Prime (Original Series)Timeline
All was quiet on the Enterprise bridge, and Captain Kirk was waiting for something to happen. Many of their adventures occurred much like this, a peaceful day headed towards their new mission interrupted by some new species or space phenomena that threatened their lives. So, he knew that something would happen. It always did.
With a sigh, Jim tapped his communicator. "Bridge to Sickbay."
"McCoy here."
"Bones! Anything new to report?"
"Nothing, Jim. All is well down here. Why? Are we expecting trouble?" McCoy asked, hesitation bleeding into his tone, and Jim shook his head.
"No, just a feeling. Thank you, Doctor. Kirk out."
"Captain, there are no odd readings on our sensors." Spock said evenly from where he stood by his station, "If this 'feeling' that you claim to have persists, you might wish to consider getting some rest." His tone was sure and steady, like always, but his eyes reflected some concern that Kirk caught onto, but didn't mention.
"I'm fine, thank you, Mr. Spock."
A soft beeping could be heard, and Spock turned back his scanner, his eyebrow arching.
"I stand corrected, Captain. There appears to be a shuttle which just entered our sensor range."
"A shuttle?" He asked, sitting upright in his chair. "Can we hail them?"
"Hailing them now, sir." Uhura said, adjusting the earpiece in her ear, and the bridge waited in tense silence.
"Nothing, Captain. No response."
Kirk sighed once again, getting up from his chair and standing in front of the viewscreen, watching as a small shuttlecraft became slightly bigger as it floated closer.
"Ideas, Mr. Spock? Should we bring it onboard?"
Spock took a moment to reply, his words confident yet laced with curiosity. "It appears to be a Federation shuttle, however, there have been no other starships this far out in deep space that it could have come from. It also has no impulse power, the only energy readings we are getting are from life support."
"What's the designation of the shuttle?" Kirk hoped that they could contact the ship it belonged to before bringing it onboard, just in case it was a shuttle that was contaminated with some sort of disease. Bones would have his head if he brought something like that on board.
"An intriguing case, Captain." Spock replied. "It appears to be our shuttle, yet I do not recognise the make of the shuttlecraft."
"Ours?"
"Yes. NCC-1701."
"Lieutenant Uhura, continue to attempt contact. Let me know the second that you do. Mr. Spock, meet me in Briefing Room 2 for a senior meeting. Sulu and Chekov, keep our current position unless the shuttle drifts out of range. If so, contact me." After a series of 'Yes, sirs' echoed around him, Kirk left the bridge with Spock on his heels, hitting the communicator in the corridor to call Doctor McCoy and Scotty there as well.
"Captain, do you believe that this shuttle may have ill intent towards the Enterprise?" Spock asked, and Kirk didn't know how to reply. How could he explain his concerns without sounding paranoid? Yet this was the feeling that he had, like there was an unknown enemy, a danger lurking around, was still persistent.
"I guess we'll see."
It didn't take long for Bones and Scotty to join them, Bones looking more concerned than ever.
"Jim! I thought you said that nothing was going on!"
"Nothing was until a few moments ago. Gentlemen, please sit down."
"Aye, Captain, the ship isn't in danger, is it?" Scotty asked, and Spock sat down.
"Not at the moment, Mr. Scott."
"Then what's the matter?"
Kirk took a deep breath before responding. "There's an unknown shuttlecraft that has lost all power but life support, drifting through space in front of us. It appears to be a shuttlecraft from our ship, but is a different model than the shuttles we carry currently, or have carried in the past. No answers to our hails. Observations?"
"Could it be from the future?" McCoy asked gruffly. "As much as I hate time travel, it seems to be the only explanation. An Enterprise shuttle with a different mechanical make? What else could it be?"
"I must agree with the good Doctor." Scotty said, turning to Spock. "Mr. Spock, did it seem like it was a newer model?"
"I was unable to determine if it was 'newer', as you describe, but the technology on the exterior of the shuttle does seem more advanced."
"Aye! So newer!"
"Jim, do we think that there's anyone onboard?" Bones asked, and he shook his head.
"We don't know."
"If there is someone on board, I want them to be examined for injury. A shuttle floating in place without direction means that there's no pilot, or the pilot was injured. We need to help them if we can."
"Though, Doctor, what if there are unknown diseases onboard?" Spock said, voicing Kirk's worries flawlessly, "We would not want to infect the ship."
Kirk took a moment to think, swaying gently in his chair. Yet, for some reason, no ideas to help them with this mystery would come. Was the situation that puzzling? Why? It was just a shuttlecraft, wasn't it?
Yet, it was a shuttlecraft from the Enterprise, one that they didn't own. It was odd, stranger than it should've been. Stranger than he would've liked.
"What if we transport someone onto the shuttle?" McCoy said, his fingers drumming against the table. "That way we risk no contamination on the ship, and we can see if the pilot needs help. I would gladly volunteer myself, Captain."
"And, if no diseases are present in the shuttle, the transporter should filter out all other unknown particles." Scotty said, "I would be able to transport the doctor and the pilot over safely, that I can promise you."
"It hasn't always worked as perfectly before, Scotty." Kirk said, remembering an occasion where such things occurred, an occasion filled with Vulcan tears and fencing swords. He could still hear that annoying song ringing around in his head some days. Scotty nodded.
"Aye, sir. Yet it is a risk I think we should take. If there is someone on that shuttle who needs assistance, wouldn't it be wrong to leave them out there?"
"Mr. Scott, Captain, Doctor, I do not advise this course of action." Spock said, and McCoy rolled his eyes. "It is not worth risking the entire ship for one being."
"Spock, we can't just let whoever is in there die!"
"As much as I appreciate your advice, Mr. Spock." Jim said, getting to his feet, and his fellow officers followed. "I believe that it is worth the risk. Whoever it is may also provide some answers to our questions. Bones, are you sure you want to go aboard the shuttle?"
The doctor nodded. "I'll wear a bioprotection suit just in case."
"Good. Transport aboard that shuttlecraft, and keep us updated the whole time. Meeting dismissed." Concern sat in his gut at the words, at the knowledge that he was sending his good friend into danger, but it was necessary. They were Starfleet officers, risk was a part of the job. But he didn't like it one bit.
Scotty and Spock left the room at the words, but McCoy hung back, his blue eyes giving Jim a knowing look.
"I'll be fine, I've done more dangerous things."
"Just be sure you get back here safe, you hear me, Bones?"
"Loud and clear, Jim, loud and clear."
McCoy was already sweating when he walked on the transporter, covered head to toe in protective gear, but the transporter in of itself made him nervous, too. Scotty seemed to notice, and gave him a quick, confident smile.
"You'll be alright, laddie."
"I know, Scotty." McCoy said, tightening his grip on his medkit. "Just get it over with, will you?"
"Alrighty, sir. Energizing now."
McCoy closed his eyes and held his breath, waited three seconds before opening his eyes again, feeling a hard metal under his feet. He opened his eyes to see the inside of a standard Federation shuttle around him. He whipped out his tricorder, searching for life signs, and one made itself known. Activating the tricorder to find any airborne viruses, he looked around, not seeing anything that could be considered a living being. But, he spotted a small ladder shaft near the side of the shuttle, so McCoy followed it, hoping that whoever the life sign belonged to was down there.
His communicator beeped, and he flipped it open, gripping the ladder harshly with his free hand.
"McCoy here."
"Doctor, please report." Spock said, and McCoy nodded.
"Nothing yet, but there is one life sign. I'm following a ladder to the lower level. No viruses detected."
"Acknowledged, Doctor."
Bones finally landed on the lower part of the deck, and instantly saw a man laying beside a medkit, the man reaching for it, yet his whole body was motionless. McCoy didn't waste a second coming to his side, his tricorder whirring over him. There was a lot of blood on the man's face, stemming from a nasty head wound. There was blood on his torso, and his leg was twisted in a way that was unnatural. It would've made him sick if he wasn't a doctor. By checking the man's eyes with a penlight, he could tell that he was in a deep state of unconsciousness, too. Not very good signs. Not at all.
Flipping open his communicator, he spoke quickly, putting pressure on a bleeding wound in the man's side.
"I'll need transport back to the ship immediately!"
"What have you found, Bones?"
"Jim, this man is severely injured, we need to get him to Sickbay as soon as we can!"
"Can you describe who he is at all, doctor?" Spock asked, and McCoy bit back an insult that sat on the tip of his tongue.
"I don't know, Spock! He's a humanoid male, I would guess that he's in his late thirties." His eyes glanced over the figure, noting the blue shirt and Starfleet insignia. "He works for Starfleet. Now get us to my sickbay, or so help me!"
"We will have extra medical personnel meet you in the transporter room." Spock said. "Stand by for transport."
"Energize!"
McCoy didn't get a chance to prepare himself, but the transport was quick and easy. In any other situation, he wouldn't risk transporting any patient like this, but he needed immediate help. The man's pulse was weak and slow, his blood pressure was extremely low, and his wounds could kill him. He needed to stop the bleeding as soon as he could.
Nurse Chapel met him on the transporter pad, a stretcher behind her, and McCoy threw off the protective cover that he wore over his head.
"Chapel! We have multiple deep lacerations, a broken leg, broken ribs, and slow pulse. He needs surgery and dermal regenerators. Get me a hypo for the bleeding!"
"Yes, Doctor."
Chapel rushed to comply, and with the assistance of another nurse, McCoy got the man onto the stretcher, keeping his hands over the bleeding wound. He could see Jim in the corner of his eye, watching them as if he wanted to help out but Bones shook his head.
"Captain, there were no viruses on the shuttle. I advise that you get some information from the shuttle's computers, anything that can help us."
Jim nodded, and Bones rushed off with his medical staff, watching the man below his blood covered fingers, hoping for the best.
"Captain, are you headed to Sickbay?" Spock asked a few hours later, matching his steady pace, and Jim nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Spock, I thought that I would pay our mystery man a visit. Did you get any useful information from the shuttle?"
"Negative. There were no mission logs, or even personal ones for that matter. However, there was some damage to the engines, which would explain the lack of power."
"Do you think it was because of a fight? Was the shuttle attacked?"
"There is no evidence of a battle on the outer hull of the shuttlecraft. I believe the engine itself was hit with phaser fire."
The pieces were slowly coming together in Kirk's mind. "So, the shuttle was likely boarded, the attackers nearly killed the pilot, and destroyed the engine. But why?"
"I believe that the pilot may have the answers that we seek." Spock finished, the doors to Sickbay closing behind them as they entered.
"Not a pilot, Mr. Spock, not specifically." Bones said, now in his normal CMO uniform, walking up to them holding a PADD, and Jim gave him a confused look.
"Bones?"
"He's a Starfleet medic. This was on his shirt." He said simply, reaching over to a desk and handing Jim a Starfleet insignia, with the Medical symbol in the middle of it. The insignia was made of metal, not the fabric his was made of, and Kirk weighed the unfamiliar weight in his hand.
"Is he alright?"
Bones took a deep breath before responding. "He's alive. He had multiple injuries, we needed to do a blood transfusion with some of the blood bags that we had, he was thankfully a match. All of the major cuts have been patched up, as well as the broken ribs. Thankfully none of his lungs were punctured. Right now his leg is still broken, we're running a regen unit on it, and he hasn't woken up yet. The man has a concussion, but he's expected to make a full recovery. No other viruses or illnesses were detected, the man was in perfect health before whatever happened that led him here."
Kirk mulled the words over, thankful that this man was alright. Although he didn't know him personally, he didn't want this man to die. Not only because he would carry answers to the questions they had about the shuttle and who he was, but no one should die alone on a shuttle, much less when they were saved and gotten treatment.
In the end, it was Spock who spoke up. "When is he expected to wake up, Doctor?"
"Anytime now. You're both welcome to come in."
Kirk followed McCoy into the private medical room, where Nurse Chapel hovered over the man on the bed, checking screens and PADDs. She gave them a nod when they walked in, and McCoy dismissed her.
The man was dressed in standard patient scrubs, his old clothes no doubt discarded before the surgery. Jim couldn't help but notice that the man had a round face yet a sharp jaw, his brows furrowed as if he was in pain, although the monitors said that he wasn't. His brown hair was tosselled, yet slightly parted to the left, and there was scruff on his cheeks. He looked to be in shape, with broad shoulders and toned muscles. He would've looked unstoppable if not for his broken leg.
One thought made itself clear: what in the entire galaxy could best this man in a fight? A Klingon, perhaps, but not a man.
"Isn't it uncanny?" Bones said, crossing his arms with a frown. "Something about him is so familiar, but I just can't figure out what."
"Yes." Now Kirk could see it, too. He knew this man. He knew him yet didn't know him at the same time.
"As illogical as it is, I must admit I see it as well." Spock admitted, and Kirk half expected McCoy to say something in response to that. He didn't.
Instead, he kneeled over the man, preparing a hypospray. "He's waking up."
Jim stepped back, allowing Bones room to work. The man on the bed groaned, his eyebrows furrowing further before his eyes opened, revealing hazel eyes. They were glazed over, glancing around the room warily before Bones put his hand on the man's shoulder, bringing his attention to him.
"Easy there. You're safe." Bones said, but that did nothing to relax him. With a shout of fear, clarity shining in his eyes, the man bolted out of the bed, pushing over the bone regenerator, tripping because of his broken leg, and grabbed a hypo from the nearest table, brandishing it in the air as if it was a weapon. He leaned on the wall weakly, his broken leg propped out in front of him, his breath rough and ragged, tears in his eyes. He groaned, clearly in pain, no doubt from the sudden movement he put his broken body through, but always kept his eyes on them.
"Easy, man!" Bones explained, and Spock rushed to the man, but slowed to a stop as the man looked at him with fear. "Easy, you're safe." Bones continued in a sure tone, one of someone in charge, "I'm Doctor McCoy, you're on the Starship Enterprise. We saved you from your shuttlecraft. You were injured, and I managed to heal everything except for your broken leg and concussion. So sit down!"
Kirk stepped forward, his hands raised, knowing that the man needed to get back into the bed, his standing wasn't doing his broken leg any favors.
"Please, you're safe. We'll explain everything, I promise you!" He urged, but he didn't know if it helped.
The man breathed heavily, glancing down at the hypo and pressing it into his own neck, muttering under his breath, looking back at them.
"Bones…?" Kirk asked softly, afraid that the man had injured himself with something dangerous, and Bones stood still.
"It was only a pain reliever, he'll be okay. The dosage wasn't lethal."
"You are a Starfleet medical officer, is that correct?" Spock asked the man, and the man looked at him with wariness. His breathing seemed to have calmed down, yet he was still keeping to himself, tucked in the corner, his broken leg still resting out in front of him, his good leg holding him up.
"Who are you?" He asked loudly, a small southern accent lacing the words, and, after fiddling with the hypospray once more, held it out in front of him, "This hypo is now activated for a lethal dosage, one step closer and I won't hesitate to plunge it into your necks!"
"My name is Captain James T. Kirk of the U.S.S Enterprise. This is my first officer Spock, and my Chief Medical Officer Doctor Leonard McCoy." Kirk asked, but the man laughed harshly.
"Do you really think I'm that stupid? You're not Captain Kirk! Who hired you? The Romulans? The Klingons?"
"I can assure you we are exactly who we say we are." Spock said evenly.
"We can talk about this when you're in bed." Bones said, determined, but the man pointed the hypospray at him.
"No! You can't order me around! I'm a fully grown man, not an infant!"
"I can and I will!" McCoy responded, just as loudly, and not for the first time Jim was proud of his friend and his determination. "You are in my sickbay with severe injuries, you can barely stand as it is! Would we have gone through all this trouble keeping you alive just to hurt you again?"
"That is not how Klingons or Romulans act, if you prefer to think logically. They would have let you die. We are clearly not your enemy, as we have let you live." Spock added.
Kirk thought that something close to recognition sparked in the man's eyes, and he dropped the hypo, leaning heavily into the desk nearby.
"Fine." He grumbled, his eyes closing briefly before opening them once again, fury in his eyes, yet exhaustion in them, too. "But the second I think that you have ill intentions towards me or anyone else, I'll have your heads, you hear me?"
"Understood." Kirk said softly, something stirring in his chest at the reaction, and the man hobbled back into the bed, swinging his broken leg up with a groan. Bones rushed back into action, waving a tricorder over his leg as the man watched his every move.
Glancing up at the montor's above him, they could all see that the man's heartbeat was still very fast, but his pain levels were decreasing.
"What…what did you say your name was?" The man asked weakly, and Bones gave a confused look.
"Doctor Leonard McCoy."
"Well…" the man huffed out a short laugh, "Well that's…that's…" His eyes rolled into the back of his head, his head went limp on the pillow, and suddenly he went silent. Bones waved the tricorder over his head and sighed.
"He fainted, low blood pressure, but he'll be alright."
After a moment of silence, Jim spoke up.
"Gentlemen," Jim said, keeping his eyes on the man, "Does anyone have any explanation as to what's going on here?"
"I have an idea, Jim." McCoy said, defeated, putting his hypo down onto the desk. "But I don't like it one bit. Christine, could you restrain him and alert us when he wakes up? And get him something for the low blood pressure."
Kirk hadn't even noticed Nurse Chapel hovering by the door until Bones spoke to her.
"Yes, Doctor."
"Jim, Spock, my office."
With a single nod from each of them, they made their way to the CMO's office, and Kirk couldn't help but notice the wary look that McCoy gave the man before turning away. His friend was certainly right, he didn't appear to like whatever this could be at all. And, if Leonard McCoy was worried, he knew that he should be, too.
It was not a comforting thought.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter should be posted in a few days!