164: A Debt Repaid

By Jariel, Reece and Grace
80224.15
Following Wounds of the Body, Heart and Mind

-=Sickbay, USS Serendipity=-

"Now Bru, just hold still we're only trying to help you," Kathy Miller held her hands up in the air in a non-threatening gesture as she spoke softly and evenly to the terrified Trill.

"That's what they said at the Symbiosis Commission!" Grace ranted. Realizing she was now trapped between the biobed and the wall, February dropped to the floor and folded herself compactly beneath the portable bed. Like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, she wrapped her arms around her knees and wouldn't let go.

"We don't have time for this," Dr. McKay said, gesturing for the ENH to step back. "February, honey, we can do this the hard way or the easy way,” He moved closer, wielding the hypo and determined to get just close enough to press it against her skin. Anywhere he could reach.

"February?" Dabin hurried to approach and the ENH grabbed his arm to hold him back.

"Be careful, Commander. She is hallucinating."

"What?" Reece shook his head. He focused on February and realized that he couldn't tell what she was thinking. He first attributed that to the fact that she was so frantic that he couldn't make them out, but now he felt sure that something else was wrong. "What is she saying?"

"She keeps saying she 'can't hear him'." The LMH backed up a few steps from Bru's location and addressed Reece.

"Our link," Dabin heaved a heavy sigh. "She's lost our link."

"She's suffering from acute radiation poisoning," Dr. Terasha hurried over to Reece. "We began therapy with the proper medications while she was still unconscious but it will take several more rounds over the next few days to completely detoxify the symbiont."

"Have you started a bone marrow detoxification regimen as well?" Reece asked suddenly, his eyes and expression blank. He was operating at the moment on automatic pilot. "For February's sake, not for the symbionts,"

"I was just about to consult with the LMH as to our next step in treating her as host separately from the symbiont," Terasha explained. "His database contains everything known to Starfleet about treating Trill."

"Yeah, but it doesn't tell you everything." He gazed over at February, wanting to approach her so badly. To try to help, somehow. She was so terrified, and he wanted to comfort her.

The LMH and Terasha both took a step forward, blocking his progress.

"It's all right. I'm a doctor." Reece blurted.

"Not if I read your records right," the LMH replied, "How much of that radiation have you been exposed to up on the bridge, boy?"

"No, Rilan Reece was a doctor." Dabin explained, very close to losing his temper. "I can tell you things that the Symbiosis Commission refused to put into the Starfleet database."

"Very well," Terasha's antennae rotated. "You may put your suggestions down on this," She snatched a PADD from a nearby instrument tray.

"But you have to allow us the room we need to do our job, Commander Reece."

"I understand." He winced, observing February. She remained curled up in the corner, whispering softly to herself something he couldn't make out. He watched as the light in the room bounced off of the ring on her left hand and felt a tightness seize his chest. Just days ago she was so happy and smiling, and now this. He sighed again and tapped some suggested medications and detoxifying treatments into the PADD, then handed it back to Terasha.

She scanned the information and nodded. "Very good."

"Let me try to get that hypo into her," Reece now requested.

"No!" Both doctors exclaimed in unison.

"How much luck have either of you had at this point? Let me try, for crying out loud." Terasha considered his request carefully- and figured that she would allow him one try before she had security remove him from her sickbay if necessary. They were losing time.

"Well I don't know," the LMH began, but Terasha ignored his remarks and snatched the hypo out of his hand. "Hey!"

She held it out toward Reece. "One attempt."

"Thank you." Dabin took it, and he slowly approached February's position. Before he got to her, he dropped to his knees and moved slowly across the last meter between them at her level.

"I told them that I couldn't hear him but they don't care," February was mumbling, lost in her thoughts.

"I care," Dabin said softly. Stunned by the sound of his voice, she looked up, and in that split second Reece pressed the hypo to her neck and she went limp. He lifted her up, and carried her to the bed, frowning as pain coursed through the wrist that he had yet have repaired.

"Thank you." Terasha began preparing the doses of medication that February would need.

The LMH was fuming after his opinion had been so easily dismissed by the Andorian. He knew full well that she didn't consider him to be a life form, but he was frustrated at the idea of simply being another medical tool at her disposal.

"Reece," The LMH demanded. "Wrist."

"Not,"

"Yes," McKay insisted. "Now." Reece scowled and followed the LMH to the next biobed, as Kathy Miller pulled the curtain closed between the one Bru was in and the rest of Sickbay.

"I know you're worried," McKay tried to console Reece as he began to mend the man's broken wrist. "She'll be all right. We'll make sure of that."

Reece appreciated the sentiment, but he knew if their link had somehow been lost due to the radiation that she was not going to be all right, and neither was he.

He had described their link to Liis as being like background music that was always there, a calming presence, even if he wasn't focused specifically on every thought that she had. Their link was simply something he had grown accustomed too, a level of intimacy that was with him at all hours of the day. The thought of losing that, frankly, had him terrified at the moment.

"Now son, I know this is difficult but I need you to hold still if I'm going to mend this wrist." McKay said.

"Sorry." Dabin hadn't even realized he had subconsciously been trying to escape the LMH's grasp to get to February's side. He straightened up and held still, anxious to get this business over with. He looked back over his shoulder across the room. Terasha had returned to Lair Kellyn's side, and Salvek was there with her.

Kellyn looked quite a bit worse off than February. His remorse over losing his link with Grace was suddenly replaced with guilt. Losing a telepathic link was a small price to pay in comparison to death. February would likely be up and about in a short amount of time. Kellyn's future was very much in doubt.

"Good as new." McKay said, as he turned off his mending tool. "Its still going to smart for a few days until the swelling goes down, try not to lift anything heavy. Again."

Reece flexed his hand. It stung a bit, which he noted was significantly better than feeling pure agony coursing up his arm and through his body.

Terasha returned to February, with the medications Reece had suggested.

"Are you quite sure about this Mr. Reece? I'm not fond of injecting my patients without researching the effects first in the Federation database." Terasha could sense his distress and tried to be as diplomatic as possible, but the entire scenario clearly had her agitated.

"I wouldn't play games with her well being, I can assure you of that much."

Terasha nodded. Dabin Reece clearly held enough affection for February Grace in her mind that he would not risk making her condition worse for any reason.

Terasha pressed two hypos to February's neck, and set them down on the cart beside her bed.

"Kathy, keep an eye on Lieutenant Grace's bone marrow, draw a test sample and notify me of the results. We’ll take another in six hours to compare them. I'll be in my office." Terasha departed, to update her medical log and consider the next step for both Kellyn and February.

Dabin heard a hiss, and the doors to sickbay opened. Jariel Camen stood in the doorway, his expression one of concern. He glanced at February and Dabin, and his shoulders slumped. He raised his hands and signed to Dabin.

[[Not February too, I had no idea. I'm so sorry.]]

Dabin's eyes narrowed in confusion, and Camen hurried across the room to Kellyn's side.

Dabin turned back to February's bed. He approached Kathy, who was watching the readouts. The medications were only beginning to disperse throughout her system, but already where was a small drop in toxicity readings.

"Dabin?" February's weak voice caught him by surprise.

"Whoa, sweetie you should be asleep for at least another hour or two." Kathy reached for another sedative, but Dabin stopped her.

"It's ok, let her talk for a few moments. I'm here Bru."

"No, you're not. Doesn't anyone believe me?" February's eyes filled with tears.

"I believe you, February. I don't know what happened to the link, but we are going to make this right, ok?"

She looked up at him, and her gaze that was usually filled with joy and youthful innocence was now filled with pain and sadness. Dabin could barely stand it. She looked at him as if he were a ghost, or an empty shell.

"Ok." She finally managed through a quivering lip. Exhaustion and medication once again overwhelmed her, and she slipped back into sleep.

"I love you!" He blurted out, hoping she heard him before she fell back to sleep.

Dabin felt a hand on his shoulder, her expected it to be Kathy, but as he turned it was the Vedek.

"How is Kellyn doing?"

[[Not well. Salvek says the Doctor expects her to recover, but there are still obstacles and the recovery will take time. February?]]

Dabin sighed, he knew the Vedek meant well but he really didn't want to talk about what was happening at the moment, not when the pain was this fresh. Camen sensed his sorrow, and stopped Dabin before he could answer.

[[Don't worry; I'll talk to Terasha or the LMH when they have a moment.]]

Camen stepped past Reece to February's bed. He brushed her hair aside off her cheek and looked down at her sleeping so peacefully. Camen and Zanh Liis had so many lifetimes together, such a deep and diverse history, and here was this young woman who had barely had the chance to explore the universe, and only recently fallen in love for the first time.

She had so many more experiences ahead of her. It didn’t seem fair to him that she should be here like this, struggling instead of at the helm where she belonged.

Camen turned back to Dabin, and signed to him.

[[Could you ask Salvek to come over here?]]

Dabin nodded, and called to Salvek. The Vulcan set down his wife's hand, and came to join the rest of the group.

"Yes, Vedek?"

[[Gentlemen, when we rescued Liis from the Ferengi, each of you kept vigil by her side for me, so she would not be alone. Let me offer the same to you now. Let me stay here with Kellyn and February, so you can return to your duties.]]

Dabin and Salvek both knew that Camen was speaking not just as a friend, but as a Counselor and Chaplain as well. The fact was, the Sera was still very much in danger, and Zanh Liis was going to need her senior staff at their posts, not in Sickbay when the Gauntlet returned. The Captain was already down a pilot and an engineer. She couldn't afford to lose her first officer and chief science officer as well.

[[The Captain needs you, and they need you too.]] He gestured towards Kellyn and Grace. [[To help guide this ship to safety, for their sake and the whole crew's. I promise if there is any change down here, I will let you know.]]

"The Vedek is wise." Salvek agreed.

Both Salvek and Dabin knew there was little they could do here now, and the best way to help their loved ones was to make sure tragedy didn't befall the Sera in a confrontation with Special Ops. The only way to accomplish that was to be at their stations when the Gauntlet returned.

Terasha returned from their office to check again on her patients.

"Doctor, would it be acceptable to you if the Vedek were to remain here, to act as our eyes and ears?"

Terasha regarded Camen, who looked innocent enough in his black garb, single pip and combadge. "I do not see why not, so long as you stay clear of myself and my staff."

[[You won't even know I'm here. I won't say a word.]]

Dabin smiled for the first time since he had arrived in Sickbay, the Vedek's joke not lost on him. He translated Jariel's signs into spoken words for the benefit of the Andorian, who was still learning to understand USL.

"Very well then." Terasha said.

Dabin returned to February, took her hand in his, and whispered in her ear. "If you need me, just tell Camen and I'll be here."

He kissed her cheek, and released her hand. Salvek said his farewell to Kellyn and joined him. The last thing Dabin saw as he left Sickbay with Salvek was Camen, who was already setting up a small prayer shrine in the corner.

Vedek Jariel Camen
Ship's Chaplain
USS Serendipity NCC-2012

Lt. Commander Dabin Reece
Chief Science Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012

And

Lt. February Grace
Senior Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012