HOLY GUACAMOLE, IT'S A NEW CHAPTER! Who saw this coming? Not me. But Elliot pulled through again, proving that she is indeed DEEPLY AWESOME and HERE IT IS. There will, in fact, be another chapter, in hopefully not too long. Elliot says the idea for it is pretty fully formed, which means it should actually get done! That said, WE LOVE YOU ALL and it's your support and feedback that keeps Elliot writing. YOU ARE ALL SO INCREDIBLE, KEEP UP THE AWESOME.

Bones led the two over to where the kid lay. By this time only a nurse, Franz was her name was busy moving about and checking the machines and the restraints that security had insisted on putting both boys in. It wasn't as if they we going anywhere. Unlike some of the less mature crew members he was forced to deal with, the doctor trusted her with patient confidentiality. Apparently, these days cadets were taught to gossip instead of following protocol. Deep in space there wasn't much to talk about, but if one more damn rumor got out about who caught the latest embarrassing STD during the the last shore leave, there would be consequences.

Turning to Jim and the Vulcan, Bones continued frowning, "Prosthetics with full mobility were invented in the late 21st century. They were made of light carbon fiber and plastics, controlled electronically. Now, caught early enough, after amputation we can do a nearly flawless transplant or prosthetic limb, and after a few months of rehab the limb is barely noticeable. Nothing resembling the metal contraption that the boy has. Do either of you have a better explanation for a kid-" he lifted up the blanket, "-with prosthetic technology completely different from anything the medical community has ever developed? The craftsmanship looks like it's been hammered out on an anvil. Besides, the way it's attached is beyond barbaric- the metal is physically bolted into the bone at the shoulder and just above the left knee."

"Calm down Bones" Jim had bent over and was examining the port. "It's not that bad. The skin looks fully healed - its probably not painful - and if it was in better condition I'm sure it'd be fully functional."

Spock nodded "Yes doctor, I fail to see the issue. It is indeed primitive but that is no reason to become agitated."

"Agitated! You think this is agitated?" Leonard McCoy was livid. "Those limbs are connected directly to the nerves. The act of replacing a damaged limb let alone installing the port in the first place would be enough to make a man faint. You can't just put the kid under either; from what I can tell, he has to be conscious for the nervous signals to connect properly."

The pointy eared bastard obviously didn't even have anything close to a heart. "Can you remove it?"

"Why in the hell would I want to do that?"

"If we do have an enemy in front of us then I assume the lost of two of his limbs would slow him down a great deal."

"And if he's just some kid?" Bones could be open to options but if it was Spock suggesting them then he wouldn't listen with out a fight.

Jim, sensing a full blown argument in the making, stepped in. "Then we have to do our best to understand and fix it for him"

"...fine." Bones couldn't argue with that, unfortunately. And there was no way he could fix the arm and leg on his own, which normally wouldn't be a problem as long as...

"Great. Spock you can help him, and maybe Scotty. He loves this sort of thing" Jim clapped him on the shoulder "You two will have to wait though the engine checks are going to take a few more hours"

Spock nodded and turned to leave with the captain. "Very well. I will continue gathering data on the energy spikes we experienced previously."

Bones watched them leave. Damn it, he could work with Mr. Scot but with the Vulcan...that was asking too much. Maybe he'd have that drink now, he deserved it. Neither of his patients would be awake for at least a few hours, he had time.

The thing about thinking you're going to die is when you do it does not surprise you. You find that all the excitement that you had experienced up to the point of your imminent demise was simply gone. There is nothing to worry about and nothing to do but think, mind sluggish and calm.

This was where Alfons found himself. Not that he knew where he was, but it wasn't a bad place though and he could just lie there with his thoughts. He had never been particularly religious, although in moments of stress he would sometimes revert to the church going days of his childhood, praying to a god he lost faith in the day his mother died. It would be nice to see her again, and if this was heaven then maybe he could.

If this was heaven.

Even if it wasn't, then at least it wasn't so bad. For once, nothing hurt. He could breathe deeply, easily, and his body was no longer wracked with the fever chills and aches that had plagued him for so long. There was nothing pounding in his head, or constricting his chest. Actually, he felt pretty good. A little floaty perhaps, but that was kind of nice. He couldn't remember the last time he was even remotely close to feeling this healthy. Heaven or at least something resembling heaven seemed like a logical explanation. Edward would probably laugh at him, for laying here contemplating something so unscientific. Edward was... He was...

Alfons' mind snapped in to place. Memories flooded back to him in an alarming kaleidoscope. The gunshot, the rocket, Edward screaming and throwing himself between Alfons and a darkness Alfons didn't understand. The crash, fire and pain, those creatures, that noise, slipping out of consciousness. Where was Ed? Where was he?

Squinting his eyes against the lights he tried to sit up, but felt a pressure increase on his chest. For one moment of panic he was afraid the chest pains had returned, but no - that wasn't it: something was holding him down. He struggled, heart racing, trying to break free. Looking down he saw there were restraints on his arms and legs, holding him to a bed. There was a beeping above him he craned his neck around trying to see. Lights were flashing, bright and mechanical, something was wrong he had to get to Edward now! Who had put him here? What was going on?

There had been paperwork, reports and medical studies to go through. He had had to check and double check supplies and file another report on his actions. Bones had just sat down for the drink he'd wanted before this whole damn ordeal started. With a sigh of relief, he reached for the drawer that had the bottle. There weren't any glasses in his office, but that was alright, he could do with out them.

The bio alert buzzed and the light flashed twice. Leonard swore. One of the patients was in distress, nothing serious, it probably meant one of the boys was awake. The doctor raced out to see the one with all four limbs pulling at the restraints. When their eyes met, Bones recognized the expression on the boy's face - the fear and confusion of the injured returning to consciousness, eyes panicky and skin pale, but when he spoke, he sounded angry, though the words were unintelligible. Maybe it wasn't fear for himself, it was fear for the other one.

"Was willst du von mir! Was hast du mit meinem Freund gemacht!"

Bones stopped, and frowned. That wasn't Standard, but it was familiar, from grade school language classes. They'd had a year of Spanish, a year of Chinese, and a year of "language history", mostly French and German, a little Latin. There was no way Bones could communicate with the kid in that raspy gibberish, but he sure as hell recognized the guttural sound of German. Slapping a hand against the wall communicator, he hailed the bridge.

"McCoy to Captain Kirk"

"What's up Bones?"

"How many earth languages does Uhura speak?"

"All of them, probably, why?"

"Because one of the damn kids woke up and I sure as hell don't speak German."

"Are you sure it's German?"

"Yes, I'm sure it's German, now just get the hell down here."

"Got it. Kirk out."

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