Here we go - number 3! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and added me to alert - it's a really great feeling to know people like it. Thanks to poisonboxholder - writing in character characters is something I try really hard to do.
Disclaimer: Despite everything Star Trek will never belong to me.
The door to the sick bay slid open and McCoy looked up to see Spock and Kirk entering. He noticed a slight worried frown etched into the captain's face.
'How's she doing Bones?' Kirk asked, the note of worry transferring to his voice.
'Oh she'll be alright,' Bones answered as he checked the readings of, a still unconscious, Jones. 'A few broken ribs, bruises, cuts, abrasions etc none of the life threatening, she should be fine in a few weeks.'
Kirk nodded, accepting the answer, however something was troubling him.
'The people down there, spoke of a power that she supposedly possesses. Something that affects the planet. Something that she does. Are we sure she is not putting the Enterprise in danger, or the crew for that matter?'
There was a silence for a second, as the three of them thought. It was Spock who spoke first,
'I believe the logical answer would be to ask her.'
Kirk and McCoy stared at him,
'What? Question some stranger about something that might destroy us all?' McCoy said, his mouth open in surprise at the statement. 'You're crazier than I thought Vulcan!'
Spock seemed to ignored him and continued,
'There is little evidence to suggest that she is dangerous. Presumably she has caused some problems or they wouldn't have issued the distress call, though from what we have seen it may be little more than prejudice. However I believe she may be able to tell us more about it herself, seeing as the locals were unwilling to provide much detail.'
Kirk considered this for a moment and he knew Spock was right. Though John Denogar had given them some information, it had seemed very one sided and was probably untruthful, considering how things had turned out. Anyway, Kirk was struggling to see how someone so young could cause so much damage.
'Alright, Spock we will return to bridge. Bones, send for us the moment she wakes up and we'll she if we can get anything out of her.'
~*~
When the girl awoke, the room was slightly dim and there was the low beep of some equipment. Her body ached, especially her ribs, and she tried very hard to remember exactly what had happened on the planet. The visions were hazy and after a few minutes she gave up, hoping that more of it would return later.
Slowly she eased herself into a sitting position and glanced around her. She couldn't see much except a chair and the door, which slid open as she gazed at it.
A pretty young woman stood in the doorway, wearing a pale blue dress and dark boots, she smiled softly and murmured something, causing the lights to brighten. She was carrying a tray.
Immediately she squeezed her eyes tight at the sudden brightness, but she heard a soft voice say,
'Ah, you're awake, my name is nurse Chapel,' there was a pause and the sound of something being set down, 'Let me just go and fetch Dr McCoy' and then the sound of the door sliding open again.
Slowly she re-opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the light. Looking around again, she could see everything much clearer this time. She noticed the tray on a small table nearby and was just leaning over to investigate the warm smells coming from it, when she heard the door slide open for the third time. This time three figures entered.
As she looked at them, something stirred in her memory. The first she was sure was a doctor, he was carrying something in his hands and she vaguely remembered a man's voice as somebody had wrapped bandages around her. The second was tall with sharp blue eyes, and in her mind she heard him shouting. She gazed at them again, her eyes moving to the third, taking in his dark hair and pointed ears. Vague memories surfaced again, she could feel his arms around her, his strength lifting her.
A smile flitted across her face for a second and she knew, for the first time in many years, that she was safe.
~*~
As soon as nurse Chapel had informed him the girl was awake, McCoy had sent for Kirk and Spock. He knew it would be easier just to send for them now, rather than later.
They had arrived quickly, stepping in through the door of the sick bay before following the doctor through another door into a smaller, side room.
It was well lit, with simply furnishings in keeping with a sick room. Kirk wasn't looking at the room though, he was looking at its occupant, who was much easier to see clearly now, without the heavy rain clouding his vision and thoughts.
She was sat up in the bed, gazing at them through large almond-shaped eyes, that were very pale blue, almost clear, and surrounded by thick, soft lashes. Her features were soft, framed by long white hair, that he noted was now clean. Her brow was slightly furrowed but otherwise her face was impassive, as if she was trying not to give anything away about herself and at the same time trying to take in everything around her.
She was dressed in a pale blue nightdress that skimmed her small frame, but he could just about make out the wrinkle of bandages around her torso.
Where they broke her ribs, he thought angrily. At a glance, he also noted other bandages on her hand and several patches covering various wounds. For a second he thought he saw a small smile brush over her lips.
Lips that looked so soft, so beautiful, so…
With a slight twitch he focused again when McCoy's voice filled the room.
'Well? How do you feel?' Bones said, moving towards the bed, simultaneously scanning her with the tricorder in his hand.
All three of them watched her, waiting for her to respond.
'I am sore…' she said finally with a gentle voice, 'but it will pass, I have had worse.'
There was a slight awkward pause before she continued,
'Thank-you for your care. You have been most kind.' and there was a feint hint of embarrassment there, as if she wasn't used to basic treatment.
'Don't mention it,' replied Bones, glancing at the readings, 'Well, everything's normal Jim, if you want to talk to her.' he paused and Kirk nodded, stepping forward.
'My name is Caption James T. Kirk, this is Doctor McCoy and my first officer Mr Spock.' he said and gestured at each man in turn. 'What is your name?'
'I am Ahara,' she said slowly and turned to each of them, taking each new detail in. 'What did you wish to ask me?'
Kirk paused, unable to quite think of how to go about asking this. It was slightly awkward to ask someone about something she might not even realise she did. However before he could continue, he heard Spock's voice beside him.
'We wish to know a little more about you. As you are currently a resident aboard this ship, we wish to find out more about yourself so that we may make a judgement as to whether you present any danger to the crew or yourself.' he paused and turned to Kirk, 'with your permission Captain, I will continue, unless you wish to ask.'
'No, no continue.' he replied, pulling up a seat next to the bed on one side, it had been a long day and he was glad of the seat, his arm will still sore, even though McCoy had dismissed it as merely bruised.
'Very well,' the Vulcan responded, standing at the foot of the bed, 'we have been told how you came to be upon the planet Delta 9.425, however we were told that the last of your species had left the planet - why did you remain?'
Ahara paused and looked down at her hands, with a look of wonder and confusion across her face. Finally she took a deep breath and spoke,
'It was not always called that. Its true name is Emitaicae. They told I was born there, one of the last of my kind, that is true. It is also true that it was our home planet until it was colonised nearly 30 years ago. I am supposing they told you we were barbaric - that is not the truth. The new people didn't like us, both sides argued and fought ending in a battle that ended 13 years ago when the last of my people were killed.' she took another deep breath, trying to keep her voice steady.
'How come you were not killed when the rest were?' Kirk added, 'and why did they kill you anyway?'
'I was a child, they did not kill children. Instead they took us in and tried to teach us their ways, make us like them. That is why I remained - I was cared for by an old lady, but she became sick and so when the others left I stayed to care for her - she was the only one who was kind to me - the only one I could trust. Many of us tried to live with them, but we could not forget what they had done. All I can remember is the sounds of my mother screaming as the took me away,' another pause and another deep breath, the air was suddenly tighter and Spock noticed her knuckles were white as she gripped the sheets.
'They killed us because they feared us, because they did not understand… because they incapable of living with something that is not like them.' Her voice had begun to shake with anger, and her grip tightened again.
Then the ship began to shake violently.
Lurching from side to side shaking her contents like a rattle. Spock was thrown backwards, hitting the floor and rolling at speed across the floor before he collided with the wall with a thud. Bones clutched at the nearest table for support, trying to find something to keep him steady as his knees buckled. Kirk fell forward, onto the bed and Ahara's legs though she hadn't noticed. He looked into her face.
Her eyes were wide open, her pupils seemingly no-existent as something molten coursed through her body, shining through her eyes. He reached out and grabbed her arm, shaking her, calling her name, desperately trying to bring her to her senses.
Slowly the shaking began to subside.
Kirk quickly pushed himself upright, picking up his chair from the floor, looking around at the other occupants of the room as he reached for the nearest communication point to subdue the beeping.
'Bridge to Kirk.'
'Kirk here.'
'Captain, what the hell was that?' came Scotty's broad accent
'I'm not sure,' Kirk replied, gazing at Ahara 'See if you can figure it out - check the whole ship. Kirk out.'
To Be Continued.
Please continue to review x