Waiting. Waiting had never been one of Jim Kirk's strengths but he realized, as he looked up when a cup of coffee was placed in his hand, that he was not alone. Sulu was there along with Chekov, Uhura, and Scotty. He also realized he had been sprawled out on the bench in the medical annex room and, seeing the pillow and blanket, realized he must have fallen asleep at some stage.

"I have Officer Donnelly in the chair, Sir. Delta shift came on early when they heard."

"Ganner is being vatched by Officer Rex, Keptin."

Kirk nodded and at the thought of Officer Rex watching Ganner was a relief as he knew that many of the crew called Officer Rex 'Dog' as he had a reputation of when told to make sure that somebody did not move that person did not move without him correcting their action. It had not surprised him that Chekov had had Officer Rex watch Ganner, not after what he had seen on the bridge.

Uhura looked at him, "Officer Dint reported that Officer Ganner had ordered him to help a woman with her children and told he was to do it discreetly so as not to distract the First Officer. He said he thought it unusual but that Officer Ganner reminded him of his senior rank. He said he saw Officer Ganner rush over to where you were with Spock and gripped his arm to get his attention. He reported that as he thought it unusual as he said that one of the first things he had been told about Vulcans was not to touch them but then thought it would have been a natural reaction to get someone's attention in a hurry."

McCoy walked over to them and sat down before looking right at Kirk, "You've had a nice sleep." In the hazel eyes that looked at him he saw the unasked questions, "I've just checked and Spock is in a Vulcan healing state. I have Walker heavily sedated and, as strange as it may sound, being rehydrated. I have him on warm rehydration as his reading show extreme exhaustion, mild hypothermia and dehydration and it is the best known way to treat all three. He also has a lot more lacerations and bruises than Spock does as well as a few broken bones but he will be, in time, able to return to full active duty. The staff know that I, that we are in here. Spock has several deep bruises, a few fairly minor lacerations, and is mildly dehydrated. He has been getting fluids and now just needs to stay in that Vulcan trance for as long as he needs. It took me some time to analyze that strange reading I was getting from Spock. Two substances. One was Blarnock, very rare substance to find in Vulcans. With all the small cuts they both had and all the debris they were in there is no telling how or when he could have become infected."

"Walker's hypothermia." in his mind Kirk again saw how when they had materialized Walker was only wearing underwear, all his clothing was on Spock or used to secure Spock to the bracing.

McCoy nodded, "That's why I have him so heavily sedated, he is in for several more hours of warm rehydration which will help with rewarming his core at a slightly faster rate and deeper into the tissues. I know what you and most of the others who have had even just an hour or two of the rehydration treatment think about it but a warm rehydration is a bit more unpleasant for the patient. While it does help with warming them it has a most disruptive effect on both their entire digestive tract and urinary system and leaves them feeling extremely weak foro up to four days post-treatment. Recovery period varies with the occasional patient unable to psychologically deal with the impact the treatment has had with their body. While I do not think Walker will have trouble like that there are no records of a patient having the treatment as long as he will need it. Decidedly not a treatment you want to be awake through or even aware of. He will need time afterwards to slowly adjust. Despite all his cuts and bruises there is little serious internal damage to worry about apart from his severe hypothermia which would not have been so bad if he had not stripped and used his clothing to splint Spock. That reminds me, I will have to have a talk with Walker about how he knew how to splint Spock so thoroughly. Not many would know how to so secure a Vulcan patient for moving like that, leaving just enough slackness to not cut of circulation yet virtually immobilizing the body."

Fury for a moment gripped Kirk as he saw again how Spock had been trying to run, how his legs seemed not to be moving as they should. He saw how the officer had clung to Spock. Only as he really made himself remember that moment just before the wave caught the two did he realize that Spock had not been holding onto Walker, that Walker was clinging onto Spock as Spock's arms seemed to droop. He tried not to think about the one time he had endured a short session of warm rehydration, the pain and the feeling of total helplessness. "What, what area did Ganner inspect?"

"He helped clear the medical station. There were two adult patients and one woman with a new-born." Scotty looked at Kirk, "There was also a heavy full-sized medical cabinet that I had two of my lads help me take the whole kit-n-caboodle to McCoy."

McCoy nodded and was silent for a moment, clearly trying to remember what was in the cabinet. There was no denying the confirmation that was on his face when he looked at Kirk and nodded, "Standard issue was two snap-n-inject packs of Blarnock and they were gone but there was no record log kept so there is no way of knowing when it was used. It would not be unusual as Blarnock is a major muscle relaxant."

"Bones, you, you mentioned two unusual substances in Spock's systems."

"The other was what, along with that strapping, saved him. Some weird concoction that would be like a drink of strong coffee, parsley tea, onion juice, and lemon juice but it countered the severity of the overdose and was clearly given to him down there and by Walker."

"Aye, his canteen. Always has it with him when beamed off the ship to things like this. Non-regulation but noted as medical. I tried it once and would rather have the pain. Tis worse than vile."

"There is an old Russian saying, 'The vorst the taste the better the cure.'"

"Well then, a wee dram of that could cure anything."

Uhura looked at him and Kirk saw the concern on her face, "Will he be charged with that, taking a non-regulation item with him?"

Kirk smiled at her, "Not if McCoy verifies what Scotty said about it being medical."

"You bet it is! I'll verify it as a medical aid."

Kirk looked at those around him and knew they were waiting for him to tell them what to do. He could tell they wanted action; they also wanted to know what really had happened down there and why Officer Ganner had been wrong about a crewmember being trapped.

"First I want to talk with whoever their medical supervisor was to ensure that the Blarnock was there before our arrival and who was seen in the medical facility. I want to talk with Officer Dint to find out more about his exchange with Officer Ganner and what else he might have noticed down there. I want Officer Ganner not to know of the condition of either Spock or Officer Walker now or when they awaken. And," slowly he looked at each one of the five around him, "I want to thank you all for your help with this situation."

After the others had left McCoy stayed for a minute just looking at Jim Kirk. Looking at him not as Captain James T Kirk responsible for all the lives aboard his ship but as the man concerned about his closest friend. As he looked at Kirk and knew the man had not seen him standing behind him as he was, he knew that Kirk would be thinking of Spock. He saw Kirk's posture change from straight command style to good old human weariness and uncertainty. Carefully he reached out and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Jim, there's something you should know." When Kirk turned his head all thoughts of telling him what he had wanted to vanished. He would not tell Kirk what he had seen, what he felt certain about, till after he had spoken with Spock. He would talk to Spock to make sure it was not just his gut feeling running away with him again.

"What do I have to know, Bones?"