should get something to eat. He shakes his head and passes by the mess tent, it has been a long time since he really has had an appetite. War did that to a person, he guesses. Leonard makes his way to a second medical tent. This one was smaller. It was for the children.

He likes to visit them whenever he can. It was torture. These children are sometimes no older than four and younger than sixteen. Many have scars that would never completely go away. Limbs that they can't afford to replace. It breaks his heart.

"Lenny!" Several children cry out in excitement.

Leonard smiles and makes his way over to the small group that was still awake.

He sits down on one cot and picks up the six year old girl occupying it. She smiles up at him sweetly, one green eye was missing though. His heart clenches and he refuses the tears to come. This could be his daughter, his little Joanna.

"You come to tell us a story, Lenny?"

McCoy looks at all the expectant faces, "You bet."

It was morning, he was feeling a little disorientated. This wasn't the tent where his cot was. He looks down at the little girl in his arms and tries to shift, but finds that there was another child snuggled up to his back. McCoy sighs, he wishes he could just lay here holding and comforting these children, but he has work to do.

Slowly he shifts, sitting up. The child at his back moves but doesn't wake. McCoy thanks whoever was watching over him for that bit of luck. He gently lays little Sa'hai back on the cot, he pulls the blanket over the two and kisses their foreheads before he turns to leave.

As he leaves the children's medical tent he hears his name called, Leonard turns to see his CO jogging towards him.

"Dammit McCoy, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

McCoy bows his head slightly, but doesn't apologize. Everyone around him has gotten use to the obstinate attitude by now. His commanding officer claps a hand on the doctor's shoulder.

"I've got great news McCoy. It seems Starfleet is sending down a shuttle, your class is over." A pause, "You get to go home, McCoy. Congratulations."

Leonard doesn't feel like celebrating. This wasn't some class where he got grades, this was war. These people need help. It seems that his officer saw the steely glint in McCoy's eyes for his grip became a bit harder.

"You're being sent back, McCoy, that's an order."

"These people need help. Not to act like a disobedient teenager, but I'm a doctor first and then I'm a member of Starfleet second."

The CO nods, "We appreciate your conviction, we really do McCoy. What you have contributed to the universe medically has us in your debt, but this is no time to play hero." McCoy was about to protest, but the officer raises a hand, "They're sending down another group for their Practical Application to replace you. This transfer won't hurt the people down here."

"Maybe I don't trust other people to be as good as I am down here."

"You are one cocky son of a bitch, McCoy."

Leonard smirks, "Is it cockiness when you actually know you're one of the best?"

The CO rolls his eyes, "Just get your things together and be at the landing platform at 0730. We'll drag you onto that shuttle if we have to."

McCoy huffs, they might have to drag him onto the shuttle, considering his extreme dislike of those contraptions. In fact, he feels a little lightheaded just thinking about it. Leonard looks behind him. There wouldn't be any time to say goodbye to the children. This was so abrupt, he doesn't like it. Then again, he would be going home finally. Back to his girlfriend, back to his best friend. Back to a place where he can call up his little girl. Back to normalcy. Like Dorothy Gale always said, "There's no place like home".

The floor was vibrating softly underneath his feet. The starship they are on was heading back to Earth. In fact, they would reach the planet in less than a day. It seems so surreal. Leonard doesn't bother trying to look spiffed up and nice like the rest of his class who haven't stopped talking about what they were going to do once they set foot on terra.

McCoy hasn't even taken a shower yet. He still smells like dirt and death. His hair was all matted with sweat and the rain from the night before. A couple days' beard growth was clearly showing through on his dirty face and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. His clothes are torn, muddy, and bloody.

A PADD was lit up before him. A little form he has to fill out for the class. It seems so insignificant. Their professor had given them some time before they had to complete it, but his was almost finished. He reads over it again, glancing over the place where it says his scheduled time to meet with one of the Academy's psychiatrist. All students have to see one after taking this course.

His eyes finally settle on the last question of the class evaluation. How was your experience?

McCoy couldn't really think of the answer. How was the experience? He just doesn't think he could fit it all down in words. After much deliberation, he jots down his very short answer, but it just seemed appropriate.

It was Hell.

It was late when the shuttle touched down at the Academy. McCoy was exhausted. He stumbles and drags his luggage down the hall of the apartments. Students that were still up were giving him weird looks. He doesn't give a shit. He doesn't give a shit about a lot of things lately. The last room at the end of the hallway looks heavenly.

He pushes aside the curtain, and thought for a moment he was hallucinating.

Jim was lying on his cot-bed-thing, studying. Maybe he died and went to heaven because Leonard has never seen this, ever. Sure enough though, Jim was studying and munching on carrots (carrots!). Jim hasn't noticed him in the doorway. Well that was just fine, it gives McCoy a minute to look around, familiarize himself with the surroundings again.

The room looks better. There are rugs covering up the stains on the floor, a couch in one corner, albeit a rather beat up looking couch, and scandalous pictures of women hung on the walls. McCoy rolls his eyes. Jim looks fine. Well, at least he wasn't dying or something. He looks more mature. Of course, the doctor could only see the back of him, so that really wasn't a good way to judge one's character.

"I leave for a couple of months and you turn this place into a damn playboy magazine."

Jim yelps and practically falls off his bed. He spins his head around so fast McCoy thinks for certain it would break. The kid stares at him for a minute, as if he wasn't sure if Leonard was actually here, then his face lights up like Christmas.

"Bones!"

Before he knows it, McCoy was swept up into a hug. A manly hug. His ribs are screaming at him, or rather, they are screaming at Jim, 'What the hell are you doing? We feel like shit!'. He feels happy to be here, to be around his friend again, he really does. But his happiness was overshadowed by loss and sadness. Solemnly he releases Jim and goes over to deposit his bag on his bed (rubbing his sore ribs). Jim was following him like a lost puppy. He was practically jumping from one foot to the other. McCoy could see the questions in his eyes, questions he doesn't want to answer, doesn't think he can answer.

"So where'd you go? Your teacher said I couldn't contact you at all, which was really bitchy of her. I would've tried anyway, but I didn't know where you were. Was it totally awesome being on another planet, doing medical stuff? Any hot girls? . . . Oh wait, you already have a girlfriend. Any hot girls you can hook me up with? Come on, man, I need something to work with, I've been Bones deprived for months!"

McCoy really wants to smile, laugh, and pretend that everything was wonderful, but the sad reality of it was that it wasn't wonderful and he doesn't feel like smiling or laughing. He knows this was going hurt Jim, but he just wants some space, he wants to be alone.

A smile struggles to form on his lips, "I don't really feel like talking about it, Jim. I'm just going to clean up and go to bed, ok?"

Jim's happy expression falters a little. His piercing blue eyes are looking Bones up and down, calculating, searching for the problem, the solution. He was probably just realizing what the doctor looks like, what with the blood and dirt all over, the stubble, and the hair sticking out at odd angels. McCoy ignores it and moves his way to the bathroom. He feels guilty, but it would get better. It has to get better.

Sniffle, poor Bones! Well, that's it for this week. I'm off on vacation now, I'll be updating on Monday, see ya!