Sickbay log -Stardate 2261.654. Head Nurse Christine Chapel recording.
Commander Spock has regained consciousness and is requesting the Captain. I have updated the Captain and expect he will arrive shortly. Doctor McCoy remains unconscious, but he is out of critical condition now and his readings have been improving steadily.
Chapel made the remainder of her brief notes before the opening of the Sickbay doors drew her attention. As expected, the Captain had arrived. Not as expected, Scott was right behind him. She was pleased that Kirk had brought McCoy's tricorder as she'd requested.
"Thank you for bringing that, Captain. Mister Spock informed me that he had taken readings on Doctor McCoy's injuries. We want to double check and make sure we've covered everything. Mister Spock is waiting for you."
Kirk only nodded in response, making a beeline for the area Chapel had indicated. For a moment, he thought Spock had gone to sleep, but he was acknowledged the second he entered the room.
"Captain. Mister Scott. Have we left the Minarian system?"
"We have. And there isn't a Minarian system any more."
Shifting his position on the biobed and opening is eyes, Spock nodded.
"I had suspected as much. Somehow the Vians must have been able to stall the inevitable until their great experiment reached its end."
Before Kirk could even open his mouth to speak, Spock continued.
"How is the doctor?"
The question took him off guard.
"You didn't ask Nurse Chapel?"
Spock paused.
"Nurse Chapel belongs to the school of thought that someone receiving medical care should not hear potentially bad news. I would not know if she were telling me the truth or something to keep me from asking additional questions."
Kirk took a seat near Spock as Scott found a chair of his own.
"I've been told that Bones is doing better, but still unconscious. Spock? I listened to the logs, but what happened before we found you?"
Scott had left quietly and now came back with a small glass of juice, offering to Spock, who accepted it and took a sip before speaking.
"Thank you, Mister Scott. We knew from our experiences with the Vians that they could block readings from our equipment, so I judged that our best hope of being located quickly would be to return to out original beam down site. We were perhaps a few hundred meters away when the Vians reappeared. A force struck us, knocking us away. I was carrying Doctor McCoy and, as he was already badly injured, I tried to keep myself between him and the ground. As I was informed that I had both a bleeding head wound and a concussion on arrival, I can also presume that the force caused me to collide with a rock. I have no other recollections before waking aboard the Enterprise."
Spock drank some more of the juice.
"I know it will bother the doctor that we had to leave our dead behind, but not knowing what the Vians may have done to Gem and her people is - highly unsatisfactory."
A frown formed on Kirk's face.
"Her people? There were more people on that planet?"
"No, not on the planet, but somewhere in the Minarian system. The Vians claimed to have the power to save all of the inhabitants of Gem's world, but wanted to judge her to determine if they would bother."
Scott let out a low whistle.
"Sound like the Vians are cold ones. Do y'think they were caught when the sun went?"
"If there is one thing that I am sure of, Mister Scott? It is that the Vians survived."
A slight noise drew the attention of all three men. It was Chapel, tricorder still in hand. Her skin tone was far paler than usual to the point that Kirk was worried about her. Her focus was on Spock.
"These readings were of Doctor McCoy."
"I believe the doctor also took full reading of the men who died, but as I recall, the doctor's readings were not much better. He had intracranial hemorrhaging, hemorrhaging into his abdominal area from both the spleen and liver, kidney failure and well as a few other less traumatic injuries such as lung congestion. Had the young empath not assisted in healing him, I doubt he would have lived for much longer after those readings were taken."
That led Kirk to another question.
"It sounded as if Bones went with them willingly?"
Spock shook his head.
"He went with them, but I do not believe that it was willingly. I was in a deep healing trance at the time, but is is my belief that the Vians coerced Doctor McCoy into going with them by either threatening myself or Gem. She and the doctor bonded almost immediately after meeting, perhaps due to the healing aspect that they both have at their cores."
The smile that formed on Kirk's face had a sad tinge.
"Probably one of the best descriptions I've heard for Bones."
Layali came to Chapel side, smiling.
"Doctor McCoy is requesting an update on Commander Spock. Well, actually more like demanding."
A demanding Bones meant a conscious Bones. Relief washed over Kirk, but Spock spoke before he was able to.
"I believe it would be advantageous if you would allow me to go to where the doctor is to allow him to see me for himself."
When Chapel looked hesitant, Spock continued.
"Seeing the doctor would also make it easier for myself to enter a proper meditation. After all, you did state earlier that I am remaining here for observation. Surely I can be observed where the doctor is as easily as I could be observed here."
There was no doubt in Chapel's mind that this was a losing battle, so she conceded the point.
"Fine. We'll moved you to the bed next to his. But only two visitors at a time. Doctor McCoy needs his rest."
Kirk gave Chapel a wide smile that made her immediately suspicious.
"That works out perfectly. Scotty and I make two."
Chapel shook her head firmly.
"With Mister Spock, that would be three."
Spock canted one brow.
"I am a patient and so cannot be considered a visitor."
Starting to laugh, Chapel threw her hands up.
"I give up. Fine - all of you. But don't let him talk over a whisper. His vocal cords were damaged. We've used the regenerator on them, but he'll need to limit that amount of talking and his volume for at least a week, maybe more."
As Spock was able to move on his own, transferring him to the other area was only a matter of minutes. McCoy didn't move much beyond shifting his head, but his eyes followed the activity. He looked relieved to see Spock walking on his own and looked pleased to see Kirk and Scott. Kirk moved to the side of the biobed, resting his hand over one of McCoy's.
"Good to see your eyes open again, Bones. How are you feeling?"
Before Chapel could scold Kirk for asking questions, McCoy made a few gestures with his hands that had Kirk snickering.
"Like something the cat dragged in, huh? Not surprising."
The gestures intrigued Spock.
"That is the Terran sign language, is it not?"
Kirk answered with a nod.
"Bones has tried to learn the basics in as many languages as he can. He told me that translators are fine, but being able to directly ask a patient what hurts and where helps with establishing trust. He was learning it while we were at the Academy - I got interested in it and we practiced together."
McCoy made his next set of gestures while looking toward Spock, though he directed the signs toward Kirk, who translated.
"Bones says that if you're interested in learning more, he still has the lessons on his PADD that we used."
"That would be most interesting, Leonard. Thank you."
The smile on McCoy's face remained for a moment, but it faded as McCoy whispered his question with one word.
"Gem?"
Spock knew what the doctor wanted to know.
"I do not know what became of her. Whether the Vians ultimately decided Gem had won the right to life for her people or not may well be something we shall never know."
Closing his eyes briefly, McCoy spoke softly again.
"What you said to them? Good."
An expression of surprise appeared on Spock's face.
"You were aware enough to hear that?"
A nod was the only response and it was obvious that McCoy was fading fast. Kirk gave McCoy's hand a pat.
"Go back to sleep, Bones. We'll talk more after you have a nap."
Kirk snorted, but didn't translate what Bones signed next. Scott thought it was fairly self-explanatory .