7/2/2259
Skinar's Quarters
7:20 am

McCoy once again entered Skinar's quarters. After the Tausian had gone to sleep, his Attendants, with the exception
of Trolan, had withdrawn to their own quarters for a few hours of rest. Nehru had been sobbing and Jim had looked
like he wasn't far from joining her. He had felt suspiciously moist eyed as well.

Jim had escorted Nehru back to her quarters, while he silently trailed behind. They left her in the care of her concerned
roommate, Crewman Monica O'Gill, whom Jim had commed to let know they were coming. Before departing, he gave his
crewmember a firm hug, which she returned. "I know this is hard," he whispered. "But we'll all get through this."

"Thank you, Captain," she whispered back.

Jim had then headed toward his quarters. He had offered to go with him but Jim had refused. "I'm going to get some
sleep, Bones," he said firmly. "You need to as well. Remember what time we have to be up tomorrow."

McCoy had complied and found that he'd been more tired than he'd thought; he'd collapsed in bed without bothering
to change and fallen asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. His alarm had awakened him ten minutes ago and he had
immediately headed back toward the Tausian's quarters.

He found Skinar awake and sitting on his bed as his roommate gently dried him from another washing period. He looked
terrible; his skin had turned almost white in color and instead of flaking it now appeared almost to be melting.

Trolan turned as he approached and nodded slightly in greeting. "Doctor."

Skinar nodded slightly as well but didn't speak.

"He's very weak," Trolan whispered. "He will need every bit of his strength to reach the shuttlebay. He won't speak again
until he reaches it."

McCoy nodded silently and pulled out his tricorder. It revealed that the Tausian had, at best, only about five hours left,
if even that. He administered another breathing compound and then pulled out a small life monitor. "I need to put this on
your wrist," he said softly. "When you leave the ship it will monitor your vitals until…"

At the Tausian's silent nod, McCoy gently put on the monitor, noting how ice cold his skin was to the touch. He then
gently squeezed his arm. "Thank you," he said softly as he met Skinar's gaze. "For everything."

The Tausian didn't reply but once again nodded as he met the doctor's gaze.

Trolan meanwhile had gone over to Skinar's closet and now returned carrying a long kamino-like robe. "This is the Areshen,"
he explained for McCoy's benefit. "The Traveling Robe, worn for the Final Journey. When they turn seventy, every Tausian
has one sent from the Birthworld and keeps it near at hand for the day…that it is needed."

As both men gently helped Skinar put on the robe, McCoy noted it's colors: dark black with stars embroidered in at the edges.
They symbolize the stars and the vastness between them, he realized. A Tausian comes from the stars, spends his or her
whole life among the stars and then returns to them in the end.

After dressing, Skinar placed his hands together in a meditative gesture and closed his eyes, his expression one of concentration.
He stilled and his breathing grew faint.

"He's performing the Morayta," Trolan explained; "The Summoning of Strength. He's gathering every bit of strength that
he has left for his Last Walk."

McCoy nodded as he again looked at his instruments; they confirmed that the Tausian's ever increasing decline was slowing
if only by an infinitesimal amount but that the respite was only temporary.

"It's fortunate that the Saratoga is a small ship," Trolan continued. "He won't have as far to go, and should just be able to
make it unaided. If this had been a larger ship he might have required a wheelchair."

"I guess good things do come in small packages then," McCoy said, unable to keep a faint smile from his face.

"Indeed. But we should leave him now, he needs to focus."

As the two men withdrew back to the living area Trolan turned to McCoy. "It's now 07:45 hours, Doctor. We both need
to get cleaned and dressed. I've no doubt that Nehru is already up and that the Captain is beginning the final preparations.
We have about an hour left."