"Doctor McCoy, that is most unlikely to,"
"Sir, over the years we have, on many occasions, worked closely together and whenever I thought that a situation was hopeless Spock has constantly reminded me that Vulcans believe that there are always possibilities. Now are you telling me that he has been lying to me about that all this time?"
"As I was saying, Doctor McCoy, it is most unlikely to happen but if it did occur I would want to know everything, and I do mean everything, that has taken place regarding Spock. It would be unique as this would be the first time such a recovery would have happened in the recorded medical history of Vulcan, and possibly in the entire Federation. The fumes he inhaled for so long have been proven to totally destroy portions of the brain in others."
"You said most unlikely. Now that needs a bit of translation. Does that mean that it catabolically will not happen or that there maybe one chance in a trillion that it could happen?" McCoy was in that pose that those who knew him knew he was not going to yield. "Also you have not stated what parts of the brain are destroyed as both Humans and Vulcans can live reasonable lives with a part of the brain destroyed." When McCoy rocked twice on his heels Kirk knew he was good and riled, "Plus you must know that in some way with those Human elements Spock's brain is unique and not like the others."
For a few minutes the two medical men stood looking at one another and Jim Kirk would have paid a great deal to know what was really being said in the exchange between the dark-eyed figure and the blue-eyes one. It was the healer who nodded first, "I had heard of your reputation, Doctor McCoy, for being one who thinks of his patients far more than all the others doctors in the Federation's listing of doctors. I had also heard how protective you were about the crew of this ship. While on the ship I have seen the closeness and deep feeling the seven main bridge crew have for one another and the very close bond that you, Captain Kirk and obviously Spock have. Although I do not expect any improvement in his condition I will return in three days for his final assessment before deciding which facility would suit him best. Should there be a substantial change, although he need not be up to taking an active part in a complicated scientific conversation and debate but able to meet basic Starfleet regulations with regard to mental fitness."
McCoy glanced at Spock for a moment then back at the man, and the two again looked at each other in silence before the healer said, "As I have stated, I do not expect any further improvement but what Spock told you is correct, there are always possibilities and with the changes that have clearly taken place since I first assessed him, I would find any further improvement worthy of study and possibly an indication of even further improvement. I would be appreciative of being informed of all actions taken in his treatment."
"We will see you in three day, then Healer T'Tanton, and I will ensure you are given copies of his full medical records."
"I will take my leave and return in three days."
Only after the healer had left was Kirk aware that not only Scotty but also Uhura, Sulu and Chekov were just in the other room, waiting.
"Three days." Uhura shook her head then looked Sulu, Chekov, and Scotty before she looked at McCoy, "I, I do not want to seem odd but the four of us were talking and we found all four of us have, way back in our families, people who were called witches, quacks, shamans, and naturopaths and some of their ways were passed on down through the families. Natural methods since at least the nineteen sixties and some from decades before that. We," she looked at the others, briefly at Kirk, then back a McCoy, "we would like to try what we have been told might help him."
"You were told?"
"We, we all got in touch with our families as soon as we heard about the fumes not being something Starfleet knew much about and were able to get several suggestions. All of them are organic in nature so would not cause,"
"Now you all know that Starfleet does not agree with such things," McCoy looked at Kirk and Kirk saw the uncertainty briefly on his friend's face, "They are so like the Vulcans in that whatever is done must have been proven to work." McCoy nodded then looked back at Uhura, "If what you have all been told has been used and passed down through the years they must work and we will try them. Well, don't just be standing there, go get it ready. We only have three days."
After they had gone Kirk walked over the McCoy and looked at him, "Bones, you do know that,"
"What I know, Jim, is that there is really nothing more I can do for him. He was right, wasn't he? There were repeated words and he had longer than usual pauses: almost like he was forgetting what he was saying, weren't there?"
"Yes, but,"
"No, Jim. No buts. In somebody like Spock those lapses are indications of damage to or disruption to the brain. Just what that damage or disruption is, is, at the moment, unknown. It is even worse if the sentences were short, like he had to pause every four to six words. For somebody with the vocabulary and linguistic skills he had if he were having to repeat a word that often or hesitated then," as McCoy looked at Kirk he saw the truth that he feared and put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm so sorry, Jim."
Kirk closed his eyes as he heard what McCoy did not say: it was worse than they thought. Spock had been struggling, even in the meld. He felt McCoy give his shoulder another squeeze and nodded before he looked into the steady blue eyes he knew were studying him, "So, so that's why you are allowing them to try historic treatments?"
"Yes. I will admit that I am grasping at straws but I also thought about what I said. If what they are going to try are things that have been handed down through the ages there must be something to them. For generations before there was even the most elementary of prescriptions families would pass on ways of treating different ailments using what was locally at hand. Like how mothers and fathers used to pass on to their children family recipes and tools. They can not hurt or damage him further, Jim. Who knows, something from the twentieth century, or even further back than that, might just work for us, for Spock."
"But if it does work how will you know which one? You are going to have four most likely very different treatments and,"
"If, and that is a mighty big if, Jm, any of them work I would somehow figure it out once we got Spock fully back with us."
Kirk nodded and smiled, "I think you mean the two of you would figure it out as you just know he would want to know."
McCoy smiled back, it was good to see his Captain and friend at least smile again, "I do not know about what they might have but I am most curious about what Chekov comes back with."
"No doubt something that would cure a Cossack of a headache."
McCoy just nodded at Kirk's attempt at lightening what they were both concerned about. No matter what was mentioned somehow Chekov managed to mention how Russia had had a major positive role to play in it. At times he wondered if there was anybody with the dedication to a country and way of life that they had never really been a part that Chekov had.
The four walked back in together and only Uhura had a few things in her hands, and looked first at Kirk and then at McCoy, "We have had a discussion and agreed that I will start first as our treatments can all be related since they encompass almost the whole body. Mine deals with the feet and as soon as I have finished Checkov will administer his which is to do with the stomach, and hour after he finishes Scotty will treat his lungs and finally Sulu will treat his head. We will each do six treatments and see how he is in twenty-four hours. Between treatments we will be in our quarters, on duty, or here, Sir."
McCoy nodded at Kirk, "After six treatments we should see some change. If we do and it is of any significance I will allow them to continue if they are willing to."
"If the lad shows any sign of improvement ye'll nay get us ta stop, Doctor. If it helps the lad we'll nay stop till he is back with us."
As his looked at his officers Kirk saw the determination in them that he felt. He knew it would most likely not be as hard-set as his own but he saw this group, this family, set on brining back to full health this member. He did not want to think about what they had come up with but they clearly had it all sorted and had worked out a routine they would take.
Slowly Uhura walked up to the bed and lightly touched the side of Spock's face, "It's Uhura, Spock. I am going to warm your feet before I massage them and then wrap them and leave them in a warm oily herbal wrap. I will do this six times over a twenty-four hours. You can reprimand me later for touching you as I must."
They all watched as she went to the foot of the bed, moved the blanket away from Spock's feet and wrapped a warm cloth around both of them. She waited for a moment then, taking each foot in turn, massaged them from heel and slowly working towards his toes, putting more oil on her hands and she massaged each toe individually. When she had done both feet she carefully wrapped them in a warm moist cloth before wrapping a reflective blanket around them. She stood, went back to stand by the head of the bed, lightly touched Spock's hand, "I will be back in four hours. You rest."
Chekov stepped forward and put his hand on Spock's, "Sir, it is Chekov. I am going to give you old Russian drink that should help you. There is no meat in it but many spices and lightly blanched vegetation. You can reprimand me afterwards if it upsets your stomach but it should not do so. Doctor McCoy will help me give it to you. If it does not upset your stomach I come back and do it again."
McCoy nodded and helped Chekov get two cups of the rather thick liquid down Spock's throat. From what McCoy could tell by looking at it that it was largely some red onion and cabbage concoction and the aroma verified there was a variety of herbs and spices.
Scotty walked in with some thick padding in a liquid-proof container, a warming pad, and what McCoy recognized as nasal tubes and wondered what the padding had obviously been soaked with. "Now lad," Scotty slowly pulled the sheet away from Spock's chest and, with McCoy's help, exposed his chest, and placed the warming pad on him then the thick padding, "This is a tad warm but so it should be. Ye'll nay get drunk but the aroma will, if tradition is true, help ye get ta thinking right. Now this may not feel good but if ye keep still ye will be just dandy." Very slowly and carefully he started to insert the nasal tubes but McCoy took over and ensured Spock was breathing through them before Scotty put the other end two ends in two holes into the pad but not touching the pad, and covered it with a thermo blanket. "There, lad. Now ye just rest. I'll be back in a mite. The Captain and McCoy will be with ye."
Finally Sulu walked up to the bed, "Hello, Spock. I hope you do not mind but I am going to be giving you a traditional head massage. I will try to block my emotions so that you get the full benefit of the massage without being bombarded with my very Human emotions." Sulu went to the head of the bed and very slowly yet systematically started to slowly massage Spock's neck and shoulders then slowly started to massage the base of his skull.
When he finished Uhura returned and this time softly sang as she removed the bindings and again massaged Spock's feet. She also told him of all the news of what the crew was doing both in the stations as well as their social life, nothing personal, just the usual crew talk about what was going on.
Each of them did their treatments four times and when Sulu finished his fourth treatment McCoy had looked at him, "Now I am going to tell you what I told the others. We will let Spock sleep for up to eight hours at which time I will contract you four and the Captain and we will assess my findings then." McCoy looked briefly at Kirk who had, till then, refused to leave, "You can escort the Captain to his quarters for me as well so I do not have to make it a medical order."
Kirk had been about to protest but saw not only how Sulu was looking at him but also at the set look in the blue eyes that let him know McCoy would record it as a medical order. He briefly looked down at his sleeping friend then at the bank of registers and could not see any change then at McCoy, "If,"
"Go get some sleep, Jim. I'll let you know."
A/N Should get back and get the last two chapters done over the next two weeks. Hope 2016 is going great for all of you.