Chapter 8
The shuttle was only designed for four so Sulu had been sat on the floor with his back to the service panel so he could stretch out his leg. Scotty had gone up to the front to help Chekov and to get out of the way of the others, the little spacecraft was about to get crowded. All Sulu could do was sit helplessly as Kirk and McCoy made their mad dash to freedom. He watched in horror as McCoy fell, fighting the urge to go and help, even though he knew that he'd barely make it to his own feet.
Since the moment that pirate's knife had been sunk into his leg, everything had been a hazy pain-filled blur. The knife had been serrated and he'd felt the vicious twist his attacker had put into yanking it back out again, shredding muscle. After that, it was as though his whole awareness was concentrated around the agony. He didn't remember ending up on the floor, just the feeling of hot blood gushing over his fingers as he clamped his hands over the wound. He'd watched McCoy get gunned down with a numb detachment, sure in that moment that they were all going to die and hoping that the doctor's death had been quicker and less painful than his own would be.
It had been a momentary lapse into despair, one that he'd shaken himself out of while being dragged to the brig. By the time he allowed Spock and Uhura to ease him to the floor, his anger at being manhandled by thugs had banished those thoughts and although he was in no position to fight back personally, he was convinced his captain and his crew would find a way. It had been a shock to look into the eyes of his indomitable captain only to see defeat reflected back.
But everything had changed since then, the doctor had appeared like some kind of haggard and bloodied miracle and had spurred everyone to action. Sulu hadn't dared to dwell on anything other than the grim determination it took to put one foot in front of the other as he struggled to keep up. There had been overwhelming relief as he made it into the shuttle and was settled onto the floor with the help of Scotty, followed by dismay as he watched Kirk's desperate attempts to get his best friend, and their saviour to his feet.
Sulu was unsure how McCoy had found the strength to get back up, let alone finish the run to the shuttle. By the time he got there, the doctor's face was pale and clammy and he was sucking in big wheezing breaths with his battered chest. He looked years older than he had that morning when Sulu had crossed paths with him in the officer's mess, when they'd shared a quick cup of coffee before their shift. That had felt like so long ago now, Sulu could barely believe that it had ever happened at all. As the captain and doctor crossed the threshold into the shuttle and Uhura closed the door behind them, he took a breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.
He knew McCoy was going to collapse even before he himself did. He saw the last bit of colour drain from his face, the involuntary trembling of his legs and then the moment his knees gave out. Luckily, Kirk had been watching for it too and leapt forward, wrapping his arms low down around McCoy's waist to avoid the bandaged wounds above. McCoy mumbled something unintelligible into the captain's neck as he allowed him to take his weight and lower him to the floor. Awkwardly, Kirk eased McCoy onto the floor of the shuttle on the opposite side to Sulu. The space was so small that the taller man's feet almost touched the far side. Kirk sat crouched beside him, keeping his hands resting protectively on the doctor's shoulders. Spock retrieved a first aid pack and knelt on his other side.
Sulu's attention was diverted by Uhura who knelt beside him with a first aid kit of her own. She gave him a warm smile as she unzipped it and primed a hypo. Sulu loosened his uniform and bared his shoulder for her to inject the hypospray into, relaxing a little as the fast-acting pain-reliever flooded his system. He rested his head back against the shuttle wall and took a moment to appreciate the steady vibrations of the shuttle moving through space.
"Thank you." He whispered to Uhura as she started to redress his thigh with proper bandages.
"Always." She promised.
No more needed to be said as she worked carefully, Sulu's attention drifted back to what was happening on the other side of the shuttle.
"I'm okay, I'm okay." McCoy was mumbling, placing a shaky hand on Kirk's shoulder and giving it a comforting squeeze.
"Like hell you are Bones," Kirk was speaking in hushed tones. "Let us help you."
Spock's tone too was hushed. "Captain, help him forward, I need to see his wound."
Kirk leaned McCoy forward so his back was away from the wall, his head resting on the captain's shoulder, supported in his arms. Whatever was said next was mumbled into Kirk's uniform and Sulu couldn't hear it, but it caused Kirk to give him a gentle "Shh" and to run his hand through the older man's hair.
"What's that?" Kirk indicated as Spock began to unravel soiled bandages.
"I believe it is a chest drain Captain." The Vulcan explained with a hint of something in his voice that wasn't his usual stoic self. "It appears the doctor was bleeding into his chest and performed minor surgery upon himself to re-inflate his lung."
Sulu felt sick at the thought, he felt Uhura tense beside him and knew she was listening to the conversation too. She'd got as far as unwrapping the pieces of Spock's shirt that had been holding the wound together and had begun to clean it was antiseptic wipes. The wound had started to bleed again although not as heavily as before.
McCoy cried out as Spock took the last of his bandages off, peeling them away gently from his damaged skin. Kirk let out a gasp too and clutched at his friend tighter. "Oh Bones!"
Sulu was glad he couldn't see the extent of the doctor's injuries. Instead he found himself fixated on the pile of bloodied bandages that had been left at his side.
Spock had stopped and was staring at the doctor's back. Sulu wondered what he was waiting for and then realised with horror that the Vulcan didn't know what to do. The whole ship had been extensively trained in first aid and Sulu himself had been on the receiving end of Spock's confident administrations. Sulu didn't want to know what level of injury would stop the Vulcan in his tracks.
McCoy lifted his head just slightly off Kirk's shoulder. "My bag." He suggested.
Kirk eased the strap of the satchel over McCoy's head and emptied the contents out onto the deck. Hyposprays spilled out across the floor, along with a large knife, spare phaser and a handheld dermal regenerator. Kirk picked up a hypospray, the first one he grabbed had already been emptied so he searched though for a full one, while still holding McCoy against him with his other arm.
McCoy shook his head.
"Bones, you should take a pain killer." Kirk insisted.
"No. Not those." His voice came out as a ragged wheeze.
"Captain those are stimulants." Spock said. He looked at the hypos on the floor. "Doctor how many of these have you had?"
"Not sure, they keep wearing off quickly."
"Stimulants? You mean those drugs you won't let any of us take?"
"You've had them before. Once." McCoy countered.
"That is because they are highly addictive and put an undue strain on the human heart." Spock reminded.
"Yeah, I remember the lecture. And the come-down." Kirk his friend a look.
McCoy reached out and his fingers brushed on the regenerator instead although he didn't appear to have the strength to lift the heavy object up. Kirk took it away from him and handed it to Spock.
"Doctor, your wounds are extensive. I calculate that without first repairing your internal organs and your ribs that repairing your skin is superfluous."
McCoy grimaced. "I know. But I couldn't fit the internal regenerator in my bag. I had one session with it in Med Bay. The bone knitter won't work, too much damage. Just patch me up, I'll do the rest when I get to a proper medical facility."
"As we do not know the conditions of the planet we are going to, that may be some time." Spock pointed out.
McCoy nodded wearily. "I know."
Spock appeared to have been convinced by the doctor's reasoning as he picked up the dermal regenerator and turned it on, programming the settings. As he moved it over the wound McCoy hissed in pain. Kirk had an expression on his face that suggested his heart was about to break, he held his friend tighter. Unbelievably, McCoy noticed and patted his arm.
Spock also looked upset, if you knew how to read his stony expression. "I believe there is a sedative in the first aid kit that would not contraindicate with the stimulants you have already taken."
McCoy shook his head. "No, not until we're out of trouble. Can't have you lugging my unconscious ass round in a firefight."
"We'll protect you Bones." Kirk argued.
McCoy smiled grimly, "I know you will Jim. Doesn't change my answer."
Sulu noticed a stray tear run down Uhura's cheek. She had her hands full as she wrapped swathes of clean bandage round his thigh so he used his thumb to wipe it away. She looked up at him and smiled.
They were interrupted by Scotty who came out of the cockpit. He stood resting a hand against the doorway and surveyed the pitiful sight of his crewmates. They all looked up at his entrance and he looked guilty at the intrusion he'd caused.
"Capt'n, we've managed to hail the rest of the crew. They landed on the outskirts of a small settlement. Lieutenant Giotto has managed to gather most o' the crew together and has search parties out fer the rest."
"Do we know anything about their capabilities?" Spock commented.
Scotty frowned, "Giotto is working on that now. We're gonna have bigger problems tae deal with though. Our scanners are picking up a couple o' big ships tailing us, including one that might be Romulan."
"That's them," McCoy said, slight panic in his voice. "The pirates were supposed to be selling us to a Romulan Commander called L'Ren. She was on a Warbird heading to a meeting point. I sent a distress call on Federation channels, sent them the planet co-ordinates and a copy of Rydan's conversation with her. They'll know where to find us but we're a long way into uncharted territory and I don't know if anyone's even picked my communications up yet."
Kirk cursed and started to hasten to the cockpit but stopped when he remembered he had his best friend in his arms. He looked at McCoy with a look of torment.
"Go on Jim," he said gently. "Spock's got me."
Kirk nodded with tired resignation and got to his feet. "Come on Scotty. Let's get out of this next mess."
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